Chapter 29
There they are; twelve vehicles loaded and ready to be driven across the border. All of them have contraband compartments full of Santos’ coke. There are six deep blue SUVs and six deep green Cherokees. At first sight all of them seem identical but something tells me I’m wrong. I don’t know why but my guts are clenching again and that means trouble.
Fabio checks in person that everything is okay and after a couple of minutes, he turns around, throwing me the keys of one of the Cherokees. I glance at Ricardo and he just shrugs his shoulders, getting in the passenger seat, lighting a cigarette.
I get in the car, making myself comfortable as Ricardo tells me to take it easy because we’ve got a hell of a ride ahead of us. I frown deeply, staring at him with concern clearly visible on my face. I don’t know exactly the reason why but I have the strong suspicion that he’s not talking about the driving to the border and more about another thing but what exactly? I have no damn clue.
Ricardo chuckles, glancing at me as he leans back in his seat and putting his feet up, he keeps smoking like he has no care in the world, and I bet he feels just like that. His coldness and his apparent calm only means he’s ready to play or using his own words, to paint.
“My art is death. And I’m about to paint my masterpiece.”
His words are still floating within my brain and the sensation that they are spreading is anything but calming. The fact that he looks so at easy and relaxed is only unnerving me even more. The few times I saw him this cool he was scheming silently, running his options and I have no doubt he’s plotting. His eyes are sparkling like Hanna’s. They don’t have the same blood running through their veins but sure as hell they are a lot alike.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the hidden meaning of those words but curiously enough not about their meaning for me but for him. He wasn’t saying anything I didn’t already know but still it made me think about how the hell big dark guy managed to reach that level of acceptance about what he does for living.
It’s not that I’m judging him. I’m nobody to do that. It’s just I don’t even dare to figure out what he found himself involved before and all of sudden a vision of his scars pops inside my mind, reminding me who I’m dealing with.
Of course what he is doesn’t make of him who he is. Ricardo may be an assassin but he also risked his neck to save my life and what’s more important for me, Hanna’s. The fierce way he stood to defend his wife’s honour a couple of hours ago makes me feel ashamed of myself concerning Hanna. And I know without trace of doubt that Ricardo would have killed Reynaldo in a second flat if that night at the yacht he would have been in my place, not giving shit about the consequences. He would never have let that bastard touch Hanna at all.
I don’t like it one damn bit that we left Elaine and Hanna at the mansion where they are easy prey for all those fuckers. I didn’t trust Reynaldo or Santos, but now there’s another fucker interested in Hanna, Fabio. I saw the way the Mexican was staring at her after Ricardo stabbed Ernesto’s hand. Fabio is gonna take it out on Hanna. Shit! I told Ricardo it was a bad idea to leave her there but his answer left me cold.
Big dark guy says that the fucking irony is Hanna will be safe from Fabio and that the Mexican won’t lay a hand on her as long as she’s inside that mansion and under Reynaldo’s protection, adding Santos’s not interested in Hanna at all because she’s too old for his taste. What a fucking irony indeed! Since when is that a fucking guarantee. And that shit is supposed to make me feel better? Fuck that! Who’s going to protect her from the Cuban then?
Hanna is once more at Reynaldo’s reach and neither of us are going to be around tonight on his damn birthday party to stop him if he wants to hurt her again. Ricardo’s reply at my words is even more stunning.
Hanna doesn’t need us around for that task, she has Elaine and they both know what to do when the time comes. Then he adds that Hanna is stronger that we think she is, reminding me not to forget that Hanna is still the ‘Ice Queen’. She alone without any help from outside schemed this plan while I was locked in Lompoc oblivious to all the shit that was about to explode right in my face. Hanna found the Intel she needed; making all the pieces of the puzzle fall into their right place and she did a hell of a job.
Ricardo told me also to remember that Hanna is a trained FBI agent and even though she may not be in perfect shape at this moment, she has Elaine to back her up. Elaine and Hanna are playing a role, just like the rest of us and surely all those guys are not expecting them to turn into a serious threat considering the fact that Hanna and Elaine seem as dangerous as a baby born. Let’s hope he’s right.
All these fuckers are ready to take ‘El Padrino’ down but they are forgetting the drug lord is still alive because he’s not that easy to get rid of and they have to wait for the perfect chance to do it. Not to mention the fact that ‘El Padrino’ has a fucking trained army at his beck and call. Besides Ricardo spread the rumor about how the drug lord left his safe refuge a couple of days ago and he may be anywhere by now, even here in Sinaloa.
Ricardo is counting on it that the rumor has already reached those bastards’ ears because everybody knows everybody. Besides Ricardo made sure the right people knew Hanna is ‘El Padrino’s’ granddaughter because he suspects no one will have the balls to make a move against her, at least tonight.
Well, fuck me! Big dark guy just painted a dartboard on Hanna’s head. I really hope he knows what he’s doing; otherwise I don’t even dare to think about the consequences.
We’ve been driving in complete silence for the last half an hour and my mind has been racing since we left the warehouse where Fabio has his drug lab. I’ve been thinking about some Intel Ricardo had shared with me about what he was doing last night while I was getting drunk.
Big dark guy had a meeting with a DEA agent he knows pretty well. This fucker whose name is Sean Vetter owed Ricardo big time because he helped him to catch some drug dealer in Colombia a couple of years ago, after the authorities lost track of the fucker when he disappeared while on a transfer from one prison to another.
According to Ricardo, this Sean is a close friend with another fucker I owe big time myself, ‘Big Sexy’. They all grew together in the streets. Nothing like having good school buddies.
It seems this Colombian drug lord ordered some fucker to kill the wife of this Sean guy and the DEA agent beat the bastard to death with his bare hands as soon as he knew who the motherfucker was. Back then he was a DEA agent in LA but after he was done with his personal crusade, he asked for a new spot in El Paso. Holy shit!
The fucker didn’t back up an inch until he had made sure that everyone involved in his wife’s death was dead or locked in prison forever. That fucker Sean has a set of balls there, no doubt and all of sudden I wonder what the hell am I doing?
I’ve always been a tough motherfucker, ready and able to kick the ass of whoever tried to fuck with me. So why the fuck am I letting all of this shit affect me in such way that I’m forgetting who Hanna is and what she means to me?
I’ve been so consumed in my own self-pity that I lost my grip on reality. Hanna is my woman and that’s a fact. Even when I told myself over and over that I hated her I was still sure she that was and would be always be my woman. Fuck! I better get a fucking grip like right now.
I gotta face this matter from a completely different point of view because if not, I’m gonna end up losing the only thing I’ve ever loved with everything in me, and that’s not gonna happen. I gotta get my head out of my ass and fast. I gotta start thinking seriously about what Hanna needs and not about what I need.
