A Gypsy Oath

Heaven or hell

Bo-

It’s late afternoon when I wake up, Laila is wrapped around me and I swear I died and went to heaven, till I hear the knock on the door. I get up and grab my discarded shorts from the floor and get them on while I make my way to the door. When I open the door to two detectives I take a state of shock. The detective who is closed to the door starts things off.

“Good afternoon sir, are you Mr. Robert DeClare?”

“I am, how can I help you ???”

“Detective Stevens and this is my partner in crime detective Wang. Do you have so time to speak to us in private sir?”

“Umm ya come in I’ll grab a shirt real fast”

I show the two detectives to the sitting area and close the doors to the bedroom as I grab a shirt. When I return the first detective pulls out a file folder and lays it on the coffee table.

“Would either of you like a drink before we start?”

I ask figuring I might as well be nice. They both decline as I make a cup of coffee that I hate but I need something to help me focus right now.

“Mr. DeClare we know who and what you are, we also know who your wife is and who her father is”

“Good for you, no body was hiding from you’s, sorry we for got our gypsy door sign at home.”

“ We have nothing against the Community, however Mark James is another issue all together.”

“Well at least we can agree on that, since you know so much about my people’s Community would you be so inclined to share which branch of law enforcement your with?”

“I’m with the FBI and Wang is what we call a cross agent he was FBI before joining the special task force unit with the DEA and ATF”

“Well that is something”

I full on s**t myself in fear, an FBI agent and a special agent for the DEA and ATF is sitting here talking bullshit with me like we are Goddamn buddy’s. Gypsy’s and Law enforcement is about as good of friends as the Mob and law enforcement.

“Yes it is, Mr. DeClare we know it’s is odd to have agents such as us approach you, especially in a case where we need you and your peoples help”

“I’m sorry your gonna have to repeat that did you just say you need me and my peoples help?”

“Yes sir I did”

“Well hot s**t that’s different, I’m going to need you to hold that thought to and call my father and father in law before this goes any further. I’ll put them on speaker phone and you can run everything by the three of us”

I pull my phone out and call my father first and in the Roma I tell him who’s sitting with me he threw way calls Don in and does the same and I put them on speaker phone.

“Go a head gentlemen with what you was saying”

“Well Mr. DeClare as we where saying Mark James is in a lot of trouble, you see for some time now he has been in a lot of shady dealing”

“Who hasn’t in there life time?”

Special agent Wang speaks up now

“No sir your not understanding is, this isn’t the normal even for your people. Your people don’t sell drugs to kids and they don’t kidnap people and sell them into human trafficking. When the family turned on Mr. James about six month latter he became involved with a loan shark, he was in deep with him because he had been cut off from family funds. The loan shark, an half Turk/ half Italian. He knew who Mr James was and seen this as a chance to get in with the gypsy’s. Coming from the Turks you can see where he blues the lines”

“But we Roma, Gypsy’s, and traveler people don’t get involved with the Turks, and they know that. There is no crossing the lines.”

“And that sir is why we are here, we know your people play by rules and there are rules that do not get broke, and for good reasons. The Turk on the other hand thinks the lines can be blurred. The reason Mr James is after his sister is because the Turk feels that if he can clam her as his wife then the line blurs and is cross-able.”

“I’m sorry I don’t think any of us heard that right, did you just tell me that Mark has made a deal with a Turk for my wife?”

“Yes sir I did, it was made six weeks ago”

Before I can even find words to spit out in a incoherent way, Don loses his s**t he start screaming for Rhett and Perry when Lailas two other brothers come into the room he demands they go get Kathy and hold her in chambers till either Mark or her uncle comes to claim her. Either way this is the starting sod a war. The last war amongst the Gypsy sent boat loads to America. My father has yet to comment on any thing, he has always kept a cool head and listened to everything there is to be said and at the very end, when everyone else has talked then he makes his comments. Special agent Wang speaks up

“Mr James, it has come to our attention that your son is being exiled from under your umbrella. It would help us a great deal if you did not alert him to what is going on and the information we are sharing with you. We are hoping that with your exiling him from everything he knows, he will panic and do something stupid and we can bust the trafficking ring.”

Don tells his sons to stop and he voice turn lethal.

“You want me to put my only daughter, my youngest child’s well fair on the line. All so you two can make a few arrest?”

“Sir it’s not like that”

“Your right it’s not because from this moment on my daughter will be under the best protection our people have. You want your arrest I would make it soon because I do not play games when it comes to my baby’s well being”

My father clears his throat and my ears perk up.

