Page 11 of Operation Wolf: Eli
CHAPTER 5
Eli
“SO, WHAT THE HELLdo we do now?” Ian’s question echoed the one that had been spinning around and around in my head for the last fifteen minutes.
I simply tightened my hands on the steering wheel and ignored him.
Ian wasn’t going to be of any help in this situation, and I would have to figure out a way to sideline him until I could come up with a solution.
“Hey.” Ian’s voice grew more insistent. “I said, what the hell do we do now?”
I glanced over at Ian, who was staring at me, his arms crossed over his seat belt. His eyes were shrewd and clearer than I had seen them in quite a while.
“We’re going to do the job, of course,” I declared, returning my eyes to the road. “Like we always do.”
“That’s bullshit,” Ian snapped, surprising me. “I know you’d never let anything like that happen to Olivia. Tell me what the plan is. I’ll help you.”
I laughed bitterly. “Why should I have any confidence that you won’t do anything except fuck it up?” I said, making a sharp right turn that plastered Ian up against the passenger door. “With my luck, you’d end up running your mouth to the capo and get me killed.”
“I’d never snitch you out!” Ian insisted. There was silence in the car for a long moment, and then he added, “I know I’ve been an all-around shitty person. The drinking and the gambling . . . I know you’ve come pretty close to just tossing me out the window a couple of times, especially last night. And what you said got me thinking. I don’t want the last memories of our friendship to be of me sitting on the living room floor, bawling like a baby and stinking like damn weed. I want to do something good. I want to help you.”
I turned to stare at Ian incredulously. “Are you straight right now?” I asked, skeptical.
“I’m clean,” Ian assured me, holding up his hands. “I swear.”
“I believe you,” I said slowly.
I thought for a moment and then continued, “I don’t know what the plan is just yet. I’ve got to make a few phone calls first. But if you’re clean tomorrow, then I’ll tell you what’s up. I could really use your help.”
“Okay, man,” Ian agreed, nodding his head. “I’ve got your back. I promise.”
* * *
“So, let me get this straight,” Hunter remarked on the other end of the line. “You’re in trouble with the Mafia? And you need cash in order to bail yourself out?”
“No,” I corrected. I was leaning against a building a few blocks away from my apartment. I wouldn’t put it past Nick or Jack to put an audio or video device in my apartment. “I am part of the Mafia, and I’ve been ordered to kidnap a friend of mine. I need to get her to safety before they figure out what I’m up to and send someone else after her instead.”
“Jesus, Eli.” I could practically hear Hunter shaking his head. “How the fuck did you get yourself into this mess? And how come you didn’t ask any of us for help in the beginning? I—”
“Look,” I interrupted, “not all of us were born with a silver spoon in our mouth. I grew up on the streets, and I’m not used to asking for help. It’s just not easy for me, Hunter.” I paused. “But I can’t let anything happen to this girl. I just can’t.”
“A girl?” Hunter sounded intrigued. “Or a woman?”
“Does it really matter?” I asked with a sigh.
“You got it,” Hunter relented. “I’ll send you the money first thing in the morning. But I really think it would just be easier if you—”
“No.” I cut him off. “I’m not taking her to your place, Hunter. The last thing I need is the mob coming down on you and your family for this.”
“Okay, I get it. But would you consider a safe house?”
“That’s exactly my plan,” I answered.
