Zamora had to find a new way out from the warehouse. She had to get out of the room knowing they weren’t too far behind her. Zamora slowly cracked open the door to see if anyone was outside. She waited for a few of the men to run past. She walked out from the room closing the door. She looked around unsure of where to go.
“Zamora’s inside the warehouse. Nikkya’s gone.” Deandre radioed in to Tyson.
“She can’t get out of here. Go find Nikkya! She can’t be far!” He ordered to his men.
Zamora got made. Some of them had seen her. They told Tyson where she was. Zamora could only go up the stairs. It was the only direction she could go. She ran as fast as she could run. She blocked the door off with something so they couldn’t get inside.
She ran up the stairs. She fell on them, injuring her right ankle. She knew she had to keep going even though she was injured. She had to find some place to hide or get back up to the vents. Tyson’s men got through the door following after her. She was heading to the next floor of the warehouse.
“You can’t get far with that!” One of the men yelled noticing her injury.
Zamora ignored him trying to move. It was hard for her to walk. The guy told Tyson where she was headed and that she had been injured.
“I’m going to find you sweet pea.” Tyson said to himself.
Zamora had gotten away from them but she needed to get back down the stairs. It hurt her ankle to walk. She found a metal pipe to use as a weapon that was lying on the ground. She heard people coming up the stairs. She hid. There were two of his men coming up the stairs to find her. She went into another small empty room, hiding behind the door.
“Where are you baby?” She heard the same voice as before.
He looked in the rooms closest to him. Zamora peeked from the door. He was coming inside next. She got her weapon ready. Gripping it tightly. He slid the door open hoping she was behind it. She swung it at his head but it didn’t knock him down. He tried reaching for her weapon. She swung again hitting him in the skull. He fell down and lay bleeding. She killed him.
Nikkya hid around outside. She had no idea where she was. They were searching for her outside. She had to hide and lay low so they couldn’t find her. The warehouse was surrounded by chained fence. If she wanted to get out she would have to climb over it without being seen. She hid behind a dumpster blocking herself in. She planned on waiting them out. One of the men walked by the dumpster. He stopped to look around.
Zamora couldn’t move fast. She limped down a long hallway. It was quiet for a while until she heard voices again. She entered the room nearest to her. It was a large room with office spaces. She found a place to hide. It was only a few short minutes before someone slammed the door wide open.
“Come out come out wherever you are. I know you’re in here sweet pea. I have cameras everywhere.” Tyson told her holding his blade in his hand.
Zamora remained calm and quiet. She gripped tightly on the pipe again.
“I know you’re injured. You can’t get out of here.” He said walking around the room looking for her. She watched his footsteps waiting until he was far enough away from the door and out of sight. That’s when she made a move to run out. He quickly caught up to her pinning her against the wall by her throat. Holding his blade up to her face.
“Everyone is entitled to…one mistake…you just made yours.” He told her.
He quickly took his hand off her throat to cover her mouth. He unexpectedly cut her left arm with his blade. Only from her wrist down to her hand. His hand muffled the sound of her scream.
Tyson didn’t let Zamora out of his sight. Sitting on the black leather couch. Her wrist and hand were bandaged up. Cassius sat in the leather chair next to them putting Zamora in the middle. Zamora’s face was furious.
“How did you get out of the handcuffs?” Tyson asked while lighting a cigar.
She didn’t answer him.
“Don’t make me ask you again.” He said with warning.
Zamora pulled out the pin holding it up to him. He looked at it and then grabbed it.
“You’re very clever. But that won’t be happening again.”
“Don’t be so sure. I’ll find another way out.”
Tyson took a hit of his cigar and then set it down on the ash tray. He looked at Zamora. He quickly grabbed her by the hair pulling her head back taunting her with his blade.
“The next time, I will scar you, in a more intimate place. And now you’ve brought Nikkya into your mistake.”
“If you hurt her...”
Tyson let go of her hair to grab her by the throat again pushing her head back on the couch.
“I don’t think you’re in a position to be making any threats.”
“You don’t intimidate me. None of your little posse scares me. You have no power over me…and you know it.”
He laughed. “When you’re of no use anymore…I’m going to gut you.” He threatened.
“One day Tyson…I’m gonna kill you.” She threatened back.
“You better hope we don’t find your friend.” He took his hand away, returning back to his cigar.
Jamarco and Deandre returned only minutes later. With Nikkya. She was struggling to get free.
Zamora’s face turned pale when she seen her. Tyson put out his cigar. Cassius moved over next to Zamora sitting on the arm of the couch to keep her still. Tyson motioned for Jamarco and Deandre to bring Nikkya over to him. They made her sit on her knees in front of him. All Zamora could do was watch hopelessly as Tyson slapped Nikkya’s face.
“Don’t touch her!” Zamora yelled at him.
“Shut it.” Cassius demanded.
