Jamarco and Deandre were bound and gagged in the back of the van. They both had wounds on their heads from being hit with a gun.
“Looks like I have the power now.” Carlos told him.
The room Tyson was in was silent.
“Do you know what I will do to your daughter, if you don’t return back my men?”
“If you even touch my daughter. I will put a bullet through their stupid little skulls.”
“You’re way behind already Carlos. Your daughter…made a mistake.” Tyson tried to taunt him.
“What the hell did you say? You scarred my daughter?”
“That is the price you pay, for making a mistake.”
“Well then…I guess I’ll have to scar your men too.” Carlos told him.
He put the phone on speaker so that Tyson could hear. Pito took out his knife.
“How about…some place you can be reminded of me.” Carlos said.
Pito knew what Carlos meant. He cut both their right cheeks with the knife. The gags muffled their yells.
That only made Tyson angrier.
“You mother-” He started to say but Carlos cut him off.
“I have the power now! You hurt my daughter, I hurt your men. I think it’s only fair don’t you think?”
“You think you have the power? I’m the one with your daughter. I could gut her right now if I wanted to.”
“You touch my daughter again…and I will slit both of their throats, and send them back to you in pieces. I know you need your men Tyson. So let’s stop playing games with each other. I think we’re a little old for that.”
Tyson thought about what to do while walking over to the camera monitors. He looked at Zamora again.
“Your daughter, is very valuable to me, Mr. Rivera…but so are the two men that you are holding captive.” Tyson said with a calm voice.
“Well I’m glad I finally got your attention.”
“How did you find my men anyway?” He was curious.
“I don’t reveal my sources. That’s the way it works.”
“Indeed it does. You are very clever. As is your daughter. She almost escaped. I have no doubt she would have succeeded, if we didn’t have her friend as well.”
“She is a Rivera. We protect the ones we love before ourselves.”
“You think that we won’t come for her again?”
“I’m sure you will. Just like the Russians will when they discover her location. And when they do…I’ll slaughter both Vladimir and Katya into pieces…and then burry them, right next to all of your own pieces.” Carlos threatened.
“Why don’t we stop bullshitting each other around? What is it that you expect to happen here?”
“First I expect to hear my daughter’s voice.” Carlos said that more like a demand.
“I told you that your daughter is of use to me. I would not kill her now.”
“Put my daughter on the phone…or I’ll kill one of them right now.”
Tyson sighed annoyed.
Zamora was drifting off to sleep when she heard the door unlocking. She sat up. Both Tyson and Cassius entered the room.
“Say hi to daddy.” Tyson demanded handing her the phone.
Zamora hesitated a moment before taking it.
“Hi daddy.” Zamora said with sarcasm.
“Zamora? I have a way to get you both back. We took Jamarco and Deandre captive.”
“Seriously?” Zamora seemed impressed with her father.
“I told you I would find a way. You’re my daughter.” Carlos said to her.
“I’m impressed father. I owe ya one.”
“You don’t owe me anything. I’m your father.” He said to her.
“I would’ve found a way eventually.” She joked.
Tyson snatched the phone away from her.
“Are you happy now?” Tyson asked.
“Much more. Now let’s get back to business.”
“So what do you think should happen here? I don’t trust your men.”
Zamora and Tyson kept their eyes on each other.
“I don’t trust your men either.” Carlos told him.
“So how do you expect us to just make a trade?”
“How about we meet at a place where we both know? I bring two of my men and you bring two of yours. You bring the girls; I will bring your men. That’s it. I’m sure that we can figure the rest.” Carlos suggested to him.
Tyson thought for a moment.
“Okay. Sounds like a plan. Where do you have in mind?” Tyson asked him.
Tyson and Carlos decided on a place to meet under a bridge on the west side of the city. Tyson brought Cassius and Marcel with him driving his black hummer. Marcel was sitting in between Zamora and Nikkya who were handcuffed behind their backs and tape over their mouths.
Carlos drove the van. Pito stayed in the back with Jamarco and Deandre. Carlos had gotten to the meeting place before Tyson had. They waited anxiously for them to arrive.
“This should be them.” Carlos said seeing the black hummer pull in.
“They better have followed the instructions.” Alex said.
Tyson pulled up the hummer under the bridge, opposite of Carlos only a few feet away. They flashed their lights at each other showing that they were ready to start the trade. Tyson and Carlos both exited their vehicles standing close to their doors.
“So here we are.” Carlos said.
“Here we are.” Tyson repeated.
“Where’s the girls?” Carlos asked him.
“Where’s my men?”
“How about we show them together?”
“Okay.” Tyson agreed.
Tyson made a gesture to his cousin. Cassius exited the vehicle and opened the back door, pulling out Nikkya. Holding a gun to her head. He brought her over to Tyson. Marcel waited inside to watch Zamora.
“Here is one. Now one of mine.” Tyson demanded.
Carlos opened the door van. Pito came out holding Deandre at gunpoint. Alex stayed in the passenger seat keeping an eye on Jamarco from the rearview mirror.
