part 2
"You sent for me, Lieutenant Garrison?"
Managing to avoid jumping at the sound of the con man's voice Garrison glanced up and waved the Italian to the seat across the desk from him and wondered how a man his size could still move so silently around the place. On this floor, and out on the grounds the men were free of their chains, attended by guards, and he often turned to find Actor standing just off his right shoulder. If he could use that graceful body control out in the field he might stand a good chance of surviving. Craig sorted through the files on the desk in front of him and waited for the man to get settled.
Actor arranged himself comfortably on the chair and waited. It was going just as he had hoped, he was being called into the office regularly to confer with the lieutenant on the men's progress with their lessons. Soon he hoped the young officer would begin to rely on him for other things.
"How are the language lessons going?"
"Slowly." He smiled when Garrison glanced up at him. "I believe with enough time we might see some improvement but I'm afraid there are no hidden geniuses in our little group of hopefuls."
Craig nodded. So, he thought, equalizing our positions and aligning yourself with me. It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out. "But you have made some progress?"
"Certainly. They all understand some of the basic commands and recognize rank on some of the different uniforms." Actor watched the young man a moment and then favored him with one of his most charming smiles. "But if you would like to keep from getting caught I think it best they not try to say anything.... At least not in German. Their accents are dreadful!"
"The files indicate Casino speaks some Italian."
"He does. He said he learned it from a cellmate in prison. But that's not likely to be of any use to us. We are dropping into France, are we not?" They hadn't been told anything about the job they'd been brought over to do, but process of elimination and some basic intelligence gathering was all that was needed to pick France as the likeliest destination.
Garrison stared at him a moment and went back to going over the files in front of him. No sense letting the cat out of the bag too early. If the group managed to do their job, if they didn't get themselves killed, they'd be getting further training and sent out on other assignments. Italian might just come in handy, but it would be up to someone else to decide if the men continued and expanded their lessons. All he had to do was get them through this first one, get back and do the evaluation on their potential as a Special Forces unit. As soon as that was done he'd been promised he could go back to working solo.
"Well, whatever they know now will have to do. We have our orders." Garrison glanced up again and caught the flicker of interest in his con man's eyes.
Actor experienced a thrill of excitement but schooled his face and voice into casual disinterest. "When do we leave?"
"First thing in the morning." Might as well let Actor continue his act as second in command and save himself a trip up the stairs and a gripe session headed up by Wheeler or Casino. "Training is suspended for today. Tell the men to get as much rest as they can." Garrison followed Actor with his eyes as the older man rose from the chair and walked towards the door. Just as the guard who had been waiting outside stepped into view he called out, causing the man to turn in the doorway. "And, Actor. Tell them not to lose any sleep over this... There's always a chance it'll all be called off before we take off tomorrow."
"Don't tell me our abilities are still in doubt?" Actor waited in the doorway, but the lieutenant had already gone back to his reports and took no notice of him. The guard cleared his throat and reached past him to pull the door closed.
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"So we're goin' tomorrow morning?" Casino was glad they'd finally be on the move, waitin' around drove him nuts.
"Unless something happens to change the plans."
"Like what? Somebody chickenin' out?"
"You volunteerin' for that, Wheeler?"
"Watch your mouth Indian! The professor here says we gotta keep a lid on the fightin' and cooperate here... He didn't say nothin' about me slittin' your throat once we get over there and that Boy Scout has his back turned."
Actor watched the two men. The getaway driver was pacing along the track in front of his bed. He was tense, appearing to have grown larger with pent up energy. The youngest member of the group was sitting on the window sill staring out onto the grounds. Chief was coiled and ready to meet the threat if Wheeler moved on him, but it seemed all of his talking had finally done some good. Instead of following the insults with violence Chief continued to stare out his window and Wheeler threw himself down on his cot and stared at the ceiling.
"There are many things that could cause a change of plans, Wheeler. The weather over the channel or our target would be the simplest. Or whatever problem they are sending us out on could resolve itself...."
"What'd happen to us, then?" Goniff looked up from his game of solitaire, a card still poised over one of the columns.
Casino had been watching the solo card game and rolled off his bunk to pluck the card out of the little man's hand and throw it down in position. "We'd be right back in stir, baby."
"But they said if we did this job for 'em" the second story man protested, "they'd let us out."