From the beginning I’ve been blind, not seeing what I have right in front of my damn face. It’s not my own happiness that I gotta think about but Hanna’s happiness. And it’s so simple that I would laugh out loud if it weren’t for the fact that I don’t want Ricardo thinking that I’ve lost the little sanity I still have left.
What have I been doing wrong? I’ve been placing my needs ahead of Hanna’s, and that’s the main difference between Ricardo and me. He thinks first about Elaine and later of himself and not the other way around. Even when he’s hurt or pissed off big dark guy keeps thinking about Elaine’s good, and he never lets anything get in the way of his wife’s happiness, ever.
Damn! I gotta talk with Hanna as soon as possible because she’s thinking I don’t love her enough. She thinks I gotta grow up once and for all and she’s damn right. I’ve been acting like a selfish bastard even when I was telling her that I loved her. Fuck! I should have stayed last night instead of running away, getting my ass drunk. Shit! No wonder she said ‘no’. Hanna has no other choice but to protect herself from my selfishness.
“We have company, Dom.” Ricardo says all of sudden as he straightens in his seat, narrowing his eyes.
I frown deeply, snapping back to the here and now, glancing at the review mirrors. I can’t see shit. As far as I’m concerned we were alone on the road. There’s no sign of other vehicles.
“What…”
Ricardo cuts me off. “I was wondering when those fuckers were gonna show up.” Ricardo mutters in disgust as he turns his head back, looking through the rear window. “Coño.” He curses, putting his cigarette out. “Show me what cha got there, Toretto.”
Out of nowhere four black SUVs start chasing us and they are approaching damn fast. Fuck! I grab the steering wheel tightly, gripping it as I hit the gas. My knuckles are white with the pressure as I keep glancing back and forth to the review mirrors and straight ahead of me.
Feeling adrenaline running through my veins as my heart keeps beating faster and faster, I grit my teeth. Shit, shit, shit. I knew it. I fucking knew it! My guts have been yelling at me. Damnit!!
Ricardo is not surprised at all because he was already expecting something to go wrong and that’s the reason why he told me this was going to be a hell of a ride. Damnit!
This is a fucking trap. No doubt. But who set it? We’ve been the target of a lot of motherfuckers lately so now it’s hard to know which one of those sons of bitches sent these monkeys after us.
Fuck! They are fucking good and that’s something coming from me. They’ve already closed in on us and keep advancing. These fuckers remind me of the ones that were chasing Vince and me after our fuckup with that damn truck.
Back then they were FBI agents but now I don’t think for a second that the fuckers chasing us belong to any Intel agency. Fucking shit!
Come on, motherfucker. This damn Cherokee seems like a pile of junk all of a sudden. Damnit! Those fuckers are gonna catch us if I can’t lose them. Fuck!!
“I hate this fucking shit.” Ricardo grunts as he looks over his shoulder.
“Who are those fuckers, man?” I ask through clenched teeth. Ricardo frowns deeply as he keeps silent, scratching his jaw.
“Change of plans.” He replies after a moment, turning his attention to me. “Slow down, Dom, let’s find out.” He adds as his lips spread in an evil smile.
Two of the four black SUVs are on either side of the fucking Cherokee, one of them right behind us and another is already in front of us. We are surrounded even though they haven’t start firing at us…yet. What the fuck is going on here?
“No matter what you see or what they say, you do as I do, Dom.” Ricardo whispers coldly as he cracks his neck bones. “And don’t say shit.” He adds, unbuckling his seat belt slowly.
My heart is racing and I feel adrenaline pumping through my veins, almost burning them up but I take a ragged breath and nod ‘yes’ firmly even though I’m shaking inside.
I come to a stop in the middle of the road, the four SUVs stopping as well and at least twelve military fuckers jump out of them, surrounding us in seconds with their automatic guns already pointing at us.
I grit my teeth as my eyes wander around, cursing silently. Damnit! That fucker Fabio set us up with the military. We are fucked up.
Ricardo glances at me briefly as he nods curtly and slowly, he gets out of the vehicle, his hands up, palms showing as if he’s surrendering. I frown deeply and swallowing forcefully I get out of the Cherokee, mimicking Ricardo’s gesture.
One of them moves ahead of the rest, a smirk plastered on his face. He seems to be the one in charge here. He gestures for us to move forward, far from the Cherokee as he nods his head.
Ricardo and I cross glances and without a word we oblige and at once two big Italian Mastiffs show up from nowhere, rushing directly to the car. The dogs jump inside as they start smelling, going back and forth, inside and around the Cherokee as if they were possessed.
Just a few seconds more and one of the dogs starts barking, its snout right in front the place where Fabio’s men hid Santos’ coke. Fuck, fuck, fuck! We’re royally fucked up.
I glance at Ricardo and he’s damn calm. Big dark guy doesn’t seem to be concerned at all. I wonder why the hell he’s so fucking cool. Those military fuckers found the shit and they don’t seem that cool at all.
The one who seems to be the boss moves backward a couple of steps and grinning, he slides open one of the SUVs doors. I narrow my eyes as soon as I see who emerges from inside the SUV.
I was expecting Fabio to show up, or Santos, even Reynaldo but not who I’m staring at through my narrowed eyes. The last person I thought I would see right now is a few steps from where I’m standing and he has a cold smirk plastered on his face, William.
What the hell?!
Ricardo’s evil grin widens as he relaxes his stance. Only his eyes are sparkling with that murderous gaze as a soft growl escapes his lips.
“Give me your gun, son.” William says to me as his smile dies on his lips.
I look at Ricardo, a questioning look all over my face and in response he nods his head ‘yes’. Just the slightest move that passes unnoticed by everyone around except for me.
“Come on, Dominic.” William says, his voice sounding as though he’s getting impatient.
“It’s Dom, fucker.” I mutter in disgust before I stop myself.
Ricardo shoots me a cold gaze; his eyes saying what he’s not talking aloud. Shut the fuck up, man. I tighten my jaw and slowly I pull my gun out, handing it to one of the military guys.
William then returns his attention to Ricardo and chuckling he looks the big dark guy right in the eyes.
There’s no trace of the lawyer I’ve known for years. The dumbass addicted to soap operas is nowhere to be found, and in his place there’s this cold man, standing in front of us. His features are hard and he’s looking at us as if he owns the sand we’re stepping on.
“This is the last stop, Ricky.” He says coldly. “You didn’t expect to win this round now did you?” William adds, smirking.
Just as I was expecting, Ricardo doesn’t say anything in return, he keeps quiet, staring at William emotionless. Not a single sign showing that he’s worried in the least or that he gives a fuck about the lawyer’s words.
I bet that big dark guy already lost count of how many times some fucker told him those words or some similar shit over the years. Ricardo doesn’t care at all anymore; he’s clearly used to threats like that one.
