It took an hour and many phone calls for Marco to find Rocco and Stefano. They were told to meet him at the mountain cabin. It was ten in the morning and he was dead tired from no sleep..
“It’s about fucking time,” he grated as the encrypted sat phone he used for sensitive matters rang. It was the Commission’s attorney who had been issued with a similar phone since it was important to keep their conversations from being tapped.
“Talk to me, Flavio.”
“The arraignment is at noon. There’s nothing to be concerned about. The charges won’t stick, especially since they had just arrived when the raid happened. They were mingling and having drinks in the ballroom. No money was exchanged to indicate they intended to make use of the sex slaves. As far as their defense is concerned, they were invited by their favorite celebrity for a party.”
“So, Bastian Conti is going to take the rap?” Boneiro sat down. He leaned his head against the backrest of the sofa.
“That had always been the intention. Matias Lopez made sure that everything will point to him as the mastermind behind the sex ring, although Lopez, his daughter and Conti managed to avoid getting caught.”
“I know. It’s because of them that Rossi and I got away. And Luca?”
“Luca was taken in but he apparently escaped enroute the FBI holding cell.”
“How did he manage that?”
“I overheard the discussion when I arrived at court earlier. It seems Luca’s bodyguard evaded capture and followed the FBI vehicle he was transported in. He rammed it off the road and shot the two agents. It was in an area with no traffic cams, so no one knows where they disappeared to.”
“Good. Keep me updated. Oh, and Flavio, you know what to do if anything goes wrong. No one is going to cop a plea in exchange for immunity. Is that clear?”
“Don’t worry, sir. We’ve got friends in the district attorney’s office.”
“Do you know who the Cobras are?”
“Never heard of them.”
“See what you can find out. They were the ones in charge of the raid. It must be an FBI or CIA covert ops group. I want them identified and neutralized, Flavio. No one fucks with The Commission.”
“On it.”
Marco ended the call. His fingers tightened on the Glock on the seat beside him. He had heard the door opening— a sound so faint it would normally be indiscernible but in the surrounding silence, one could hear a pin drop.
“Relax, Boss. It’s only me.”
“I heard you escaped. Not that I’m surprised.”
Luca didn’t respond but poured himself a stiff whisky and threw it back. He poured again.
“You look like shit. I didn’t think there was a man born who could get the best of you.” Marco studied his bloodied face.
“He didn’t live to tell the tale.”
“Now that’s how a Boneiro takes care of business.” Marco straightened. “What the fuck happened? How did they find out about the party?”
“It seems the Red Reign PI Agency has a connection with the covert group who managed the raid. The one Lopez captured is the sister of their commander. I can only assume she had a micro tracking chip of some kind that led them to Malibu Colony Beach.”
“You’re slipping, Luca. That’s the first thing you should’ve checked.”
“Her captors were instructed to and confirmed they did. I assume it’s an implant. She had nothing on her person, I personally made sure of that when she arrived at the house.”
“Who is the commander?”
Luca’s expression turned glacial as he stared at Marco.
“I didn’t see him.”
“I want to know who the bastard is. Flavio is already looking into it. When he identifies the Cobras, we’ll sort out this so-called commander and then, Luca, you will make sure he never becomes a problem again.” Marco’s voice cracked with anger. “In the meantime, instruct our pilot to get the private plane ready. We’ll have to lie low until this fuckup quiets down.” He got up and started pacing. “I told your brothers to meet us here. Get hold of them and tell them to pick up Isabella enroute. We’re going to Sierra Leone. I’m not leaving those two shitheads here. Since they were detained, there have been one too many fuckups happening.”