“It’s crazy, but that’s why I think it might work.”
Inez sighs, an annoyed, long-suffering sound. “You want to go back to Boston and confront the Cabal boss.”
“Bingo.”
“No. You’re right. It’s crazy.”
“Inez—”
“How, Silas? Sell it to me.”
“Well, it’s simple, really. Malik was my direct superior, third or fourth down from the big boss. I can’t get to the top boss—he lives in an impregnable compound on an island somewhere in the Mediterranean. I never met him, never heard his voice, don’t know his name, nothing. I’m not sure even Interpol knows his identity. And besides, it doesn’t matter—he doesn’t bother with the operations, as long as his cut is on time…again, from what I hear.”
“Your point, Silas?”
“Malik is my point.” He taps on the steering wheel. “Malik lives outside Boston on an old farm in the country. Big old Revolutionary War-era farmhouse, lots of outbuildings, surrounded by forest, patrolled, dogs, the works.”
“This isn’t sounding simple.”
“I said simple, not easy.” Silas is silent a moment, thinking. “I spent a good bit of time there, planning, debriefing, going over shipments, shit like that. I know the security there, and I’m reasonably certain I can get to Malik.”
“I need not remind you that you’re not an assassin, I hope,” Inez says, her tone dry.
“No, no, I have no desire to kill him. For a top dog in an organized crime syndicate, Malik is actually pretty reasonable. I think I may be able to talk to him, sort this shit out without bloodshed.”
“Why didn’t you try that first? As in, back when you were working for them.”
“Because I was persona non grata at the time. I’d been given orders to get close to an FBI agent assigned to The Cabal. I was supposed to give her misinformation about us and feed her intel on another crime family The Cabal was squabbling with over territory. I did my best, but she was no dummy, that agent. Sue was her name. Anyway. Things got complicated in a hurry. Someone figured it out somehow and sent hired guns to take Sue and me out together.” He sighs. “She took, like, six rounds. Should’ve died, but…I managed to get her to a hospital. I nearly died myself. Malik was pissed that I saved her, pissed that the Marcciones figured out what was going on, why their shipments kept getting raided. I don’t know. I guess he thought I’d turned, that I was snitching on our guys—the FBI, DEA, and ATF hit a few of our shipments around the same time, and I guess evidence pointed to me. So when that hit went down, I got Sue to the hospital and went to ground. I had like three holes in me and nowhere to go. My own guys were after me for something I didn’t do…it was fucked. So I ran. If I’d tried to talk sense into Malik then, he’d have shot me himself. Now, I’m hoping he’s less hot about the whole shitshow.”
“Special Agent Susan Marquez-Hobson,” Inez says. “She was permanently paralyzed from the waist down in the shooting. She was in a coma for six weeks. Spent a year and a half on medical leave. Now she works at a field office in Seattle. She’s married with two children.”
“So she’s happy?” He asks; I look at him, and I see a wistfulness in his eyes.
“Based on what I’m seeing, yes. I can’t be certain, but it appears she married her physical therapist.”
“Good,” Silas whispers. “That’s good.”
“Yes, indeed.” Inez’s tone conveys impatience. “So, Silas. You plan to infiltrate the compound and… then what? Talk sense into Malik? Threaten him? You need a strategy with some chance of success that isn’t predicated upon ‘I’m hoping he’s less hot about the whole shitshow.’”
Silas makes a sound that’s somewhere between a growl and a sigh. “That’s all I’ve got, honestly. Even if I hadn’t taken the no-kill vow, taking out Malik would only make matters worse. They’d replace him and then they’d really be gunning for me. Malikdoeshave pull inside the Cabal. If I can convince him that I’m not a threat, I just want to be left alone, blah blah blah, there’s achancehe can get the dogs called off.” He huffs. “I don’t know, Inez. It’s all I’ve got.”
“And Naomi’s father?” Inez asks.
“I don’t fuckin’ know yet,” He growls. “The Cabal seems to be the higher priority threat at the moment.”
“Fair enough.” Inez is silent a moment. “You need backup?”
Silas hums, a verbalization as he considers. “No. It’d just go sideways and people would get killed. Malik’s security is told to shoot first and don’t bother asking questions. I’m best off doing a solo infil.”
“And exfil?”
“Well, if my conversation with Malik goes well, I won’t need exfil—I’ll be able to just walk out. If it doesn’t go well, I’ll be dead and exfil will be a moot point.”
“I see.” Inez pauses. “And where will Naomi be during this?”
He glances at me. “Not sure yet. I might stash her at a hotel, or have her wait in the car a few miles out. I’ll have to think about it.”
“I have Taj calling in. I’ll speak with you later.” A brief silence. “And Silas, please be careful.”