Ricardo pulls out his gun slowly, followed by his shivs, handing them to one of the guys. Silently I count the shivs. There are two of them but I know he’s packing more, hidden somewhere and I bet William knows it too, but he just narrows his eyes and after a long moment, he turns on his heels, getting back in the SUV, closing the door.
I wonder why William didn’t say shit about that fact. Is it because all of this is just a show? Is William playing a role just like us? Is he on our side or in El Padrino’s side? What the fuck is going on here?
The fucker, the one who I thought was the one in control, makes a gesture and at once black hoods are covering our heads and our hands are tied at the back with some plastic shit. Then two of them grab my arms, shoving me inside one of the SUVs.
We’ve been driving for a while now but I’m not sure how much time has passed. Maybe we’re going back to Sinaloa or maybe not. For all I know we could be driving in circles all over the desert. I can’t see shit because this fucking hood has no holes and my shoulders are starting to feel numb because of the awkward position they are in. My wrists hurt like a bitch because those plastic zip strips were tightened fucking hard and all of sudden I’m more pissed off than scared.
My mind is racing again with all kinds of ideas and I’m not sure if I’m going insane. I don’t know what to think anymore about this shit we’re immersed in. So following the advice Ricardo gave me once, I force my mind to think about what I do know instead of wandering with endless suppositions about what I don’t.
It’s clear that Fabio told ‘El Padrino’ that we were going to cross the border with Santos’ coke so he sent William along with the military to intercept us before we accomplished our part of the deal. ‘El Padrino’ doesn’t want us dead or we would already be buried in the middle of the desert. That’s for damn sure.
The only thing I can come up with is that the drug lord has had his own plan since the beginning, waiting the perfect chance to show his true colors, and for whatever reason he needs us alive and kicking. I wonder if he grew a conscience all of a sudden and he’s going to take all these fuckers out once and for all before they make a move against him or if he’s scheming something else, involving us.
All of sudden the SUV comes to a dead stop and I hear those fuckers talking with each others in Spanish. I close my eyes, trying to make sense of their words. I understand Spanish pretty well because I grew up surrounded by people speaking the language, but they have a heavy accent and it’s a little difficult to catch all that they are saying.
The door of the SUV slams open and I’m pulled hard outside. I do my best to keep my balance when I’m pushed hard forward. Then I heard William’s voice explaining to someone where he had found us. Whoever is listening to him is not saying anything at all, so I don’t know who the fucker is. I think maybe ‘El Padrino’ but so far William seems to be speaking alone because he’s the only one doing all the talking.
Someone kicks me in the back of my legs, making me fall onto my knees hard. I wince, gritting my teeth, biting back a hiss of pain. I’m not giving these fuckers the satisfaction of hearing me. Then I hear Ricardo’s growl at my left side and the sightless brush of what I guess is his shoulder caressing mine. I feel it for a brief second and then it’s gone. As if he’s telling he’s the one at my side and to keep focused.
“Keep calm, Dom. I’ll get you out of here.” He whispers so low that I have to strain my ears to be sure he said something at all.
I can’t explain myself but all of a sudden I feel better just knowing that Ricardo is still with me. It’s not that the fact makes me stop shaking in fear inside but at least I’m not alone and that means a lot right now. I’m starting to feel more than just overwhelmed.
Time seems to slow down and seconds feel like hours. It’s damn hard to be here on my knees with my hands tied up at my back and a black hood over my head, not being able to see shit, not knowing what’s waiting for us.
“Get them in the tank.” A voice I don’t recognize orders and at once I’m dragged by my shoulders across the floor.
Next thing I know my clothes are gone and I’m dropped inside a place filled with cold water. I can’t help it and a loud gasp escapes my lips. Fuck! The fucking water is more than just cold; it’s fucking freezing me in seconds. Then they left me alone and I can’t hear shit again.
I press down my feet, noticing the floor as my teeth start chattering uncontrollably. All my body is shaking hard and my stomach is clenching painfully. My back hurts because of the little spasm that is running up and down. My fingers feel numb and even though I’m moving them, I don’t sense them at all.
I don’t have a clue about why they didn’t ask anything yet. They should be asking me some sort of questions, but they didn’t. They just left me in here and left without a word.
I force my legs to move inside the freezing water to test how big this fucking tank is just to find that I can extend them forward completely and I can’t reach the edge. Fuck, this tank seems more like a swimming pool or some huge well or a damn pit. The floor seems to be made of reinforced cement though and it’s scratching my soles.
Hanna’s words about the tortures Snake inflicted on her are popping mercilessly inside my mind, already doing a hell of a job of scaring me even more. Fuck, fuck, fuck! I gotta keep myself together because I’m not gonna let these fuckers break me. No fucking way. And all of sudden I find myself chuckling through trembling lips remembering how Hanna told me that she was humming my favorite song while Snake did the same to her. So before I can stop myself, I’m singing the fucking song in a low tone. My voice falters a few times because I can’t even breathe normally but I keep singing anyway.
“Good thing you find this cool, Dom.” Ricardo’s voice echoes around me, shaking a little. “’cause we’re gonna be stuck in here for a little bit more.” He adds, chuckling.
I didn’t know he was in here; I didn’t even notice he was inside the same tank with me. The fucker didn’t make one single damn noise, not even his breath could be heard.
“Why the fuck were you so quite, man?” I ask, turning around in the direction his voice came from. “I thought I was alone.” I hissed, all of sudden pissed off with him.
“Coño, I was doing fine until you started to sing, fucker.” He growls but I notice the humour in his voice. “They should think about using you as a lethal weapon, Toretto.” He teases me, chuckling. “Hearing you singing is worse than any other torture, coño.”
I can’t help it and I laugh at that, feeling somehow relieved even if we’re freezing our asses to death.
“I can’t feel my legs, Ricardo.” I whisper, shivering violently. In response, he laughs hard.
“Stop bitching, Toretto.” He replies, chuckling. “I can’t feel my balls.” He mutters in disgust.
I shake my head a little, blinking furiously. I’m starting to feel numb all at once. “Where are we? Who are those fuckers?” I ask him as my teeth keep chattering.
Ricardo grunts deeply as I notice the water moving. “The Juarez Cartel.” He replies, his voice hoarser than I’m used to hearing it and closer now. “I recognized the voice of its leader; Rafael Gomez, a fucker who goes by the nickname of ‘El Azul’.”
WHAT?! The Juarez Cartel? William sided with those fuckers? What about ‘El Padrino’ then?
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I retort, stretching a little my back. At my question, Ricardo chuckles and I notice his hand touching my lower back.
“Do I look like I’m kidding?” He replies as his hands brush my bare frozen ass.
What the hell…?!
“What the fuck are you doing, man?!” I ask, jumping even though I almost can’t feel my legs. Ricardo growls deep as he grabs my shoulders, pushing me against the edge of the tank.
