Luis Caddel knew that he was being tracked, but the damage had already been done because his men were brainless enough to give Nikolai an upper hand.
For the first time since he made an appearance at the burnt-down church, he left Haines.
The location of the headquarters was only a few cities away, one that took him a short flight. It was what made the existence of Haines such an eyesore.
The cities around it were old and rich with culture, run by Alpha bloodlines that dated back to when Packs still existed.
Luis was completely unpeturbed, despite the huge red and white bull-eye stuck on his back. He had lived all his life as a hitman, dangerous situations were just like sleeping for him.
Choosing to work for the High Council had been another dangerous decision, one that garnered him more enemies than he already had.
But it didn’t matter. The High Council had been around for several centuries, and he had their backing, cutting down his enemies had been as easy as squashing ants.
For hitmen, they were rather sentimental. Haines was hardly a home to anyone, it chewed up and spat out those who didn’t have the means to survive in its dangerous conditions.
He couldn’t care less about what became of Haines after the High Council was done with it. He would cut down the young and prideful Mafia King who believed he could go against the High Council alone and win, and take back what belonged to him.
Angelo running away had been surprising, he had been just as spineless as his worthless mother, he didn’t think he had it in him.
There was already an audience waiting for him when he got to the sprawling estate that held the headquarters of the High Council, easily obtaining access to go into the heavily fortified building.
"Take a seat, Caddel," Alpha Eaton gestured, lacing long fingers together as he sat behind his desk.
The Head of the High Council was a powerhouse, the position of the Head had been in his family for almost as long as the Council had existed. One of the singular most powerful houses in the world.
They had chosen to give up the cities they ruled to take control of the High Council, and their rule was absolute. Nothing could be done, and no decision could be made without Alpha Eaton’s approval.
He took a seat, pride trickling down his spine at the preferential treatment from such a powerful Alpha. It wasn’t just the two of them in the room, there was another Alpha.
Alpha Shaun, a part of the High Council and the Alpha of a pretty large city. He was Alpha Eaton’s confidant, so his presence was expected.
Not everyone on the council was onboard with the takeover of Haines, and it was the major reason why the city still held its independence. So this was a private meeting instead of a general one.
"I received your fax," Eaton spoke measuredly, in the manner of one who had been born into power. "You made an avoidable mistake."
"The other two Mafias have started getting antsy," Luis calmly defended, his confidence an endless ocean. "We need to move on to the next step of the plan."
He had worked as an executioner for Alpha Eaton for close to a decade, their relationship was one built on mutual trust, and he could also say, mutual respect.
Eaton’s dark hair had long become a silver gray, his pale blue eyes almost seemed kind at first glance, it was disarming. "They have," He agreed, "Go ahead with your plans. Don’t fail."
Alpha Shaun said nothing the entire time, his presence serving as more of a witness and nothing more, his dark, shrewd eyes giving nothing away.
"I never have, and I don’t plan to now." Luis rose to his feet, his measured expression concealing the liquid excitement he was filled with.
If he managed to be the tool to claim Haines for the High Council, he would become indispensable. He wasn’t greedy for power or position, he was only good for one thing anyway... killing.
Alpha Eaton’s brow lifted slightly, for a weathered hitman, Caddel tended to underestimate his opponents. "Return when you’ve succeeded." He dismissed, making a shooing hand gesture like he was chasing off a bug.
Luis strode out the door like he was primed to take down the entire world if Alpha Eaton just said the word.
"Your propensity for making loyal dogs is admirable, Eaton." Shaun spoke for the first time, his was was low and rich, like aged wine.
"Hardly, I just found a dog and tamed it." He said dismissively, "Dress it up, take it out of its hovel, but a dog remains a dog."
"What if the dog actually succeeds despite the odds?" Shaun smiled, pouring himself a drink from a decanter.
Eaton knew that the other knew the answer, but he just wanted to hear him say it. "There are no odds. A dog can not defeat a hellhound."
Unaware of the conversation that was had after his departure, Luis Caddel strode with purpose out of the High Council grounds. The day was already drawing to an end, but there was no time to waste.
He needed to strike while the iron was hot. The other Mafia Kings were useful as the perfect excuse for the mistakes of the worthless men he kept around him, but they were also a threat to him.
He would cut down Nikolai before the others could recoup and make a move. This was more than Nikolai, it was more than Haines, more than Angelo. He wouldn’t care much if the latter got caught up in the battle, that would be all his fault for being weak.
He drove right to the airport to take a return trip to Haines. The next day was the start of the new week, an auspicious day to make his move.
He would get back to Haines by sundown, and spend the night perfecting his plans. Nikolai tailing him didn’t matter because he planned to go right to the Mafia King like he wanted.