“And here is one of yours. I know you favor Jamarco more so. I’ll hold on to him until I see my daughter.”
“So you did scar my men.” Tyson said noticing the blood on Deandre’s face.
“I told you I did.”
“How do you suggest that we do this? At the same time?”
“Works for me. We will release them both at the same time. Anything happens to Nikkya on the way over, the same result will happen to Deandre.” Carlos told him.
“Same to you.”
“I’m glad we can agree.” Carlos said.
Cassius unlocked Nikkya’s handcuffs but held onto her arm. Carlos motioned for Pito to release Deandre. Cassius pushed Nikkya forward making her walk. Nikkya and Deandre slowly walked forward. They crossed paths. They reached their destinations at the same time. Cassius grabbed Deandre. He set him free. Pito grabbed Nikkya, removing the tape from her mouth.
“Are you okay?” He asked her.
“I’m okay. You have to get Zamora back.” She said looking back.
Pito turned her head toward him.
“We will. Go stand behind the van.” He told her.
Nikkya looked back again before proceeding to do what Pito told her. She sat on the back bumper of the van waiting anxiously for Zamora.
“Now my daughter.” Carlos demanded.
“Show me Jamarco.”
“Bring out my daughter.”
“Get the girl.” He told Cassius.
Cassius opened the door. He forcefully grabbed Zamora’s arm pulling her out. Marcel followed behind. Tyson took Zamora from him, keeping her close. Wrapping his arm around the front of her neck holding her close to his chest.
“Your turn.” He told Carlos.
Carlos told Pito to bring out Jamarco. He did so. Carlos took hold of him holding a gun to his head.
“Your other man. Tell him to come out so I can see him.” He told him.
Alex ex
ited the vehicle slowly, standing by the door.
“Now that we’re all here.” Carlos said.
Tyson demanded that Carlos release Jamarco first.
“You think that I’m that stupid? We’re gonna do this the same way we just did.” He told him.
Tyson didn’t want to let her go.
“It’s gonna be a little hard for me to…part ways…with Ms. Rivera.”
“If you don’t let my daughter go Tyson, Deandre over there, is going to be without a brother. It’ll all be your fault.”
“You better release my brother.” Deandre said to Carlos.
“Shut it Deandre. I will handle it.” Tyson ordered.
Tyson moved his arm from Zamora’s neck to release her from the cuffs. He kept hold of her arm tightly. Carlos looked at what Tyson had done to his daughter.
“Are you okay Zamora?” He yelled to his daughter.
She nodded her head.
“Let’s get this over with then!” Carlos yelled to him.
Before releasing Zamora, Tyson whispered in her ear.
“You got lucky this time sweet pea. Next time it won’t be so easy. Don’t think for a second, that we will stop coming after you. This will not happen again. Your father won’t get this far next time. We will make sure of it.” He pushed her forward to release her.
Carlos let Jamarco go to Tyson. Zamora removed the tape from her mouth on the way of walking to her father still slightly limping. He hugged his daughter.
“Estas bien?” He asked pulling away the hug.
(Are you okay?)
“Si.” She replied.
(Yes.)
He told her to go where Nikkya was. Zamora ran to her.
“Zamora.” Nikkya said relieved. They hugged.
“Pleasure doing business with you Mr. Tyson.” Carlos said.
“Sooner or later, I will get what I want from your daughter Mr. Rivera.”
“Well good luck with that. Really.”
“This is not the end! This isn’t over!” Tyson yelled.
“It is tonight.” Carlos said back.
“You can’t get rid of us this easy.”
“I won’t have to. Someone else will do that for me.”
“What does that mean?” Tyson wondered.
Carlos chuckled. “We both have our share of enemies.”
“That we do. I’m looking forward to seeing more of yours show up soon.”
Carlos ignored his remark.
“We’ll leave after you.”
“How about your men get in the car at the same time. I don’t trust you won’t try to shoot after us.”
“That’s good judgment.” He smirked.
Pito and Alex both got into the van at the same time that Jamarco, Deandre, and Marcel entered the hummer. Cassius waited with his cousin. Zamora and Nikkya came out from behind the van standing close.
“Go.” Tyson told his cousin.
Cassius got in the driver’s seat, starting the hummer.
“I’ll see you again sweet pea. Don’t forget about me.” He smiled.
“Someday Tyson. I’m gonna kill you.” She said again to him.
“I heard that before.”
Tyson entered the hummer keeping his eyes on Carlos. Cassius backed up far and then made the getaway speeding off fast.
“Thank you, father.” Zamora appreciated what he did for them.
He turned to her.
“To assume that I would do anything but, my daughter is ridiculous. I will always protect my blood, and those we care about the most.” He glanced at Nikkya.
“Thank you Mr. Rivera.” Nikkya said.
They all returned home. Minnie and the others were waiting for their arrival. JT was with them. They heard the front door open, running out. JT ran over to his sister almost jumping into her arms.
“Oh thank god.” He said to his sister, holding her close.
“I’m so glad to see you.” She said to her brother.
Minnie stared at her daughter, unsure if she should hug her or not.