“What the fuck does it look like, Toretto?” He answers, grunting as he releases my wrists. “I’m trying to get you out of here, coño!” Big dark guy adds as he removes my black hood.
“It looks like you’re touching me, fucker.” I reply through clenched teeth as I blink furiously. Damn!
I still can’t see shit but at least I’m not tied up anymore. My shoulders hurt like a bitch. I bet I’ll be sore for a while. Shit!
“Sorry for disappointing you, man, but you’re not to my taste.” Ricardo jokes, chuckling. “I got over big bald fuckers after I went to prison.”
“Fuck you.” I retort as a new shiver runs up my spine.
“Later.” Is his answer as he nudges my thighs apart with his knee. “Now shut your mouth and open your legs.”
I frown deeply, looking at the direction of his voice. I can’t see him but I bet the fucker must be grinning from ear to ear.
“Come on, baby, we don’t have too much time left.” He says, chuckling. “Do you want out of here or not?” Ricardo asks me seriously.
Fuck it! I’m too cold to keep arguing with him. I want out of this fucking place and I want it like yesterday. So biting back a new ‘fuck you’, I oblige without saying a word, but I keep cursing silently.
Ricardo takes a deep breath and the next thing I know I’m being raised from the water, sitting on his shoulders. My arms fly forward as I touch the interior wall of the tank.
“Coño, Dom, you should start skipping meals, fucker.” Ricardo mutters, keeping his balance, grabbing my legs so I don’t fall from his shoulders.
I can’t help it and a huge grin spreads on my lips in spite of the fucking weird situation we’re in and the fact we are both freezing. Here we are, naked as the day we were born inside this fucking tank, and I’m sitting on Ricardo’s shoulders.
My body is shaking badly because I’m shivering from cold but also because I’m laughing silently. Fuck it! I know this is not the best moment to be laughing but I swear it’s too much, and I’m sure if we get out of this shit alive, some day we’ll laugh our asses off, thinking about this very moment. Well, hell, I don’t know about big dark guy, but I’ll be laughing my ass off, that’s for damn sure.
“Are you done laughing, Toretto? Because I can still shift positions, man.” Ricardo mutters through clenched teeth, wiping away my grin in one second flat.
“Yeah, what do you want me to do?” I ask him, fighting back a new grin.
I know he can’t see me either, but that doesn’t change the fact we’re in deep shit and we need to get out of here as fast as possible, before those fuckers are back, to check on us.
“Try and see if you can reach the edge of this fucking hole, so we can get out of here before Elaine needs a fucking magnifying glass to find my cock, coño.” He replies.
I chuckle at his words but I stretch my arms as far as they go, without adding a smartass reply. Bingo! There’s the edge.
“Yeah. But you need to lift me a little more, Ricardo. I can’t reach it from here.” I reply, shifting lightly, trying to keep my shudders under control.
The fact that I’m mostly out of the water doesn’t mean a difference to me, I’m still freezing. Ricardo curses under his breath as he helps me to stand on his shoulder. Fuck! I don’t even know how I manage to keep balanced as I reach the edge. Pushing upward a little more I finally get out of the tank, kneeling at the edge, looking around.
There’s a little bit of light coming from under what it seems the door, washing the room with a slight light, enough to make out shapes and forms of what appears to be chairs and a table.
“Now what?” I whisper, looking down.
“Now you wait up there for me.” Ricardo mutters as he moves backward a little.
My mouth hangs open, watching fascinated as Ricardo starts climbing the wall of the tank, putting his fingers and his feet in tiny cracks that are all over the surface. Holy fuck!
“We could have climbed the fucking wall?” I ask as I extend my arm to help him out. He doesn’t answer me until he grabs my arm, squeezing lightly.
“I could, you couldn’t.” He answers as serious as a heart attack, sitting at the edge, sighing hard. “Let’s get out of here.” Big dark guy says as he gets to his feet, looking around. “The cavalry has to be about to show up any time now.”
I open my mouth to ask him what he’s talking about when my words died on my lips as a big explosion echoes all around, making the floor tremble a little down my feet. What the fuck…?
“See? Just in time.” Ricardo chuckles as he heads towards the door.
Several more explosions and bursts of machinegun fire are sounding all over the place. Shouts and screams following them.
“Who’s coming to help us, man?” I ask, standing at his side, still shivering a little. Ricardo turns his head, looking at me, his evil grin flashing one more time.
“There’s only one crazy motherfucker, apart from ‘Big Sexy’, with enough balls to come down here, blowing those fuckers to hell, and that’s Sean.” He answers, his grin widening. I look at him as if he sprouted a second head and he just chuckles, shaking his head. “I made a deal with the DEA. I’ve got something they want badly. So I asked for backup in exchange for it.”
“And what do they want so badly that they are burning this fucking place up, man?” I frown deeply, looking right at his eyes.
“I’ve got a tape in which you can see ‘El Azul’ and Fabio’s dad among other fuckers, torturing Camarena to death.” Ricardo says, his face turning emotionless.
My brows arch at once, my mind racing. When I remember what Ricardo told me about ‘Kiki’ Camarena, an undercover DEA agent, and how ‘El Padrino’ was the only one landing in prison because his implication in his death.
“I thought ‘El Padrino’ killed him.”
“Fabio’s dad and ‘El Azul’ made a deal with the government and they set up ‘El Padrino’. There wasn’t any direct evidence or that’s what they thought. They should have asked the NSA.” Ricardo chuckles coldly as his eyes flash that devilish gaze. “It was true that the drug lord gave the order, but he didn’t lay a hand on that poor fucker ‘Kiki’.” Big dark guy replies, sighing hard. “El Padrino went to prison, but I know he has been waiting for the perfect chance to pay them back.” Ricardo pauses, pressing his ear to the door once again and after a moment he adds. “Revenge is a dish better served cold, Dom, and concerning the drug lord, he’s gonna serve it as cold as ice itself.”
The explosions cease at once but we can still hear guns being shot and people cursing, yelling and screaming. After a long moment, Ricardo pushes me backward to the far corner of the room as he stands, shielding me, facing the door.
A few more minutes and the damn door blows up and at least five guys dressed in assault outfits with DEA badges hanging from their necks show up through the doorframe.
One of them moves ahead of the rest as he looks at us from head to toe. “Should I come back later?” He asks, smirking through his damn goatee. “Or do you need a little more time to make up?”
“Shut the fuck up, Vetter.” Ricardo mutters as he moves past him, heading outside, muttering obscenities under his breath and asking where the fuck are his clothes.
I narrow my eyes, staring at him. So this is Sean Vetter? The fucker is as tall as I am and his hair is cut almost to his scalp. I don’t know if the fact that I’m freezing is making me see things, but I swear this fucker looks a lot like me.
