Orange Blossom

Chapter 25

"What the hell is happening?" I yelled as I barged into my Dad's study. He was sitting down reading a book, looking like he was the most average guy in the world. He almost looked like he wasn't in charge of a Sicilian Mafia. Almost.

"Zagara, what-"

"The Mexican Cartel has my Mom!" I yelled, trying to hold my tears in.

He stared at me blankly for a while and then got up from his seat. He slowly made my way towards me then looked me in the eye.

"Do not cry," he said blankly.

"What?"

"Don't cry," he said much life strictly full of power.

I closed my eyes and tried to stop myself from crying but I could feel the tears fighting to break free.

"Is crying going to help us get your mother back?" he asked.

I opened my eyes and cursed myself once a tear ran down my cheek.

"No," I answered, whipping my year quickly.

"Come with me," he said calmly trying to hold back the anger that I could see boiling in him.

My Dad, Daniel, and I then went into one of his expensive cars and made our way to his huge factory, just a little part of his territory compared to how large his land is.

He took me to what looked like gym filled with punching bags, weights, treadmills, just everything that I have never touched in my whole life because I am a lazy fuck.

"What're we doing here?" I asked.

"If they took your mother today, it'll take them a while to drive back to Mexico, so we should use this time to prepare," he said.

"Do some stretches for 5 minutes, run 15 laps around the gym, 100 push-ups, 120 sit-ups, 50 squats, 25 lunges, 15 jumping jacks and. 30 second water break. Do some practice hits on the bags for a while then spar with Daniel for and hour and a half. Meet me outside when you're done," he said simply then walked away.

"Wait! What? We're going to get her?" I said hopefully.

"Complete your assignment. Daniel will keep keep count," he said before shutting the door behind him.

Is he freaking insane?

"What the hell? I haven't done PE in 2 years," I said looking at Daniel, still appalled by the lot of things my Dad's making me do.

"That's nothing," he said cockily, "but since you are a little chubby on the sides, I think you should start," he said blowing a whistle.

"Where'd you get that?" I asked trying to take it from him, but I missed.

"Come on!!! Stretch!" he yelled.

I gave him a mean look then started on stretching out my legs. This is going to be a long day.

~

My back fell straight for the sweaty mat. To say I was exhausted was an understatement. Daniel offered me a hand to get back up and I reluctantly took it. Once I got up he headed for my right rib with little force, but I still ended up on the floor again.

"I'm tired. Need water," I said with my throat dry.

"Sorry, Zagara. Your dad's orders," Daniel said looking sorry for me.

As if on cue, my father himself enters the room.

Daniel quickly then picks me up off the floor and stands me up.

"You have to be done by now?" my dad asked as he eyed me then Daniel then back to me.

"We are. She's ready for her next training," Daniel spoke up for me while I tried to play off how tired I was even though I was still catching my breath.

"Follow me. Here's the fun part," he said sinisterly as I followed him and Daniel behind.ac

The next huge room was a shooting range.

Now this is my kind of fun.

"This is so cool," I said wiping the sweat off my forehead as I admired the spacious room and hundreds of different types of guns on the wall.

"Here, let's start you out small," my dad said handing me a handgun.

"You've got to be kidding me?" I said to him.

"What?"

"I want to pick out my own gun," I said confidently handing him the small gun back.

"And what do you know about guns?"

I walked passed him, my eyes taking in all the different types of guns hanging on the walls and in the buckets.

"Can I try the Army Ranger?" I asked politely pointing at the rifle.

"Have you ever handled a gun?" my dad asked ignoring my question.

"When I was younger, my Tío took me to a shooting range and taught me how to hold and shoot a gun. At first I was scared, but once I shot the target on my first try... I knew I was in love," I said dramatically while Daniel rolled his eyes.

"My mom was pissed that day when I accidentally told her how much fun I had at the shooting range. She forbid me never to go there again so I just remember crying all night until the next day, she bought me water guns and Nerf guns just so I could shut up. Then on one of my friend's 12th birthday party, I was exposed to paint balling for the first time. They were closer to real guns than the toy ones so ever since then I've been paint balling," I said finishing my story.

"But this is a real gun," my father said holding the big gun in his hand.

"Like I said, I handled a real one before and I've held heavy ones," I said grabbing the gun from his hand.

"Daniel, try a couple of rounds," my dad said to him pointing to another Army Rifle.

Daniel put on some goggles and some safety headphones. He took the gun effortlessly and positioned himself to aim. Quickly, he took three shots and left the gun hanging in his hand.

He hit the nose, the shoulder, and the edge of the target.

"Try to beat him," my dad said blankly to me.

I put on my goggles and headphones before feeling my gun a little bit while I studying my target.

"Zagara, what're you doing?" Daniel chuckled.

I ignored his question and took a deep breath. I closed one eye and made my three shots.

Once I was done, I smiled proudly at my target. I got a direct hit on the target, a shot at the throat, and the forehead.

I turned around and laughed at Daniel's face.

"What the actual fuck?" He asked to himself as he took off his goggles to get a better look.

"One of my special talents," I cockily said to him as he shoved me and I shoved him back.

"I am impressed," my dad said out of no where.

I made eye contact with my dad and his eyes were once again hard to read.

"Thanks," I said back to him.

"You can practice more if you'd like, but don't stay up too late. We're leaving for Mexico early tomorrow morning," he said then walked out of the room.

"What's the plan? What're we going to-"

"I'll let you know tomorrow," he said cutting me off and shutting the door behind him.

"What did I do?" I asked myself quietly.

"He's just overwhelmed," Daniel said standing beside me suddenly, looking into my eyes once I looked back at him.

He added, "With everything."