One light illuminates the street as Gato, Limon, Pacho, and Mateo lead the way to the abandoned building. Ivory white bricks are chipped, revealing the original mixture of red on the walls. Graffiti is scattered on every inch of the structure. From an outside view alone, my stomach twists with uneasiness.

I fucking hate this.

Respect is a fine line in the cartel industry. One false swoop and everyone will flock, run, backstab as if our association meant nothing. If I'm speaking honestly, my capos wouldn't care if I live or die. They respect me because of Mateo, so in short, they really only treat me like Jefe because of him. I'm the lowest of the low. Any other individual is better than the scared, callow twenty-one-year-old.

Eeriness rolls down my spine like a coat of sweat. Bruno is distributing his portion of cocaine to Diablo's associates. Mika's minor revelation had not only enhanced my trust in her but given the upper hand to my familia. The Barrera cartel has expanded worldwide, taking the routes my brother created without a single consequence.

That's finally come to an end. 

It started with Bolivar.

Now, we are going for the head of their distributing position. It would've been a full-proof plan if it isn't for me. Every step brought my body closer to the edge, struggling to keep my composure. Mateo leads the charge. Proving once again how much of a better Jefe he would be if he were in my position.

"Remember the main objective: we either kidnap Bruno or kill him," Mateo whispers, clenching his pistol. "We can't let him get away."

Also, Bruno just so happens to be Barrera's youngest son.

Gato smirks, tapping his gun against Mateo's chest. "Leave it to me. Voy a meter mi arma tan adentro de su trasero que rogara por le muerte."

(I'm going to stick my gun so far up his ass he'll beg for death.)

Pacho rolls his eyes, knocking Gato on the backside of his head. "Concéntrate. O vas a ser tú el que muera."

(Concentrate. Or you're going to be the one who gets killed.)

We maneuver to the second level of the building, observing the drug exchange. Mateo and I establish this attack, a tactic for every possible solution. But now, standing a few feet away from my enemies, I've omitted everything. It's like my brain is wiped clean by a magic spell. While the others carry their pistols in hand, mine is still attached to my waist.

The primary mission is to do anything to get Bruno, but I don't want to be the one to pull the trigger. Diablo's associates finish loading their barrels of cocaine onto the back of the truck, supplies enough to last a few months. But it wouldn't. The haze is extreme, and we needed to use it to our advantage.

Mateo motions to transfer over to the ground floor and begin our ambush. While crouching under the box towers, Mateo pokes his head out to see Bruno's attention elsewhere. My eyes wander to the corner, catching a glimpse of a Barrera weaving his way through the row of boxes. My blood runs cold as our eyes connect. Everything grows silent as the only thing filling my ears is my increasing heart rate.

"Mierd-." The gunshot echoes in the air, and the tension is louder than glass smashing to the ground. Streaks of blood drift in our direction, inches away from grazing my shoes. My eyes flicker over to Gato, the hot head that either saved us or fucked us over.

I can't look at the dead man.

I can't look at the dead man.

Chaos hit the wall. Shouting rings in Spanish. I grit my teeth, my body shaking with the need to hibernate, disappear, escape. Barrels of bullets strike the wall, people, boxes. Besides Bruno, he brought along six cartel members, leaving us extremely outnumbered, especially by my failed attempt at fighting back.

Mateo loudly groans, clutching onto his shoulder blade as blood seeps through his fingertips. It didn't take long for the plan to get fucked up. My breaths turn shallow as my gaze pierces with a Barrera. His grin grows wider as he clocks his pistol. Instead of fighting back, I pull myself into a ball, waiting for the moment when everything goes still.

But it never comes.

Bang.

"Recoge tu culo de puta ahora mismo Asiel!" Gato's heated voice vibrates.

(Pick up your bitch-ass right now, Asiel.)

Slowly, I lift my head, flinching at the sight of red blood. My stomach churns, vomit fighting its way up my throat. The acid liquid coming up my throat is the suffering I deserve for going through with this. Gato kicks my fragile, rupture body as he fires bullets behind mine.

"Si no te levantas. Yo mismo dispararé una bala," he seethes, converting pure venom, disappointment in his voice.

(If you don't get up. I'll fire a bullet myself.)

The fear is strong enough that I have to choke it down. If I didn't push it down, there's no way I'll be making it out alive. His dark eyes dart to the ground behind me, releasing another fire of bullets. Quickly, he reloads, latching onto my hood, and drags us away. Mateo, Pacho, and Limon are taking turns beating the shit out of Bruno.

It seems even with my failed attempt at helping; we are going to succeed.

In the blink of an eye, someone lands a solid hit on my head. My visions blur for a second, and I stumble before I'm hit with another to the ribs. With labored breathing, my eyesight subsides, and I watch Gato release blow after blow at a shadowy figure. I grip onto the wall to balance myself and keep the room from spinning.

Victor Barrera's smile twists with excitement at my stumbling state. My gaze lingers on the gun, away from everyone, hidden. It's the only chance I have. Giving it my all, I charge and slam him into the wall. His body thuds against it, sinking to the floor, dazing enough for me to make my move.

My pulse rings in my ears as I crawl towards the gun. But the asshole recovers faster than lightning and swings his leg at my face. Searing pain spreads across my cheek along with the feeling of flowing liquid. My vision is hazy as I touch the painful spot on my cheekbone and pull my hand away to find my finger coated in blood.

Any upper hand I have is gone.

Using my hands to block, he repeatedly attacks, never running out of stamina. Dropping my arms, I throw a punch and hit him in his throat, causing him to heave. I grab him and shove him against the wall. My pulse pounds in my ears as I crane my arm back, staring my enemy dead in the face, and I fall apart.