Tyson looked at her. “Relax Zamora. I’m not going to get blood all over my nice carpet.” He laughed.
He looked back at Nikkya. “I’m not going to punish you, the same way I did Zamora. But if it happens again….I will.”
Nikkya seen Zamora’s injured hand.
“I will be putting cameras up in the rooms…and blocking off all the vents.” He said to them both.
“Well good for you.” Zamora told him.
“Don’t think that just because you’re a Rivera…that you’re untouchable.”
“My father…is going to murder you. And I’m going to enjoy every second of it.”
“Not if I kill you first.” He smoked his cigar again.
Zamora didn’t say anything back.
“Lock her back up in the room and make sure she isn’t able to get free.” Tyson told his henchmen.
“So what’s the plan Tyson huh? You honestly think I’m going to tell you how to find Ghost? Only one person in this entire planet can get near him.”
“But you know the person that knows how to find him…and you’re the only one that can get near him.”
“You think I’m going to help you with that? After you just plan to kill us both anyway?”
“I will make Nikkya suffer if you don’t…and then I will move on to someone else you love. You will arrange the meeting with the person who knows how to get to him. And we will take it from there.”
“It’s not that simple.” She told him.
Carlos was watching the news about two unknown bodies being shot dead at the college.
“They were good men.” He said.
“You’re not going to claim them?” Minnie asked her husband.
“You know we can’t.”
“It just doesn’t seem right.” She said.
Nathan entered the room. “Boss. JT is here. He’s asking questions about his sister.”
“Send him in.”
“You have to tell him.” Minnie said.
“I will.”
JT came barging in. “Where the hell is my sister? She’s not answering her phone. And neither is Zamora.”
Carlos sighed. “Sit down.” He told him.
“Why? Where are they?”
“I’m going to tell you, but not until you get calm.” Carlos told him.
JT sat
down.
Carlos hesitated for a short moment.
“Your sister and Zamora…have been kidnapped.”
JT had a look of horror on his face.
“What?” JT had to confirm his words.
“The Jamaican Posse…have taken them.”
“Why?”
“They are my enemies. That is why.”
JT raised his voice. “You told me you could keep her safe!”
“Calm down JT. I will find a way to get them back.” Carlos tried to remain calm.
“Calm down? My sister is the only thing in this world that I have. You told me that you would keep her safe.”
“Things happen JT. They took her from the college. Killed two of my men in the process. And then they called up my daughter and forced her to come to them by threatening Nikkya.”
“How the hell do you plan to get them back huh? Find my freakin’ sister…alive.” He demanded.
“I promise you JT…I will bring them both back alive.”
“Like you promised to protect them?”
“I don’t blame you for being upset but I told you I will get them back.”
“Yeah? I hope it’s not in a freakin’ box!” JT stormed out.
“What happens if you can’t keep that promise?” Minnie asked him.
“I’m not going to let our daughter die. I will not let us lose another child. I will figure out a way to get them both back.”
“I can’t burry another child.” Minnie sobbed.
Carlos comforted his wife.
“You won’t. That will not happen again. They are not going to kill her. She is valuable to them at the moment.”
“What happens when that runs out?”
“Look at me.” Carlos turned his wife’s face toward him.
“I need you to trust me, my beautiful wife. Trust that I will get them back.”
Minnie nodded.
“Zamora is a strong woman and she makes her own decisions. She went to them to protect Nikkya. A Rivera…does whatever it takes to protect the ones they love. She did just that.” He reminded her.
Someone waited in an empty parking lot in a car. A motorcycle drives up. He stops near the car and takes off his helmet. It’s Que. The driver opens the door to get out.
“What do you want JT?”
“Where the hell is my sister?” He asked him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Que said to him.
“Stop the bullshitting. I know you know where my sister is. I know you know where Zamora is.”
“What makes you think I know that?”
“Are you really going to ask me that?”
“Even if I did…there’s nothing that I can do about it.”
“You know where to find them and what’s going on. The Jamaicans took them.”
“I do know where they are JT. But I can’t tell you that. I can tell you that they will both be fine. No harm will come to your sister.”
“What about Zamora?” JT asked him.
He started to say something but changed it.
“Zamora made a mistake. She had to pay the price.”
“What the hell does that mean?” JT raised his voice.
“Keep your voice down. Zamora is alive. That is all that I can say.”
“If my sister isn’t returned back alive…I will reveal the truth to Zamora.”
Que pushed JT into the car.
“If you tell her anything…I will green light you and everyone you love.”
“You don’t have the authority for a green light.” JT said angered.
“Try me.” Que backed away.
“You’re a real piece of work. You know that? It’s only a matter of time before she figures it out.”
“She must never know of our involvement with one another and she can never find out what the truth is. If she does…I will know who to turn to.”
Que started getting back on his bike.
“My sister better not be harmed.”
“Or what? JT. You’re going to tell her the truth? If the thought about telling Zamora the truth even crosses your mind again…you’re a dead man.” Que said before putting his helmet back on. He rode off.
