Chapter 268: Why Do I Do It

I got a block from the house then pulled the cruiser over. I made sure no one was hanging around or behind me before I made the call. "Vlad where are we?" I asked when he answered the phone.

"There is a boyfriend and he is missing," Vlad said.

"Does he have family that he is close to. If so pick me up one without being seen. Bring whoever it is to the drugstore, but make sure they have no idea where they are going. stick them in the trunk and park in back. Don't get any blood in your car. Be sure you get the cell phone."

"We are running out of time aren't we?" Vlad asked.

"Yes, we are not going to let that child die without a fight. If we don't rescue her, I know where the gang will be after midnight. We can deal with them as a group there." I said seriously.

"Be sure you count me in for that," Anya said. Vlad had the phone on speaker.

"So, lets find her," I said "So that we don't have a Saint Valentines Day Massacre."

I rushed back to the drugstore on main street, as I drove to the new condominium I thought that I wanted to fix up a clean room in the basement, but I didn't have the time or the materials. What I did manage to do was to buy six gallons of bleach on the way to the drugstore, just in case. I purchased it at three different convenience stores so as not to appear suspicious.

Even with the stops, I got to the condo before Vlad. When he pulled into the parking lot, I went out the back door of the condo to help. I couldn't muscle the hostage inside with my 110 pound frame, but if he struggled I could hit him with a stungun.

I need not have worried, he was too terrified to protest. He was probably having flashbacks to the bad old days in Eastern Europe. If we gave him a heart attack after the fact, I wouldn't be all that upset.

"Get him into the basement," The building was more or less empty and I was glad at that moment, that the real estate market was slow. I hoped that Leon had Dancer upstairs, so that he wouldn't be curious. I doubted that he had the stomach for what might be happening under his feet three floors down.

The hostage was in a chair used by the maintenance people. When they worked on things from around the condo or even my Downtown House, they brought them to the basement work area. The whole basement was dark, gloomy, and filthy. I thought of as a modern dungeon, even before we found ourselves, in the position we were in at that moment. I motioned for Vlad to remove the hood.

"What's his name?" I asked.

"My name is," he tried to say before I slapped him hard. "You keep your fucking mouth shut till I speak to you."

"So what's this piece of shit's name?" I asked again.

"His name is Uri," Anya said.

"He is no fucking astronaut, that is for sure," I said. "So lets see what or who he is. Give me his wallet." Anya handed it to me and I left the room. When I was standing in the dark parking lot, I called the number eve had given me.

"You know what I'm doing," I asked the chick who answered.

"I know," she said sadly.

"I need to know who this puke is." Then I read her everything from his wallet. Instead of the usual two hour wait she was right back with it. He has a minor record in Astonia. His record here is clean, except that we can find no source of his income, so he looks like a bad guy to us."

"Okay, I will get back with you in a few minutes." I said.

I walked back to the basement. I was sure that he was in the rackets somehow, even though I could not prove it. Unlike the cops I didn't need to prove it. When I stood directly in front of him, I said to Anya give me this boy's his cell phone. He is going to help us find his big bad brother. I found his number for someone called Andre in his history. "Is Andre your brother?" I asked.

For an answer he was trying to work up a good spit, anyone could see that. I tapped his adam's apple not so gently. Not enough to kill him, but enough to change his fucking mind.

"I'll be right back. If you would like to convince Uri to be a little more cooperative that would be okay. If not I will do it when I return. In the parking lot I called the farm again. I gave the same chick Andre's number. I hoped they were stupid enough to assume that the cops wouldn't put Andre in the jackpot so soon.

"It's powered up and the phone is located here," she said sending me a map coordinate. 'That doesn't mean the little girl is there." I mumbled.

"No it doesn't," the chick said.

"Okay thanks," I said.

"Not to worry, we like to be on the right side now and then," she said breaking the connection.

When I returned to the basement, Uri didn't look good at all. "Yo Uri, here is the deal. Andre is going to trade his hostage for you, or you are going to disappear and we are going to hunt down Andre and his friends. Then we are going to make all of you disappear along with you mother, father, sisters, and the family dog." I had no idea who all was in his family. He didn't know what I was capable of and I was glad.

"Now call your brother and tell him he wants to talk to me. Do it while you still have some value to us. When you no longer have value, then you become trash." I said cruelly.

He made the call and tried to talk to his brother. I took the phone away from him. "Andre my name is Maxine Stone, I don't need to tell you any more. Now listen up, I am not a cop, I am not interested in your game, except for the little girl. I'm going to assume she is still alive, and that you plan to keep her alive until after you finish your business."