The Daughter Extraction

Juan Santos

•ALEC•

"Will you shut the hell up? That outfit's color is way worse, it looks like something my dog would puke out."

I couldn't help but chuckle and shook my head, my eyes wandering to the ground.

"Yeah, well, that dress isn't doing you any favors either, cupcake. My dead grandmother wore something similar while lying in her casket," Martin fired back, a hint of humor in his tone.

I sighed, feeling the exhaustion from their non-stop banter. After an hour of their bickering, I was about one second away from ripping off my earpiece to escape their annoying voices.

Meanwhile, I continued to clean the side of the bike with a rag cloth, my eyes peeled for a blue old classic Mercedes. According to our intel, this auto repair shop was Juan's regular haunt.

Wednesdays were his days, and the whole team and I were ready and in position, waiting for Juan to show up so we could ambush him.

Group A had headed to Mexico City to follow up on another lead. It made sense to spread out and cover more ground to increase our chances of finding Luna quickly.

My attention perked up when a car engine rumbled nearby.

"Target's on the premises. Stay put and be ready for my signal," Blair confirmed through the earpiece. She was on sniper lookout on the roof, while Martin went undercover as a customer inside, distracting the employees.

I stood up from my crouching position, wiping grease off my hands with the cloth. Juan slowly pulled in near the gates in his classic blue Mercedes, exchanging greetings with a teenage boy outside.

"Martin?"

"All clear," he replied with a decisive tone.

"Okay, Alec, you're up," Blair said, and that was my cue to make my move.

I left my spot by the bike and strolled across the lawn, heading toward Juan's still-parked car.

A quick glance around revealed no one seemed to notice what was going on. I circled around the car from the other side, opened the door, and jumped into the front seat.

"Qué demonios-" (What the hell)

"Drive," I told him, gun pointed straight at his ribs.

Panic flashed in his eyes as he slowly raised his hands in surrender. I pressed the gun harder against his side, making him squirm in fear.

"One hand on the wheel. Keep the other one in sight. Try anything funny, and I'll put a bullet in your body, followed by another one in your head. Now, drive."

He shot me a quick glare before complying with my request. Slowly, he pulled away from the gate and turned the car back onto the highway.

"You got him, boss?" Martin suddenly asked through the earpiece.

"Yeah, I got him. See you back at the warehouse," I replied before pulling the earpiece off and focusing on the scumbag sitting right next to me.

"Look, if it's money you want-"

"Shut up," I snapped at him. He clenched his jaw tightly, and I could sense he was itching to do something, anything, to escape from this situation.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a folded picture of Luna. I unfolded it and held it up for him to see.

"Where is she?" He briefly glanced at the picture before focusing on the road again.

"I don't know who that is," he mumbled with a bit of force.

I flicked off the safety on my gun and pressed it against his temple, making him squirm in his seat.

"Take a look again and give me the answer I need, or I'll turn your head into a target and let you become roadkill for the traffic behind us."

He shot me a dirty look, so I pressed the gun even harder against his temple.

"Look at the picture, not at me."

He glanced at the photo again, and this time, a smirk played on his face, setting my blood boiling.

"Vas a morir antes de encontrarla." (You're gonna die before you even find her)

I sighed, lowering the gun.

"Yeah, I saw this coming. Turn left."

"What?" He asked, confused. Before he could react, I slammed the gun into his face.

The car swayed for a moment as he lost control of the wheel, and then he regained it, sporting a bleeding nose and lip.

"Gire a la izquierda." (Turn left) I said again in Spanish.

His eyes widened in surprise at my bilingual move. He followed my command, steering left onto a dirt road leading to the secret warehouse where we planned to stash him.

Martin and Blair's cars were already parked outside. He brought the car to a stop and I motioned for him to get out, gun still pointed at him.

He cautiously stepped out, eyeing the warehouse before him.

"You can't keep me here forever. My people will come for me, and when they do, they won't go easy on any of you."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed the back of his collar.

"Save the threats and start walking."

I pushed him forward, and he stumbled a bit before heading straight through the warehouse entrance. It was dark inside, with only faint light filtering through two windows at the top.

Luckily, there was a pull switch hanging smack in the middle of the room, and a single chair sat right under it. Blair and Martin stood beside the chair, waiting for us to arrive.

"Rough ride, huh?" Blair teased, eyeing the blood on Juan's face.

"You could say that," I replied with a smirk, nudging Juan towards the chair.

Martin pushed him down, cuffed his hands behind the chair, and Blair handed me a Smith and Wesson revolver.

Loading two bullets into adjacent chambers, I spun the gun's cylinder and aimed at Juan's head. He didn't even flinch.

"The girl. Where is she?"

"Go screw yourself, you American insolent!"

I pulled the trigger. He flinched, but the bullet stayed put.

Eyes wide, he caught on to my trick, breathing heavily as the situation sank in.

"Where's your boss keeping the governor's daughter?" Martin pressed.

"I-I don't know," he stuttered. I spun the chamber again, pulling the trigger.

He flinched, no bullet yet.

"Wrong answer," I said, spinning the chamber once more.

Wide-eyed and panicking, he stared at the revolver. I aimed it at his head again, and he looked up in alarm.

"Last chance," I told him, my finger on the trigger.

He scanned us, fear in his eyes, sweating for a supposedly tough guy.

I pressed the gun to the top of his head; he closed his eyes, trembling in his seat.

"Wait...stop! I'll tell you everything, I promise! Please...please don't kill me."

Huh. Pussy.

I lowered the gun, catching Blair smirking. Handing her the gun, I braced my hands on the armrests, leaning down to eye level.

"Start talking."