"And we wouldn't a done a job for 'em if they find a reason to pull the plug on this little caper, would we?"
"But we wouldn't a done nothin' to cause that!"
Casino just snorted a laugh at the na�ve Brit's belief in the government livin' up to its word.
"So, what about takin' off on our own Actor?" He wasn't goin' back to stir. Chief had made that promise to himself when the plane that brought him over here lifted off the runway. He didn't much want to work with these guys or follow Actor, but he'd do it to keep from goin' back.
"I'm afraid we'll have to wait until we get over there to see how successful an attempt like that might be."
"Not so sure of yourself with the prospect starin' you in the face are ya professor?"
"Wheeler, I would prefer to wait and see just where we are being sent. I know a great many people on the continent but that does not mean that I will have a contact in the exact area of our assignment." The con man turned back to his book and cut off further debate with the man.
Actor didn't doubt his own ability to get away from the Army, to blend into his surroundings and disappear. But if he was going to take this group with him, as they had discussed, he would need ready access to help from contacts he'd made while working in Europe. He could take them deeper into France, to Italy, or even into Germany or Switzerland where, with him leading them, they could turn a nice profit doing what they did best. And since they would have to depend on him because of their lack of languages and knowledge of the countries they would work in, a lion's share of those profits would come to him... Not an unpleasant prospect. He sat a moment and contemplated the probability of being let go here in England... it would make it much easier to return to Europe where they could operate with ease. There was still the slightest chance the government might live up to their bargain. It might be foolish to totally discount the possibility of freedom after completing this assignment. But then there was the thrill of the job at hand to consider. He hadn't been able to get any details about the assignment out of Garrison. That in itself was a blow to his ego and would have kept him eager to keep at it until he succeeded, but just the idea of conning the Germans.... Putting one over on a military machine with the expertise and power to conquer most of Europe? It might be the biggest job of his life and he found he had no desire to turn his back on the chance to pull it off.
Goniff watched the cards as he laid them out on the floor between the cots. They weren't falling very good and he slipped one off the bottom of the deck... Yeah! That'd make it easier to win the game. He couldn't give up on the idea of getting out of this job with a parole, a chance to start over. He could imagine the look on his Mum's face when he walked up free as a bird and promised her thing's'd be different... 'Course he'd promised her stuff like that before, but this time he'd mean it, this time he'd do it. He wasn't so sure now he'd fall in behind the others and make a break once they got over there. Sure, Casino said it was all a con, a trick, that they were chumps to fall for the government's promise... but he said that about everything. Casino didn't have faith in nothin' other than Casino. But Goniff had hope. He never could figure out why, considerin', but he had hope.
Casino eyed the Limey as he played solitaire and laughed to himself that the guy'd cheat even playin' against himself. He glanced around the room and wondered what the other guys were thinking about, then rolled on to his back on his cot and stuck his hands behind his head and started bringing up an image of each one of his family. It was something he did when he was wired or couldn't sleep and usually relaxed him... It kept him occupied for a long time anyway, he came from a big family. He laid there and tried to imagine what it would be like to get that parole and go home, walk in the door of his parents house and tell them it was all over, that he was free and clear and gonna make a fresh start... Then he snorted a laugh and turned his back when Goniff looked up to see what was so funny. He stared at the wall that sat inches from his face. Him get clear and make a fresh start? Wasn't never gonna happen no matter how much he tried to believe in it. Casino was good at what he did, he knew it,,, so did the mob. He'd been able to steer clear of a permanent hook up with 'em, but the pressure was on, even in the joint, and once you got tied up with those guys there wasn't any way they'd let you off, let you go on and live a normal life. That was the only future he had to look forward to, workin' for them... That, or a bullet.
Chief stared out the window at the trees that sat on either side of the drive that led up from the gate. There was a wind that was rocking the leaves, causing the trees to sway gently back and forth. The fog that usually blanketed the grounds had given way to high wispy clouds that slipped across the sky. The sun was going down off to the west, but there was no way to see the horizon, not even from the upper floor window where he sat. There were too many trees here, too much green, ... It wasn't natural. He sat in his window and wondered how he'd gotten so far from home and if he'd ever see the place again. This was a chance, that Army officer'd told him, a chance to get a clean record, to start over. Chief closed his eyes and rolled his forehead against the cold glass. A chance? Guys like him never got chances, no matter how much they wanted 'em.
