“Put word out on the streets…I want to know where to find them…just in case I need a little insurance.”
“You want to know where to find his daughter?”
“I want to know everything. I want to know everything that is going on. I don’t want anyone interfering with our business. I want to know what business the Jamaicans are in.”
“I’ll see what I can find.”
“Find out what you can about his daughter. I want to know why she’s so damn important.” Paco said while admiring his machete again, which he did often.
Lupe didn’t say anything. He just shook his head to agree.
“If they get in my way, I will green light every damn single one of them. I have the most power in these streets. I’ll be damned, if they push me to the bottom of the pyramid.” Paco was angry.
Jamarco and Deandre had news for Tyson who had some young looking chick sitting on his lap with her arm around his neck. He was smoking a cigar.
Cassius was opposite of Tyson, checking something on his phone.
“We have a problem boss.” Jamarco said.
“What is it man?” Tyson rolled his eyes.
“Paco Ruiz. He has drug territories all over the city.” Deandre told him.
“Well not anymore. I guess we will have to take it over.” Tyson smirked.
“You really want to start a turf war now?” Cassius questioned.
“We need to set up here. I don’t care what we have to do or who we have to go through to get it. I’m not afraid of some spicks.”
“Whatever you want to do boss.” Jamarco agreed.
“Who owns the West Side?” Tyson asked.
“Local street gangs.” Deandre looked as if he had something else to say.
“What is it?”
“Carlos Rivera…is on the West Side.”
“How did you find that out?” Tyson raised his voice.
“The Rivera name spreads quickly. Word got out that they were seen there several times. Word is that he owns a luxury home someplace there with a lot of land. It’s heavily guarded.” Deandre told him.
“The Rivera’s will have too much of an advantage over our plans, so that means, we are going to have to find a way to take over some of MS turf.” Tyson said.
“That may not be easy.” Said Jamarco.
“Paco kills anyone who gets in his way.” Deandre warned.
Cassius interrupted. “As do we. Find out exactly what territories belong to them.”
Jamarco and Deandre walked away to follow their orders.
Zamora’s nephew had come into her bedroom in the middle of the night. He wasn’t used to sleeping in such a big house.
“Aunt Zamora? Can I sleep wit’ you?” He asked in his tiny little sleepy voice, rubbing his eyes. He was dangling his teddy bear in his hand.
“Okay bubba, but you’re going to have to start getting used to your own bed here. This is our home for a while.”
“I know.”
“Come on. Shut the door.” She told him.
Braydon climbed into bed crawling over his aunt. She tucked him in under the covers. Zamora cuddled with her nephew, rubbing his head until he fell asleep.
“It was never supposed to be like this. I’m going to do whatever I have to do to protect you. I promised your daddy I would keep your safe. That’s what I’m going to do.” She said to her sleeping nephew. She laid cuddled up with him until she finally fell asleep herself.
Zamora hadn’t awakened until late afternoon. It was the most she had slept in a long time. Braydon was already gone from the bedroom. Zamora got dressed and made her way down the staircase to find everyone. The children were playing outside in the backyard in the grass. Salena was laughing and watching them play.
Minnie was in the kitchen with Nikkya. Zamora made her way into the kitchen, hearing laughter from them.
“Hey Mora.” Nikkya said. She hadn’t called her that in a long time.
“Hey.” She said back softly.
“I figured we’d let you sleep in.” Minnie said with a faint smile. She had been mixing something in a bowl.
Zamora looked around to see what she was doing. She noticed a few empty brownie boxes on the counter top. It had been her favorite since she was a child.
“My mother used to make those.” Zamora said remembering.
Minnie stopped stirring the bowl for a split second hearing her daughter’s words. She didn’t say anything back.
“It was my favorite as a child.”
“Mine too.” Minnie said back.
Nikkya left the room without them noticing. She didn’t want to interfere with their bonding.
“Did she like to bake?” Minnie asked her.
“All the time. It was her favorite thing to do. I was never in to it but…whenever she made brownies; it was the only time I ever wanted to bake. She made them for me all the time. It was our own private time together. She would wait until my brother and sister went to sleep, then she’d let me stay up and help her. I remember she used to leave extra chocolate in the bowl so I could have extra to lick off.”
Minnie smiled. “She sounded like a wonderful woman. A good mother.”
“She was. She loved us all very much. We all had our own thing that we did with her. That was ours.”
“Well. I’m happy to hear that. Don’t ever lose that.”
“I won’t.” Zamora began helping Minnie pour the brownie mix into the bowl.
“Are you sure?” Minnie wondered not wanting to take over her mother’s memory.
“Yeah.”
Nikkya listened to them talking and laughing with each other. She was happy to hear.
Braydon ran back inside the house, into the kitchen.
“Hey little man.” Zamora greeted her nephew.
“Hi!” He yelled.
“You want to lick the bowl?” She asked her nephew.
