Beware The Fury

by C. I. Lopez

  “Your opponent won’t be playing alone,” Prince said. “He has eyes and ears in many places, and even out of the country, you cannot assume your complete safety at any time.”

  The main concern in Prince’s mind had to do with Yasmin’s insistence on stopping by her home to see her family, warning her of the dangers of making emotional decisions.

  “I’ll stay no more than two days, four tops, if I have to, to complete some business transactions,” Yasmin said. She owed them that much. Tomas didn’t know the town where she lived, and there were hundreds of villages in that direction. He didn’t know that her family lived so near the border, where she planned to disappear shortly after seeing her family, continuing to move until she reached Mexico City.

  Having lived near the frontier all her life, she knew of places where she could obtain a passport with a different name. The exact location where Yasmin planned to cross the border would be impossible for anyone to locate. She knew of a river in the mountain that separated her country with the adjacent one. There were no guards or passports to be stamped, which would make it difficult for Tomas to follow her journey.

  The citizens of the two adjacent countries passed freely across the river in that community. They did their shopping in one country or the other, depending on which one had better prices for their needs. Once Yasmin crossed to the other side of the river, she knew many of the locals in the frontier town. As a child accompanying her mother, she’d become acquainted with the man who made passports for immigrants. Everyone on both sides of the frontier knew who he was, but would never tell the police or strangers. Yasmin and her family had passed that way often and had visited the man who made passports.

  Narcisa was a humanitarian who liked to help those migrants who were fleeing violence in their own country. She never hesitated to help someone who needed to reach safety and encouraged her daughters to accompany her on these missions. It was a fairly common practice in the area but a well-kept secret among the residents.

  Yasmin felt sure Tomas would not be as familiar with that part of the country as she was. Without a doubt, Yasmin knew that in time, Tomas would find the information regarding that particular place to cross the border with the use of his many contacts. Yasmin expected to be far away by then. Actually, she didn’t doubt that he might already be aware of the place, so that timing would be critical.

  It was Yasmin’s theory that Tomas would spend the first few days looking for her within the city itself. He would be under the impression that she had no money of her own to travel far. Even as Yasmin knew that Tomas was familiar with every pawnbroker in the country, and he would try to trace her wedding rings through them. However, she intended to find another way to turn the wedding rings into cash.

  Tomas would exhaust his search for Yasmin within the city, and realize she must have found a way out. He’d begin looking in the direction the taxi was coming from when his car hit it on the road. This would lead him directly to the mountainous area, dotted with small villages. Yasmin made sure never to tell him the name of her town.

  It was Yasmin’s belief that her superior knowledge of the area, assured her of staying ahead of her husband. She calculated to spend no more than four days in the village. She also knew that it wouldn’t take him long to assume she must have headed towards her village. It would take him longer to realize that she had crossed the border into Costa Rica. A man like Tomas probably knew the underworld of that country as well, so she knew that she had to keep moving all the time. Her only hope was to remain several steps ahead of him using the lessons she’d learned at chess.

  Obviously, her visit to her family had to be brief, so it was crucial that Tomas never come in contact with her family or found her village. She even knew that it was imperative to wait until Tomas was out of the country before setting her plan into action to gain the time she’d need.

  Over the weeks, Yasmin tried to control her anxiety as she waited for the signal from Rebecca. The boutique owner would let her know if a response to her letter had arrived at the store. Many thoughts crossed the girl’s mind as she feared not receiving a reply. In any case, the plan for her escape would begin the moment Tomas left for Colombia again. Lately, he’d been going more frequently, so she waited for his next trip

  The reason for Tomas’ more frequent trips to Colombia had to do with trouble with his own cartel. The organization had recently experienced a frenzy of violence and losses that required much of his attention. Four of his top disciples, under Prince’s command, chose to stand up to the rival gang who’d attempted to invade Chacon’s space more than once.

  Tomas didn’t like it when his men used violence against other gangs because all the groups were controlled by the man in Colombia. There was an understanding among thieves to stay within each designated area, thus keeping down on the unnecessary violence and increasing the profits.

