The Blood Gang

Chapter 5

Something hit my cheek. "Flores. Wake up, amigo."

Aaaaack.

"Flores!" A slap brought me around. "Ah, amigo! So good to see you again!"

I opened my eyes and blinked, taking in the sight in front of me. "Fernando?"

Fernando nodded. His dark brown eyes pointed at me with a smug smile above his short goatee. "It's been such a long time, no?"

"Not long enough. I still hate you."

He laughed and slapped a knee. "Good old Flores, always telling funny jokes."

No. Really. I hate you.

I groaned. "Where am I?"

"Transportation of our own kind, Flores. I trust you've met José?" He waved a hand to Dingy.

I nodded tersely. My neck shot with pain. "His greeting card was... unique."

"And Manuel and Pablo?" He dismissed the others from the room. We were alone.

"Yes... ow." My neck. My back. My jaw. Especially my jaw. "Let me guess: Ezekiel wanted you to bring me to him so he could kill me."

Fernando shook his head with a dismayed expression. "No no no no no! Ezekiel would never do that to you! He knows we are friends."

I coughed blood onto my knees. "Friends? El Cielo would still be alive if not for you, you and Iza and your stupid suicide plan!"

"Alas, amigo, El Cielo was simply wrong place, wrong time."

"And you knew that!"

"Just a tragedy, Flores. We are deeply sorry--"

"Tragedy, my butt! You and Iza only decided to not kill yourselves BECAUSE he was dead! The whole thing was just a trap for him!"

"Flores..."

"You WANTED to kill him!"

"Enough! You were so understanding before you met your, your white wife!"

That's racist.

"Kate understood fine. It's you who doesn't understand."

Fernando gestured to the air. "Look around, Flores. This is where you will be until we arrive at Ezekiel's home. Maybe a few days."

I finally noticed my surroundings. The room looked like the insides of a wooden crate. My hands and ankles were tied to the chair I sat on. Fernando sat in front of me.

I spat blood onto my already-soaked knees and moaned from the pain, then began speaking softly. "If you're going to kill me, just do it now. Where's Iza? She kills swift."

"Flores, I think you are just tired."

My head shot up. "Where's Michael? You didn't get him too, did you?!"

"Ah, we could not find the boy. But it is not him we are after. Ezekiel wants you, and now here you are." He stood up. "Iza will be in here soon. She will get you bandaid and clothes. We want you to look presentable in front of Ezekiel, no? Then you get some rest, food, drink, before we see him."

I sighed. My lungs hurt. "Are we in a train? A boat?"

Fernando opened the door and walked out. "This entire vehicle is an array of army trucks connected by boxes in the shape of hallways to form a sort of train. A 'trauck', if you will. Goodnight, my friend." He closed the door.

I had three options:

Find a gun, shoot everyone, and get out of here.
Give up and await sentencing.
Wait until we go to Ezekiel, find a gun, shoot everyone, and escape.

That seemed logical. Or maybe I could wait until we stopped to do that to avoid Ezekiel. Yes.

So wait I would.