Palucci’s mansion had been vacant for months after the Titan murder incident. Abe had had Palucci watched. His Government contacts were only too happy to continue surveillance in hopes that one day, they would jail him forever.
Abe decided that he’d prefer to confront Palucci in more familiar surroundings rather than have to scout and prep somewhere new. He’d decided to wait until Palucci moved back into this dwelling before making the team move on him.
Abe watched, while slowly walking past the gates. He’d faded blocks earlier, and he could “hold” himself faded for quite a while now.
The kids aren’t the only ones who have been practicing…
He noticed a man about Palucci’s size leaving an elegant vehicle. He carried an attaché, while others carried a multitude of bags. He was followed by his wife or mistress. They both looked so similar Abe could not be certain which…
He’s moving back in…
Abe didn’t stop, though he slowed to take in details.
Soon. There’s one more detail to put into place. We have to be ready.
His phone rang in his invisible pocket. He started walking faster. Even though he was out on the street, he didn’t want to take the chance of one of Palucci’s goons hearing it.
Gotta remember to mute the phone!
He picked up as soon as possible, as he walked away.
“Abe? Abe! What have you gotten
yourself into?”
“Selma… Hi Selma. What’s new?
–Or more to the point: what do you need now?”
“What have you done, Brother?”
“Selma, I don’t have a lot of time.
If you’re not going to get to the point-”
“There were Government agents here… They were checking on you!
What’s going on?”
“What did they want?”
“They asked a lot of questions about you; your background; your…politics.”
“Hmmm.”
“They wanted to know all about me! All about my son! –And where Brian was now, too! – I told them he was out with friends… He wasn’t…”
“Good! Look, Selma, I’m in the middle of something right now-”
“No shit, Abe! What have you gotten yourself mixed up in?”
“I’ll explain later. Keep your son hidden and for God’s sake keep him off his computer!”
“Oh yeah, Brother. Shall I part the Red Sea while I’m at it? Keep him off his computer? How do you suppose I should-”
“Just do it, Selma. I’ll explain later.”
He snapped his phone shut.
“Palucci has moved back into his home, and he’s been to the bank. In thirty minutes, we know exactly where he’ll be…”
Everyone looked nervous. Abe was nervous, too. He hoped that it didn’t show.
“Bulletproof vests everyone. Even you Marksman. We take no undue chances. Not this time. Not ever again. He turned to Marbles. Except you, my Dear. Just this once. Are you certain that you’re up for this? I’ll be close by…”
“We have to do it, Abe. Right?”
“Yeah, we have to. You’re the best plan we’ve got. – But we can go to Plan B if you’re afraid.”
Marbles giggled nervously. “Of course I’m afraid. I’m afraid of him; afraid I’ll forget my lines…”
That was enough for Abe.
“Okay, everyone, we go to Plan
B.”
“Wait a second, Abe. I’m afraid, but I didn’t say I wasn’t going through with it. As far as I’m concerned, we stick with Plan A.”
Abe wanted to hug her, but he feared that that would damage his role as Leader in their eyes. Instead he said:
“Okay, people. You heard the lady! Equipment! Places! Run through the plan in your mind as we drive there. We go in five!”
Wesley struggled into one after another of a small pile of different sized bulletproof vests. If it was wide enough, the vests were invariably too long. If they were the right length, the adjustment straps didn’t reach.
Abe looked on sorrowfully.
“Look, boy. I’ll see to it that you get a custom fit vest after today, alright?”
“That’d be great. Thanks, O…ummm… Abe”
“Marksman?”
“Yeah, O.D.?”
Abe made a face. It seemed that “O.D.” was a name that stuck.
“You’re in the same place. You have the same function as before. Despite how you feel, don’t hurt anyone badly if you can help it.”
“Right.”
“Everyone else…Places. Check your watches. Merc, Marathon, be on time. Marbles. Great outfit. I believe it. You’re with me!”
Despite it being warm outside Abe carried a voluminous coat.
Marbles, dressed in a prim schoolgirl’s uniform, and with her strawberry blonde hair tied in a prim bun strode right into Palucci’s office, slamming the door behind her.
Palucci looked up from counting money out from one satchel to another, startled. “Who the hell are you?”
She pointed at him, crying bitter tears.
“You killed my Daddy!” Her normally musical voice was filled with anguish. She’d been practicing in front of the mirror for days!
“How did you get in here?”
“The dorks by the door were talking and smoking. I just walked right past them!”
“What the hell? Who are you?”
He reached for his phone to call his guards.
“You killed my Daddy! Right here! That’s what the newsman said. Right here!”
His hand stopped.
“You’re the daughter of that whack job who burst into my office?”
“He wasn’t a whack job!” Marbles sobbed broadly. “He was a brave man! He was my Daddy! And you killed him!”
“Well, lookit little girl…He, uhhh threatened me.”
She lowered her gaze, forcing tears to run down her cheeks. She almost whispered: “He would never threaten anyone. He was a kind man!”
Palucci, murderer, embezzler, thief, mob boss, melted in front of this sobbing little girl. He let his guard down.
“Okay, so maybe he was just talking
about threatening me…”
“He wouldn’t even do that! I
know him. He was my Dad!”
“He said he had evidence that would
send me to jail!”
“So you shot him?”
Palucci nodded.
“He wasn’t armed. He was never armed.”
“I know. It’s just that things were happening so fast. Inside, outside. To tell you the truth, he freaked me out!”
“So…you shot him.”
“Yeah…”
He reached for his phone to have this little girl ejected and have his guards punished-
Things began to happen very fast right about then-
More next week
Also, more in my website – Zaslow Crane writer