by Macias, P. T
“Primo, Jose Enrique needs to talk to you. Can you please come to the office?” asks Paty.
“Si prima on my way,” says Tony surprised with the request.
“Bella we need you to come to Jose Enrique’s office, its important,” says Paty looking out the window praying that this was a nightmare.
“Si prima, I’ll be there in a few,” says Bella leaving her office.
“Jessy we need you to come to Jose Enrique’s office,” says Paty looking at Jose Enrique pacing like a loco.
“Si Paty, I’m leaving now,” says Jessy leaving her office wondering what’s up.
Paty went to stand at the window thinking. What can we do? What should we do? This is so surreal.
Chapter Forty-Five
Jessy and Bella arrive at the office at the same time looking at how Ricky, Jose Enrique and Paty look.
Tony walks into the office right after his primas and looks around at the meeting. This looks like something huge has happened. Mis primos look about to croak, thinks Tony looking real close at them.
“What’s happening?” asks Bella getting scared, going over to her primos. They look like they are about to have a heart attack, thinks Bella.
“Do you want me to call the paramedics?” asks Jessy getting worried at how Jose Enrique and Ricky look.
“This asshole is not showing,” exclaims Ricky with frustration and anger.
“What’s going on?” asks Bella getting real scared.
“Mi amor please close the door,” asks Jose Enrique looking at Jessy. “Please lock it.” going to get the phone and calling the secretary.
“Ms. Jones I need you to call all the numbers that we have to contact the site manager Jefferson and tell him I need him here now,” bids Jose Enrique controlling his anger
“Yes Mr. De La Cruz,” responds Ms. Jones
“Mi amor, prima have a seat,” says Jose Enrique looking at Tony and then going to his desk looking at them and not knowing where to begin.
“We have a crisis that will jeopardize our entire vidas if we don’t take control now,” declares Jose Enrique looking at them.
“Yes we have a situation that we need to have some mind storming to arrive at a reasonable path for la familia,” says Ricky pacing, thinking.
“Primas, primo, la familia is being pressured by the Mexican cartel to associate with them and don’t want to take no for answer.” says Paty pacing along with Ricky.
“The cartel has called us twice and we thought or should I say prayed that it was a prank call,” says Jose Enrique standing to pace.
“Tony, Jessy, Bella they called about half hour ago to threaten la familia and the constructions that we have in progress,” says Paty looking at her primos. “We need to come up with a plan to discourage their interest in la familia compania.”
“We think that they have started with our constructions. One of our job sites did not receive the concrete this morning to start pouring. This has cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars,” states Jose Enrique stopping at the window to look out trying to see if he could see the site manager Jefferson.
“That impossible, how can that happen? We have been working with our suppliers for years. We have constructed thousands of buildings. We don’t make these huge mistakes,” asserts Bella standing to pacing.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this call before this? I think that you should have allowed us to help you. Where is that job site manager?” asks Tony with frustration on learning about the risks that la familia is in with these events. Tony unties his tie and runs his hands through his hair.
“Jefferson was supposed to arrive at three o’clock to give us a report on the material orders and the job sites,” says Ricky with frustration. “He has not arrived. It is passed three,”
Jessy tries to think of a plan. “How can we stop the Cartel?” she asks. If we don’t know them or what they would do next, how can we stop them?
“We need to make sure that they don’t have any opportunity to mess with the orders. I’m starting today to monitor all the orders, supplies, contractors, our employees; everything,” states Ricky looking at Jose Enrique. “We need to split this up.”
“I will monitor the inside employees closer and the orders if you want me to make calls,” says Bella starting to pace with los primos, thinking.
“Why don’t we have employees that we can trust, I mean a security department to monitor the job sites in the day and maybe it will be a good idea to have patrols at night to make sure nobody is messing with the sites,” says Jessy smiling, hoping it’s a good idea.