Wheeler lay on his back on the cot, stared at the ceiling and imagined what it was gonna be like over there. They'd pile in one a them planes and take their little trip across the channel. When they got over there he'd hook up and be the first one outta the plane, lead this group a losers right from the start. Soon as they were on the ground he'd take Garrison out. He'd never taken the lead before but that wasn't 'cause he didn't have what it took. He just never had the chance on the jobs he'd pulled before. He was the getaway driver most a the time, and the muscle, but he had brains too. The other guys'd see that as soon as he made his move. That Italian, he was all mouth, just like the safecracker... Soon as he challenged Garrison the others'd be at his back and they'd tear the guy apart. He couldn't wait.
g
"Alright, gentlemen, show time!" Garrison flipped the switch and flooded the room with light. "You have one hour to get ready." Craig waited until they were all sitting on the sides of their cots. "Any one of you offer any trouble to the guards and you've bought yourself a one way ticket back to the States. Hit the showers! Your clothes will be left in here on your bunks. As soon as you're ready the guards will escort you downstairs and you'll be loaded onto the truck for the trip out to the airfield." Garrison turned on the pick pocket and cut off his protest. "We'll have breakfast at the field while we wait for the final OK Goniff.... Now get moving!"
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The trip over in the plane had been uneventful ... until they got word they were over the drop zone and he started to release the men from their handcuffs. Wheeler's attempt at a sarcastic remark had fallen flat. Next came Chief's thinly veiled threat with the switchblade. Then he'd found Goniff handing him the cuffs he'd worn and explaining how he'd borrowed the keys only to turn and find Casino unlocking his with his own piece of spring steel. Actor had earned a round of laughter at his expense by calling him 'stewardess' and requesting he not be forgotten. Craig debated for a split second about letting the Italian con artist jump in cuffs before he stepped over to unlock the shackles. The men moved into position at his command, a surprise for this group, and jumped when he ordered them to ... all but Wheeler who panicked at the last minute. Craig had watched him on the flight over as he grew more nervous and agitated and tried to talk to him and calm him down when he handed around the coffee. Wheeler of course wouldn't have any part of it. He tried to go back on the arrangement he'd made with the government when it was finally his time to jump. No surprise at all considering the man involved, but he'd finally come around though, when Garrison explained his options with his fist and shoved him out the door.
A squad of soldiers met them on the ground and helped them out of their chutes. The lieutenant that led the group had just identified himself and suggested they get off the open meadow when Wheeler'd arrived on the scene and landed a haymaker on his jaw. The chance of getting Wheeler off his hands by taking up the offer the squad's lieutenant made to take charge of him was appealing but Garrison rejected it. They were on his turf now, Wheeler would have to follow him or risk getting himself caught and killed as a spy... He just needed a little reminder of that. But as much as he wanted to give him that reminder right then, Garrison didn't get the chance, the other men beat him to it, hustling Wheeler out of earshot for a little meeting and disciplinary action of their own devising
"Jeeze! Are you nuts? I told ya we'd be surrounded by rifles. What'd ya want a pop that guy for now?!" Casino stared at Wheeler and wondered just how stupid one guy could be. All they needed was for one shot to be fired and they'd have the whole German army down on their necks...
"Just givin' him a taste of what's comin'." Wheeler threw his chest out and reveled in the attention for a moment. They were all lookin' at him. All of 'em wishin' they'd had the guts to land that Army warden on his backsides in the dirt... And right in front of a brace a rifles too! That'd show 'em he had what it took, that'd show Garrison he wasn't no coward. ... No matter what'd happened up in that plane, he wasn't no coward.
"You're lucky Garrison didn't take up that other lieutenant's offer and send you back in chains." Actor observed with disgust.
"He ain't gonna do that...He needs me!" Wheeler blustered and turned away from them to head for the trees where he could think out his next move. But the feeling of elation, the sense of power, of being in control didn't last. Lucky? he thought. If he'd been lucky he never would a thought this little caper'd be safer than bein' in the joint. If he had any luck that fancy racecar driver would a heard him comin and he would be standin' here now instead a layin' in traction back in a nice comfortable prison hospital. If he'd had any luck that fancy pants lieutenant would a had him cuffed and he'd be heading back to the American side a this mess with that other squad for protection all the way, not standin' around here strainin' his ears for the sound of a German patrol sneakin' up on them through the bushes.
