For the Good of All by Nicky Charles
“Could you have picked a more disreputable place, Dante?” It was Saul. Stone recalled his voice from the restaurant.
“We had security problems, last time, as you well know. I thought a complete change of venue was in order.” Dante sounded bored, even irritated with the question. Stone had thought he’d be sucking up to Saul.
“I suppose this will do.”
“If it bothers you, leave. I’d be just as happy to kill the bastard.”
“I don’t follow you?”
Stone only had a split second warning to close his eyes and appear limp before the tarp was removed. Relatively cooler air rushed over him and he had to force himself not to take a deep, refreshing breath.
“This is the guy who screwed up our sale the other day. I’d like to kill him but my associate insists we shouldn’t waste a perfectly good product.”
“Who is he? Some undercover cop?”
“Nah. Just a concerned citizen who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I did a bit of digging and found out he reported seeing someone being tossed into the back of a truck. Apparently, I wasn’t careful enough last time. It won’t happen again.”
“If he made a report and then he disappears—”
“It will serve as a warning to the rest of the community to turn a blind eye next time.”
Saul chuckled. “He saved one man and now he’s taking the person’s place. A lovely twist of justice.”
Stone felt someone give him a prod and his wolf muttered angrily at the treatment. Being trussed up did not suit the animal at all.
“I must say, Dante, he appears exceptionally healthy. Much better than the usual donor.”
“Then I can demand a higher price.” There was a smugness to Dante’s voice. Stone felt the jeep dip a bit as if Dante were leaning against it.
“I don’t think so. If anything you should be paying a penalty for late delivery.”
“It’s not as if your patients can’t pay a bit extra, Saul. I know for a fact they’re incredibly wealthy individuals.”
“And they didn’t get that way by dealing with people who change the terms of a contract part way through a business deal.”
“But now they’re desperate. Willing to do anything, pay anything. We can bleed them for money and they won’t even blink an eye.” Dante pressed his point and Stone wondered why. Just get the sale over with so this job could be completed.
“Ah, Dante, you truly are without a redeeming quality, aren’t you?” Apparently Saul wasn’t put off by the suggestion. “I pay you the agreed amount or no sale.”
“It was worth a try.” The jeep raised slightly as Dante stood up. “I’ll help you load him in your truck. Where are you taking him?”
“You know that is information I never share. Each link only knows the one immediately above and below it.”
“That’s fine. I just want to be sure there’s no way he can be traced back to me.”
“There won’t be enough left of him to be traced when we’re done.”
“What parts of him are destined to be used?”
“I have several individuals in need of a heart transplant. If he’s a match, that’s my first priority. After that, there are kidneys, lungs, liver.”
Stone felt his legs and shoulders being grabbed. He was lifted, his weight causing both men to grunt with effort, then he was dropped onto a metal floor. A soft sound escaped him as his head banged against something.
“Your sedative seems to be wearing off.” Saul commented.
“It should last for several more hours. I gave him a heavy dose.”
“He’s a big man, perhaps you miscalculated. I’ll give him a bit more.”
“Are you sure?” There was no concern in Dante’s voice, just mild inquiry. “You wouldn’t want to cause any damage to his organs.”
“I’m the doctor here. A bit more won’t cause any impairment.” A rustling sound followed then Stone felt his sleeve being pulled pack and a prick on his arm. “That should keep him quiet during the journey.”
A moment later, he felt his pockets being checked. “Careless of you Dante, he still had his phone.” The phone was removed and Stone silently swore.
The van door slammed shut. Stone heard the men bidding each other farewell, then the vehicle rocked as someone climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
A wave of grogginess came over him. He blinked and tried to fight it off as the van bumped down the road before turning onto a smoothly paved one. Other vehicles could be heard. They stopped, perhaps for a stop sign then travelled farther.
The scent of the ocean and the sound of waves reached him. His brain seemed to grow foggy and he guessed that, despite his Lycan metabolism, the sedative was affecting him. He was being moved. There were other voices but he couldn’t focus or sort out what was going on.
“Have you ever had a tarot reading, Sister Denise?”
“No. I haven’t.” The man had to know she wasn’t really a nun but he persisted in using the term whenever they met.
“I’ve studied the deck for years. There are seventy-eight cards, each dealing with concepts of life; health, finances, love, work…”
“Fascinating.”
“It is, isn’t it?” He cut the deck several times then restacked them. “There are many ways to spread the cards. Each yields different information. I prefer to use a Celtic cross spread.”
Deirdre rolled her eyes as she sat in Emilio Mendoza’s office watching the man play cards. It was absolutely ridiculous that she had to waste her time here. Paying him a percentage of the take was bad enough; the man saw himself as some kind of emperor who demanded tribute but kowtowing to him was more than she could handle. This was Dante’s role. He was good at weaselling his way into people’s good graces, saying exactly what they wanted to hear.
“The emperor, trump five. That’s me.”
“And why is that?” Dee hoped the look on her face showed polite interest rather than boredom.
