Chapter 3

The following morning, things moved quickly. Julius called me and I went in, whirling my revolver in my right hand as if nothing had happened. I would really have liked to say that that I made some smartass comment but just seeing my friend lying swathed in bandages made me too angry to speak. I tried to keep my composure but failing utterly, instead snapped at him, “What the hell happened, you fool?”

I knew he should be allowed to rest but then, I was angry and quite ready to punch him in his face. Luckily for my friend, one glare from the doctor was enough to keep me from changing thought into action.

Dr. Tenma murmured in my ear as he passed by me, “I will be waiting in the living room.”

Turning myself to face my companion I asked in a level tone, “Can you enlighten me about what miracle you created to end up like this?”

“Well,” he began sheepishly. I narrowed my eyes, it’s never a good sign when Julius acts embarrassed. “Well, what? Speak up, man!” I snapped.

“Well...I let down my guard. The contact told me everything that he had gleaned out about Gesù and La Elixir Donatori. Then just as he got up, a bullet hole appeared at the centre of his temple. I couldn’t even figure out that they were there, Thomas! They are good, those bastards! I managed to escape and I got the shooter in the eye with a bullet but not before he shot me at least twice.” He grimaced.

“How did you escape?” I asked my mind racing frantically trying to plan our escape.

If these guys don’t know Julius’ name and whereabouts, we might still be able to escape.

“I took a cab but I had to show him my police badge and while getting in. I was shot at again and I think the ID fell on the road. I somehow closed the door! The cabbie dropped me two blocks from here and I ran the rest of the way.”

Shit.

“Luckily you made it. What did the contact tell you?” I asked.

“Thomas, you won’t believe it but...La Elixir Donatori are drug-dealers for the Mafia!” Julius informed me shaking his head softly.

I gasped but answered steadily enough “We should have realized that in the first place. The clues were staring us in the face all along. The endless deceptive walls surrounding the gang, the way they can make people disappear in the blink of an eye and the way their drugs reach every corner of the world. We need to get the message to the police here and our own chief!”

“No, by the time we inform them, their HQ will have shifted. Those guys must know that my contact knew their HQ. But he knew only one! One of us needs to do some snooping around while the other informs the police!” Julius retorted.

‘Sounds fun, but how do you propose that we break out of the cordon the gang must have made around this house? Because yesterday, I saw a shadow snooping around here.” I asked folding my arms.

“There is an auto-rental a few miles from here. They don’t know if you are someone connected with me. You can go there and drive back. We will drop the doctor at his house and then plan our next move.”

“Why not ask the doctor to contact the police? I’ll go with you!”

“We can’t involve innocents more than we already have! And I need you to give these papers to the police! These have details of their trades and all! Damning evidence for when we catch them!”

“Fine.” I sighed as I grabbed the papers and stuffed them into my coat after giving them a once-over.

I walked out and waving to the doctor, stepped out of the door. Keeping myself as cool as possible, I jogged towards the auto-rental, checking my phone for directions once in a while.