Chapter Five
The SUV was black, new and shiny. The driver had half-mounted the curb near the North end of the block, and the side door had been thrown open. A cluster of men gathered around the gaping door and trunk. My vantage point wasn’t ideal, but I could see enough.
Enough to know we were in serious trouble.
The men were of a similar stature. Bulky, thick-necked sorts with serious haircuts and scowls that could splinter glass. They seemed to be working on instinct, no words were spoken as they scrolled through a procedure that looked smooth and well-practiced. They were dressed in a mixture of drab gray and brown tactical clothing. Two of them pulled on chest rigs—bulletproof vests. Another two—the pair already wearing vests—dragged some serious-looking hardware from the trunk. Bla
