John Wick - Chapter 64: Pre-Mission Preparations and the Bulletproof Suit (Patreon)

Nate and Winston released each other’s hands.

After actually calling him “Win,” Nate felt goosebumps rise all over his body.

It was way too familiar.

Still, Winston had been the one to suggest it, so what else was Nate supposed to call him?

Win it was, then.

Nate didn’t have the energy to think about it anymore.

Ding.

Winston’s phone chimed.

He picked it up, glanced at the screen, then walked toward the center of the training area.

“That’s enough training for now, everyone. We need to discuss something.”

The amusement from earlier had disappeared from his voice.

Winston walked over to the table with a serious expression and placed his phone flat on the surface, screen facing up.

“We can discuss overthrowing the High Table later. Before they realize what we’re doing, we need to build up enough strength.”

“For now, our first priority is getting our hands on the dirt Viggo has. Ideally, we lure him out of Minsk and deal with him there.”

The email from Intelligence was brief.

Winston scrolled through it, then looked up at everyone.

“Besides his main base, Viggo regularly visits four places in New York.”

He turned the phone toward them.

A map of New York filled the screen, with four red dots scattered across different areas.

“First, Holy Trinity Church in Little Russia.”

Winston tapped the point in Brooklyn.

“He goes there often. At least once a week.”

“Second, a private dock on Long Island. Viggo keeps a cargo ship there. Officially, it’s used for import and export business. I don’t need to explain what it’s actually for.”

“He visits it about as often as the church.”

“Third, an apartment building in Midtown Manhattan. He owns the entire seventeenth floor through a shell company.”

“He always brings very few people with him, and there’s no fixed pattern to how long he stays.”

“Fourth, a teahouse in Flushing, Queens. On the surface, it’s a legitimate business, but roughly a third of the stores on that street are registered under companies connected to Viggo.”

Winston took his phone back and looked around the group.

“All four locations need to be investigated.”

“I’ll arrange people for the dock and the apartment. Those two locations require more manpower, and my people are already in position nearby, so you don’t need to worry about them.”

“That leaves the church and the teahouse.”

“We’ll need four people to stake them out.”

Marcus spoke first.

He had been leaning against the bar the entire time.

“I’ll take the teahouse.”

John glanced at him.

Marcus shrugged.

“I know Flushing. I could walk those alleys with my eyes closed.”

“I could handle it alone, honestly. The teahouse is crowded, with too many people watching. Going alone would actually make things easier.”

“Can you take one more person?” Winston asked.

Marcus thought about it for a moment.

“Sure.”

Winston nodded.

“Then Marcus and Elena will take the teahouse.”

He made a note on his phone.

“Why me?”

Elena immediately protested.

Marcus smiled but said nothing.

Winston gave her a mildly reproachful look.

“To build some teamwork.”

Then he continued, “I don’t trust you going with Nate. He’s still a rookie.”

“And I trust you with John even less. Would you two actually be there to do the job? Would the mission even get done?”

Elena had no comeback.

She turned away and refused to look at Winston.

John and Nate exchanged a glance.

“John?”

John nodded.

“Good. Then John and I will take the church.”

Elena’s expression immediately changed.

She looked at John.

Then at Nate.

The jealousy in her eyes was impossible to hide.

She was definitely jealous.

“What?” Winston asked.

“Nothing.”

Elena looked away, her voice noticeably sharper than before.

“We don’t know anything about the situation at the church. Are two people really enough?”

“Yes,” John said.

One word.

Elena’s lips moved, but in the end, she said nothing.

She turned around and snatched her phone off the bar with enough force to make it seem as though the phone had personally offended her.

Marcus lit a cigarette beside her.

Smoke drifted lazily from his nose.

He said nothing, but the amusement in his eyes was carefully hidden.

Winston and Marcus watched Elena’s back and exchanged a knowing smile.

Winston clapped his hands.

“Then it’s settled.”

“It’s 8:40 a.m.”

“Everyone needs to reach their assigned positions in advance. Once you’re in place, my people will investigate the dock and apartment first.”

“We need to give Viggo enough time to react.”

“If we guessed correctly, great.”

