44. Messiah

We spend two days staking out the deli where Brutus is stationed. As fast as Angel picked off the last of his lackeys, he has already replaced them with new kids to do the dirty work. We finally decide that we are going to grab the motherfucker once and for all. He is too smart to follow a chick around the corner, and he knows my face. So, I call in my friend to help persuade him out of the building.

Kasper is leaning against the side of my car as I half hang out the window. We are both scanning the street to see if any police or suspicious people are lurking around. Angel sits quietly in the passenger seat, her eyes pinned to the deli's front door.

"There is a cellar around back," Kasper tells me, his eyes squinting toward the alley beside the building.

"It has a lift door. I'll drive over it, block the exit," I state.

He nods as he reaches into his pocket for a cigarette. He leans back to glance at Angel in the car. He doesn't like that she is here, but he can't fucking do anything about it. As far as this matter goes, we are just the work horses helping her out. Not that he knows that.

"Alright," he sighs, running his hand through his beard. "Let's go fuck someone's day up."

Angel tenses as I lean back into the car and start the engine. I let Kasper get across the road before I drive away. I cut a U-turn in the gas station parking lot and turn back toward the deli. Kasper is already inside when I pull around the building and park directly over the cellar door. If anyone tries to run up behind us they will be blocked in.

When I glance over Angel has her finger in her mouth, chewing at the skin around her nail. Taking her hand, I grip it in my fingers and press her knuckles to my lips.

"We got it, Baby."

She doesn't answer. Five minutes pass. At seven minutes, I start to wonder where the fuck Kasper is. He isn't the type of guy to betray someone. Not me at least. Given that we both work for the same man, there isn't anything for him to win if he hands me over.

Angel jumps when a door slams open somewhere behind us. Brutus runs around the corner, skidding to a halt when he sees the car blocking his route.

He curses before turning around. Kasper appears behind him, but Brutus dodges before the assassin can grab him.

"Shit!"

I leap from the car and grab my gun. I don't want to kill him and take that opportunity from my girl. I will, however, blow his foot off to keep him from running.

Another man appears from the back door Brutus fled from but when he sees my gun pointing in his direction he runs off. Apparently, Brutus's men aren't so loyal when the situation comes down to the wire.

Kasper catches Brutus before he is able to run around the other side of the building. I reach them before Brutus can throw him off. Jumping onto Brutus's back, I pummel him to the ground and hold his face against the rough pavement.

"Get the fuck off me!" he yells.

"Nah," I pant, pushing his face down harder.

Footsteps sound behind me, and I look up to see Angel watching the two of us hold Brutus to the ground.

"Bring the car, Baby," I call over my shoulder.

She nods and scurries back around the building. I hear my engine roar to life before the car backs up and turns in our direction. The trunk pops open just as it stops a few feet away. When Angel gets out of the car, she hands me a stack of zip ties we brought just for this occasion.

"Don't kick, motherfucker!" Kasper shouts as Brutus's foot nearly flies into his dick.

Angel takes a step back as the two of us struggle to get Brutus's hands tied. I pull a scarf from my pocket and gag him. Angel hands me the duct tape from the trunk and I slap a piece over his mouth.

Kasper and I haul his body up and push him into the trunk, slamming the lid closed before he has a chance to sit up. He kicks against the door, but once we start moving that isn't going to be an issue.

"Nice grab," I pant, running my hand through my hair.

Angel stares at the closed trunk as Brutus tries to beat his way through the metal.

Kasper fixes his jacket and walks over to pick his sunglasses up from the ground.

"My advice –" he pants, cleaning his glasses off with the edge of his shirt. "Go back to just shooting them."

We part ways with Kasper after dropping him back at his car down the street. From there, Angel and I head toward the rail yard.

We leave Brutus in the trunk while we set up the unit. This time we are a bit more prepared for the inevitable mess that we are going to make. It is hard to gauge how long it will convince Brutus to make the confession we need, but we came prepared for a fight.

The sun is starting to go down as we gear up to drag the fucker out of the trunk. I stand behind the car and give Angel the signal to pop the door. As soon as it releases, Brutus flies up and tries to leap out. I grab him, looping my arm through his and dragging him toward inside. The car door slams as Angel walks around, closing the trunk, and calmly following the two of us into the unit.

Brutus is trying to shout at us from behind the tape as I slam him into the chair and wrap a heavy chain around him. I lock the chain on his side so it doesn't slide off his body, then loop the chain around the chair before securing it to the O-rings bolted into the concrete floor. Angel is attempting to pull the rolling door down to close us in, but she is too short to reach. Smiling, I walk over and reach up to tug the door down. She gives me a sheepish grin before turning toward Brutus as I step on the door and push it to the ground – sealing us in.

"Alright," I say. "Let's talk."