Santiago lost his footing and his sidekick with the water pitcher wasn’t paying attention. Maria grabbed the full container and slung it. A spray of water shot from the mouth of the pitcher and she pummeled Santiago, connecting with his right jaw. She swung again. This time, she heard the defined crack of a chipped bone.
“You bitch!” Santiago rushed her then. Holding the side of his face, he backed her against the wall and grabbed hold of her neck, lifting her off the ground.
David mumbled, but his words were hard to make out. He gasped, acting as if he couldn’t manage much more. “My…name…is…David.”
Now she could let her team know who and what she’d discovered. “David? David who, Santiago? Who. Is. This. Man?”
Her earpiece hummed with chatter and commotion.
Santiago sneered, tightened his grip and cocked his head. “You will die, my cousin.”
“Let her go!” One of Santiago’s peers pulled him away from her and she fell to the ground. “Let Marvio handle her, Santiago.”
She coughed and gagged. Mixed orders were shouted into her earpiece.
David’s head bounced up and down. He was struggling to stay conscious, but she couldn’t free him and reassure him just yet. If she went for him, they’d kill him for sure.
Her rage took hold before she rose from her crouched position. She reached behind her back, clutched the butt of her semi-automatic and swung around to face her enemy. She aimed her weapon at her cousin’s head. “You made a detrimental mistake by choking me.”
“How so?” Santiago’s demeanor changed then.
“You should’ve killed me,” she told him, placing some distance between them but keeping her gun leveled at his head.
Santiago took a step back and methodically clapped his hands. “Pay attention, cousins. Look here at our dear, sweet Maria. Playing the good little cousin and concerned sister but when her temper flares, what does she do? She pulls a gun only a soldier would carry!”
“Apparently you don’t know much about guns,” she said, using the opportunity to add more time to their ticking clock.
“Maria, confirm. Is the man David Dempsey?”
“Yes, I’m your cousin,” she whispered. “Yes, I’m the good little cousin, like you said.” She kept her weapon aimed at Santiago.
“Go! Go! Go!” Jett screamed. “Everybody in. We have an affirmative. David Dempsey is inside. We get him out first. Cade, Ace, he’s on you. Let’s move!”
Maria breathed a sigh of relief. They were all on the move. She wouldn’t have to do this alone. Her backup was coming.
About that time, Marvio stepped inside the wide open room. “Maria?”
“Marvio,” she stated flatly, keeping her eyes trained on Santiago.
“Put the gun down, baby girl. Think about this, sister. That’s our cousin there.”
“Santiago was trying to kill this man.”
“Ah no, Maria. He was just trying to find out some information.”
“What kind of information?”
“Ah you know,” Marvio said, working his shoulders in that cool shrug. “The kind of shit that makes a man want to doubt his family’s loyalty.”
The jiggling stopped and he quickly drew on her. “Drop your gun, Maria. The games are over.”
“I either walk out with him”—she tilted her head at David—“Or none of us make it out of here alive.”
“You know I can’t let you do that, Maria,” Marvio said calmly. “What have you done to us, hermana? Have you betrayed our familia?”
“He’s holding her at gunpoint, Scott,” Manny said. “The infrared data suggests we’ve got at least four explosives in the room along with fourteen weapons, most of them manned, several of which are on Marvio, and an unknown subject watching from the far left corner near the window.”
Maria glanced at the corner, noting movement next to the sheer drapes.
“I’m walking out of here with David,” she said firmly.
“Don’t try to negotiate with him,” Brock said.
“You’re not taking him anywhere. He’s our bargaining chip.” Marvio forced a smile. “And you’re our insurance policy.”
She jerked then, piecing together the information. The authority had known David was there. “What are you trying to tell me, Marvio?”
He shrugged quickly. “Maybe you weren’t the only one doing the double-crossing. Ever thought of that?”
“I didn’t double-cross you! I did what I was supposed to do!” She was lying through her teeth, but for a split second, she saw the doubt rising in Marvio’s expression.