“If not, my informant near Minsk will tell me what Viggo does. If he moves, you need to be ready.”

“Stay in constant contact.”

“Get into position early and wait for my signal before making a move.”

“Any questions?”

Henry, who had been standing nearby smoking in silence, finally spoke.

“John and Nate will need disguises before they leave. That’ll take a little time.”

“All right.”

Henry nodded.

“Won’t take long.”

Joe would stay at the hotel for now.

This kind of work simply wasn’t suited to him.

Joe didn’t object. He just nodded.

Everyone dispersed.

...

Inside Henry’s room, John and Nate had already finished their disguises.

Nate checked the time.

It still wasn’t nine o’clock.

He and John looked at each other’s unfamiliar faces.

They both looked like completely different people.

It would take a little getting used to.

“Go get your gear ready,” John said. “Meet me in the lobby in half an hour.”

“Be careful,” Henry reminded them.

Nate nodded.

...

Back in Room 307, Nate took off his jacket and loaded throwing knives into the rig strapped around his left arm.

He flexed his fingers a few times, checking whether the release rings sat comfortably within reach.

There was a knock at the door.

Nate opened it.

A hotel attendant stood outside holding a box.

“Mr. Nate Lin?”

“That’s me.”

“Your custom suit is finished. The tailor asked me to deliver it.”

“Oh. Right. Thanks.”

Nate had almost forgotten about it.

Had it really only been two days?

It felt much longer.

He returned to his room and placed the flat black box on the bed.

Inside was a deep black suit.

The tailoring was sharp and clean, and the fabric carried a faint sheen beneath the light.

A black dress shirt was folded beside it, made from crisp material with dense, precise stitching.

Nate stripped off his clothes and put on the shirt first.

He ran his fingers across the fabric.

There was a very thin protective layer hidden inside.

He buttoned the shirt from the bottom up, one button at a time, his fingers steady.

Once it was on, he checked himself in the mirror.

The shoulder seams ended exactly where they should, and the waist was neatly fitted without being too tight or too loose.

Next came the trousers and belt.

Nate sat on the edge of the bed and pulled on his socks and dress shoes.

Finally, the jacket.

He shook it out, slipped his right arm into the sleeve first, then caught the collar with his left hand and pulled it into place.

He settled his shoulders.

The jacket fell perfectly around him.

Nate looked at himself in the mirror again.

He recognized the person staring back at him.

But somehow, he also looked different.

The open collar revealed a long, slender neck, while the tailored shoulders made his entire frame appear broader.

The jacket tapered cleanly at the waist.

The trousers fell in straight lines before narrowing slightly around the ankles.

His leather shoes were polished spotless.

Nate fastened a holster to his belt and concealed it beneath the jacket.

With one button closed, there was no visible sign that he was carrying anything.

He tried fitting the P30L into the holster.

It didn’t fit.

He would have to remember to ask John for the right holster when he had the chance.

Fine.

The P30L could stay in the Loadout for now.

Nate removed the useless holster from his belt and stored it in his system Backpack.

He turned halfway around in front of the mirror.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

Not bad.

Pretty damn good, actually.

Clothes really did make the man.

The reflection showed a tall, lean figure. The tailor-made black suit made his pale blue eyes stand out even more.

And Nate wasn’t bad-looking to begin with.

Dressed like this, he looked almost like a gentleman straight out of a movie.

He opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

...

The elevator descended to the lobby.

When the doors opened, light flooded inside.

John stood in the middle of the lobby.

He was still wearing his black suit and white shirt, with the top button undone.

He looked like a blade resting quietly inside its sheath.

At the sound of the elevator, John turned.

His eyes lingered on Nate for two seconds, a hint of surprise in them.

The first second was spent examining him from head to toe.

During the second, the corner of John’s mouth lifted into a faint smile.

“That suit looks good on you.”

“Thank you, Mr. Wick.”

Nate gave him a slight, gentlemanly nod, imitating something he had seen in the movies.

It actually worked surprisingly well.

Even his tone came out a little more refined than usual.

John turned and headed for the entrance.

Nate followed behind him.

So then...

“You ready, John?”

“Yeah.”