Casino watched Wheeler strut away from them and throw himself down in the shade of another group of trees growing closer to the river's edge. "I say we let him take the warden out if he wants to."
"And do what if he succeeds?"
"Well you'r the one who's been talkin' up how easy it'd be for you to get us out of this mess."
"Casino I would be able to do that for myself at any time, but if the rest of you are to come along you will just have to wait until we are in an area where I have the proper contacts." But Actor considered the possibility of something happening to Garrison now they were on the ground. Once they made contact with the resistance, if they could even do that without him, they would undoubtedly help the group return to England where, just as undoubtedly, they would be helped to the first transport heading back to the States where they would be sent right back to prison. He didn't think this was the time, or the place, to make their bid for freedom.
"What makes you so sure it'll be Wheeler left standin' when the dust clears?" The group's Indian scout asked quietly.
Goniff turned an open mouthed stare on the young man. Casino thought Wheeler was enough to take the lieutenant out, that's all he needed to know. "Blimey, are you kidding?! Just look at that bloke. He could batter down a brick wall all on his own."
"Only 'cause a brick wall don't have any brains." Chief continued to watch Garrison where he sat talking to the guy who'd headed up the group that met them. "Don't think they'd drop a guy behind the lines if he didn't know how to handle himself."
Casino gave a derisive snort. "Yeah! I'll just bet they had special trainin' in street fighting! You saw those guys back at that that fancy joint in England. They even run according to regulation. ... " Turning he considered the officer with a critical eye. "He's not gonna be able to handle what Wheeler'll throw at him 'cause it ain't in his rule book."
Chief shared a look with the safecracker before turning back to continue his study of their new warden. The guy might be right. They hadn't seen Garrison in action yet. He'd been standin' on the sidelines while they'd gotten their instruction from the sergeant back in England. Maybe he was all talk.
g
The group continued to lounge in the shade of the trees as Garrison sat talking with the Army lieutenant who'd met them. They'd all glanced up when the scout bounded down the hill and slid in next to his CO to report, but the only one who made a move was Wheeler. He rolled into cover under a large log that sat along the bank while the rest just continued to stand there and wonder what was going on. They finally got moving at Garrison's shout to take cover, but simply moved back behind the log.... Until shots were fired. Goniff rabbited only to be turned by slugs peppering the ground at his feet and Wheeler broke cover and headed for the river before he remembered he couldn't swim and crawled back to the log to make his stand with the others. They weren't going to make much of a stand, none of them were packing, all they could do was watch the fight between the two groups of soldiers and hope their side came out on top.
"Look at that! Those guys're runnin' out on us!" Wheeler had risked a look over the log just in time to see the Army squad take off. If they were leavin', so was he. He pushed up into a crouch but before he could take off after them he felt a large hand on his shoulder, holding him back. Jerking away he turned to face Actor.
"It's a diversion, you fool. Stay where you are!" The library at the mansion had some texts on military tactics. Actor had never needed to know how armies operated before, but he prided himself on his preparation for a job and had spent much of his free time going through the volumes. If nothing else he thought it would allow him to engage Garrison in conversation... not that the younger man gave him much opportunity. Outside his daily reports on how the others were coming on their language lessons Actor had been left in the company of these common thugs. Even though he would waste no grief over Wheeler's loss he had to do what he could to keep the idiot from breaking cover and giving their position away. He reached out again and grabbed a fist full of jacket and only released his grip on Wheeler's shoulder when the Germans took the expected course and pursued the American soldiers away from their area.
They waited and listened as the sound of gunfire faded off into the distance. The first one to make a move was Garrison as he silently used the cover around the clearing to get to them.
"Nice a you to join us, commander!" He was still scared but he couldn't let the others see it so he lashed out at the man in charge.
"Can it Wheeler." Garrison ordered quietly and then turned on the rest of them. "The next time you hear me tell you to get down I want every one of you to drop like stones! You could've gotten yourselves killed just now...." None of their training seemed to have done any good. Maybe it was a mistake to bring men like this out here. They had the skills he knew would benefit the intelligence service, and they were certainly no stranger to danger and violence. Unlike regular soldiers none of them would have to get used to the idea that any wrong move could get them caught or killed... they'd all live with that fact for years. But the idea of following commands was totally foreign to them. Orders from a leader, a 'boss', sure, all of them but Actor had worked for other more powerful men in the criminal organizations back in the states. But the automatic, instantaneous reaction to a command given, even one that would save their necks just wasn't in their repertoire.
