by Melissa Jane
The sun was just starting to rise, the house quiet. I watched, amused as Laila crept her way down the flight of stairs. Seemingly unaware of my presence in the kitchen, she seemed nervous, every tentative step full of hope. I dreaded to think what trouble this girl had landed herself in.
“Leaving without saying goodbye?” She didn’t spin around and she wasn’t startled at getting caught. Instead, her shoulders slumped, her head resting against the front door in defeat.
“I know at least one other person would be upset without a farewell.” Still not knowing the girl all that well, I kept my tone soft, though apparently not soft enough.
“Shh,” Laila hissed, finally turning to meet my gaze with urgent eyes. “Don’t talk so loud,” her innocent blue eyes widening as she looked over my bare chest. I tried my best to disguise the twitch pulling at my lips. She looked shaky, embarrassed. This was fun.
“Why are you trying to sneak out without Aiden knowing?” I asked.
“Why do you think?” I honestly didn’t know. I knew she had issues with Aiden and the way he had gone about things, but could she not see that he was trying to help her?
“I don’t owe him anything!” She replied bitterly.
“Oh, I think you do.”
“What would you know?”
“Enough,” I said matter-of-factly crossing my arms, “It’s not for me to say–”
“Then don’t,” she interrupted.
Ignoring her pleas, I continued. If Aiden didn’t have the balls to set things right then I at least should have a go. “He's done things the way he has, to make things better for you.”
She scoffed, “How so?”
“You've come this far with him; he should be the one to tell you. Besides, you are not quite out of Hector’s reach yet. You're very trusting Laila, but of the wrong people.”
She remained silent, considering my words. It was all true. Hector and Juan were relentless. They would come after both of them and at full force. Aiden had once considered them family, now he was running. Running all because of this girl. She may just well be the break he needed. They were saving each other.
“I can see what this has done to him," I continued, "He isn’t the same man. Whether that’s guilt, remorse, love, I don’t know, but he isn’t the same.”
“Love?” Her perfect brows knitted tightly together.
“Even Aiden has a heart.”
“Monsters don’t have hearts.”
I wanted to tell her that I had seen the damage monsters could do and that I knew all too well that they didn’t have hearts. They had ghost eyes and were soulless. That was certainly not Aiden. With a heavy sigh because clearly that had deep seated issues that would require time and healing, I continued. “Look, all I can tell you is soon he will be in a position to explain everything. Right now though, his brother and father have put a bounty on Aiden's head and all because of you. So come into the kitchen where I've been slaving away all morning making breakfast and cut the man some slack, would you?”
Resigned to the fact that she would not be escaping any time soon and with my comforting hand on her shoulder, she followed me into the kitchen.
“You will soon realize Laila, that while Aiden is fighting your demons, he is also fighting his own.”
We just never once imagined history would ever repeat itself.
Danny
Later that night Jorge, Aiden and Laila headed off into the darkness.
Fifteen minutes later I secured my two black duffle bags in the hidden tire well of the trunk. I was leaving Mexico to follow the three across the border and ghost their every move. We all knew Hector’s men were not far behind and if caught, the end result would not be a welcomed one.
Just over an hour later I pulled up at the Tijuana border and positioned myself on the side of the road. I was running a risk dealing with the hostile officers and taking a gamble that my targets had yet to cross. Climbing out and closing the car door, I watched as one officer made his way over to me, weaving through the few cars coming to a stop at the gates. He wore a mask of authority, not that it bothered me, but I knew the type of tripper I would be dealing with.
“Why are you pulled over?” He barked at me.
“Sorry officer,” I began, extending my open palmed hands out, feigning helplessness, “The temperature gauge was through the roof, so I’m just going to give it a look over before I pass through.” I said flashing him a smile. “You know what it’s like on the side, nothing for miles.”
The officer didn’t seem at all pleased with my explanation. He looked over his shoulder at the goings on back at the border gates before turning back to me.
“Make it quick. We’ve had all sorts try and pass through here tonight,” he said with a snarl, “Even a group of three trying to buy me off, can you believe it?”
I could believe it. I knew exactly who is was that tried to buy him off and I also knew perfectly well that the asshole before me would quite happily have taken the money.
“Yeah, gotta watch those sorts. Don’t worry, I shouldn’t be long, it’s a regular occurrence with this heap.”
He gave a curt nod before turning to leave, weaving his way back through the oncoming traffic. Walking to the front of car I popped the bonnet and hooked it up. Now it was a waiting game and one that I hoped would pay off. Before they had arrived at mine, Juan had found them in the desert where a standoff ensued, him becoming the loser of that particular round. Juan doesn’t like to lose. Despite the warm night, a chill passed through me as the similarities between the two men hit me. Juan and Nicolas were the same, carbon copies of each other. Juan, the type of cruel narcissist who thrives on tormenting his victims just like Nicolas had with Anna. Persistence and the desire to win at all costs were traits that existed in both men. Juan won’t let this go. To him, Laila is his, just like Anna was to her tormenter.
