Sidenote: If you just stumbled upon this story, it is advised to read the preceding chapters to get into the plot. Have fun reading!

THE CLEANER – CHAPTER 4

Atlas quickly got back up and pushed the ignition button. The engine sparked ready, and the automatic gearbox immediately locked into gear. He pressed the pedal, and the car gripped on the dirt just before falling off the cliff, spinning it’s tyres and taking off. The black SUV gave chase.

“What the hell is happening!?” asked Kate in panic.

“Must be someone that doesn’t like us. Just-“ He was cut off by a powerful jolt to the side, caused by the SUV ramming them.

“Just don’t talk! We have to get back in our house!” Atlas finished his sentence.

He kept pressing the gas as hard as he could, trying to escape the SUV, but to no availability. It kept staying right behind them, ramming them and trying to make them flip off the road. They finally took the last corner, where the SUV for a reason stopped and turned around. Their house was in eye’s reach. They drove as fast as they could to reach safety, or so they thought.

“What the hell…” said Atlas.

Three identical black helicopters were hovering above the house, with people rappelling down from the sides. Multiple black armoured cars were parked outside, with all security gates broken and lying on the ground.

“We have to go. It’s not safe here. I have a hideout a bit further, near the marina.” Said Atlas, trying to keep calm not only himself, but also Kate.

“I can’t believe what just fucking happened, why were all these people in our house? And what about that black jeep? Why was it trying to ram us?” said Kate with a scared tone.

“I don’t know. I don’t have an idea. Only thing I know is Kapampelis has something to do with this. Now, I got to make a call” answered Atlas.

“Risso, search the database for a guy named Kapampelis. It’s urgent.”

“I can’t, I’m outside right now. Why do you-“

“Search it goddamnit! It is urgent!” said Atlas in a very loud an angry tone.

“Fine! I’m heading to the office now. What happened?”

“I had three helicopters and multiple cars breaking into my house. That’s what happened. I’m almost certain Kapampelis has something to do with this. I think he invited us to his party as a distraction, so his people could get inside.”

“Alright bud. I’ll help you get to the end of this. You just keep safe.”

“I’m trying. Call when you got news” and with this Atlas closed the call.

By the time he closed the phone, he had already reached the hideout. A small, innocent family house by the side of the beach, with a small garden in it’s front.

“We are here. I want you to get in the house, and lock the door again. I’ll come in a moment.” Atlas said to Kate.

Atlas drove off to the backyard, where he got out of the car. He entered a small storage garage, and pulled out a jackhammer. With this, he started beating one of the house’s walls. He pounded, and pounded, until a hole opened. He threw the jackhammer on the ground, and started removing any leftovers with his hands. A steel case uncovered, which he opened with his fingerprints. Inside it, there was a rifle, a handgun, and a few grenades. He grabbed them, and then closed the case, throwing a corrugated steel pane above it to hide it. He went to the car, drove it behind some rocks in the beach, and proceeded to throw a grenade in the seats. Once the car was destroyed, there was no way someone could trace them here. He then got back in the house.

“Kate, give me your phone.”

Once he got hold of it, he threw it to the ground and smashed it. He then proceeded to take out his own, remove the SIM card, and break this one too.

“We are safe here. For now at least. Once we get a call back from Risso, we will get back out. Now we just have to wait.”

It was true. As scared as Kate and Atlas was, there was nothing they could do. They had to wait until they got news. The nights was cold, and the house had no heating. Given it’s age, it was no surprise.”

“Hey, can you turn up the heat? It’s pretty cold in here!” said Kate to Atlas.

“If there was heating, I would. Only thing we can do is cuddle together in bed, under covers. I wish I had invested in some heating, but then I would have to register this house.”

They both got into bed, and they started cuddling. Cuddling turned to kissing, kissing turned to lovemaking. Even though most of the night was spent, they still had a lot left.

—

Morning had hit the coast. Atlas woke up first, by the sound of his new-old phone ringing. He had commissioned an old Nokia for the job, as anything more technologically advance would be traceably.

“Risso! Any news?”

“I’m afraid so. Do you want the bad or the good ones?”

“Say the good ones first. Gotta start the day with positiveness”

“Your house is now empty. Everybody has left.”

“And the bad?”

“Info. Kapampelis, or in full John George Kapampelis. Born July 9th of 1969, son of Michael Kapampelis. He was raised in wealth, in the privately owned lands of the Kapampelis family. His father died in a vendetta against another great family, and so he took the responsibility to avenge his father’s death. Here’s where it get twisted. The other family was the Petrompeis. They were closely associated with drug trafficking and weapon trafficking. When Kapampelis killed Vasilis Petrompeis, his associates turned against him because he stopped their trades. With this, he got into the trafficking, and made even more enemies, but also allies. One of his allies was Godonov. A very close one to be exact. When you killed him in the Skepova fortress, he was there for a deal between him, Petrompeis and Dimitroshkiv. The deal was about cocaine. Exported from Albania to Boulgaria, from there Kapampelis would buy it and distribute it to Greece. But he needed men for this. That’s when Dimitroshkiv comes to play. He would give the men and weapons, Godonov would sell the goods and Petrompeis would buy both. When you killed both of the sellers, and took Petrompei’s money, he got angry. But the reason he is still alive, is his ability to plan. Strategise. He had a plan which he kept for two years. A plan to take revenge on you, and that plan has just started.”

“So that’s why he tried to kill us… But why break into the house?”

“I’m afraid there’s more bad news. He didn’t only break in your house, but also in your bank account in Switzerland. He emptied the account. All of your 420.000.000 is gone. He broke in the house, to get to the account terminal. I’m sorry.”

“Thanks Rossi. I’ll keep in touch.”

“Wait wait, what are you-‘’ He was hanged upon. Atlas closed the phone, and went to Kate.

“Goodmorning darling! Why are you so upset looking? Any news?”

“I’m afraid so. Look, Kapampelis has put a target on us. You have to stay here. I can’t explain now, I have to go.”

“Go? Where? Why now?”

Atlas had already started leaving.

“Explain to me, I was also in that car!” shouted Kate, much to Atlas dismiss, as he had already gotten out of the door.

He got off the house, and got around to the back. He unlocked a garage door with a key, and inside was found a car. Not any car. A Lada Niva, 1979 edition. What’s so special about it? It has no electronics, which means it is not traceable, while also being a very good offroad performing vehicle. Anything like a Land Rover or Hummer would be instantly detected, but not the small Lada. While he was getting in the car, Kate appeared.

“You have to tell me where you are going. I will not let you leave if you don’t!”

“Look, I have to get back at the people that tried to harm us. It is too dangerous. You have to stay here, Rossi will come by and pick you up, get you somewhere safe.”

“I will not let you go anywhere dangerous. Not alone.”

“What do you mean?”

“I will come with you. Either this, or you stay here.”

“You will not-“ He was interrupted by Kate entering the car.

“As I said, it is too dangerous for you.”

“You trained me. It is time to put my skills to use. Plus I wouldn’t want you alone in such times. I wouldn’t stand it if one day Rossi came and said that you got hit.”

“Fine then. Pack some water, it’s a long trip to where we’re going.”

It started. The two of them were on their way, on a long trip, a dangerous trip. A trip she wouldn’t let him do alone, and a trip he wouldn’t stand being alone. They took the highway to the Rodopi mountains.

END OF CHAPTER 4 – THE CLEANER

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