JT walked into a room full of safety deposit boxes. He held the key for his own. He unlocked it and pulled it out. It was empty inside like he just bought it. He reached into his pocket pulling out the secret folded envelope that he always kept with him. He unfolded it. There was a name on it in big letters in the center of the envelope. Zamora Rose Cortez. But Cortez was crossed out. Rivera was recently written underneath it. JT gently placed the letter inside.
“When the day comes that you read this letter…I only hope someday that you can forgive me.” JT said out loud looking at Zamora’s name. He closed up the safety deposit box and locked it back in its place.
Zamora was back in the room again. Only her left ankle was left shackled to the bottom of the bed with a long chain. Long enough to be able to reach into the bathroom. There was a camera watching her. The same for Nikkya.
“How are the girls Marcel?” Tyson asked.
“All this bitch does is stare at the damn camera.” He said pointing to Zamora’s monitor.
“She’s pissed off. As long as she can’t get out. I don’t care what she does.”
“So when are you planning to use her?” He wondered.
“We have something to take care of first. It can wait a few more days. It’s not like she can walk anyway.” Tyson said before walking away.
Carlos arranged a meeting with Magnum. At the train station. It was usually empty in the late evening hours. They sat back to back to each other fearing they would be seen together. Alex and Pito stood nearby.
“You said this had something to do with Zamora. What is it?” Magnum asked him.
“Zamora and Nikkya were kidnapped by Tyson.”
“What? When?”
“Not too long. They need my daughter to find someone called Ghost.”
“Ha good luck with that one.” Magnum said.
“You heard of him?”
“He’s an underground sniper. Most people like us know of him. Except for the select few like you.”
“Like us?”
“You know. Cartels, Mafia’s, Gangs…rich people who don’t want to get their hands dirty. He’s more of a rumor. Like fiction. No one ever sees him. That’s why they call him Ghost. Rumor has it…the only way to hire him is through a hacker named Atlas. And it’s extremely costly and difficult.”
“Zamora told Tyson she knows where to find him. That’s why he’s keeping her hostage. He’s using Nikkya as a way to control her.”
“That’s impossible…unless she’s tried to hire him before.” Magnum thought.
“Why the hell would she do that?” Carlos wondered.
“Wait…she must’ve done that when Paco tried taking over the last part of my territory…when she couldn’t afford him…she killed his men instead.”
“She had to of known Paco would trace it back to her.”
“That’s why she tried to use him. So it couldn’t…damn Zamora.”
Carlos changed the subject.
“I need to get my daughter back. I promised JT that Nikkya would be okay.”
“So what do you want from me Carlos? There’s no way in hell you’re getting anywhere near their territory. Their warehouse is so heavily guarded and fenced in, you’d never even make it close to them.”
“But you know where they are?”
Magnum sighed.
“Their warehouse is on Broad Street. But like I said you’ll never make it in. There’s too many of them and there’s too many of you. You can’t have a gun war like that. We keep as much as we can on the low here. The only ones who leave their presence known is MS-13.”
“So you have a better idea then?” Carlos questioned.
Magnum thought for an answer.
“I may know a way…that will work.”
“What do you have in mind
?” Carlos seemed interested.
“That depends. How good are you with negotiations?”
“What do you mean? Like a trade?”
“That’s exactly what I mean.”
“Who’s valuable enough to Tyson that’d he’d trade the girls for?”
“His main henchmen. Jamarco and Deandre.”
“You think he’d make a trade like that?”
“Tyson won’t want his men to think they’re nothing to him. Loyalty is everything. He scars his men and girls when they screw up. If he doesn’t make the trade...it’ll show his men they’re expendable. Especially Jamarco and Deandre. They’ll do anything for him. He needs them to do his dirty work. They’re valuable.”
“You know if they’re ever alone?”
“I can’t be for sure but…I heard they were seen at the local gym every Saturday night at 11 pm. It’s the only time you can catch them alone. They’re brothers.”
“Well that’s interesting.”
“I suggest you take a lot of men with you to capture them. Don’t underestimate them. They will fight to the death. But if you end up killing them or they are harmed too much…you will never be able to get Tyson to hand them over. The only other person acceptable for a trade is his cousin Cassius, but you have no chance of that, so go for two for two.”
“Anything else that I need to know about them?”
“There’s something else you should know.”
“About what?”
“MS-13 is about to start a street war with the Jamaican Posse. Paco found out they also deal in guns and he’s not having it. He wants to be the only gun runner around here…pussy ass bitch is afraid of losing his customers to them. Even though he won’t admit it.”
“What else you know about it?”
“I don’t know when or how that’s going down but I suggest that you make your move soon before it does. Otherwise it could make things more complicated. If you know what I mean.”
“I appreciate the heads up. Thanks for helping me out.”
City Culprits (Book 1) Page 13
