Chapter: 42

The Death of an Angel

Chris “Mickey” Larabee drove through the streets of Vegas with a purpose. He had a mission to accomplished and was determined that nothing got in his way of completing it. After leaving one of his informants, he had found out that Robert DeCorsia was in town. Mickey figured he probably was checking up on his untrustworthy son.

Since he had found out from Nadia that there was no cure for his current ailment, he knew he should put all of his efforts into getting his revenge. If he was going to die, then he was going to make sure that it was not alone. He planned to take the DeCorsias and Nadia with him. He had declared war and it was going to be nasty one. He just prayed that the others would stay out of it, or they might become unfortunate casualties.

“Their your friends!” said a voice in the back of his mind which made him twitch in pain.

“The Devil doesn’t have friends, only enemies,” retorted another voice.

“You can’t do this to them. They care about you,” came the voice again.

“Bullshit!” exclaimed the other voice. “Ya know that’s a bunch of crap. No one cares about ya. Nadia has already proven that.”

“But Nadia never loved you.”

“But she said she did and look how she treats ya.”

“Shut the fuck up!” yelled Mickey to the voices. “Just shut up. I don’t wan’na hear anymore.”

The voices were suddenly silent, but he knew they might return if he let them. He had to keep control. If he lost that then his tormentors would win.

Finally reaching his destination, Mickey pulled his truck into the back underground garage behind Silver City Hotel on Las Vegas Blvd South.

He knew Roberto DeCorsia was staying at the El Morocco Hotel with several of his henchmen, but that did not affect Mickey in the least. He knew Roberto’s operation, in and out. Mickey knew everything that Chris knew, after Chris had spent several months in Roberto’s organization as his arbitrator. He knew everything including how Roberto usually set up his security. He would have two men in the lobby of the hotel scoping out any suspicious individuals. Then he would have two men on the hotel floor where his room was, guarding the corridor. And last, he would have one man inside his room as his personal bodyguard.

Mickey had decided not to opt for a frontal attack. He avoided the front of the Silver City Hotel and parked his truck around back to the underground parking garage. The Silver City Hotel and the El Morocco Hotel were close to each other. In fact, they were so close that they shared a tunnel that ran between the two garages. Mickey had decided that this was the best course of action.

He exited his vehicle, making sure he was armed appropriately before taking the walk through the tunnel to the El Morocco. Mickey suspected that Roberto was not stupid. He would probably have a guards posted in the garage, but it was a huge garage and it had several levels. Most likely they were posted on the top level since that was where the elevators where to the hotels. He would deal with it. Either way, he was not going to let anyone stop him from getting his revenge.

He pulled his long black duster closer to his body, feeling a chill in the air. He knew it was not cold and that it was his own body’s internal system trying to fight the poison. He reached in his pocket as he walked and felt the vial that lay there. It played with the vial as he walked towards the elevators that would lead to the upper level. His body craved what was inside, but his mind knew to give into it would cost him more than just his life.

He reached the elevator and pressed the button for Level 1. As the door closed he realized that he had two wars to fight. One was waiting for him upstairs. The other one was waiting for him once he was alone.

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Vin slowly awoke to loud voices. He could not make out what they were saying, but he could tell there was anger and frustration in their tones. He cracked an eye open and looked around the hospital room to find Josiah, Ezra and Buck standing near the door. Ezra and Buck seemed to be tense and they were engrossed in an argument with Josiah. He turned a little to the side and found himself looking at the one person who he thought he would never see.

Vin struggled to pull himself up out of his sick bed, his eyes never leaving the face of Nadia Diaz. The others did not notice him as they were so engrossed in their conversation. Nadia noticed him, though. Her eyes glowed in triumph as she watched him try to make his way over to her.

“How?” came Vin’s soft croak.

The others finally turned to see the young Texan putting unsteady legs onto the floor.

Josiah and Buck quickly ran over to him, while Ezra kept an eye on Nadia. Ezra glanced back and forth between Vin and Nadia and knew Vin’s soft question was about her.

“Vin! Get back in that bed now,” demanded Josiah, as he grabbed the young curly haired man by the waist and moving him back towards the bed.

