Alexandria, Virginia
Marty's Gentleman's Club
Ricky Tomczyk was more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a roomful of rocking chairs. A low level soldier in the Torchelli crime family, he hadn't ever been summoned to see the Boss. Hell, he had never seen anyone higher than his capo. The Family was like that, it had been explained to him early on. The old military system with levels and hierarchy was gone. In its place was a cellular structure, each capo operated independently and reported directly to the Underboss, Sammy Torchelli. He and the Boss, Vito Torchelli, were the only ones who knew the full extent of their empire.
He had been dropped off at an empty strip club at ten in the morning in the industrial section of Alexandria, Virginia. His boss just told him to go in and tell the bartender who he was before he left without him. Ricky ran his hands through his shaggy blonde mane, wiped his hands on his designer skinny jeans, and walked in the door.
Walking nervously to the bar where a huge black man was cleaning up, he told him who he was. The bartender poured him a bourbon and pointed him in the direction of a door labeled "Office." He knocked, then entered. He didn't see the man behind the door until it was too late. A black hood was placed over his head and he was pulled backwards, he tried to fight him off but there was something soaked on the hood. The more he fought, the faster he breathed it in and after twenty seconds he was unconscious.
He woke up slowly, the bright light of the room causing him to squint. His neck hurt and when he tried to touch it, he found out his hands were cuffed to the rail of the bed. Panicked, he tried to sit up, but the leather strap around his chest and the leather restraints on his ankles stopped that. He looked around, the room was empty of everything but the bed and a metal folding chair. He yelled for help, but it was ten minutes before the man arrived.
Vito Torchelli walked into the room, his immaculate suit and perfectly combed hair making him look every bit the gangster boss he was. Looking down at Ricky, he asked one thing. "Where is Lynn?"
Ricky paled, swallowed once and answered. "I took her to her father's place in Alexandria and gave her to him. Those were my instructions if Black Ker was killed."
Vito nodded. "So who told you she was killed?"
"It was on the news."
There was a pause before Vito replied. "You really are dumber than a pair of numchuks, aren't you?" If Ricky could turn any more white he would be transparent. "Did your boss, or anyone else tell you to do that?"
"No sir."
"Well, she's NOT FUCKING DEAD AND YOU GAVE AWAY OUR LEVERAGE." Vito backhanded him, the large rings on his hand cutting his cheeks open and knocking one of his molars loose. Ricky fought the restraints, but there wasn't anything to do but wait for his fate. Vito walked out the door, leaving him to think about how his stupidity was about to get him killed. Vito's reputation was well earned; he rewarded those who earned and was vicious to those who failed or betrayed him.
When Vito finally returned, he had a piece of paper in his hands. "You're lucky there was someone smarter than you involved. Lynn has a GPS tracker placed inside her, she is in Los Angeles at this address. You are to get on a plane, fetch her and find a place to hide out with her until we call you with further instructions." He handed him a cellphone. "There is one number programmed in, call it when you have her. You have twenty four hours, Ricky... don't fuck this up." Vito left, soon after the bartender came in and released him from the restraints. Handing him a plane ticket, he walked him out to the waiting taxi.
Black Ker was still alive, and he was the one who had been holding her daughter hostage. Ricky could only hope that he found Lynn before the Ker did.
Los Angeles
Safe House
Linda moved over and sat on Joe's lap, leaning against his broad chest while she took a long sniff of his neck to settle herself. "You know, we have a big problem with Lynn."
Both men looked at her in alarm, but Trevor spoke first. "What, she was fine when she went to bed!"
Linda sat up. "When you found me, I had an implant in my neck. It was an explosive on a timer, it was insurance to make sure I didn't leave them. When I would go out on a job, they would set it to make sure I came back, or if I was captured I wouldn't live long enough to give the Torchellis up."
Joe hugged her waist from behind. "Yes, but we removed that, what does that have to do with Lynn?"
"Lynn was their way of forcing me to do the jobs they had for me. They put an implant in her too... but hers is a little different. Instead of a timer, they have a GPS locator and a radio receiver. The reason I couldn't run, I couldn't get away from them, is because they had her on this electronic trap. If she left the house we were held, it would send an alarm and they could command detonate with the radio transmitter our captors had on them. I've seen it work, it's a small charge but effective. I knew I'd never get her far enough away to keep them from killing her, so I stayed and did what they said. Even if it was killing me inside." She laid her head back on Joe's chest.
"Well, I got her out of Virginia without a problem, I guess since they thought you were dead they didn't use the transmitter." Trevor looked at them both, understanding came across his face. "But the locator is still in her neck. They know where we are."