Chapter 30
Lies 29
Chapter 29
There they are; twelve vehicles loaded and ready to be driven across the border. All of them have contraband compartments full of Santos’ coke. There are six deep blue SUVs and six deep green Cherokees. At first sight all of them seem identical but something tells me I’m wrong. I don’t know why but my guts are clenching again and that means trouble.
Fabio checks in person that everything is okay and after a couple of minutes, he turns around, throwing me the keys of one of the Cherokees. I glance at Ricardo and he just shrugs his shoulders, getting in the passenger seat, lighting a cigarette.
I get in the car, making myself comfortable as Ricardo tells me to take it easy because we’ve got a hell of a ride ahead of us. I frown deeply, staring at him with concern clearly visible on my face. I don’t know exactly the reason why but I have the strong suspicion that he’s not talking about the driving to the border and more about another thing but what exactly? I have no damn clue.
Ricardo chuckles, glancing at me as he leans back in his seat and putting his feet up, he keeps smoking like he has no care in the world, and I bet he feels just like that. His coldness and his apparent calm only means he’s ready to play or using his own words, to paint.
“My art is death. And I’m about to paint my masterpiece.”
His words are still floating within my brain and the sensation that they are spreading is anything but calming. The fact that he looks so at easy and relaxed is only unnerving me even more. The few times I saw him this cool he was scheming silently, running his options and I have no doubt he’s plotting. His eyes are sparkling like Hanna’s. They don’t have the same blood running through their veins but sure as hell they are a lot alike.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the hidden meaning of those words but curiously enough not about their meaning for me but for him. He wasn’t saying anything I didn’t already know but still it made me think about how the hell big dark guy managed to reach that level of acceptance about what he does for living.
It’s not that I’m judging him. I’m nobody to do that. It’s just I don’t even dare to figure out what he found himself involved before and all of sudden a vision of his scars pops inside my mind, reminding me who I’m dealing with.
Of course what he is doesn’t make of him who he is. Ricardo may be an assassin but he also risked his neck to save my life and what’s more important for me, Hanna’s. The fierce way he stood to defend his wife’s honour a couple of hours ago makes me feel ashamed of myself concerning Hanna. And I know without trace of doubt that Ricardo would have killed Reynaldo in a second flat if that night at the yacht he would have been in my place, not giving shit about the consequences. He would never have let that bastard touch Hanna at all.
I don’t like it one damn bit that we left Elaine and Hanna at the mansion where they are easy prey for all those fuckers. I didn’t trust Reynaldo or Santos, but now there’s another fucker interested in Hanna, Fabio. I saw the way the Mexican was staring at her after Ricardo stabbed Ernesto’s hand. Fabio is gonna take it out on Hanna. Shit! I told Ricardo it was a bad idea to leave her there but his answer left me cold.
Big dark guy says that the fucking irony is Hanna will be safe from Fabio and that the Mexican won’t lay a hand on her as long as she’s inside that mansion and under Reynaldo’s protection, adding Santos’s not interested in Hanna at all because she’s too old for his taste. What a fucking irony indeed! Since when is that a fucking guarantee. And that shit is supposed to make me feel better? Fuck that! Who’s going to protect her from the Cuban then?
Hanna is once more at Reynaldo’s reach and neither of us are going to be around tonight on his damn birthday party to stop him if he wants to hurt her again. Ricardo’s reply at my words is even more stunning.
Hanna doesn’t need us around for that task, she has Elaine and they both know what to do when the time comes. Then he adds that Hanna is stronger that we think she is, reminding me not to forget that Hanna is still the ‘Ice Queen’. She alone without any help from outside schemed this plan while I was locked in Lompoc oblivious to all the shit that was about to explode right in my face. Hanna found the Intel she needed; making all the pieces of the puzzle fall into their right place and she did a hell of a job.
Ricardo told me also to remember that Hanna is a trained FBI agent and even though she may not be in perfect shape at this moment, she has Elaine to back her up. Elaine and Hanna are playing a role, just like the rest of us and surely all those guys are not expecting them to turn into a serious threat considering the fact that Hanna and Elaine seem as dangerous as a baby born. Let’s hope he’s right.
All these fuckers are ready to take ‘El Padrino’ down but they are forgetting the drug lord is still alive because he’s not that easy to get rid of and they have to wait for the perfect chance to do it. Not to mention the fact that ‘El Padrino’ has a fucking trained army at his beck and call. Besides Ricardo spread the rumor about how the drug lord left his safe refuge a couple of days ago and he may be anywhere by now, even here in Sinaloa.
Ricardo is counting on it that the rumor has already reached those bastards’ ears because everybody knows everybody. Besides Ricardo made sure the right people knew Hanna is ‘El Padrino’s’ granddaughter because he suspects no one will have the balls to make a move against her, at least tonight.
Well, fuck me! Big dark guy just painted a dartboard on Hanna’s head. I really hope he knows what he’s doing; otherwise I don’t even dare to think about the consequences.
We’ve been driving in complete silence for the last half an hour and my mind has been racing since we left the warehouse where Fabio has his drug lab. I’ve been thinking about some Intel Ricardo had shared with me about what he was doing last night while I was getting drunk.
Big dark guy had a meeting with a DEA agent he knows pretty well. This fucker whose name is Sean Vetter owed Ricardo big time because he helped him to catch some drug dealer in Colombia a couple of years ago, after the authorities lost track of the fucker when he disappeared while on a transfer from one prison to another.
According to Ricardo, this Sean is a close friend with another fucker I owe big time myself, ‘Big Sexy’. They all grew together in the streets. Nothing like having good school buddies.
It seems this Colombian drug lord ordered some fucker to kill the wife of this Sean guy and the DEA agent beat the bastard to death with his bare hands as soon as he knew who the motherfucker was. Back then he was a DEA agent in LA but after he was done with his personal crusade, he asked for a new spot in El Paso. Holy shit!
The fucker didn’t back up an inch until he had made sure that everyone involved in his wife’s death was dead or locked in prison forever. That fucker Sean has a set of balls there, no doubt and all of sudden I wonder what the hell am I doing?
I’ve always been a tough motherfucker, ready and able to kick the ass of whoever tried to fuck with me. So why the fuck am I letting all of this shit affect me in such way that I’m forgetting who Hanna is and what she means to me?
I’ve been so consumed in my own self-pity that I lost my grip on reality. Hanna is my woman and that’s a fact. Even when I told myself over and over that I hated her I was still sure she that was and would be always be my woman. Fuck! I better get a fucking grip like right now.
I gotta face this matter from a completely different point of view because if not, I’m gonna end up losing the only thing I’ve ever loved with everything in me, and that’s not gonna happen. I gotta get my head out of my ass and fast. I gotta start thinking seriously about what Hanna needs and not about what I need.