“What the hell do ya think ya doin’, Stud?” asked Buck, also adding his help to the preacher as they both pushed the sick man back onto his bed.

“How?” asked Vin again angrily and this time more clearly. No one had answered his first inquiry and he was getting annoyed.

“Take it easy, Vin,” said Josiah, as he and Buck helped him to lie back upon his bed, fluffing his pillows as they did to get the young sharpshooter more comfortable.

“We acquired Miss Diaz in her domicile located in town,” explained Ezra.

“And…what about Chris?” came Vin’s question that Ezra dreading to answer.

“Ah, well, Mr. Tanner, we found Chris…” started Ezra.

“And then we lost ‘im,” finished Buck.

“What? How the dang hell did ya do that?” exclaimed Vin, trying to rise again. “I knowed it! I should of look for ‘im myself.”

“Listen, Vin,” said Buck, trying to gently push the young man back down into the bed. “We didn’t want to let ‘im go. But we had to. You didn’t see ‘im. He ain’t Chris.”

“What cha mean he ain’t Chris? Of course, he’s Chris.”

“No, Mr. Tanner. I must agree with Mr. Wilmington. That man was not Chris Larabee. Whoever he was before is gone.”

“How can ya say somethin’ like that, Ezra? Buck! He’s ya best friend!” yelled Vin becoming more and more agitated. They were not telling him something he wanted to hear.

“Vin! Vin! Listen to me! He shot his own brother! He shot Lucien!”

“What?”

“Yeah. Right in front of Ezra and me. It would have been me, Vin, but Lucien jumped in front of the bullet.”

Vin shook his head in disbelief. He could not believe that Chris would shoot his brother, or Buck for that matter. What the hell was going on? His eyes then turned to the woman who was the cause of all of this. She was smiling as if she knew what he was thinking.

“Tell me what happened?” Vin asked the two men.

“We received a communication from Mr. Caymen requesting our presence at Nadia in town address. We met Mr. Caymen and proceeded to the apartment. When we accessed the premises, we found Mr. Larabee holding a gun pointed at Miss Diaz here,” elucidated Ezra.

“Yeah. We thought to find Chris there, but instead it was Mickey.”

“Mickey?”

“Yeah. Mickey was the name Chris went by back in our old haunts in New York. Back when he was a bad boy and working for Lobo. He used the name even when we were in the Pen. But he had changed when he met Sarah, but since their death, things seemed to be going down hill.”

“So, now, Mickey’s back,” said Vin thoughtfully.

“Yeah and it ain’t good, Pard. He talked like he was on mission or something. Said something about managing a takeover. We think he’s gon’na try to take over the DeCorsia organization, alone. Listen, Vin. Mickey was crazy. More dangerous than Chris, though at times I did not think it possible. He’s mean and now he’s desperate.”

“Desperate? How?”

Buck and Ezra both turned eyes towards their new captive.

Nadia knew they were looking at her, waiting for her to answer. She leaned back against the wall she was standing near and crossed her arms, making a statement that she refused to answer.

“Tell him, Miss Diaz!” ordered Ezra.

Nadia glared at him, but then she moved from the wall and said, “There is no antidote. I purposely made it that way.”

“Oh, no,” said Vin, his hopes dashed.

“Unfortunately so, Mr. Tanner. But we still have a chance. Nadia here does know the composition of the chemical currently in Chris’ bloodstream. I believe with that information that maybe the CDC could determine an antidote.”

Ezra’s statement had brought Vin some hope that they might still be able to help his friend.

“And what makes you think that I will tell you?”

They all turned eyes of anger and hatred towards Nadia. She felt threatening glares they all gave her singe her skin.

“You will tell us, Miss Diaz. I have never in my life would think of hurting a person of the female persuasion. But if you do not tell us the chemical formula, I will regret that I will have to renege on my previous vow,” said Ezra in a threatening voice.

“You wouldn’t dare!” spat Nadia.

“Wouldn’t I? Are you willing to bet on that?”

Nadia looked into Ezra’s green eyes and knew that he was serious, deadly so.

“It won’t help you or Chris. I made this. Do you think I would make it that easy for Chris? Chris is too smart. I had to make sure that once I had him, I had him for good and this was the only way.”

