Blood War (The Don Sequel)

77

Kiara

"Kiara, you made it!" Venice squealed as I walked out of the airport.
"Damn sweet ride Vee, so I guess we're rolling in style huh?"
"Style and luxury, it's the only way. Besides don't act like it's not what you're used to back in Italy Mrs.Romano."
"Point taken but before Dario, I didn't know a thing about luxury."
"Well it's all you'll know in Mexico too. It's all you'll ever know from here on out because if love ever fails you, family won't."
"Assuring words and I appreciate them but let's not get ahead of ourselves. We're basically about to ambush Teresa and the rest of the family. It can go one of two ways really."
"Don't worry about Teresa. In fact, how about we get something to eat first and tomorrow will be a fun day."
"What happens tomorrow?"
"We'll go sight seeing. I'll show you around the city, being you to some of my favorite places, maybe we'll even do something dangerous." She smirked.
"Dangerous?"
"Sí, we could go dive with sharks-
"Oh no no no Venice definitely not."
"It's not as bad as it sounds trust me."
"You're insane if you think I'm doing that. I've seen more than enough shark movies to know that they aren't human friendly."
"Actually sharks don't purposely attack humans. Most times they mistake us for-
"Now you're a shark expert?"
"Well you'd be surprised to know the number of things I'm an expert in dear sister."
"You're trouble, that's what you are ."
"I won't deny it."
"Bienvenido a Monterrey." I announced seeing the billboard as we drove by. I remember this is the city she said she lives in.
"You'll like it here." I sure hope so.
Her phone began ringing through the speakers in the car and I noticed Teresa's name pop up on the screen. She declined the call no surprise there. I have a feeling things are going to be pretty tensed when we finally arrive at their home and that has me uneasy.
"Just a little more time Teresa." She mumbled. I'm guessing I wasn't suppose to hear that.
We drove for twenty more minutes until we finally pulled up to a restaurant. It didn't look like anything much from the outside but I know better than to judge a book by its cover.
"God, I missed this place." She was about to kill the ignition until a vehicle suddenly sped up beside us.
"What the hell?"
"Fuck, Get down Kiara!"
"What, why?" I glanced at the car and a bald man with one eye was aiming a fucking gun at us.
"Venice he has a gun!" We both ducked just as he started spraying the car withe bullets while Venice simultaneously sped off hitting nearly crashing into a few vehicles in the process. She was ducking while driving, it was incredible how she managed to do that. Unfortunately the asshole was tailing us. She cut through traffic like a bullet. We were driving so freaking fast and I was holding onto the seat for my dear life as she swerved trying her best not to hit vehicles and pedestrians. Luckily we managed to lose them in all the chaos but my mind was in a fucking frenzy. He sure as hell wasn't any enemy of ours. Dario will flip when he hears this. He wanted Luca to accompany me but I managed to persuade him that I didn't want him nor need him around for a family trip. I didn't need to raise any suspicions. I never admitted to Venice what kind of work Dario actually does but that man wasn't Italian. He was Mexican so he couldn't be after me.
"Venice stop the car."
"Qué?"
"I said stop the car, NOW."
"I can't do that Kiara we need to get home."
"No Venice you need to stop the car and let me know what the fuck that was about or I'm on the next flight back to Italy. I didn't come here to risk my life. I came here to get to know my family."
"And that's exactly what the fuck you're doing."
"What? You're not making any sense Venice and I won't ask you again to stop the car."
"Kiara you-
I flew my passenger door open and she quickly pulled up on a side.
"¡Qué carajo! ¡Has perdido la cabeza! ¿¡Quieres morir!?" She began rambling. "Acabamos de escapar de ese gilipollas y quieres parar cuando podría encontrarnos fácilmente y venir a terminar el puto trabajo. ¡Maldita sea, usa la cabeza Kiara! Tenemos que ir a donde es seguro." She added.
[translation: 1. What the fuck! You've lost your mind! Do you want to die!? 2. We just escaped from that asshole and you want to stop when he could easily find us and come finish the fucking job. Damn it, use your head Kiara! We have to go where it's safe.]
"Who is that asshole anyway and why did he just try to kill us? What did you do Venice? What have you gotten me involved in?"
"Ahh fuckk man! Today wasn't suppose to go like this. I'm sorry Kiara but honestly you need to trust me. I need us to get home where no one can touch us and I will explain everything I promise. I am your sister Kiara, I would never want you harmed and neither will Teresa. Look if we—urgh." She groaned looking at the blood on her hand. I was so pissed I hadn't even noticed the blood soaking her shirt.
"Venice you're hit! Oh my God." It's like everything just hit me at once. I quickly scanned my own body searching for wounds and sighed in relief seeing that I was unscathed.
