Chapter 10
HECTOR
Alicia was a genius. Well, maybe. This plan was probably going to get us both killed, but it was the only chance we had.
With her winded, I pushed her back against the bed. “Did you really think I would bring you to Raul? Did you really think I would double-cross him like that?” I spat, hoping it looked convincing. All I needed was for Raul to believe this ruse for a minute, just long enough for me to get him in my clutches so I could end him once and for all. “You know, he seems awfully interested in you. I think he wouldn’t mind a nice little present before I dispose of you.”
She started to fight back, landing a kick in my groin. I groaned, nearly falling over. She got up and was about to run when I grabbed her by the ankle and slammed her back to the ground. I felt bad for doing it, but everything had to look real.
It was the only way.
She screamed, trying to claw at me. She got in a few good hits, scratching the side of my face. Before things got too out of hand, I hit her on the head, feigning a powerful blow. She reacted perfectly, collapsing onto the ground in a heap.
I dragged her to the middle of the room and ripped off her bulletproof vest, tossing it to the side, along with her guns. She was vulnerable now, with no way to fight back.
Carefully, I tied her hands behind her back, making sure that she could slip out of the restraint at a moment’s notice. To make things a bit more convincing, I gagged her. Hopefully, she wouldn’t mind too much.
Finally done, I wiped the sweat from my brow and hoisted her over my shoulder, carrying her out to my car. I dumped her in the passenger seat, buckling her into place. Her head rolled on her shoulder as if she truly was unconscious. If we managed to make it out of this alive, I would have to compliment her on her acting skills.
Knowing there was no time to waste, I got in the car myself and drove off. Once I was on the highway, I dialed Raul’s number, putting him on speakerphone.
“Hello. Perfect timing. There’s someone here that wants to talk to you.”
Before I could say anything, I heard the phone being passed off.
“H-Hector?” Caroline’s sweet voice came through the line. My heart froze, my fears intensifying.
“Yes, sweetie?” I managed to say, wanting to ask her a million questions. Was she okay? Had she been hurt? I wanted to assure her that everything would be fine, but I kept all my emotions at bay, trying to stick to the plan. I had to. For her sake.
“I’m scared…”
“It’s okay, honey. Why are you scared?”
“I’m in this big, scary room…” she whimpered. “I… I just want to go home…” She started to cry. “Please… take me home.” Her begging nearly broke my heart.
“Don’t worry, I’m coming to get you, and then we can –”
I was cut off by Caroline’s piercing scream.
“Caroline? Caroline!” I shouted, but she didn’t answer.
Raul came back on the line.
“What the hell have you done to her? She’s just a little girl!”
He didn’t answer. I could hear him taking a drag of a cigar and then expelling the smoke. I could almost see the smug look on his face as he toyed with me, but this little game of cat and mouse wasn’t going to last long. I was going to make him pay.
“You should’ve known better than to cross me.”
“And you should’ve known I’m not so stupid as to cross one of the most powerful men in the world!”
“Hmm?”
“You got sloppy, Raul. You jumped to conclusions. Yeah, I fucked the detective whore, but what better way to make her suffer?” I mentally cringed at referring to Alicia in such a manner, but my only goal right now was to convince Raul I was still on his side.
“I’m not sure I follow,” Raul sounded unamused and I was scared that he would hang up on me at any moment.
“Look, it’s simple. I sleep with the detective. She falls head over heels in love with me. That makes her vulnerable. So vulnerable, in fact, that she’s tied up in my car right now. I thought you might want to have some fun before I get rid of her.”
“You’re bringing her here?” There was a bit more interest in his voice. Good. I just needed to convince him to give me his location. Once I had that, I could save Caroline. I could make all this right.
“Yes.”
“Do you plan to give me a little show?”
“If that’s what you want, I’ll have her on her knees, begging for her life before I blow her brains out. Whatever you want. You know she means nothing to me so long as my sister’s life is involved.”
Raul was quiet for a moment. “Fine. Bring her. Once she’s out of the picture, I’ll return your precious little sister. But, I expect a show. Something that will send a message to everyone.” With that, he ended the call.
Ding!
The address flashed across the screen. So, he had once again changed locations. At this point, he probably had over twenty safe houses all over the city. I knew I was taking a risk by trusting him, but at this point, what choice did I have? If he was setting a trap for me, I was about to fall right in it…
***
I arrived at the abandoned factory about fifteen minutes later.
Alicia was still pretending to be incapacitated, but before I pulled her out of the car, she gave me a thumbs up behind her back. We were going through with the plan, no matter how dangerous or crazy it was.
We didn’t have a choice.
I didn’t have a choice.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, I suppose.
I hoisted Alicia onto my shoulder, uttering a small prayer that this would work – or at the very least, that Alicia and Caroline both survived.
“I hope you’re ready…” I whispered ever so softly, barely moving my lips.