He ran over to the kitchen counter. Zamora lifted him up, handing him the spoon to lick out the leftover chocolate from the bowl.
It was late night. Carlos had been gone the entire day. He had been out handling business with Axel, Pito and Alex. Carlos always sat in the backseat with his nephew Axel, while Pito drove leaving Alex in the passenger seat. They drove to the East Side, which they had not yet been on. They were searching for someone. Carlos saw some street thugs hanging out by a corner store.
“Pull over. That’s him.” Carlos demanded Pito.
Alex rolled down his window less than halfway.
“Are you Magnum?” Alex asked.
“Who’s asking?” He asked paranoid, reaching for his pistol behind his back.
The back window started to roll down.
“I am.” Carlos told him.
“Oh shit.” He said knowing who Carlos was. He removed his hand from his weapon and motioned for his crew to stand down.
“Yeah I’m Magnum.” He said while walking over to Carlos’s window.
“I take it you already know who I am.”
“So it’s true then. Word was that the notorious Carlos Rivera moved himself into the city.”
“It’s true.”
“You really here for your daughter?” Magnum asked him.
“So you do know everything?”
Magnum was an African American gang leader for the Vice Lords. He was tall and built. He had his left ear pierced with a big diamond and wore expensive jewelry. Magnum had gang tattoos but mostly kept them hidden and he had a scar on his right collar bone from a bullet. His crew was well known. Magnum knew about every gang in the city and he knew every gang leader and all their territories.
“Damn right I do.”
“How so?” Carlos asked curious.
Magnum looked around paranoid.
Carlos opened the door for him noticing his paranoia. “Get in.”
Magnum got in the car not wanting to attract any unwanted attention.
“What do you know about MS-13? Their leader Paco.” Carlos asked him.
“MS-13?” He paused. “I was king of this city before MS-13 came in and took over the whole damn East Side. Most of the crews in Utica live on this side of the city except for the few that stay on the West. They got lucky.”
“What do you mean?” Axel asked.
“Paco started a gang war. Filled the streets with blood. He wanted to take over most of the territories, but of course none of us gave in that easy.”
“You tried to fight him?” Carlos asked.
“Every crew on the East side, but we underestimated MS-13. He did whatever it took to get what he wanted, killing innocent people in the process.” He paused. “They took out all the Latin Kings in a matter of days, when they refused to give up any of their territory. When L.E.S. did the same, he slaughtered most of them. Luckily there were enough of them left to where they could recuperate. He took out a lot of crews, anyone who refused to give up their turf, so we had to make a deal with them.”
“You bargained with him?”
“I didn’t have a choice. He kept killing my guys, and personally, I couldn’t afford to find new recruits every few days. We did what we had to do. Everyone wants them gone, but they’re too damn smart.”
“Not anymore. I’m the most ruthless man, in this state.” Carlos bragged.
“Which is why you’re probably the only one who can bring him down. Just to warn you though, if you challenge him…he won’t stop…until someone stops breathing.” Magnum warned.
“Those little punk ass bitches don’t scare me. I’ll see what I can do for all of you…when the time is right.” Carlos said.
“Anything else you need Mr. Rivera?”
“I need to know what you know, about the Jamaican Posse.”
“The Jamaican Posse. They’re over here on the East side. Word is, they’re somewhere on Broad Street. They pretty much keep to themselves so I don’t really know much about them yet. Why do you want to know about them?”
“They’re after my daughter.”
“Who’s your daughter? If I may ask?”
Carlos hesitated. “Her adopted name is Zamora Cortez.”
Magnum looked as if he knew something.
“Zamora Cortez? Does she have a brother Dice? And a sister Angel?”
“You know my daughter?”
“Since we were in high school. We were together for a long time, until after MS came into the city. If Zamora Cortez is your daughter, she’s in more danger than you think. You should really make sure she changes her last name to Rivera.”
“What do you know about my daughter that I don’t?” He asked confused.
“I wouldn’t underestimate her. She’s like you in every way possible.”
“What has she done?”
Magnum hesitated to answer.
“What do you know about my child?” Carlos raised his voice.
“Zamora is a clever woman. My crew and I found her skills…useful. Ya know the ones her adopted father taught her? She was very active in my crew…if you know what I mean.”
“She’s killed people?”
“Let’s just say, she helped us to the top of the pyramid, until Paco came along. When that bloodbath happened with Paco…she killed 5 of his men to keep them from taking us down. Paco had actually sent 6 of his men. She missed one not knowing he was waiting outside. He only heard her name. Luckily for her, Paco doesn’t know what she looks like.”
“That’s why you said to change her name.”
“The other crews found out her real name after what she did to MS. They could easily find her. Paco got word out on the streets that he was looking for a chick named Zamora Cortez but he never told them why. We both decided to cut ties shortly after she killed his men. Her parents were killed a week later. She thought it was connected, that he had somehow found her, but I don’t think that’s what happened because he would’ve just killed her instead. I knew Paco would come looking for her, because he knew she was connected to me.”