“Don, Laila is with Bo, Landon and Lucas. I can speak firmly only about my son but I can tell you this, it would take one hell of an army to get threw Bo. I think it’s also safe to say Landon and Lucas is more then a little over protective of their sister. So I believe the best plan of action is for everyone to go about their normal lives, fool the enemy into a false sense of safety. I will send men and woman guards down to watch every move from afar, Mark won’t notice any of them. If he gets any kind of advantage they will take him down by any means, but he won’t. If he thinks no one is none the wiser, there is a better chance of him doing something stupid. Correct me if I’m wrong officers but if he brakes a protection order, he will be arrested again. If the kids press charges as they have already planned to he will be in a mess there?”

“Yes sir that’s correct”

“Yes well while he’s in a pickle there, the Turk will be putting the pressure on for Laila. You see where I’m going here? Everything will be rushed and pushed. That’s how mistakes happen, that’s how people get caught and get in trouble. Really it’s the perfect plan, let the villains start back bitting each other and see how far they get.”

Out of no where Lailas voice rings out.

“Monty is right, if we want everything to fall apart, we are best to stay on the course we are on. If he thinks we don’t know what is going on, then he still thinks he has a good hand on this card game.”

Don isn’t happy and neither am I

“Laila baby this isn’t a game, it’s your safety. Our father and I just want to protect you and roaming theme parks and acting like life is normal is not a good plan.”

“Bo, are you telling me that you couldn’t protect me. That ever looks with my two brothers and who knows how many guards your dad is sending, that even with all that you couldn’t keep me safe?”

“I didn’t say that”

“Then it’s settled, we stay and have fun and these two can do what ever they do. Everything will be fine”

Before I can pause Don speaks up

“Laila this isn’t a joke, or one of your antics. This is a serious matter.”

“Yes daddy I know, but you see I like mom am smarter then all of yous and I think this plan will work and for the best”

She reaches over and presses the end button on my phone. I look at her in full shock because I have no freaking idea what’s going on anymore. I just got b***h smacked into my chair by my wife. Mr Wang snaps me out of my shock tho when he starts talking to Laila. We do not involve our woman in shady dealings or put them at any risk. Yet here Laila pulling up a chair and taking a seat.

“Mrs DeClare we understand if you have any questions or fears and we would be more then happy to answer them for you. We will also be putting a detail on you for security reason.”

“Do what you like but by tonight my two other brothers will be here and they will bring a lot of my family’s guard add Montys men and Mark will for sure need a full scale Military snd the will only get him a few steps in the area I am. Mark is not as bright as your giving him, he’s a loser with issues with losing he’s always been this way sadly. I have the best protection in the world with my husband”

“Laila, this is a Turk we are dealing. This isn’t someone who is going to listen to reason or be negotiated with. Your brother is in over his head, human trafficking is not something you just stumble into, for Christ sake Laila these people sell and trade people in the cruelest way there is.”

“I understand that Bo, believe it or not I’m not stupid. They have to be dealt with, I don’t think freaking out and going in guns blazing is a good idea. I think the sneak attach and helping the police for a change might be better”

“Darlin thinking is above your pay grade”

I know being a smart mouth prick to Laila is a very bad idea, especially right now. I just would rather her let me take her home to the ranch. We have gates and security that rivals Fort Knox. I know she won’t go willingly, even if I begged. She is as head strong as any of us men, only she has more will power to out last me in a battle of wills.

“What did you just say to me?”

“Oh you heard me”

“Is that right, well maybe I should go some where that my pay grade is valued more. Like home in New York”

“Over my dead body”

“I can make that happen”

“I have no doubt you think you can, however we are going home to the ranch”

“I’m not going across the street with you.”

“You’ll go or I’ll take you either way your going where it’s most safe.”

“You can try all you want but I’m not going one inch further with you. Pay grade and all, you understand”

“Laila now is not the time to be pig headed”

“That’s rich coming from you”

She spins on her heels and goes into the bedroom. I stupidly think it’s to brew on things but fifteen minutes latter she comes out in a yoga set, sneakers and a pony tail. As I continue to talk to the two agent about what is the best vs worst out comes, what role they will play in security and things such as that, a knock comes to the door. Laila walks over opens it and when I hear it click and she doesn’t return to the living space of the bungalow my heart sinks and panic sets in.

