Embaixador

by Marcus John Beltran

  When I grabbed my cell to call the police, I saw something. What the? I thought as I noticed a car coming up fast behind me. “Oh shit! Oh no! It’s them!” I said. It was a car full of the Mirtazas.

  I stepped on it, dodging and weaving through the winding dirt road, trying to lose them as they kept up right behind me. If I could just make it to the main road I could shake them. I hit the main road and accelerated to ninety, 110, and up to 120, passing other cars as if they were standing still. “You kidding me? Shit!” I yelled when I saw the car chasing me was still not far behind.

  I looked down and noticed my gas gauge was nearly empty.

  Just make it to a crowded area, and I will be okay, I thought. And then I heard my back-driver’s side tire go flat and lost control of the car.

  I slowed as pieces of my tire began to shred apart, flying everywhere. Sparks shot from the now tireless rim as I noticed they were right on top of me, now. I had no choice, I had to pull over.

  I pulled over to an abandoned gas station with not a soul in sight, other than a few passing cars. I tried to flag down anyone for help, but the cars continued down the road. I put the car in park, and there I sat as I watched the car full of people pull up behind me.

  There was nothing I could do. I looked in my mirror and saw Joxel and Zitaya get out of black SUV and walked up to my car door. “Caleb, why are you running from us? What the hell is wrong with you?” Zitaya asked. “Dain has something else very important to tell you about that guy Jr., and it’s not good. Jr. found out you were talking and stuff, and now Jr. is trying to kill you. He’s fucking nuts!”

  I couldn’t believe my ears. Joxel said, “We tried to catch you before you left, and thought something was wrong when you took off like that. Were glad you’re safe. C’mon, hop in. Let’s head back so Dain can fill you in. We will come back after for your car and then escort you home to your family.”

  You know that certain look people give when they spout out nothing but pure bullshit? Yeah, it’s that exact look Joxel gave me then. They know I was eavesdropping, back there. They knew what I saw.

  But what choice did I have? They wouldn’t let me just walk away. I had to wait for a better spot to get out.

  “I see. No, I’m okay, sorry about that. I was just a little scared. I didn’t recognize you guys.”

  Zitaya opened my car door and motioned me to the other car.

  With a very uneasy feeling, I stepped out of the car. Joxel said, “Yeah you’ve been on edge the last few days. It’s all cool, though. You had been through a lot. Just take it easy. I’m just glad you’re okay.” He put his arm around my shoulders and led me to the other car. I looked at Zitaya and back at Joxel, and at the others in the car. All of them had this awkward smirk on their faces. I opened the passenger door to the SUV where Dain’s other brothers, Stadiel, Gibborim, and Rhamiel were sitting.

  Out of nowhere, I heard a tire screech. I looked up and saw some other car pull right in front and block us in. The others were startled as Joxel said, “What the fuck? Who the hell?”

  There we all sat, frozen for a few moments, staring at this mysterious car in front of us, unable to see through the dark tint. Suddenly the driver side door opened and someone calmly stepped out.

  Is that…? It is. It’s Jr.! I thought, frightened. Jr. slowly walked up to the front of the car with a sarcastic grin and casually said, “Why, hello there. I seem to have lost my way. Can any of you guys help me?” The others stared at Jr. with pale faces. Paralyzed, they looked at one another, perplexed. Within a matter of seconds, the countenance on Jr.’s face changed dramatically as he glared hard into the eyes of the others. I looked at Joxel, Zitaya, and the others, and they all had blank looks, as if they had just seen a ghost.

  Jr. said, “I believe you all have something of mine,” with a smirk. “Caleb, get in the car! Hurry!” Zitaya demanded. I proceed to get in the SUV as Jr. yelled, “Caleb, Stop! Listen to me! It’s time you know what’s going on and who you really are! You have to know what your truly capable of. I will explain all of this. Listen inside and trust me. These guys you’re with are not what you think!”

  What? This guy is unbelievable!

  Joxel yelled, “Oh, fuck you! Can you believe this crazy bitch? Too late, Jr. Caleb and all of us know of you. Caleb, don’t listen to that piece of shit! Hurry, get in the car!”

