Carlos let out a deep breath like he was unsure of where his daughter was going with the conversation.
“What do you really want Zamora? What do you want to know?”
“I want to know what you do all day father. I’m interested to know what really goes on in your business. I want to know what really happens in the Rivera crime family cartel. I want to know all your secrets.”
Zamora started to catch his attention.
“Why?”
“Why not?”
“Zamora. My daughter. I don’t want you involved in this life anymore than you have to be.” He told her.
“That ship sailed the day I was born.” She told him.
“Okay. If you really want to see. I’ll show you. Come with me.” He said to her.
Zamora sat in the back seat with her father and Axel while Pito and Alex sat in the front like always. Zamora sat by the window.
“Are you sure this is a good idea boss?” Pito questioned Zamora’s presence.
Carlos and Zamora glanced at each other.
“I’m sure.”
“The other cartel leaders are going to question her. You know what I mean.” Alex reminded him.
“What does that mean?” Zamora asked her father.
Carlos hesitated to tell her.
“It means it doesn’t matter if you’re his daughter. It doesn’t matter if you’re Rivera blood. They don’t know you. They’re going to want you to prove yourself.” Axel told her.
“That won’t be necessary. I will handle it.” Carlos said.
“I’ve killed 15 people. What’s one more?” Zamora said it like it didn’t matter.
“I don’t want you to be like me.” Carlos told her.
Zamora looked her father in the eyes.
“Too late.” She told him. “I’ve already got blood on my hands.”
Alex, Pito and Axel hadn’t known about her killing 15 people by the look on their faces. They only knew about her killing 5 of Paco’s men as Magnum explained.
“You killed 15 people?” Axel asked her.
“It’s complicated.” She said to her cousin not wanting to reveal the details.
“It always is.” He said back.
“We’re here.” Pito mentioned pulling up to a private location.
“Are you sure about this Zamora? There’s no turning back.” Carlos warned her.
“If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here.” She told him.
“Okay. Stay beside me when we get out.” He told her.
Zamora stayed beside her father as he instructed her to do. They walked up to their private meeting location that was somewhere outside of the city. Carlos pressed a button near the door.
“Quien es?” A voice asked through the speaker phone.
(Who is it?)
“Carlos Rivera.” Carlos answered back.
The door opened with a buzz.
Pito, Alex, and Axel proceeded to go inside before Carlos and Zamora.
“Let me handle them.” He told his daughter.
“Whatever.” Zamora rolled her eyes.
Carlos went inside with his daughter by his side.
“Quien es este?” One of the men asked wondering who Carlos had brought with him.
(Who is this?)
The room wasn’t that big. A white round wooden table sat in the center of the room with chairs around it. Three Spanish men sat around the table. Two who were around Carlos’s age and one who looked to be in his early 30’s. They were ahead of other cartels. There were no windows in the room.
Carlos quickly introduced the men to his daughter. Javier, Franco, and Pedro. Pedro was the youngest of them. Javier was the most vicious and often questioned new people. He didn’t trust many people whom he had not been in business with before.
Javier stood up from his chair, walking over to Zamora.
“Your daughter?” He asked Carlos.
“Si.” Carlos answered.
Javier looked at her.
“So you’re the famous Zamora Rivera?” He rolled his tongue pronouncing her name.
“If you want to call it that.” She answered.
“You look like your mother.” Franco stated.
Zamora didn’t respond.
“We came here to discuss business. Did we not?” Carlos asked him.
Javier turned his attention to Carlos.
“You know I’m not comfortable with new people Carlos. Why did you bring your daughter? You know we’re going to…test her loyalty.” He smirked.
“My daughter is not your concern. I need to protect her from my enemies. I don’t think I need to explain that to you.”
“This is a private business meeting Carlos. I don’t know your daughter. I don’t know what she’s done or what she’s capable of. I don’t like new people.”
“She is my daughter. You don’t have to worry.” Carlos tried to reassure him.
“I’ve killed 15 men.” Zamora blurted out.
Javier, Franco, and Pedro had a look of interest.
“Is that so?” Javier questioned her.
“That’s what I said.”
“Who were they?”
“Does it matter?”
“Why did you really come here?” He was curious.
“I guess my father’s business…interests me.” She confessed.
“Does it now?” Javier seemed interested.
“My daughter doesn’t owe you an explanation.” Carlos told him.
“Rivera blood is always welcome here…but loyalty must be tested first just the same as Axels was. I don’t trust your daughter with our secrets. Trust has to be earned.”
Axel remembered Javier making him kill someone in front of him. The first time he’d ever taken someone’s life.
“With all due respect…Javier…I don’t know you either.” Zamora told him.
Javier grinned while admiring her.
“I like your style, Ms. Rivera. You fit the part.”
“Thanks. I think.”
“When was the last time you took a life?”
Zamora hesitated to answer him.
“You look like you have something to hide.” Javier noticed.
“Five years ago.” She stated.
“Five years ago? Who did you kill? Some annoying little teenager?” He laughed.
Franco and Pedro joined in.
