CHAPTER ELEVEN

MARCELLAS POV

Dinner was pretty much quiet, no one said anything peculiar. I had expected father to throw more light on this new business deal as the anticipation was killing me, however, I knew not to over step boundaries and ask too many questions.

Zak kept busy in his phone only occasionally engaging me in one random conversation or the other. In this brief interaction, I had gathered he was an underground dealer, pretty new in the business but good at what he does. I didn’t grabs what exactly he deals in as he avoided the questions severally. I also learned from our conversation that, he had joined police academy but could not complete his training because he suffered some depression when both his parents died around that time. He however still had a few corrupt connections in the academy that gave him solid police intel relevant for his business.

Occasionally when Zak was buried in his phone, Uncle Tee would stretch his neck to peek and when my eyes met his, he gave some kind of a face that seem to signal me to engage the man in more conversations.

“Finally ladies and gentlemen, our long awaited shipment has arrived” Zak announced suddenly. My father let out a loud laugh.

“That’s what i’m talking about” he said raising a glass of wine. “This calls for celebration” They all agreed and clanged their glasses. Uncle Tee goes up to dad and whispers something to him, my dad nods his head vigorously.

“Tyrone will be going with you to check out the shipment” father said

“Oh , I understood you were coming too” Zak said to dad.

“Oh well, let not an old wheelchair bound man like me slow down you energetic men. Tyrone is trusted, he will handle things like I would have.” Father said confidently.

“Well, may I join them father?” My brother pleaded, mother giving him a disapproving look.

“Of course, and you too Cinderella” father turned to me “its time to get out of the fairytale dress ,you are going too” he added pointing at me.

“Me? Why? What do I know about your business?” I asked all at once.

“That’s exactly why you have to go, its time you start picking up roles. Keep in mind I am old now and you have to help your brother run things in my absence” said turning his chair around and wheeling himself out.

I had mixed feelings, a part did not want anything to do with father’s business while the curious other half wanted to see what shipment made father excited suddenly as I dreaded my worse fear may be confirmed.

I decided to go with the latter feeling. I run upstairs and changed into a simple jeans and loosely fit blue T shirt, I carefully placed moms jewelry back in its case, threw a cap over my head and joined the remaining team downstairs.

Uncle Tee rode with Zak in his car, dads men had settle in three different cars including a mini van while my brother and I had another car. The convey zoomed out of the Russo manor towards a warehouse where we were expected to inspect and receive the shipment on dad’s behalf.

It was a long ride out of town, but eventually we made a turn on an unnamed road, I could smell sea breeze. This was soon followed by loud sound of sea waves roaring through the silence of the night. It was quarter past midnight when the cars finally pulled up at a beach house. It was the only building as far as my eyes could see. The horizon ahead was quiet dark with a line of lights indicating the presence of ships on the sea.

I hadn’t been to the beach in a while and I imagined taking of my clothes and running into the sea without a care in the world.

“Lets go” my brother said as he passed me. I did a little run to catch up with him, the sea sand holding me back as much as it could.

“Don’t you think this place is creepy”

“It’s the beach Marcella, what do you expect” he replied irritated.

We followed the rest of the crew into a well lit and spacious living room. Something didn’t feel right.I saw uncle Tee placing a hand in his weapon from the corner of my eyes. He always does that when he wasn’t sure of the environment he found himself. I have noticed him do it a lot of times right before he had to take out men to protect dad.

I knew he could sense it too, the atmosphere was just too tense and quiet.

“ Are you sure we’re at the right place?” I whispered to Alejandro

“Shush, be quiet” he said to me.

I wondered off to the a huge glass window that faced the sea, the other men spread across the room comfortably.

“Lets not waste any more time” uncle Tee said “bring out the girls” he added

‘Girls? What girls?’ my heart sunk deep inside my belly.

“Tyrone, the man of swift business, relax.” Zak said. “The girls are well secured and ready to start work by morning” he added then waved a hand in the air. Two armed men walked in, four young ladies ahead of them. The ladies would be around my age if not younger, their hands were bound by ropes, one girls wrist tied to the order causing them walk in vertical line dragging each other behind.

“Is this some kind of a joke Zak? Four girls? We came all the way for four girls?” Uncle Tee asked angrily

“Hey look man, you know how boss is about these things, don’t get on his wrong side” one of dads men said anxiously.

“Ain’t no way you dragged us out here for just four skinny girls” my brother added

“Ain’t no way bro” Zak said

“Then quit the damn jokes and bring the rest of the merchandise” my brother retorted.

“You know how expensive and risky these shipments are Zak. El Russo spent a lot to smuggle these girls into Spain. He paid for fifteen girls and that’s what I expect to see now” Uncle Tee said, his voice getting louder with each word.

“Everybody calm down, bringing them here all at once can get chaotic” Zak explained.

“I will go get the rest” he said then walked out. There was something about his tone that made me distrust him, there was something about the room I couldn’t quiet figure out, but what ever it was , it didn’t seem right.

“I tell you Alejandro, something is not right” I informed my brother again.

“One more word from you Marcella and you will go wait in the car” he looked focus and I didn’t want to bother him again.

I scanned the room and realized the ropes that bond the girls together were loose, too loose for people held against their will. Then I noticed a tattoo on one of them, a very familiar Mexican mafia Red Arrow tattoo. It sat right on her wrist where the rope was loose, a second look showed they all had the same tattoo, even the men that brought them in.

“Uncle Tee” I called out panicking

“Not now Marcella” he replied

“Uncle Tee we have to get out of here, it’s a trap, it’s a …” Gun shots sprayed across the room

“ oh shit, every body down” my uncle yelled. I docked behind a sofa right when a bullet fired past me shattering the glass window.

Uncle Tee and fathers men fired back. Alejandro was behind a chair next to me reloading his weapon.

“Stay down” he said to me before putting a bullet in one mans head.

I covered both ears. The gun shots getting louder as more of dads men dropped dead, right before my very eyes.