Page 31 of Cartel Viper
“Javi, they’re still there!”
I watch Pauly and Mikey inch up to two cars behind me.
“I know, little one. I see them in my mirror. This last turn should do it. It’ll be the third street on the left.”
“Okay.”
We’ve crossed through Woodside and Sunnyside Gardens. He’s taking us into Elmhurst. These are parts of Queens I’ve only heard of. I’ve never been here. I’ve had no reason to. He’s bringing us around the backside of Jackson Heights. I don’t know if Mikey and Pauly figured out who was following me and now I’m following, but the moment we enter the Heights, they’llknow it’s someone from the Cartel. If they haven’t already called Drew to tell him what’s going on, they will now.
Chapter Nine
Javier
My gaze darts between my windshield to watch the road ahead of me, and my rearview mirror to ensure Maddy’s still behind me and those two fuck nuts aren’t any closer than two cars behind her. My fingers ache from how tightly I grip the steering wheel. My heart’s racing. The knot in my stomach threatens to form a lump in my throat. I haven’t been this scared in years.
I have a healthy fear of death. Having a sense of immortality is the fastest way to prove you’re mortal. I’m not so ballsy as to believe nothing could kill me. I know how close to death I live every day. I know how close the men in my family live to death. It gives me a respect for life. I often fear for the other members of my family, but it’s been a long time since I’ve felt this level of terror.
Not since I was new to killing. I’m used to my uncles, brothers, and cousins being with me. Men who are trained for high-speed chases and shootouts. Not being with a woman who’s never been in a situation like this before. It took most of the ride to Queens to convince myself that it’s safe for me to lead theway, rather than being a buffer between Maddy and whoever’s chasing us.
But she doesn’t know her way around Queens. I’m certain of that. It’s not like my family knows every single person who comes in and out of this borough. However, we have a pretty damn good idea of many, since we track plenty of people and often tap into the city’s street cameras, so we can monitor—shall we say—people of interest. I’ve never seen the car she’s driving before or anybody who resembles Maddy.
I need to be certain we can get to the place I have in mind together without missing turns because she doesn’t know how soon they’re coming up. I glance in my rearview mirror again, and she’s right on my bumper. I take the turn I told her about.
“Maddy, there’s a building coming up on the next block on the left. I’m going to open the gate. You’re going to follow me through. There’ll be a ramp to an underground parking garage. I’m going to pull off to the right, just inside the gate. You’re going to go down that ramp and park as far into the garage as you can get.”
“All right, Javi.”
Her voice is stronger than it was when she called me, but there’s no disguising the tremor that remains. She’s completely out of her element.
I click the remote on my visor and the gate crawls open. Never have I wanted a piece of metal to move faster. I pull through when it’s only halfway open and swerve to the right. I’m already pushing the gear stick into park as she follows me through. My car’s barely stopped moving as I fling the door open. I’ve already unfastened my seatbelt and am climbing out with my gun in my right hand. I crouch beside my car, letting three other vehicles pass before I stand.
I recognize the vehicle that was following us. It tempts me to shoot the driver, then ask the passenger questions. Instead,I inhale a steadying breath and shoot out the two driver’s side tires. The car careens to the right before it plows into a streetlight. Men are already running out of the building that’s above the parking garage I told Maddy to pull into.
These are my family’s men. With guns drawn, they charge across the street. We’re in a neighborhood my family controls, so no one’s going to ask questions about an unexpected car crash that followed two gunshots. They won’t ask about any more noises they hear. People will just stay inside and watch from their windows.
I glance toward the ramp and see no movement. As much as I want to check on Maddy, I need to deal with these men first.
“They’re dead,el patrón.”
“What?”
How are they dead? They didn’t hit the pole that hard. My men didn’t shoot them.
I hurry across the street to where the driver’s side door is open. It’s obvious neither man was wearing his seatbelt. Maybe they thought about jumping out as quickly as I did. Maybe they never had them on to start with. But the passenger is practically through the windshield. The driver’s head is between the steering wheel and dashboard, turned at an unnatural angle. He’s half out of his seat too.
“Find out who they are. Deal with them. Deal with the car.”
I spin on my heel and run toward the garage. Now, I not only need to check on Maddy but ensure she doesn’t come up and see this. I know she’s a nurse, but I also know she delivers babies. I’m certain she’s seen a dead body or two, but I don’t know that she’s seen anything this grisly. There’s blood splattered all over the car’s interior, and both of the bodies are gruesome.
My eyes adapt to the dim light after the bright sunshine. As I look around, I notice she followed my instructions and parked all the way on the other side of the structure. I almost wonder ifshe’s gotten out of the car when I can’t see her. She must see me because her head pops up. She was leaning across the passenger seat. She doesn’t open her door, instead winding the window down a couple inches.
“It’s all right,chiquita. You can come out. I’m going to take you inside the building. I have somewhere safe for you.”
“All right.” She sounds much more confident now than she did before.
As I look back up the ramp, I realize she has an obscured view of the car that chased us. She can’t see the front half or the light post, but she can tell the car isn’t sitting on the street properly. I look down at her, and she’s watching me with an expectant expression. I merely shake my head. She glances back toward the street before meeting my gaze and nodding.
“I suppose a nurse won’t help.”
