After seeing everything legitimate about the company, Salazar took Dominic to another level, only accessible by a few select people. It was on this level that another drug was being manufactured—methamphetamine. Salazar laughed as he explained to Dominic that the DEA, in their infinite wisdom, placed several new restrictions on the ingredients needed to make meth, thus making it difficult to produce. Supply went down, demand remained steady.
“The government actually tracks when you buy any pseudoephedrine—that’s why it’s sold behind the counter. You can only buy a certain quantity in a specified amount of time,” Salazar explained.
“And pseudoephedrine is used to make meth?” Dominic asked, completely unaware of the basics.
“Yes. Since it’s rather difficult to obtain a decent amount of pseudoephedrine without the DEA noticing, not as many people are making it.”
“Since this is a pharmaceutical company, we can get pseudoephedrine?”
“No, but we can easily get all of the precursors to make pseudoephedrine, and no one will ever know what we’re doing. Everything is made right here—we have the equipment and the know-how,” Salazar smirked.
“But no one here knows what you’re really doing?”
“It’s all being done under various projects, so it all checks out and no one actually knows what’s going on. It couldn’t be easier. Especially now that the demand for meth is so high, our profit has quadrupled over the past five years.”
“Do you sell other drugs besides meth?” Dominic inquired.
Salazar smiled. “Of course, this is just one of the smaller things we have going on. You’ll learn everything in due time. Now, let’s get out of here and head back to the house. I want to get you started on your other training. You’ll enjoy that part.”
When they arrived back at Salazar’s residence, Dominic was still thinking about Austogen. It was mind boggling that the company was producing and selling meth, right there in the U.S., and no one knew! It almost seemed too easy.
They took the elevator down to a level below the garage. When the elevator doors opened, there was an enormous cement arena. There was a firing range, a training ring, gym, and a track for running.
A man in military fatigues came over and Salazar introduced him to Dominic as Gary. “Gary will start working with you on your physical training,” Salazar said.
“That’s right,” Gary said. “I’ll be training you on firearms, hand-to-hand combat, defensive driving, and survival skills. Once you’ve mastered these, we’ll begin phase two.”
Dominic was overwhelmed. He had no idea there would be so much to learn. This was going to be tougher than anything he had encountered before. At least he’d be doing something physical instead of sitting behind a desk all day. He’d pretend he was training to be a spy. Dominic laughed, wondering what his friends were doing right now.
“We’ll start with the easiest—firearms. Have you shot a gun before?” Gary asked.
Dominic shook his head as they walked over to the firing range.
“It’s relatively simple. Here’s a nine millimeter, semi-automatic. Point and shoot. Aim toward the target.”
After putting on ear protection and safety glasses, Gary showed Dominic how to hold the weapon and shoot. Dominic thought it’d be heavier. Gary demonstrated with ease, and then it was Dominic’s turn to try and hit the target.
When Dominic pulled the trigger, he was surprised by the force behind such a small gun. The bullet actually hit the target—not dead center or anything, but it hit the paper. Gary proceeded to show Dominic how to reload the weapon. After a few more rounds, Gary said, “Good. Keep practicing until you’re comfortable. I want you down here every day for two hours working on your aim.” After Gary left, Dominic took a few more practice shots.
“Not bad,” Salazar said with a grin.
“It’s actually fun.”
“Glad you like it. It’s just the beginning. I want to go over a few more things regarding Austogen with you. Let’s head upstairs.”
“I was hoping we could discuss how everything works,” Dominic said, putting the gun away. “Besides Austogen, where do you make the drugs? How do you distribute?” Dominic was beyond curious. His mind couldn’t fathom how everything worked.
As they walked through the house, Salazar said, “You need to understand that the key to staying under the radar is to keep your mouth shut. I’m the only one who knows everything about my business and what’s going on. Everyone else only knows a little piece. Each small piece by itself makes no sense. Always remember that. Never tell anyone more than what they absolutely need to know.”