  Scared, I stood there like a statue. “Stadiel, take Caleb back. We will take care of him,” Joxel said as the others got out of the car.

  I heard Gibborim tell Joxel, “Are you crazy? He’s a Mestre de Batalha… you know we can’t take him, Jox. We need help”

  What? They can’t take him? Mestre de Batalha? I looked over at Jr., who stood alone before us with a confident glare, as he stared down the other five. I felt my heart skip a few beats, knowing this is about to take a turn for the worst any second.

  Stad pushed me back toward the SUV, forcing me inside. Gibb, Rham, Joxel, and Zitaya leaned inside the SUV and pulled out weapons: bats, knives, and chains. The four brandished them at Jr., speaking another language. There they stood, a few feet away, before the weaponless Jr.

  Blood began to pour from my nose as fear consumed me. I watched helplessly frozen as Jr. said calmly, “Okay, Caleb, my brother. The fear you feel is not real. You must search within who you really are. It will all come back. Hang tight a moment. This won’t take long.”

  It went tense. Like a standoff at the OK Corral, except this corral was hell. Jr. Faced the four of them while Stadiel rushed me into the SUV.

  “Wait, no!” someone yelled. That’s when it happened so fast that it was hard to comprehend. Jr. leapt across to the other four, landing on top of them as he hit them all at once. The hard hits could be heard a mile away as Gibb, Rham, Zitaya, and Joxel swung bats, knives, and chains, hitting Jr. all over.

  Oh shit! They’re going to kill Jr.! No!

  “Caleb! You know you can destroy these guys, easily! They are your real enemy! I don’t need your help with these fucks here. But for the fun of it, knock their asses out! Do it!” yelled Jr.

  “Just get in the car, Caleb! We have no time! Don’t listen to that liar. He will kill you!” Stadiel demanded, as he tried to force me into the SUV.

  I heard a shriek of pain. When I looked back up, Jr. said, “Damn it! Okay, Caleb, next one you can join in. Be with you in a moment.”

  Suddenly, Jr. went ballistic. He was kicking the shit out of them all with devastating blows. I had never seen such an effective fighting style before as Max Jr. displayed. He pounded them with such brute force, blood gushed everywhere. He used precise strikes combined with an acrobatic flow. He dismantled their own weapons and used them on them.

  I could hear the cringing sounds of arms and legs being broken and faces being smashed as bodies were thrown to and fro. Moans of hurt and agony was heard.

  It was like watching a ruthless gladiator fight an enemy with no armor or weapon, to the death.

  Zitaya was the only one left moving as the other three laid motionless on the ground with Stadiel and I at the SUV.

  In a faint voice, Zitaya said, “Take him back…Stadiel!”

  Calmly, Jr. walked over to Zitaya and landed a crushing elbow to her face. The four were left in a bloody massacre of a mess. Jr. Casually walked toward us.

  “Oh fuck! Fuck! Get in the damn car, Caleb! Hurry!” Stadiel yelled.

  It didn’t feel right and I resisted his attempts as he tried to shove me inside.

  “Fuck this shit!” said Stadiel.

  He let me go and got into their SUV. He drove away.

  23

  Hunted & the hunter

  There I was, looking at Jr., who had just taken out four people like a man possessed. He had to have killed them. Jr. was bloodied and panting with exhaustion. He looked at me as he held out his blood covered hands to me in a calm, peaceful gesture. He said, “Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt you. We have to talk, Caleb. Now is your time to know this truth.”

/>   I was scared shitless.

  A burst of anger hit me, and I yelled, “Steroid-raged psycho! Are you on PCP or something? What do you want with me already? Who the hell are you? This is a secret government thing, isn’t it? Joke’s on you, buddy, because you’re not getting my vote, or money. I’m flat-ass broke, and I don’t believe in political puppet shows, not even as a kid. Go to the next person!”

  “Also, I don’t do business with murderers. You just killed these people in cold blood. Stay the hell away from me!” I yelled.

