Rick sat and waited, tracking Taylor's movements with his eyes as the other man paced back and forth across the tastefully decorated room - hands clasped behind his back - head bowed in thought.
Stifling a yawn - Rick gingerly tested the cuffs fastening his hands behind him - the chain leading from the left one, snaking under and over a convenient wooden bar at the back of the chair and wrapped around the dark wood to the other end soldered to the right cuff - there was no give.
Still aware of the drugs in his system - he knew without even trying that he had no chance of banishing the growing fatigue and sheer exhaustion of the last few hours - hell - scratch that - he hadn't slept all night - grabbing an hour or three early the morning before and now - his unique powers practically depleted when he'd finished healing Tony's cracked ribs - he felt as weak as a kitten but knew instinctively not to show it - not in front of Taylor at least. His cousin would pick up on it and use to his advantage - and so Rick tried to maintain an air of disinterest with a smattering of mild boredom as he shrugged mentally and yawned - loud and long - smirking as the noise seemed to irk his cousin who stopped in his pacing and stalked to the chair across the table from Rick.
"Not keeping you up am I?" Taylor asked with a snide grin.
"No - not at all," Rick replied, tilting his head. "When d'you last check your nose hair?"
Taylor steepled his fingers as he leaned his elbows on the tabletop - tapping his chin briefly before pointing both index fingers at Rick. "You are really beginning to piss me off - d'you know that?"
"Aww - am I? And I wanted this to be a happy reunion."
"Me too," Taylor spread his hands. "But I changed my mind - "
"Where's Tony?" Rick asked; his face serious.
"Nowhere you can bother him - for now." Taylor leaned forward - an eyebrow raised in question. "He is such a pretty guy, Rick. I'll bet he's high maintenance - I mean - he looks very high maintenance - the jacket alone - Laurent?"
"I wouldn't know," Rick's eyes hardened. "He's his own guy - "
"But I'll bet he's great in the sack, isn't he?" Taylor taunted. "Come on, Cuz, a guy that hot and you're pretending you ain't interested?"
"If I'd known you were interested in him - "
"I might just be - haven't had any of that kind of action for a while."
"I can understand that - but then - the only men you'd attract would be have to be dead from the neck up and on a ton of Viagra."
"Rick - please - can we have an understanding here?" Taylor sounded pained - he hated it when Rick was like this - automatically gainsaying anything - always having to have the last laugh - well - not any more - this time - Taylor was going to win - hands down.
"What? You shut the fuck up - let us go and we just - like - leave? That would be a great understanding."
"But - " Taylor rose to his feet, rounding the table and pacing the short distance until he was standing level with Rick. "I have so much to talk about, Ricky - and - in the past - you've never been the greatest listener - "
"So, now I'm a captive audience, Taylor," Rick struggled against the cuffs, his mouth set in a firm line. "And seeing as I don't appear to be heading anywhere too soon - maybe you'll bore me to death instead - not the quickest exit, I'll grant you but it will have to do."
"I will share this with you," Taylor reached out a hand and began stroking the back of Rick's head - delighting in the way his cousin's entire body stiffened at his touch. "You are wondering why you're here - the explanation is a little long and convoluted - even for me but I will try and keep it simple - now here's the thing: if you say one more fucking word until I have finished - Morgan will have to gag you - I might even let him slap you around a little too - who knows - and if you are still not paying attention - then I'll let him loose on your boyfriend - and unfortunately - Morgan hasn't had any fun for nearly a month - and with such a fresh, virgin ass waiting for him - well - you get my drift." Rick said nothing - he merely nodded and then gazed up into his cousin's eyes. "What?" Taylor sighed.
"Nothing - except - any of you lay so much as a shadow on Tony - and I will kill you."
"Hardly in a position to bargin, Cuz."
"So you keep reminding me - look - Taylor - I'm a busy guy - you're a busy guy - would you just get to the fucking point and tell me what the fuck it is you want!"
Taylor said nothing - he rounded the table again and sat down slowly - a hand held out until Morgan slapped another file into his palm. "Thank you - " Taylor muttered. "Go help Lane - and give me ten minutes with Ricky here."
"You sure you'll be all right Boss?" Morgan's dark eyes looked concerned as he raked his gaze over Rick who - for his part - was staring at a point in the ceiling above his head.
"I'm sure Ricky doesn't want any trouble," Taylor sat back, folding his arms. "But then, insurance won't come amiss - gimme your Sig."
"A Sig?" Rick whistled low and pulled his mouth down in a frown. "I thought you'd only just mastered a water pistol."
"Want me to shut him up for you, Boss?" Morgan shifted his weight from one foot to the other - palming a fist as he did so.
