Captain – Brothers At Arms #6

Diabolus grabbed a copy of Alfredo’s statement and tucked it under his arm. Heading downstairs, he walked over to the cell holding Barrett and his sons.

Romano looked up at him, then he reached out to tap his dad’s leg.

 Barrett woke up and glared at Romano then turned to see Diabolus there. “What the hell do you want now?”

Diabolus shook his head and grinned a little. “Well Cappo, you went viral this morning.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Barrett growled as he sat up.

“Alfredo kept his promise and issued a statement claiming you and your boys were no longer part of his family. We issued the statement to the newspapers and it went viral.”

Barrett snorted. “My dad has no clue what I’ve done so how can he no longer claim me as his son?”

Diabolus shook his head. “Oh, I think your dad knows you better than you think. Apparently, he’s kept track of you and your boys over the years. I think he got everything just about right. Would you like to read his statement?” He took the paper from his pocket and handed it through the bars.

Barrett stared at it then grabbed the paper and began to read. He read in silence. He didn’t even get finished before he looked up at Diabolus and growled. “What the fuck is this?”

“That…” Diabolus motioned at the papers in his hand. “…is the statement that was released to the newspapers and the Marshals this morning. And believe me when I say, every single newspaper picked it up and it has gone from New York to LA already. The online comments are piling up real quick and there are many coming in to tell the world every single one of the secrets that you’ve been keeping all these years.”

 Romano grabbed the pages from his father as both he and Alijala read them. Romano growled at everything on the pages. Looking over at his father and growled, “You fucked us all over didn’t you old man?”

“Shut up!” Barret screamed at his son. Looking up at Diabolus he shouted, “You had no right to publish that statement!”

Diabolus smiled at him. “Oh, but we did. Alfredo warned you he was going to do it and he did. Those are his own words, his own statement and he didn’t need your permission to do it.” He shook his head and then he snapped his fingers, “Oh yeah…By the way, we got one statement in the comments with just one word and I came down here to ask you about it. All it said was Hollowmat. What do you think that means?”

Barrett paled and his hands began to shake. Sweat began to bead on his forehead and he groaned. “I want to see the Marshals right this minute.”

Romano paused as he looked at his dad. He glanced at his brother then back at Barrett. “What the fuck, Dad? Since when do you want to talk to the feds?”

“When I don’t want to go to the same prison as Robert Harlow.” Barrett growled loudly.

Diabolus snorted. “You think you’re the only man behind prison walls to hear his story? Not fucking likely.”

“Who the fuck is Robert Harlow?’ Alijala wanted to know.

Diabolus turned to him and explained, “He’s a regular mild mannered man who was pushed too far. And when he flipped he became a killer who did unimaginable things to his tormentors.” He paused and turned back to Barrett and said, “I think your dad has something to worry about. He was one of Robert’s tormentors.”

Romano snort-laughed at that. “Well, it sure sucks to be you, old man.”

Barrett snorted right back. “Well, you boys might get caught in the crossfire you know. He might just decide to torment me by hurting or killing the two of you. His mind is that twisted.”

Diabolus shrugged. “Might not even be Robert that kills you boys, could be just about anyone your father cheated. We’re told the prisons are gossip mills and the word has spread from prison to prison, so we have no clue who sent that message. Better buckle up boys and learn how to pray that you even make it to prison.”

Diabolus walked to the stairs and before he got on the first step, Barrett shouted out, “Get the Marshals here now. I demand my rights to their protection.”

Diabolus turned his head and said, “The Marshals are on their way asshole. But you still have to get from our front door to a jail cell. Think about that.”

Romano looked over at his dad after the door shut behind Diabolus and he just shook his head. Barrett ignored him and laid back down to stare at the ceiling without saying a word.

Delaney looked up and asked, “How did he take the news?”

Diabolus chuckled. “He’s demanding the Marshals now. He thinks he’ll be safe in their custody but I reminded him he’s still got to get to a Marshal’s cell safely and I think I made him think about that for a moment. Your brothers aren’t very sympathetic to his problem and your dad reminded them they are in the same boat as he is.”

Delaney scoffed. “Where is all the Raggetti arrogance now?”

Diabolus shook his head. “I think your Grandad’s letter and the fact I gave him the Hollowmat message spooked him badly. He wasn’t so cocky when I left. In fact, if I didn’t know any better, I think he looked scared to death.”

Delaney just stared at him. “Don’t ask me to care now about him or my brothers. It is years too late, years of being beaten and ignored by them, years of going hungry while they ate steak and years of being kicked around while they did the kicking.”

Gina sat not too far away and heard it all then she shook her head.

Captain looked at her. “What?”

“Barrett and his boys deserve whatever they got coming,” Gina looked angry. “No one and I mean no one deserves what she and Desi went through growing up.I don’t think either one of them had a proper childhood. Delaney had her grandfather and Desi had her mom until she was fourteen and she had her grandfather after that until he was killed but it’s still no kind of childhood. Always looking over your shoulder for someone coming up behind you to kick you around.”

Captain placed his hand on hers. “It’s hard when your family turns on you. These women here had it bad. Even all of this may not make up for it, but it helps.”