“You’re still with us?”
“Always.”
“She’s still on our side, boys,” Scott said.
“You don’t say?” Manny’s voice filled her earpiece.
Marvio breathed an obvious sigh of relief. He then waved his finger in the air. “You’re good. You had all of us believing you’d turned on us.”
“How could I hurt my family?” She didn’t lower her weapon. “After all we’ve been through, the sacrifices I’ve made for all of you. Do you honestly believe I’d betray the siblings I raised?”
“That man needs to die, Maria,” Marvio said.
“And he will, but he will on my terms. You can’t blow my cover yet.”
“This is a bad idea,” Marvio said, lowering his weapon. “If we lose him, we don’t have any leverage.”
“We don’t need any if you don’t blow my cover.” She kept her cousin in her periphery. “Think about this, Marvio. You wanted me inside. I’m there. Are you ready to expose me?”
Marvio thinned his lips. He was buying her story.
“Positions?” Brock asked, clearly trying to gain control in a situation he didn’t have the power to manage.
Everyone confirmed their whereabouts. She had less than a minute to gain the upper hand here or Marvio would turn that gun on David the second the team stormed the third floor.
Shots rang out. Pellet-like noises resounded in the near distance.
They were thirty seconds away. David’s head bobbed up and down. His legs twitched.
She circled Santiago, maintaining her focus. She now had a clear shot of her brother and Santiago.
“Drop your gun, Maria. Prove to me where you stand.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Don’t make me doubt your loyalty!” Marvio lifted his weapon once more. “You will not leave with him, Maria.”
“I’ll kill Santiago if you don’t let David go.”
“You’ll kill Santiago?” Marvio laughed. He dropped his arm and laughed even harder, bending over for theatrics. The four other men in the room chuckled, too.
Maria glanced at David. His head dipped forward.
When she averted her gaze once more, Marvio shook his head, clucked, and said, “Santiago is of no use to me, Maria.”
“Of course he is. He’s your right-hand man. He always has been.”
Before she could even contemplate his next move, Marvio pivoted, shot Santiago in the forehead, and sighed dramatically as their first cousin fell to the floor. “And I have always lived by a golden rule. When your right hand slaps your left, cut it off and replace it with another.” He clucked again. “He’s been replaced. He would’ve been replaced by you but I can’t trust you anymore. Can I, sister?” He frowned and looked deeply troubled then. “You betrayed me. For a second there, I wanted to believe otherwise, but the truth is right here in front of me. You aren’t standing with your family.”
The game was over. “You’re a criminal, Marvio.”
He shook his head. “You’re the one who has broken laws, Maria.” He lifted his arm higher. “And your punishment is death.”
“Marvio, no!” Marianna’s voice filled the room.
Marvio stalled. Shots were fired in the hallway. Operatives rushed the room. Scott’s screams filled her ears. Cade cursed aloud. Drake dove head first into the open space, sliding across the tile and firing his automatic weapon.
Marvio had only hesitated for a moment. He wheeled around and yelled, “You are a traitor!” He aimed and fired, but took a bullet to the back of the head before Maria could pull the trigger.
When the commotion settled, Marianna slowly emerged from the shadows, her smoking gun leveled in front of her.
“Put it down, Marianna.” Scott kept his weapon trained on her. “We can work something out.”
“How do you know I’m not Maria?” she asked, keeping her weapon in front of her.
“I know the difference between good and evil.”
“And she’s good? Really?” Marianna sneered at Maria and added, “She isn’t good. Your world has tainted her like my world spoiled the Rodriquez sons. We are all poisoned by the careers we choose, addicted to the adrenaline rush and toxins like money, sex, and guns.” She paused long enough to study Maria. “No, she is anything but good. In fact, she is just like me!”
“We’ll work with you if you put that gun down,” Scott assured her again.
