An Empire of Guns and Lies (18+)

Seventeen (Diciassette)

People usually say the answers lie within danger and that's exactly where I was going, into the danger.

I woke up some hours before the sun as the warehouse was on the outskirts of the country, after my usual routine I headed down to the parking lot with a duffel bag filled with an array of weapons, I wasn't taking any chance.

The frigid air of November's morning resulted in condensation forming from my breaths. I peered around to see if my driver fulfilled my request and surely enough there sat a sleek black Audi R8, the keys under the hood. I got in and started my journey, I couldn't help wonder how many people were going to die by my hands today.

The modern streets of Spain were empty as I raced past the many multi story buildings, halfway through my trip the sun peeked at me from over the horizon, some fitting R&B keeping me company. Evidently enough by the time of my arrival the sun was a good way overhead I pulled off road and followed a track to a wired gate and a security booth which housed no guards. I should have taken this as a sign but I foolishly disregarded it, the gate was already open so I drove in. It was oddly quiet, usually there would be active patrols going about at this time, a little further into the compound and the warehouse came into view but what I saw made me reach for my phone and immediately call Jaxon.

He picked up on the second ring,

"Jax, it's me" I said as a way of greeting.

"What's going on? Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine it's just..." I paused unsure of how to phase my following words.

"Just what Vera spit it out" he demanded.

"Well I'm at the warehouse you wanted me to investigate, I'm looking at it right now, the only problem is... there is nothing to investigate"

"What are you talking about? You saw the file, we lost 232 million euros in five months from that warehouse of course there's something to investigate"

"No Jaxon, you don't understand, the warehouse isn't here anymore"

Silence filled the lines as I stepped out of the car a P90 TR in hand, I approached the blackened dirt, and rubbed my foot against the ashes that remained of the warehouse. I know Jaxon was still confused so I took a picture and sent it to him, a string of cursing filled my ear.

I tracked through the burnt wood and fallen debris looking for anything that would give me a clue and undoubtedly the clue appeared, on an ash tanned wall in green spray paint, an almost identical green to Jaxon's ring the words

"I will take my place back."

Was written in all capital letters, I sent this to Jaxon as well.

Panicked laced his words "Vera get home right now"

"What? But I haven't found anything yet"

"You've found enough Vera, listen to me and come home"

While Jaxon spoke my eyes followed the three men now surrounding me, they wore identical overalls, two with guns and one with a knife.

"Jax, I gotta go"

"Ver..." I ended the call without saying anything else.

__________________

"Well if it isn't the princess herself" the man on the far right spoke, a heavy unknown accent in his voice.

The other two men let out a hearty laugh.

"She'll make for good product you don't think"

Product? These men were involved in human trafficking. Ever since my grandfather took over the Italian mafia we cut all ties to that inhuman thing, we have no intention nor were we that desperate for money that we had to ally ourselves to selling women like livestock.

Yet, I had no time to act on my rage I kept a clear head and assessed the men while their taunting continued. They were well build and had an alright stance telling me they were experienced and trained. I sighed, it wasn't impossible but it wasn't going to be easy, with that I took off running trying to separate them unexpected of what happened I heard their shouts and gunshots followed. I ducked and dodged to the best of my abilities I hid myself behind a still standing pillar that used to support the middle of the warehouse.

I heard the man that called me a product telling them to split up and find me, grinning that my plan was in place I peered out and put a shot into his face, the bullet ripped through his right eye blood, sprayed as he held his face in agony and fell to his knees, a short time later and his screaming stopped.

He bled out.

That was almost to easy I thought to myself, I hastily scanned the area for the other two but I was beaten to it by the fiberglass cord that now dug into my neck crushing my windpipe, grasping at the cord I dropped my gun trying to regain my supply of oxygen. I elbowed the man in his abdomen but it was no used, he was rock hard. Out of desperation and on my last remaining breathe I used my heel cladded foot and dug it into his shoe his grip loosened and I took that as my chance to push my elbow into his throat.

Finally I was out of his grasp I gulped down air while the man stuttered back

"You bit..."

One more to go.

I looked around the area a few times but found nothing. Did he run? I gave up on trying to find him while on my way back to the car I remembered something important, I unsheathed a small knife from my side and cut out the embroidered logo from their uniform, I got back to my car and my thigh rang out in pain, this fucker was waiting to ambush me. I didn't have time for this, Luckily, I was close to my car I hoped in and drove off leaving the third man in dust. I put pressure on my leg to stop the bleeding and dialed my driver.

"Tell the pilot have the jet ready in less than an hour, get my stuff from the room and meet me at the airport we're leaving." 

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Fun Fact: Green is the Di Genova family colour.