They entered Salazar’s office and sat on the couch.
“So, what you’re saying is I don’t need to know? Even though I’m taking over, I haven’t earned your trust yet?”
Salazar laughed. “Trust is earned over time. But, I will start to explain the organizational structure. The big players are the Fernando Brothers, the Alejandro Family, and of course the Chavez Cartel. The Fernandos and the Alejandros are both based out of Mexico. These two CPOTs are in constant battle for territory. Most of what you hear in the news about all of the bloodshed in Mexico is between these two CPOTs.”
“CPOT? What’s that?” Dominic asked.
“A CPOT is the DEA’s clever term for an organization that isn’t quite at the cartel level. CPOTs usually move drugs from a cartel into the U.S. for distribution. Nowadays there are really only two cartels—the Chavez Cartel and us. Chavez makes his drugs in Colombia. The drugs are moved to the Fernandos and the Alejandros. The Fernandos move the product into the western portion of the U.S. via Mexico. The Alejandros move their product into the eastern U.S.”
“How do you fit into all of this?” Dominic asked.
“Let’s save that for another day.”
Dominic tried wrapping his mind around all of this information. It was hard for him to realize this was his world. It was so foreign.
“Do you think you’re ready to shoot a gun if need be?” Salazar inquired.
Dominic must have looked confused because Salazar responded, “Just because we’re in the U.S. doesn’t mean that we’re safe. Safer, yes, but never completely safe. I wouldn’t have three men protecting Brianna if it wasn’t necessary.”
“I don’t know,” Dominic said. If he went to Mexico or somewhere in South America, he could see the necessity of carrying a gun. But here, in the States? It’s not like they were in a bad part of town.
“It’s not only about protection,” Salazar said, “but enforcement. I run a very smooth business because I am not afraid to enforce when need be.”
Dominic understood Salazar was talking about brutal force. Dominic didn’t realize that the role of enforcer would fall on his shoulders. Isn’t that what their bodyguards were for?
“As a matter of fact,” Salazar continued, “I have a little problem that needs to be taken care of.” Salazar’s entire demeanor changed. The corners of his mouth turned up, his eyes became wild, and his nostrils flared. It was a side of Salazar that Dominic hadn’t seen before. “This is perfect for your first assignment. Hitting a target, versus hitting a person, are two very different things.”
Dominic knew Salazar was going to ask him to do the unthinkable. But it didn’t make any sense. Salazar told him he would be running a business. He even implied they didn’t do this sort of thing. If they needed to get rid of someone, didn’t they have a department for that?
“After our product is made, it is ready for distribution,” Salazar said. “I have five people who are in charge of mass distribution. However, there is one nightclub in downtown Los Angeles that caters to a select group of people. I’m aware that one of my shipments makes it there on a weekly basis. With that being said, I keep a close eye on everything that goes on, to make sure there aren’t any problems. We discovered a DEA agent infiltrated the nightclub. The agent was taken care of but not the owner. I want you to handle this personally. It will be a good test to see
how you operate in a situation like this.”
“I don’t know,” he confessed.
Salazar raised his eyebrows. “When do you think you’ll be ready?” Dominic didn’t know what to say. He would never be ready to take another person’s life. Salazar continued, “You will be ready once you’ve killed someone. The first time is always the hardest. Once you do it, you’ll realize it’s not a big deal.”
Dominic was dumbfounded. It was astounding to hear Salazar speak like this. “I-I-I thought we had p-p-people for this sort of thing,” he stammered.
“We do. But this is good experience for you.”
Dominic’s cell rang. “Sorry about that, let me shut it off.”
“If it’s important, you can get it.”
“Oh, no. It’s just some friends. We’re going out tonight to celebrate a friend’s birthday.”
“I assume you’ve told your security detail of your plans?”
“Yeah, they know what’s going on.” It was still strange to know he had five men assigned to protect him whenever he left Salazar’s residence. He’d told Salazar it wasn’t necessary, but Salazar insisted.