“I am in control. I rule with an iron fist. I’m disciplined. Successful, logical.”
“Ah!” She nodded.
Mendoza dealt another card and stared at it. Dee returned to thinking about Dante.
When Dante had shown up in Cantala, she’d initially been surprised. She’d thought she’d covered her trail quite well, shutting down Virtus, purging the records and leaving the country. Only one person had known where she was headed—her tech support man—and she’d eliminated him as soon as she was positive she had the only copy of her records. He’d been her first sale to the organ trafficker. Several individuals had a new lease on life because of him and she was rid of any links to her former life. And to top it all off, she’d had money to cover the start-up fees for her new life. A satisfactory arrangement on all sides as far as she was concerned. Well, perhaps the man who had lost his organs wouldn’t claim it was satisfactory but bit-players had never concerned her.
“The second card represents my challenge. The king of swords reversed.” Mendoza tapped the card with his finger. “This is Ramiro Reyes, my rival. He calls himself ‘the king’.” He snorted. “I know he wants this territory back. The river is key to getting our crop quickly to the port. Whoever controls the river controls the drug trade in Cantala.”
She really didn’t care who was in control as long as she could continue to operate. Dante, now he concerned her. The man was cleverer than she’d given him credit for. His appearance in Central America proved it. Dante was known for his ability to acquire information no one else could. It had been one of the reasons he’d been on Virtus’ payroll. He hadn’t shared how he’d found her and until she knew that, she needed to keep him close. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, wasn’t that the saying? Besides, Dante was good at his job, even if he was slimy, so why not make use of him?
Mendoza continued with the cards. “Third card, my past. Three of wands. It means I take advantage of opportunities. The fourth card for the future.” He drew another. “
“I’m just a business woman trying to make my way in the world.” She smiled but he didn’t return the friendly gesture. Damn, she hated dealing with difficult people. Issuing orders, getting the job done without time wasted on indecision, that’s how she liked to operate.
Dante dealt with Saul and Mendoza and the like. She, in her role as Sister Denise, went looking for potential humans to traffic. People tended to trust a nun automatically, no questions asked. And once she had their trust, well… Slavery, black-market adoptions, organs; the potential for growth in the industry was enormous. The wealthy had money to spend on whatever their hearts desired. That went perfectly with the fact that there was a growing population of poor desperate enough to take a chance, even when common sense might be telling them otherwise. Women thinking they’d find a rich husband, mothers hoping their children might have a better life in another country, fathers offering to go under the knife to feed their family for another month. If the result of the deal wasn’t what they expected it wasn’t her fault. Besides, they were just small time players in the big game of life. It wasn’t like they actually made a difference in the world. Their loss was of no consequence.
“Knight of swords reversed. Someone is working against me.”
Dee’s patience was spent. “Emilio, you asked for a meeting this morning. Dante said you were quite insistent, in fact. I’m here, having taken time out of my busy schedule. I’m sure as a businessman you can appreciate where I’m coming from.”
Mendoza set the deck aside and steepled his fingers. “The past two weeks have seen several reversals in my business where you are concerned.”
“Reversals?”
“Los niños, the two children. You assured me on the phone you would get an excellent price for them, yet they disappeared before you could collect them.”
“That was not our fault.”
“Exactly what Dante said.” Mendoza nodded. “The sale two days ago fell through.”
“I was told some of the local police—”
“I own the local police. I pay them well to look the other way.”
Dee arched one brow. “Obviously there is a segment of the force that has changed its mind.”
“Yesterday, a sniper, one of Reyes’ men, tried to kill me.”
“Unfortunate, but a hazard in your line of work.
“Then two of mis guarda espaldas, my bodyguards, failed to return after they left with Dante.”
Dante hadn’t shared that information with her but she didn’t let it show. “A string of bad luck, I agree.”
“I want it to end. I want this next sale to work.”
“As do I.”
“It’s not el dinero, the money, that’s important. It’s the negative energy it’s creating.” He fiddled with his rings, twirling them on his fingers. Dee frowned, finding the soft scraping sound annoying. “Contact me as soon as you pick up the packages. I want to be kept informed each step of the way this time. If the sale doesn’t go through, if there is any trouble, you and Dante will pay.”
“We can’t afford to pay you if we haven’t made money from a sale.”
“You misunderstand me. I meant you will pay with your lives.”
Dee blinked. The man was crazy. None of these events were connected. And if he thought he’d intimidate her with his threats he was worse than crazy. A warning rumbled in her throat and she barely held it back. She could rip him to shreds, take over his miserable little kingdom. It was a tempting idea but not one she’d follow through on. Drug lords were always looking over their shoulders to see which rival was planning to oust them, which branch of the government was trying to shut them down. No, she preferred to lead an organization with a less public profile.
“Well? Have you nothing to say?” Mendoza’s face was growing flushed and Dee realized she hadn’t responded to his threat. Just like a child, she thought derisively.
