Chapter 12

Greg gets on the airplane contemplating on how he is going to get out of this mess. He knows that Jimmy will kill him if he runs. He thinks that if he tells Lilly or Cal they will kill him. Nick had trained him pretty good. But, just knowing Cal's reputation, he is pretty sure he couldn't take him. The only thing he can do right now is just feed Jimmy tidbits and hope he doesn't get wise. He will just be glad to get back to work. He hopes he will get to see Lilly soon. He feels lost without her.

Spike is met at the airport by Spider. Spike tells him everything that happened along the way.

"Why did you bring the South African along?"

"He is too good not to."

"That is true but I owe him."

"Not this time. I had to give him something more than money to get him to join us."

"What?"

"My life."

"If he is dead, he can't collect."

"All I have left is my word Spider. After we get done with all of this nonsense, you can have him. Until then, he is untouchable."

"You owe me Jimmy."

"I have already repaid you. A life for a life."

"I guess you did."

The next morning, Petra, Cal, and Brother all meet at the house. They are all shocked when Lane enters the room. Petra passes out. Lilly and Jennifer take care of her until she comes around. Lilly explains everything to her. Cal walks up to Lane and examines him like a doctor would. Lane starts getting annoyed. Cal pokes him to see if he is real. That was a mistake. Lane hits him a couple of times putting him on his ass. Cal gets up shaking his head. Paul sits him down and explains the situation to him.

Cal apologizes, "Sorry about that, you look so much like Nick."

"I know, I am just tired of you people flipping out about it."

Petra walks in at that moment, "I am sorry too. Paul was right about you going in to the facility without a disguise. It would be best if no one knew you."

Brother finally speaks, "You will have to be called something. Who are you known as?"

"The Preacher."

"You're the Preacher."

"Yes I am the Preacher."

"Then you know Chun Tai Wei."

"Yes I know Master Chun."

"He speaks very highly of you and your reputation precedes you."

"I am honored. How is the old bandit?"

"He is well. He turned ninety-five last month."

"I told him he was immortal."

"Yes it would seem so. It would probably be best if everyone called you Preacher in public. Your enemies will be fearful if they know your reputation."

"Thank you."

"Oh I am not doing telling you this for gratification. You see before our young apprentice here disappeared, she was supposed to be going to France to take care of our problem. The family has already left the villa. Now, it will be harder to end the suffering. The one called Spider and his friend Spike have organized the operation for L?n Cheà. They have hired some new people to ensure a smooth operation. I know you will recognize some of the names Hanz, Axe, Alexander and Danaica. There is one more he is someone I don't know."

"Where did he find them?"

"Vasillie's arena."

"That figures. I figured Nick would have shut that place down years ago."

Paul pipes in, "What the hell is Vasillie's arena?"

"It is a place for people on the dark side of the game to go to get out there pent up aggression. Kind of like a fight club. The fights are all to the death." He turns back to brother, "I thought Hanz and Spider didn't like each other."

"They don't but Spike put up his life."

"That fucking moron. Spider will probably kill him just to take Hanz out."

"Spider is no fool. He knows he cant take Spike or Hanz one on one. He will wait until the operation is running smooth then he will make his move."

Lilly interrupts them, "Who is Hanz?"

"Hanz is the devil himself. It is rumored that he was trained by the Jackal the infamous Russian assassin. Some of the Jackal's accredited kills was actually Hanz. Hanz lives to kill. He killed one of Spider's employers just because the man walked in front of him. His favorite activity is to kill schoolchildren. He will set up outside of a school, pick a classroom and then try to kill all of them before they hide. He has stayed on the other side of the ocean. I have never heard of him killing on this side of the Atlantic."

"Have you ever met him?"

Brother says, "Lane is the only person who knows what Hanz truly looks like."

"Hanz and I met one time at a rifle marksmanship competition once. I had just got in the game. I won. He went crazy. He snuck in to my hotel and waited for me. Nick was with me he noticed something unusual. We caught him between us. He challenged me to an old time gunfight. He missed I put two bullets in his right shoulder."

"Why didn't you kill him?"

"You know me by now Lilly. I don't kill for pleasure. Anyway, he agreed to never go against me again. Now, I am going to have to kill him."

"Are you better than Nick?"

"Yes, but I am not cold blooded about killing. If Nick and I would have gone against each other he would have won."

"Why?"

"I wouldn't have been able to bring myself to kill him."

"How about Jimmy?"

"I won't kill my own brother."

"But he killed Nick."

"I know. It still won't make it right for me to kill him. I am going after my brother and help you in the process. Do not expect me to be someone I am not. If I find him, I will bring him home. He will live out his life in a prison."

Cal is furious, "If I get to him first he will not be living out his life in a prison."

"I know more about you Cal than anyone else here. I believe you. However, if I get to him first and you try anything I will kill you."

Cal does not take it as a threat. Lane is so much like Nick. He knows he was making a statement of fact. They discuss their next move. They decide until Brother and Father have more information that they will wait. Paul lets them know that Lane will stay at the mansion. He swears everyone to secrecy about his identity. Lilly decides to stay with them until Paul brings him to the Organizations attention. Paul shows him to Lilly's old bedroom.