I watched the traffic stagger across the border, each car pulling to a stop, often its occupants instructed to exit the vehicle for screening. I was in the perfect position on the darkened shoulder, while everyone else was lit up under the intrusive halogens. I made myself appear active as I studied a pale blue Chevy pulling up. Immediately two officers approached, ordering the occupants to exit the car.
Bingo
Taking an extra step into the shadows I studied the two men who fit the bill of henchmen. A brief discussion ensued between the parties before a frisk search was conducted. The officer to the left of the vehicle paused around the man’s waist, lifting up his jacket, the gleam of metal catching my eye. If these were indeed the targets, I would hope their mission would be thwarted at the crossing. Instead the four gathered together, the weapon clearly now not of concern. The officer who had approached me spoke with his arms folded across his chest while the others seemed nonplussed by what was happening.
Just what the hell was happening?
A few minutes later with a back log of vehicles behind their own, the two men got back into their Chevy and passed through the border gates. Unhooking the hood, I let it slam close before getting back behind the wheel. Moving over to the crossing, I showed my documents before heading down the darkened road, the taillights of my target gaining a head start.
We were on the road for a good hour before they pulled into a roadhouse. I slowed down wanting to create more of a time gap between us as before I too pulled in. Parking at a bowser in decent view of the targets, I proceeded to fill my half empty tank with gas. Looking over the roof of the car I took note of the interaction. Outside sitting on the hoods of their vehicle under the parking lot street lamp, were two more men. One sat with his legs open, feet resting on the front chrome bumper, a cigarette dangling between his fingers, a look of boredom on his severe face. The other stood talking to the men I had been following, his hand gestures becoming more exaggerated as time passed. San Diego was only a few miles away and I was starting to doubt whether these were indeed my targets.
Just as I handed over cash to the wimpy looking
attendant the men shook hands in their own version of a shake before getting back into their respective cars. Not one of the four had even glanced in my direction the entire time I was there, but I couldn’t play it too safe. I would give them a head start before trailing them. To my delight, both cars turned right out of the lot and headed north to San Diego.
***
The pairs had gone their separate ways once they hit the city. I knew full well where Aiden had taken Laila, the very place she had been abducted from. We had argued about this for some time, but he would not be swayed, reasoning that no victim would ever go back to the place they had been taken from. Reluctantly I agreed. This was after all his fight. I was just along for the ride and the occasional backup. Deciding to follow the two who had met at the roadhouse simply because they looked to be the meanest of the lot, I kept my distance.
The vehicle slowed outside the dingy shit hole coming to a full stop. Moments later, they picked up speed and turned out of the street.
I dialed Jorge’s number. I had told Aiden that I would correspond through his partner knowing that he had his own dramas to sort out. Jorge was good man, albeit a bit too brash at times, but he was just like me. He would stick with Aiden until the very end.
After three rings he finally picked up, his voice croaky from what sounded like sleep. “Yes?” he answered. To anyone else he would sound like an asshole, but to those who knew him, that was Jorge in a good mood.
“You will have company very soon if you don’t get your asses out of there.”
“There’s just one problem,” he said, starting to wake.
“There is always a problem, what is it?”
“Aiden isn’t here. Neither is his hater, lover, whatever the fuck she is to him.”
There was no hiding the fact that Jorge wasn’t Laila’s greatest fan. He considered her a nuisance to his way of life. I liked the girl.
“Where did they go?”
“She ran out after yet another argument with Aiden.” He sounded less than impressed.
“Is Ethan there?”
“Yes, he arrived earlier, they reunited, then they had the argument and Aiden followed her out.”
“Right well, my warning still stands, get out of there straight away. Targets have already done a drive by.”
“Fuck!”
“Fuck, indeed. Head to the next meeting point.”
“Jesus Christ.”
“I’ve been called a lot of things, and that has to be the worst.” There was a grumble on the other end from a clearly less than the eager Jorge. Our next meeting spot was his cousin’s, Maria, on the way out of San Diego.
“What are you doing?” He finally asked.
“Going to have me some fun.”
Danny
The car pulled to a stop, its occupants now inside a dingy bar. Dumb fucks. I spotted one taking a sip from his glass, his teeth bared like he couldn’t enjoy a good spirit even though I was sure he enjoyed them far too much. The other was exactly where I wanted.
It wasn’t a dignified way to die. It certainly wasn’t a story loved ones would want to retell. But scum didn’t deserve to be infamous.
He had his back to me, his dick in his hands. Silently closing the swinging door I was relieved to see that the target was too mesmerized by the flow of his urine to worry about who was sneaking up behind him.
I already had my Glock, pulled as my arm wrapped around his neck pulling him away from the urinal. “What would Hector say if he knew you two were at a bar instead of looking for your targets?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about!” Through the wheezing, I could tell his accent was thick. The man struggled against my hold only to find it tightening with each movement.
“Don’t bullshit me. You think Hector is stupid enough to think you are smart enough to carry out the deeds without encouragement?”
“I only deal with Juan, nobody else.”
“Good enough.” My silencer made a small pop, the noise not loud enough to be heard outside the toilets. The man slumped in my arms and I let him fall to the grimy floor, blood dripping from the small hole in his temple.