Jose Enrique looks at his amor with happiness, yes she’s also smart, I love her idea. “That’s a great idea,” says Jose Enrique looking at his primos to get their feedback.
“Yes that’s a great idea, we should have thought of these years ago,” replies Ricky, smiling at his sister in law.
“I’m on it,” says Bella going to the phone to get some security in place on the job sites.
“How many job sites do we have in progress and starting this month?” asks Paty trying to help Bella get enough security in place for the entire month until this situation is over.
“Yes, this sounds like a great idea, we should have the site secured for at least four weeks to make sure that nothing happens,” agrees Jose Enrique pacing. “We still need to continue doing our jobs, monitor the ones that we have started, and are scheduled to start.”
“I don’t want our padres to find out and get stressed out,” says Paty looking at the job sites schedules for the month and giving dates to Bella for the security.
“I can also help Ricky on the job sites when I’m not drawing up a design,” says Tony looking at his primos.
“I agree we need to have someone monitor the sites when I’m off on my honeymoon,” says Ricky thinking how this is going to happen.
“Don’t worry about that, Tony and I can do the monitoring, you will be out for only ten work days,” says Jose Enrique. “We will just have to schedule new clients for after you come back or later in the day, we will work it out.”
“Manana we will need to split up our suppliers and advise them not to take any orders, change orders, or cancel orders if it’s not one of us,” states Ricky.
“We need to make sure that all the orders that are in place now are correct,” says Jose Enrique. “We can split that up and call.”
“At the very least it will make it a little difficult for the Mexican cartel to interfere with the jobs,” states Ricky breathing a little easier.
“Okay we have the security set up starting tonight. We only have a few that are in progress. The other sites are scheduled for next week,” says Bella standing to pace.
“What else are we missing?” asks Tony walking to the window, thinking.
“I feel that we should discuss this with Claudia and Christian this weekend. I know that they can provide additional ideas on what we should do,” says Ricky running his hands through his hair.
“We also need to keep this quite, we don’t need la familia scared and stressing out,” says Tony pacing.
“We should put in place security badges. I know that we had decided against it in our last meeting, but I feel that it warrants the extra security,” says Bella looking at her primos.
“The parking garage should also have security. It’s our parking garage and for the employees safety,” says Paty thinking of other issues to address.
“I’ll call now for this additional security in the garage. Until we get the badges going, we should put security guards at the entrance and have everybody sign in and out,” says Bella calling the security company.
“We can offer security designs as a separate package,” says Jessy thinking about a good package to offer the clients.
“I like that,” says Tony looking at Jessy, smiling. “The packages are working out great and the security one will be a benefit for our clients.”
“It’s four and Jefferson has not showed,” declares Jose
Enrique with frustration.
“Primo, we should not worry about Jefferson, we have everything under control. This is a great lesson to learn. We need to keep track of our jobs with the la familia monitoring. Nobody will care more than we do,” states Ricky pacing, thinking of the guey that didn’t show.
“I agree, we need to terminate Jefferson,” agrees Bella getting up from the computer, making a note.
“I think that’s it for now. That guey form the Mexican cartel advised that he will call on Monday,” says Ricky getting ready to leave.
“I will start at the job sites manana and call if I need any backup,” says Ricky looking at Tony and Jose Enrique before walking out.
“Hermano wait up,” says Tony. I think that I need to know more, I need to get some more information on what happened, thinks Tony.
“Yes primo we will make the calls on the supplies,” say Jose Enrique looking at Ricky walk out of the office.
“I need to get going,” says Paty turning from the window to go to the door.
“I do to,” says Bella walking out.
Jessy stands and walks to Jose Enrique, hugging him. “Mi vida dios will help us through this,” says Jessy with a prayer.
Jose Enrique hugs her, thanking dios for having sent her into his life. We can all work together to try to prevent the Mexican cartel from ruining our life’s, thinks Jose Enrique.
I need to get home and see mi reina, ponders Ricky walking down the hall to his office hearing his hermano Tony following.
