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Authors: EJ Nesbeth
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reflected off the nearby walls. She could hear the wheels as they left the asphalt and ventured onto unpaved roads and splashed into small puddles that the rain had left.
After several nerve racking minutes, they stopped and the men escorted them into some kind of building with their heads still bagged. They wondered what kind of dungeon they were being taken to, but were quite surprised when the men stopped and seated them into chairs and removed the bags from their heads.
Mateo Alverez sat around a dinner table before them slicing through a chunk of roast beef with a glass of red wine beside his plate. The room screamed luxury and flaunted the lavish lifestyle that a kingpin like Alverez was accustomed to.
“Welcome. So glad you could join us,” Alverez greeted in a serious but polite tone. Ava looked at Ryan, but he kept his gaze fixed on Alverez. “Hungry?” Alverez inquired then motioned to his men. Dishes containing roast beef, baked potato and vegetables appeared before them along with two crystal wine glasses and silverware. As one of the men poured the glasses full, another freed their hands.
“Nice to see you again, detective,” Alverez said. Ryan remained silent, but stared at him in a most penetrating way. Alverez paused and leaned forward looking into Ryan’s eyes then erupted in laughter. “I’ll be damned,” he said. “No wonder Williams was scared to death of you.” Ava looked curiously at them both.
“Anyway, I believe in honor and respect towards all men, especially my enemies. And while I would have preferred to punish your partner myself, I am grateful. But you must also pay for your sins,” he said.
“Fair is fair,” Ryan agreed, speaking up for the first time. Ava looked at him in disbelief. These words would have seemed suicidal coming from anyone else, but from Ryan, they were a lure into his web of meticulously planned surprises.
“I like this guy!” Alverez laughed. “I’d probably enjoy having a psychopath like you around, but you did kill my son.” Alverez’s smile left his face. “Then you gave him a fiery grave. I know why you turned up at the last minute that morning.”
“You, young lady…” Alverez said turning to Ava. He wiped his mouth and got up from his chair. “You haven’t behaved very well either.” He pulled a gun from the holster of one of the men beside him and stepped towards her. Ava trembled as he pointed the gun towards her and fired a shot. Her hands covered her head, but as she removed them, one of Alverez’ men who stood behind her fell to the ground with a gunshot wound to the forehead.
“Well don’t act so surprised, Miss Reynolds. I knew he was your snitched. For a while I wondered how you always seemed to be one step ahead.”
Ava whimpered and began to perspire while Ryan rested his head back in the chair and closed his eyes. She was horrified by the violence, but appalled by his composure. Despite this, she could not help but notice that something was out of place. She looked on the table before Ryan and realized that a piece of the silverware had suddenly gone missing.
“Well, if you’re not going to accept my hospitality then we might as well get going,” Alverez said. His men pulled them up from their seats and led them away behind the syndicate leader. They trailed through a passageway and exited at the front where a black Bentley motorcar awaited them. Alverez protested the choice of vehicle. He would have preferred a more rugged choice for the expedition. Nevertheless, it was among his favorite possessions so he quickly compromised.
They stepped out into the light drizzle and entered the car. Alverez and the driver sat in the front while another one of his oversized henchmen guarded Ava and Ryan in the back.
“Where are you taking us?” Ava asked.
“To my fun house,” Alverez answered with a sinister look. He noted her worried expression and consoled, “Don’t worry, young lady. I’ll see to it that you get a
After several nerve racking minutes, they stopped and the men escorted them into some kind of building with their heads still bagged. They wondered what kind of dungeon they were being taken to, but were quite surprised when the men stopped and seated them into chairs and removed the bags from their heads.
Mateo Alverez sat around a dinner table before them slicing through a chunk of roast beef with a glass of red wine beside his plate. The room screamed luxury and flaunted the lavish lifestyle that a kingpin like Alverez was accustomed to.
“Welcome. So glad you could join us,” Alverez greeted in a serious but polite tone. Ava looked at Ryan, but he kept his gaze fixed on Alverez. “Hungry?” Alverez inquired then motioned to his men. Dishes containing roast beef, baked potato and vegetables appeared before them along with two crystal wine glasses and silverware. As one of the men poured the glasses full, another freed their hands.
“Nice to see you again, detective,” Alverez said. Ryan remained silent, but stared at him in a most penetrating way. Alverez paused and leaned forward looking into Ryan’s eyes then erupted in laughter. “I’ll be damned,” he said. “No wonder Williams was scared to death of you.” Ava looked curiously at them both.
“Anyway, I believe in honor and respect towards all men, especially my enemies. And while I would have preferred to punish your partner myself, I am grateful. But you must also pay for your sins,” he said.
“Fair is fair,” Ryan agreed, speaking up for the first time. Ava looked at him in disbelief. These words would have seemed suicidal coming from anyone else, but from Ryan, they were a lure into his web of meticulously planned surprises.
“I like this guy!” Alverez laughed. “I’d probably enjoy having a psychopath like you around, but you did kill my son.” Alverez’s smile left his face. “Then you gave him a fiery grave. I know why you turned up at the last minute that morning.”
“You, young lady…” Alverez said turning to Ava. He wiped his mouth and got up from his chair. “You haven’t behaved very well either.” He pulled a gun from the holster of one of the men beside him and stepped towards her. Ava trembled as he pointed the gun towards her and fired a shot. Her hands covered her head, but as she removed them, one of Alverez’ men who stood behind her fell to the ground with a gunshot wound to the forehead.
“Well don’t act so surprised, Miss Reynolds. I knew he was your snitched. For a while I wondered how you always seemed to be one step ahead.”
Ava whimpered and began to perspire while Ryan rested his head back in the chair and closed his eyes. She was horrified by the violence, but appalled by his composure. Despite this, she could not help but notice that something was out of place. She looked on the table before Ryan and realized that a piece of the silverware had suddenly gone missing.
“Well, if you’re not going to accept my hospitality then we might as well get going,” Alverez said. His men pulled them up from their seats and led them away behind the syndicate leader. They trailed through a passageway and exited at the front where a black Bentley motorcar awaited them. Alverez protested the choice of vehicle. He would have preferred a more rugged choice for the expedition. Nevertheless, it was among his favorite possessions so he quickly compromised.
They stepped out into the light drizzle and entered the car. Alverez and the driver sat in the front while another one of his oversized henchmen guarded Ava and Ryan in the back.
“Where are you taking us?” Ava asked.
“To my fun house,” Alverez answered with a sinister look. He noted her worried expression and consoled, “Don’t worry, young lady. I’ll see to it that you get a
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