"No, Morgan - although - if he doesn't play nice - you can have him later."
"I'll hold you to that - if he does anything - just holler."
"Oh, I'll be sure to - " Rick called after him, smiling to himself as the door slammed shut.
"Keep it up, Dickie - and you'll be wearing this Sig."
"Fuck that - what's in the folder?"
"This?" Taylor lifted the buff from the table and flipped it open - easing out a stack of photographs. "Just some - snaps - the first ones - you and sweet cheeks in the alley." If Taylor was watching for a reaction - he was disappointed but unperturbed, he pressed on. "See? You and him - and I have to say - the way you two are standing - I could have so much fun with photo manipulation - it could be you and - I don't know - pick a name from any federal agency - the CIA - FBI - I send these to the Post - and oh boy - someone's gonna come tumbling down."
"Papers get sent crap like that all the time - besides - do I look like I care?" Did Taylor know Tony was a Fed? Half of him said yes - the rest a resounding no - and he sure as hell wasn't about to sell Tony out - he'd have to bide his time - surely Taylor being - Taylor - he'd drop himself in it at some point.
"I'll leave you to think on that one then - but they are just the tip of the iceberg Rick - it's just getting better - " The next lot of pictures were spread out over the table and Rick's brow furrowed as he looked at each one. "Don't ring any bells?"
"No - " Rick replied carefully. "Should they?" They were standard head shots of a variety of different men - all of South American or Mexican descent. "Penpals of yours?"
Taylor chuckled, shaking his head slowly. He leaned forward again, a long finger pointing to a picture to the right of where Rick sat. "Alfonso DeSilva - 55 years old - Bolivian drug cartel owner - died last year - assassinated on the orders of the Head of the FBI - he leaves a wife and two kids - she has nothing left - all confiscated.. Next - this is - was - Paulo Juan Siloso - 35 years old - DeSilva's deputy - his most trusted confident - he too was assassinated - "
"Hold on," Rick shook his head. "Too bad they died and all that - but what the fuck does that have to do with me?"
"I haven't finished, Rick. Shut up and let me continue - and this one," Taylor lifted the picture from the table and held it up in front of Rick. A balding, gap toothed, weasel like man grinned back at him. " - ah - yes - funnily enough - his name was Tony too - he was becoming a nuisance - and maybe it was a blessing he took three bullets in the chest - it took two more to the head before he stopped twitching - he leaves a wife and several mistresses - and two of them are with child."
"No disrespect here - but who in hell would shag that?"
"Where he comes from - it's how much money you have - not what you look like - a woman can forget what he looks like - as long as he measures up in the wallet department - and he's hung like a donkey." Taylor dropped the picture and sighed, tilting his head as he studied Rick carefully. "Is it true what I hear? You're hung like a fucking elephant?"
"You try finding out and I'll rip your head off," Rick replied sweetly. "Capishe?"
"Oh - don't Rick - you know me and how I like a challenge."
"Yeah - every morning is a challenge for you - if you can get your sorry ass outta bed, tie your shoelaces and take a pee - you aren't proud are you - you're amazed!"
Taylor was shaking with fury - he could barely keep himself seated but somehow - he did - fisting his hands several times and pulling in deep calming breaths. After what seemed an eternity - he finally managed to find his voice again - and raised his eyes to Rick's laughing blue ones.
"These men," he pointed to the photos once more. "They were all on my payroll - we had a great little business going - coke- heroin - meth - you name it - they supplied it - with my help."
"Damn - is there a judge in the house?"
"Everything in the garden was rosy Rick - money rolling in - they were content - I was content - everything was fan - fucking - tastic!"
"Your point is?"
"Then - it happened - I call it - Black Friday - there we all were - a nice little earner adding to our already expanding pensions when every fucking Fed, police force from fuck knows where suddenly decided to pay a visit - they even bought a contingent of Marines with them to burn the crops and destroy the factories - I - we lost - we lost - nearly five million dollars." Taylor was staring at Rick curiously now - like a cat with a cornered mouse - leaving Rick slightly disconcerted.
"Too bad," Rick shrugged.
"It is, isn't it?" Taylor smiled wanly. "For you - anyway."
"Me? How?"
"Ah - now that would be telling - all in good time. But first - take a look at these." Another batch of pictures was spread out over the table - and this time - Rick's stomach lurched.
"Where did you get these?" he asked - staring at the images laid out before him.
"So you recognise the people - more importantly - the place?"