“Everything is in order. I plan to pick up the commodities today and have them delivered tomorrow. Your percentage should be in your hands the day after that.” She stood while silently adding ‘and then I’ll be gone’. Dante could handle the fallout. Doing business with maniacal despots wasn’t her cup of tea. Maybe she’d head further south or check out the East Indies.
After Sister Denise was gone, Mendoza took a deep cleansing breath. The proper frame of mind was needed to finish the tarot reading; an unfocused mind led to unclear answers. He inhaled the scent of the incense, concentrated on calming himself. Once he felt ready, he continued to deal his cards. “King of pentacles reversed, a business partner becomes a rival.” He frowned. Could that be Dante? Or Sister Denise? He drew the next card, placing it face up on the table. “Seven of swords. Hmm. This could indicate double-dealing, possibly theft.” Mendoza chose two more cards, placing them above the others. “The five of pentacles and the five of swords. Financial ruin. Loss to a rival.” Eyes narrowed, he studied the array of cards before him. The cards did not lie. Reyes was going to strike back, try to regain control of Cantala. This confirmed the information he’d gotten from the sniper. The question was, what would the end result be? What should he do about it?
He stared at the deck then reached out and took a final card. Eight of cups. The picture showed a man walking away, leaving his possessions behind him. Mendoza’s face darkened.
Chapter 21
Tina tried not to squirm as Sister Bernita removed the stitches from her leg. Apparently the more modern dissolving kind didn’t exist in the jungle. The procedure didn’t hurt but the rate of healing had to be raising questions in the woman’s mind.
“I’ve never had to remove stitches this soon, but if I don’t the skin will start to grow over them.” Sister didn’t take her eyes off her work but her tone was laced with curiosity. “You and Mr. Stone possess remarkable immune systems.”
“Yes, we must.” Tina tried to think of logical explanations. “That combined with a healthy diet and lots of exercise back home can do wonders. Or maybe it’s all the fresh fruit here and the oxygen in the jungle air. And, of course, the excellent care you’ve provided can’t be forgotten.” She knew she was rambling. How did shifters handle this? Being a witch was much easier to conceal, especially a witch who never did anything magical.
Her disjointed explanation earned her a sideways glance from the nun but no further questions about speedy healing. “I’m almost finished. You might enjoy taking a shower now that you don’t have to worry about keeping the area dry.”
“A shower?” The idea had her grinning.
Sister laughed. “I can tell the idea appeals to you. I’m afraid it’s not what you’re used to; no hot and cold running water, just an overhead tank and a rope you pull. However, it is refreshing. If you’re interested I’ll have someone check it’s filled with water.”
“Yes, please!”
“Very well. I’ll tell Anna—”
The girl appeared even as Sister spoke.
“Sister Bernita, Sister Denise is here and wishes to speak to you.”
The nun frowned and Tina was sure a whispered ‘damn’ passed over the woman’s lips, though when she spoke her voice was its usual moderate self.
“I have to see to a few other patients first. Have her meet me in the dining hall as usual. No one should be in there yet. Also, see if Pedro can get the shower ready for Tina.”
Anna left to do as she’d been told and Sister turned back to Tina. “Anna will come and get you when the shower is ready. Ask her for fresh clothing, soap, a towel and anything you might need.”
“Thank you.” Tina recalled her own first impression of Sister Denise. Sister Bernita apparently had a similar feeling. She watched the nun move over to the next patient, a frown marring the woman’s face. Something was definitely wrong, but what?
She went to take her shower still pondering the situation.
The shower was wonderful; the sun beating down on her should
Oh well, good things don’t last forever, she thought as she dressed and pinned up her still-damp hair. Feeling refreshed and wonderfully clean, she made her way back to the infirmary. While she wasn’t sick and didn’t need to stay there, it was serving as her bedroom until Stone returned.
Stone. He’d been gone less than a day so why was she feeling so anxious about his return? Yes, there’d been something about him that had immediately attracted her back in Chicago, but the feeling had intensified lately. She didn’t consider herself the clingy type, so what was going on? Could it be something to do with the blood he’d given her? Lycans blood-bonded, but she and Stone hadn’t bitten each other. And Esteban had given her blood as well but she had no yearning to see him. This was certainly something she and Stone would have to discuss.
Her musing had kept her occupied during the walk back from the shower and she realized she was passing the dining hall. Had the two nuns finished their meeting yet? She bit her lip, curiosity warring with common courtesy. Eavesdropping was her weakness.
She slowed her footsteps as she neared an open window, paused to watch a butterfly and strained to hear what was being said inside.
“Have you thought about the adoptions I mentioned yesterday?” Sister Denise was speaking.
“As I said to you then, I would like to meet the families first, ensure they are a good fit for each child’s personality.”
“And I told you why that isn’t possible.”
Tina took a few steps as if following the butterfly’s erratic flight path. After all, it really was beautiful; the iridescent blue making her yearn to change her hair colour. It also allowed her to peek into the dining room. Sister Bernita was frowning, her hands tightly clasped on the table.
“Then I’m afraid I’ll have to refuse.”
“Refuse?” Sister Denise arched her brow.