Gina shook her head. “I’ve seen abuse and I’d known it happened to many of the kids I grew up with. We lived in the poor part of town, but at least I had some family that cared. I didn’t have a dad in my life when I was really young but at least I knew my mom loved me. She went out of her way sometimes just to be there for me and later when I was a little older, she got married and her husband took care of me like I was his kid. He didn’t have to do that but he did. Now they are waiting for me to get married and start a family just like every other parent.”

Captain nodded. “Mine were that way too. Only problem with that is I can’t find a woman who wants the same things I do.”

“And just what do you want?” Gina asked with a raised brow.

He laughed at her skeptical expression. “Nothing odd, if that’s what you’re asking.”

 ”Ok,” Gina said. “What do you want that’s so out there that you can’t find a woman who wants the same thing?”

Captain shrugged. “I just want a woman who won’t cheat on me, who will love me without question and who will accept me warts and all.”

“That doesn’t sound hard,” Gina admitted. She looked at him and grinned. “You’re a good looking man. I never would believe you’d have trouble getting a woman to warm your bed.”

“Yeah, I can find a woman to fill my bed but one night stands go stale after a while, you know?”

Gina shook her head. “No, I don’t know. I’ve never had a one night stand. Never wanted one. I guess I’m more of a one man woman, still looking for that one woman man.”

 Captain smiled. “Hell, that sounds like a country song.”

Gina laughed as she shook her head.

“And what if Desi moves here?” he asked. “Will you move here too?” He turned his head and caught sight of Desi snuggling up to Click. When he turned back to Gina, he saw her staring at her friend as well.

Gina looked at him and shrugged. “I guess I’d need a reason to transfer down here. Although the city is gonna be lonely without her.” Then she made a face. “And I don’t think Gary is gonna be happy about this whole arrest.”

“Why wouldn’t he want this asswipe arrested?” Captain frowned.

“Oh he does, you can believe that. It’s because we’re down here and he’s up in Kansas City for one and when he finds out that Desi is Barrett’s kid, he’s going to go ballistic. He’ll think she has been covering for him this whole time. “ She shrugged. “Then of course, when he goes off on her I’ll have to stick up for her and we both will probably end up being fired but that’s the way it goes sometimes Some men are just too pigheaded to live with.”

Captain smiled. “Then you’ll be able to move down here without any problems, won’t you?”

Gina smiled slightly. “I still need a reason,” she whispered, as she looked him over with a gleam in her eyes. Shaking her head, she muttered a soft dayam under her breath.

“Like what you see, woman?” Captain leaned forward a bit. “Cuz I sure like what I see in you.” He got right up close and personal; his lips were mere centimeters away from her own.

Gina paused to gaze into his eyes. “You do?”

Captain nodded. “Oh yeah, I do,” he whispered softly.

Gina closed her eyes and leaned closer, barely touching her lips to his and that’s when she felt it. A spark of electricity arched between them and she melted into the kiss. Captain deepened the kiss and when they broke away, they both needed oxygen.

Gina opened her eyes and whispered, “Wow.”

Captain swallowed hard and nodded. “You can say that again. Makes me think of more country songs, but with some racey lyrics this time.”

Gina chuckled as she smacked his arm.

Click looked up from his laptop and announced, “We got visitors in the woods, and they aren’t Marshals.”

Zeus walked over and studied the group of men standing there. “Those are Barrett’s men aren’t they?”

Click nodded. “Begs to wonder if they saw the newspapers today yet, doesn’t it?”

Zeus shook his head. “Doesn’t make any difference now. If they came here looking for a payday they are going to be sorry aren’t they? Everything we got left we’re turning over to the Marshals. None of those boys ever held a day job so none of their ill-gotten gains really belongs to them in the first fucking place.” He nodded at the screen. “They know it, Barrett and his boys know it, and we know it. Maybe they figure they need to be here to make sure Barrett and his boys are really taken in. I don’t know and I don’t really give a shit, but they will only leave here in Marshal Custody.” Zeus watched them and told Click, “Just keep an eye on them and if they try something, give us a head’s up.”

“Oh yeah, you can count on that.” Click growled. He looked up at Zeus and asked, “How soon do you think the marshals will show up?”

Zeus shrugged. “Could be anytime depending on where they’re coming from. Could take as little as an hour or as much time as about four hours.”

Gina turned and told him, “My boss will want to take personal custody of Barrett Raggetti himself so expect them coming in from Kansas City. He’s got a hard on for Barrett and he’s been following his case for a while now.” She shook her head. “I think he’s obsessed with the man and in his case that’s never a good thing. Gary is not going to be happy until he comes face to face with Barrett.” She shrugged, “And he’s really not going to be happy to find out that Desi is his daughter.”

Desi nodded. “I know. That’s why I went to the Director and told him rather than tell Gary when I left the office. I told Mark that I didn’t want my lineage to cloud the investigation. Mark knows the whole story and he told me he didn’t think it would cloud anything but I know Gary and he’s going to push this as far as he can. It’s not going to be pretty but I can prove I had nothing to do with Barrett and or his sons before this.”

“And I can provide backup for that too.” Gina snarled as she met Desi’s gaze. “Gary is going to hit that wall hard, if he pushes this.”

“He better not push it too hard. Cuz now, you girls got backup as in this club.” Captain growled.