“What’d you say when he came looking?”
“I told him the same thing I told my crew. She split when she couldn’t handle it anymore. I told ‘em that she had disappeared. Zamora moved to the West side and dyed her hair and used her glasses again to change her identity, for the ones who already knew her face.”
“Why didn’t she just leave the city?”
“She thought she had too much here. Her sister was still alive, she had shit going on with her brother, and Nikkya and JT were here. She didn’t want to leave them behind.”
“Did her brother know about her?”
“Yeah, but he had his own shit to deal with.”
“When was the last time you spoke to her?”
Magnum thought a moment. “When she got custody of her nephew. I haven’t talked to her since then. It’s better that way.”
“Does anyone else want her dead?”
“Paco got word out that if she was found; he was to be the one to kill her. That’s why she needs to change her last name to Rivera, because if they know that she’s your daughter, she’ll be untouchable. No one around here is going to be stupid enough to go after a cartel kingpins daughter…except for the Jamaicans of course.”
“Thank you Magnum. I appreciate your words. Why do they call you that?”
Magnum smirked, pulling out his pistol to show him his clip.
“I only use Magnum bullets.” He smiled.
Carlos found that amusing. “Interesting.”
Magnum opened the door to leave. “You didn’t get any of this from me.”
“I know how it works.”
“Right. Of course you do.”
“We’ll be in touch again Magnum.”
“Anything you need Mr. Rivera. Please keep Zamora safe. I still care for her.”
“I’m sure you do. Thank you for trying to keep her safe.”
Magnum just nodded his head while getting out of the car. He closed the car door.
“If you ever need anything else…you know where to find me.” He told him through the car window.
“Why did you tell me all that? I’m just curious.”
“I know what kind of man you are Mr. Rivera. I don’t really want to get on your bad side. Maybe it’s fate for Zamora to be your daughter.”
Carlos smirked again and then rolled up the car window. Magnum watched them drive away.
Zamora was downstairs, sitting at the kitchen counter table with Nikkya. It was late, and everyone else was asleep. They heard Carlos and the other return inside causing them to remain silent. He had seen the kitchen light still on, so he went in to turn it off.
“Oh. What are you two still doing awake?” He asked.
“Can’t sleep.” Nikkya answered.
“Do you mind if I have a conversation with my daughter?” Carlos asked Nikkya.
“Sure. I’ll see you in the morning.” She told Zamora.
Carlos waited for Nikkya to leave the kitchen.
“I don’t really have anything to say Carlos.” Zamora told him.
“Yeah well I do…daughter.” He walked over to the counter, sitting across from her.
Zamora rolled her eyes at him.
“Do you have a secret that you’d like to share?” He hinted.
“No…not really.” She replied in annoyance.
“Are you sure?” He tried to get her to confess.
“Is there something you want to say…father?” Zamora always said “father” like it meant nothing to her. She said it disrespectfully.
“Were you ever planning on telling me like you killed five men? MS-13 to be exact.”
Zamora’s face grew with confusion.
“Who told you that?” She asked him.
“I don’t reveal my sources.”
“Only one person knew that. You talked to Magnum?” Zamora stood up from the chair in frustration.
“Yes I did Zamora. But to be fair, I didn’t know that he knew you before I went looking for him.”
“Why did you go looking for him?”
/> “He had the answers I needed.”
“To what?”
“I needed information on MS-13 and the Jamaican Posse.”
“What else did he tell you?”
“He told me everything Zamora. He told me you ran with his crew and what you did with them. He told me you killed Paco’s men.”
Carlos got up from the chair. He took off his suit jacket and set it on the back on the chair.
Zamora took in a deep breath.
“Magnum told me the truth about everything. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Gee father…the conversation about murdering five of the most dangerous men, didn’t really seem like a good start to a father-daughter relationship.” She said sarcastically.
“How many other people have you killed?” He was interested.
“You want the truth?” She asked him.
“Yes Zamora I do.”
“I don’t know how to give it to you.”
“Just tell me.”
“I’ve killed 15 people…because they got in my way or they threatened the ones I care about. I like power. I like the way it feels.” She confidently admitted.
Minnie had been listening on the stairs. She started to sob after she heard her daughter’s words about being a killer like her father. She went back up the stairs quietly.
“You really are my daughter.” Carlos told her amused.
“I am nothing like you.”
“You are me Zamora. I made a mistake giving you up.”
“It’s a little too late for remorse father.”
“I thought we were doing what was best for you, but you ended up in the life anyway.”
“I guess I got dealt a shitty hand.”
“Does anyone else know?”
“Just my brother. Nikkya and JT don’t know what I did.”
Carlos thought to himself. He looked his daughter in the eyes.
“I think it’s time for you to know the truth.”
“About what?” She turned her head away not wanting to hear it.
“About what my enemies really want from you.”
Zamora looked back at him like she couldn’t believe what he said.
City Culprits (Book 1) Page 8