“You traced it?”
“Not without difficulty. I went to the location on my own. Found out what was going on.”
“So what was it?” He wondered.
“Ghost’s younger brother. Atlas. He’s a computer hacker. A very, high tech, experienced hacker. At first it was very difficult to get him to let me inside and trust me. And then I told him that I’m the one who’s he’s been shutting down every few hours.”
“So what happened?”
“I told him why I needed Ghost. He told me you can only get him, through him only. There’s a secret link to go to. You send Atlas everything. Who you want to kill and why. Atlas sends the information to his brother. His brother decides if he wants to take the job.”
“You wanted to use Ghost to kill Paco?”
“It wasn’t that easy. Ghost comes with a very high price. And he won’t just kill anybody. He wants background. I didn’t have any and I didn’t have the money. Atlas told me that once you hire Ghost…there’s no backing out. The job must be sought through.”
Carlos listened closely to his daughter.
“Atlas told me that when someone tries to find Ghost themselves…he gets an automatic alert. He finds where the signal comes from and fries the system. You must go through Atlas to get to Ghost. So I knew that when Tyson put in Ghost’s name on The Eye…he would terminate it.” Zamora explained.
“You knew what would happen.”
“Tyson…destroyed it for me. I knew destroying The Eye would wipe out half the enemies that were trying to find it. If it doesn’t exist, they disappear.”
“You’re right about that. So what happened with this Atlas guy? He just pretended you didn’t know the truth?”
“That’s exactly what happened. I promised to keep the secret.”
“And that’s when you took matters into your own hands, when you couldn’t get rid of Paco?”
“It was an easy way to bring Paco down a notch. I killed the 5 men he sent to take out Magnum. I was there. Magnum wasn’t. So I killed them, not knowing that…he had actually sent 6. Luckily for me…he never saw my face. He only heard my name when Magnum returned. The last guy was still outside hiding. More like waiting. He returned back to Paco and told him. Word got back to me that he was looking for a girl name Zamora Cortez.”
“You’re a very clever girl Zamora.”
“I did what I had to do to protect them.” She told him.
Carlos looked at his daughter like he was proud or something.
“I put out word that The Eye is gone. That’s less enemies we have to deal with.”
“We still have the Jamaican Posse. They know I know how to find Ghost.”
“Not for long.” He replied.
“Why are you just telling me this now Zamora?” Dice asked his sister on the phone.
“Because I’m fine Dice. Everything’s fine.”
“You were kidnapped Zamora. You and Nikkya. How the hell did Carlos get you out?”
“He took two of Tyson’s men. Made a trade.”
“Did they hurt you?”
Zamora hesitated to answer. Dice knew what that meant.
“What did they do to you?” There was tension in his voice.
“He scarred my hand.”
“He cut you?”
“I’m fine Dice. Carlos paid ‘em back.”
“He better have. We can’t talk too much about this over the phone.”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure my father can do something about that.”
Dice changed the subject.
“How’s Braydon?”
“He’s okay. He’s still himself.”
“Good. And Minnie?”
“Braydon doesn’t know about that.”
“Did she ask any questions about it?”
“I told her you had a lot of influence and made it happen. She understands.”
“I didn’t do that to hurt you Zamora. It’s just shit like what just happened. I need to make sure he’s okay.”
“I know Dice. I don’t blame you. He’s going to be fine.”
“How are you going to tell him you can’t be the one to take him here the next visit?”
“I don’t know. I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.” She told her brother.
“So how exactly do you want to get the message across to them? You want to take them all out? Lupe asked his cousin.
“I’m thinking more in another direction.” Paco said.
“What do you mean?”
“Destroying everything he has. So that he cannot rebuild for a very long time. And all that firepower…and drugs he has in the warehouse…it’s perfect.”
“So you want to make it go boom?” Lupe smirked.
“Exactly. But I want Tyson to know it. Take him off the pedestal he thinks he’s on.”
“That’s going to cause quite a ruckus. Are you sure about this cousin? I’m with you either way.”
“It has to be done.” He told him sure of himself.
“Indeed it does. I will see what I can find about their warehouse.”
Lupe started walking away. Paco called back his attention.
“Who is our best shot from a long distance?” He asked him.
Lupe thought.
“Scooter. He’s definitely the best. He was in the army for a long time.”
“Get him for me. He’s perfect for what I have in mind.” Paco ordered.
“Not a problem. I will get him for you.”
“One more thing cousin.”
“What is it?”
“Dig deeper into the Rivera’s. Everything you can find.”
“Anyone in particular?”
“Zamora Rivera. He won’t admit it but…I’m pretty sure Magnum has a connection with her. Try and see what you can find.”
“I’ll get on it.” Lupe told him.
Nikkya had switched to online schooling. Carlos demanded it if she wanted to continue. Carlos also demanded that both Nikkya and Zamora have trackers in their cell phones so that the incident would not happen again. Unknowingly to Carlos, Zamora knew how to change the signal. Something her adopted father had taught her. Nikkya was placed with new bodyguards. Zamora almost always found a way to ditch hers. She hated it.
