Assassins Betrayed Read online

  When I walked out of the dressing room she said, “You sure look good.”

  “Again, thanks.” She paid for the clothes and off we went. Once more, I asked, “Why are you doing this?”

  “Look, you’re in trouble and I can help and don’t deny it.”

  “I am in a bit of a jam right now.”

  “Good. Honesty is good for the soul. You get to trust people that way. Oh, by the way, I’m Gina, if you don’t want to tell me your name that’s fine too.”

  “My name is Steven.”

  “Great, glad to meet you. Now let’s rent a car.” It took us about fifteen minutes before we found a car rental place. Again, without skipping a beat, Gina had a car and we were on the road. She knew her way around very well. We headed for the west coast of Italy.

  After about twenty minutes of driving in silence, she spoke, “Is Steven your real name?”

  “As far as I know it is.”

  “So, your name is not Victor, is it?”

  I knew this kid was smart. I responded with, “No, I’m not Victor the terrorist, if that is what you’re asking.”

  “You don’t look like the kind of person that would blow up an entire family just to kill one gangster. You’re more of the assassin type.”

  “Well, you’re right about one thing. I’m no terrorist.”

  “My instincts about people are usually right.”

  “What do you suggest we do now that you have obviously come to my aid?”

  “We’ll drive over to the coast and take a nice ride down to my place near Florence. Then we’ll try to figure this all out. Just be honest with me. That’s all I ask.”

  “I think I can be fairly honest with you, Gina, but I still would like to know why you are going through this trouble for a stranger.”

  “It’s my instincts, Steven, my instincts. Besides, I may make this whole ordeal my thesis paper,” as she sent me that cute smile again.

  I asked, “Won’t somebody miss you with the delay in your trip?”

  “Nobody will care because nobody is there. So now I am at your mercy, Steven, if I’m wrong about you.”

  “Harming pretty girls like you is not my thing. As far as that goes, you’re safe.”

  We were driving for several hours down the beautiful Italian coast when she asked, “Steven, are you hungry?”

  “Not really, but I could use some coffee.”

  “Good, I know just the place. It’s about five miles more on this road.”

  “Where are we?”

  “We are halfway between Genova (Genoa) and Firenze (Florence).” We soon stopped at a café overlooking the Mediterranean. We walked to the end of the outdoor terrace. The view was spectacular and the place was empty since it was out of season. March is a chilly month in Italy and downright cold up in the mountains. Gina, speaking in her beautiful Italian language, ordered some coffee and cookies. With her long flowing dark brown hair and tall slender body, she was gorgeous. I tried not to let her beauty cloud my basic instincts. She was the right girl at an opportune time. It just didn’t fit. Maybe it was my paranoia but I still would approach her with caution. She could be someone’s secret weapon.

  She said, “Well, do you like the view from here?”

  “It’s spectacular, especially with you in the picture.”

  “Why, thank you, Steven. I didn’t think you noticed.”

  “Gina, I may be old but I’m not blind.”

  We sat there exchanging small talk and sipping our coffee until she said, “We better get going. I want to get to my house before dark.” We were off and running in a matter of minutes. Two more hours of driving and we pulled up to a huge villa north of Florence. We were in the middle of Tuscany with its beautiful rolling hills and enchanting vineyards. Gina parked the car and we went inside the villa. It was like entering a cathedral with all of its marble charm and just as cold.

  I asked, “Does anybody live here?”

  “Only my mother and me when she’s at home, which is very rare.”

  “Who keeps the place looking so good?”

  “Every other day the housekeepers come in and go over the whole place. They also keep the fridge stocked with food. So help yourself.” She took me upstairs to a bedroom with a bath where I could take a shower and change clothes. Later, I joined her downstairs in the living room. The small fire burning in the fireplace warmed the entire room. She motioned to me to come and sit with her on a lavish carpet sprawled across the marble floor. I sat close to her. Then she offered me a glass of wine and some cheese. I gladly accepted her offer. She sat with her legs crossed, in the lotus position, looking right at me. Her blouse was slightly undone and the pants she was wearing accented her incredible body.

  “Are you comfortable?” she asked.

  “Very much so, but I’m still trying to understand your motives.”

  “You worry too much. Just relax. Nobody is going to hurt you here.” She pulled out a large pad and began to write. She said, “Your name is Steven and you’re not a terrorist. You look like an Italian but you’re American. This is a good start.”

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “I told you, I’m going to do my thesis paper on you.”

  “You are serious.”

  “Yes, I am. But not to worry, we won’t use your real name.” She was so matter of fact and a very cool individual.

  “Tell me a little something about you, Steven. Are you married?”

  “I was a long time ago. It all ended abruptly and I lost my wife and son. I guess she couldn’t take this business I’m in anymore.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Steven. It must have been hard for a nice guy like you.”

  “I can’t say I blame her, I was gone most of the time.”

  “Divorces are not very pretty. Especially, when there are kids involved. Believe me I speak from experience. So, Steven, let’s go on to another subject. Tell me, what plans do you have now that you are a friendless fugitive?”

