The kill had gone unnoticed. The one on the roof was the biggest threat. He had eyes on the one on the ground. Wade looked for something to climb the wall and found a drum that was enough to help him. He silently climbed the drum. The mercenary with the binoculars was a sitting duck. Wade had his crosshairs on that oblivious mercenary’s head. All Wade had to do was to wait for the mercenary on the ground to walk to a safe distance before putting a hole in him. And he did. The sound from the gun was nothing more than a hiss and the impact made a faint splattering sound. It was a walk in the park for him now. There was only one adversary left and Wade had the high ground. The mercenary received a five bullet burst aimed at his head and he fell. It was almost poetic how three lives were taken yet nothing had changed. The rain poured on and Wade looked for any sign of movement around him. There was nothing but the violent splashing of water and roars of thunder. Wade climbed down from th
The present day…Hugo and Juan stood inside the murky room above the strip club that smelled of sweat and cheap beer. Vladimir was sitting in his underwear, pondering his options. The idea of crossing Volkov was nothing short of disastrous but in the absence of any healthier alternatives, Vladimir agreed to side with Hugo. He grimly nodded his head and stood up. “Come with me,” Vladimir said and put his pants back on. He led them out of the room and they gladly followed. He caught Boris out cold on the ground and sighed. “This suka cost me eighty grand. Talk about clickbait,” Vladimir snorted and walked to the metal staircase. Hugo didn't expect him to do something as petty as making a run for it or screaming for help. When you rise through the ranks in the world of crime, you adhere to a different code. The higher you get, the more grace is expected from you, up to the point that the bosses were expected to die with a fat cigar hanging from their lips rather than bullet holes in t
Back in Palomino, Present day…The night was quiet in Palomino, Colombia. It was past the general population’s bed time. Michelle’s roofless car emerged from the darkness and approached her plaza. Her mood was of indifference. She had been partying hard like she always did but it wasn't giving her the same kicks as it used to. The blinding lights and the deafening music of the club wasn't doing anything for her. There were no more hookups. Hordes of men swarmed her like zombies the moment she entered the club wearing her overpriced dresses. They were barely dresses. They were walking thirst traps and they always delivered. Tons of men who were neck deep in debt just to look wealthy, tried their luck with her. She made them pay for every second of her time. She made them order the most expensive wines. They regretted ever looking her way. If they were good enough for her, they could get some action in return. Either way, Michelle returned satisfied. But since Hugo had left for the US,
In Nebraska, present day…Adam was sitting in the bedroom with Jessica and kept an eye on her. Her screams still echoed in his ears, threatening his sanity. They were straight out of hell. He shuddered at the thought of what she felt that made her scream like that. He knew that he was better off not knowing too much about her past. Jessica seemed at peace as she slept like a baby. Adam felt like he had lost his sleep for a week. There was nothing notable from Jessica other than an odd groan or a frown. Adam felt himself dozing off on the chair when his phone buzzed. He checked and it was a call from Simon. He got to his feet and carefully stepped outside the room. He slowly clicked the door closed and answered the call. “Hey, Adam! How’s it going?” Simon spoke up as soon as the call connected. Adam tried his best to put up his ever smiling persona. “Hi, Mr Col… I mean, Simon. All’s good and how are you?” Adam managed to say. “Peace here too. Hey listen, I made some calls and called
The revelations all the way from New Mexico threw Wade into a never ending spiral filled with hate. He was familiar with that dark place. Another outsider armed with blood money had entered his territory. He knew from experience that nothing good was going to come out of it. Wolves don't visit stranger territory for a picnic. It was going to be a bloodbath and Wade was well aware that it had already been started. Hugo Ortiz was a Cartel boss. Wherever he decided to set his foot, his word became law. His enemies had a bad habit of disappearing without a trace. Only a few resurfaced as an example of what not to do. Carl kept driving. They were headed to the intersection without any definite plan of action. Carl kept eyeing Wade in the mirror for any instructions. Wade was in deep thought. “Do we know of any businesses being run by Colombians around here?” Wade asked without taking his eyes off the window. “Not that we’re certain of. There are some shops in the area that are run by Lat
There weren't many patrons inside the club and it made the detective wonder why the bouncer was stopping the new entries. It was all as it should be in a strip club. The patrons were drooling over the strippers clinging onto the poles. Carl was nowhere to be seen. Wade was exhausted. He decided to take a seat at the bar. The bartender was polishing a glass like he expected a genie to come out of it. He approached Wade with a welcoming gaze. “What’s it gonna be, officer?” The bartender asked and Wade frowned. He was in his casual outfit and his badge was hidden inside his jacket. Was his grumpy face that much of a dead giveaway?“The Zombie, please,” Wade requested. The bartender gave him a troubled look and nodded. “Got something to forget, dear?” A seductive female voice rang out from his right. He looked in the direction of the voice and found a pretty looking stripper sitting a barstool away from him. The lady was darker in skin tone and was wearing a seductive red dress. Her hai
