Chapter 5

Finally, Saturday had approached, Ash thought. Throughout the rest of the week, Ash had devoted his time to studying the layout of the building where the deal was going to happen, and training his men on stealth, something most gangsters wouldn't know if it hit them in the face.

Before they left for the bust, he gave them a serious talk, “We've been doing all we can to clean up the streets of Ganghaven without letting people know, and today will be no different. On this op, there'll be no bandanas, no slang, nothing that can lead people to identify us as the Sopranos. If that happens, we'll have the dealers on our backs, and believe me you do not want that.

Also, you know that rule I gave you guys, the one that says 'do not instigate or escalate violence without being attacked first'?”

His men nodded.

Ash continued, “Good. Today, just for today, I want you to fuck that rule.”

His men murmured and laughed.

“I'm serious. Today, forget the rule. These men will be more armed than we are. They aren't amateurs. I'm pretty sure they have a contingency plan in case they get busted. We must not underestimate them. Do you understand?” Ash asked.

“Yes, Boss.” They answered in unison.

“That's good. Now, over to our plans.” Ash said, pulling out the blueprints of the building they were about to raid.

“As you can see, it's a three storey building with a central stairwell. The deal is going to happen on the topmost floor, so they can have a vantage point to watch out for intruders.

That means we have to go in before they arrive and make ourselves invisible. We'll hole up in the room right next to where they'll be staying. Do not move, do not talk, don't even think until they arrive. Even when they do, do not attack without my command.

I've planned this in such a way that will give us the drugs and cash. We'll only attack when the drugs and cash are in the open and not a second before, okay?” Ash asked.

“Yes, Boss.” The men replied. He went ahead to designate each man to a job and to a potential hiding spot.

After that, he concluded with the words, “I don't have to remind you what's at stake here; our lives and the lives of Ganghaven residents. We can't afford to mess this up!”

The men gave a raucous cheer and Ash gave a grim smile, “Get your guns men, let's roll.”

He wore a pair of dark shades and put a pistol in his Jeans pocket.

*    *    *

Jo turned back to her men and asked in a whisper, “Remember what I told you? Be extremely quiet. We don't want to spook anyone who might already be there.”

Her men nodded and followed her. The Street Hawks were dressed like ordinary people and carried pistols. They were entering the drug deal building as quietly as they could msnage, which was impressive considering the large sizes of some of the men in Jo's crew.

Jo felt pretty happy with herself because she'd come up with a mighty fine plan, if she did say so herself. Her plan was to gain entrance into the building before both parties did, stay in the room nearest to where the deal would take place and when the time was right, the Street Hawks would show themselves and take both the drugs and the money involved, easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

Just like she'd seen in the pictures she'd managed to lay her hands on, the building had once housed a lot of apartments. Now, it was abandoned and in a dilapidated state; its floor boards creaked, its ceilings were rotted, and the banisters were very weak.

They were about to enter the room on the topmost floor, when she heard footsteps.

She turned back to her men and put her index finger to her lips. She heard multiple footsteps, and knew that more than one person was already inside. She checked her wristwatch, and frowned. Unless the drug deal had been moved up, it was still too early for people to be around.

She asked her men to wait as she went into the room all by herself. She saw men moving around, trying to find places to hide, and wondered who they were and what they wanted. She desperately hoped it wasn't a gang with the intention of robbing both parties with the intention of selling the drugs and keeping the money for themselves.

The men froze when they saw her, and they all pulled out their guns and pointed it at her.

“Okay, men, put those down. Jo! What are you doing here?” Capo said as he walked over to where she was.

“I could ask you the same question.” Jo replied, folding her arms underneath her chest. What in God's name were the Sopranos doing there, and how had they found out about the deal? Her informant had sworn on his life that she was the only person he'd told. Well, well, what they said was true, never trust a snitch.

Capo was about to reply when he, the one who'd tormented her dreams, the one whose smile was always on her mind, the idiot, Ash swaggered over, took off his pair of shades and fixed his hard gaze on her, “I don't see how that's any of your business.”

Oh! The weasel was trying to get back at her for using the same words on him the last time they'd met. She shrugged, “Whatever you say. I want you and your men to clear the area immediately!”

Ash's glare hardened. Why did she have to look so cute when she was trying to order him around? Why did she have to be there in the first place? Wasn't she satisfied with occupying his thoughts at the oddest hours, did she have to appear in real life too? He thought.

“Make me.” He replied, knowing it would incense her.

Just as he predicted, she gave him a fierce glare as she pursed her pretty lips.

“Don't pout.” He said, reaching out to run his thumb over her lips before he knew what he was doing.

She hit his hand, “Seriously? You need to leave!” She said to Capo.

Ash thought her lips would be as soft and as full as they looked, right before he pulled his head on straight. What the hell was he doing fantasizing over her lips, when he had very serious business to attend to?

“Make us.” He drawled, again throwing back words she'd used on him before.

Jo wondered what his game was. Why had he tried to touch her lips, and why had she almost let him? She hoped nobody noticed that. Maybe he was trying to throw her off her game, she wouldn't put it past him.