Laila-

When I woke up I heard my fathers voice booming threw the bungalow, screaming for my brother Rhett and Perry. I knew something wasn’t right so I wrapped myself in the sheet and did what I do best, I minded my own business in a very convenient spot to over hear everything. It’s Bo’s father who makes the most sense, if all the bad guys think we are living life like normal and that we are none the wiser, they will continue with there evil master mind plot for world domination. It’s like every other illegal thing anyone does, you don’t tell the mark what your going to do to them and how, then hit. No you plot and deceive, you let them think everything is good then when they least expect it you hit. I finally return to the bedroom and find one of Bo’s shirts and a pair of underwear, then I stomp out and tell Bo that I agree with his dad, seeing how things whole thing revolves around me, I think I sound have some say. Bo is pisses and it’s clearly written all over his face that he is pissed. Deep down I know he means well, I know he just wants to protect me and keep me safe, but he doesn’t have to be such a jerk about it. The pay grade remark really pisses me off then when he tells me I can’t go back to the city but can go where he wants me, my temper boils over. I go TJ the bedroom and text Lucas,

“ run in ten?”

“Sure, we will be ready to race in five”

“Give me fifteen”

I grab a yoga set and runners. On my way to the bathroom I hear Bo asking details of how deep is Mark, how big is the Turks inner circle. He is trying to figure out attack plans, find the safest place to go and the quickest way to end this. I’m ready just in time when the knock comes to the door. I walk every so calmly to it and right out to my brother and best friend. When we started running together it was to train for the New York City Marathon one year, however training turned into racing each other really quick. Now it’s a daily thing almost, only I have been out of the race for a few weeks. Before the door even closes behind me Avery says “ready,set,go” and we peel off across the sand of the bungalows and down a path that leads all the way around the giant lake that sits in front of magic kingdom. Lucas is the fastest of the three of us but he keeps pace with Avery. I put all my anger and frustration into my run. We are about half way around the lake when Lucas tells me to stop for a minute. When I stop I notice Avery is a more then a little bit behind me and trying to catch up, my brother hands me his phone that I didn’t notice was in his hand.

“It’s Bo, Lala”

My brother only calls me Lala when he wants to soften me up, when we was kids he hated my name and said Lala was better. I take the phone off him and hang it up. Before I can hand it back to him Bo’s number pops up as it starts to ring. I reject the call but almost instantly the phone starts ringing again. My brother glares at me and I know soon he is going to start not only asking questions but also he’s going to flip out. I can feel him getting upset with me, so I answer the phone and start to walk ahead.

“What Bo, what do you want now boss”

“I want you to come back to this room right now”

“Ya well people in hell want ice water, you don’t see that happening tho do ya”

“Now is not the time for you to act like such a child”

“Oh I’m acting like a child, have you heard yourself?”

“What part of your safety isn’t clicking up top Darlin, this isn’t a joke, you just can’t run off like this”

“I’m not alone I’m with my brother and his girlfriend in a very public place. It’s not like some one can just drive up to me and grab me”

Just as I say this I hear Lucas scream my name. When I turn to see what he is screaming for, I see a flash of white out of the corner of my eye and then everything goes dark.

Bo-

“Laila, Laila, hello”

The last thing I heard was Lucas scream Lailas name then tires screeching. Panic mixes with my adrenaline and I’m out the door before I can think about anything else. Agent Wang is in the lobby of the hotel when I come in. When he makes eye contact with me he knows something isn’t right. He quickly makes it across the lobby full of families on vacation

“Mr. DeClare, is everything ok?”

“No I can’t find Laila, she was on the phone but something happened”

“It’s ok Mr. DeClare we will find her, we have agents threw out the grounds and security has been brought up to speed so we will get on the radio and get eyes on her and get her back here safely”

It takes Wang all of five minutes to be told where Laila is. When his face turns to worry, my fear level spikes to new unknown places. A female voice comes across his radio “we have line of sight but we are going to need a ems at the road way entry to magnolias golf”

“What’s the quickest way to get there? What the hell happen?”

I call back to Lucas phone but no answer I keep calling and calling and all I get is voice mail. After ten minutes a golf cart comes pulling up and wang tells me it’s going to take me to Laila. I jump on the cart and we go as fast as it will take us, which right now isn’t fast enough. When we jump a small curb and head threw the golf course I wonder where we are going. All to soon I find out, we come up on Lucas, Avery and two ems workers all huddled together. I rush over but Lucas grabs me and pushes me back. For a guy half my size he is stronger then he looks, when I struggle against his hold to keep me back it’s no good. When I take a swing at him, he ducks it then punch’s me right between my eyes. As I see stars, I hear Laila scream at Lucas.

“Jesus Christ, Lucas why”

“He threw the first punch, I was just trying to keep him back till they was finish wrapping your ankle.”

“Laila, I’m gonna kill your brother” I shake my head and try to clear my blurred vision, I make a grab for him but he ducks out of my reach. Laila is in between us, swatting my hand down .