Wade was sure that the eerie looking room in front of him held the answers to his questions. He approached the door of the room but a familiar voice from behind him stopped him in his tracks.“Looking for something, officer?” The voice rang out. Wade turned to look and found Bethany staring back at him. Her expression was anything but welcoming. Carl took a step back. Her demeanor ran a shiver down his spine. That wasn't the same bubbly lady who was trying to throw Wade on a bed a few minutes ago. Wade was wondering when the cavalry would show up. She must have found the passed out bouncer by the staircase. The fact that there was no alarm in her tone or body language, confirmed some of Wade’s suspicions. “As a matter of fact, I am,” Wade responded, unmoved. “Maybe you can help me out here, Beth. Who’s the sleeping beauty?” He added and pointed at Boris on the ground. Bethany was in no mood for humor but neither was Wade. He had smelled something fishy but now he realized that it had
The girl was eerily calm now. It didn't sit right with Wade. The girl had been violated yet there she was looking like nothing happened after the shock wore off. It could only mean that she had been through that before. He turned towards the girl and she was chewing bubblegum. She looked barely eighteen. Her eyes were bouncing from one thing to another. “I know it’s a lost cause but can you remember anything?” Wade asked her. The girl squinted her eyes and stared into nothing. She shook her head. Wade sighed. The girl seemed to remember something. “Wait a sec. I think I woke up for a moment. I don't remember seeing anyone but I’m sure I heard someone speak Mexican,” she said.“Mexican?”“Yeah, yeah. Whatever the fuck language they speak.”“Are you sure?”“Ummm… yeah, because that triggered a never ending loop of Macarena song in my dreams.”Wade had little doubt that the cartel had been there but now he was certain. Carl was still confused.“How did you know about the takeover?” Car
One year later…It was a cold winter with frost setting in on the grass and there wasn't much activity around, be it human or wild. It was one of the cons of living in the state of Montana but Adam and Camila couldn't have asked for anything better to start anew. The huge ranches in Missoula gave the perfect escape to the estranged couple. It had taken some of Frank's connections to get the ranch at a low low price. The previous owner had died of a cold a decade ago and the rumors of his wandering ghost didn't do any favors to the value of the estate. Adam was preparing the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. They had invited only their closest friends. Adam had even offered to pay for the flights of a few while the others didn't need it. He stood at the window as the sun went down.“It’s burning!” Ell shouted and Adam almost jumped out of his socks. He ran to the kitchen to check on the turkey in the oven. The timer still said fifteen more minutes to go. Ell and Sofia giggled and high fi
Hugo was pushed away from Adam with the force and he lost his grip on him. He regained his balance and looked back at her. The golden magnum in her hands was unmistakable. He had been too consumed with Adam that he didn't realize when she had opened his drawer. Adam stared at Camila with wide eyes. He hadn't expected that from her in a million years. Hugo took one step in her direction and she pulled the trigger again. Adam shielded his ears. This time the bullet tore through him and he was down. Camila stood over Hugo as he took his dying breaths. There was no anger in his eyes, just immense sadness and tears. It broke Camila to see him like that. He barely managed to put his hand on her dress and gripped it. The sleeve of his shirt moved and she caught a glimpse of the watch she had gifted him. A tear escaped her eye. Then Hugo let go and his lifeless hand hit the floor. Adam and Camila stood there like mannequins. It took them a while to realize that it was over. Camila broke into
No matter what Hugo did it only ended up making matters worse. He stormed out of the bedroom and went downstairs. It was raining cats and dogs. The sound of the rain and thunderclaps echoed across the mansion. He walked to the living room and almost smiled when his mind expected to see Michelle on the couch tapping away on her phone. He sat down and buried his face in his palms. Something had to give. They say faith can move mountains but what they don't say is how long one must have it for. Hugo was at the verge of giving up. He had tried everything and provided everything a woman could ever ask for. Even rocks eventually give in to constant pressure but Camila was something else. She didn't even pretend to love him. The disdain in her eyes was so obvious that even the servants weren't oblivious to it. “Would you like something to eat?” Asked a servant with a professional ear to ear smile. She was an old woman who had been with the Ortiz family since Mateo Ortiz took charge. Nobody
Adam put his hand on the Tokarev in his belt but he knew that it wasn't going to save him if he was a sitting duck against an army. The shadow of the man strengthened on the ground. Adam pulled out the gun and aimed it where the head of the guard was expected to be. His hands were shaking. One gunshot could end it all before it even started. A lot could happen to Camila as well if he was found in the mansion. His forehead was covered in sweat. The thunder rumbled outside and it shook him from the inside out. The guard stepped out of the room and caught Adam standing right in front of him. He was an old man with a gray beard. He pointed his AK47 right at his face and walked closer to him, examining him. Adam didn't even breathe. “What was it?” Yelled the other guard from inside the room. Adam felt the old guard’s grip tighten around the weapon and he followed suit. One badly timed itch would have started a war. The two of them didn't break eye contact for even a second. “Just a cat!”
