Una Extraña Aventura: A Zeppeli Tale [ON HIATUS}

Chapter Eleven: An Old Man's Musings

Sweat dripped from Salmorejo's temples as the night stretched on.

"Martin hasn't reported back!" he slammed a fist at the roundtable inside the villa that served as El Pacto's headquarters. "Damn it, I must go find him. I... I always had a feeling he might have gone and defected. A Venezuelan with nothing tying him down to anything in the Canarias or España..."

"Let us not be hasty, my dear lieutenant," Aporreado spoke, his voice calming yet exuding with authority at the same time. "It may be that he's defeated Rosalia Alfajores but has found himself injured, and returned home to recuperate. Wait until noon to visit him. Don't go alone, take a couple soldiers with you."

"Aye, jefe." Salmorejo affirmed.

"You often let your temper get the best of you, Salmorejo. But your unending ambition makes up for it. It's why I promoted you to Cerberus, and surely why the Arrow chose you. You're dismissed."

Salmorejo stood and offered a slight bow to his leader, before taking his leave.

"You two, hand over the earnings so I may verify them. I'll take my cut and return yours and the soldiers' portions, as we always do. I'll include Salmorejo's in that portion too, so pass it on once you meet with him again."

Two pairs of hands placed two large duffel bags on the solid round table, heavy enough to make it shake for a brief second. Aporreado picked up both duffel bags easily with one hand each, grinning as he was satisfied with their weight. He would count the peseta value later, but for the time being, he was pleased.

"Menudo, excellent work as always. I usually don't have you on collection duty but you're doing well in Salmorejo's stead,"

Salmorejo's charged with eliminating El Pacto's enemies for the time being. It's a good thing, though. Helps me get my hands on my prize sooner rather than later, Menudo thought as he was assured that he would get his cut soon.

"And you, Karol," Aporreado's smile deepened as he stood up, almost matching eye-level to a taller-than-average woman. Her watermelon pink hair was set in a crown braid, ears pulling downwards due to the wearing of teardrop earrings. She donned a tight blue tank-top, exposing some of her chest, as well as a zebra-print skirt that covered just below the knees, and black tango heels. "You could never disappoint me."

Aporreado kissed the gleeful woman on both cheeks and spun her around, prompting the couple to laugh.

Karol G is the only person who can make Aporreado deviate from his typical coolness and nonchalance, Menudo thought. It makes me wonder if he put her on Cerberus because he fears that capability of hers, and not because they love each other. Oh well, so long as it doesn't compromise my tenure on Cerberus.

"Now you have a reason to treat me to something. A dinner, perhaps?" Karol giggled.

"I don't need a reason to treat you, mi amor." Aporreado smiled.

At that moment, a cloaked figure emerged from the shadows.

"If that Enrique Martin lad is deemed to be too much trouble, you could always have me dispose him. A win for you, and a win for me," Phoebe thought aloud to herself. Karol G and Menudo spun around, surprised by the woman's arrival. "On a second thought, why didn't you let me embed him with a flesh bud?"

"Señora Phoebe, you usually don't invite yourself to top brass meetings. What brings you here?" Menudo asked.

"Enrique Martin is a mere soldier, little more than a street thug. Why waste your gift on someone like him? Am I right, Aporreado?" Karol G added.