Goniff looked around at the others with a nervous grin. The training back at the mansion had been kinda fun really. Well, not the runnin' part ... And he wasn't too fond of that hand t'hand stuff ... And he coulda left jumpin' off that tower out altogether! ... But scrambling' over the obstacle course wasn't so bad. And the firing range, Goniff had never had much to do with guns and the like so that was kinda fun. He liked to play gunfighter when he was out there. .... Well, in his head anyway. "S'not like back at the mansion, eh, fellas?"
"You got that right, Limey. Here they're shooting real bullets." Casino watched their new warden rummage in the sack he'd brought along and relaxed a little when he saw the guns come out. Finally they'd be packin', they'd have somethin' to protect themselves with.
Once the weapons were handed around and Garrison had sent the kid off to watch for their contact he'd finally spilled the beans about the mission. The Germans' had a counterfeiting ring set up and were ready to crank out American twenties. The only one in the group who didn't have the brains to know what that would lead to was Wheeler... he had to be told. No surprise Casino thought. All that guy had goin' for him was a big mouth and a lot a hot air.
Actor was intrigued by the thought of conning the Germans out of a set of counterfeit plates but when Garrison told them they'd be attempting to switch them for coded plates of their own, and then he saw the quality of the work on the set of plates the lieutenant produced for their inspection he had a hard time controlling his imagination. The possibilities were endless.. The con man shared a quick look with the others. They could take these plates from Garrison, or they could make off with the plates they got away from the Germans... They could wait and take both sets of plates, selling the coded set to a European group, making enough money they could all go their separate ways. He, of course, would keep the second set of plates and sell them himself. It would be a fair trade for getting them out of Europe, the rest would see that... If they didn't, he could always leave them there to fend for themselves.
Goniff followed the plates with his eyes as Garrison took them back and stashed them in that belt he wore round his waist. The warden was clever, tuckin' 'em down in front like he done. It'd be impossible for him to get his talented fingers into that pouch, under the fellas shirt, down below his belt... He'd never be able to do it. .. Not without gettin' hisself killed. He caught the look the Italian toff shot him and shook his head. But he'd keep his eyes open, just like Actor said, and watch for any possible opening to present itself.
Casino studied the others as the lieutenant stashed the plates back in the safety belt he was wearin'. They were all practically droolin' over what those things would make on the black market. That'd be one hell of a bankroll alright. A switch, huh? So he'd be breakin' a safe or a lock box to get to the things. ... Might get a chance to just slip 'em in his pocket and take off on his own. He knew some Italian and the Krauts were in tight with some a them. ...
Wheeler cut his eyes at Garrison and watched him put the plates away. The nerve a the guy, takin' 'em back before he even got a chance to touch 'em. Well, he could play at being the leader for now! It wouldn't be long before he'd find someway to make a move on him. Soon as he called the guy out and had the others standin' at his back they'd just see who'd be holdin' that little bag a million dollar plates.
g
A warning hiss from Chief sent them scrambling for cover. Peering out from behind a screen of brush they watched the scout stop a dame on a bike and heard her ask for Garrison by name. After ordering a halt to the speculative comments from his men Garrison stepped out of cover and after a quick conference with the girl they were on their way again. It was the girl's father who was their contact but something had gone wrong, he hadn't shown up in time to come and meet them so she'd come herself. Garrison took off first with the girl walking along the road with her like they was comin' back from a date or somethin'. But he sent them into the brush that ran between the road and the river. They spread out a little letting the Indian kid go first so they could follow his lead.
Chief kept an eye on Garrison and the girl as they walked along the road towards the town. The lieutenant seemed relaxed enough as he strolled along through the dappled shade. Garrison had tossed his automatic rifle to him before he took off, but Chief knew he had at least one pistol tucked into his belt under his jacket where it couldn't be seen. He could hear the others as they blundered along behind him. He was far enough ahead that if they were discovered he'd probably be in the clear. He knew he could fade away into the woods, but after that he'd be out of luck, he didn't speak the languages they used over here. Sure Actor had been teachin' them some words.... But if he opened his mouth he'd give himself away. His sharp eyes picked up movement on the road ahead and he brought his hand up so the others would stop.
