by Hunt, Jack
Still.
Who was this girl and how did she fit into the bigger picture?
For 18 seconds straight four gang members beat on the man before taking pocket knives and stabbing him until his intestines could be seen. After, Alvaro Fernandez gestured to his foot soldiers to drag the rival gang member outside and dump his body. Gang signs were thrown in the air and the rest continued drinking and partying as if nothing had happened.
Leo wanted to throw up as a flashback of his time in the gang came to him, and the day he asked permission to leave. Looking back now it all seemed so foolish but at the age of 12 he was naïve and lacking a father figure in his life. They offered him brotherhood, strict rules, protection and stability when he had none. With few options or prospects, and seeing so many of his friends get caught up in the drug scene, it just seemed like a no-brainer to get involved.
However, it didn’t take him long to see through the smoke and mirrors.
Before looking at him, Alvaro raised his voice to the other sixty or more members that were jammed into a plush hotel lobby that once catered to the rich and famous. Now it was overrun with the worst of society like rats in a sewer. As a general might when rallying his troops, Alvaro paced before them raising two fingers. “There are only two roads for all of us in this life. Prison and death. At some point all of you will face these. But that’s okay. That’s what we signed up for. There is no escaping who we are. You’ve pledged your life to this gang, and we live or die by that pledge. No matter what happens, 18th Street is forever.”
They roared and cheered.
At one time he would have been in awe, now he felt only shame, shame for his past.
Alvaro turned and his face changed to an expression of glee.
“Shorty. A long time, huh?” He looked him up and down and walked around Leo assessing him. “Been a lot of change around here. You kept your nose clean, I see, remained true to your word. Tell me, what was it like?”
“What?”
“Leaving the gang.”
Leo shrugged.
“Must have been hard without an army behind you.”
The few who were granted permission to leave usually suffered greatly and either died at the hands of another gang who had no idea they’d left, or they had problems finding employment as society blocked their path to a better life. “I survived.”
“Survive. Yes you did, and that’s why you’re here. I have a very special job for you.”
Alvaro got close to him, his nose inches away from his face. Alvaro had dark hair, sunglasses and a mustache that made him look like Freddie Mercury. It didn’t help that he was rarely seen out of a white muscle shirt. Age, however, was catching up with him. Leo eyed the silver flecks at his temple.
“Alvaro, with all due respect, surely there is someone else who can do it?”
“If there was, you and I wouldn’t be talking now.”
He cracked his neck in front of him by cocking it to the side before continuing to prowl his domain. “You will be heading north to provide support to La Primera.”
“What?”
“I want you to go with twenty of our guys. You understand?”
He frowned. “I understand, but why? La Primera…”
“They are a leading source of narcotics in the northern district of California, allowing us to branch out. If they suffer, we suffer. Understand?”
“I understand but Ramiro surely…”
Before he could finish, Alvaro grabbed him by the throat and forced him back against a wall and squeezed hard. “Your days of giving orders, Leo, are gone. You relinquished the seat the day you walked out. Now I give the orders, you hear me?”
He gritted his teeth. This wasn’t about need; it was a power move. Alvaro had at one time been below Leo, a triggerman like himself. Leo’s rise to power had never sat well with him because he believed he should have been given the position. Now that he was at the helm he wanted Leo to know, he wanted him to feel what it was like to serve under someone else. Leo nodded. “I won’t kill anyone.”
He cocked his head. “You won’t?”
“Calmado. There are rules that even you must follow.”
Alvaro chuckled. “Those were the old rules. I make the rules now, homie. And as for Ramiro, he will go with you just to ensure that you do your job.” He released his death grip around Leo’s neck and backed up but not before slapping him on the side of the face. “It’s good to see you again, Shorty. Remember, without loyalty the gang is nothing.” He laughed as he walked over to Ramiro and muttered something to him. Ramiro grinned and looked at Leo before Alvaro returned.
He wanted to protest but he could see Alvaro was looking for a reason to show his dominance, and make Leo look less than a man in front of his men. Leo didn’t care how he looked but knowing Alvaro, he wouldn’t stop with him, he might punish the church and innocent people, and he couldn’t have that.
“Oh by the way, Leo, I have something that belongs to you.” He crossed the room and returned holding a 9mm. It was Leo’s old piece. He recognized it instantly. Alvaro handed it to him with a smile on his face. He knew he was against killing. “Remember your first kill? Of course you do.” Leo took it and looked at it. “Officer Felix Garcia. Find him. Then report back. I have more work for you to do.”
4
Willits, California
Two, maybe three. Garcia couldn’t quite make out the conversation but he’d heard Andre’s voice. He was alive. Possibly injured but alive. “Stay here,” he said, quietly opening the door and shuffling out at a crouch. He looked back and saw Elisha close the door behind him. Cautiously he weaved his way around debris — reports, a tipped-over filing cabinet, even a snapshot of someone’s family inside a cracked frame.
“I’m telling you the truth,” Andre said loudly.
“You expect us to believe you waltzed in here to see what you could salvage?”
