'Yes, yes, I can see where that would be much more lucrative-long term of course.'
'Of course.'
Oleg held out his hand. 'I think we have an understanding.'
'I’m glad to hear that,' Black said and shook Oleg’s hand. All he had to do now was convince Martin Marshall and his Chinese partners that involving Oleg and the Izmaylovskaya mob was a good idea.
Oleg poured another round of drinks. 'Come. We drink to our new partnership. To you, Mikhail.'
'And to you, Oleg, but tell me something.'
'What is that?'
'You said when Angelo called you that you had your suspicions about the reason I wanted to talk to you. What did you mean by that?'
'I have heard from some associates that you have big problems. That is what I thought you wanted to talk to me about.'
'What kind of problems are we talking about?'
'Come,' Oleg said and stood up. 'We continue this conversation outside.'
Black stood up and so did Victor.
'No,' Oleg said. 'We talk alone,' Oleg said and Black followed him out the back door. The two men walked down the alley and out into the street before Oleg spoke. 'One of your men was killed recently.'
'Yes,' Black said and looked at Oleg curiously. 'But now I’m wondering why you would think I would want to talk to you about that. Unless you’re tellin’ me that you or your associates had something to do with it.'
'No, no, I assure you that we had nothing to do with your man’s death, but as I said, I do hear things.'
'What kind of things?'
Oleg took out a pack of cigarettes and offered Black one. When he refused, Oleg lit up and continued. 'Are you familiar with a man named Cruz Villanueva?'
'Yes, Oleg. I’m very familiar with Mr. Villanueva.'
'I hear that he is planning to make a move uptown?'
'I heard that, too.'
'There are things going on in your organization, Mikhail. And it is more than just your man getting killed and Cruz planning to move uptown, although they are connected.'
'Are you telling me that Cruz had him killed?'
'This I do not know. But what I can tell you, Mikhail, is that someone in your organization is doing business with my associates without your knowledge.'
'Bo.'
'I do not know what his name is, Mikhail,' Oleg said and stopped walking. He turned to Black and put his hand on his shoulders. 'I can only tell you that this man, he talks a lot about the way things will be once you are gone and he is in charge.'
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Black walked back to the restaurant with Oleg and thanked him for the information. 'Where’s Bo?' he asked Victor as soon as they were back in the car. Once Black explained to Victor what Oleg had told him, Victor called Sabrina. As was their custom, he let the phone ring once and ended the call. Five minutes later, Sabrina called him back. She said that she didn’t know where Bo was and that he’d left earlier with Hank, and she hadn’t seen or heard from him since. Black told Victor to tell Sabrina that if she saw or heard from Bo that she could call him, and then get the fuck away from Bo.
'Where to now?' Victor asked as he drove back to the Bronx.
'Let’s go find Cruz,' Black said. 'And let me see your phone.' Black tried Bobby’s cell again, and once again, it went straight to voicemail. Then he tried him again at the club before calling Nick on his cell phone.
'Nick, its Black. Where are you?'
'Me and Bobby are on our way to take care of something,' Nick said.
'There are some things goin’ on that I need to talk to you two about. When you get done, y’all meet me at Cynt’s.'
'We’ll meet you there when we’re done. We got some things that we need to let you know about.'
'Am I gonna be happy about it?'
Nick looked at Bobby. 'He wants to know if he’s gonna be happy about what we did,' he said and handed Bobby the phone.
'What’s up, Mike? No, you’re not gonna be happy about it, but trust me, what me and Nick are doin’ tonight has to be done. Where you at?'
'Me and Victor are about to take care of something, so I’ll see you two later at Cynt’s,' Black said and ended the call.
Black and Victor headed back to the Bronx and checked out the spots where they thought they might find Cruz until they got word that he was at his apartment.
When Black and Victor arrived at Cruz’s they got out and headed for the building. As soon as they got close to it, somebody began shooting at them. Both Black and Victor took out their guns and ran toward the building, firing shots as they ran until they made it to the building.
'Think that was meant for us?' Victor asked while he reloaded his weapon.
'Let’s go find out,' Black said and went inside.
They got on the elevator and Black pressed the button for the fourth floor. 'But Cruz is on six.'
'Stick with me, kid, and learn something,' Black said as the door closed. 'Right now there’s at least two, maybe three mutha fuckas standing in front of the door. When the door opens on six they’re gonna start shooting. Do you really wanna be in here when that happens?'
'Not really,' Victor replied and felt a little stupid.
The elevator stopped on the fourth floor and they stepped to either side as the door opened. Black stuck his head out of the elevator and looked in both directions. The hallway was clear. Black pressed the button for the sixth floor. 'Come on.'
They ran to the stairwell and made their way up the steps. When they got to the fifth floor they heard gunfire. 'You were right,' Victor said and continued up the steps behind Black.
'Stick with me, kid, and you just might learn a few things and live long enough to use them,' Black said as he got to the door. 'You ready?'
'Let’s do it.'
Black opened the door, stuck his gun out and fired blindly down the hall before he stepped out. There were two men with their backs to the wall. They opened fire and started backing their way down the hall toward Cruz’s apartment. Victor began firing shots from the doorway. Black hit the floor and fired at the men. He shot one in the back as he turned to run. Victor hit the other with two shots to the chest to clear the hallway.
Black got up and started walking down the hall. Just then, Jorge stuck his head out of the apartment and began firing. Black rammed his shoulder into the door of another apartment and took cover inside. Both Black and Victor began firing at Jorge from their positions. While Jorge covered for him, Cruz came running out of the apartment and down the hall.
'There he goes,' Black shouted and went after Cruz. Jorge ducked back in the apartment. Victor reloaded his weapon then came out of the stairwell and started down the hall.
As Black passed by the apartment Jorge came out the door and prepared to fire. 'Behind you, Black,' Victor yelled and took aim.
Black turned in time to see Victor drop Jorge with a shot to the head. He nodded his appreciation at Victor and went after Cruz.
When Black got to the stairwell, he could see Cruz running down the steps two floors below. He fired a couple of shots and went after him. On the way down the steps, Black changed the clips in his guns.
