“No. I want the two of you to do me a favor in return. A simple personal call. That’s all.”
—
The Black Mariah went for Javid-Lee first. He was in the Costado restaurant on Broadway, sitting by himself, with three of his lieutenants at the bar where they could watch the patrons coming in, alert for anyone who might have been sent by Rayner; the war was still nuclear-hot. He was by himself because Kravis Lorenzo hadn’t yet shown up.
Five guys in FBI jackets came in. The lieutenants sat up. Hands went to their holsters. They looked at the boss, not knowing what to do.
Javid-Lee gave a tiny shake of his head. The agents surrounded his table and activated a solnet restriction on his altme, leaving him dark. Lead agent Marley Gardner asked—politely but firmly—that he accompany them to the downtown federal building. Javid-Lee agreed. In the spirit of reciprocity, Gardner agreed he could call his lawyer after they reached the federal building, but before he was processed.
He was discreetly cuffed and led out to the Black Mariah. The NYPD and the Bureau still used them in preference to escorting suspects more than a couple of hubs through the public metrohub network; way too many tiresome attempts to run. Procedure was to send the Black Mariah through the Commercial and Government Services network, with the suspect safely contained. The nearest of those hubs was off the northeast corner of Central Park in Harlem. The Black Mariah drove in the opposite direction. Eight minutes later it drew up close to Gorgiano’s Pizzeria.
Rayner was sitting in a booth by himself, with seven of his lieutenants divided between the bar and a nearby table, watching the pizzeria patrons coming in, alert for anyone who might have been sent by Javid-Lee. He was by himself because Delphine Farron hadn’t yet shown up.
As before, the five guys in FBI jackets got out of the Black Mariah and walked confidently into the pizzeria. The lieutenants sat up. Hands went to their holsters. They looked at the boss, not knowing what to do.
Rayner held up a hand—a diminutive gesture preventing them from any unwise action. The agents surrounded Rayner’s booth and activated a solnet restriction on his altme, leaving him dark. He invited lead agent Marley Gardner to join him, an invitation that was refused, and a counter-invitation was given that he accompany them to the federal building. Rayner agreed. In the spirit of reciprocity, Gardner agreed he could call his lawyer when they reached the federal building, but before he was processed.
He was discreetly cuffed and led out to the Black Mariah. The inside of the aging van was divided into six cages. Rayner stiffened when he saw the only other occupant sitting on a narrow bench, but he allowed himself to be placed into a separate cage opposite. Marley Gardner withdrew, and Alik stepped into the Black Mariah.
“What the fuck is this?” Javid-Lee asked when the back door slid shut and locked.
“Rendition,” Alik said as the Black Mariah drove away.
“Fuck you, asshole!” Javid-Lee shouted. “You can’t do that.”
“Really? Who are you going to complain to? The Justice Department? Hey, maybe you could call the FBI, complain to my boss? Oh, wait, there is no solnet on Zagreus.”
“I’m gonna make you watch your whore mother die slowly before I kill you! That’s a promise.”
“How are you going to do that from Zagreus?” Alik inquired lightly. “See, I was at the Lorenzo portalhome that night. I gotta tell you, that was impressive. That many people dead because of a motherfucking virtual game matrix? Shit, you two have taken dumbass feuds to a whole new level. So as a thank-you, my boss and I have decided not to waste taxpayer money on a trial.”
“What do you want?” Rayner asked quietly.
“Nothing.”
“Yes, you do. If this was a straight rendition, you wouldn’t be in here with us.”
“Darwin, huh?”
Rayner smiled magnanimously. “I’m on the wrong side of the bars here, pal. Whatever it takes.”
“Cancer,” Alik said.
“Aww, shit.”
“Why did you choose her?”
“I didn’t.”
“I’m listening.”
Rayner jabbed a finger at his rival. “This asshole doesn’t know when he’s lost.”
“Fuck you!” Javid-Lee screamed.
“I sent Koushick to deliver a message so loud that someone even this dumb could recognize.”
“You were going to whack the Lorenzos,” Alik said in understanding.
“Fucking A I was; the whole fucking family. That way it’s ended. Clean and over. No more loser paybacks.”
“Like fuck it would have been,” Javid-Lee snarled. “I can take you down anytime I want.”
Rayner gestured around mockingly. “Sure you could.”
“Get on with it,” a weary Alik told Rayner.
“Okay, so Koushick and his crew are getting ready to take out the Lorenzos. Next thing I know, Cancer comes to
“Then what?”