  Tomas counted on Prince to keep the peace between the rival gangs. Prince explained how the neighboring band, which called themselves, The Vice Lords, were encroaching ever closer onto his turf. This forced The Disciples of Chacon, farther west, into less profitable areas. Usually, The Vice Lords knew better than to launch an attack of that magnitude. It seemed they were emboldened by rumors of Chacon getting careless with his continued drinking.

  The Vice Lords from Ecuador were striving to replace Chacon, as the Kingpin of Panama. Their leader’s name was Pablo Contreras, better known as El Loco Cienfuegos (The Crazy Hundred-Fires). The name had been given because he was so loose with his gun, firing at the slightest provocation. The ambitious thirty-one-year-old Cienfuegos didn’t understand the possible consequences of meddling with The Disciples of Chacon when he made the decision to confront them.

  It was in the public housing area where Chacon did his business at night. The population of the area were in his pocket, as well the plainclothes cops, who purposely went off duty at midnight, and there was no third shift for those places. Nobody entered that neighborhood after midnight, other than Chacon’s Disciples. Of course, customers drove by stopping only long enough to make their transaction with the dealers, or with the prostitutes, who also worked for Chacon.

  On the night of the conflict, three members of The Vice Lords strolled in unexpected, carrying with them an Uzi, two sawn-off shotguns, and a .45 caliber automatic handgun. They entered through the dark alleys, leaving two of Tomas’ men dead in thirty seconds. The Vice Lords fired from every conceivable angle. Chacon’s men were shot five times. One bullet pierced a man’s chest and exited from his back, and the other man was shot through the head, the round was left lodged in his left cheek. Buckshot pellets peppered his buttocks.

  The following night, Cienfuegos and his three Vice Lords were found lying face down on the park benches in the center of town for all to see. The police didn’t know that the cause of death was the bite of a poisonous snake. The severed hands where the vipers delivered their venom, were cut off and delivered to the Colombian boss.

  Gang killings didn’t get a lot of attention from the scarce resources of the city’s ill-equipped coroner. It was assumed the men died of exsanguination. This would follow the cutting of the arteries when the hands were amputated. The Colombia cartel didn’t like infiltrators, and Chacon knew that.

  However, the violence among the gangs alarmed the Colombian boss, although he disapproved of the encroaching Ecuadorians and approved of Tomas’ retaliation. The Colombian chief and Tomas had built a good relationship over many years. The man was pleased to have Tomas extend his business into the area previously held by the Ecuadorian gangs.

  Nevertheless, the shootings made the community restless, afraid of retaliation by the remaining Ecuadorian gang members. They were afraid to go out of their buildings, fearing the gangs would start a ‘death train’ that might drive smack through the neighborhood. Tomas needed to reassure his boss that his man Prince was alerted to the situation, and there would not be a ‘death train,’ while he was in charge.

  Toma
s’ fear that such attempts would place his territory in jeopardy had him in a foul mood, taking it out on Yasmin again. He decided she’d been going out too often, and it was time to ground her back in her room.

  “You’ve been going out almost every day, Yasmin, and I forbid it.”

  “Tomas, I never go out more than once a week, as you encouraged me to do.” The girl defended what little liberty she held; however, she was aware to tread carefully on the issue. She was determined not to encourage her husband to find reasons to suspect her actions or do anything to impede her plan to leave. If he had any suspicions, she knew he would arrange for a gruesome ‘accident’ for her.

  Their discussion was happily interrupted by the ringing of the phone in the house. Tomas picked it up to find it was Rebecca from the boutique. “What?” He turned to Yasmin, annoyed. “Now they are calling you? I thought I told you not to make friends with anyone at the store.”

  Remaining outwardly calm, almost bored, Yasmin responded that it probably had to do with some individual items she’d ordered last week. “Tomas, let me talk with her. Believe me, she’s not someone who calls just to talk with me.”

