Right Girl for the Job

Chapter 5

Ordinarily on a Sunday, Javi started the day with a long, lazy run before stopping at a local coffee shop and then hurrying to a free tai chi class in the park but today, she and her coffee were off to work.

It was rare that there would be work on the weekend but there was an order for a brunch and Javi had to make the delivery. Javi honestly didn't mind, she was paid extra for weekends but it still wasn't what she needed for the rent.

Javi had spent most of Saturday thinking about the eviction notice, and of course the encounter with Matteo Peroni. Being a person of a naturally secretive nature she wasn't interested in learning more about him. She meant it when she said she kept her nose out of other people's business but after Friday... She couldn't avoid snooping a bit.

The frustrating part was that she found nothing. Not one thing- other than that he was insanely rich and known to be generous. That was all. This made her more suspicious of him- no one was that perfect, especially someone who made an offer like that.

No- even if it would solve all her economical problems, that job reeked of trouble and she was not willing to be a part of it.

When she made it back to the shop after the delivery, it was not quite noon and so she began to tidy, thinking it was a shame she didn't get her bike back. A long ride would have helped her heavy heart. There was nothing to do, she was going to be evicted.

"184..." Javi was muttering to herself as she was closing the books for the day but the sound of the bell on the door made her look up.

"I'm sorry, we're closed." She said, looking at the man who was inspecting flowers.

"Oh? I'm so sorry. I was looking for something for my girl- we had a huge fight." He said, turning towards her. Javi didn't flinch, she had heard sob stories like this before but she really wasn't interested.

"I'm sorry to hear but my box is shut for the day and I'm afraid I can't open it anymore." She said simply. The man nodded as if accepting this as true.

Still he didn't leave. Instead he just stood there watching her.

"I'm sorry- is there something I can do for you?" She asked looking up again.

"Yeah, we were wondering something." He said. Javi raised a brow.

"We?" She asked, taking a step away from the counter.

"Yeah, we."

Javi didn't move. She had clearly heard the voice that came from behind her. There was someone in the backroom!

"Listen," she said calmly, " there really is no way to open the box once it's shut, it's programmed that way so I can't give you any money."

"That's fine. We aren't looking for money." The man said.

Javi put her hands on the counter, flat where they could be seen and then nodded.

"Okay. So what do you want?" She said, determined not to show fear.

"We want you to tell us about Matteo Peroni."

"I don't know who that is." Javi said without hesitation.

"He's the guy you were seen with the other day." The man behind her said.

"I talk to several men everyday, you'll have to be more specific." She said.

"The one you were speaking with rather angrily Monday night, on the corner of 6th and Barcley." He answered. Javi's face was blank.

"That man who hit my bike?" She said, playing dumb. "Sorry, I don't know much about him."

"Sorry, babe, that's not good enough." He said, taking a step forward.

Javi had never been in a real altercation before but it all happened so fast, she hardly knew it was happening. When the first man leaped towards her, she grabbed the only thing within reach... A stapler.

"Shit." She muttered, pushing the tab with her finger as she picked it up so that it extended when she swung it at his face.

The man was so stunned that he got hit in the face with a stapler, he didn't see her right hook coming.

That sent him stumbling back, surprisingly. Javi moved quickly, ducking as the other man came at her and scooting under him. When he did turn back to face her, she was standing and her foot immediately came across his face... Not once, but twice. Because the space behind the counter was small, Javi did loose her balance and tripped, falling face first on the ground.

The first man then came back around, but Javi pulled herself forward and turned, kicking him hard behind his leg and causing him to fall. Another kick followed, to the back of the head.

Somethings happen so fast and so perfectly, that they would seem like something you dreamt or saw on television, rather than something you actually lived- this was one of those moments. Quickly, Javi jumped up and took off running, while the two large men scrambled behind her.

Javi smiled as she turned the corner- she WAS fast, much faster than those two at least. After a few blocks, she finally slowed down, noticing they weren't behind her anymore. She reached the corner and took a deep breath. How long had she run for? Who in the world were those men?

"What is going on?" She muttered, turning on her heel. Maybe she should call someone... But who?

"Hello."

Javi's eyes widened as the two me appeared in front of her and before she could do or say anything, they'd pulled a black cloth over her head and tossed her in a van.

----

Javi awoke, not much later, to the sound of music played loudly.

Her head was hurting... It was killing her really and for some reason she couldn't immediately understand... She couldn't move.

Then she remembered.

"Oh god." She muttered looking down and seeing that she was tied to a chair. Instinctively, she wiggled around, trying to get loose but it was no good.

After a few minutes, she began to look around the room, searching for the two men who took her. It was a small room, like one that might be used for interrogations. Could it be that she was in police station? No. The music would tell her otherwise and she wouldn't be bound this way.

There was also the matter of a small tray with a wide assortment of medical tools sitting across the room.

"Javiera Garza."

She heard a voice say. She looked around but saw no one, instead there was a speaker.

"Can you hear me?" The voice said.

"Where am I?" She demanded angrily.

"Somewhere no one can hear you scream." The voice replied. Javiera did not move.

