THE BILLIONAIRE'S BARGAIN

CHAPTER 40

******

Doctor Peterson approached Aunt Mei, who sat beside her niece's hospital bed, her eyes fixed on Ling's serene face. "Ma'am, I think it's time for you to head home and get some rest. You can revisit Ling tomorrow, and we'll take good care of her in the meantime," he said with a reassuring smile.

Ling, who had been quietly observing the conversation, stirred and spoke in a weak but clear voice, "Aunt Mei, I've been telling you the same thing. You need to go home and take care of yourself. The doctors and nurses will take care of me."

Aunt Mei's expression softens, and she looked at Ling with a mixture of guilt and concern. "But, dear, I want to be here for you," she said, her voice trembling.

Doctor Peterson intervened, his tone firm but gentle. "Aunt Mei, it's our duty to care for Ling, and we'll do everything necessary to ensure her recovery. You need to trust us and take care of yourself. Ling will be in good hands."

Aunt Mei nods reluctantly, knowing that the doctor was right. She leans over to hug Ling,

"I'll come back tomorrow, dear. Get some rest and feel better soon."

With a final glance at Ling, Aunt Mei stood up, with a signal she gave her son, he packs up everything they came with and followed Doctor Peterson out of the hospital room. As they walked through the hospital corridors.

Outside the hospital, Aunt Mei hails a taxi, and she and her son climbs in. As the taxi pulled away from the curb, Aunt Mei gazed out the window, her thoughts with Ling, hoping that she would recover soon.

*******

VINNIE'S HIDEOUT

The residence they occupied boasted an unassuming exterior, its nondescript facade effectively deterring unwanted attention from the surrounding area. In stark contrast, the interior had been meticulously designed to cater to their specific needs, ensuring a seamless blend of form and function.

Beneath the building, a secure underground facility served as the hub for their gatherings. Vinnie, seated in a chair, was flanked by two imposing bodyguards, their watchful eyes scanning the surroundings. The remaining members of their team stood at attention, their hands clasped behind their backs, as they awaited Vinnie's address.

Every loyal crew stood with their hands behind their back, each carrying their own worries. Most especially Thomas, he has been thinking about Marco since this last attack. He was caught by the police and there don't know his whereabouts since then. It hasn't been long since the attack, but he was very worried, his face had already given the answer to it.

“ So what are we going to do about Marco, since he has been caught by the police. I'm sure he is going through interrogation by the police, what if he has rat us out already”, one of the men said.

“Caught by the cops, huh?” Sal grumbled,

“I told Marco he shouldn’t have been so reckless. He’s been sloppy lately, and always setting us back. He can't even do a proper job right. Now we are here talking about him.”

“That’s putting it lightly,” Richie chimes in. “He’s a liability now. If they squeeze him, he’ll talk. You know how it goes.”

Vinnie held up a hand to silence the murmurs of agreement among the group.

“Enough. Marco’s one of ours, and we don’t abandon our own.” There was a weight to his voice, a seriousness that demanded their attention.

“We need a plan to keep him off the grid and figure our next move.”

Thomas shifted uneasily where he was standing breaking eye contact with Vinnie. He’d been friends with Marco for month after he joined newly. He knew that the only reason he was part of them was because of his mother and the responsibility he has. He felt bad for him and his family if they would loose him.

“What do you have in mind, Vinnie?”

“Good question,” Vinnie replied, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his laps.

“I was thinking, since you are the closest to him Thomas, I want you to disguise yourself as Marco’s lawyer. Go to the precinct tomorrow and see what kind of shape he’s in.”

Thomas felt a flutter of concern settle in his gut.

“ Are you sure boss? But what if they see through it? I mean… it not like I am exactly a lawyer material.”

“Just wear a suit, for God’s sake,” Vinnie said, rolling his eyes.

“ Out of everyone here, you're the one who really want to get him out right? You need to act the part; they won’t be looking for anything suspicious. Just be charming and ask him the right questions. Gauge how scared he is and what he knows. For the identity you need, I'll have that arranged.”

Thomas nods slowly, the resolve settling in as he considered Vinnie’s words.