They waited like statues for the speck the kid could see to resolve itself into something that would either be a threat or a friend and as they waited Casino questioned his own sanity for ever getting tied up in this. Sure the pay off was a good one, if he lived to see it. A parole. A clean slate so he could start over... then he laughed silently at his own foolishness. Yeah, right! There wasn't a way for him to stay clear and start over, , , he was hooked.
c
He'd gotten started boosting crates off the back a delivery trucks with his older brother. Selling the stuff on the black market was a way to make a quick buck when his Pop couldn't work after the baby died. Then they figured they'd make a better profit off the trucks themselves, so they learned to hot wire engines and they'd lay in wait until the driver had his back turned. Sometimes they pulled the pin and just took off with the tractor, sometimes they'd take the whole rig... There'd been some close calls with the cops on those first few runs as they taught themselves how to handle a truck and trailer in the narrow alleys in town. Then they had to figure out how to move the merchandise. One of their Pop's brothers knew a guy who knew a guy and that brought the two of them to the attention of one of the minor mob bosses.
Casino didn't count lifting that first crate off the back of that first truck as his first mistake. He reserved that distinction for getting tied up with those guys... Not only was it his first mistake, it was probably the biggest one of his professional life. He'd fallen for the flattery just like any kid would and before he knew it they were pulling him into their web. The gambling and rum running wasn't a problem as far as he was concerned, some of his own family had been involved in that in the past, after all... some of them still were. And the B & E work, well he was already into that. Even the dames, as long as they were making their own choice to do the work and didn't get roughed up... It was when he found out about the drugs and saw what it did to the kids they pushed it to that he decided he wanted out. But by then the bosses had seen him work, noticed his talent and had him working with one of their best safe men and they weren't happy about turning him lose.
It was all he could do to get clear, but he finally managed to negotiate a deal. He and Marcus would pull a big job and hand over all of the profits to buy their way out, and he'd do freelance work for the mob over the next five years. From then on he was more careful who he hooked up with. Marcus hadn't been and it caused a rift between them as his brother sank deeper and deeper into the family of the mob.
Casino wasn't very old when he found himself alone on the streets. His parents had found out how he'd been making the money he'd given them and demanded he stop and find a regular job but he hadn't managed to stay in school to the end, so he didn't have that damn paper that impressed so many of those regular bosses... and he didn't want to start at the bottom in some nickel and dime job. He was already used to better than that. So he kissed his Ma, promised he'd write, promised he'd be careful and even promised he'd go straight and he'd taken off.
Some of the other freelancers had heard about him, heard about his skill. It wasn't long before he was hooked up with Tony Coletti, one of the best in the business. Tony was getting up there in years and didn't have a son to pass his skills and contacts to. He taught Casino everything he knew, introduced him to everyone he'd met in his years in the business... all for a fifteen percent cut. It wasn't too bad a deal really, considering Tony took him in and let him live right in his house and treated him like one of his own.
They worked together for three years and Casino honed his skills until he was better than his teacher, until when someone came looking for a safe man they came looking for him, not Tony. Any other guy'd a thrown him out, but not Tony.... He was happy for him, helped him plan his jobs, celebrated his successes and slammed the lid on the hole when things went wrong and he had to go to ground. Of course he always got his fifteen percent, even after he retired. He should a stayed retired too... but even Tony could be lured into a bad set up by a big pay off.
Casino tried to talk him out of it, tried to point out all the things that could go wrong. He was good at that, ...seeing all the things that might happen. But Tony wouldn't listen. He was going to set himself up pretty with just one last job, then he was hangin' it up for good. He even offered him a piece of the action but Casino couldn't ignore his growing sense that somethin' was gonna go wrong big time and he let him go off alone. Three hours later when Eddie Richards brought word that the job had gone bust and Tony was laying on a slab in the morgue he really wasn't surprised at all. He gathered up his stuff, took the bankroll from the safe under Tony's bed and after he made a stop at Tony's kid's place to give her her cut he took off with Eddie. Two weeks later they circled back and hit the place where Tony'd bought it, settling the score for Tony and helping Casino handle his grief over losin' him.
