Deva closed her bedroom closet door with a flourish; she had finally settled in her new apartment. A nice size one-bedroom on the second floor of an old brick house building on the edge of North Side in Chicago. During her ride there, she could see the quaint neighborhood, a couple of restaurants. And on her way up, her two surprising downstairs neighbors.
Marcus, a thin, bald black man in his mid-forties, with an extravagant attitude, and Miss Lupe, a Hispanic matriarch, closing in on eighty with gnarly fingers and a suspicious glare. Deva smiled at them and used all her experience with snarly soldiers to at least thaw them out a little. During their discussion, she learned that both Marcus and the elderly woman shared the lower floor. Miss Lupe couldn’t use stairs due to severe rheumatism, and Marcus didn’t have the money to rent a place of his own. Not yet anyway from what he had told her. In exchange for a lower rent, he ran errands for Miss Lupe and cooked for her. A strange duo in Deva’s mind, but a useful arrangement for both of them.
As soon as her new neighbors started talking, they immediately bombarded Deva with inquisitive questions. “Why was she here? Where was she working? Did she have a boyfriend?” Most of the questions were easy to answer, as her cover didn’t differ much from reality. She didn’t have a boyfriend, and she had moved here when a physical therapist position had opened. It was different, she needed a change, so she just jumped at the chance. Believable enough story, especially since they wouldn’t dig into her past. And even if they did? There wasn’t anything wrong with wanting to turn your life in a new direction.
And she was saved by Gabrielle who had come over with food. Her new “handler,” as Beatrice called her, was supposed to be her sole contact, and they had agreed that looking as if they were good friends to her new neighbors and coworkers would facilitate the whole situation.
“Do you want to eat? I just bought subs. I didn’t want to heat up anything as your air conditioning isn’t working yet and it’s beginning to feel hot in here.”
Deva stretched and went into her kitchen where Gabrielle was getting two bottles of water from the fridge.
“It’s hot, but it’s only June. Not as stifling as San Antonio, that’s for sure. You just stand there, and sweat is pouring out of you like a river.”
Gabrielle nodded. “Only been there once, nice city, great food. But I was busy working. It would be fun to plan a vacation there. I’ll have to ask Sully and Arthur if they want to go.”
“Sully is your husband?”
The blond woman handed Deva a plate, and they went to the living room. Gabrielle sat on the floor, putting her plate on the coffee table, as she sat cross-legged on the sofa, her plate on her knees, the water bottle by her hip.
“Yeah. The crazy Navy SEAL Oz was referring to. He’s with Arthur, our son, right now. Wow, I didn’t think I would ever say that.” Shaking her head, she took a hearty bite of sandwich. Deva was curious about the blonde woman.
“Why would you say that?”
Gabrielle chewed for a moment before answering. “Well, you wouldn’t believe the last few years of my life even if you had been there. And the last thing I ever thought I’d have was a son. Well, a child. Arthur had been a complete surprise, a blessing, and a total whirlwind in our lives. And I wouldn’t change a thing about it.”
Deva nodded, somehow a little envious of the woman sitting on her living room floor, but her thoughts veered to her previous destiny. If she had chosen to stay, to submit, how many children would she have by now? Other children, other pawns. The thought turned longing into shivers. Better to change the subject.
“Are you returning to them soon?”
Gabrielle nodded as she swallowed another bite. “They are coming here, though. I’ve rented something nearby, and as Sully will be on leave, we’ll act as if we are all here on vacation. Don’t worry; I’ll only be a phone call away. Never hesitate, Deva. I’m here for you.”
Deva forced herself to relax and continue eating. Something must have shown on her face because Gabrielle quickly wiped her hands and scooted toward her. “Hey, hey. I know it must be difficult being in Chicago again, Deva, but don’t worry. Ten years have modified your appearance. Your hair is darker; your face has changed. I’ve seen pictures of you when you were younger, and only people who were very close and very familiar with you would recognize you. And even if your father is still active, he won’t be coming to this neighborhood. He’s always busy and rarely downtown. We have eyes on him if that changes and you’ll be the first one to know. Many of his most prominent men were not in the area ten years ago when you left; they wouldn’t recognize you if they passed you on the street.”
All of what the blond woman at her knees said was true. And even if her father saw her, there was a possibility that he wouldn’t recognize her. If it were the case, it wouldn’t change her mind about helping Beatrice. And the more she was in the city, the more she realized that it was where she needed to be. Even after changing her appearance and moving as far away as possible, she was still looking over her shoulder. And she was tired of it. How could she live the rest of her life with fear gripping at her heart? Maybe Beatrice’s request was a blessing in disguise, a way of truly gaining power over her life. One she longed to seize for years now.