  After a short hesitation, Tomas’ mind returned to his own worries. He gave the phone to his wife, but not before pushing the speakerphone button, and remaining sitting within hearing distance. “I want you to be happy, and buy all the pretty clothes you want, you know that, but you better be careful what you tell those women. They can’t be trusted, baby.”

  “Tomas, you know you can trust me, let me talk to her. Why are you doing this?” She picked up the phone to speak. “Hello Rebecca, this is Yasmin. How nice of you to call. I was just having a pleasant chat with my husband.” That was the clue to notify Rebecca that Tomas was listening. Yasmin requested Rebecca to call her regarding an order she’d placed for some merchandise if she received a reply to her letter.

  “Hello, Mrs. Chacon. I am sorry to interrupt you, but I am calling about the items you ordered last week.” Rebecca said formally, understanding the situation. “They arrived today, and I hoped you could retrieve the ones you want soon because there are many customers interested in them. They are exceptional. Of course, I will save you the ones you ordered, but I would appreciate it if you could come to try them on as soon as possible.”

  That was the clue Yasmin was waiting for. Rebecca had a letter from her family. It was smart of her to say she had to try them on, or else Tomas might have sent Pedro to retrieve them. Upon hanging up the phone, Yasmin looked at Tomas and begged him to let her go one more time to try on those clothes. “Then, I’ll stay in my room for as long as you want.”

  Tomas didn’t want to deal with his wife at this time, so he called Pedro to take her to the boutique. “Twenty minutes, no longer.” He told Pedro.

  Immediately upon arriving at the boutique, Rebecca filled her arms with new items, ushering Yasmin to the dressing room. Underneath them, she held firmly in her hand the letter for Yasmin. Having been told that her customer could only stay for twenty minutes this day, Rebecca rushed the girl into the dressing room. Once there, the store owner quickly handed over the clothes with the letter hidden underneath.

  Yasmin didn’t try on any of the new fashions. Instead, she closed the door to her vestibule and sat holding the envelope between her hands, feeling the love through the paper, yet, sensing reservations about opening it. Finally, she tore open the envelope, and closed her eyes, her hands shaking with anticipation. The letter was addressed in her sister’s handwriting, which immediately filled Yasmin with the premonition that Ofelia might not be at the house any longer.

  Why is the letter written by my sister when I addressed mine to Ofelia? If anything happened to Ofelia, it would be because she tried to help me. She gave me all her savings wrapped in that handkerchief. A million thoughts rushed through the girl’s mind during those seconds. Yet, the sight of her sister’s handwriting was an emotional moment, so she gently ran her fingers over the ink, feeling her sister through the writing.

  “Eva,” she whispered in disbelief, enjoying the sound of her sister’s name on her lips.

  This time, knowing his boss had given him orders to bring Yasmin back in twenty minutes, the chauffeur/body-guard didn’t go across the street. He stood by the entrance to the dressing room, with his muscled arms crossed and a pistol showing under his coat pocket.

  Rebecca shot him a scathing look but knew better than to say anything this time. It was to be a short visit.

  Yasmin kept an eye on her digital watch for the next fifteen minutes while she read and re-read the letter from her sister.

  “Dearest Yasmin.

  We are overjoyed to hear from you. So many things have happened since you left. You must come home immediately. We are all glad to know you are alive. Detective Mendoza and Lieutenant Santos Sosa from the National Guard came to give us the news. They said that Manuel, the taxi driver who drove you away, had been killed in a horrific accident. At first, we couldn’t believe that you were in that taxi, but the news all said that you were probably killed or kidnapped since they never found your body,

  Lt. Sosa and I refused to believe you had died and your body was burned in the fire with Manuel’s, as some suspected. The lieutenant has kept the case open all this time. Federico was devastated, and he also did not believe it for a long time. As time passed without hearing from you, we all lost some of that hope, but not me. I could feel your soul in mine, Yasmin. I knew you were alive.