The two of them traveled all over the east coast. Casino was getting to be a hot property, the mob was interested again and he had to slip and slide to keep out of their grasp as he continued to work as a freelancer. He'd been picked up a couple of times, done some time in stir but he'd managed to get out, escape and take off far enough and fast enough the screws didn't want to go to the trouble of running him down. Until that last job...
They'd cased the place for a month. Everything should a gone off just like clockwork. The alarms were disabled with no trouble, the safe was open almost as soon as Casino laid his hands on it. And the five thousand they thought they'd be looking at had turned into thirty-five G's courtesy of the breakdown of one armored car carrying a transfer of funds between banks. The driver and guard had stashed the loot in their modest little target bank while the damn truck was being repaired and the whole thing had been arranged while him and Eddie were peacefully having dinner around the corner, dreaming about what they'd do with their split of five grand. The extra loot was a gift and it should have fired off warning bells in Casino's head... but it didn't. Unfortunately along with the extra cash came extra security in the form of two federal marshals.
They made a run for it and he thought they'd lost the tail. Him and Eddie split the cash and went their separate ways... it was the plan if anything went wrong. There was a place they'd meet, a place way out in the sticks and Casino made it all the way out there. He'd been there for three days and had gone from jumping at every sound to relaxing in the solitude to wondering what happened to Eddie and finally ended up figurin' he'd got himself caught or killed. He was packing up to leave when those three carloads a cops rolled up. Runnin' from a couple of extra bank guards is one thing, running from a dozen lawmen with dogs is something totally different.
Casino took one last look out the window, threw out his gun and walked out on the porch with his hands clasped behind his head. He knew the drill and as soon as he stepped down off the last step he sank to his knees and went spread eagle on the dirt and waited.
When they charged him it was a federal rap because those were federal dollars in the safe. But there wasn't any money for them to recover at the shack... nothing to tie him to the robbery... until Eddie squealed to get a better deal for himself.
Prison wasn't a big deal to Casino. He knew guys on the inside and he knew how to handle himself so most of the time he was left alone. And he didn't usually stay long ... This was different though. This was a federal pen and security was tighter here than any place he'd ever been. He resigned himself to doing the ten years and he even started takin those make up classes the warden and the social workers pushed on him. A high school certificate was just the thing, they said, to help him 'rehabilitate' himself when he got out. Casino didn't think he'd turn his life around by doing the lessons the prison librarian handed around, but it kept him from going stir crazy, and it made his folks happy and gave him something to talk to them about when they made the long drive out to visit with him. Kept him out a the yard too, away from the mob muscle inside the joint. Then the war started and everything got tight and his folks stopped coming out to visit. Time dragged and those ten years seemed like they'd turned into a thousand. And that's when Garrison rolled in and made his pitch.
He watched as a couple a farmers stopped in the road to talk to the lieutenant and the French dish. A couple a minutes later the debating society broke up and the two started off towards town again. Casino shifted his attention to the Indian about ten yards in front of him. The kid was cautious, keeping his hand up, holding them back until the two Frenchmen disappeared around a curve in the road. He felt the comforting weight of the pistol in his hand and he started moving carefully forward again. He was nuts alright. If he hadn't a been crazy he never would have traded his nice safe cell for this hair brained scheme. A parole? Right! Two'd get you twenty he wouldn't live to see England again. The sooner they made their break the better he'd like it.
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When they reached the edge of town Garrison sent them in in pairs. Goniff ambled alongside Marie, Chief and Casino half a block behind, then Actor and Wheeler. Craig evaluated them as he brought up the rear. The little cat burglar could have been any lucky fellow walking with a beautiful girl. He shoved his hands deep in his pockets and strolled along, turning to listen and smile as Marie chattered away in French even though he probably didn't know a word of it. Casino and Chief appeared relaxed but he could tell by the set of their shoulders both men were strung tight, ready for trouble. Actor, ... Actor would have been able to walk into any one of the shops they passed and he would have fit right in. The way he struck up a quick conversation with the locals as he moved along the street anyone watching would have thought he'd spent his whole life right here. Wheeler on the other hand marched along with back stiff, his hands clenched into fists, his cap pulled down tight and a scowl on his face that told everyone he met he was spoiling for a fight. Even Actor's casual friendliness couldn't cover for him. Wheeler was drawing the wrong kind of attention and the sooner they were safely in the basement at Duchamp's caf� the better. He knew it was probably a lost cause but Craig figured he'd have to talk to the guy again and try and get him to loosen up or he was going to get them all caught.