Rick's eyes snapped to Taylor's and he swallowed audibly. How in hell had Taylor managed it? He was looking at a series of pictures taken inside Heaven's Gate - not good quality pictures which had to mean hidden cameras - but it wasn't the club that worried him - it was the clientele in each picture - and if these ever got out! Rick closed his eyes for a second or two - trying to regain composure -
"You don't look too good, Cuz." Taylor observed.
"You're bluffing - these are fakes." Rick stated flatly - unable to look away from the photos. "This is smart - but too smart for you Taylor."
"Ouch - that stung, Ricky." Taylor collected up the pictures and pushed them back into the folder, letting it rest beside him. "Now - I don't think I need to spell out what's going to happen next - do I? But maybe I will - 'cause I like hearing the plan again - it's one of my better ones." Rick snorted derisively, lowering his head and closing his eyes briefly. "See - I know you - Rick. You have a very privileged position in the echelons of Washington's elite - you have contacts - you have hangers on - you have lots and lots of friends - and I won't reiterate the point that you have friends in very, very high places - you've seen the photos - and I'm sure they won't appreciate seeing themselves all over the Sunday editions will they - but I digress - you are - what is known as a mole - aren't you? You hear things, you see things at the Club - and some stupid, interfering shit of an official knew of your connection to me - and he asked you for a favour or three didn't he?"
"Bullshit!"
"Hah! No, Rick - he did - and you were only too happy to point the finger at me weren't you - you've been after me for years - ever since we were kids - you've always been jealous of me - of what I achieved - of what I am - ."
"You're deluded." Rick said sadly. "Totally deluded."
"Shut up!" Taylor bellowed. "Admit it - you tipped the Feds the wink - you destroyed what I had - innocent men were killed because of you - and - at the last count - you owe me five million dollars - with - I would guess maybe 3 years interest - so let's round it off to a cool ten million - and guess what? Today's payday!"
"Is it?" Rick replied with a sigh.
"At my last reckoning - the club is worth at least 3.5 million - your three townhouses - another - possibly - 4 million and the villa - has to be worth - 2.5 million."
"So - what this boils down to is - you want 10 million or those pictures get published."
"In a nutshell - oh - and I also want you three out of DC - personally - I want all three of you dead and buried - but you're family and I can't do that to family - no matter how much I hate them."
"Nicky and Alex have nothing to do with this - leave them out of it!" Rick barked. "They don't know anything - "
"Aha! So - you admit it then!"
"I'm admitting nothing - it's been a while since we last met Taylor - and you've had plenty of time to think up something - congratulations on the photos by the way - nice touch - but if this is your way of - "
"Rick - please - listen to yourself - you even sound guilty even though you say you aren't - you're a Fed snitch - and if you had to you would turn in your own siblings - and I don't think Alex and Nicky would want to hear that - do you?"
"Taylor - "
"On the other hand," Taylor grinned evilly. "If I were to count on my fingers how many fellow villains you've helped put away - I'd run out wouldn't I? But - if someone were to - I don't know - let slip the grass's true identity - you'd be dead inside a week!"
"You bastard."
"I know - so - you'll do as I ask?"
"No."
"Pity - I thought you'd say that - not to worry though - here's something to make you laugh." Taylor stalked to the other side of the room and collected up a remote control - holding it level with a huge LCD tv screen on the wall. As the picture flickered into view - Rick suddenly felt very sick.
"Damn - he's a handsome one Rick - you really should learn to share your playthings."
Rick didn't answer - his eyes fixed on the screen.
Tony was barely conscious as he was seated in a wooden chair - his ankles fastened to the legs and his wrists fastened to the arms. His head lolled on his chest until Lane grabbed a handful of hair and lifted his head until he was gazing unseeing into the camera nearby.
"How's he doing?" Taylor asked, a hand steadying the earwig in his left ear.
"Dopey - but pliable - " Lane replied with a nasty smirk. "Ready Boss?"
"Sure - " He spun round to face Rick - gazing at him expectantly for a moment. "Mm, Morgan, Lane - I don't think Rick is convinced of our intent here - could you - prod him a little for me?"
"My pleasure." Lane leered as he wrapped a hand around Tony's left wrist, lifting the index finger until it was almost vertical. "Now?"
"Now would be good, Lane - thank you."
Lane snapped his hand back - and Tony let out an agonising howl as his finger was broken - leaving him gasping in pain before he went limp once more.
"No!! Taylor don't do this!" Rick bellowed, struggling futilely to free himself.
"You see, Cuz," Taylor turned to him again. "He's got ten - sorry - nine good fingers and ten toes - each one will be broken until you agree to my request - and if - after that time you're still reticent - then it's ankle joints - knee joints - "
"You bastard!"
"Next finger, Lane!"
TBC……
Author's Chapter Notes:
Taylor's warped!!