From the beginning I’ve been blind, not seeing what I have right in front of my damn face. It’s not my own happiness that I gotta think about but Hanna’s happiness. And it’s so simple that I would laugh out loud if it weren’t for the fact that I don’t want Ricardo thinking that I’ve lost the little sanity I still have left.
What have I been doing wrong? I’ve been placing my needs ahead of Hanna’s, and that’s the main difference between Ricardo and me. He thinks first about Elaine and later of himself and not the other way around. Even when he’s hurt or pissed off big dark guy keeps thinking about Elaine’s good, and he never lets anything get in the way of his wife’s happiness, ever.
Damn! I gotta talk with Hanna as soon as possible because she’s thinking I don’t love her enough. She thinks I gotta grow up once and for all and she’s damn right. I’ve been acting like a selfish bastard even when I was telling her that I loved her. Fuck! I should have stayed last night instead of running away, getting my ass drunk. Shit! No wonder she said ‘no’. Hanna has no other choice but to protect herself from my selfishness.
“We have company, Dom.” Ricardo says all of sudden as he straightens in his seat, narrowing his eyes.
I frown deeply, snapping back to the here and now, glancing at the review mirrors. I can’t see shit. As far as I’m concerned we were alone on the road. There’s no sign of other vehicles.
“What…”
Ricardo cuts me off. “I was wondering when those fuckers were gonna show up.” Ricardo mutters in disgust as he turns his head back, looking through the rear window. “Coño.” He curses, putting his cigarette out. “Show me what cha got there, Toretto.”
Out of nowhere four black SUVs start chasing us and they are approaching damn fast. Fuck! I grab the steering wheel tightly, gripping it as I hit the gas. My knuckles are white with the pressure as I keep glancing back and forth to the review mirrors and straight ahead of me.
Feeling adrenaline running through my veins as my heart keeps beating faster and faster, I grit my teeth. Shit, shit, shit. I knew it. I fucking knew it! My guts have been yelling at me. Damnit!!
Ricardo is not surprised at all because he was already expecting something to go wrong and that’s the reason why he told me this was going to be a hell of a ride. Damnit!
This is a fucking trap. No doubt. But who set it? We’ve been the target of a lot of motherfuckers lately so now it’s hard to know which one of those sons of bitches sent these monkeys after us.
Fuck! They are fucking good and that’s something coming from me. They’ve already closed in on us and keep advancing. These fuckers remind me of the ones that were chasing Vince and me after our fuckup with that damn truck.
Back then they were FBI agents but now I don’t think for a second that the fuckers chasing us belong to any Intel agency. Fucking shit!
Come on, motherfucker. This damn Cherokee seems like a pile of junk all of a sudden. Damnit! Those fuckers are gonna catch us if I can’t lose them. Fuck!!
“I hate this fucking shit.” Ricardo grunts as he looks over his shoulder.
“Who are those fuckers, man?” I ask through clenched teeth. Ricardo frowns deeply as he keeps silent, scratching his jaw.
“Change of plans.” He replies after a moment, turning his attention to me. “Slow down, Dom, let’s find out.” He adds as his lips spread in an evil smile.
Two of the four black SUVs are on either side of the fucking Cherokee, one of them right behind us and another is already in front of us. We are surrounded even though they haven’t start firing at us…yet. What the fuck is going on here?
“No matter what you see or what they say, you do as I do, Dom.” Ricardo whispers coldly as he cracks his neck bones. “And don’t say shit.” He adds, unbuckling his seat belt slowly.
My heart is racing and I feel adrenaline pumping through my veins, almost burning them up but I take a ragged breath and nod ‘yes’ firmly even though I’m shaking inside.
I come to a stop in the middle of the road, the four SUVs stopping as well and at least twelve military fuckers jump out of them, surrounding us in seconds with their automatic guns already pointing at us.
I grit my teeth as my eyes wander around, cursing silently. Damnit! That fucker Fabio set us up with the military. We are fucked up.
Ricardo glances at me briefly as he nods curtly and slowly, he gets out of the vehicle, his hands up, palms showing as if he’s surrendering. I frown deeply and swallowing forcefully I get out of the Cherokee, mimicking Ricardo’s gesture.
One of them moves ahead of the rest, a smirk plastered on his face. He seems to be the one in charge here. He gestures for us to move forward, far from the Cherokee as he nods his head.
Ricardo and I cross glances and without a word we oblige and at once two big Italian Mastiffs show up from nowhere, rushing directly to the car. The dogs jump inside as they start smelling, going back and forth, inside and around the Cherokee as if they were possessed.
Just a few seconds more and one of the dogs starts barking, its snout right in front the place where Fabio’s men hid Santos’ coke. Fuck, fuck, fuck! We’re royally fucked up.
I glance at Ricardo and he’s damn calm. Big dark guy doesn’t seem to be concerned at all. I wonder why the hell he’s so fucking cool. Those military fuckers found the shit and they don’t seem that cool at all.
The one who seems to be the boss moves backward a couple of steps and grinning, he slides open one of the SUVs doors. I narrow my eyes as soon as I see who emerges from inside the SUV.
I was expecting Fabio to show up, or Santos, even Reynaldo but not who I’m staring at through my narrowed eyes. The last person I thought I would see right now is a few steps from where I’m standing and he has a cold smirk plastered on his face, William.
What the hell?!
Ricardo’s evil grin widens as he relaxes his stance. Only his eyes are sparkling with that murderous gaze as a soft growl escapes his lips.
“Give me your gun, son.” William says to me as his smile dies on his lips.
I look at Ricardo, a questioning look all over my face and in response he nods his head ‘yes’. Just the slightest move that passes unnoticed by everyone around except for me.
“Come on, Dominic.” William says, his voice sounding as though he’s getting impatient.
“It’s Dom, fucker.” I mutter in disgust before I stop myself.
Ricardo shoots me a cold gaze; his eyes saying what he’s not talking aloud. Shut the fuck up, man. I tighten my jaw and slowly I pull my gun out, handing it to one of the military guys.
William then returns his attention to Ricardo and chuckling he looks the big dark guy right in the eyes.
There’s no trace of the lawyer I’ve known for years. The dumbass addicted to soap operas is nowhere to be found, and in his place there’s this cold man, standing in front of us. His features are hard and he’s looking at us as if he owns the sand we’re stepping on.
“This is the last stop, Ricky.” He says coldly. “You didn’t expect to win this round now did you?” William adds, smirking.
Just as I was expecting, Ricardo doesn’t say anything in return, he keeps quiet, staring at William emotionless. Not a single sign showing that he’s worried in the least or that he gives a fuck about the lawyer’s words.
I bet that big dark guy already lost count of how many times some fucker told him those words or some similar shit over the years. Ricardo doesn’t care at all anymore; he’s clearly used to threats like that one.
