Lev (Shot Callers 1)

Sasha unfolded the paper, read in silence, and then cussed softly.

His jaw tight, he handed the note to Lev. “I think we just found out where our customers have gone.”

Nas and I both leaned over the seat to read with Lev.

Aphrodite’s Kiss. New show. New girls. Completely refurbished. Faces that will stop your heart. Free drink with flyer.

“That’s not all.” Birdie winced. “One of Laredo’s goons approached me just as I was coming in from my break.” Her eyes apologetic, she looked directly at Sasha. “He’s recruiting from right under your nose, baby.”

“Motherfucker,” Sasha whispered. “That would explain why ChaCha quit on Wednesday.”

My jaw dropped. “He can’t do that!”

Lev’s lips thinned. “He can; he just shouldn’t. It’s an unwritten rule of sorts. It’s considered bad form.”

I sat back in my chair, feeling glum. I turned to look at Sasha. “Why does he hate you so much?”

For once, Sasha didn’t glare at me. He spoke quietly, “I scarred up his son’s face when he tried to off me. The pretty boy ain’t so pretty anymore.” He sighed. “Laredo didn’t give a rat’s ass that his boy brought that shit to my property. He sees those scars and he wants to end me.”

“What happened?”

Nas explained in a short tone, “Sasha slept with Alessio’s wife.”

Sasha uttered a defensive, “She said they were done.” He ran a hand through his dark hair. “How was I supposed to know she was using my cock as a weapon against him?” He smirked at the memory of her. “I’d like to say she wasn’t worth the trouble, but she was a goddamn wildcat.”

“Well, it’s not Sasha’s fault the lady is a tramp,” I muttered.

Sasha seemed surprised by my support. But, still, his glare returned. “What new show? What’s he got that we don’t?” Frustration took over. “I can’t even send anyone down there to see what’s up. Not anyone I trust. He knows everyone who works for us. Knows our faces.”

I looked around at them all, their thinking faces on.

Was I the only one who had the solution to this problem?

“He doesn’t know me.” I offered with a mild shrug, “I’ll go.”

Lev barked, “No,” at the very same time Sasha grinned deviously and hissed, “Yes.”

They looked at each other.

Sasha spoke quietly, “You want this ship to sink, moy brat?”

“Net,” Lev replied unenthusiastically.

“I don’t mind. It’s the least I can do,” I uttered sincerely.

Sasha grinned at me while Lev frowned unhappily. Nas squeezed my shoulder in silent support.

And so, a plan was hatched.

***

Mina

“If I think for a second that you’re in danger of being caught, I’m coming in there,” Lev muttered as he drove. Vik remained silent in the back seat.

I smiled to myself at the protective tone in his voice. “Got it.”

“Make sure you have your cell on you at all times,” he insisted.

I patted a hand over my front jeans pocket for the sixth time since we began our journey. “Still there,” I told him.

Lev surprised me this morning with a new cell phone. It was one of those fandangle ones with the big screen that you could use the Internet on, and download apps, and probably track when you were about to go to the bathroom.

It was fancy.

He spent the morning showing me how to use it. By the end of it, I knew most of the basics. I still didn’t understand what the app things were, but he said we’d get to that another day.

Calling, answering, and texting was easy enough to remember. I practiced by sending Nas messages.

Me: What do you get when you cross a caterpillar with a parrot?

Nas: Who is this?

Me: A Walkie Talkie!!!!!

Nas: Who is this?

Me: Hey, that was funny. You could at least courtesy laugh.

Nas: Who the fuck is this?

Lev also managed to get me a state ID card, which explained why Nas had me get some wallet-sized portrait photographs done the last time we were at the mall. I shouldn’t have been surprised that it had all my accurate details on it, but I was. I smiled. “How’d you get this, you sneaky goose?”

He sat at the kitchen table, seeming pleased by the reaction. “I know people.” That much was clear. He seemed to have connections in every industry. “I also have a copy of your birth certificate, your social security card, and your passport.”

I glanced down at the ID card.

Mina Clarabelle Harris.

The address listed was…Lev’s.

I didn’t bother questioning why. I was sure he did that because he had to provide some address that was partly valid, and I’d been living here for the past four and a half weeks.

Parking a block away, Vik worked quickly, placing the surveillance camera disguised as a large button on the lapel of my black jacket, underneath my coat. The big black button appropriately read ‘I’m silently judging you.’

Vik explained, “This isn’t a live cam. I’m not going to be able to check the footage until you get out of there and we get back to the club. If you think anyone’s onto you, don’t think; just hightail it.” At my nervous nod, he smiled. “Just sit down, order a drink, and watch the show, like you would with us. No biggie.” He added, “It would probably help if you lost the I’m-out-of-my-depth expression.”