“You bitch!” yelled Buck, trying to get over to the woman. Josiah quickly grabbed him by the arms, preventing him from doing what they all wanted to do.

“This is not how we will help Chris,” said Josiah calmly.

“Just save it, Preacher! She deserves to die!”

“And what do you think will happen to Chris once she takes the information we need with her?” asked Josiah trying to reason with the distraught man.

Buck nodded reluctantly, but once this was over there would be no one to stop him from getting his revenge.

“Sister, you have just been saved from a fate worst than death. You need to repent for your sins and the only way God can forgive you is by giving us the information we need.”

“I don’t need God forgiveness, Reverend,” laughed Nadia.

“I think you will, sister. Cause I can tell ya right now, he’s the only one who can,” said Josiah ominously.

Nadia knew Josiah was making it known that no matter what happened she still had them to deal with. She just hoped her men would hurry up and find her. She had found the young Texan. Now she needed escape. She thought pensively on what she could do and decided her best bet was to stall for time.

“Alright, Josiah. I will give you the information on one condition.”

“And that is?” asked Ezra distrustful.

“Leniency, Ezra. I want the Chief to make a deal that I won’t be doing hard time.”

Buck and Ezra chuckled at the thought. But Vin and Josiah knew it was no laughing matter.

“Lady,” said Vin. “After all ya done, what makes ya think the Chief’s gon’na go along with that?”

“If he don’t then you will loose Larabee. I am sure that Archangel Michael is worth something to him,” she said smiling.

They knew she had them and there was nothing they had to bargain with. But Vin knew there was one thing Nadia did not know they had.

“Ezra, why don’t cha lock Miss Diaz up for the time being. I think we need to discuss this…in private,” said Vin eyeing Ezra with a meaning.

Ezra turned to Nadia and said, “Come my dear. I am sure that I can find you adequate accommodations.” He then pulled the woman out the door towards what he deemed was a suitable place for her to be held.

Once they were gone, Buck turned confused eyes to Vin. “I don’t understand. What is there to talk about? We need her to help Chris.”

“I know, Buck. But she thinks we have nothing to bargain with,” answered Vin.

“And we do, brother?”

“Yep. We sure do, Josiah. The disk.”

“The disk? Why would Nadia be interested in the disk? I thought all she cared about was getting’ Chris?”

“I don’t think so, Buck. I think Nadia wants that disk just as much as everybody else.”

“What about our two visitors from before?” asked Josiah. He knew they would return soon looking for their lost property.

“I wouldn’t worry about them, Josiah. I’m sure we can handle them. What I would worry about is Chris. If Buck says he’s as dangerous as he say he is, then we’re in deep shit.”

“Ya think Chris is thinkin’ about takin’ over the DeCorsia’s organization?”

“No, Buck. I think Chris, or Mickey is not out to take over DeCorsia’s organization. I think he’s out for revenge.”

“Revenge?” questioned Josiah surprised by this information.

“Yeah,” said Vin trying to rub out the pain from his head. “I don’t think Mickey wants the organization. I think he wants to get rid of the competition and also get his revenge at the same time.”

“Ya know, that sounds like somethin’ Mickey would do,” inputted Buck.

“So what do we do?” queried Josiah concerned.

“I say we let him,” said Buck resolutely.

“Are you crazy?” asked Josiah shocked by Buck’s comment.

Vin would have a tendency to agree if it was not for the fact that it would do nothing to save Chris from what he was going through now.

“I wish we could, Buck,” admitted Vin. “Buck it won’t help Chris any. All it’ll do is leave a bloodbath around Vegas and Chris would be in jail for murder.”

“Well, it ain’t like he didn’t beat it before…” said Buck. He stopped, realizing that he had said too much.

“That’s my point, Buck. He’d be the same person like he was before and although Travis likes our boy, I don’t think he gon’na let him get away with it. He ain’t dealing with local authorities here. He’s got the government involved in this one.”

