Chapter Seventeen
Dominic
“I smell blood,” I say as we step through the massive metal door.Massimo cuts me a sharp look.
"I smell it too," Aiden agrees, raising his gun.
The scent of fresh blood is feint in the air, but definitely there.
I look around the old factory-style warehouse we were summoned to by Franco, one of the head enforcers.There was a sighting of Kazimir and six Shadow members here not half an hour ago.Now the place is deserted.
The warehouse was one that used to store car parts.Although the automatic lights still work, the large panel glass windows are broken and weeds cover the walls, giving the appearance that the place hasn't been in use for years.I was inclined to think otherwise just for the fact that the lights still work.
We're here with ten of our men and joined by Aiden and five of his guys.
We walk as a group down the path, guns at the ready, and the smell of blood gets stronger the further we get.
“Tell me you don’t smell that,” I say under my breath.
“I do,” Massimo answers.
The surrounding air becomes thicker, denser, almost suffocating with every step I take.When we turn the corner my gaze lands on the reason for the smell.We all stop in our stride when we see two men hanging from the ceiling with ropes around their necks.They're two of our soldiers. I recognize them straight away.They were guys who were watching the streets.Blood drips from the bullet holes in their bodies, their mouths, and from the spaces where their ears and eyes used to be.In true Circle of Shadows style, their ears have been cut off, their eyes have been gouged out, and their tongues sliced.
This is an illustration of my world.
See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
“Fucking hell,” Massimo says.
"They killed your guys. They wouldn't leave them here like that if they didn't want you to find them," Aiden states and looks around at the levels above us.
"And our guys clearly saw something or someone they shouldn't have seen," I add.
This is a message. One that says stay the fuck away and stop poking around where you don't belong.That's the obvious message indeed.Except, you don't send that kind of message to a boss like Massimo.
This is just like the past. Exactly like what happened before.
"What the fuck do we do now?" Tristan snaps.
"Not sure," Massimo replies.
"Look guys," Aiden says, nodding his head to our left.
There are bloody footprints leading out toward one of the broken windows.
As we look across, a shuffling noise catches my attention and I run over to the window just in time to see a guy trying to get down the fire escape.He's a tall, lanky guy dressed in full black and a balaclava.
"Hey," I shout and leap out the window on to the metal stairs.
At the sound of my voice, the motherfucker bounds down the remaining steps and jumps on to the boardwalk like he’s got fire up his ass.
While Massimo and the others follow behind, I get down the stairs and chase him.The fucker is fast, and he has a head start, but I push forward with everything inside me.When he jumps over the barrier leading down to the beach, I jump too and land straight on him, knocking him to the ground.
The asshole manages to free himself from my grasp, whip around and land a punch in my face.That's okay, he'll pay for that.He seems to be able to fight dirty, but I'm dirtier and one pissed as fuck motherfucker.
Like an animal, I throw myself forward and headbutt him, taking him down once more.I've stunned him and the fall causes him to wind himself.
I rush forward and yank off his mask just as Massimo and the others reach us.The guy looks Russian and young like he's in his early twenties.