Crusade For Vengeance (Dark Vengeance Book 2) by Adrian D Roberts

has the experience and know-how.  Judge will be able to follow a well thought through plan easily enough, but he’s not up to setting up a Job.”
    Sneaker rubbed his jaw and shook his head.  “I’m pulling back on the Jobs.  We’ve got a good enough income coming in from Protection, the casino and other revenue streams and I just won’t have the time.  On top of that, we don’t have a Hacker to step into Hanna’s shoes.  There’s only so much I can do on my own.”
    “You’re thinking of holding what we’ve got?”
    “Pretty much, and there are some neighbouring gangs who are struggling.  With our reputation, we could fold them into our own slowly and with them, we wouldn’t need the Heists.”
    “OK.  I can see how that would make sense,” Valerie nodded.  “Make Troll Judge’s number two then.  Give her some sort of title like Sergeant and put her in charge of discipline.”
    “Troll?  Really?”  Sneaker laughed.  “She’s the biggest pain in the ass we have and the only one, other than Hannah, who would dare to interrupt your briefings.”
    “And that’s exactly why she would be perfect.  Everyone is afraid of me, including Troll.  I know it and I make no excuse for the reasons, but she still dared to challenge me.  She has a good reputation, an Enforcer who gets the job done.  She’ll always have Barney there to back her up and if necessary cool her down.  The two of them have actually taken very well to my training.  They were good before and realised I could offer them more.  Troll would be perfect to keep it going.”
    Holding up his hands, Sneaker smiled.  “Alright, you’ve convinced me.  I presume you think this all should come from me?”
    “You need to make the chain of command clear.  If I set it up, their authority will always be derived from me, and it needs to come from you.  You’re the Boss after all.  Once you’ve spoken to them, I’ll help them get settled into their new roles with whatever time I have left.”
    Rolling his eyes, he shook his head.  “Why do I get the feeling I’ve just been railroaded?”
    “Not at all,” She shook her head and smiled.  “You’ve just done what every good leader has done since the beginning of time.”
    “And what’s that?”
    “Listened carefully to a subordinate, who is vastly more experienced in certain areas than yourself, and acted on those recommendations.”
    “Ah.  That’ll be it.  I’ll call Judge and Troll later.  They’ll know what’s going on by end of play tomorrow.”
    “Good.  I’ve got some more drills for the girls so I’ll be off.”  She stood and turned to leave before pausing.  “Sneaker?”
    “Yes?”
    “I just wanted to say thank you.”
    He frowned in confusion.  “What for?”
    “For getting me out of the bar last year.”
    “It was Hanna,” Sneaker said shaking his head.  “She brought you into the Crew, not me.  I just didn’t say no.”
    “Not then.  If you didn’t come to me and convince me to help you save Hanna, I’d still be there.”
    Neither said anything for a moment, there was an elephant in the room, if Sneaker hadn’t been able to convince Valerie, Hanna would be dead.  That would have in all probability meant Sneaker himself, along with the rest of the Crew, would have died in the rescue attempt.
    “You’re welcome, Valerie, and know you will always have a place here.”
    She nodded and left.  The admission was a difficult one, but something she needed to say.  She owed it to Sneaker and more.
    Satisfied she had paid at least some of her dues, Valerie made her way through the casino and over to the lifts.  Unlike just about every other building within Inferno’s Ghetto, these were actually working.  Sneaker was in the process of refurbishing the entire building from the basement up.  One of the first things he did was fix the lifts.
    “Afternoon, Guv.”  The Enforcer on duty at the bank of lifts greeted her.
    “All quiet,