Nandi didn’t appear to need hints if his knowing grin was any indication. “You heard me, but your mind is elsewhere. Dare I guess?”
“We’re looking for headlights, you say?”
Nandi chuckled. He and Liam had set out before daybreak to start the run for Carlo DiCenzo. Their partners, Tonelo Aliri, Marco Lucci and Beniton Calabrese rode the back of the truck. It was a somewhat uncomfortable fit in light of the fabric filling the flatbed, not to mention the four ominous looking trunks to one side.
“When you said a heavier load, you were right,” Liam teased. “I’m surprised the ground hasn’t swallowed us yet.”
“Ah, the Bambina is just fine and don’t you change the subject.”
“What subject?” Liam looked past the grimy passenger window.
Nandi chuckled. “A certain violet-eyed voluptuary.”
Liam looked to his friend. “You seem to know a lot about her. Is there something else you should tell me? I’d hate to think I’m stepping on your toes by caring for a woman you’ve chosen for your own.”
“No, no paesan. That is not the case!” Nandi put his hand over his heart. “I am but an admirer- a distant admirer. A man would have to be quite daring and somewhat insane to tangle with that.”
“I see, because of her father?” Liam guessed.
“Her father. Her brothers to be sure, but more than that, the girl herself.”
The last got Liam’s full attention. It showed on his face and summoned a curious frown from Nandi.
“It is strange you’ve never heard of her, no? But well...you’ve never ventured too far outside of town. Do you think you will ever join the rest of your adventurous family?”
Liam grinned, shook his head. “When I have good enough reason,” he said.
Nandi’s chuckling silenced abruptly and he straightened on the long front seat. “Here we go,” he knocked on the small, rectangular window behind the seat. “Look alive, paesanos!”
Liam angled his head to peer out through the windshield. It was still quite dark outside, but still darker than normal for that time of morning. Towering trees provided heavy cover along the stretch of wooded road they traveled. Suddenly, they were set upon by two trucks.
“American...” Nandi breathed in reference to the top of the line 1931 Ford Model A Pickup and Ford AA ½ ton flatbed.
Liam heard his friend’s awed reaction, but had no time to indulge in humor over his bewitched state. Three men jumped from each truck cab and at least four or five from the flatbeds. In the dim light, Liam couldn’t gauge a precise number, but the guns slung to their backs, shoulders and hips were plain to see.
Some of the childlike wonderment over the trucks, left Nandi’s gaze. “Told you I had a bad feeling about this.”
Liam recalled his promise to Athena. It was one he was about to break. “We can’t turn back now, so...” he said.
“So...” Nandi echoed the sentiment.
“Carlo DiCenzo!” One of the men called from his place near the Ford model.
“We carry DiCenzo’s fabric in the back of the truck!” Liam said.
The man who had given DiCenzo’s name, motioned to one of the others joining him. That man headed to Nandi’s flatbed where he poked a stick into the bundled of fabric. He used the same stick to knock at the trunks.
“The trunks are from DiCenzo,” Liam reported.
Nods traded among the group of armed men. A few approached the flatbed. They were pulling one of the trunks toward the tailgate when the rapid ticking of gunfire emerged in the distance.
“Bandits!” Someone yelled.
The call prefaced a more intense barrage of shots.
“Everybody down!” Liam ordered his partners and they all took cover on the other side of Nandi’s truck.
“Ric!” Liam called as he and his oldest friend cowered near the truck’s front bumper.
“Yeah,” Nandi’s voice was a shudder. His eyes were wide, absorbing the scene as his hands trembled over his ears.
Liam grinned. “Next time you have a bad feeling, I’ll damn well pay attention.”
~11~
Liam and his partners used the cover of the truck for long moments before they were discovered. The gun battle still raged, sending tree leaves and dirt flying all around.
“Li!”
Nandi’s fierce whisper brought Liam’s gaze to his friend’s. Nandi wasn’t looking his way though. Liam followed the man’s terrified expression to the underside of the truck where boots were visible. Those boots belonged to none of their other friends as they all cowered on the same side of the vehicle.
“Eh? Paesanos?! You know guns?!”
Liam and Nandi traded looks, then looked to the man hovering over them.
“You speak English!” Liam noted.
The man revealed a gap-toothed grin and bent over ever so often to keep out of range of the gun fire. “Comes in handy in the army!” He called over the shots.