  Jr. replied, “I know you’re frightened and confused. But listen to me! This is what you have asked for. You’re not who you think you are. You’re way more. I’m here to remind you of who you really are and your purpose here. I’m telling you, if only you knew the power and gift you possess, and what you’re capable of.”

  “Oh yeah?” I laughed.

  “Yes. The reason you have always struggled is, this is not your home. Since your birth, you have been corrupted and programmed with a deceptor over your eyes, a scale-like blinder. While they’re on you won’t be able to understand or see this.”

  Jr. added, “Your father, Caleb. The hurt and anger. Your burning question of life and your purpose. Odd encounters, and a heavyset woman in an orange-red dress. You think that’s all circumstantial? Come on already, man. This is not that hard. You’re beating yourself up, here. Actually, that’s exactly what you need to do, beat your ass.”

  What did he say? How could this guy know all of this? I wondered. No, he’s not a psychic. Someone had to have told him and put him up to this.

  “Shut the hell up, already. You don’t really expect me to believe this shit, do you? I have no clue how you knew all of that about me; maybe you got it out of my mother or someone. Either way, I’m done here. I don’t have time for any of this. I’m not going to be mind-fucked another second. If you don’t get the hell away, I’m going to call the police.”

  “Caleb?”

  “Yeah, what?”

  “Can we please take a time out on this damn acting thing already for a second? Don’t make this hard on me, no more role playing. I’m getting a headache. You know I hate this.”

  “What? You’re insane!” I yelled.

  Jr. said, “Damn it! Okay, listen, all of what I said is true. Now, I’m going to cut right to it. As I told you before, we know each other well and you are a badass. You have been sent here on a mission, Caleb, and you’re failing it miserably. This is unlike you. Now, I have been sent here to bail you out.”

  “At first, a young, determined recruit was assigned to you. However, because of your high status, you have been made a huge target. The risk and danger were too great for an inexperienced guardian, and he has struggled ever since. And so, I was assigned to take over. The young recruit disagreed and did not accept that. He refused to give up on completing his assignment for you,” said Jr. He held his head low as if remorseful.

  “Ah, I see. So, you’re telling me that you’re my new guardian? I get it. Well, okay, thanks!” I turned to walk away and heard a moan come from one of the four on the ground. I saw Joxel trying to get back up. Jr. looked into his eyes, and he immediately fell back down.

  Jr. opened his door. He said, “Hop in. We need to hurry. They will come back, looking for these four piles of shit. We have a lot to talk about your other friends there.”

  With a dead cell, no car, and confused as hell, I didn’t hesitate. I got in the car and we drove off.

  “Where are we headed?” I asked Jr.

  “Back to my house. We need to regroup and inform my father what has happened. Dain is going to be pissed when he finds out what I’ve done to his family of rot.”

  Jr. added, “Yes, that person I thought I saw the other night at that club, BabeLand’s, was Dain. I’m sorry, I failed back there. I got drunk and distracted and fell for that damn siren he sent over. Shit! I have been sick to my stomach ever since. If only I would have known it was Dain for sure.”

  “What? This is so crazy! Did you…?”

  Jr. Replied, “What? Sleep with her? I said I messed up.”

  “No, damn it! I don’t care if you been with her. Dain said you beat the shit out of her and raped her,” I said.

  “No. Caleb, that’s not even close to the truth. I did not rape her. To say Dain is a master manipulating psychotic killer would be an understatement. I know him very well. And yes, he knows me. We have fought before and he beat me. Dain is the reason I’m taking over from your original young protector.”

  Jr. added, “The last encounter I had with Dain was a long time ago, at the much-anticipated elite sacred battle grounds in front of high elites from both sides. I had just been granted the coveted and rare status of Mestre de Batalha, which means, where I’m from here in Portugal, Battle Master. There we stood, face to face, two Mestre de Batalhas from both sides, as all the other high elites watched on. We fought for a good while. Although I put up a good fight, I lost. I was humiliated, mocked, and left ashamed.”

  Sacred battle grounds? Mestre de Batalha? Even though I knew this was all horseshit, I had to be careful not to set him off. He was more delusional than I thought. And he was a killer.

