Caught In A Name

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

"Wait...WHAT?!?..."

"HUH?..."

"He's your WHAT?...."

"Nicnic?..."

"Kuya? I'm not hallucinating right? That is you?" Nicomaine asked with disbelief. She took a few tentative steps closer but was stopped by Richard's arm snaking around her waist.

Nicholai Damon Mendoza is the first of the 5 Mendoza siblings. He served in the Canadian military for five years after graduating from university with a degree in criminology. After getting out of the service, he started his own online business of assisting families in finding long lost relatives. The business boomed and now sometimes local law enforcements are asking for Nicholai's assistance in finding missing children.

And then it just dawned on Nicomaine how his brother had tracked her that quickly. Because he was good at what he does, that's why! Dammit! Why didn't I think of that? Why didn't it occur to me that my brother would find me that fast? Ugh!

"LET HER GO,YOU BASTARD! DON'T YOU FUCKIN TOUCH HER!" Nicho yelled and was about to lunge at Richard but Daniel and Richard Sr. tightened their hold on him. It was a testament to Nicho's strength the way the men had to strain hard to hold him in place. "Nic, did they hurt you? Are you okay?" He asked facing his sister.

"Why would we hurt my son's wife?" Richard Sr. scoffed.

"HIS WHAAAAT?!? YOU FUCKIN BRAINWASHED HER! I'M GONNA FUCKIN KILL YOU!!!" Nicho screamed and renewed his attempt to get closer to Richard, his muscles bunching and straining, while the veins in his neck and forehead looked like they were about to pop.

"Whoa Kuya! Calm down! I'm perfectly fine as you can see" Nicomaine began. Then to Richard she said "he's my brother. I think it's okay to let go now" while reassuring him by squeezing his arm on her waist. "Laissez-le aller [Please let him go]" she asked Daniel and Richard Sr.

"I'm afraid I can't do that ma cherie. Il nous tournait il y a quelques instants [He was shooting at us just a few moments ago]" Richard Sr. remarked.

"With all due respect, you shot at me first" Nicho interrupted angrily.

"It was a warning shot. It was so far from your liver. And why were you lurking outside the gate anyway?" Richard Sr. replied.

"And might I add, you shot back" Daniel remarked.

"What did you expect me to do? You shot at me, of course I'm going to shoot back" Nicho flatly replied.

"Were you the one that shot the other guy in the car?" Richard piped up.

"No! I didn't shoot him. He was already shot when I found them. I was tracking the people who shot them. I followed them but those two guys outside are good. I gotta give em that. They lost their tail in between Hope and Chilliwack. I had the choice whether to follow their tail or follow them. So I followed them instead. And look where it led me. Right at your front door, where my brainwashed sister is" Nicho sarcastically explained.

Nicomaine was about to correct her brother but Charmaine chose that moment to make sure that she wasn't forgotten by the adults. Richard loosened his hold on her and Maine looked back inside the library.

"Dammit! Will you stop struggling man!" Daniel complained loudly since Nicho hasn't stopped trying to get free.

"Oh my gosh! Okay. You four figure this out on your own. I have a baby to attend to and I don't have time to stand here and judge who among you pisses the farthest! Kuya! I would really love for you to calm down. Richard, please don't hit him again. Daniel and Mr. Faulkerson, please let my brother go. I hope that y'all reach an agreement pretty soon because for crying out loud, you were all shooting at each other less than 15 minutes ago. And obviously, not a single one of you want the other one dead. For I don't believe for one minute that you're all lousy shooters. So obviously, y'all want answers." Nicomaine huffed like an offended mother hen. She gave them all the evil eye before she turned around and walked back inside the library to attend to Charmaine.

The four men in the foyer watched as Nicomaine walked away. Not one said a word until her retreating back disappeared around the bend.

"Wait! NIC! You have a baby? How the fuck did that happen?" Nicho asked Richard with a growl, his eyes forming into slits and his fists forming into a ball.

"Yeah RJ, how did that happen?" Daniel asked with a laugh but he coughed to disguise it.

Richard looked at his brother, his eyes shooting daggers, which only made Daniel laugh a lot louder. Then he looked at Nicomaine's brother and let out an exaggerated defeated sigh.

"Look man, can we just talk about this in a civilized manner?" Richard asked Nicho.

"I've been civilized this whole time" Nicho replied with a huff.

"Riiiight. Because the scratches on my arm are the proof that you were civilized" Daniel stated sarcastically.

"Dad, Kuya, I think it's safe to let him go" Richard remarked. "Right?" He added, looking at Maine's brother with uncertainty.

It took Nicho a few seconds before he finally acquiesced with a nod. "Yes. But you'd better have a good explanation to all of this" he threateningly stated.

As soon as Richard nodded, Daniel and Richard Sr. unexpectedly let Nicho go that the latter ended up slumping to the floor like a sack of potato. He quickly stood up and straightened his clothing, flicking his shoulders with his hand for emphasis.

"I'm Richard Faulkerson Jr." Richard introduced himself while extending his hand for a handshake. "That old man over there is my brother Daniel and that older man is my father" he added, ignoring the sounds of protest coming from the two.

Nicho looked at the extended hand before he accepted it. "Nicholai Mendoza. Nicomaine's oldest brother" he remarked threateningly while tightening his hold on the other man's hand. But then as if he had an epiphany, he pulled back and looked at Richard. Like really looked. "Wait a minute! Are you THE Richard Faulkerson Jr.? Colonel Faulkerson of the Joint Task Force 2?"

"Yeah the one and only" Richard Sr. proudly piped in.

"Man, I've heard so much about you. The way you took down one of the leaders of the Taliban troops in Kandahar. Damn!" Nicho stated in animation, obviously star struck.

"Yeah, thanks" Richard answered, clearly uncomfortable. "Uuhhh, I gotta go check on my man outside" he added, trying to change the subject.

"Nah. Stay here little bro. I'll check on Mr. Smith" Daniel interrupted with a wink and an evil smile. The man was obviously enjoying his brother's discomfort. "You and Nicomaine's brother here have a talk. Like maybe where babies come from or something" he added with a smirk. "Maybe Dad can help" he mumbled with a cough.

"Watch it Daniel" Richard warned. Because quite frankly, he was getting really irritated with his brother.

"Or what RJ?" Daniel goaded. Both brothers stared each other down but Richard just shook his head in defeat in the end. "Just messing with you. Gaah I miss you bro" Daniel stated as he thumped his younger brother's back, none too gently.

"Arrêtez-vous, vous deux [Stop it, the two of you!]" Richard Sr. finally spoke. "Daniel, go see to Smith. If he is able, tell him and Jones to come into RJ's office. RJ and I will be waiting there with this young man" he commanded, being the strict father once more.

"We all need to talk. Because if this young man was able to follow Smith and Jones here, I'm sure it won't be for long until Smith's shooter will make his presence known."