Goniff took the key from Marie's hand and gallantly opened the door, taking the bicycle from her and storing it against the front of the building as she stepped into the caf�. By the time Casino and Chief arrived at the doorstep the shades were up and the sign in the window showed the place open for business. They lingered outside for a moment, talking before Casino took the last drag from his cigarette flicked the butt into the street, reached for the knob, pulled the door open and stepped off the street. Actor pulled up in front of a shop two doors down from the cafe and had the presence of mind to reach out his hand and keep Wheeler with him. They browsed the meager offerings in the window display for a full two minutes before finally heading for the caf�. Garrison leaned against the corner of the building at the end of the street and waited until they were all inside. The shade was pulled on the door again and a hand reached to switch the sign back to closed... A male hand, probably Actor's. Craig shoved away and started around to the alley that led to the back of the building. There were some good instincts in the group. A casual observer might have thought they'd all just happened to walk into the same caf�.... Unless they'd got a good look at Wheeler...
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"Alright big shot, what's the plan?" They'd been shuttled through the caf� and straight down into the basement. Garrison stayed up top, said he'd watch out for their contact for a little while... Sure!
Actor wandered through the shadows of the cellar, stopping at the wine racks. Carefully brushing the dust off the labels he judged the place by the quality of its wine. "What do you mean?"
"Well you been shootin' off your mouth about all your great contacts over here, and how we can set up shop on our own..." Wheeler looked around at the others and saw that they were all thinking the same as him. "I don't see no reason to wait. So when do we make our move?"
"I have many contacts Wheeler, unfortunately none in this particular town." He was working his way down the rack, not really concentrating on what the blowhard was saying.
Wheeler jerked a chair away from the small table that sat in the middle of the room and threw himself down into it. Snapping the newspaper he found there up in front of his face he pretended to read it. "Aw I knew you were just a bunch a hot air! You got nuthin!"
"Can it Wheeler! That warden's gonna hear you." Chief was at the top of the stairs. He could hear the girl and Garrison moving around in the shop and their muffled conversation carried easily to his sensitive ears. Wheeler's loud voice could probably be heard clear out on the street.
"Don't you believe it! That hot shot boy scout's probably busy gettin' himself a nice piece of as..."
"Shut your mouth, Wheeler! She's a nice girl. She wouldn't do nothin' like that." He'd only just walked along beside her and most a the time she was goin' off in French but when nobody was close enough to hear she switched into English. It was nice hearin' her tell him how brave he was to come over and help 'em out like he was doin'. She seemed to think all of 'em were heroes......Nobody'd ever talked to him like he was worth somethin' before, ...well, except sometimes his Mum. But she didn't have the accent that made the words sound so sweet in his ear.
Goniff shrunk back on his stool and wondered if he'd gone a bit crazy, speakin' out like that... to a bully like Wheeler too. He usually did his best to stay on the good side a blokes like that, if they had one. It just seemed a fella like him'd live longer that way. Stay on their good side, or hook up with a bigger meaner bloke. He let his eyes wander around the cellar. Chief was up at the top a the stairs, stretchin' out a braided leather garrote. Goniff hadn't figured the kid out yet but he weren't no threat, unless he pulled that switchblade and he was gonna do his best not to give him any reason to do that. The group's fancy con man was still searchin' along the wine racks for something to take his mind off his troubles and from what he'd told 'em he'd never done nothin' more than talk a bloke to death. Casino had rummaged through the bits and bobs that were stored down here and come up with an old radio to keep hisself occupied. Wheeler continued to sit at the table, tryin' to look like he knew what he was seein' on the French newspaper in his hands. Goniff would have to cross right in front of him to get over to where Casino was. He decided it wasn't worth it. He thought Casino would be the one he'd take his cues from, the one most likely to take on the job a being his boss and protector but he wasn't sure enough of it to chance an attack from an irritated Wheeler.
Goniff settled in to wait, it was easy for him, he might fidget about more than a bit but he was used to havin' other blokes tell him what to do and when to do it. That's one thing you learned when you was a follower,..how to wait for orders. And Goniff had been a follower from the time he was just a tyke....