Garcia made his way up to a doorway and peered around. Two guys, ordinary looking, baseball caps, early twenties, one had shaggy blond hair coming out the back, the other was sporting one hell of a shiner.
He wanted to burst out, gun raised but needed to make sure they were the only ones. The two men continued to question Andre, apparently interested in where he was from, why he was in Willits and where he was staying.
Convinced they were alone, Garcia shuffled into the next room and made his way over to the counter. He’d use it for cover if they got trigger-happy and took a potshot. “Take a look, Travis. Our boy here has gang tats.”
“Where’s the rest of your crew?” Travis asked.
“I told you. It’s just me.”
“No, you boys don’t travel alone. Where are they? Looting homes, businesses, raping someone?”
“I…”
“You better start telling the truth and…”
“Put your weapons down!” Garcia said rising from behind the counter, his shotgun leveled, his finger on the trigger. Both men looked his way, their eyes widened. “He’s not with the gangs.”
The guy with shaggy hair set his rifle down immediately but the other, the one going by the name Travis, held on to his. “Can’t do that.”
“C’mon man, I don’t want to shoot you,” Garcia said.
“Yeah? What cop did you steal that uniform off?”
“Put the gun down!”
“If I do that, we’re as good as dead just like these cops here. You did this, didn’t you?”
“We’re not even from the area. We’re visiting. I’m an officer with Petaluma.”
“Then you’re a long way from home.”
“Brought a friend here.”
“Yeah? Who?”
Garcia was beginning to lose his patience. “Put the gun down.”
“Sorry, compadre, but it looks like we are at a stalemate. By the time you squeeze that trigger, I will have squeezed mine and you’ll have to pick up your pal’s brains.”
“Listen, I’m going to reach into my pocket and get you some I
D. You cool with that?” Garcia asked.
“I’m cool with you putting that shotgun down.”
Garcia chuckled. “Not happening.”
“Oh I think it is,” Travis said, a smile forming.
Just then, Garcia heard movement behind him. He turned his head ever so slightly to see a 9mm pointing at his cheek. A tall thin guy wearing a beanie grinned at him. He looked a little rough as if he hadn’t slept in a week. “Lower the gun. Nice and easy.”
As Garcia contemplated doing as instructed, the sound of someone racking a semi-auto was heard a short distance away. “You took the words right out of my mouth,” Elisha said. A gun came into view from around the doorway, pointed at the same guy who had a 9mm to his head.
Beanie dude closed his eyes. “Shit!”
“Drop it,” Elisha said with confidence and authority.
The clatter of the 9mm was met by further instructions from Garcia. “Unless you want your buddy to die, I recommend you put the rifle down.”
Travis gritted his teeth, hesitated for a second and then lowered it.
As soon as he did, Andre swooped in and collected their weapons and then told them to get up against the wall so they could pat them down.
“You know this could have all been avoided had you listened,” Garcia said.
“You won’t make it out of town,” Travis replied.
“Really? Why, are you head of some kind of posse? Huh?”
“Screw you, man.”
Garcia chuckled.
“Are you going to kill us?” Shaggy asked.
“Oh I’m not planning on killing you boys,” Garcia said after patting them down. “Take a seat on the ground with your hands locked behind your heads.” Travis frowned, looking confused, as Andre kept his rifle trained on him.
“Here,” Elisha said handing over the 9mm. “It wasn’t loaded.”
Garcia chuckled and Travis turned to his pal. “You idiot!”
Beanie shrugged. “What? I didn’t know.”
Garcia went on to show them his ID. “Like I said, I’m not planning on killing you but I do have a few questions. What happened here?”
“You’re asking us?” Travis glared at Andre.
“He was telling you the truth,” Garcia said.
“Yeah, maybe he was, but I had good reason to not believe him. We’ve seen an influx of guys who look like you come through our town over the past week. How are we to know any different?”
“They did this?” Garcia asked.
“What do you think?” Travis replied. They were cocky but in years of working with different people, he’d gotten a feel for those who would slit your throat and those who only had courage when they were in a group.
Garcia’s gaze washed over them. “So you guys are local?”
Travis laughed. “Of course. Next question.”
“You think we can hurry this up? My knees are killing me,” Shaggy said.
“Forest Surplus. You know it?” Elisha asked.
Shaggy looked at Travis and he shook his head. “Can’t say I do.”
Garcia caught the look on his pal’s face. Dishonesty was an everyday part of his life. No one told the truth, at least very few did and cops were quite adept at seeing through the smoke and mirrors. “Interesting. How long have you lived here?”
Travis flashed a toothy grin. “Long enough.”
“Huh. You see, we were told most folks knew who Dirty Harry was.”
Travis’ eyes fixed on him.
“Ah, there we go,” Garcia replied. The lights were finally on.
“How do you know that name?”
Garcia shifted from one foot to the other, fine lines appearing on his forehead. “Everyone does, don’t they?”
Travis looked at Shaggy. “There are only a few who call him that.”
Garcia chuckled and eyed Elisha. “Maybe we should ask Liam.”