She did something far daring and dangerous after changing the GPS signal on her phone. Zamora walked the streets at night on her own. She went to see a familiar face. Someone she hadn’t seen in a very long time.
There was a knock at Magnums door. He was always paranoid while answering it. Keeping his gun in his hand. He looked through the peep hole. At first he was unsure of who the person on his doorstep was. Then it came to him. He quickly opened the door.
“Zamora?” Magnum was unsure of how to react to seeing her.
“Hey babe.” Zamora said pulling down her hood.
“What the hell are you doing here?” He pulled her inside before anyone could see.
“That’s all I get? It’s been 5 years.”
“This isn’t safe Zamora. If Paco figures out who you really are he’s going to kill you. He already suspects something.”
“He’s not going to figure it out. I needed to see you.”
“Why?”
“Because you told my father everything. This is just a lot to take in over the past few months. I needed a familiar face.”
“That’s funny. Your father said the same thing.”
They stared in each others eyes for a moment. Magnum pulled her in, giving her a long warm welcome.
“I did miss you Zamora. I hated having to do that. But it was for the best.”
“I know. But it doesn’t matter anymore. I have far worse enemies than Paco now. All thanks to my real father.”
“Paco and his crew can stop by any minute. It isn’t safe for you here. They know where I am.”
“I just really needed to see you.”
Magnum looked into her eyes again. He kissed her forehead.
“Just for a little while. Then you have
to go. The whole crew thinks you up and left. If they see you. Word will get out fast.” He told her.
She nodded her head like she understood.
Magnum and Zamora caught up with each other. Telling what they’ve been up to the last 5 years. Sharing their past memories together. They laughed and held each other close.
“So you’ve been working for Paco the last 5 years?” She asked him.
“It’s not something I want to do. It’s a business deal. We all have to make sacrifices. I’m sick of those stupid pussy ass bitches. Paco thinks he owns this damn city. He thinks he’s king.”
“I know. That’s why I tried to get rid of him before I killed his men.”
“So you did try to hire Ghost.”
Zamora confessed to Magnum of what she did. The same as she told her father.
“I really don’t know how to take that in. But you shouldn’t have killed his men.”
“You knew I had it in me to do it.”
“He hasn’t stopped looking for you. He won’t stop. MS-13 wants you to pay for what you’ve done. Changing your name might have helped you a lot.”
Zamora and Magnum spent a little more time together. But it was time for her to go. They promised to keep in touch but they could never meet at his home again. It wasn’t safe.
“I love you Zamora. I never stopped. I want you to know that.” He confessed.
Zamora leaned in to kiss him. He kissed her back. She said those words back to him. While Zamora was leaving, someone took pictures of them. Someone had been watching.
Scooter had been a military man. He was muscular and active. He was a sharp shooter. He had been filled in on the plan by Paco. He was given his orders on what was to be done. He waited far from the warehouse in a nearby window. Waiting to complete the task at hand.
“Let’s go man. We need to get this done.” Tyson told his crew.
Cassius, Jamarco, Deandre and Marcel went with Tyson to complete a business deal. They got inside the black hummer. Cassius driving. Tyson in the passenger seat.
“This is legit?” Cassius questioned.
“Yes. I made sure of it.” Tyson answered.
“Good.”
Scooter had orders to wait until Tyson had left the warehouse. Anyone who left with him would be spared their lives. 100 gallon propane tanks were in the cellar of the warehouse. Visible through the windows from Scooters line of view. Scooter positioned himself, aiming at the one of the tanks from his window with his .50 caliber gun.
“Ready or not…here it comes.” Scooter said before taking the shot.
The propane tank he shot at exploded bursting into flames, causing the others to explode. The fire quickly made its way to the drug floor of the warehouse, which only made the explosion worse. No one had a chance. The explosion quickly filled the air with flames and black smoke.
Scooter quickly packed up. He got rid of any evidence he could have possibly left behind. It was like he was never there. He called Paco.
“It’s done.” He quickly told him.
“I can see that. Well done.”
Paco was pleased. He looked out his window, seeing the sky fill with black smoke.
The whole city felt the explosion. Innocent bystanders were caught in the flames.
“What the hell was that?” Jamarco looked back.
They all felt the impact. They all saw the sky filling up with smoke.
“Where the hell is that fire coming from?” Tyson was worried.
Cassius looked in the rearview mirror seeing the high flames in the sky. Fire trucks, police cars, and ambulance sirens were scattered everywhere.
“The warehouse. Go back and check!” Tyson ordered.
Cassius quickly made a U-Turn almost running into another car. He sped quickly.
“Hurry up! That fire is in our direction.” He yelled to his cousin.
They made their way closer to their warehouse. Tyson knew something had happened. A look of horror filled their faces as all the emergency vehicles went in the same direction. The road was blocked off preventing them from driving any further. Tyson saw his warehouse from the distance. On fire.
