Page 57 of Special Agent Joseph

Staring into Vinnie’s angry eyes, he admitted, “Hell if I know. Everyone told me I was him.” Joe got to his feet, swiping at blood pouring from a cut on his lip and pointed a finger toward the maniac waiting to finish him off. “Not that I can see the likeness. He’s a real number, isn’t he?” Joe grinned without a drop of humor toward the man he was heckling. He wanted the asshole to make another move, because this time he’d be ready.

Vinnie held him back. “Joseph. Not now. We need to get the merchandise cleared out as soon as possible. I have a feeling we’ll be getting visitors. Go help Jie unload. I want those trucks gone.”

Joseph started to argue but Vinnie cut him off. “I said go. You can finish this later.”

Not willing to take on Jie who’d stood forward after hearing his boss’s orders, Joseph backed down. As he turned away, he poked Joe hard in the chest saying, “This isn’t over, dude.”

Swiftly, Joe had Joseph’s finger in a breaking grip so fast no one saw it happen. It was Jie’s gun to his head that stopped him from taking the fight further.

Once they left, Joe looked toward Vinnie who’d collapsed on a stool facing him. “Sit Joe. It hurts my neck looking up at you. Settle down. Nothing is going to happen until I get my Lucia.”

Before he could say more, Joe looked to the stairs and saw a small group of Chinese men approaching, the larger man pulling a young girl along.

“Lucia.” Joe heard the joy in the older man’s voice. Vinnie stood awkwardly, and Joe moved behind him, not sure if he had intentions to protect the old man or watch out for the girl. “You got your wish, Chen. The merchandise is here. Now hand over Lucia. Then we’re done. I’ll sell you my end of the business if you wish but I want out.”

“Not gonna happen, old man. You made your choice a long time ago. Now you live with it.”

Vinnie whined, his voice breaking. “I’m done, Chen. I mean it.”

“Not the way this works. You’re done when I say so. Be real. How can I know you’ll keep your mouth shut?”

“Because it’ll be my ass on the line too. I’ll never talk.”

Unexpectedly, Lucia pushed forward, yanking at her restraining hold. Angry beyond reason, she spit out hateful words. “But I will. I’m going straight to the police and tell them all about your dirty little business.”

“No, Lucia.” Vinnie cried out with anguish, understanding the danger much more than she did. Just as Chen lifted his gun toward the girl, Vinnie threw himself in the way of the bullet. The slug hit him in the chest, and he dropped toward the ground. Automatically, Joe grabbed for his falling body keeping it from hitting too hard. He heard Lucia cry out before throwing herself over the old man.

Joe leaned protectively toward Lucia, worrying that the next bullet would be aimed her way. Hearing her pitiful words of remorse, he tried pulling her back. “Nonno, I’m sorry. I was talking foolishly. I would never say anything. I love you. Please, please don’t die.”

Considering that there were no other sounds in the suddenly shocked room, Joe heard the old man’s last comment. “No, Nipotina. It is I who am sorry. I l-love youuu.” The last syllable dragged on until his breath ran out, and his head rolled to the side.

Hearing the cries of the young broken-hearted girl brought a world of realism to the moment Joe knew he’d never forget. Everyone in the room had stopped what they were doing for a few seconds after the blast. Eventually, the activity started up again, this time with tensions high and a sensation of fear pervading.

Without warning, they all heard a commotion above and Chen’s frantic shushing sounds signaled for quiet. No onemoved or spoke. The big guy tried to pull Lucia back by putting a hand over her mouth, but Joe watched her struggle to get back to her grandfather. He saw her eyes, and they were filled with shocked tears and terrible fear… but mostly sorrow.

He looked around at the others close to him, and his eyes widened. He saw Joseph suddenly lift his weapon and point it his way. The seconds that followed were filled with remorse. He’d die not knowing who he was and that mattered so much.

Then a strange noise made Joseph hesitate and instinctively turn to look, his face filling with disbelief. If Jack hadn’t erupted into the room at that very moment, Joe knew he’d have been a dead man. But the dog saw the man he hated and lunged for his throat, making the gun drop as Joseph tried to fight off a hundred pounds of raging fury.

Making up for all the beatings and horrible treatment the asshole had inflicted, Jack didn’t have an ounce of sympathy for the sniveler, but Joe did. While rushing to pull the dog off his victim, Joe heard the harsh voices in the background. “FBI. Drop your weapons.”

Just as he forced Jack away from the whimpering idiot now cowering under one of the tables, Chen stepped closer and held his gun pointed at Joe’s head. He stared at the incoming police and ordered loudly.

“Stop or I kill him.”

Joe heard the snarling sound from the side but so did Chen. Grabbing Joe’s arm, he forced him to block his body, saying, “Call off that beast or he gets the next bullet.”

Joe roared his order. “Jack. Stand down.” Thrilled to see the dog lay back on his haunches, his body trembling with energy, eyes glued on his master, Joe breathed easy. Jack, waiting for a new order so he could get back into the battle, stayed still while Joe held out his hand to signal he meant what he said.

Jack knew that sign and obeyed… for now.

Chen yanked at Joe to walk with him but not before Joe saw both Megan and Tom step out from behind the others. Tom spoke up. “Wait. Let’s talk about this.” Joe watched as they each slowly lowered their weapons to the floor as a show of cooperation. God, they were so formal, both wore stone faces and showed no emotion. Then he looked closer into Megan’s face and saw her eyes though hard with determination, held a glassy-like appearance of a woman forced to bear the unbearable.

He tried to smile, knowing it might be his last chance to let her know how much she meant to him. When he saw her lips twitch in response, his heart broke a little. With his mind going a thousand miles an hour, he knew one thing for sure. If Chen got him away from the warehouse, he’d be a dead man.

Calm ascended and another fact surfaced. A normal man would be panicking and terrified, and the reality that he wasn’t made one thing clear. Whoever the hell he was, he’d been in dire situations in the past. That had to mean something.

Speaking now, he let Chen know he had a say in their situation. “Hey, buddy, quit pushing. I’m going, aren’t I?” Postponing their exit for as long as possible, he shoved back against the man holding him in place. Seeing his boss in trouble, the big man stopped trying to pin down Lucia and moved to follow Chen. Being free, Lucia again fell back to Vinnie, her body draped over his.

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