The two would roll around on the thick carpet in Stefano’s beautiful penthouse, laughing and making all sorts of animal noises until Stefano came in and stood over them with his hands on his hips, doing his best to frown at Taviano. Crispino and Taviano would sober for a moment and look at each other and then laugh again, Taviano hugging his nephew tight. Stefano always ended up smiling and shaking his head, declaring that the boy was never going to learn anything, but both knew that Crispino was already advanced in his games.
Taviano was just behind Angel when the man suddenly turned, rearing up, his gun swinging around with him, his radar clearly going off in full alarm. Taviano simply moved with him, like a dancer, staying behind him, his hands catching the man’s head and wrenching. It was more difficult when Angel was in motion, but again, Taviano was ready for every type of reaction from his prey. He was gentle with Angel as he laid him on the roof. The man was a warrior, even if he didn’t have any respect for women and children, working for a man like Benito Valdez.
Taviano rode the shadow back down to the small strip of overgrown weeds behind the warehouse where Nicoletta waited with Stefano. Her gaze quickly moved over him, inspecting him for damage, relief showing briefly before she managed to school her expression. He wanted to kiss her but just sent her a small smile before turning to his brother.
“Let’s do this fast. The one called Bario has called a van. We want it done before the van gets here. They intend to kill the driver and take possession of the vehicle,” Stefano informed him.
Taviano nodded. There were two men at the very ends of either side of the warehouse, clearly lookouts. All of the Demons were nervous. The attacks on them had been instantaneous when they showed themselves. The local street gang knew where they had retreated and had eyes on them. The fear was that they would be attacked there in the warehouse. They had no food and no clean water and no real cover inside. They couldn’t stay. For the first time, the predators had been turned into prey, and they didn’t like the feeling.
“Anything, Felix? Ivan?” Bario demanded.
The two men watching the northern street turned toward him. “It’s quiet,” one reported.
“Elias? Luis?” Bario snapped out.
The two on the west end turned around and shook their heads. “Nothing. Not even headlights.”
Taviano and Stefano slipped into the warehouse. There were fewer shadows inside because there was no electricity. The streetlights cast eerie streaks of gray through the empty holes where the windows had once been. Someone had attempted to board them up at some point, but the boards had long since been kicked out, and only a few broken, jagged pieces remained. Stefano immediately went toward the west and Elias and Luis, leaving Taviano to take the south end, the farthest from them, but one of the gray streaks was near and would allow him to get closer to the two men without the risk Stefano would have.
Taviano stepped into the shadow. It was wide and slow, an easy ride, ending just behind the two men. Neither so much as turned their heads at his approach. He was more concerned with Bario and Alan, who paced in opposite directions, casting looks around the warehouse and out the windows constantly. Because they kept looking into the lights of the streets and then into the warehouse, it was difficult for their eyes to adjust in the time given. Neither saw the four sentries go down or even noticed when they were no longer standing but were lying on the floor, tucked in close to the wall.
Taviano rode the shadow back toward the window where the gray streak originated. One man peered out the window there. Twice, the man called Alan had snapped orders at him, identifying him as Pablo. Taviano stayed in the mouth of the shadow, just waiting a few seconds. Pablo was nervous and he’d pop up, look out and then crouch low again. The moment the sentry crouched low, directly in front of Taviano, he stepped out of the shadow, crouching as he did so, gripped the Demon’s head and delivered the signature kill. Immediately, as he laid the body down, he stepped back into the shadow.
Stefano stalked another of the remaining Demons, called Omar, into the dark, where he was relieving himself, one hand on the wall, muttering to himself, trying to give himself courage. Stefano dropped his body right there.
“Leo!” Bario bellowed. “Get up to the roof and tell Hector and Angel to get down here. Hurry. The van will be here any minute.”
Leo nodded curtly and rushed toward the broken wall. It was the easiest way to climb to the roof. The moment he was on the outside of the building, Taviano was on him, breaking his neck and lowering him to the ground. He slipped back inside. Only Bario and Alan were left. Stefano was already close to the two leaders. Both were agitated, showing signs of breaking down under extreme pressure. The two were sweating profusely, unable to stop moving, muttering to themselves and then swearing loudly.