“You want to do this the hard way?” Jo asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Look, Joe, there's only one of you, and twenty-two of us. I don't see any hard way about this. At least not for us.” Ash said, then running his eyes all over her body, he gave an easy smile and continued, “Although I can't say the same for you.”

Jo smiled and clapped twice. Immediately, her men rushed into the room, firearms out and ready to fire. Ash and his men also returned the favor, leaving them at a standoff.

“You were saying?” Jo asked smoothly.

This time, it was Ash who got incensed, “Look, as much as I'd like to stay and play turf war with you? My men and I have something important to do here!”

“And I don't?” Jo replied, not giving an inch.

“I know you're here to steal the drugs and the cash for yourself, but that's not happening.” Ash said.

Jo wondered why he thought the worst of her motives, “You're an idiot,” She replied, “And we're going nowhere.”

“Well, it seems there's going to be a shootout.” Ash said, his mouth drawn into a hard line.

Capo stared at him and Ash grimaced. He wasn't actually planning to shoot at the Street Hawks, he was just trying to scare them into leaving.

“You won't shoot at us. It'll blow your cover. When they arrive here and see the damage you'll do, they'll up and leave immediately.” Jo said, unworried.

Ash sighed. The hellion was actually calling his bluff. Imagine that! Just as he was about to beg her to leave, they heard faint footsteps climbing up the stairs.

In the twinkle of an eye, the forty-something people in the room scrambled to their positions, bumping into each other, until they footsteps got louder and they froze.

They heard people speaking and Jo listened closely.

“Boss, why are we early? Now we'll have to wait for them.” A voice complained.

Another voice tutted, “Haven't you learnt anything under me? This is a power play. Once they arrive and see us waiting, even if they aren't late, they'll feel late.”

“Well, I'm sure they won't feel guilty about it. The scum who live here have no manners.” The first voice replied.

Jo felt her fists tighten and her nostril flare in anger. Why was everyone quick to disparage Ganghaven residents.

She saw Rex getting annoyed, and made the universal 'calm down' sign with her hands.

No one moved in the room, and what seemed like a quarter of an hour later, a second set of footsteps were heard. This time around, no voice was heard, but loud rap music played from what seemed like a boom box.

Jo shook her head. Typical gangsters. Why did they always have to be so loud? She wondered.

They entered the room, and then Jo heard heard them speak, “Yo, my man H—”

“Shut up! You idiot! We said no names remember?”

“Yo, sorry man, I forgot.”

“See that it doesn't happen again.”

“Okay. Okay. You got my product?”

“You got my green?”

“You bet yo mama's sweet ass I do.”

Jo could feel herself sweating. In the next minute, both the cash and the drugs would be in play. She looked at Ash, and could see he was thinking the same thing. Jo wondered who'd let the other bust the trade. Well, she wouldn't be the one to back down, so it had to be Ash.

Suddenly, a pair of footsteps were heard, thudding quickly into the room next to Jo and Ash.

“Stop! Police! Put your hands in the air!” The owner of the footsteps shouted.

Jo let out a sigh of relief. The cops were here. Then she remembered Andrea telling her that the cops wouldn't show up. She shrugged, maybe they changed their minds.

Ash's thoughts were running in the same direction, only his were darker. Why the hell would a cop come alone?

“Woah! Woah! You brought a cop here?” A voice asked.

“I didn't bring no copper here.”

“Stop pretending. How could you? I trusted you? I'm taking you in.”

The next thing they all heard was a gunshot and a scream of pain. A body thudded to the floor.

“Damn! You crazy or something?! You killed a cop!” The gangster sounded agitated.

“So what?”

“You fuckin' Gulden dwellers. You don't know how hard the cops breathe down on us when one of theirs goes kaput.”

“He might have backup around the corner! The deal is off.”

“Wait a doggone minute! I got this pretty stash of cash here 'cause someone told me I'm gonna get some narcs. I'm not leaving here without it!”

“What did you say?” The sound of automatic rifles cocking trailed the quietly asked question.

“Nothin'. We could reschedule.”

“Good. If I were you, I'd get out of here as fast as I could. If the police arrive here, they'll arrest everyone on the scene.”

“Shit!”

Jo heard the sound of ropes going down, they were planning to climb down from a window.

She got up and ran towards the door of the other room when she heard the sound of sirens. The police had arrived.

Suddenly, she felt male arms come around her shoulders, “As much as you want to go in there, I can assure you that if the cops find you there, you'll be arrested. We have to leave now.” Ash whispered into her ears.

Jo knew that that was totally not the place and time to notice, but his cologne smelled good. Nothing too strong, just maybe sandalwood. All the same, the scent distracted her.

When she came to her senses, she growled at him, “Get your hands off me.”

“I will, once I have your word that you'll do as I ask.” Ash insisted.

Jo nodded, and Ash released her, “Follow me. There's an emergency exit. I don't think the cops would see us if we use it.”

Jo's men looked at her questioningly, obviously asking her if it was okay to follow Ash. Jo nodded and they fell in line, making their way out of the building surreptitiously.