“I know, Gabrielle. And it would be naive of me to think that my past would stay that way forever. Everyone has to face their demons at some stage, right?”
Gabrielle’s face softened as she touched her hand. “You don’t have to shake up the hornets’ nest if you don’t want to, you know? And I wouldn’t recommend it. This is only a one-shot deal, one mission. Stick to it and move on. Want to go over it one more time before I leave?”
She may not agree with Gabrielle, but Deva let it go for now. As she subtly reminded her of what she had to accomplish.
“I go into The Rusty Cage, and I meet with Rusty who is the boss of the gym and waiting for me. I settle in and start working with the MMA fighters he trains. Getting friendly, but not too much to avoid being mistaken for some sort of groupie. I must find a man called Aleksei Voronov, Oz’s brother, and keep an eye on him without raising suspicions. If possible, be friendly. At the same time, try to find if he has rekindled his ties with the Bratva, the Russian mafia, or with Jamieson Finch.”
Gabrielle nodded as she unscrewed her bottle of water and took a sip. “And not putting yourself in danger at any moment. Understood? That’s the most important part of the plan. It gets hot; you get out.”
Deva arched an eyebrow, a smile tugging at her mouth. “That may not be an option. I know first hand that this deep, dark world is cut-throat. And sometimes, you don’t have much choice but to put yourself on the line to be trusted, to get what you came for. I’ve seen it countless times. One thing I learned as an MC princess is exactly that. My father had dealings with the Russians, the Yakuza, the Puerto Ricans, and so many more, fighting to gain and keep territory. I may have kept silent, but I learned a lot. Motorcycle clubs, MCs, might often only be the brawn of it all, but they are a dangerous, vicious bunch. Plan as much as you want, keep safe the best you can, and if they even smell doubt, distrust, or fear on you, they will tear your throat out.”
Gabrielle seemed to consider what she had said and got to her feet. “Well, not on my watch. I don’t fear any of them, and I can tell you that I’ve dealt with twisted minds in my time. And done far worst. From my point of view, they are politicians and businessmen with mean looking guns.”
Deva laughed. “You’re not far off. But I will be careful, within reasonable means and according to the situation I’m thrown in. I have a question though.”
Gabrielle let herself fall back on the couch. “Shoot.”
“That man Lazarus wants to stop, Jamieson Finch? I heard his name back in the day. But why? What’s his link with all this? Lazarus didn’t offer much information.”
“Yeah, I know. And for a good reason. Lazarus, despite his stubborn bearded head, is in a tight spot. But if Beatrice put her trust in your hands, I don’t see why the information should be withheld from you. Jamieson Finch is not only a complete and deadly asshole, but he’s also Lazarus King’s father. The man is not only consumed with power, he has also sown his seed, breeding bastards, mostly in Chicago and other places, from what I know. Some of them know of their ancestry, others don’t. So far, nothing to be worried about on that front. However, it seems that Finch had kept tabs on King, and decided that his son is becoming a little too powerful for his liking, and he decided to kidnap and kill Oz’s mother. That’s when I met Oz and saved his mother. Finch acted out of retaliation or vengeance, maybe. Or to prove a point. How can we be sure of what that psycho is thinking? That’s the scary part.”
Deva shook her head in disgust. “A monster indeed, but nothing that isn’t found in the underworld.”
“I agree. But it seems that King has an honorable streak. And Finch had crossed a line he should never have crossed. That’s the reason why he asked Beatrice for help. And yours.”
“Because I know this world?”
Gabrielle shook her head. “Not quite. It’s because Finch is expecting King to come himself and confront him, protect his brothers with his own body if need be. He won’t be expecting one of Bea’s dark sparrows who can be the beginning of his undoing. The ultimate goal is not only to befriend Lazarus’s brother, Deva, but to know if Finch has already put a collar on him, willingly or not, and to get him out. With our help, of course. Lazarus wants to take his father down, but he’s not going to risk the life of his siblings or yours in doing so. It won’t be easy, Aleksei may only be Lazarus’s half-brother, but you’ll have to deal with a hard-headed man who might not see things our way or want to be helped. Be prepared.”
Deva nodded but didn’t say a word. She was prepared. Had been all her life.