A burn travels through my cracked knuckles as I punch the wall. Victor's mouth is full of blood, laughing and shaking. Without thinking, I loosen my hold and stumble back.

A crazed smile fills Victor's face. "Se supone que debemos tener miedo del gran, Asiel Morterero? Eres patético."

(We're supposed to be scared of the great Asiel Morterero? You're pathetic.)

My body trembles as I step back.

"Don't worry, Morterero. No te voy a matar." He gets to his feet, switching places with his partner. Victor kicks Gato onto his back, grabbing his arm as his sinister gaze meets mine. "No, voy a hacer algo mucho peor. Despídete de Gato, después de esto voy a matarlo."

(I will not kill you. No, I'm going to do something so much worse. Say goodbye to Gato, after this, I'm going to kill him.)

The sound of cracking bones hangs in the air as he bends it back. My stomach tightens with unease.

"Asiel!" Gato cries out, his voice shattering, close to giving up. "Help me. Fucking h-help me."

His sorrowful voice replays in my mind, Asiel spilling from his split lips, again and again. Numbness floods me. My ears ring as the voices around me disappear, only my guilt consciousness speaking up.

I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't do anything.

One second, two seconds.

Bang.

My entire body trembles and tears surge down my face. Is Gato gone? Why did I have to be such a fucking coward? When push comes to shove, I sacrifice my own people to save my humanity. What kind of fucked up person does that? Using my sleeve, I wipe the tears and wobble around to the exit.

My stomach dips, food threatening to come up as my guilt spreads like wildfire. A severe, violent one burning through its wake. My throat is closing up on me. I can't handle this. I feel like I can't grasp a breath of air.

Mika.

A voice whispers her name in my brain. It's taunting, scorning, evil, yet a bit of brightness enters from just thinking about her. I need to see her. I don't think I'll survive laying in my own bed; the nights run long.

Anything can happen.

But I couldn't argue against my own ideology. Our relationship is a blooming friendship, and right now, I needed a friend who wouldn't judge. Because I'm unleashing enough judgment on myself to last a lifetime.

My body convulses with guilt, deep-ridden guilt, burning and seeping through every single nerve. The angel on my shoulders screams to go home, receive my father's wrath and beg for forgiveness. The drive to Diablo's Paraiso couldn't be any more clear on how a fucked up idea this is. Every intersection had an accident take place, building up the traffic.

It's absurd.

I knew that.

In anyone else's gaze, Mika wouldn't be the top choice to confine in. To others, she is labeled as an escort, dirty, stripper, but they couldn't be any more mistaken. I don't blame them. Mika uses her sexual appeal to push people away, to view her as a sex doll and nothing more. It might work on older, sex-crazed men, but I wasn't going to fall for her tactics.

I want to see what's Mika about.

Tying my black mask on my face, I lock my car and walk to the entrance. It's a common routine at this point. Showcase my card to the bouncers, again to the receptionist, and directly to floor two. We haven't had any communication since our adventure to the other floors. My stomach swirls with revolt as images of people getting tortured in Mazmorra.

I scan through the room, shoving people, to catch a glimpse of her dark black hair. Fuck. It's around the time for her to be preoccupied with a client. I shouldn't have come here. What is Mika going to do to make this better? I flag the bartender for a tumbler of scotch, sighing as I unlock my phone.

Since it's underground, I've lost signal since stepping foot in here. On my drive here, it kept chiming and chiming until I turn the ringer off. Twenty-one messages from everyone and fifteen missed calls. Most of them came from my papa.

Papa- Dónde diablos estás?

En la respuesta. El. Maldita sea. Teléfono. Ahora!

Hiciste que mataran a Gato? Por qué eres tan patético?

(Where the hell are you?

Answer. The. Damn. Phone. Now!

Did you get Gato fucking killed? Why are you so pathetic?)

My heart races, hands trembling as my phone tumbles onto the bar. It's confirmed? Gato is dead? It was obvious. Why was I clinging onto a string of hope? Gato is a warrior. He's always got himself out of sticky situations. Now, he's just a corpse.

Because of me.

Anxiety fills my body as I grasp the tumbler, the scotch swooshing along with my shaking hand. My brain buzzes with fear, guilt, and angst as the scene replays in my head. I turn my back on him. On my cartel family. It should've been me. My breath catches in my throat. Oxygen evaporates, and I grip the steel bar, failing to gain composure. Sweat coats the nape of my neck as my vision blurs, focusing and unfocusing with every second.

"Hey, Muneco!" Her soothing, tender, elegant voice cracks the ringing in my ears, coming off muffle as if she was miles away. In reality, she's standing next to me, draping her arm over my shoulder. "Asiel?" Mika hooks her finger under my chin, bringing my face to meet hers. "Are you okay? Just breathe, Muneco. Focus on breathing."

"I-I c-can't," my voice cracks, my throat extremely dry.

Concerns wash over her siren eyes, standing so close her breaths blow on my nose. My heart palpitates, feeling detached from my body as air fails to enter my body. What is happening to me? Is this Gato's revenge? So I can follow him to the grave? 

"Focus on me. Okay, Asiel?" She asks her wavering, worried eyes piercing through mine. I nod. "Let's go to my room. This scenery isn't doing anything, but making it worse."

Poor Asiel! I'm not if he can handle the pressure that comes with being Jefe... How do you think Asiel is going to get through this? Also isn't so sweet how he runs to Mika straightaway if only Mika didn't have ulterior motives 😜... Don't worry tho guys everything will start falling into place too! I'm not sure if we are all ready for it!! Don't be shy and tell me what you think! I love reading your comments!

Love you guys! ❤️

Thank you for checking out my story, voting and leaving comments!! Every single thing means the world to me!