124 Ill Cover You (1/2)
We were about five miles from the location of the attack. The plan was spread over the hood of our car and a few of the other men surrounded it to carefully listen to what Anthony had to say.
”Now, here,” he pointed to a particular spot on his sketch map. ”-is where I want five of you to be waiting.” He pointed at a few men who stood beside me. They nodded in understanding. ”Mia, you'll be the first one to go in. Ethan will cover you when you enter after which you will hold the door.” I nodded. ”Ethan, I need you to be in command of the people who are outside. You are our only link.
”I will enter right after you have held the door and given me a count. You will not shoot until you are by my side.” He gave me a pointed look, knowing that I would be tempted to start without him. ”When I get in, you will cover me as I target the people who are farthest from me while you will be taking out the ones who are closer.”
”The chances of you getting hit are higher. Don't you think it will be more efficient if you took cover before we start shooting, Anthony?” he tilted his head to a side.
”I want them thinking that they have me on the spot with nowhere to go. We need to have that surprise element. They might know that we are coming, but we cannot give them the chance to stop us.”
”I'll cover you,” I promised. He gave me a little smile before he went back to stare at the map. His hands were placed firmly on the hood of the car, and he was hunched over it as he speculated as to what should be done next.
”Ethan,” he called out, suddenly. ”You will not come in. It will take around thirty minutes to sweep the place and put them all down,” like dogs ”and then we'll signal you over and you can bring the boys in.”
”Boys: if you see anyone trying to enter this place while we are inside, shoot them between the eyes.”
”Yes, Boss,” they said in unison. To be honest, I was a bit uncomfortable having these people in the team. I felt at risk because I didn't know them personally, neither had I ever interacted with them. They had been in that meeting the other day, but they'd not been as confident in my capabilities as I had wished they would be. It was common knowledge that I was going to be treated lower than them despite being higher in the mob hierarchy. I was trying my best to be at peace with Michael's judgement and placing them to guard us while we put ourselves at risk.
The plan seemed almost impeccable to me, apart from the possibility that they had snipers on the rooftop to take us down even before we could reach the doorless frame of the unfinished building. Michael a.s.sured me that nothing of the sort was going to happen. It had been on the ride to Syracuse that we reflected on how much risk we were in. After what seemed like hours thinking about how bad it was going to cost us, Michael stopped the car at the side of the door, letting the others pa.s.s by. We sat there for a few moments before he s.h.i.+fted his body to face me.
”They can't risk killing us, Mia,” he had told me with a confidence that made me want to believe him. I really did try, but I had snorted, and then we had laughed. Humans, we knew, would act in their own interest; they would shoot if they thought that their life was in danger, and their life would be in danger. They would try to kill us even if they had orders to not go to that extent.
We couldn't lose men; we were in scarcity as it was. Everyone knew that.