“Yeah, I can do that. I’ll hit up the thrift store for a suit tonight,” he assured him, the pressure of his task starting to feel both daunting and essential.

“I’ll find out what he knows and get back to you.”

“Good. We need to know if he’s planning to spill anything,” Vinnie said, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper.

“ If the heat gets too close, we’ll have to decide our next move, and I don’t want to take any chances.”

Richie shifted, releasing his hands from behind his back,

“And what about Detective Ling? Is she dead already? You shot her boss right? Do you think she will die after taking that shot?We need to keep tabs on her too. If Marco starts talking, she’ll surely be on the case.”

Vinnie felt angry with Richie's questions,

“ Are you doubting me? And even if detective Ling has died from my gunshot, what will you think of me then, a disappointment?,

“ I dare not think of that boss. If you feel angered, I should be punished”, Richie immediately apologizes, kneeling down with his head down to the ground, waiting for his punishment.

“ I am not going to punish you, and you don't need to kneel. Stand up”, Vinnie orders.

“You are not exactly wrong,” Vinnie replied, masking his irritation as he contemplated the detective. Ling had a reputation—a competent and determined investigator. The last thing they needed was for her to tie them to the events surrounding Marco’s fallout.

“Sal, Richie, I want you two to gather intel on her condition. I don’t want to hear any half-baked excuses. I want updates, and I want them fast.”

Sal slams his glass down, putting it on his shirt,

“You got it, Vinnie. We’ll find out what we can, but if she’s hospitalized, she might be off the radar for a while. We can use that to our advantage.”

“Don’t underestimate her. If she’s out, I’m sure she still has her people working. I want to know everything about her recovery,” Vinnie pressed, his eyes focused at both men.

“Who she’s in contact with, and if she’s made any enemies in the department, it could work to our advantage later.”

Once again, Thomas spoke up, trying to balance the mood in the room.

“Listen, we’ll find a way to make it work, Vinnie. But let's focus on Marco first. I’ll do my best to find the information we need while I’m visiting him.”

“Just remember to keep your mouth shut. Talk too much to him, and we could complicate things,” Vinnie warned, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.

“We’re not getting into a situation where Marco thinks he can turn on us. For now, our priorities are clear: get info on Ling and check on Marco’s situation. We have to think several steps ahead.”

“Right,” Thomas replied, his mind racing with possibilities. He was worried about Marco; the man had a family, after all. “What if he’s got something crucial to tell us, like who he sold out to or what he knows about the safe house? There has to be something.”

“That’s why you’re going,” Vinnie said, his tone softening slightly.

“I want the truth from him. Look, we all know Marco was a good guy, but good guys can crack under pressure. If he’s scared, we need to handle it before it spirals out of control.”

The gang exchanges looks, the gravity of their situation settling in. Marco’s capture was more than just an inconvenience; it was a potential unraveling of their operations. They couldn’t afford to sidestep this issue or allow emotions to cloud their judgment.

Thomas bows his head down, his fingers temporarily playing with each other as he gathers his thoughts.

“What happens if Marco does start talking? How do we protect the rest of us?”

Vinnie leaned forward again, his voice unyielding. “We take care of it. Sometimes a well-placed confrontation or even intimidation goes a long way. We can’t just let the situation resolve on its own—that’s how we lose everything. We must make sure that if Marco is in trouble, we can keep our hands clean while protecting our interests.”

At this point, the room was left only with silence as each man contemplated everything that Vinnie had said. They were not just discussing one of their own—the ripples of Marco’s capture could affect every illicit deal and every shady venture they had in motion.

Breaking the silence, Richie folds his arms together,

“What if Ling gets wind of our plan? I mean, we’d need to put a stop on any loose ends. If she gets too curious…”

“We deal with it, Richie,” Vinnie snaps, his frustration creeping back in.

“We handle it in a way that doesn’t bring attention to ourselves. Just make sure you two pay attention to what’s going on around her.”

“Got it,” Sal said. “We’ll keep our ears to the ground. If something’s up with her, we’ll hear about it.”

“Let’s make it happen then,” Vinnie concluded, standing from his chair with a determined shove.

“I want updates by the end of the day tomorrow. You know the drill.”