  “Now, Dain is also assigned to you. I regret to say it; this is the reason why I haven’t been there for you like I should have been. Now you know my history with Dain. But there is something else about him. Something I cannot tell you yet. I need to talk to my father first and how to handle this. We’re at war,” Jr. Said.

  “War? Okay, guardian of mine, I forgive you. Listen, cool story and all, but hold that thought. I’m going to check on my family, and I have to piss. Pull over at that next stop.”

  I called Tiana, to check on her and Taylor, as we headed down the road to the next gas station. She and Taylor were fine. I couldn’t believe what she told me next. She said Nalla had hopped the fence and run away sometime today. They searched for her and she was gone.

  I was beside myself. I told Tiana hopefully Nalla would return soon and not to worry. I would see her later.

  Jr. could see I was deeply saddened.

  “Ah, man. I’m sorry to hear that. Don’t worry, God’s with her,” Jr. said.

  “I appreciate that. However, God has nothing to do with this.”

  We got to my side of town. We pulled into the gas station and I headed to the restroom as Jr. waited in the car. When I came back out to the car, Jr. said, “Now I have to go. Wait here, I may be a bit. I’ll be right back.”

  He headed inside and I noticed a large brown dog hobble right in front of the car toward the store. The poor dog was scooting through the parking lot with only his front legs, and it appeared he’d gotten hit.

  Poor dog. Damn, he looks bad, I thought.

  I noticed the dog stop and sit there, looking around helplessly.

  I saw a man start to back his truck up toward the dog, who couldn’t move.

  “Hey, stop! You’re going to run over that dog!” I yelled. I got out of the car, holding both hands up, running in front of the badly hurt dog. The truck stopped in its tracks instantly and the young driver got out.

  “Oh shit! Did I hit him?” the young man wearing large sun glasses asked.

  “No, you didn’t. I don’t know where he came from or what happened to him. He came out of nowhere. It seems like his back legs are broken.”

  “Oh, damn! Let’s move him out of danger of other cars, at least.”

  I helped the man move the whimpering dog around the side of the building.

  I heard a crash in front of the store. I looked and the whole front window was shattered. What the? I heard scuffling inside. I looked inside the store and I saw a big black dog. Nalla? There she is! I know it’s her! She’s fighting viciously with another dog and a man.

  Nalla was lunging of walls, viciously whipping her tail and swinging her paws, skillfully fighting them both. No way! I have never seen a dog fight like that. She was beating their asses! Where the hell is Jr.? He must still be in t
he bathroom. Immediately, I ran to Nalla and yelled for Jr.

  I was tripped.

  I looked back and the hair on my neck stood up. The hurt dog was now standing on all fours, staring right at me and growling ferociously while foaming at the mouth through its sharp teeth.

  The dog shook his body and revealed his true fur color. There was no mistaking who this dog was with that unique all white body and black head. It was Vex, with all-black eyes!

  The young man with the truck looked at me with an evil grin and chuckled. He removed his shades and I saw it was Sorush, Dain’s brother. I realized the dogs were Vex and Rue, and it was the other brother, Jyrel, who was inside with Rue fighting.

  Sorush and Vex slowly walked toward me as I got up and stepped back. I was frightened.

  I looked back and see their right behind me. “Jr.!” I yelled. Before I could process anything, Vex lunged at me so fast and hard it knocked me to the ground and knocked the wind out of me.

  Nearly knocked out, I looked up. Sorush injected me with a syringe. He picked me up and put me in his truck.

  Instantly I became weak and immobile as Sorush locked me inside the truck. Sorush and Vex rushed inside the store.

  “Nalla!” I yelled.

  Within a few minutes, all four of them came out, with no sign of Nalla or Jr.

  My vision blurred.

  They hopped in the truck and we drove away, as I lost consciousness.

  24

  My boy

  “Hey, bro. Wake up,” I heard someone say. I opened my eyes and saw Dain standing over me. I was lying on a couch in what looked like a study with only Dain.

  “Where am I?” I asked.

  “You’re at my house. Are you okay?”

  “I feel like shit. How did I get here? I can’t seem to remember anything…”

  Dain replied, “It’s a long story. We saved you, that’s the important thing. ”