  When I saw this letter with your name on the return address, written to Ofelia, but the address wasn’t written in your handwriting, I panicked. I thought that it might be bad news until I read it. Ofelia is living in the city now, with her sister Sofia. I had to open the letter, and there was your handwriting. I knew my prayers had been heard. There is so much to tell you, but I will explain more about Ofelia and about Federico when you’re here.

  I have been married for six months. I wish you could have been my maid of honor at my wedding. We have so much to talk about, please stay safe, and come home.

  Your loving sister, Eva.”

  Of course, Eva didn’t understand from one letter how difficult it was going to be for Yasmin to get home, or how little time she could stay, but Yasmin wanted to see her sister. The tricky part would be to explain that she couldn’t stay, but that could only be told in person. Reluctant to let go of the letter, yet knowing she couldn’t take the risk of keeping it, Yasmin returned the message to Rebecca to be destroyed. With fifteen minutes used up, and without trying on any of the clothes, Yasmin rushed out of the dressing room.

  Meanwhile, to make the situation appear normal while knowing Pedro might be trying to listen to the two women in the dressing room, Rebecca had kept on chatting to Yasmin. She talked about how excellent Yasmin’s choice in dresses was and how good that particular dress fit her, although Yasmin didn’t try on any of the dresses. Grateful for Rebecca’s subterfuge, Yasmin walked out of the vestibule with minutes to spare.

  As Yasmin left, she was startled to see that Pedro was waiting for her by the door, although Rebecca knew where he was all the time. Yasmin almost ran into Pedro’s body when she stepped out of the vestibule. She noticed that the gun he was carrying was different to the one he’d carried before. It was much bigger, so probably a higher caliber—perhaps to easily kill a person with one shot. It crossed her mind that maybe he had orders to kill her if her behavior seemed in any way suspicious.

  As professional as ever, Rebecca had packed and handed Yasmin some particularly exceptional outfits in Yasmin’s size and color before the excited girl walked out the door. Without turning to look at Pedro, Rebecca smiled at Yasmin, as she handed her the packaged items.

  “You made some excellent choices. Have a good day, Mrs. Chacon.”

  Pedro walked ahead of her to hold the car door open for his Boss Lady. Upon getting in the car, he said, “No ice-cream today, Boss Lady, I’m sorry.” Hearing Pedro’s relaxed comment allowed Yasmin a sigh of relief. />
  “It’s fine, Pedro. I don’t feel like ice-cream today anyway,” Yasmin said, smiling broadly.

  Pedro thought that her purchases must have made her very happy. He noticed the way her eyes seemed to shine as she stepped lightly into the car, filled with new enthusiasm. Pedro liked the boss’s wife and was content to see her looking cheerful. He was also relieved at her punctuality.

  That evening, it was evident to Yasmin that her husband was going to the club. He was wearing a brand-new suit and smelled of his good cologne, which meant that Yasmin was sure to have ample time to prepare the details of her plan.

  While Tomas was gone, Miss Belky took advantage of the time to formulate her own plan. She convinced her brother Prince to share some leftover heroin with the guards to relax them so they would not watch the monitors very closely that night.

  Giving them time for the substance to work, Belky dressed in a long cotton nightgown and climbed the stairs to Yasmin’s room, carrying a tray with a glass of milk. Beneath her gown, Belky had something she was ordered to get rid of a long time ago. Knowing that it was later than usual when she walked up the elegant stairway and knocked on Yasmin’s bedroom door, she spoke in a normal voice. It was loud enough to be heard through the monitors if any guard was still paying attention, and to warn her Boss Lady that it was not her husband at the door. She apologized for the late hour, but noticed that the light was on in Yasmin’s bedroom, she came to offer her a glass of milk to help her sleep.

  Yasmin opened the door and quickly pulled Miss Belky inside, knowing she must be there for a reason. Once inside, Yasmin gave the maid a questioning look. She’d never seen Belky dressed in a long nightgown, and it caused her to smile.

  “Do you always wear that when you sleep?” Yasmin covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. She’d visited Belky numerous times in her room at night, seeing her wearing loose men’s shirts that barely covered her underwear.