Ricardo pulls out his gun slowly, followed by his shivs, handing them to one of the guys. Silently I count the shivs. There are two of them but I know he’s packing more, hidden somewhere and I bet William knows it too, but he just narrows his eyes and after a long moment, he turns on his heels, getting back in the SUV, closing the door.
I wonder why William didn’t say shit about that fact. Is it because all of this is just a show? Is William playing a role just like us? Is he on our side or in El Padrino’s side? What the fuck is going on here?
The fucker, the one who I thought was the one in control, makes a gesture and at once black hoods are covering our heads and our hands are tied at the back with some plastic shit. Then two of them grab my arms, shoving me inside one of the SUVs.
We’ve been driving for a while now but I’m not sure how much time has passed. Maybe we’re going back to Sinaloa or maybe not. For all I know we could be driving in circles all over the desert. I can’t see shit because this fucking hood has no holes and my shoulders are starting to feel numb because of the awkward position they are in. My wrists hurt like a bitch because those plastic zip strips were tightened fucking hard and all of sudden I’m more pissed off than scared.
My mind is racing again with all kinds of ideas and I’m not sure if I’m going insane. I don’t know what to think anymore about this shit we’re immersed in. So following the advice Ricardo gave me once, I force my mind to think about what I do know instead of wandering with endless suppositions about what I don’t.
It’s clear that Fabio told ‘El Padrino’ that we were going to cross the border with Santos’ coke so he sent William along with the military to intercept us before we accomplished our part of the deal. ‘El Padrino’ doesn’t want us dead or we would already be buried in the middle of the desert. That’s for damn sure.
The only thing I can come up with is that the drug lord has had his own plan since the beginning, waiting the perfect chance to show his true colors, and for whatever reason he needs us alive and kicking. I wonder if he grew a conscience all of a sudden and he’s going to take all these fuckers out once and for all before they make a move against him or if he’s scheming something else, involving us.
All of sudden the SUV comes to a dead stop and I hear those fuckers talking with each others in Spanish. I close my eyes, trying to make sense of their words. I understand Spanish pretty well because I grew up surrounded by people speaking the language, but they have a heavy accent and it’s a little difficult to catch all that they are saying.
The door of the SUV slams open and I’m pulled hard outside. I do my best to keep my balance when I’m pushed hard forward. Then I heard William’s voice explaining to someone where he had found us. Whoever is listening to him is not saying anything at all, so I don’t know who the fucker is. I think maybe ‘El Padrino’ but so far William seems to be speaking alone because he’s the only one doing all the talking.
Someone kicks me in the back of my legs, making me fall onto my knees hard. I wince, gritting my teeth, biting back a hiss of pain. I’m not giving these fuckers the satisfaction of hearing me. Then I hear Ricardo’s growl at my left side and the sightless brush of what I guess is his shoulder caressing mine. I feel it for a brief second and then it’s gone. As if he’s telling he’s the one at my side and to keep focused.
“Keep calm, Dom. I’ll get you out of here.” He whispers so low that I have to strain my ears to be sure he said something at all.
I can’t explain myself but all of a sudden I feel better just knowing that Ricardo is still with me. It’s not that the fact makes me stop shaking in fear inside but at least I’m not alone and that means a lot right now. I’m starting to feel more than just overwhelmed.
Time seems to slow down and seconds feel like hours. It’s damn hard to be here on my knees with my hands tied up at my back and a black hood over my head, not being able to see shit, not knowing what’s waiting for us.
“Get them in the tank.” A voice I don’t recognize orders and at once I’m dragged by my shoulders across the floor.
Next thing I know my clothes are gone and I’m dropped inside a place filled with cold water. I can’t help it and a loud gasp escapes my lips. Fuck! The fucking water is more than just cold; it’s fucking freezing me in seconds. Then they left me alone and I can’t hear shit again.
I press down my feet, noticing the floor as my teeth start chattering uncontrollably. All my body is shaking hard and my stomach is clenching painfully. My back hurts because of the little spasm that is running up and down. My fingers feel numb and even though I’m moving them, I don’t sense them at all.
I don’t have a clue about why they didn’t ask anything yet. They should be asking me some sort of questions, but they didn’t. They just left me in here and left without a word.
I force my legs to move inside the freezing water to test how big this fucking tank is just to find that I can extend them forward completely and I can’t reach the edge. Fuck, this tank seems more like a swimming pool or some huge well or a damn pit. The floor seems to be made of reinforced cement though and it’s scratching my soles.
Hanna’s words about the tortures Snake inflicted on her are popping mercilessly inside my mind, already doing a hell of a job of scaring me even more. Fuck, fuck, fuck! I gotta keep myself together because I’m not gonna let these fuckers break me. No fucking way. And all of sudden I find myself chuckling through trembling lips remembering how Hanna told me that she was humming my favorite song while Snake did the same to her. So before I can stop myself, I’m singing the fucking song in a low tone. My voice falters a few times because I can’t even breathe normally but I keep singing anyway.
“Good thing you find this cool, Dom.” Ricardo’s voice echoes around me, shaking a little. “’cause we’re gonna be stuck in here for a little bit more.” He adds, chuckling.
I didn’t know he was in here; I didn’t even notice he was inside the same tank with me. The fucker didn’t make one single damn noise, not even his breath could be heard.
“Why the fuck were you so quite, man?” I ask, turning around in the direction his voice came from. “I thought I was alone.” I hissed, all of sudden pissed off with him.
“Coño, I was doing fine until you started to sing, fucker.” He growls but I notice the humour in his voice. “They should think about using you as a lethal weapon, Toretto.” He teases me, chuckling. “Hearing you singing is worse than any other torture, coño.”
I can’t help it and I laugh at that, feeling somehow relieved even if we’re freezing our asses to death.
“I can’t feel my legs, Ricardo.” I whisper, shivering violently. In response, he laughs hard.
“Stop bitching, Toretto.” He replies, chuckling. “I can’t feel my balls.” He mutters in disgust.
I shake my head a little, blinking furiously. I’m starting to feel numb all at once. “Where are we? Who are those fuckers?” I ask him as my teeth keep chattering.
Ricardo grunts deeply as I notice the water moving. “The Juarez Cartel.” He replies, his voice hoarser than I’m used to hearing it and closer now. “I recognized the voice of its leader; Rafael Gomez, a fucker who goes by the nickname of ‘El Azul’.”
WHAT?! The Juarez Cartel? William sided with those fuckers? What about ‘El Padrino’ then?
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I retort, stretching a little my back. At my question, Ricardo chuckles and I notice his hand touching my lower back.
“Do I look like I’m kidding?” He replies as his hands brush my bare frozen ass.
What the hell…?!
“What the fuck are you doing, man?!” I ask, jumping even though I almost can’t feel my legs. Ricardo growls deep as he grabs my shoulders, pushing me against the edge of the tank.