“Are you willing to work with me like you have Maria?” She released an evil hiss. “I’d love to hear those terms, Mr. Zelmore. In fact, I’m eager. Where do I sign?” She took a step forward, and then another. She narrowed her evil gaze and added, “Everyone always thought you were the good twin, but you weren’t. Were you, Maria?”
“Marianna, put down your gun.” Maria’s voice cracked. “Please.”
Cade approached from the side, crossing one leg over the other. “You can walk out of here with us or you can die, Marianna. It’s your choice.”
Marianna whispered, “I’ve already surrendered, sister.” She dropped her arms to her sides and Maria took a deep breath. Relief washed over her but it quickly drowned in a sudden state of mass confusion.
The Rodriquez guards stormed the room. Marianna’s evil laughter resounded.
“Look out!” Drake yelled.
“Put the gun down!” Cade screamed.
Shots were fired.
“It didn’t have to be this way!” Marianna yelled. “All you had to do was accept who you are. That’s all.” Marianna aimed her gun but never fired.
Maria dove to the left, shooting her gun as she crashed against the floor. She made the kill Scott, Cade, and Drake had all feared she’d have to take. Weapons were quickly drawn and a blast of gunfire rang out as Maria called out to them, begging them to wait.
Minutes later, the room was eerily quiet.
Maria slowly lifted her head. “Ah, no.” She scrambled to her knees and crawled across the floor. “Please, please, God. No!”
Scott hurried to her side. He helped her to her feet, but she shoved him. “Get away from me!”
She rushed to her sister’s side, but the view on the floor was confirmation. Blood pooled around her torso and head. The stench of death filled her nostrils.
“I’m right here, Marianna,” she whispered, brushing her blood soaked hair away from her eyes. “I’ve got you.”
Seconds later as Marianna lay dying in Maria’s arms, she breathed words of vindication and told Maria she forgave her as Marvio would’ve forgiven Marianna as well.
“We were children once, just children,” she breathed.
“Yes,” Maria choked out.
A flash of memories flooded her mind’s eye as tears streamed across her cheeks. They’d played in the sand and enjoyed building grand castles on the beaches. At one time, they’d lived in a carefree world, but the world they’d known changed as quickly as dawn turns to dusk, tainting the lives they’d wanted for themselves and those they’d once loved.
As Maria cradled her neck, Marianna rambled on about hostages and those she’d held against their will. She spoke of a good death, a death she wouldn’t claim as her own. Then she spoke of a setting sun, a sun she’d never see rise again.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“We need to go, Maria,” Scott said, pulling her away from Marianna’s still form.
In the distance, she was vaguely aware of Drake and Cade working like mad to free David. Shaking off the shock of recent events, she came to her senses and immediately noticed the frightened looks on their faces, the sheer panic in their eyes.
“What’s happening?”
“You’ve got three and counting.” Crue’s voice filled her ears.
Scott steered her to the corner of the room. “Ace, get her out of here.”
“Two and three,” Crue announced.
“Go!” Scott cupped her cheek.
Ace grabbed her by the arm and started to lead her out of the room, but she pulled back. Glancing over her shoulder, she watched as the men she cared about worked with the cable used to bind David to the chair. Jett was underneath the seat, attempting to disarm the explosive.
“I can’t leave them!”
“Ace, get her out of there, man!” Manny screamed.
“Ah hell!” Jett bellowed.
“It’s coded. Isn’t it?” She rushed them then, sliding to her knees and immediately ducking under the wooden chair.
“Get her out!”
“One and counting.”
“Fuck!” Manny screamed. “I don’t know where you get your logistics but I’m watching this thing tick, Crue. They’ve got another four.”
“I can’t risk it. Abort.” Brock’s order fell upon their ears like a gavel.
Maria quickly rambled off the numbers her brothers had used so many times before. It was an eleven digit code and it stopped the timer and popped a snap. The cables released like severed threads. The group shared in collective relief, but it was only temporary. The parting cables revealed a damning circumstance.
