Chelnik left the diner. Still being followed, but only this time by Yamoto Tachibana, Daisuke’s younger brother. The Ukrainian uses his Spetsnaz training and expertise to try and shake his current shadow. Despite Chelnik’s best efforts, he could not hope to match the speed and agility of the were-fox tailing him from a discreet distance. Feeling a sense of respect for his shadow; Chelnik smiles as he quickens his pace.
‘I may have finally found a worth wile challenge here in this town,’ he muses to himself; ‘killing my bosses enemies and those who can’t pay their debts doesn’t have the same thrill as it once did.’
It took roughly twenty minutes for the bodyguard/hitman to arrive at his boss’s motel room. Entering he sees Frederick seething and swearing as the man was watching a football game.
“I take it,” Chelnik sitting next to the man; “that your 49er’s are losing again?”
“That and what a few of my men,” Frederick swearing; “decide to do a few hours ago. Bad enough I have to leave my social club off of Fisherman’s Warf to get my son out of trouble. Now I may have to deal with a pissed of multi-billionaire living in town.”
“Who,” Chelnik looking at the confusing game of football before him; unable to comprehend its rules and the way it’s played. To Chelnik, this wasn’t football; it was men running into each other while another tries to dodge and weave while holding onto a brown leather object that didn’t resemble anything like the soccer balls he used to kick around with.
“Benton Knight,” Freddie answering; “four of my entourage as some politely like to say, decided to break into the man’s home. Three are dead and the fourth is in jail.”
“Well I may have more troubling news for you,” Chelnik looking at his boss; “I’m being followed.”
“You,” Freddie looking at the Ukrainian before him; “a former Spetsnaz that fled Europe to escape Interpol has a tail? That I find hard to believe.”
“I’m serious,” Chelnik answering; “I’ve done everything I could to shake the person following me. It’s as if they have military training as well.”
“Well this fucking complicates things then,” Freddie grumbling; “I take it the Talbots are closing ranks? What did you find out about them?”
“No military training,” Chelnik responding; “but they do have a lot of men guarding the home and his place of business. Attacking either place in your men’s usual fashion will be difficult, if not outright impossible.”
“What of your methods,” Freddie asking; “can you deal with them, if I can’t find a way to make peace with them in some fashion?”
“Not without making a lot of noise,” Chelnik smiling; “and big explosives.”
Freddie chuckled as he understood what Chelnik meant; yet getting military grade weapons for the man was a difficult task. Made all the more impossible after terrorists blew up the World Trade Center’s fifteen years ago. Homeland security and enhanced police powers given to local law enforcement, made business difficult for Freddie of late; but not impossible.
“I’m afraid we can’t make too much noise while in town,” Freddie sighing; “we don’t want to upset what plans I have already made to get my son out of jail.”
“Your son should learn to deal with his own problems,” Chelnik staring back at the t.v to see another blitz play shattering the 49er offense; “you shouldn’t coddle him every time he gets a skinned knee.”
“In jail for grand theft auto and attempted aggravated murder,” Freddie barks; “is not a skinned knee as you so like to put it. But I do agree, my son needs to solve his own problems.”
“He needs to be dealt with,” Chelnik lowering his voice so none can hear; “if the feds manage to flip him…”
“My son has done some stupid things,” Freddie glaring at Chelnik; “but he is no rat. He’d kill himself before betraying me.”
‘Not before I kill him,’ Chelnik thinking to himself; ‘Daniel is a problem that needs to be eliminated. You don’t know it boss, but his days are numbered.’
*******
In a warehouse out in Oakland a group of men silently approach. All in black and each armed with assault rifles; they each take of positions by a several entrances in groups of two. With a silent nod and a “go” command of their coms, they bust open the doors and toss in flash bangs to disorient those inside.
“Police! This is a raid,” can be heard throughout the building as the men did a sweep of the place.
With the building secured and no one inside to arrest; the men turn their attention to the large pile of boxes stacked in the middle of the floor. Opening one up, they police officers discover large stacks of cash inside the boxes waiting to be picked up.
“Christ this is a lot of money,” one officer comments.
“You think it’s Freddie’s stash,” Another asks.
“Who cares,” a third comments; “it’s the proceeds in crime and now subject to seizure.”
“How can you be certain,” another asks.
“Because this box I just opened,” the third man speaking; “is full of Heroin. We need the Feds here now!”
******
Back at the motel room, Frederick Parker had no clue that a warehouse he was using was just raided, thanks to Benton Knight’s code: Omega that was just issued. He just quietly listened to his assistant speaking as the man filled him and Chelnik in on who Benton Knight is and what kind of influence the man wields in the business community.
“So Benton Knight,” Freddie speaking; “is a big fish in a small pond.”
“More like a vicious great white in an ocean,” the assistant responding; “This is one man you do not want to trifle with.”
“The only shark here in town is me,” Freddie looking at his assistant; “don’t you forget it. What else is there about the man?”
“His is a father,” The assistant answering; “his only daughter is named Frieda and the man is extremely protective of her.”
“So if we did anything to the child,” Chelnik thinking.
“You would have a pissed off businessman hell bent on making you wish you were never born,” the assistant looking at the man.
“Nothing we haven’t handled before,” Freddie thinking of the many times he roughed up young entrepreneurs coming out of Silicon Valley; “we just need to be discreet.”
“There is a rumor that Benton had a man castrated,” the assistant looking serious; “for trying to rape his daughter. He had the man’s penis cut off at the head. Benton will come after you if you do anything to his family.”
“Ouch,” Freddie shuddering; “what of his business ventures. Anything we could use as leverage?”
“His company, Knight Industries was once formed by his father. It was called Crawford and Knight way back when Benton was still a child,” the assistant looking over his computer; “when Benton took over, he forced Joseph Crawford out and rebranded the company. Joseph has a son living in Seattle that was recently managed to force his way back into the company. A Jack Crawford, but he is currently a minority shareholder.”
“So Benton is feuding with someone,” Freddie thinking; “that means he is occupied with other matters and might not have time to deal with me.”
“He might make time,” Chelnik interrupting; “your men broke into his home. We should prepare ourselves accordingly”
“Find out what they were after,” Freddie looking at his bodyguard; “talk to the men that might have overheard what was being planned. You have anything else to share,” Freddie looking at his assistant.