Redamancy

Ambush

We sit in silence, gripping our weapons as the van travels steadily along the road.

Since I live in an isolated area in Manaus we needed to use the jet to fly as close to São Paulo as possible which took over three hours.

I used that time to formulate a plan. The goal is to obviously secure Aria with as minimal casualties as possible but to be honest as long as she's safe I don't care how many of my men die.

I'll be invading their underground base with a team of six of my men, including my brother while three additional vans filled with around ten soldiers each wait a few miles away incase we need backup. The reason for us going in with a smaller group is so we can get in and out without being noticed which would be the most ideal course of action.

Suddenly we come to an abrupt stop, sending us jolting in our seats. The sound of shouting and orders being barked out surrounds the van as I move my hand to grip my gun.

The metal door flings open, revealing about twenty men all equipped with automatic weapons aimed at us.

In a futile attempt to get out of this situation one of my men raises his gun, only to have his face blown off and splattered across the wall.

As his body falls the rest of us are pulled out, being shoved to the ground on our knees. "This is Delgado territory," One of the men seethes, aiming his gun to my temple.

"I'm well aware Elijah," I reply, recognising him from the time the Delgado's tried to incite a peace treaty with us and he was one of the members tasked with trying to negotiate. 

He shines his spot light on our faces, his eyes immediately widening when he realises that he has both the Santo brothers at gunpoint.

"Call boss," He calls out to someone behind him. "Get them up and take them to a prisão," He orders.

We're grabbed by the arms and shoved into the direction of the thick forest surrounding the dirt road. I turn as the sound of gunshots reverberates through the night air, watching as each one of my men's brains are blown out one by one.

"Fucking move it," One of the men pushing us yells, shoving Raf to the ground. 

They lead us further into the trees until they abruptly stop. One of the men bends down, lifting up a large plank of wood with dirt and leaves stuck to it, revealing a metal square underneath it.

They pull it up by the handle, causing a creaking sound to emit from it as a staircase comes into view. "Down there," One of the men points with their gun, pushing me towards the dark abyss.

I slowly make my way down the wooden steps, completely unable to see anything in front of me. I eventually slam into a door and blindly pat my way around it in an attempt to find a handle.

I pull it open and I'm immediately met with an unexpected sight.

I was anticipating a dingy little cell but instead there's a large well lit room filled with a pool table, a bar and around a dozen people who are all drinking and laughing.

"Boss!" The man that is still gripping me by the arm calls out in the direction of a door in the corner that is slightly ajar.

Moments later a man I instantly recognise as Pedro Delgado comes sauntering out, a cigar in hand. His faces morphs from one of genuine surprise to utterly sardonic in the span of a couple seconds as he takes in the sight before him.

"Wow Luther and  Rafael Santo, now this is a surprise," He mocks gleefully, relishing in the power he currently holds.

Pedro has been trying to eliminate our cartel ever since we surpassed his. At first he took the peaceful approach when eighteen years ago he proposed a peace treaty between the two of us which would mean we'd equally divide up our recourses and become allies.

We obviously turned down this deal because it was clearly a desperate attempt for him to remain in the most influential cartel in Brazil, not to mention the deal benefitted us in no way. 

Ever since then he's turned to much more violent methods, such as staging numerous attacks on our bases and if what our little prisoner said was true, stealing my daughter.

"Pedro," I seethe, the hatred practically dripping off my voice. He laughs manically, waltzing over to us.

"I expected you to find this place much quicker, fourteen years is a long time amigo," He taunts, taking another drag from his cigar.

I go to lung at him but I'm immediately pulled back, the cold steel of the barrel of a gun being placed against the back of my head. 

"Now tell me Luther, was it worth it?" He smiles sadistically. "The guns, the money, the power was it worth the lose of your only child?" He asks, slightly tilting his head.

My fists clench and unclench in anger, his attempt to get under my skin clearly working. I want to answer him, to tell him no but my pride get's in the way and I remain silent. 

The truth is if I could go back in time and take his barbaric offer I would do it in an instant as long as it meant I would still have Ari with me.

"Well enough with the chit chat," He yawns. "I think it's time for a little family reunion yeah?" He suggests, heading towards another door on the other side of the room.

I look over to Raf as we're being pushed along, he has the same apprehensive expression on his face. We're both unsure of what we're going to see, is Aria actually here or was this all some ploy in order to get us here?

The door opens, revealing another dimly lit staircase coated in dried blood and dirt leading further underground. We immediately recoil, the putrid smell of faeces and decomposition taking us aback.

A permeant grimace is plastered on my face as we hobble down the creaking steps and are ushered into a freezing basement. "Take it in because it's the last place you're ever going to see," Pedro smirks.

We pass numerous cells, some of which having literal rotting corpses in them until we eventually halt in front of a cell door as one of Pedro's men fiddles with his keys to unlock it. 

I look inside and see a tiny naked girl cowering in the corner, her arms wrapped tightly around her legs as her head is buried into her knees.

"Well I'm sure you three have a lot to talk about," Pedro snickers, shoving us both into the cell and slamming the door behind us.