“It’s a dummy!” Maria screamed, pulling Jett back. “We have to go!” She scrambled to her feet and grabbed hold of Scott’s hand in passing.
“Manny how much time do they have?” Brock asked.
“There’s no way to tell,” Maria hurriedly explained as she and Scott rushed down the stairs, following behind Cade and Drake as they dragged David down the circular staircase. “Marvio loved trickery. There must be at least forty different timers on this thing. This place will blow any second!”
Ace stood at the front door directing them out. The lights flickered.
“Here comes the boom, boys! Get out of there!” Manny shouted.
A gunshot resounded.
“Ah hell, I’m hit!” Jett bellowed.
“Jett!” She realized he wasn’t behind them right as they reached the door.
The others had already made it outside. Scott and Ace rushed to the first landing, but Maria pushed ahead of them as they stopped long enough to engage in battle, putting to rest the remaining thugs in Marvio’s gang.
“Put your arm around me,” she demanded, draping Jett’s heavy arms around her shoulders.
“Get outta here, Maria,” Jett bit out, struggling to maintain his balance.
“Maria! Go!” Riley yelled, likely making a call that would later destroy him if she aborted the mission now.
Boom! Boom!
Two loud bangs ricocheted. Maria screamed. Jett pulled free.
“We have him!” Ace screamed, slinging Jett’s large frame over his shoulder as if his weight was equivalent to a sack of potatoes. “Go!”
Her earpiece transmitted a mix of orders, cursing, and barked demands. Another bomb detonated. Glass and debris flew everywhere.
A loud ringing pierced her ears and the cloud of smoke impaired her vision. She turned to her left and right, completely disoriented.
Scott. She needed to find Scott. He was right behind her. He was there beside her—or was he in front of her?
“I can’t see!” she screamed, her voice seemingly slow and distorted.
“Maria. Listen to me. Trust me. Walk straight ahead, honey. Keep moving. Everyone is out. You’re safe. That’s it. Just walk. Just keep coming. There you go. You’re out!”
The fresh air hit her in the face, but she never took another conscious breath.
* * * *
“
That beeping noise is bugging the hell out of me.” She groaned, rolled over, and tried to slap the alarm clock only to find a set of hands and a cold rail.
“Turn it off,” she moaned. “It’s not time yet.”
“Where do you think you’re going exactly?” Scott’s hot breath at her ear left sizzling sensations up and down her spine.
“I’m going to fight,” she whispered in a dreamlike state. “But first I’m going to fuck you.”
Muffled laughter brought her to. She blinked and tried to focus on the bodies surrounding her. “What is this?”
She couldn’t make out their faces, but she could clearly see there were several people at the end of her bed. The fluorescent light overhead beamed down and she tried to cover her eyes with her forearm.
“Wake up, pretty lady,” Cade said. “You should be well rested by now.”
“Where am I?” She turned her head to the side and spotted Scott.
He brushed her hair out of her face. “You’re in the hospital.”
“Ah no,” she groaned, struggling to remember what had happened.
“You’ve been stuck with needles, pumped full of drugs, given enemas, and—”
“What?” She sat straight up in her bed and acknowledged a smiling Manny.
“Hey there, good-lookin’. I thought that last one might get your attention.”
“Well if you’re not a sight for sore eyes.”
“How about me?” David asked, entering the room.
He looked banged up, but he was walking, or rather limping. She blinked at his image as he moved closer. “I believe I owe you a thank you.”
“Ah, it was nothing,” she said weakly, smiling back at him.
Her gaze jumped from David and Drake to Manny and Cade. Then, she settled on Scott. “How long have I been out?”
“A while,” Scott said, taking her hand in his and kissing her fingertips.
“How long is a while?”
“You were in a drug-induced coma,” Drake explained. “You had debris lodged in that thick scull of yours and the doctors had to knock you out so you wouldn’t boss them around and tell them how to do their jobs.”
Cowboy Boots and Uncensored Behavior Page 19