Aboard the Launch

Eagle Creek motioned for Jimmy to take a seat and handed him a bear skin. "The air is cooler than normal this year."

Jimmy wrapped himself in the bear skin pulling it close to his face shielding him from the salt water mist rising from the boat. His jacket and jeans were unable to protect him from the elements on the water.

"Adia is not only our legal expert." Eagle Creek continued to explain who Adia was to the Haida people. "She will be our future leader. For this we are all in your debt."

Jimmy reached up and patted Eagle Creek on his arm. Imagine that, Jimmy old boy, you finally did something right.

The fifty year old had little time to digest the past few months. His life is vastly different than a year ago living on Crown Royal and self pity. Windy, the only bright spot in the last fifteen years, guided him through those difficult years.

Jimmy's mind began to wander into an abyss. Jordan's smile proved to be like torture for the man knowing he is likely going to his death. I never got the time to really get to know her. It's not about you, dumbass. It's about her future. You've had your kick at the can, big guy.

The waters of the Burrard Inlet began getting choppy shaking Jimmy from his thoughts. He stood and approached Eagle Creek. "How much longer?"

"Another ten minutes." Eagle Creek pointed to a flickering light on the other side of the inlet. "We will be met by my cousin."

"Will he give me a ride to the mansion?" Jimmy looked at his new friend.

"He will give us a ride to the mansion. The Fortunes are not to be trusted." Eagle Creek spoke with anger. "There were nine native women in the warehouse."

"How did you know the Fortunes were behind the human trafficking?"

"We have known for years but our words have been smothered." Eagle Creek's accusations were accurate. "Adia doesn't like it but I have a score to settle on this night as well."

"I need to go in alone, Eagle Creek."

"You will."

"We will drop you off a few blocks from the mansion twenty minutes to nine." Eagle Creek continued with his plan. "We will enter the mansion on the south side."

Kilterage and Windy

The power boat with Windy and Kilterage aboard sped across the inlet. Windy stood next to the owner and scanned the waters for the boat Jimmy was being ferried across in.

"Do you have binoculars?" Windy asked the owner of the boat.

He reached under the dashboard, pulled his bushnell brand binoculars, and handed them to Windy. He pointed to the North Vancouver marina. "That's where they are headed."

"Thanks." Windy raised the binoculars to the general area. "Where are you, Jimmy?"

Kilterage approached Windy. "Anything?"

"No. I can't see them."

"What are you going to do when you get to the mansion, Windy?" The young officer caught in the sticky web asked.

Windy pulled the binoculars down. "Well, I know the Fortunes will not just let Dana and her family go when Jimmy gets there."

"How do you know that?"

Windy stared at Kilterage. "You are either naive or you believe their rhetoric. The Fortunes have no redeeming qualities."

"You are as crazy as Mr. Carrick." Kilterage fought Windy's mindset. "Mr. Carrick admitted he was responsible for putting Joey and Johnny in the hospital."

"If Jimmy put them in the hospital he could have killed them." Windy defended her man. "I sense something has changed in you, Officer."

"What do you mean?"

"As if you're defending the Fortunes." Windy pressed Kilterage. "The warehouse had Fortunes written all over it. Jimmy and I were taken by Joey and Johnny."

"The Gorgenov sisters were behind it."

"The Fortunes work with the Gorgenov sisters. It is as obvious as dirty cops protecting the Fortunes." Windy stared at Kilterage.

"You think I'm a dirty cop?!" Kilterage reacted.

"You kept it well hidden for a long time." Windy pulled her attention from Kilterage and searched the shoreline that was quickly coming into focus without the binoculars.

Kilterage tapped Windy's arm before pointing to three men racing away from the boat. "There!"

"That's Jimmy!" Windy watched one of the men run with a hitch. "He has a bad knee. That's him!" She turned to the owner of the boat. "Dock right behind that other launch, okay?"

"Got it." He looked back at Kilterage. "How am I going to be reimbursed?"

Windy dug into her jeans for all the cash she had. She counted it before jamming the wad into his hand. "Six hundred and forty dollars."

"I don't need that much!"

"Keep it, you may have just saved some lives tonight!" Windy watched as he pulled up to the dock on the West Vancouver side of the Burrard Inlet. She leaped when she felt she could make the dock from the boat.

"You're crazy lady!"

The words did not faze Windy as she took off racing towards Marine Drive in search of Jimmy.

Fortune Mansion

Jimmy stood at the gates to the Fortune mansion trying to visualize how this whole thing would shake down. Be firm Jimmy. Make sure every one gets out before you give in to those bastards.

Jimmy was a little unorthodox when talking to God. Let's just say he is a little informal. Hey God, if you are listening this is one of those times I could really use your help, big guy.

He pressed the call button. "Hey, I'm here."

Fortune's guard, Chili looked out of the shed. "Better let Senior know someone's here, Stevie." Chili took a second look and approached Jimmy. "Fuck me, it's Jack! Stevie, it's Jack Legend!"

