Day Two ( Cont)

The tall, grey-haired man stood alone in the Club Hacienda thinking how much he missed his beloved Russia. Ivan Andonivski had been in Spain for eight years yet still couldn’t get used to the heat. After three days of heavy rain the sun had returned with a vengeance. The town of Marbella was hot. Even with the air conditioning on full power, the heat was still oppressive. He walked over to the deserted bar and poured himself an ice cold beer from the tap. He drank it down slowly hoping that it would give his body some respite from the humidity. It didn’t.

Over the past few years his empire had grown. He now had eight night clubs along the Costa del Sol and was in the middle of “negotiations” to take over another two. He smiled as he thought how weak these local people were. They feared him and the men he called his “family”. They gave him what he wanted. No one refused Ivan.

When he first arrived from Russia it was the English that controlled the area. The clubs, bars, restaurants and the drug trade were all controlled by the old English gangsters. But they were no match for him and his “family”. In Russia he had learnt that you have to be completely ruthless and without mercy. If you want something you take it. If someone stands in your way you get rid of them. Soon people learn that you are in control. Once they realise that, everything becomes easy.

Only one man had decided to make a stand against him. He had a club in Puerto Banus and told Ivan in no uncertain terms that he had no intention of selling. He remembered the man’s words clearly “Take your fucking funny money and go back to that shit hole of a country you call home. This is my town, I control things here.” Two days later the man’s club caught fire. He and his wife were inside. It burnt to the ground. There were no survivors. From then on Ivan got what he wanted.

The local Mayor had become his friend and Ivan contributed generously to his campaign fund. He would often let the Mayor borrow his yacht for meetings and entertaining.

The days of the English gangsters controlling things on the Costa’s were over. The Russians had arrived. It was now their time.

He poured himself another beer and walked to his office at the back of the club. He sat down in his carved wooden chair. A gift from the Mayor for his fiftieth birthday last year.

Something was on his mind. His daughter Bepa had not returned home last night and was not answering her phone. This was not unusual, she was twenty one, and, like her late mother, was an attractive girl with lots of friends. But usually by this time of day she would call him and tell him where she was. She was the apple of his eye. He spoilt her terribly, anything Bepa wanted, Bepa got.

There was another problem. Robbie Jackson, his head doorman at the Club Hacienda, hadn’t shown up for work last night and he too wasn’t answering his phone. Robbie was a good worker and was part of the "family". He was trusted. He had done all kinds of work for Ivan including “persuading” local businessmen to take Ivan on as a partner in their businesses. But he also knew that Bepa had a soft spot for Robbie. He was hoping there was no connection between the two or Robbie would have to be “spoken to.”

He convinced himself that it was just a coincidence. But just to be sure, he had sent Nikor and Leonid, two of his most loyal men to Robbie’s apartment to find out why he hadn’t shown up for work. His phone rang. The display said Bepa. He smiled and answered the call.

“Bepa, where have you been? I have been worried.”

“No sir, it’s Nikor. Bepa is hurt sir; she is on her way to the hospital now. We found her in Robbie Jackson’s apartment, she was unconscious. She is hurt bad sir.”

Ivan let the information sink in. He was not an emotional man but every part of his body wanted to scream. He composed himself.

“And Jackson, where is he?”

“Gone sir, he’s not here.”

“I will meet you at the Hospital. Tell Leonid to find Jackson.”

“Yes sir.”

Ivan’s hands were shaking. Both from emotion and rage. He left the Hacienda and made his way to the hospital.

Bepa was in intensive care when he arrived. The word had gone round the Hospital that Bepa Andonivski had been admitted and she was being given the best care available. The Chief of Staff at the hospital had been briefed and was waiting when Ivan arrived. He led him to a waiting room.

“Mr Andonivski your daughter is having various scans at the moment. Her condition is critical. She has sustained a serious head injury.”

Ivan liked people who spoke directly.

“Thank you. You know who I am and that money is no object. If you think she needs anything, anything at all, just do it. You understand?”

“Yes sir. But for the moment we need to find out if there is any damage to her brain. She has a fractured skull and we have put her in an induced coma. We will know more in the next twenty four hours.”

“Will she live?”

“I believe she will sir, but we need to find out if there is any long term damage.”

Ivan’s eyes began to fill up. He turned away and walked out of the room. Nikor was waiting for him. The two of them stood in a quiet part of the corridor.

“Has Leonid found Jackson yet?”

“No sir, nothing yet.”

“Nikor, you are a close part of this family. I need you to find him. No matter where he is, I want you to find him and bring him to me. I don’t care how long it takes or how much it costs. Find him.”

“Yes sir.”

Ivan went back to the waiting room.