Twenty nine: Tension In The Air

Travis' 

I watched them banter each other with words I didn't even know existed.

This began shortly after Carlos muttered nothing but rubbish as the rules binding them all. He should have just shut up, but instead he decided to cause havoc instead.

Well, I'm undeniably enjoying it to be honest. I can't wait to see the first person that'll start throwing punches.

I'll leave as soon as the argument gets intense. That way, they won't see me disappear.

I sat calmly watching everyone throw words at each other and cussing.

Like I said, they weren't using normal English. It's like they had a slang of their own. But somehow in the midst of it, I was able to grasp the topic. They were arguing about a failed mission which was led by one of the men at the table—Huston.

He had black glasses on his face with a cigarette attached to his mouth like he doesn't give a fuck about what they were saying.

It's interesting how he's fueling the hatred against him without even bothering.

“Where are the drugs Huston?”

Despite the noise that rent in the room due to their argument, Mr. Alvarez's voice still conquers theirs, ordering attention.

The whole room fell silent with all eyes turning to look at Huston.

Damn! Huston is pulled in by this one.

I never knew this was not just a secret organization, but a secret Mafia organization.

Now it all makes sense what they're doing. Trafficking hard drugs which is illegal.

“I told you Jonathan, I was ambushed. All of my men were killed. I only managed to escape.” Huston explained.

“Lies!” Fester commented.

“Oh yeah? How would you know that?” Huston argued against Fester.

“Huston, where are my drugs?” Mr. Alvarez sounded more serious this time.

“I swear I was ambushed. Look at the bruises on my wrist. I tried to fight but they knocked me out and took everything.” Huston elaborated more.

Mr. Alvarez gave a corner smile—a smirk—and turned his chair around to face the white wall. 

“Let’s look at the screen.” He said to everyone.

Didn't know that was a screen, all I'm seeing is a white wall.

The wall or screen rather began displaying a recorded video.

The video wasn't clear, it seems like the one holding the camera was running from something. 

I could see nothing but the ground shaking and a pair of legs running.

“He’s gone mad…He's killing us all. Mr. Huston, he's—” there was a loud gunshot in the background that ended the message instantly with the phone lying stable on the floor.

“Just because he called my name doesn't mean I have anything to do with it. He could have been calling for help.” Huston tried to defend himself.

However, right in front of us on the screen, his face pooped up. He smashed the phone with his foot.

“So, how do you explain your face in the video Huston.” The woman in the group questioned. She seemed to have a satisfactory smile on her cheeks.

I might not have been here for long, but I don't need a mind reader to tell me that these people don't have each other's interest at heart. Everyone seems to want to bite on each other's throats when given the opportunity.

“Come on Jonathan! This could have been AI. Did you even care to check if it was authentic.” Huston stated another claim.

Mr. Alvarez scoffed, “even before the truth, you dare to lie to me?”

“No, I would never. I swear.” 

“Well you did.” Mr. Alvarez brought out a gun.

“Shit!” Huston exclaimed. 

But unfortunately, that was the last thing he said. A bullet ran straight through his head.

Carlos pulled his table backwards and puked right in his coffee cup.

My own heart seemed to be racing for no reason.

“I hate liars.” Mr. Alvarez said softly and blew the nozzle of his gun.

I could feel the tension in the air. Everyone was pretending to be calm, but deep down I could tell they were scared too.

“Well. Now that you've killed him, how do we know where the drugs are?” Fester rendered his voice in the midst of the silence.

“Don’t worry about that, that has been sorted out.” Mr. Alvarez spoke boldly.

This man definitely has an aura for power. It suits him.

I was right when I said he was dangerous. I mean he shut a man without even considering that he might have a family of his own. Why not punish him instead?

Honestly, I don't know if I'm doing the right thing anymore. Just sitting here among them puts me in a hot seat.

“The meeting is over, I want reports on your next distribution. And don't there to fuck with me like Huston did.”

After the kind of warning he pulled back there, I don't think anyone would like to mess with him.

Even the villain was left speechless.

Wait! Did they not know how brutal Mr. Alvarez is?

It'll be a shock if they didn't know that.

I even noticed it on the first day of our meeting, when he was capping all those rules about protecting his son.

I still wonder how he loves his son and still behaves cold and distant towards him?

Or maybe I'm getting something wrong?

What if the reason Mr. Alvarez wanted Carlos to live with him at home was to protect him?

Why should I even care about all of that?

The truth still remains that Mr. Alvarez is evil and he must face justice.

They all stood up to leave and I did the same, but then he called to me, “You with the mask stay.”

No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no!

I'm not going to take off this mask. He shouldn't even dare tell me that.

“Sir—” I said, my voice breaking uncertain about what I should even say.

Fester was still in the room. He was looking at Huston's body on the ground.

His eyes burning with hate for the dead or perhaps against his murderer.

“What are you still doing here Fester?” Mr. Alvarez asked. His voice was loud and provoked.

“You know you didn't have to kill him right?” Fester stated and bent down to close Huston's eyes.

“Save your lectures, I did what was necessary. I had to use someone as an example.” Mr. Alvarez spoke in his defence.

“Yeah. Like father did to me.”

“Let’s not go there Fester.” Mr Alvarez insisted.

Fester scoffed, “So now you don't want to hear the truth because it bites?”

Mr. Alvarez grinds his teeth and steps forward to Fester's front, towering him by half an inch. They're both tall, I'll give them that. 

This is going to be fun. I'm sensing heat in the room.

“Everything I have and own is as a result of my hard work Fester. I'll keep telling you that until you get it.”

“Until I get it?” He laughed mockingly. “You’re so funny you know that?” He heaved a sigh of relief and continued speaking.

“Just because of one mistake I made, dad gave you all his inheritance and you said it's your hard work that got you this position. Well brother, you're a liar.”

“You know what? Why should I bother explaining myself to you? You're not fucking going to believe me anyway. So, you can go whining about what was meant to be yours and focus on the present. The truth is, you'll never reach my height.” Mr. Alvarez gave him a piece of his mind.

That was a harsh statement if you ask me. However, brothers fight so I should let them be.

“I can never reach your height?” Fester laughed mockingly at first, and then in an abrupt moment Fester threw a punch at Mr. Alvarez's face.