That really got his attention. Travis lowered his hands. “Liam? Liam Carter?”
“Put your hands back where they were,” Andre said.
Travis tossed him the bird but complied.
“You know him?” Elisha added.
Travis burst out laughing. “Do I know him?” He looked at Shaggy then back at her. “Of course I do, he’s an old friend of mine.” His face brightened up and he went to get up and Andre shoved the barrel at him.
“Whoa. Whoa! You want to call your dog off?” Travis backed up with his hands raised.
“Andre. It’s okay, man,” Garcia said. Andre took a few steps back as a precautionary measure but kept the rifle on them as Travis rose to his feet. “You might want to fill us in before my friend here changes his mind.”
“Okay. Look, me and Liam go way back. He used to spend his summers here. His grandfather Theo owned a cabin about ten minutes from here by the lake. That good enough for you?”
“Who broke into his place?” Elisha asked.
Travis glanced at her. “What?”
“The cabin was ransacked. Tables flipped over, ripped bedding, even the flooring had been pulled up in some areas. They took all the supplies.”
“Listen, I don’t know anything about that but I can tell you where the supplies are. They’re with Harry, my grandfather. That’s how I know him. Theo used to bring Liam into the store when he came into town. I used to help my grandfather and we hit it off. Though I haven’t seen Liam in a long time.”
Garcia frowned and Travis filled in the blanks.
“No one stole his stuff if that’s what you’re thinking. Before Theo passed away he put every single item into storage at my grandfather’s. Said he could resell, or give it away to someone who could use it. He was worried about someone breaking in. I guess that answers your question about the ransacking.”
Garcia nodded. “Possibly. Your grandfather still alive?”
“That guy will live to a hundred. He’s as strong as an ox, isn’t that right, Tate?” He said turning to the shaggy one. “Oh by the way, that’s Tate, and slim boy there is Joe.” They both gave a nod but still looked a little apprehensive because Andre hadn’t taken the rifle off them.
“Andre,” Garcia said motioning for him to lower the weapon.
“Yeah, well how about you take us to see Harry? We need supplies.”
Travis’s gaze bounced between them. “Well hold on a second, where’s Liam?”
“At the cabin,” Elisha replied.
“You’ll need to get him. You could say my grandfather is a little skittish right now with all that’s happened. His store has already had people try to get inside.”
“How did that work out?” Andre asked.
Travis laughed. “Come and see for yourself. But first, get Liam.”
“I guess we’re all going for a ride then,” Garcia said, prompting them to exit.
Liam couldn’t believe it was all gone. While the others were in town he dug through a shed out back to see if the old generator was in there. Nope. That was gone. He kicked an empty paint can across the yard just as he heard the sound of gravel crunching beneath tires. He brought a hand up to his eyes to block the glare of the afternoon sunshine. A truck rolled in behind the cruiser but he couldn’t see who was driving.
“Liam!” Elisha called out his name.
“Around back,” he bellowed as he made his way up to the cabin.
“Brought an old friend of yours.”
“What?”
Travis strolled around the corner, a smirk on his face. “Liam.”
He stopped walking and squinted. “Travis? Holy shit,” he said jogging over. They gave each other a manly pat on the back as they hugged it out before parting. “What? When? Where?” he said trying to find the words as he looked over at Garcia.
“We had a bit of a run-in,” Travis said thumbing over his shoulder.
“Not hurt, I hope?”
“No, we’re good.”
“We’re?”
“Tate and Joe are in the truck.”
“What?” He hurried over to
see them. They hopped out and greeted one another. It had been years since he’d seen them. “Man, you guys are a sight for sore eyes. What’s it been? Three years?”
“Something like that,” Tate replied.
Liam’s smile faded. “I’d invite you in for a drink or something but I’m afraid we’ve been ransacked.”
“Actually…” Travis began to speak.
“His grandfather took it,” Garcia said.
Liam shot back. “Why would he take it?”
“Theo told him to hold on to it.”
Liam offered a confused expression. “He gave it back?”
“Liam, you haven’t been back here in years. I don’t even remember seeing you at your grandfather’s funeral.”
“I was overseas.”
“Well, a lot has changed. Theo gave strict instructions for Harry to take it. He didn’t want to have your mother deciding on where it went, I guess.”
“Oh. Right.” He nodded. “Well.”
Travis placed a hand on his arm. “Look man, don’t worry. I’m sure Harry will give you a few things.”
“A few?”
“It was years ago, Liam. Most of what he had was sold or given away.”
“You’re joking, right?”
Travis shrugged. “Look, I don’t know what to say.”
“How about you tell me who broke in?”
“How would I know that?”
“Not much happens in this town without Harry knowing.”
“That was before this event. There have been break-ins all over the town. Harry hasn’t left that store in over a week. He’s holed up there. Sleeps, eats, shits, you get the picture. And as for break-ins. Your grandfather wasn’t the only one. Harry had to shoot two guys who tried to use a tire iron to tear off a lock from the shutters. And that’s not the worst.” He looked over to Garcia.