“What the hell happened here?!” He freaked.
“Who has done this? That could not have happened.” Cassius watched the flames.
Tyson thought about what could’ve happened. He then remembered Paco telling him that he would destroy everything that he had.
“That son of a bitch. He really did it.” Tyson said.
“What are you talking about?” Cassius wondered.
“Paco Ruiz.” There was anger in his voice.
“They did this?!”
“I’M GOING TO SLAUGHTER THEM!” His veins look like they were going to burst out from his neck.
“How are we supposed to get all of this back?! All of our men and our girls. They are all gone!” Cassius shouted.
“MS-13. They wanted a war. They got it.” Tyson said.
CHAPTER FIVE
The warehouse explosion was all over the news. Live footage of it burning. They hadn’t yet known how many bodies were exactly inside or what had caused it.
“Too bad for them.” Zamora said with sarcasm in her voice.
“I hope they’re all dead. They deserve to be.” Nikkya said.
“I hope they felt every ounce of it.” JT said staring at the burning warehouse.
“I don’t think Paco killed Tyson. He wanted to send a message. If he wanted him dead, he wouldn’t have caused a big mess like that.” Zamora said.
“But now they will be off your back for a while.” Carlos said entering the room, overhearing the conversation. He looked at the TV.
“That’s true. I should thank Paco.” Zamora said.
“Don’t even think about it.” Carlos told his daughter knowing that she probably would.
“I was kidding.” She said.
“I never know with you.” He said seriously.
“I went to see Magnum though. Last night.”
“You did what? That’s not safe Zamora.”
“Why isn’t that safe? What happened?” Nikkya interrupted.
Zamora turned to Nikkya.
“There’s probably something that you should both probably know about me. Why I changed the way I look…and why Magnum and I really left each other. I don’t want there to be anymore secrets.”
“What did you do?” Nikkya asked nervously.
Carlos decided to make a quiet exit from the room leaving them to themselves so that his daughter could explain. Nikkya and JT listened as she told them the whole truth.
Paco and his crew watched the news. Watching as the warehouse went up in flames. The sky was still full of black smoke.
“You made sure that Tyson was gone?” Paco asked Scooter.
“He left in a black hummer.”
“How many were with him?”
“I’m pretty sure there were four.”
“Well lucky for them.” Paco turned his attention back to the television.
“You think that he’s going to retaliate? Even though there are only five of them?” Lupe asked.
“I would expect that he would. I’m sure that he will bring others from Jamaica. He will need more men if he wants to rebuild. We would do the same.”
Lupe changed the subject.
“I dug deeper into the Rivera’s.”
“What did you find?”
“There is not much to find on the girl. Her adoption records are sealed shut.”
“Well someone found a way to break into them.”
“You really think there is a connection between the girl and Magnum?”
“He is hiding something. He’s not going to tell me. He must’ve known the girl before Carlos Rivera came back into her life. She was not a Rivera before. She was someone else. I have a pretty good idea who that is.”
Lupe had the same thought in mind.
“You really think she could be Zamora Cortez?”
“That would be…a very m
uch unexpected change of events. But we need to make sure before we go after a kingpins daughter. Find her adopted last name.”
“Ella era alguien.” Lupe said.
(She was somebody.)
“What the hell are we supposed to do now? We have no place to go. No men. Our workers are gone.” Cassius said to his cousin.
They were gathered in a hotel room having no other place to go.
“We will figure something out.” Tyson told him.
“There are only five of us now.”
“Jamarco?” Tyson called him over. “Get word back to Jamaica that we are in need of new men.” He ordered.
“Yes boss.” Jamarco quickly got on his cell phone to make calls.
“Deandre. Find a small warehouse or an empty building for sale and then look for a luxury home for sale. I don’t care how much they are. You know my preferences. We’re going to do things differently this time.” He told him.
“What about Paco?” Marcel questioned.
“We will take care of that soon. We need to get things back in check first. Don’t worry. We will deal with them.” Tyson’s face was full of hate.
“They can’t trace the warehouse back to us right?” Cassius asked.
“No. I made sure of it. They probably think we’re all dead anyway.”
“How the hell did that happen? How the hell could they have possibly done that?”
“I don’t know.” Tyson said before his phone rang.
It was Que. He answered it.
“Jesus. I thought you were all dead.” Que said relieved.
“I’m here.”
“How many of you?”
“Five including me.”
“What the hell happened?”
“Those MS-13 spicks. They caused an explosion.”
“You’re telling that Paco Ruiz did that?” Que didn’t know what to think of it.
“He is the only one that could. We had a meeting together. He basically told me that if I didn’t comply with his demands that he was going to take everything I had.”
“How the hell could he have possibly pulled that off?”
“Good question. Whatever he did. It worked. I guess I underestimated him. I didn’t think he would go that far.”
City Culprits (Book 1) Page 16