"Senior's gonna be pissed." Stevie picked up the phone in the shed. "Jack Legend is here, Sir." The guard held the receiver away from his ear when Robert Senior began cursing. "Yes Sir. Right away, Sir!"

"Well well well, if it isn't Jack Legend himself." The smug guard, Chili razzed Jimmy. "I guess Senior wants an encore performance." He began to laugh as Stevie arrived.

"Jack, the boss is fucking fuming you are here!"

Jimmy simply shook his head. "I guess he thought closing the bridges and docking the ferries would keep me away."

"Did you hear anything about that, Chili?"

"You two really don't know what's going down tonight, do you?" Jimmy looked at the two guards.

"Senior doesn't tell us much." Chili shrugged.

"Anyone unusual show up today?" Jimmy wondered if the two dim witted guards would volunteer some information.

Chili happily obliged. "The usual. A visit from the mayor's office, Joey, Johnny, and Junior."

"Don't forget the hot Russian chicks." Stevie's eyes opened wide as his excitement grew just talking about Lana and Annika.

"Every one in there for a dinner party or something?" Jimmy made light of situation.

"The mayor's guy left but every one else is here." Chili again openly offered information to Jimmy.

Windy and Officer Kilterage

"Windy, I will call for a cruiser."

"No! I will go on my own." Windy separated herself from the officer and flagged down a taxi.

"I can help!" Kilterage's offer fell upon deaf ears as Windy quickly slammed the door of the taxi.

"Damn it, Windy!" Kilterage pulled her cell phone out and called her boss.

Santos' phone rang as he finally got the blood to stop seeping from the stratches on his face. "Kilterage! Any good news for me?"

"No Sir. Mr. Carrick and Miss South are in West Vancouver as we speak."

"For christ's sake!" Santos started to panic. "Fuck me!"

"I am going to the mansion, Sir."

"I could care less right about now, Kilterage." Santos ended the call and threw his phone on the passenger's seat. "Fucking Fortunes! I hate those bastards for ruining my career!"

Fortune Mansion

Robert Senior stood from behind his fifty thousand dollar antique desk. Straightened his expensive suit before addressing Jimmy. "Mr. Carrick." He cleared his throat. "Welcome."

"You seem surprised to see me, Senior." Jimmy sat on a visitor's chair while Senior made his way to his behind the desk. "I guess Santos was too late.

Jimmy explained. "He shut down the bridges to keep me away. But I suspect you were behind that and the ferries."

"Just how did you make it across the inlet?" Senior asked. "Someone is always to blame."

Jimmy wanted to get the exchange over with. "Why don't we get down to the real business at hand. You wanted me. I am here. Your turn to do your part, Senior."

The two men locked eyes, neither backing down from the other. Years of mutual hate came down to this moment in time. Without looking, Senior tapped intercom button on his office phone. "Bring her in."

"Everyone." Jimmy spoke with strength.

"Okay, have it your way." Senior pressed the same button. "Bring them all."

"Be a man of your word, Fortune. I made it here before nine."

"I still hold all the cards, Mr. Carrick." Senior reminded Jimmy.

"You hold many cards. Not all."

"I have everyone here. You, your ex, her entire family, and...the daughter you donated your kidney." Senior rose from his chair to answer the knock at his door. "I'd say all the cards."

When Senior opened the side door to his office he was met by a kick to his balls by an agitated Black woman. "I bet you weren't expecting that, you bastard!"

Senior laid on his hardwood floor wailing and trying to comfort his throbbing plums. Windy did not let him let him lay there. She dragged him across the office as if he were a piece of meat, pulling him up onto the visitor chair where Jimmy had once sat. She didn't speak to the mob boss, her actions spoke volumes.

"Junior will be here any second, Win." Jimmy rifled through the Senior's desk drawers. "You have to have a gun in here somewhere."

Windy looked to Jimmy. "No guns, Babe."

"But, Win!"

"No. Guns!"

The main door to Senior's office opened with Mama first to enter drawing Jimmy from the desk. "Mama!"

"Jimmy!" Mama rushed to meet him.

"Jimmy fucking Carrick!" Joey shook his head. "You made it."

Windy pulled Senior to his feet and grabbed his eight inch letter opener, pressing it to his throat. "Step right in boys!"

Dana and Brad were pushed forward by Robert Junior while Johnny, hobbled by his broken ankle, fought with Jordan but managed to get her in the office.

Johnny eyed Jimmy. "Carrick, you fucking Bastard!"

"Shut the fucking door, Johnny you moron!" Jimmy guided Jordan and her parents behind Senior's desk separating the ones he loved from the Fortune brothers.

Windy spoke with an urgency in her voice. "You boys lay your guns on your father's desk one by one."

Jimmy never heard Windy's voice filled with anxiety. It was then he knew this was life and death for everyone inside Senior's office.