“Hermano I need to know what else is going on. Why didn’t you tell me about the cartel?” inquires Tony looking at his hermano.
“Hermano, Jose Enrique and I hoped and prayed that it was a joke. Now we need to make sure that those bastardos don’t ruin us. I need to get home to mi reina. She’s waiting for me,” replies Ricky looking at his hermano, smiling.
“Okay hermano I understand. You knew that Christian got married? Why didn’t you tell me,” asks Tony walking along with Ricky in the hallway towards the elevators.
“Christian told me not to say anything and besides it’s up to him to tell la familia. I have been busy with my stuff. Hermano you’re going to be a tio,” announces Ricky with happiness looking at Tony’s surprised cara.
“You’re serious?” says Tony getting into the elevator with him waiting for some more details.
“I need you to keep this to yourself. Mi reina and I will tell la familia when we’re ready. You understand?” asks Ricky looking at his hermano grinning. “Don’t disappointment me Tony or I’ll never tell you anything again.”
“Si, I’ll keep it to myself. I understand your anxiety to get to la casa. I’m happy for you,” Tony grins, looking at his hermano happiness.
“Manana I’m going to go straight to the job sites. I’ll call you if I need your help. Shit I forgot to tell Jose Enrique and Bella that mi reina is off until after our honeymoon. I’m hoping that she’ll stay home after our honeymoon,” says Ricky.
“I understand hermano. I’ll tell them manana for you, if you want me to?” says Tony smiling, excited with the news. “Our padres and la familia are going to be immensely feliz with the news of your bebe.”
“Si I know. Okay hermano, I’ll talk to you manana,” says Ricky walking to his carro. “I’ll be home late because I’m spending as much time as I can with mi reina.”
“Si hermano adios,” says Tony striding to his carro.
Ricky drives quickly to pick up his reina at her casa for the evening. “Mi reina,” says Ricky pulling her into his arms, giving her a hot hungry beso as soon as he enters her casa.
“Baby I miss you,” whispers Jacki hugging him back. “Mis padres are out for a while.” Jacki pulls him to her room.
“Oh mi reina, are you up for some more of my loving?” asks Ricky pulling off his jacket, shirt, and pants.
“Si Baby, I want some more of you,” says Jacki leaning in to kiss him while he pulls off her blouse and then pulls down her skirt.
Ricky picks her up and takes her to the bed kissing her deeply.
“Baby we’ll be getting our casa next week and I want to start fixing it up,” says Jacki running her hand up and down his chest.
“Si mi reina we’ll start arranging our new furniture when it arrives and start taking our personal stuff so it will be ready for us when we get back from our honeymoon,” Ricky grins thinking of having all those days and nights.
“Baby I can’t wait to live together. I think that this has been the hardest weeks of my vida,” declares Jacki kissing his chest and licking his nipples. “I love loving you Baby.”
“Mi reina I’m going to be working at the job sites starting manana until Christian starts working in a few months,” says Ricky stroking her long hair.
“Christian is going to work for la familia?” asks Jacki looking up to look into his beautiful green ojos surrounded with long black eyelashes.
“Si he is. Christian did get married on Sunday,” says Ricky grinning with merriment. “He eloped to Vegas and got married at the same place that we did.”
“Good, that means that his wedding came out nice just like ours,” replies Jacki smiling up at him.
“Si mi reina and that’s why he isn’t going to re-enlist. He’s going to be the job site manager,” says Ricky.
I can’t tell her about the Mexican cartel harassing la familia. She’ll get worried and she needs to be calm and at peace. I will not allow anything or anyone to cause her any grief, thinks Ricky pulling her closer to him. They lost themselves in each other’s arms taking advantage of this time together.
Chapter Forty-Six
Ricky is monitoring the job sites. It’s almost lunch time. It looks like everything is in line and I can’t see anything unusual. Hmmm I wonder what happened to Jefferson, thinks Ricky. “Vamos a comer patron,” says one of the workers as he passes him.