Buck knew that Vin spoke true. Chris would not be able to beat this charge with Travis being involved. He got away with it last time because it was some small time hood. But a body count that went way past one was much noticeable. He remembered when he and Chris were what they called “Little Bitches” back in the Pen. Little Bitches were inmates who had a twenty years or more sentencing. With this type of body count, he knew they would be calling Chris a “Big Bitch” in the pen, a Lifer, someone with a mandatory life sentence, never been able to see daylight ever again.

Vin, on the other hand, he had his own doubts about Chris’ guilt on the first murder charge, although Buck seemed to be sure. But Josiah had told him a lot of it was circumstantial evidence and without solid proof they were not able to convict him. They had got Buck and Chris on other charges, but not murder. Not yet. And he planned to keep it that way. He wanted Chris back, not Mickey and we would do everything in his power to do so.

“So what do we do, Vin?” interjected Josiah.

“Let’s wait to Ezra get back and Buck why don’t cha go and get JD. We gon’na need his expertise.”

“Be right back,” said Buck walking out of the door.

“What do you have in mind, Vin?” asked Josiah curious.

“I think it’s time we took the offensive, Josiah,” said Vin looking at him grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Josiah found the grin infectious and his face lit up with the same grin.

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Chapter: 43

An Angel’s Revenge

“If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”

Matthew 5:29

Lucien awoke to pain in his arm. He had to focus hard to finally realize where he was. Ah, now he remembered. Hospital. Shot by brother. Ow! How could his day get any worst?

He sat up gingerly in the bed and found Buck asleep in a chair near the wall. The man looked terrible. Lucien knew he probably had not slept since they lost Chris a couple of days ago. He also knew that his brother’s long time friend was just as worried as he was about his brother being missing and his need of medical assistance.

“Buck!” he called softly.

The snoring man did not answer, but just kept up his monotonous symphony.

Finally, Lucien took one of the pillows behind his head, which caused him some pain twisting his sore arm around. He then with all of his strength, which was not much right now, threw the pillow directly at the slumping man.

“Ow! What the hell…” said Buck sitting up straighter in the chair and looking around bewildered. He then spied Lucien looking at him annoyed.

“Lucien! You’re awake!” exclaimed Buck who moved over to the sick man’s bed.

Lucien roved his tongue around his mouth, trying to bring moisture to it. He felt as if he had been eating cotton. “How…How long?” came his rasping voice.

“Here,” said Buck putting a glass of water and straw near his mouth. Lucien took a long sip and sighed as the moisture saturated the starving cells within his mouth.

“Thanks, Buck. How long has it been?”

“You’ve been out about five hours. They had to do surgery to get the bullet out.”

“What about Michael?”

“Um…Listen Lucien…”

“No. Answer my question, Bucklin.”

Buck eyed him irritated. It was the first time in a long while he had heard his given name.

“We had to let ‘im go,” answered Buck guiltily.

“Damn! I was hoping it was all a bad dream,” stated Lucien, running his hand through his short blond hair in frustration.

Buck smiled at the action, wondering if the young blond knew just how much he was like his brother.

“Lucien, listen, we’ll get ‘im back. I promise ya.”

Lucien looked at him with eyes of understanding. He knew it was not the big man’s fault. In fact, it was only one person’s fault that he could think of and he wished he had her tiny little throat within his grasp. Then the thought came to him.

“Nadia! Where is she, Buck?” he asked excitedly.

“Take it easy, Stud. She ain’t goin’ nowhere right now. We got her locked up down the hall.”

“Buck, the things she did to him…”

“I know, Luc. We can’t worry about that now. We gotta help Nathan and the CDC to develop an antidote. It’s the only way to save Chris.”

“So when do we start?” asked Lucien trying to rise from his bed.

Buck pushed the young man back down on the bed. “You ain’t goin’ nowhere, Pard. You need to rest up, kid.”

“But Chris…”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry. Vin got a plan and we gon’na need you, JD and Josiah to stay here with Nathan until we get back.”

“Why? What have you got planned?” asked Lucien apprehensively.

“Well, Vin figured out that Chris don’t plan on taking over DeCorsia’s organization. He thinks Chris is out for revenge considerin’ he was told by Nadia that there was no antidote, so I guess he figures he ain’t got nothing to lose.”