  “Gina, you mean you’re not my friend?”

  “Steven, I’ve got a hunch that we will be more than friends before this is all over with.”

  “I think it would be nice. You appear to be a very pleasant girl.”

  “There are a few things you should know about me but give me some time and I’ll tell you everything.”

  “Sure kid, whatever you say.” She leaned over and kissed me on my cheek. Then she lay me down on the soft carpeting and placed a large fluffy pillow beneath my head.

  “Relax,” she said, in a most tender voice, as she lay down next to me. It was very comforting and peaceful place to be. I was tired and before I knew it, the hectic activities of the day got the best of me. Sleep came easy.

  But all good things soon come to an end. We both were asleep for several hours, when there was a knock at the door. Actually, it sounded as if someone was trying to kick the door down. Gina jumped up quickly and told me to go upstairs to my bedroom. She said, “Behind the tall dresser is a switch, just flip it three times and a special entrance will open. Go inside quickly since the door will close within five seconds. I’ll see what’s going on here.” I did as she asked and ran up the stairs. When I went through the secret door, I found stairs leading all over the place behind the walls of the house. Inside the passageway, I found a closet. I opened it and there was a small arsenal of weapons. I discovered a loaded Berretta M92 pistol. Putting the gun in my pants, I started to run down the stairs. Then I stopped cold.

  Wait a minute, I thought. How do I know the knock on the door was the police? I quickly ran back to the secret door and found another switch. I flipped it three times and the door opened back into the bedroom. When I entered, I heard shouting downstairs. I left the bedroom and looked over the railing down to the foyer. I counted two thugs slapping Gina around. They were speaking English and yelling at her, “Where is he? Tell us or you will die!”

  She kept saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  I lock
ed and loaded my pistol. I wanted to hear more of what they were asking but the kid was getting badly smacked around. I quickly took aim and shot the two of them before they knew what hit them. I ran down the stairs while another one was coming through the front door. He got it right between the eyes. I jumped over Gina on my way outside to see if anyone was in the getaway car. Sure enough, there was another one behind the wheel of the getaway car. I shot him through the windshield and he slumped over leaning on the horn. Still moving rapidly, I opened the car door and threw him down to the ground. Once I was sure he was dead, I went back into the house. A little miscalculation, Cross, I said to myself as I saw what appeared to be the last intruder holding a gun to Gina’s head. She was on her knees and the thug had his gun pressed against her temple. In my business, if you snooze you lose. There would be no standoff here. I quickly lifted my gun and shot the creep in the frontal lobe of his brain paralyzing him instantly so his motor functions prohibited him from squeezing his trigger.

  I ran over to Gina and picked her up. After taking her into the living room, I put her down on the couch. I asked, “Gina, are you okay?”

  She nodded her head in the affirmative but she wasn’t talking. They tore her blouse half off her and I could see some bruises on her. I held her for a while and asked, “Can you talk now?”

  She said in a weak voice, “Who were those men?”

  “I don’t know but I will find out.” I took her up to the bedroom where I was staying and lay her down on the bed. I removed her shirt to reveal her bare chest. In all the chaos, I still had to admire her beautiful medium size breasts. I found a couple of washcloths that I ran under cold water and placed them on her bruises. I told her to stay there while I take care of things downstairs. She nodded again in the affirmative.

  Checking out the intruders, I discovered they were employees from the Hightower Corporation. Hightower has been trying to take me out for several years now. The thing that surprised me was two of them were Italians. The Hightower creeps joining up with the Italian gangsters -- now that’s a treat. They had to track us down through Gina’s cell phone when we called Roger Woods at the consulate. Hightower’s contracts with our federal government had given them too much authority and they were abusing it all over the world. They continue to use their assumed powers to run drugs, negotiate illegal arms deals and whatever else there is for the taking. The Hightower people are all about power and money. Last year we found out, they were heavily imbedded in the U.S. military either through contracts or through running around with false military credentials. They still have their contract with the CIA but Grimes continues to do battle with Congress to get rid of them. Unfortunately, enough people in high places seem to support their cause.

  After placing the bodies in their car, I drove them down the road a little. There I rolled the car into a deep ravine off the side of the road. By the time I walked back to the house, Gina was asleep. I covered her with a blanket and went downstairs to have a drink. I slept on the couch until sunrise.

  2 - Connections

  _____________

  When I awoke, I ran up to the room to check on Gina. She was just getting up and suffering from a lot of soreness. I asked, “How are you doing this morning?”

  “I feel like they broke every bone in my body.” I wrapped her in a blanket, carried her downstairs, and put her on the couch. After making us some coffee, I sat down to talk to her a little.

  “Gina, do you know those people that were here last night?”

  “Oh sure, they were some classmates of mine looking for a good time. I guess I was the piñata!” I explained to her who they were without going into too much detail.

  Then I asked, “What’s with the haunted house design? Are you hiding from someone?”

  “Steven, it’s too complicated to explain right now. I’ll tell you all about it later. Okay?”

  “Sure, no problem, would you like me to take you to a doctor or something?”

