Chapter 88

***Levi***.

The air smelled dank inside the underground tunnel as we stationed ourselves, waiting for Liam's signal.

We laid ambush in an underground tunnel in Tampa, Florida. And the smell of rot did nothing to ease the tension that seeped through us.

Surrounded by the darkness, we only had our night vision goggles to aid us and some light from a car's headlamp in front of the tunnel. Discretion mattered at such moments.

My men and I each had a communicator in our ears, linked to Liam and his men. Cyril had chosen Florida as his station for the deal, once he knew that he was to do business with a renowned Florida club owner.

"How many girls did you bring? I want them young and feisty," Liam was already in character. His tone smooth, unsuspicious.

"Oh since we're doing business for the first time, I brought 400 for a great deal, instead of the usual 300. The additional 100 are just a small gift from me." Cyril's voice came over the communicator.

I wanted to lunge for him then and there. But we had a plan. Our men had Cyril surrounded, but the fool had no idea. My ears were perked, my senses alert as I listened.

"Where are they?" I heard Liam ask.

"Loaded in those two trailers outside. I got them available the moment I looked your profile over. Your establishment poses well for me. I can be providing such whores for you."

"Alright. Let my men get them." Liam spoke again, ending his words with a cough. That was the signal.

I shared a look with Blake, crouched at my side. Our black garb, hiding our faces.

"Now." I muttered quietly over the communicator.

Instantly, all our men filed out, pulling their magazines in the faces of Cyril and his men. Cyril's men equally pulled their guns. A smug look climbed my face as I rose to my feet, sauntering over to meet them. Frantically, Cyril looked around, horrified. I took out my goggles, reaching him. The look on his face when we locked gazes was epic. Fury coursing through me as I took in his vile form.

He had changed a lot since we last saw each other years ago. A little bulky in the midsection. The hairs on his head thinned.

"Who are you?" He asked, shakily. I smiled darkly, looming over him.

"Don't you recognize me, Rhino?" I inched closer. Coming into the light. Cyril paled. Even in the darkness, I knew he recognized my face.

"L-Levi?" Cyril stuttered. I nodded. He looked around and glared defiantly at Liam.

"What's the meaning of this?"

"Isn't it obvious? The girls you've been bringing into the States. A crime against humanity." Liam intoned.

"What?" Cyril stared, flabbergasted.

"You brought in containers of girls weeks ago, which we intercepted. We needed something to pull you in."

"That was you?" Cyril asked. His astonishment replaced with annoyance.

"I lost millions of dollars because of you and *he* got fucking furious!" Cyril's, voice showed his ire.

"And by this *he* you mean BB?" I raised a questioning brow.

Cyril glowered in my direction. His lips pulled in a tight line.

"You can't hold nothing on me. My slates are clean." Cyril's anxious voice came. I inhaled a steady breath, pulling out some photos. Tossing them into the light for him to see. He flashed me a look, before he lowered his eyes to the photos.

"Those are girls you've killed over the years, Cyril. Girls who went missing without any clue. One phone tap and an investigation would be instigated against you. And all the ghosts of those girls will come haunting you." I sneered, a dark grin playing on my lips.

Cyril stayed his eyes on the photos and I knew he silently contemplated his options.

"There's no evidence." Cyril snarled, raising his head slowly. He looked at me, daring me in.

"I don't need no fucking evidence to nail your coffin, prick face. I just need one girl dead on your conscience and an investigation would start." I coolly declared.

My fists were jammed at my sides, to prevent me from punching the man's face in for those words. Words that everyone had echoed on his behalf years ago, because they had all benefited from him. Bad cops, bad government officials, kingpins, who had all had sadistic desires.

A menacing laughter suddenly erupted from him, reverberating inside the entire tunnel. Shocking us all. I watched him as he steadied himself thereafter. A tear pooling around his eyes as he gained his composure again.

"This is bout that whore years ago, isn't it? You still angry about her death." Cyril laughed. I maintained my composure, reining in my temper.

He turned his back to me.

"The familiar game of the underworld. *Death*. Tina deserved to die. None of those girls had a life. I gave them lives and she came to me, telling me that she had a protector." He turned slowly to me, a dark grin hanging there. "I guess that was you right? The protector, who never came. Or who never got a chance to do his job."

Cold dread climbed my body as I recalled that night.

I had showed up at the address she texted me. When I arrived there, there had been no one in sight. Just me.

"You never came, because you got the wrong address." Cyril revealed, sinisterly. I stilled, my heart instantly racing as I dreaded the next words.

"I was told by my spy that you had a plan to meet and I seized her. Locking her up. Got hold of her phone and saw your little messages. Saw your promises to save her. So I sent the wrong location."

Another man would have staggered. Would have shook with the ferocity of a wounded animal. But I stayed calm. My jaws twitching. Pain tearing me inside, I darkly declared.

"You have one chance to remedy this, Cyril."