“Will Brianna be joining you?”
“I didn’t even ask her,” Dominic said. “I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had a chance.”
“Ask her. You two need to develop a relationship with one another. This will never happen unless you start to do things together—as a couple.”
“I know . . . but she seems a little distant lately.” Since Dominic accepted the job, he hadn’t spent any time with Brianna. He had the sinking suspicion she was avoiding him, and that implied a whole lot of things Dominic couldn’t face right now.
“She’s busy with work and could use a night out to unwind,” Salazar said. He stood and went to the side table, pouring himself a glass of brandy. “By the way, have you decided on a date yet?” Dominic scrunched his face in confusion. Salazar clarified, “To propose?”
Dominic shook his head.
“Here,” Salazar opened a desk drawer, producing a black velvet ring box. “This is the ring I gave Brianna’s mother on our wedding day. I want you to give it to Brianna. It’ll mean a lot to her.”
Dominic took the box not knowing what to say.
Salazar continued, “Remember, everyone has to buy this relationship. You have to come across as being strong and connected to this family. It’s vital to keep everyone loyal to us and to prevent a rival from trying to take over our territories.”
“I would love to formally propose to Brianna. I want this marriage to work.”
“Don’t worry. Brianna will always be there for you and she’ll be faithful. You know, she’s been under a lot of pressure. I have something you can give her to help take the edge off.”
“A drug?” What kind of father would drug his daughter?
“Think of it as medicine. All you do is put it into her drink. It will help her relax and stop hiding her feelings for you. She’s afraid to let you know how much she really cares for you.”
“I thought you said we were never to use any of the drugs we make.” Was Salazar testing Dominic or was he serious?
“Yes, but this one is different. It’s like aspirin—harmless.”
“I want Brianna to come out of her shell on her own. I don’t want to force her before she’s ready.” Dominic stood there, clutching the black velvet box.
First Salazar asked him to kill someone and now he was telling him to drug his own daughter. Was Salazar insane? At least the whole killing issue was never resolved. Transporting drugs was one thing, but murdering someone was another. And wouldn’t it be easy to trace? Dominic had no intention of being arrested for something so stupid.
The sound was so loud his entire body pulsed. Shards came raining down. Team leader one glanced up at the target. One hundred percent success. He gave the signal for the special forces team to evacuate the area.
***
Clinging to the side of the boat, team leader two saw all three men on deck. He gave the special forces team the go-ahead. They scaled onto the boat like shadows gliding over a surface. Once onboard, they simultaneously shot each man in the head. Then, like ghosts, they slipped back into the ocean.
***
The glare of the headlights beamed through the midnight fog. Team leader three aimed the rocket launcher toward the oncoming truck. He pulled the trigger. There was a high-pitched hissing sound followed by thunder. The night exploded. Heat coursed through the team leader’s body and wind rippled his clothes.
***
Sitting in his study, Salazar received confirmation from the three team leaders. Each attack occurred simultaneously with one hundred percent success. He relished the opportunity to use his special forces teams.
Last week, three of Salazar’s shipments vanished outside Manzanillo, en route from Colombia to Chula Vista, California. All three shipments were being transported via commercial freight trucks carrying Salazar Apple Juice manufactured at his factory in Colombia.
Fortunately, two of these trucks were actually carrying apple juice, and only one contained Salazar’s special juice. Salazar’s investigators discovered a small rival cartel, the Alejandro Family, had hijacked the trucks and stolen the merchandize. To ensure this never happened again, Salazar unleashed his special forces teams to destroy three shipments from the Alejandro Family as revenge. There was only one attack left.
***
The final Zeta team slipped into position outside the Alejandro Family’s factory in Culiacan, Mexico. The team leader checked his scanner, confirming there were twenty-three men inside loading the plane. One of the men was Rolando Alejandro, third in command. The team leader gave the signal.
Three, two, one . . .