She pinched me, as if to tell me ‘shut up, you’re going to ruin the plan.’
I took a deep breath and approached the building. The weight of her body seemed to pale in comparison to the gun I had stowed away in the back of my pants. The gun I would use to kill Raul. The gun that would finally get me my freedom back.
My steps thundered against the gravel-lined parking lot. From the number of Vipers and Hummers scattered about, there had to be at least twenty people in there. The first two of which were posted by the main entrance, dressed in all black, their eyes covered by tinted sunglasses.
I stepped toward them, half-expecting them to pull out their guns and point them at me, but they never moved. Raul must have told them to expect me.
Slowly, I climbed a few steps. When I got to the landing, one of them opened the door. Inside, it was so dark that I could barely see a thing. I had no idea what to expect, except maybe the worst.
Finally, I crossed the threshold. This was it. There was no going back now.
The door slammed behind me, causing me to jump lightly.
Get a grip. You’re never going to save your sister if you can’t focus, I thought to myself, trying to keep a level head. That was the most important thing right now. Stay focused. Stay focused. I kept repeating the mantra in my mind, over and over again.
The lights in front of me flickered on, illuminating a narrow, dusty hallway. On the walls, cobweb-covered photographs of previous employees seemed to stare at me, their eyes almost moving to follow my every step. In a way, they looked like the mourners to my soon-to-be had funeral.
That’s no way to think. You’ll survive. You have to. For Caroline.
Usually, I was so calm, but this was the most nerve-wracking thing I had ever done. Everything I loved depended on me doing this just right.
The pressure was on.
At the end of the hallway was a large metal door that led to the main floor. Through the tiny window, I could just barely make out the large machinery that once processed and packaged milk and other dairy products. Now, it was being used as a hideout for the Devil himself.
I pushed the door open.
“Welcome. I was starting to think you wouldn’t show.” Raul was standing in the middle of the room, his hand resting on top of Caroline’s head. “Your poor sister has missed you terribly.”
I started to look her over for injuries, but from what I could tell, he hadn’t hurt her – yet.
“You promised you would keep her out of this.”
“And I did. She just went for a nice little trip with her uncle Raul, isn’t that right pumpkin?” As he ran his fingers through her hair, she hugged her stuffed lion tight against her chest, hiding her face in its mane. It was one of the first stuffed animals I had gotten her. Throughout the years, its fur had fallen out in clumps and its right eye had been replaced by a button. Despite it all, he had always remained her favorite.
“I swear if you did anything to her…”
“Relax. She was in good hands. Or do you not trust me?” Raul flashed a knowing smile and in that moment, I knew he was onto me.
Quickly, I dropped Alicia to the ground, dashing behind a nearby control panel.
Bang!
Raul’s gun went off, narrowly missing me.
Caroline screamed, trying to run away, but Raul grabbed her by the collar. “Did you think I was dumb enough for you to pull the wool over my eyes?”
“Hector! Hector! He’s hurting me!” Caroline cried, unable to fight since she refused to let go of her lion. She was holding it so hard that some of its stuffing was coming out the seams.
Seeing her in distress, I could no longer think rationally. I ran forward, charging at the man. He pointed his gun at me and fired.
He missed.
Luckily, after years of letting people do the dirty work for him, he had lost his edge.
His face contorted with frustration and anger.
To my surprise, he pointed the gun at a nearby lever instead.
Bang!
The bullet went flying through the air, flipping the lever. The machinery behind him came to life, causing a ruckus as gears grinded together.
He then pointed the gun at my sister. “Move another step and I’ll be burying her corpse alongside yours.”
Caroline cried even harder, her tiny body wracked with sobs. Her bottom lip quivered as she sniveled my name, begging me to help her.
I looked around, trying to find something – anything – I could use to my advantage, but everything I came up with involved putting her at risk and I wasn’t prepared to do that.
“Now, because I’m the bigger man here, I told my men to leave you to me. If I was the coward everyone thinks I am, I could’ve ordered the two guards out front to shoot you and your little lover point blank. But since I’m so generous, I thought I’d give you a fighting chance.” He smirked. “Besides, I haven’t gotten my hands dirty in a very long time.”
He stepped back, approaching a large conveyor belt that was heading toward the butter churner. Sharp pieces of metal spun around in a large tank. If someone fell in there…
Raul seemed to read my mind because he suddenly pushed my sister onto it.
My eyes widened. “You bastard!” I ran forward, heading toward her. I couldn’t let her fall in there.
“Not so fast.” Raul took another shot in my direction. It missed, but he was definitely getting better. It was only a matter of time before he finally hit me.
I didn’t care.
The only thing that mattered was saving my sister.
She tried to get up but fell once more, unsteady on the moving surface. “Hector!” she cried out, reaching out for me.
I ran faster, just about to grab her when someone snatched me by the collar and reeled me back.