“I’m so glad you’re okay.” She said in a gentle voice.
Zamora smiled at Minnie and then hugged her. It made Minnie feel good. Like Zamora cared for her.
“Thanks for taking care of my nephew.” She said.
“He’s been asking where you’ve been.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“What happened to your hand? And your ankle?” Minnie noticed.
“Don’t worry. Father took care of it.”
Zamora had more appreciation for her father at the moment he had told her about taking Jamarco and Deandre captive. It showed how much he really did love her.
“Good.” Minnie knew it meant something of the same consequence.
JT and Zamora greeted each other.
“Thank you Zamora. For looking out for my sister. For trying to get her away.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I would’ve done the same for anybody else.”
“I know.” JT kissed her forehead.
She smiled at him.
“I’m going to see Braydon.” She told the family.
“I think I’m going to take a shower.” Nikkya said.
“No problem sweetie. I imagine you’d want to.” Minnie said before hugging Nikkya.
Zamora and Nikkya both walked up the stairs together.
“Thank you for bringing home our daughter.” Minnie thanked her husband.
“I told you I would.”
“And thank you Mr. Rivera. For rescuing my sister. I hope you plan, to keep better watch on them. That can’t happen again. I can’t lose my sister.”
“You won’t lose your sister. You have my word. Nothing will happen to her again.”
“I hope not.”
“She’s part of this family now. You both are.” Carlos told him.
Annabeth and Braydon were playing together in the playroom. Zamora knocked on the door. They both turned around.
“Aunt Zamora!” Braydon jumped up running to his aunt.
She picked him up.
“Hey little guy.” Zamora almost cried for him.
“I’m sorry I left you without saying goodbye. That won’t happen again.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.” She smiled.
“I missed you.”
“I missed you too. Were you good for Minnie?” She asked still holding him in her arms.
“Yeah. I been playing, and waiting for you to come home.”
“I’m home.” She set him down.
“Thank you Annabeth. For keeping him company.”
“It’s okay.” She said brushing her Barbie’s hair.
Braydon ran back over to Annabeth to play with her. Zamora stood standing in the door way, watching them play.
“Zamora has been released back to her father. I thought you might want to know that.” Magnum told Paco the next day.
“I appreciate the thought. That is good to know.”
“So now you can have fun with your little war.” Magnum told him.
“It won’t be little. It’s going to be big.” He grinned.
“You have fun with that.” Magnum said annoyed.
“Was it really because she’s a kingpin’s daughter? Or does the girl mean something else to you?” Paco wondered.
Magnum remembered some of his and Zamora’s moments together.
“No. She means nothing to me. I just thought it would be wise…to not go to war with a kingpin.”
“That you might have been right.”
“Well I’m done here. I just thought you’d like to know.” Magnum started walking away.
“Where is my money?” Paco demanded.
Magnum quickly turned back around reaching into his coat pocket.
“Oh right. Here.” He slammed it down on to the table. It was wrapped in a rubber band.
Paco picked it up.
“It’s all there. I want more of my territory back. I’ve sold plenty enough to buy more
back.”
“You’re right Magnum. You have done so. You have been loyal and doing your job. You may have one corner back. Choose wisely. It’ll be a while before you earn another.” He told him.
“I’m sure it will.” Magnum stormed out keeping his emotions to himself.
“It’s never enough.” Paco said to himself after Magnum left.
Lupe entered the room.
Zamora was by herself in her room. Someone knocked on her bedroom door. She told them to come in.
“Your father wants to see you. In his office.” Nathan told her.
“Got it.”
Zamora entered her father’s office. He told her to shut the door.
“How are you feeling?” He asked.
“I’m fine.”
“Nikkya?”
“She’ll be okay.”
“Good. We need to talk.”
“About what?”
“You know what.”
Zamora sighed.
“The Eye.”
“The Eye.” He repeated.
“I destroyed it.”
“I know. How? And Why?”
Zamora sat down on the couch.
“Because I knew that you wouldn’t. I had to.”
“You had to? Do you know how much work I put into that?”
Carlos seemed frustrated about losing The Eye.
“And look where it got me.”
There was a short awkward silence.
“How did you destroy it?” He asked curiously.
“I didn’t. Someone else did.”
“What do you mean? Who?”
Zamora thought about how to explain it.
“When Paco came into the city and tried taking over everyone’s territory, I knew a way that could easily get rid of him, but it wasn’t going to be easy.”
Carlos gave her a look as if to keep explaining.
“Ghost.” She said.
“Somehow I feel as if I’m the only one who’s never heard of him.”
“Not everyone has. You’ve just never needed a…clean way…to get rid of someone.”
“I prefer to do my own dirty work. So what about him?”
“Every time I tried to search for Ghost, every computer system I used got shut down within minutes. Like I don’t mean shut down as in powered off. The hard drive fried itself. I tried over and over again to get around it but I couldn’t. Weeks passed. And I remembered something that my dad had taught me. I was able to trace the signal that shut it down before it happened.”
City Culprits (Book 1) Page 15
