Sixty-Two
“There you go, Boss.” Max did a final check on the bulletproof vest Sonny wore. The rest of the men had successfully donned their protective gear and stood waiting patiently for Sonny to give the order to action.
Sonny shrugged the lightweight Kevlar into a more comfortable position. “I want my family back.”
The five simple words were all the motivation the small posse of men needed to hear. Their faces were set in grim determination as they milled about the penthouse door ready to leave.
Sonny threw open the door. Marcus Taggert stood poised with a fist upraised to knock. The tall dark detective's scowl deepened as he took in the sight of the eight-man posse all wearing police issue bulletproof armor.
The two newly found half-brothers glared at one another. Sonny knew all too well that Marcus was disturbed and curious about the scene before him. But there was no time for a lengthy confrontation with the detective about why Sonny's people needed to wear such protection.
“Whatever it is, Taggert,” Sonny growled, “I don't have the time. Take it up with my lawyer.”
Marcus just brushed past the mob boss. “We need to talk. Alone .”
Circumstances made it impossible for Sonny to deny the demand. Marcus had seen Sonny's men geared up for battle. To deny him would only provoke the dogged detective to place himself square in the middle of things Sonny desperately preferred to keep private. Frustrated beyond belief, Sonny instructed his men to wait for him downstairs.
“What do you want, Taggert?”
“Where is Angerboy?”
The unexpected question caught Sonny off-guard and he could not disguise his startled expression. “Jason?”
“It's not that hard a question,” Marcus replied. His sharp gaze analyzed every nuance of emotion that crossed Sonny's face.
“He's out,” Sonny replied shortly. He could feel the press of time against his back. Precious moments were passing, moments he might never get back in his struggle to recover his family from Anthony Sorrell's clutches. “I will be sure to tell Jason you asked about him.”
The mob boss was stopped dead in his tracks by Marcus' next words. “I don't think that you will be getting that chance,” Marcus informed him somberly. “Somebody just returned the Quartermaine kid to his father.”