“That’s what Vin figures. What do you think, Buck? You’ve known him longer,” said Lucien looking at him pensively.

Buck lowered his head and was studying the floor in thought. “I don’t know, Luc. I think Vin’s is right about Chris lookin’ for revenge, but I think it’s a lot more than that.”

“What do you mean?”

“What I mean is that we’re not dealing with Chris anymore. This is Mickey and Vin don’t know Mickey.”

Lucien knew he was right. No one but Buck really knew Mickey.

“So you think he has something more planned?”

“Yeah. I think he has a death wish, Luc. Mickey is gettin’ pushed into a corner and he’s preparin’ to die and I don’t think he’s goin’ alone.”

“Buck, I don’t understand. Are you saying that Chris is going to commit suicide?”

“No, Luc. I mean Mickey is goin’ to commit suicide. What we call in the Pen a suicide run. He knows he’s dying and he’s knows there no antidote. He ain’t got nothin’ to loose. When we were in the pen he told me that if he ever got into a losing situation he was goin’ out with a bang. He meant that up until the time he met Sarah. When he met her, his whole outlook changed and the person that was Mickey was put to rest. Now he has arisen and I don’t think he’s gon’na go back to sleep until this ends.”

“But why, Buck? That’s the question.”

“I don’t know. The only thing that I could think of is what Travis told us. Chris went undercover and found out somethin’ that he wasn’t suppose to.”

“But Buck, I don’t think anything Chris found out in DeCorsia’s organization could turn Chris the way it has.”

Buck thought about it long and hard. Yeah, there was not much that would turn Chris back into Mickey. The only thing that could even drive Chris this insane was… No. It couldn’t be.

“Luc! I think I know what it is!” yelled Buck.

“What? Don’t keep me in suspense!”

“I have to check something first with JD and the others,” said Buck moving towards the door.

“But Buck…”

It was too late. Buck had quickly exited the room. Lucien hoped that whatever it was, it was enough to help them understand Chris’ plans.

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Mickey had made it to the floor where he knew DeCorsia normally stayed. He peeked around the corner of the wall in the corridor and saw two men standing around the room where DeCorsia was housed.

He had decided on his walk up the back staircase that he would need a diversion. He had place a call earlier to one of his informants who had owed him a favor. The man was the perfect diversion for this particular job and he would get the guards away from the door.

Suddenly, as if on cue, a man dressed in bellboy’s uniform came running off the elevator towards the door where DeCorsia was.

“Hi. I have a suspicious looking gentlman being monitored downstairs by two of Mr. DeCorsia’s bodyguards. They are requesting assistance. They believe he is armed,” said the bellboy trying to catch his breath.

The guards at first looked at him thoughtfully, then one of the guards nodded to the other.

“Mr. DeCorsia?”

A voice came from inside the room said, “What is it?”

“This man is saying that there’s some trouble in the lobby. Says the others need help.”

“Very well. You both go and see what it is about.”

“Yes, sir,” answered the guard. He then motioned for the other man to follow him to the elevator. They did not see as the bellboy took the stairs that would lead him out of the building.

Once he was sure that the guards had left, Mickey pulled his gun from his pocket and crept towards the door. Once there he surveyed the area again to see if anyone was about and then knelt down near the lock.

He first tried to turn the doorknob gently, but found it was locked from inside. He then took out his lockpick set and started to work on the lock. Once he heard the click of the mechanisms, he put away his kit back into his pocket and with one hand turned the knob ever slowly. He then pulled out a small mirror from his pocket and pushed it out through the door, but had it facing himself so that he could see around the room. The mirror showed that everything was clear. DeCorsia was probably in the bedroom and the guard was nowhere to be seen.

He then replaced the item back into his pocket and gripping his gun tightly in front of him started to walk into the suite.

Mickey had noticed that no one was around. He knew there had to be a guard here, but he did not know where. He was warily looking around when he heard something like the flush of a toilet. He jumped back behind the wall that led to the entranceway.

He peeked around the wall and noticed the guard come out of the bathroom. The guard turned towards his direction and he quickly moved back into concealment. He heard the man move towards the living room area and slowly Mickey came from behind the wall to stand in back of the man.