“Run!” I shouted at her.
Before I could say anything else, the butt of a gun came crashing against the side of my face. I saw stars as my vision blurred. The taste of steel invaded my mouth.
I tried to get up, but before I could, a leather shoe rammed into my side, winding me. I collapsed onto the ground, my cheek pressed against the cold concrete, my head feeling like it had been hit by a cannonball.
Just faintly, I could hear the sound of little feet desperately trying to run away from the scary rotating blades. I had to help her. She was counting on me.
I groaned, forcing myself to get up when the cold barrel of a gun pressed into the back of my head.
Raul pulled me to my feet, turning me around so I was forced to watch my sister struggling for her life. “Who do you think will die first? You, or your sister?”
Without thinking, I rammed my elbow into his face.
Crunch.
It sounded as if I had broken his nose, but that wasn’t enough. I needed to make sure he would never interfere with my life again. Turning around, I threw my fist into his face, over and over again. Rage consumed me, making me forget everything else.
“Hector!”
I whipped around, but my sister was gone. My eyes widened, nearly bugging out of my head.
Was I too late?
I dropped Raul and dashed over to the lever, but it was jammed. I put all my weight into it, but it wouldn’t budge.
The machine kept whirling and whirling…
“No!” I screamed, jumping onto the conveyor belt, ready to jump in after her, but when I got to the edge, she was nowhere to be seen. “Caroline!” I cried out, frantic at this point.
Where was she?
“Did you forget something?” Alicia’s voice caught me by surprise. With all the drama, I had practically forgotten about her.
“Alicia?” I turned to face her and there she was, standing beside my sister.
Caroline had her face hidden in the detective’s pant leg, tears streaming down her face. Her breathing was ragged, probably from all the running she had to do. Her skin was pale and a part of me felt like I was looking at a ghost.
Carefully, I jumped down, approaching the girls. “Caroline…”
At the sound of her name, she looked up at me, fear still present in her innocent eyes. The second we made eye contact, she ran in my direction. “Hector!” She hugged me tightly.
I pulled her into my arms, lifting her off the ground with happiness. “Are you okay?” I asked, my tone full of worry as I ran my hands through her hair, feeling like I never wanted to let her go. “The bad man didn’t hurt you, did he?”
She shook her head. “N-No…”
I sighed in relief.
“The nice police lady helped me… I couldn’t keep running… I’m sorry.” She hung her head down in shame.
I kissed her cheek, hugging her tightly. “You have nothing to apologize for. You did great. I’m the one that should be apologizing…” I held her by the shoulders, my emotions getting the best of me. “I’m the one that put you through this whole mess…” My words caught in my throat. Feeling like a failure of a brother, I put her back down, falling to my knees beside her.
I should never have started working for Raul in the first place.
If I really wanted to protect my sister, I never should have put her in danger like this.
I grew angry at myself, red hot tears streaming down my cheeks.
Carefully, my sister wiped my tears away. “Don’t cry,” she whispered. “Boy’s aren’t supposed to cry.”
“Right.” Alicia slapped me on the back. “Toughen up soldier. You’re a real hero today. I just called my squad. They’ll be here soon. I’ll make sure that Raul never sees the light of day again.”
“What about all the other men in the factory?”
“I’m sure my squad will be able to handle them,” she said with a smirk. “If you didn’t have such a record, I wouldn’t mind having you as my partner.”
“You know I’m an egomaniac, why would you try to inflate it any further?” I chuckled, feeling the weight of the moment melting off my shoulders.
Somehow, we had made it. Even if things didn’t exactly go according to plan.
“Come on, let’s arrest this son of a bitch,” she said, helping me back to my feet.
Caroline gasped. “You said a bad word…”
“Oh… right, sorry sweetie.” Alicia looked a little embarrassed.
“Some role model you are,” I teased her, poking her side as we approached Raul.
Alicia laughed.
Distracted, she didn’t notice him to sit up, pointing his gun right at her. All I saw was a flash of silver and my body reacted on its own. I flew through the air, jumping in front of Alicia just as the bullet left the chamber with a loud pop.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion. I could almost see the bullet flying right toward us.
And then, everything sped up once more, the bullet ripping right through me.
At first, I didn’t feel a thing. I was so hopped-up on adrenaline that all I really felt was the hole in my chest. I reached out and touched it, seeing my hand covered in crimson.
Someone screamed, but the sound was muted, almost as if I was underwater.
When I looked up, I could make out the blurry image of Alicia’s face.
I reached for her, but she got further and further away.
Suddenly, the pain hit me.
I screamed, withering with it as my whole body burned up. It felt like someone had reached inside my chest and was repeatedly stabbing my heart with a dagger. The smell of blood invaded my senses.
Knowing things were dire, I tried to get up, but it was like my body was made of lead.
The room started to spin.
A little hand grabbed mine, shaking it.
And then, everything went black.