Mikhail

27

I woke up with a groan, feeling a slight throb in my head. Snapping my eyes open, I found Alacran sitting on a chair in front of me. I didn't have to try to move to know that my hands and legs were bound. I was shirtless too.

"You know, I was thinking of killing you once you woke up. Then I thought of how you played this fearless game to get my attention and also saved my life." He said. “What actually saved you was that you didn't have the mark of the Sierra Cartel on your chest."

I kept my gaze fixed on him without blinking, and he smiled. "You know, those are quite some scars you got on your body. Tiny as they may be, they are scars owned by men who have been in the field a while."

"My father. He was abusive. And I've lived most of my life on the street." I lied smoothly.

"And what did you do to your father?"

"I killed him."

Alacran chuckled. "I thought so too. That's one thing we have in common. My father shot and killed my mum because he thought she was cheating. He tried to kill himself but I took the gun from him and beat him until he could barely even make a sound. Then I slit his throat."

He laughed, and I smiled, not a bit horrified by what he was telling me. If anything, I would expect that from Alacran.

A groan made me realize we weren't the only ones in the room. Looking to the side, I saw the three men that'd been with him tied to chairs pulled close in a circle.

One of the men had stired. Alacran got up from his seat and walked to stand in front of the man.

"Pietro. I was hoping you would be the one to wake up first. After all you were supposed to be the best among my men and you failed me." He said with an ever-present smile.

"Alacran, give me the chance to kill that bastard. Let me show him that nobody messes with Alacran and gets away with it."

"You're lucky I'm not planning to kill you for failing me. Just shut up."

The other two groaned at the same time. Alacran rounded to stand in front of them.

"Perfect timing." He stroked his moustache. "You failed me. I thought you were men I could trust, but if this had been a death threat, I would be dead by now."

None of the men spoke but their faces displayed so much shame. These men really had to be loyal dogs.

Two gunshots fired so suddenly they startled me. Alacran had shot both of them in the head. He put his gun back behind his belt.

I looked at Pietro to find him looking dismayed but not shocked. Alacran had probably never been lenient with the men who failed him.

"Take care of the bodies." Alacran ordered after untying Pietro. He went to work like a loyal dog.

Alacran walked back and sat in front of me. "That is what happens to anyone who fails me. It equally applies to anyone who betrays me or signs with the enemy. Do you still want to be recruited into the Scorpione Cartel?"

He was looking into my eyes pointedly. He had killed those men to make a point, to shake me. I met his gaze without flinching.

"Yes boss."

He smiled, bobbing his head in approval. "Are you ready for your first job?"

****

"Help me. Please... Help me." Mateo said weakly as I stepped into the dark room where he was being kept.

He was tied to a chair and he looked like he'd received more beatings than before. His face was a bloody mess. Alacran had brought me here to kill Mateo as my first job. He probably wasn't very convinced that I didn't know Mateo somehow.