Vasily's Revenge(2)
When the men made their way around the walking trail to the east side of the wall, they stopped abruptly.
“Was it here or over there?” Igor asked, looking around.
“Here,” Leo answered sternly. “Don’t move a muscle.”
Noticing something was off about the huddle, one of the guards approached cautiously. “Hey,” he said, holding on to his asp baton. “Move it along. Keep walking. You only got a few minutes out here anyway before you’re sent back to your cage.”
“I have one fucking hour in this yard every day!” Leo screamed in a raised voice. His anger was unmistakable. “And I’ve only used 10 minutes of my time. You dumb bastards don’t know the difference between 10 minutes and 60?”
“Keep talking, jack off! And we’re only going to cut your time shorter,” the guard promised. “Now, keep it moving!”
Suddenly the guard stopped as a siren went off above them and guards around the walls began to rally. He looked up in disbelief and heard what sounded like missiles scudding through the air right before a powerful explosion erupted dead in the center of the fortified wall.
Debris shattered outward in every angle along with a plume of smoke and fire.
“Holy shit!” the guard screamed as he hit the ground and covered his head.
Out of the blast zone by only a few feet, Leo stood with his men untouched. “Whose time is being cut short now?” he asked the man as he winked. “Send your warden my regards!”
Gunshots rang out in the yard as more brick was blown from the wall and a missile was launched into the grounds. Hard hitting machine guns specially fitted for the fixed-wing aircraft were let loose on the guards. Their bodies flew off the balconies with gaping holes in them and covered in blood. Bullet holes the size of half dollars filled the side of the prison, while the men in the aircraft laid cover from both sides of the helicopter’s open doors.
The wind picked up under the helicopter and dust and dirt swirled about on the ground, making it hard to see anyone. All of Leo’s small crew of five looked up as a ladder was thrown from the helicopter down to them.
“One at a time,” Oleg said to everyone. He turned to his best friend. “You first, boss.
Grabbing Oleg by the back of the neck, Leo pushed their heads together. “Thieves-in-Law,” he said before he released him.
“Thieves-in-Law!” Oleg said, urging him to climb the ladder to the helicopter. “Hurry, we don’t have much time.”
As quickly as his strong arms could carry him and his legs could push off from one rung to the other, Leo moved up into the helicopter, praying to miss the flying bullets and hoping not to get caught. There would never be another opportunity like this one. He had to take it. He had to succeed no matter the odds.
One of the men, on the gun on the right side of the helicopter helped him in and locked him in a seat.
“Help my men up!” Leo screamed as the shooting continued in both directions.
“No sir. Just you,” the man screamed back as he leaned in and touched the pilot. “Let’s move out!”
The helicopters made a sharp left and moved quickly toward the trees in the distance.
“What the fuck do you mean just me?” Leo screamed, trying to unlock himself from the seat. “My men are back there!”
Quickly, the gunman put his hand over Leo’s hand forcefully. “The warden said just you!” He narrowed his eyes and snarled. “Don’t look a fucking gift horse in the mouth.”
Leo was in disbelief. If his men didn’t go then neither could he. His mind had already processed the idea of jumping out of the helicopters back down on the ground. Broken bones would be better than stabbing his men in the back. But the gunman must have also seen his intentions and been prepared for them. Reaching into the side pocket of his pants, he pulled out a needle.
“Hold him down,” the gunman said to the other man on the other side of the helicopter.
They both jumped with all their weight onto Leo to hold him down while one of them stuck a needle into his neck.
“Ahh!” Leo screamed. “You motherfuckers. I’m going to kill both of you… all of you!”
“There. That should hold him over for a few hours,” one of the men said, getting to his feet.
When he was released, Leo immediately felt the effects. Heat rushed through his body, coursing through his veins like venom. Then suddenly everything blurred. Reaching for his seatbelt one last time, he lost consciousness as the aircraft moved quickly away from the prison.
Memphis, TN
Mother Russia Restaurant
In the authentic Russian restaurant known for its infamous history of crime and crime lords through the years, a packed house of curious visitors willing to pay top dollar sat in the main hall enjoying delicious, customary eastern bloc cuisine like Blinchik, Kulebiaka, Chicken Tabaka and Golden Osetra caviar, sampling a variety of vodkas and listening to a Russian folk band flown in from Moscow as they sang the popular folk song Dark Eyes.