“Don’t move,” he whispered to the man. “If ya do, ya’ll fine some lead in that nice jacket of yours. Understand?”

“Yes,” answered the guard slowly.

“Put ya hands up where I can see them,” ordered Mickey.

The guard did as he was told and raised his hands where Mickey could see them.

Mickey then cautiously leaned closer to the man to search him. He took the gun that was in his shoulder holster and put it in his pocket.

“Now, from now on, don’t say a word. If I ask ya a question nod yes or no, do ya understand?” said Mickey threateningly.

The guard nodded that he understood.

“Is Mr. DeCorsia in the bedroom?”

A nod.

“Are ya the only guard here?”

Another nod.

“Move into the bathroom,” directed Mickey.

The guard moved into the bathroom with Mickey close behind.

“Nighty night, big boy,” said Mickey, hitting him with the butt of his gun.

The guard almost fell to the bathroom floor, but Mickey had grabbed him by the waist and quietly dumped him into the tub. He then made sure the guards hands and feet were tied with the plastic ties that he had brought along for this very reason.

As soon as he was sure the guard would not be able to get loose, he walked out of the bathroom and closed the door. Silently he crept towards the bedroom in the back that held his most hated enemy.

The bedroom door was opened and as he peered into the room, he saw Roberto DeCorsia sitting at his desk near the bed, busily working on a laptop. The older man had not heard the blond as he entered the room and his back was to the door. Mickey silently crossed the room until he was a couple of feet away from him.

“Don’t move,” said Mickey, pointing the gun directly at the man in the chair.

“Well, Michael. I see that my actions to retrieve you were a waste of effort,” said Roberto, turning to face him.

“Damn! Did I not tell ya not to move?” yelled Mickey.

Roberto sat staring at this man. He seemed different. He did not have the calm demeanor that was the signature of Chris Larabee. Roberto looked into the man’s eyes and saw the wildness that existed there. No. This was not the Larabee he knew.

“It…it was just that I need to look at the man who is about to take my life,” said Roberto trying to calm his fears.

Mickey laughed hysterically at this comment. He liked this man. In another time they would probably have been friends. “Ya are very perceptive, Mr. DeCorsia.”

“Mister? You use to call me Berto.”

“Yeah, I did, didn’t I. Well, things have changed and so have I.”

“I can see that very clearly,” said Roberto eyeing him.

“Ya know the old saying, out with the old and in with the new. Ya lookin’ at the new. Do ya like it?”

“Not really,” said Roberto thoughtfully.

“Too bad. I like you, Mr. DeCorsia. I really do. But we have one problem.”

“And that is?”

“Your son and your daughter-in-law.”

“And how is that a problem, Michael?”

“Ya can stop callin’ me Michael.”

“Then what should I call you? Mr. Larabee?”

“Call me Mickey for now.”

“And Mickey, what is the exact problem between you, my son and my daughter-in-law?”

“Well, for one thing, I don’t think you know your son as much as you think you do. As for Nadia, I think you put too much trust in her.”

Roberto placed his hands in his lap and said, “Explain.”

“Ya do know ya son is plannin’ to off ya and Nadia is helpin’ him.”

“I had some information as to the affect, but I could not prove it.”

“Well, the reason why ya can’t prove it is because of the disk.”

“The disk? The one you stole from me?”

“Yeah, well that sort of was my life insurance policy. Ya see, there is a name on that disk and that person can give you the proof ya need.”

“There are a hundred names on that list. I would not be able to tell which one is the one.”

“I can give ya that!” answered Mickey, walking over to the wall and leaning against it.

“And how much would it cost me?”

“Not much. I only want one thing.”

“And that is?”

“I want the bastard that killed my wife and son. I know he came from your organization.”

Roberto looked at him in understanding and nodded his head contemplatively. “Have a seat, Mr. Larabee. Maybe we can work something out to both our benefits,” replied Roberto pointing to the chair on the other side of the room.

Mickey smiled and grabbed the chair, placing it in front of the man. “Then let’s talk turkey,” said Mickey.

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Chapter: 44

Dancing with the Devil

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

John 14:27