"It's fine-
"No it's not, we need to get you to a hospital."
"That's not necessary. We just need to get home."
"You're not making any fucking sense Venice."
"Please Kiara, I'm sorry I am. I know you're terrified but I just need your trust right now." In this moment she really was asking for a lot but I also know that freaking out wasn't helping either one of us in this situation. I don't even know this country. If they really are after Venice, the minute I step foot outside of this car I'm a dead woman. I suppose this is one of the disadvantages of sharing a face with someone.
"Fine, but in case it's not obvious I'm not happy about any of this." She nodded and got us back on the main road. I glanced at her shirt that was getting more soaked by the minute. What if she passed out from blood lost and we both ended up crashing.
"Are you sure you're okay to drive?"
"This is nothing." Nothing she says as if she had been shot before. Maybe she has a high tolerance for pain but this is higher than the normal certainly.
I don't even know how long we were driving for. It felt like only five minutes when we were arriving at a fucking mansion. I know she said that the family is loaded but this is even more than I expected. As soon as she killed the engine, she got out of the car but fell right to the ground.
"Shit!" She is too weak. She needs help. I should have called the freaking ambulance. I rushed to her side and helped her up. Allowing her to place her arms around me taking on some of her weight as we began walking towards the house. I froze when I took in the scene. There were men holding up machine guns at almost every corner that I turned. It reminded me of back home but instead of men in suits these guys just looked like dangerous street criminals in casual clothes holding guns that looked too heavy for some of them to even pick up.
"HELP! SOMEONE HELP!" A few of them instantly ran to our aid. One took Venice from my arms but froze when he saw her face. They both looked between Venice and I shocked like they were seeing doubles and they were.
"Get her inside!" Now wasn't the time for this. They nodded and ran inside carrying Venice weak body while I followed. As soon as they burst through the doors. I heard gasps as two women rushed to them.
"Omg Venice, what happened?! Teresa, Teresa!" One shouted through the house.
"Dios mío..." the younger one uttered as she starred at me wide-eyed. The older woman had already taken off with Venice and the two armed guys. She hadn't even noticed me behind them. I ran in the direction she went and was about to open the door when a hard grip stopped me.
"¡No vas a entrar ahí!" (You're not going in there!)
"Elena.." It was the same young girl. I called her by the name on her necklace. I remember her name though, if memory serves me correctly Venice once referred to her as her little cousin. "I only want to make sure that she is okay." I tried to assure her. Imagine that, me a stranger who looks exactly like her cousin waltz into her home covered in her cousin's blood and trying to convince her with mere words that I mean well. "I can tell you all what happened after but please let me check on her." I pleaded. She looked confused and uneasy about the entire ordeal but released my hand nonetheless. For a small girl she definitely had strength though. I offered her a small smile and entered the room seeing Venice laid out on a bed her bloody shirt rested on the floor and a man stood above her putting doctor's gloves on.
The men who helped bring her in, left the room but I heard more footsteps entire behind us.
"¿Qué ocurre?"
"When did Venice get back?"
"What happened to her?"
"Who did this?"
A bunch of questions from different voices just reminded me that I was in a house full of strangers.
"Hay demasiada gente aquí. No hay de qué preocuparse." The doctor spoke up. (There are too many people here. There is nothing to worry about)
"Wait..who is that woman?" My blood ran cold and my heart stopped for a second. It didn't take a genius to know that I was that woman. I could practically feel all their eyes on my back.
"Déjame pasar." (Let me pass) You know that feeling when you're in a room full of people and that one person walks in and everything falls silent. For instance when students are making a fuss in a classroom and the teacher walks in or when employees are gossiping in the lunchroom and the manager walks in well that's the feeling right now. I never heard her speak before. I never met her either and yet the authority in her voice spoke volumes. This was Teresa Mendoza. My mother.
"Aunty that woman brought Venice in here. She had been shot." I couldn't tell if Elena was snitching or trying to help me in this situation. With sweaty palms, shaky breath and a rapid beating heart I turned to face reality.
"¡santa maría!" (Holy Mary)
The gasps that followed were expected. I didn't bother look at anyone other than Teresa.
"Hola .. madre." Hello...mother.