Zamora took offense as he underestimated her skills.
“I killed the five men Paco Ruiz sent to kill a man I was running with at the time.”
Javier and the others stopped laughing. They knew the name.
“Paco Ruiz? The one in charge of MS-13?”
“That’s the one.” Zamora quickly answered.
“You got balls sweetie. You got my attention.” Javier smiled.
Javier backed away from Zamora.
“Good to know.” She said.
“Can we get to business now?” Carlos interrupted not wanting it to go any further.
“Not yet. I’m still not sure how I feel about your daughter.” Javier told him. He looked like he was trying to decide something in his head.
“We don’t have time for this.” Carlos told them.
“We will make time.” Franco said.
“Wait here.” Javier told everyone.
Javier came back with a man who had a black bag over his head and bound hands.
“What’s this about?” Carlos asked him.
“You know who this is Carlos. This is why we’re here, remember?” Javier stated.
Carlos sighed.
“Who is that?” Zamora wondered.
“Someone in my business…who betrayed me. He stole something that he was supposed to deliver. It ended up costing all of us a very big profit.” Javier explained.
“What does this have to do with my daughter Javier?” Carlos wondered.
“I want to know what your daughter is capable of Mr. Rivera. I can’t let someone in on our secrets if I don’t trust them.”
“Isn’t that my job to test
my daughter? She is part of the Rivera cartel…not yours.” Carlos told him.
“You knew this was going to happen Carlos.” Javier reminded him.
“What are you getting at?” Zamora questioned him.
“I set up deals that can profit us all Zamora. When we are in on the same business deal…I want to make sure the right people are involved. Unlike this man who I shouldn’t have ever trusted. When we have allies in this business…things run more smoothly. I don’t want to have to think of you as an enemy. I want to know who my ally’s are. Just because you have Rivera blood running through your veins, doesn’t mean you can be trusted.” Javier explained.
“So what do you want?” She finally asked.
“I’m so glad you asked.” Javier said taking off the bag from the man’s head. A gag was on his mouth. His face was bloodied and bruised.
Javier pulled out his gun from his back. Carlos knew what Javier wanted.
“I don’t really care to kill my own men Zamora.” Javier said holding the gun out for her to take.
“You expect my daughter to just shoot someone?” Carlos asked him.
“Your nephew didn’t seem to have a problem. Your daughter shouldn’t either, considering the fact that she’s already killed 15 people already. It should be easy.” Javier said glancing at Zamora. He walked over, handing the gun to her. He forced it in her hand.
“I don’t kill people without cause.” Zamora told him.
“I just told you the reason. Betrayal…is unforgiving in this life. It cannot go unpunished.”
Zamora glanced at her father for a split second. She didn’t want to show weakness.
“I don’t think you’re going to do it Zamora.” Javier tested. “I don’t think you’ve ever killed anyone.”
Zamora suddenly then fired two shots at the man. Putting two bullets in his head.
“Don’t underestimate me. It pisses me off.” She told him.
Javier clapped and smiled like he was impressed with her.
Carlos had the same look on his face. He had never seen his daughter take a life. The look on his face was like he was proud to have a child of his own that was like himself.
“Well…Ms. Rivera…you are your fathers daughter.” Javier told her.
“So I’ve been told.” She said handing the gun back to him.
“Those are beautiful gloves. You hiding something or are they for show?” Franco was curious.
“It’s a long story. I’d rather not explain. Let’s just say the Jamaicans…are going to get what’s coming to them.”
“Ah…your fathers enemies. I’m surprised the Russians…haven’t made their way to the city yet.” Javier said looking at Carlos.
“Yeah Tyson mentioned them. I just haven’t got around to that conversation with my father yet.” She said looking at him.
“Another time Zamora.” Carlos told her.
“Let’s get to business. We need to fix this problem.” Pedro seemed annoyed.
“The problem has been fixed Pedro. I will figure out a way to fix the deal.” Javier said.
“I guess this means that you are now a part of my cartel.” Carlos said to Zamora on the way back.
“Why because I killed somebody?” She looked at him.
“No because you’re my daughter, but in this life Zamora you cannot be afraid to take a life. You can’t hesitate when it’s necessary. I know that you’ve killed before, but I needed to see it for myself.” He told her.
“So you knew that Javier was going to make me do that?”
“Yes I did. You reacted quickly when the order was given. That’s what I needed you to do. That’s what I need you to do.”
“So you tested me?”
“I hope you can understand.” He said.
“I get it.” She told him looking back out the window.
“When word gets out about it…you’re going to become a bigger target…but you’ll also become more untouchable. And a higher status in my business.”
“Lucky me.” She said back.
“There’s a lot that you will be able to do for me that no one else can, considering that I only have men.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She wondered.
“Women have a chance of getting closer to men. Our enemies. They can easily be taken out.” Pito explained.
Zamora understood.
“Right. Well that sounds fun and all but…I still have my own enemies to attend to.”
“We will deal with them together.” Carlos told her.
