Page 56 of Grave Peril

The bond he had with the organization, and even with Zap, was not about loyalty or any other weak emotion. It was solely about power. Amassing money and control was the reason Le Sicarii existed. And Almanza was under no delusion about the boss.

Zap held much power, and gaining more was his goal. Any man who crossed him or threatened his position was taken out. The same rules applied to Almanza as to any other: if he disappointed the boss, his life would be over.

But Almanza was confident that wouldn’t happen. He wouldn’t allow it.

When it was dark enough, Almanza left the house. There was no need to lock the door. The structure was in bad need of renovations. If anyone decided to break in, there was little to stop them. But he’d left a dagger on the bed as a warning.

The best the area had to offer was cheap tacos and burritos. The food was one thing Almanza missed about Mexico. But he ate what there was, skipping the beer. He had to keep his perceptions clear. Once the kill was done, he could party all he wanted to.

When Almanza returned, he inspected the house, but it appeared untouched. The dagger was on the mattress where he’d left it. He took off his shoes and lay on his back, with the dagger on his belly. Then he slept until his phone vibrated on the table.

Instantly awake, Almanza grabbed the phone. Zap was the only one who had the number. “Jefe.”

“I assume you’ve arrived?” The voice on the phone was strong, confident, and utterly emotionless.

“Si. I have been waiting for your instructions.”

“For this job, you will need to be ghostlike, but then, that’s your specialty,” Zap said.

“Is the target in the public eye?”

The boss’s voice was gravelly. “It’s a situation that needs to be remedied. It involves Senator Ortiz.”

“He hasn’t been holding up his end of the deal?”

“It’s worse. He’s let evidence that could hinder our business operations leak,” Zap said.

“So you want me to kill him?”

“No, fuck Ortiz. He will pay, when and how I decide. And if he proves to be of no further use, I’ll find another to replace him.” Zap spat the words.

“Then what are my instructions?”

Zap took some time providing background on the mission. Two federal agents had been killed and a key witness in the criminal prosecution of the senator had escaped. It was a mess that had to be cleaned up.

“Ortiz is to blame, so he can deal with the consequences,” Zap said. “I won’t take the heat for him; it interferes with business. But the FBI can be bothersome. Once we find Lela Cabelo, she will be interrogated.”

Almanza kept quiet. He didn’t need things spelled out. Interrogation meant the woman would tell all, then be put to death, and not necessarily quickly.

“There’s more.” Zap went on to say that the witness had slipped out of his grasp on more than one occasion. Judging from his tone, he was furious. “The woman has help.”

The story shed light on why Almanza had been called in. It seemed that Lela had met with a close friend, and the cops should have taken both into custody.

However, the friend had been shot and Lela had vanished. “Ashlee Vidal met with Lela, and I’m sure that she has information.”

Almanza could see that the circumstances were complicated.

“Ashlee was abducted from the hospital before I could get my hands on her.”

“Lela came for her?” Almanza said, wondering how a woman on the run had managed such a feat.

“Not alone,” Zap said. “An ex-military guy with long hair has been protecting her, but I don’t have a name. His methods indicate he’s probably a former SEAL. Also, the hospital surveillance footage shows some short-haired dude with him…tall, muscled. I’m guessing special forces. They wheeled Ashlee out of the hospital, and I have no knowledge of where she is now.”

Almanza waited for what was coming.

“Both the military dudes are dead men, do you hear me?”

“Si, jefe.” It would be trickier taking out two ex-military, but it could be done.

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