“What the fuck does it look like, Toretto?” He answers, grunting as he releases my wrists. “I’m trying to get you out of here, coño!” Big dark guy adds as he removes my black hood.
“It looks like you’re touching me, fucker.” I reply through clenched teeth as I blink furiously. Damn!
I still can’t see shit but at least I’m not tied up anymore. My shoulders hurt like a bitch. I bet I’ll be sore for a while. Shit!
“Sorry for disappointing you, man, but you’re not to my taste.” Ricardo jokes, chuckling. “I got over big bald fuckers after I went to prison.”
“Fuck you.” I retort as a new shiver runs up my spine.
“Later.” Is his answer as he nudges my thighs apart with his knee. “Now shut your mouth and open your legs.”
I frown deeply, looking at the direction of his voice. I can’t see him but I bet the fucker must be grinning from ear to ear.
“Come on, baby, we don’t have too much time left.” He says, chuckling. “Do you want out of here or not?” Ricardo asks me seriously.
Fuck it! I’m too cold to keep arguing with him. I want out of this fucking place and I want it like yesterday. So biting back a new ‘fuck you’, I oblige without saying a word, but I keep cursing silently.
Ricardo takes a deep breath and the next thing I know I’m being raised from the water, sitting on his shoulders. My arms fly forward as I touch the interior wall of the tank.
“Coño, Dom, you should start skipping meals, fucker.” Ricardo mutters, keeping his balance, grabbing my legs so I don’t fall from his shoulders.
I can’t help it and a huge grin spreads on my lips in spite of the fucking weird situation we’re in and the fact we are both freezing. Here we are, naked as the day we were born inside this fucking tank, and I’m sitting on Ricardo’s shoulders.
My body is shaking badly because I’m shivering from cold but also because I’m laughing silently. Fuck it! I know this is not the best moment to be laughing but I swear it’s too much, and I’m sure if we get out of this shit alive, some day we’ll laugh our asses off, thinking about this very moment. Well, hell, I don’t know about big dark guy, but I’ll be laughing my ass off, that’s for damn sure.
“Are you done laughing, Toretto? Because I can still shift positions, man.” Ricardo mutters through clenched teeth, wiping away my grin in one second flat.
“Yeah, what do you want me to do?” I ask him, fighting back a new grin.
I know he can’t see me either, but that doesn’t change the fact we’re in deep shit and we need to get out of here as fast as possible, before those fuckers are back, to check on us.
“Try and see if you can reach the edge of this fucking hole, so we can get out of here before Elaine needs a fucking magnifying glass to find my cock, coño.” He replies.
I chuckle at his words but I stretch my arms as far as they go, without adding a smartass reply. Bingo! There’s the edge.
“Yeah. But you need to lift me a little more, Ricardo. I can’t reach it from here.” I reply, shifting lightly, trying to keep my shudders under control.
The fact that I’m mostly out of the water doesn’t mean a difference to me, I’m still freezing. Ricardo curses under his breath as he helps me to stand on his shoulder. Fuck! I don’t even know how I manage to keep balanced as I reach the edge. Pushing upward a little more I finally get out of the tank, kneeling at the edge, looking around.
There’s a little bit of light coming from under what it seems the door, washing the room with a slight light, enough to make out shapes and forms of what appears to be chairs and a table.
“Now what?” I whisper, looking down.
“Now you wait up there for me.” Ricardo mutters as he moves backward a little.
My mouth hangs open, watching fascinated as Ricardo starts climbing the wall of the tank, putting his fingers and his feet in tiny cracks that are all over the surface. Holy fuck!
“We could have climbed the fucking wall?” I ask as I extend my arm to help him out. He doesn’t answer me until he grabs my arm, squeezing lightly.
“I could, you couldn’t.” He answers as serious as a heart attack, sitting at the edge, sighing hard. “Let’s get out of here.” Big dark guy says as he gets to his feet, looking around. “The cavalry has to be about to show up any time now.”
I open my mouth to ask him what he’s talking about when my words died on my lips as a big explosion echoes all around, making the floor tremble a little down my feet. What the fuck…?
“See? Just in time.” Ricardo chuckles as he heads towards the door.
Several more explosions and bursts of machinegun fire are sounding all over the place. Shouts and screams following them.
“Who’s coming to help us, man?” I ask, standing at his side, still shivering a little. Ricardo turns his head, looking at me, his evil grin flashing one more time.
“There’s only one crazy motherfucker, apart from ‘Big Sexy’, with enough balls to come down here, blowing those fuckers to hell, and that’s Sean.” He answers, his grin widening. I look at him as if he sprouted a second head and he just chuckles, shaking his head. “I made a deal with the DEA. I’ve got something they want badly. So I asked for backup in exchange for it.”
“And what do they want so badly that they are burning this fucking place up, man?” I frown deeply, looking right at his eyes.
“I’ve got a tape in which you can see ‘El Azul’ and Fabio’s dad among other fuckers, torturing Camarena to death.” Ricardo says, his face turning emotionless.
My brows arch at once, my mind racing. When I remember what Ricardo told me about ‘Kiki’ Camarena, an undercover DEA agent, and how ‘El Padrino’ was the only one landing in prison because his implication in his death.
“I thought ‘El Padrino’ killed him.”
“Fabio’s dad and ‘El Azul’ made a deal with the government and they set up ‘El Padrino’. There wasn’t any direct evidence or that’s what they thought. They should have asked the NSA.” Ricardo chuckles coldly as his eyes flash that devilish gaze. “It was true that the drug lord gave the order, but he didn’t lay a hand on that poor fucker ‘Kiki’.” Big dark guy replies, sighing hard. “El Padrino went to prison, but I know he has been waiting for the perfect chance to pay them back.” Ricardo pauses, pressing his ear to the door once again and after a moment he adds. “Revenge is a dish better served cold, Dom, and concerning the drug lord, he’s gonna serve it as cold as ice itself.”
The explosions cease at once but we can still hear guns being shot and people cursing, yelling and screaming. After a long moment, Ricardo pushes me backward to the far corner of the room as he stands, shielding me, facing the door.
A few more minutes and the damn door blows up and at least five guys dressed in assault outfits with DEA badges hanging from their necks show up through the doorframe.
One of them moves ahead of the rest as he looks at us from head to toe. “Should I come back later?” He asks, smirking through his damn goatee. “Or do you need a little more time to make up?”
“Shut the fuck up, Vetter.” Ricardo mutters as he moves past him, heading outside, muttering obscenities under his breath and asking where the fuck are his clothes.
I narrow my eyes, staring at him. So this is Sean Vetter? The fucker is as tall as I am and his hair is cut almost to his scalp. I don’t know if the fact that I’m freezing is making me see things, but I swear this fucker looks a lot like me.
Chapter 30