Days passed agonizingly slow for Camila. The security around her had tightened exponentially. Her each step was carefully watched. She had a strict routine that even laid out her lunch, dinner and bedtime. Hugo still hadn't been physically intimate with her but that didn't mean she had any say over anything else. She wasn't allowed to leave the mansion alone under any circumstances. The servants and guards had orders to stop her at all costs and failure would result in execution. The recent bloodshed left little doubt in the gravity of the orders and everyone shadowed her twenty four hours. She wasn't allowed to own a cellphone. The walls were suffocating the life out of her. It was a starry night with a crystal clear sky. Camila stood at the balcony watching the only friends she had left. The stars never hurt her. They were free and Camila envied them. She cursed the day she had fallen in love with Hugo. She had been blind to the blood running through the white walls of Casa Ortiz.
An extravagant yacht floated a couple of kilometers away from Tortuga Bay in Ecuador. A party was being hosted on the vessel. There were dozens of women of all shapes and sizes wearing swimsuits and bikinis, dancing to the beat. The tables had lines of coke on them and every once in a while, one of the guests showed up and one of the lines vanished. Dominic Carter was the center of attention as he sat on the beach chair wearing a tropical print shirt and a pair of shorts that barely hid what it was supposed to cover. Two girls sat on the armrests leaning their bodies on him and he wasn’t complaining. Everyone was trying to be on his good side since he was the proud host of the party and the yacht. Most of the girls enjoying the party had made their way to his list through his bedroom. The rest were future prospects. Dominic preferred them in their mid teens. Half a dozen guards were scattered across the vessel and two of them stood behind Dominic like mannequins. The lines on the tabl
A month later…The flight from the United States descended with the sun. Ernesto Cortissoz Barranquilla International Airport was already bustling with activity. There weren't many passengers traveling from the United States to Colombia. The majority of them were tourists and the rest were back to see their families. Among the crowd of arriving passengers was Adam Peterson trying his best to blend in. He wore a pair of oversized sunglasses and a baseball cap. He walked over the line at the immigration. He produced his passport that read, “Alex Bradley” and the officer didn't take long to return it after stamping it. He went through the formalities and stepped out of the airport. His mind was working over time. He couldn't spend one minute without looking over his shoulder. There was some truth to Frank’s words. This was a stupid idea. Hugo Ortiz didn't have much support back in Nebraska yet he still managed to wreak enough havoc to have the federal government involved. But this was hi
Michelle was out with her friends drinking at Club Toledo. The place was packed with young boys and girls trying to get noticed and have a good time. The flickering lights and deafening bass music filled the club. It all reeked of sweat and cheap deodorants. Michelle was looking for a new target as usual. All her friends had found someone to spend the night with. Michelle had higher standards and no such man was up for grabs in the club. She decided to stick to the drinks. She checked the watch and it was ten already. Juan didn't show up. She’ll have to tame that stallion some other day. Even thinking about him made her mouth water. She caught one of her friends dragging a muscular guy to the restroom and she couldn't help but laugh. She ordered another round. Her phone pinged and drove her attention away from the psychedelic lights and deafening music. The screen said, “Message from Pedro”. She cringed as she was in no mood to deal with his tantrums and failures. She tapped on the ph
Hugo stood in the light of the burning cabin as he smoked a cigarette. He had never expected that from Pedro. Hugo’s father had assumed the financial responsibility for Michelle and Pedro. The siblings had been less than grateful but Hugo had never expected Pedro to do something so heinous against his saviors. Hugo knew that Michelle would give him hell for doing what he did to her brother but he didn't regret it. Pedro was to become an example for those who dared to look at the Ortiz family the wrong way. Hugo extinguished the cigarette under his shoe. He still had to break the news to Michelle. He shook his head and entered the SUV. Juan was typing away on his laptop. As soon as Hugo was inside, Juan ordered the driver to step on it. Hugo was silent for a while until he finally had enough of the secrecy. “What’s up with you and computers?” Hugo asked. Juan was a bit reluctant.“Senor Ortiz… I have a confession to make. I didn't drop investigations into Madam Michelle when you told