Dario

"The Don is outside without his wife at a party at that. I haven't seen this happen in a little while. Are you sure you're not ill brother?"

"Very funny Marcellous but Kiara isn't here because she travelled."

"She sure does like to travel. Let me guess she is in New York."

"Not this time. She is in Mexico."

"Mexico? It isn't the best place for vacation. You have to know where to go, you know certain places are pretty prone to violence. Who'd she go with though because here comes Camilla."

"My favorite Romanos, always looking sharp." She complimented.

"She apparently found her family."

"Her family?" I can't blame Marcel for being confused.

"You're speaking about Kiara aren't you? Isn't it nice? I'm so happy for her. It sucks learning that your mother lied to you all your life but there's a blessing in all of this. She gets the family she always wished she had."

"What did her mother lie about?"

"Well Marcel, apparently her mother adopted her. As to how Kiara or any of you never figured that part out is beyond me but she turned out to have a twin sister Venice Mendoza who looks exactly like her-

"Wait what did you just say?" Marcel questioned.

"I said her mother adopted her-

"Not that part . What's her sister's name?" I asked. I'm certain Marcel and I are thinking the same thing.

"Uh Venice Mendoza, why?"

"What would be the chances Dario?" Marcel asked.

"Chances of what, what are you guys talking about?" Camilla asked obviously confused.

"When people speak of the Mexican cartel, the Mendoza family is the first thing that comes to mind. They are extremely powerful, influential and has a woman sitting at the top of the food chain. Her name is—

"Teresa? Holy shit, Kiara's family runs the Mexican cartel. That's wow.."

"I don't think she knows that. I never caught on because I don't thinks he ever mentioned her sister's surname. Honestly we didn't speak on it much."

"Well now you know. I suggest you get Kiara on the next flight out-

"Wait what? Why? Because her family is doing the same thing that we're doing? Dario thatMs her family. How could you even suggest that Marcel? It isn't fair."

"Camilla, these people aren't the welcoming type. They don't know her. She is an outsider as far as they are concerned. For all we know Teresa is meeting her to use her. She didn't give a shit that she had a daughter in the world before why would she care now?"

"Actually, Kiara told me that her mother doesn't know she is coming."

"WHAT?!"

"Dario calm down."

"I don't want my wife anywhere near the fucking cartel. Marcellous—

"I know, I'll get the pilot."

"Do you hear yourselves? You're fucking overreacting! That is her family, so what if they're the cartel!?"

"Camilla you're being naive and who could fault you. You don't know what the cartel is truly like but you'll find out tonight." I will show her how ruthless these people operate and she will probably want to drag Kiara out of there herself by tomorrow. I knew I should've let Luca leave with her. I would have felt more at ease. I have no idea what my wife walked into. For everyone's sake, I hope she is safe for the night because tomorrow I'm going to get her.