“No your not, will you stop that, your not going to catch him trust me”

An ems worker comes over to me “sir are you alright”

I give a nod “yes, ma’am I’m good”

When my vision finally clears Lucas smiles at me, and I flip him off. His reply of “awe I love you to boo boo” would normally crack me up but I’m not focused on him any longer. I focus on Laila and notice her ankle is wrapped.

“What happen”

“Some drunks on a golf cart lost control and slide on the grass but Lucas warned me and I jumped it but got caught on the clubs but they came with me and didn’t drag me”

“What do you mean jumped it?”

“I mean I jumped it, I have been doing cross fit for the past few years, all three of us do it. I have a hard core, core man”

“Jesus Laila, your gonna be the death of me if you don’t stop it. I near took heart failure when they called for a ems”

“I went for a run I didn’t go out looking to get hurt”

“I know that, and normally I wouldn’t care what you did, and it wouldn’t much bother me if you got hurt, but this is not a normal time. There are people who want to hurt you, that are gunning for you. I can only protect you if you allow it Laila.”

“Did it ever dawn on you that maybe I don’t need as much protecting as everyone things I do? Did it ever cross your mind to just have a life with me and see if I can handle myself. Ya know I remember a few months back you talking to me about having a life with me, and how things would be with us but I guess that was Bobby and I’m married to Bo.”

“Oh don’t even try to pull that with me right now, turks can’t be trusted and you know that. They have no code, you know how bad they get. Me wanting to protect my wife isn’t a bad thing Laila, that’s my job now as your husband is to protect you from harm. I get you can handle yourself but there is a limit, that’s when I get to be involved and do my freaking job”

“What ever Bo, you want me to sit in the hotel room and watch tv, fine. You want to take me back to Texas and lock me away in a cage like I’m a pet, fine. I don’t even care any more.”

“That’s not what I want, I don’t want any of this to be taking place. I want to be able to enjoy our time here. This is the last thing I want, but it is happening. There are real dangers coming for you, what would you have me do Laila? Would you be happier if I didn’t care, if I didn’t want to protect you, if I didn’t love you and care about you so damn much?”

“I just want to be normal”

“Well your not, and I’m not, and we’re not, and we won’t ever be. So I don’t know what to tell you, however I know your brother wants to ha d you over to some Turk to do what ever with you save his own ass. I know your my wife and to me that’s valuable, your valuable in so many ways to me. I’m scared Laila cause I don’t know what is coming g or where it is coming from, this battle has to be fought in the dark. Stuns like this doesn’t make it easier”

“I know all this and I want to fight with you, I don’t want to be locked in a tower and told “pretty girls don’t battle” you said we would make our own rules, that we would do things our way, not theirs. Yet at the first sight of something being off, with one phone call, things are done there way. You never talked to me about what to do, you didn’t make the plan with me, you made the plan, ran it by our fathers, and then told me my roll in it”

Well when she says it out load like that, it seems kind of pushy and bossy. I feel like total s**t, I want her happy and safe. I don’t know what to do with all this. I don’t know how to swim in these deep dark waters I’m in for the first time. I called my elders, I went to the for advice and guidance because I’m as green as they come and don’t know what I’m doing. I’m so confused.

Laila-

All I did was roll my ankle. It’s nothing bad, the ems is total over kill. As the doctor person wraps my ankle to send me on my way, Bo doesn’t wait for the golf cart to stop, he jumps off and jogs over to the circle that has formed over me. Lucas tried to get him to stay back and not freak in front of the emergency services for fear they would out in a report that he has a temper, but by the time they are done Bo’s gets punched between his eyes. As quickly as I can I jump up and try to brake it up . I get that Bo is upset, I understand the threat, I also think I’m not as stupid as he treats me. When it all seems to be coming TJ a closing Bo sinks into the curb takes his hat off and runs his fingers threw his hair and then looks at me and serenaded.

“You win Darlin, where do you want to stay?”

“In the long run Texas, but for right now I want to go back take a shower and go have fun at universal. I just want to go on about our life, leave all the s**t still in the corner of the room by it self and see what it does before we jump and start plotting war game”

“Let’s get back and we will sit down and talk out the details”

“Sounds like a plan”

It’s Avery that brakes the ice and battle of wills when we hear her tell Lucas

“She’s so going to play the p card on him, he can’t win against the p card. It’s all guys crypto night. I feel half sorry for him cause he thinks he has a chance and he don’t”

Lucas gags and chokes on air

“Sorry I was just trying really hard not to think about that”

As we head toward the hotel golf cart that has offered us a ride back to the hotel Bo notices I’m hobbling, he slows his pace to match mine, and then he scoops me up into his arm’s and carry’s my to the cart. I sit on his lap in the golf cart because that’s where I was placed even tho there is three rows of seats. I don’t mind tho.