"Why?" She asked.

"We have a deal to strike with you." The voice said.

"What?" Was all the Javi could muster to say. She was angry but at the moment, that might now be the best thing.

"We are willing to solve all your problems- all of them if you tell us what you and Matteo Peroni were speaking about on Friday."

Javi was still.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said, her tone flat.

There was some silence now and few seconds later the door opened. There was one of the men who has subdued her and with a smile he moved over to the surgical tray.

"I'll ask one more time- what did you and Matteo Peroni speak about?" The voice said, Javi's eyes were on the man who was now holding a very sharp scalpel.

"If you are so interested, you should speak to him directly." Javi insisted. She was still. She realized that these men were perhaps more dangerous than Matteo and could not be trusted with any information.

"The pinky." Was all the voice said as the man moved towards her quickly. Javi's eyes widened as the man came near her and she began to wiggle frantically.

She felt the pressure on her arm as he held her hand in place and saw then as the scalpel grazed her skin.

"One last chance, will you tell me?" The voice said.

Javi stared at the man. Speak! Speak! Tell him what Matteo told you! A voice in her head was yelling but Javi's face did not change. She did not cry and she did not scream.

"I have nine more fingers, go ahead." She said, surprising herself as the words slid through her lips.

Javi closed her eyes and braced herself, waiting for the pain, sweat dripping down her face... Then, suddenly, the man let her go.

She opened her eyes and watched him cut the rope from one hand before moving back to the surgical table and putting the scalpel down.

"Wait..." She called as he turned to leave the room. "Wait."

Javi quickly began to untie herself and as soon as she could she stood, moving to the door but it was locked.

"Hello?" She called. Silence.

"Hello?" She said once more but there was nothing. The man on the speaker was also gone.

----

Jack stood staring out the window of Matteo's office. He had been summoned home immediately and found that Matteo wanted to see him at the office on Sunday.

It had been a few years since he had been back in the US, coming only when Matteo needed him and so he was tired and certainly not in the best of moods.

Still, he waited patiently, alert as ever.

"Jack." Matteo's voice said from behind him, a giant grin on his face.

"Matteo- it's so good to see you." Jack said, moving towards Matteo and tilting his head forward respectfully before reaching out to shake his hand.

"Sit, sit. It's been so long." Matteo said, going around the desk and sitting down.

"I feel like maybe I should call you boss or sir." Jack said playfully and Matteo laughed.

"No, please. Just Matteo, at least from you. How are you?" Matteo asked. Jack nodded.

"Good- the Mediterranean sun suits me." Jack said.

"So it does." Matteo said, noting his tan.

"How are you? And your family?" Jack asked. Matteo smiled.

"Great- we actually couldn't be better." Matteo said.

"But..." Jack said, knowing he would not be here if there wasn't a but. Matteo smiled and then sighed deeply.

"Are you aware that Sergio left the business?" Matteo said. Jack arched his brow- he was one of the few people who always knew of Sergio.

"I was not. May I ask under what terms?" Jack asked.

"Of his own accord. Which has left me with a dilemma." Matteo said.

"You need a new man." Jack replied.

"I do but I have been taking my time. A choice like this is not to be made lightly." Matteo said.

"I completely agree. But you have someone in mind?" Jack asked. Matteo nodded.

"I do. Someone new." Matteo said. Jack was intrigued, it wasn't often someone new was let in, much less for such an important position.

"Someone new?" Jack asked. "Isn't that rather risky?"

"Things worth having are always a risk." Matteo said. "I read your report, regarding the situation in Sicily- it's disturbing."

"I agree. He's expected to arrive this summer to Monte Carlo, they say for pleasure but we believe it's smuggling." Jack said, recalling what his informant told him.

"If that's the case, I'll want him permanently removed from his post in Sicily." Matteo said.

"Then I will go to Monte Carlo and find out." Jack said, half closing his eye lids. It was a habit that Jack had always carried- a look almost of boredom.

"Precisely. I suppose you know I would not have called you all the way here just for that." Matteo said.

"I'm aware. It's your new man, isn't it? You'll want me to take him?" Jack said. Matteo smiled.

"I love how you can read my mind. Come on." He said, rising and signaling for him to follow.

"My man will need training before you go." Matteo said.

"How much?" Jack asked.

"Some combat but mainly shooting." Matteo said.

"Shooting? God! He can't shoot?!" Jack asked.

"We don't know. Has never tried." Matteo said as they reached the end of the corridor and he opened a door for him.

"I need you to keep an eye out. I'm relying on you to ensure my man is... Up to snuff." Matteo said as the approached a large mirror.

"You know you can count on me." Jack said.

"I know." Matteo said, flipping a switch.

"That's your man?" Jack said, catching a glimpse of a woman sitting in a chair. She seemed very calm and slightly annoyed.

"Yes." Matteo said.

"That's not a man. We've never... A woman?" Jack asked, completely shocked. They'd never let a woman in the business before.

"Yes. I can see that, but you know, that may be out greatest advantage with her." Matteo said, staring at Javi as she waited with a strangely eery patience.