The seven guards surrounding the building were shot, going down without a sound.
Three, two, one . . .
The special forces team rushed to the building’s two main entry points.
Three, two, one . . .
They quietly opened the doors and the team members slipped inside, guns ready. They shot all of Alejandro’s men. Rolando was taken into custody. The entire shipment was confiscated. In less than five minutes, the special forces team headed back to the rendezvous point.
When the team leader arrived at the abandoned airstrip, Randy was waiting to take Rolando. Salazar had given Randy specific instructions regarding terminating and dismantling Rolando’s body.
Dominic and Brianna arrived at the nightclub in a limo. Brianna wasn’t in the mood to party with people she didn’t know, but Dominic was so sweet when he had asked her to come, and Salazar had insisted. She decided to just make the best of it and pray she didn’t run into Matt. After walking around the lower level, they spotted Dominic’s friends at a table upstairs. Dominic pulled her along. He hadn’t said a single word to her since they had left the house.
“Hey, Dom! Glad you could make it.”
Everyone sitting at the table looked roughly the same age as Dominic.
Dominic’s shoulders relaxed and he smiled. “I’d like everyone to meet Brianna. Brianna this is Mark and Olivia, Joe, the birthday boy, and Stephanie, and finally Bret and Maddie.” Dominic’s hands rested possessively on Brianna’s shoulders.
Hellos were exchanged and Dominic and Brianna slid into the booth alongside Stephanie and Joe.
“We were just about to do a round—food’s already on the way,” Mark said.
Stephanie looked at Dominic. “Not to pry, but how are you doing?” she asked. “I’m so sorry about Claire. I know how you felt about her.” Brianna was surprised his friends would bring Claire up in front of her.
Dominic’s body tensed. “I’m doing great,” he replied, his voice sounding strained. “It’s for the best. Besides, I’ve already moved on with Brianna.” Dominic reached for Brianna’s hand. His palms were sweaty. She squeezed back, letting him know she was there for him.
“You two are dating?” Olivia asked, wrinkling her nose.
�
��Yes, we are,” Dominic said. The guys squirmed in their seats, uncomfortable with the conversation.
“Tell us about your job,” Maddie said, trying to shift to a neutral topic. “I ran into your sister the other day. She said they’ve barely seen you lately because you’re always working.”
“I just stared in the accounting department for a small pharmaceutical company. Nothing too exciting,” Dominic replied.
Brianna knew Dominic hadn’t told his family he was working for Salazar. Not only would they disown him if they found out, but he thought it was safer this way.
“You’re lucky you found a job,” Bret said. “I’m still looking.”
When the drinks and food arrived, Brianna tuned everyone out. She felt like the odd one at the table. The guys kept glancing at her with curiosity while the girls ignored her. Brianna didn’t fit in with this close-knit group.
Someone tapped her arm. She turned to find Stephanie staring at her. “How do you and Dom know each other?” Stephanie asked.
Guess the girls were done ignoring her—let the interrogation begin. “Through work,” Brianna replied, trying to sound as friendly as possible.
“You both work at the same company?”
“Actually we don’t. I work for a law firm that represents the pharmaceutical company Dominic works for. Our paths crossed there.”
Stephanie’s eyes narrowed. “How long have you been seeing him?” she asked, crossing her arms.
“Dominic’s friends should be happy for him,” Brianna snapped. “Not judgmental.” Maddie and Olivia were staring at her, wide-eyed. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
“No offense,” Stephanie said, “but I’m a little surprised that Dom moved on so fast after Claire. They dated a long time. He was going to propose.” The corners of her mouth rose.
“I know, he told me all about the break-up,” Brianna said, shrugging her shoulders. She understood what Stephanie was implying: that Dominic and Claire were perfect for one another and somehow Brianna was standing in the way of true love. Well, they couldn’t have been so perfect since Claire dumped him. “You know,” Brianna continued, “Dominic’s moved on because Claire is in the past, and he knows what he wants now.”
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