  “No, I think I’ll be okay. I just want to take a shower.” She stood up wobbling a little and proceeded upstairs to the bathroom. I knew more of these clowns would be coming here. I guess Gina was going to be my responsibility for a while.

  When she came down from her shower, she looked simply incredible. She was wearing one of my favorite outfits, tight jeans and a tighter tee shirt.

  She sat down to drink more coffee. Then she said, “Steven, you’re very handy with a gun. Where did you learn to shoot so well?”

  “A long time ago I was a sharpshooter for the military. I don’t think it’s going to be too safe around here for a while. You may have to come with me.”

  “Well, if you want me to come with you that would be okay. Just don’t think I need to be cared for, besides where exactly are we headed?”

  “I don’t really know. The one thing I do know is that these thugs have many friends. They are probably on their way here now. I guess they traced us through the cell phone call we made.”

  “No kidding, why do you think I broke the connection on the train when I did? Besides, I have another phone here in the house we could take with us. I’ll break up the old one.”

  “Good idea.”

  “Steven, tell me something, what did you do with all those bodies?”

  “I dumped them along with their car in a narrow ravine down the road a little.”

  “We’ll let me put a few things together and we can leave here soon.”

  “Can we take some of those guns with us just in case?”

  “Sure, I’ll get a couple of pistols.” She got up and went upstairs to get ready. After a few minutes, I went to my room to gather what clothes I had. When I got to the top of the stairs, I heard Gina on the phone. She was speaking in Italian. All I could hear her saying was something about the bodies but don't worry about her. But just before she hung up, she said ciao papa. Most Italians call the pope and their fathers’ papa. I didn’t think she had a direct line to the Vatican but I wasn’t going to push her for anything. I felt that she could be trusted to a certain extent.

  When we were all set to go, she pulled up in front of the house with a black Alfa Romeo sedan. She said, “Get in.” I jumped in and we were off to the races. Gina could really drive a car. After driving down the road a bit, we arrived in a small typical Italian town. Gina zipped the car behind a building with a sign on it, which read “Polizia.” I must admit I did get a little nervous. She jumped out of the car and said, “Stay here and don’t move.” I had to trust her. We were in the middle of nowhere. A few minutes later, she opened the door to the building and motioned for me to come inside. Once out of the car, I walked cautiously into the building. Inside there were three cops standing around. One of them came up to me and told me to follow him. Gina was right behind me. I guess that was a good thing. I think. The police officer stood me in front of a camera and took my picture. Then Gina told me to go back and wait for her in the car. About ten minutes later, she emerged from the building. She got into the car and handed me an Italian driver’s license. I asked, “What is this?”

  “It’s your new identity. “Stefano Lupo.” With that, she sped off again turning a corner in front of a bank. Out she went and returned quickly with some cash. She handed me three-hundred euro and kept several hundred for herself.

  I asked, “Gina, what is this for?”

  “Do you want to be a kept man or would you like to pay for some things?”

  “But…”

  “No buts about it. I made up my mind and I will see it all through.”

  “And what about the police back there, how did you swing that one?”

  “Steven, let’s just say for now that I have a lot of friends. Okay?”

  “Okay, I’m with you.”

  “Good. Now where do you want to go?”

  “How much time do you have and shouldn’t you be in school?”

  “I’m out in the world researching my thesis. You are such a worrier, relax,” as she started driving down the road again
. It looked like we were headed for Florence.

  I said, “Let’s try to make contact with my friend at the consulate in Florence again.”

  “He didn’t act like a friend the first time. Do you think he’s had a change of heart? Should we give him another chance to reject you?”

  “No, but if you can coax him to meet me someplace it might work.”

  “I guess you get most women to do these little tricks for you. Does it excite you to have all that power over women?”

  “I’m trying to find out a few things about my mission here. I’m not trying to control anyone.”

  “Steven, take it easy, it’s only part of my study of you. I’ll do almost anything you want for the good of my thesis.”

  _______

  We started flying down the autostrada again. And before I knew it, we were in Firenze. We parked the car and walked along the Arno River, which runs through the heart of Florence. Gina kept on asking me questions about my life and my business. I tried to keep it light about my job because I still didn’t trust her completely. It was hard not to get close to this kid. She was gorgeous, smart and had a charming way about her. We went into some restaurant of her choosing. In the back was a separate room, where we could be alone. We sat in a booth where we could not be seen by anyone in the main seating area. She told the owner to keep the room available for us. It didn’t seem to be a problem for the owner. It was kind of like her dealings at the police station earlier. It all was fine with me. If she wanted to do me harm she had plenty of opportunity. My trust for her was growing but still with caution.

  As we approached the consulate I asked, “Are you sure you’re up for this, Gina?”

  “Sure, why not. Besides, this is turning out to be an ‘A’ thesis paper.”

  “Remember, you’re an American and you need to talk to Roger Woods about your lost passport.”

  “I got it, Steven. Just be sitting in the back room of the restaurant when we get there.”

  “I’ll be there and don’t be too long, I’ll worry.”