The door swung open only moments later, but I knew full well who it would be. The bar was empty beside me, my targets and the staff. My arm raised, my Glock aligned with the man’s head, his hands working furiously to do up his fly, horror twisting his face. His eyes left mine to meet the body of his colleague on the ground, then back to mine.
“Is he yours?” I asked flippantly.
The man shook his head in denial while his hand moved to his own weapon.
“Liar,” I said before squeezing the trigger. He fell on his knees, his face now void of all emotion and life. Did I feel bad killing men like them? Not at all. If they had their way, they would take the lives of both Aiden and Laila and anyone that came between. They were just henchmen working for all the wrong people.
Stepping over his body I dialed Jorge’s number. “You out yet?” I asked, starting the engine.
“We are, but I can’t get ahold of Aiden. I don’t know where the fuck he is.”
“Relax, amigo. Just keep your eye out for two more who are still on the loose.”
***
Car at the end of the street.
I sent the text to Jorge knowing that they would need to leave the area totally if they wanted to stay one step ahead of the Florez family.
Heard from Aiden. Safe. On their way to Marias.
Good. It still didn’t solve the problem of the two henchmen patrolling San Diego. I moved ahead of them all, my destination San Jose. Whatever happened on their travels they would deal with, I needed to secure their next port of call.
Once arriving at my destination, I was relieved to have a breather. Travel usually allowed far too much time for reflection and I was only too well aware that reflection ultimately meant an unravelling. Especially with this current situation. There were too many similarities, too many cases that reminded me of Anna and all that Nicolas did to her. I hadn’t been interested in any type of relationship once I had returned. Instead I drowned myself in further studies, then had my mind assaulted by the traumas of the war yet again, but from a different perspective. Now I felt like I had been gifted with a second chance. A chance to make thing right. A chance to bring some new purpose to my life that I had otherwise lost four years ago.
San Jose was one of my favorite towns. It was quaint and full of character. Now that I was here under different circumstances, it had lost its flavor. Instead I was holed up in an apartment that oversaw Aiden and Laila’s next pit stop and high enough to see the surrounding streets.
Two hours later, I watched as their car pulled into the alleyway that was lined to the right with other vehicles. They all climbed out, a look of relief on their faces. I zoomed in my lens to Laila, who with her short blonde hair looked nothing like my Anna, yet she reminded me so much of her in every way.
Aiden’s hand rested on the small of her back as he led her into the hotel. Not long after they arrived, Aiden and Laila hit the pavement in what looked to be more of a romantic stroll than anything. She was no longer mad, no longer desperate to escape. I smiled as I imagined just how Aiden would have attempted to reconcile. They disappeared into the sea of crowd down the main strip of markets, seemingly blissfully unaware of the possible dangers. I knew Aiden would be alert. He was trained for this and he was comfortable knowing that I was watching. I understood perfectly well his need to create some form of normalcy and Laila seemed to be thriving in it.
A few hours passed in unspectacular fashion. There had been nothing of interest after watching them disappear, so I concentrated my attention on any likely suspicious targets. I had my eye on two that just happened to be the remaining henchmen who had gone their separate ways in San Diego. From my birds eye view they stood out. While others were dressed in summery clothes, the two morons wore all black with leather jackets. You couldn’t give any credit to Juan for finding inconspicuous men to carr
y out criminal activities.
This time they were on foot keeping a few yards distance between each other. It was then that I noticed Juan. He was strutting his shit down the street talking on his cell, brazenly refusing to move out of the way for passersby, more than happy to knock shoulders.
“Fucking arrogant motherfuck!”
The three congregated at the entry to the alleyway where the car was parked, their gazes honed in on one particular set of wheels. Juan’s expression was hard, his eyes hidden behind his dark glasses. The henchmen gave a quick look around before heading into the deserted lot. Juan being the pussy he is, headed in the opposite direction, blending in with the rest of the crowd. One man flicked his pocket knife and proceeded to slash the two left hand side tires, while the other took it upon himself to use an extendable baton to smash in each window. Taking a moment to admire their destructive efforts, the taller of the two lit a cigarette before dropping a piece of paper on the driver’s side seat. And just as if they had played no part in the attack, they followed Juan’s trail and blended right back in with the crowd on the main street.
Dialing Jorge’s phone with one hand I kept my binoculars glued to the two who now acted like they weren’t on the same ‘find and destroy’ mission.
“Yes?”
“Why does it always sound you like are sleeping when I call you?”
“What else is there to do when you are locked in a room?”
“Well lucky for you, you are about to be on the move again.”
“Fucking hell, what now?”
“The car just got trashed, courtesy of Juan and his fellow douches.”
“How would they know which car is ours?”
“That I don’t know. These two who destroyed the car have been a few hours behind you so maybe there is someone travelling a little bit closer. Either way, it’s time to make a move. There is a grey Toyota parked at the end of Jacobs Street. Take that and make your way to Reno.” I gave Jorge the address to their first safe house. It was a good few hours away and I could only hope they would create some distance between them and their chasers. Ending the call, I packed my gear and made my way down to street level, my mind focused on two specific targets and one fucked up son of one even more fucked up cartel boss.