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"This is the most secure place in the world. Well, let me rephrase: in Texas," Gator led us through a tall building, industrial walls, industrial smell, industrial feel. Entering the place, I thought he was leading me inside of a factory.

Until we turned the corner.

Cielo held my hand tightly as we came across a house within a building. It was a two story, front lawn, bushes, simulated rain and sunshine. I felt like we were walking onto a set.

"Behold, Ms. Kelley...your new home."

"What do you think about it?" I looked down at Cielo, pushing back some of her coils that escaped her puff balls.

"Is this all...necessary?" my mother asked tentatively.

"Anything is necessary to protect my family," I told her with a serious expression. "And to protect the future of the cartel," I then added.

"Had this place built as quick as we could," Gator nodded, "Would you like a tour?"

We followed behind him as he twisted the key in the front door and the scent of fall hit us.

"It smells amazing in here," my mother smiled, instantly at ease.

It had been two weeks since someone tried to kidnap Cielo. A week since we had killed that person because they weren't willing to give us any information. This was the next best move. I knew my family would be safe here. My mother safe from my father. Cielo safe from all of our enemies.

"Take any bedroom you like. I'm always working now anyways," I told Mom. Something snapped inside of me when I realized what Cielo would need to become. I had been putting all of my efforts into finding Jovan and defeating this unseen enemy- even more than before. Mira would only be the tip of the iceberg for the rest of my foes.

I'd really show Camphor what a Kelley is.

"C'mon," my mother led Cielo by the hand upstairs. As soon as they turned the corner, I yanked Gator back from following them.

"I'm gonna leave. When they wonder where I've gone, just tell them work. I don't need a tour of the place, I can figure it out whenever. I have some business to attend," I told him sternly.

"Another party, Ms. Kelley?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"Another lead. On Jovan's killer."

"You were on Gator's squad...the night of the shootout," I said slowly, walking across the small perimeter of the room. Dried blood on the walls, scratch marks, fermented feces, only a single table, blindingly clean amongst the dirt.

And held down against the wall by some of the members of my cartel, in debt to my family line forever, was Kiati Grey. A former member of one of many gangs the cartel had annexed into its power.

"You owe all of your loyalty. Your sweat and your blood to the Kelley line. Your gang lost to us. It didn't have enough power. Enough influence. Enough products. Enough ammo," I sneered at her. "You're property of me," I said finally, "the current heir to the cartel. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Kiati spat on the floor, green mucus sticking to the tile. "I didn't shoot Jovan. Unlike you, she chose to participate that night out of sheer desire to better the Kelley's. All you care about is the luxury and yourself."

"You don't know me," I told her quietly, stepping towards the girl. Her wig was matted with dirt, her eyes piercing my soul, her naked body trembling despite that.

"The night you were forced to give over yourself and generations of your own line, what did you say to me?" I asked her gently, turning my back to her and crossing my arms.

I could almost hear Kiati gulp.

"I'll kill," she sucked in a sharp breath, "all you Kelley's."

I turned around to find tears in her eyes. "Five months later, you were apart of the shootout involving Jovan Kelley."

"I was angered...at- at the time. I had just lost everything my family before me had worked for. I didn't want all of my hard work to go to your cartel. To strengthen my enemy. But during those five months leading up to Jovan's death, I had learned to love the family of people in debt to you. I had learned to find something in common with them. We were all in the same boat, wishing that we weren't the property of someone else. You see, you can't just put this on me. There are thousands of people who will grow up hating you- knowing that they have to serve your dumb cartel for the rest of their lives because of this stupid fight for power in a city that sinks everyday."

"Who killed my sister?" I asked her quietly.

"Kill me if you want to. Keep killing people off who don't have your answers. Then you won't have anymore servants," she sneered the last word at me, "to work for you. Then you'll only have your family and the people who you think care about you."

"Who said I was going to kill you?" I stepped forward, pulling her neck hard in my direction, forcing her head off the cement wall.

She started to struggle against my men again, but they held her firmly back, their eyes glazed over in boredom as their muscles bulged.

"You'll be my example," I whispered, staring into her eyes, our faces just centimeters apart. "You'll be the...ex-ample."

"Should I get the tweezers, boss?" one of the dudes holding her against the wall asked. I stepped back from her, trying not to lose myself in all of this.

"I want this table red when I come back, or else," I told them firmly.

"You can't keep killing us! We'll rise up against you!"

I slammed the metal door shut, the sounds of her screams filling the halls as I stared straight ahead.

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