“Provecho,” replies Ricky walking back to the site to see what’s back there and to see if anything needs to be done.
He sees some rough looking gueys approaching him. They’re four of them. One is wearing a leather black cycle jacket and tight jeans with black leather cycle boots. He has on sunglasses and appears to be the leader.
The other three with him are wearing leather jackets, jeans and cowboy botas. I don’t think that they work here, they look like some rough scum, thinks Ricky. “What in the chengada are you putos doing here?” asks Ricky noticing that they kept coming at him.
“We’re here for you puto,” replies one of them as he reaches Ricky and shoves him onto the ground starting to strike him. Ricky shoves him off and takes a swing with the pipe that’s lying on the ground next to him.
“Come here guey,” yells Ricky. “Gueys get closer, para chingarte!” The other three vaqueros looking guey’s circle around Ricky trying to enclose him inside a circle.
Ricky looks at all of them, keeping track of where they’re at and trying not to get enclosed.
“Ti voy a chingare puto,” states the vato with the glasses approaching Ricky with his switchblade out. “We are here to invite you to our fiesta,” the vato grins, waves the blade. The sun shines on one of his silver plated tooth.
“Not interested,” answers Ricky swinging the pipe getting the other three to stay back. “Get the hell off our property before I kill you, pronto guey.”
“No te enojes Ricky, nomas vamos a juegar contigo (Don’t get mad Ricky, we ’re only going to play with you). It’s just un pequeno adviso (it’s a small warning). El Mextli queire que juegen con el (the Mextli wants you to play with him),” states the vato with the sunglass’s and switch blade. The silver tooth sparkles with the sun hitting it when he smiles.
He runs into Ricky as the other three run into Ricky from the sides and back taking away the pipe.
Ricky didn’t have a chance to swing the pipe, it all happen so quickly, he only felt himself fall.
Oh Dios mio, mi van a matar and Jacki and mi bebe, thinks Ricky as he feels the switchb
lade in his side yelling out in pain.
“No llores Ricky just remember what I say,” says the vato as he withdraws the switchblade from his side. “It’s just a little adviso.”
The vato with the switchblade stabs Ricky in the side again and pulls the switchblade out wiping it on Ricky’s shirt. “Next time I will not be tan bueno,” says the vato, grinning he allows the other three to punch and kick Ricky.
One of the vatos with vaquero botas steps on Ricky’s fingers breaking two. Ricky roars out in pain.
Los vatos stop kicking and hitting Ricky when they hear Tony call out Ricky’s name, approaching them.
“Vamanos pronto, alli esta su hermano (We need to leave quickly, his brother is here).” says one of the vatos with the cowboy botas.
“Si pronto, adios guey (Yes, quickly, bye asshole),” says the vato with the sunglasses, grinning.
They sprint away in the opposite direction from where Tony is approaching, turning the corner of the construction site. They disappeared.
Ricky is weak and feels relief that Tony has arrive. I need to call Tony over here, ponders Ricky with intense pain.
* * *
Before I go back to the office I need to stop and see how mi hermano is doing, thinks Tony sliding into his carro.
Tony stops at the job site where Ricky is monitoring. He parks next to Ricky’s carro. Tony jumps out glancing around the site looking for Ricky. Its lunch time and the workers are at lunch. The site is empty.
Ricky has to be here, because his carro is still here, thinks Tony striding into the empty building calling out Ricky’s name.
“Ricky where are you!” yells Tony. He walks into the center of the first floor looking around when he hears Ricky cry out
“Tony I’m over here. I need help call the paramedics!” yells Ricky, groaning with the intense pain. Damn it all to hell, I’m bleeding out, thinks Ricky with anxiety.
Tony jogs to where Ricky is laying on the floor surrounded by blood. Tony sees Ricky’s state and panics. He calls 911 to get the paramedics at the job site.