“And the Russians? What do they want? It can’t be about The Eye because it’s been terminated.”
“No. That is a different situation.”
“Well since they concern me, I think I’d really like to know.”
Carlos waited a moment.
“Vladimir is ahead of the Russian Mafia. That prick is also a rapist. His sister Katya is a Russian assassin who works for only him. He suspects that I killed his father.”
“Did you?” Zamora asked.
“Yes.” Carlos admitted.
“I don’t see why he’s complaining. He got control over the business after his father died.” Pito smirked.
Carlos glanced at Pito.
“So what do I have to do with that? You have a wife and more family.”
“Because you are my daughter. You are the closest to my blood. He wants to make me suffer. The one thing that I and Vladimir have in common is we make our enemies truly suffer. We torture them until their last breath. We are very evil men. And Katya…is a very dangerous woman. She is not to be underestimated. She reminds me of you.” Carlos said.
“Well…I’m so looking forward to that.” Zamora said sarcastically.
“We don’t need to worry about them unless it’s necessary.” Carlos told her.
“I think the Jamaicans and MS-13 are enough for me.”
“I agree.”
“You know your wife, isn’t going to be very happy about this.” Pito said to Carlos.
“I will worry about my wife.”
“What do you mean?” Zamora asked her father.
“Minnie never wanted her children to follow my lifestyle. If our son had lived, she didn’t want him involved.”
“Well I’m not him.” Zamora said.
“Tell me Zamora. When’s the first time you ever took a life?” Carlos asked his daughter.
“I was 16.” She answered.
MID-STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY
Dice was in the yard lifting weights. Other men were in the yard doing similar things. A guard walked past the fence stopping near Dice.
“Dice. Your visitors are here.” He told him.
“Now?” Dice asked confused.
“Let’s go.” The guard told him.
Dice put the weights back.
“Why am I going to the box?” Dice wondered as he had not done anything to send him to solitary.
“Compliments of Carlos Rivera.” The guard told him.
“I see.” Dice said.
The guard opened the door letting him in. He found Minnie and his son Braydon inside.
“Daddy!” Braydon yelled running to his father’s arms.
Dice caught him picking him up. He held him tightly.
“Hey buddy. I missed you.” Dice told his son.
“I miss you too daddy.” Braydon said.
Minnie faintly smiled at the sight of their bonding.
“You must be Minnie.” Dice said while putting Braydon down.
“I am. It’s nice to meet you.” She shook his hand. “Although I wish it was under different circumstances.”
“You and me both.” Dice agreed walking over to the table.
He sat down across from Minnie. Braydon sat in his father’s lap.
“Thanks for the private room.” Dice said to Minnie.
“My husband thought you would appreciate it. Alone time with your son.”
Dice glanced at the guard not wanting to say something wrong.
<
br /> “You may speak freely. He’s on our payroll.” Minnie told him.
“Well that’s good to know. Who else in here is on it?” Dice wondered.
“Whoever we need.” Minnie said.
“Well I don’t want to talk about too much around my son.”
“I agree.”
Dice turned his attention to his son. He had never been able to be alone with him before. He took advantage of it. Playing and laughing with his son. 45 minutes had passed by.
“It’s almost time to leave.” Minnie told Dice.
“Yeah. We need to talk.”
Minnie pulled out her phone from her purse to find Braydon something to watch.
“Hey buddy. Why don’t you watch something so that I can talk to Minnie okay?” Dice told his son. He gently slipped the headphones over his son’s ears so he couldn’t hear.
“So how’s Zamora?” Dice asked Minnie.
She sighed. Dice took it as if something was wrong.
“What is it?” He wondered.
“You should know that, your sister is in with her father’s cartel.”
“What?”
“I don’t like it either. As much as I hate to say it, it’s safer for her. She’ll be close to him all the time.”
“Yes but your husband is a killer.”
“So is my daughter.” Minnie hesitantly said.
“And so am I. I guess some people are just born this way.” Dice told her.
“This isn’t the life I wanted for my children but I knew what I married into. I’ve watched my husband kill people. I’ve watched my husband’s brother kill people and his own son followed in his footsteps and now my daughter is standing alongside her father.”
“Zamora was already a killer long before Carlos came into her life. Thanks to our adopted father who taught her how to be one. Who taught us all how to kill.”
“Deep down inside, when I first laid eyes on my daughter, I knew someday she would be like him. I just sensed it. When I handed her over to her new parents, I knew someday the truth would reveal itself and by that time, I knew Zamora was already going to be a trained killer.”
“So it is true? Zamora told me that Carlos wanted to place her with a man who could teach her.”
“That wasn’t the plan. The plan was that the man who adopted her, was only supposed to teach her how to protect herself. How to get away.”
“The memories of our father are good. He loved us very much, but he created warriors out of his children. He was toughest on her. Some days she could barely stand it. We knew how to take a life by the time we were 12. I never understood any of it until I overheard the true identity of my sister Zamora. That her father was Carlos Rivera. That’s when it made sense.”
City Culprits (Book 1) Page 19
