Aragua Must Fall

Whispers of Trust

Micah’s heart raced wild in her chest as Xavier sped through the streets like a man possessed.

The siren wailed loud above the roar of the engine and every red light blurred past without a stop. She gripped the door handle tight with her knuckles white and her mind spinning with fear for David and the reckless speed that made her stomach twist.

They screeched to a halt outside the hospital emergency entrance.

Micah bolted out first before the car even fully stopped. Xavier followed right behind her without bothering to shut the door or kill the siren.

Inside the bright sterile lobby she scanned the waiting area frantic until her eyes landed on David sitting on a bench with his left arm bandaged and slung close to his chest.

Relief flooded Micah like a wave.David looked tired with shadows under his eyes but not as bad as Xavier had imagined. There was no blood nor tubes, just a man who had fought and won again. Xavier let out a breath he had been holding and his tense shoulders dropped a little. He was happy too though he hid it better.

Micah ran to David and threw her arms around his neck careful of his arm. “Oh God David I missed you so much I was so scared something terrible happened to you.” Her voice broke as she buried her face in his shoulder.

David held her with his good arm and pulled her close. “I’m okay Micah. Just a cut. Nothing I can’t handle.”

Xavier stood back with a small smile playing on his lips. In his mind he thought how deeply Micah had fallen for David. The way she clung to him like he was her lifeline. But he wondered if David even noticed or if he could ever let someone in again.

Xavier knew how much David had loved Carolina. The man had built walls after losing her. This could end with Micah’s heart in pieces.

They moved to a quiet corner away from the nurses and patients. David sat back down with Micah beside him holding his hand. Xavier pulled up a chair facing them.

“What happened this time?” Xavier asked leaning forward. “You said two more. Pleas give me details Wick. We need to map this.”

David’s voice was steady like always. “First one came through the window at 0117. Tracker type silent entry. Knife fight. I snapped his neck. Second kicked the door in at 0234. Strangler with a wire garrote but armed heavy. We traded shots across the room then hand-to-hand. Knife to the chest. Both dead but still no IDs just burners and my photo.”

Xavier rubbed his chin. “Coordinated but separate. Not Aragua street crew. These feel like pros. Ex-military maybe Venezuelan special forces. The timing an hour apart suggests they didn’t know each other. Could be a cell structure to avoid compromise.”

David nodded. “That’s what I thought. Independent operators. Hired guns. Someone’s paying big to keep distance.”

Micah squeezed David’s hand tighter. “Who? Ramirez is dead. Who else knows you’re here?”

Xavier glanced at her then back to David. “That’s the question. We’ve got Lena pulling threads on the syndicate’s comms. If it’s Vargas pulling strings from Venezuela he’s got reach. Deep pockets. Could be routing through cutouts. We need to check flight manifests recent arrivals from South America. Cross-reference with known merc profiles.”

David’s eyes hardened. “Do it. And run facial rec on the bodies. If they’re in the database we get a lead.”

Xavier pulled out his phone. “On it. I’ll loop in Riley for the forensics push. Marcus can handle the immigration data pull. We’ll convene at the office by 1400. This isn’t random Wick. They’re escalating. We need to preempt the next hit.”

Micah looked between them. “What about me? If they think I know something…”

David turned to her. “You stay close. We’ll figure it out.”

Xavier nodded. “He’s right. For now you’re secure. But we watch everything.”

.

Xavier called Lena on the drive back to his apartment. “It’s me. What was the call about? We’re rolling back now.”

Lena’s voice came through the speaker tight. “Not over the phone. Meet me privately. Beach side the usual spot. Be there in one hour time from now.”

Xavier glanced at David in the rearview. “You sure?”

“Yeah. Just you. It’s sensitive please.”

The line clicked dead. David raised an eyebrow. “She sounds off.”

Xavier shrugged. “Lena’s always off. But she’s good. I’ll handle it.”

Back at the apartment Micah went to rest while David and Xavier talked low in the kitchen.

“She’s safe here right?” David asked.

Xavier poured coffee. “My place is wired top to bottom. Cameras motion sensors silent alarms tied to the field office. If they come we’ll know before they knock.”

David nodded. “Good. But I’m not leaving her exposed. I’ll stay close.”

Xavier sipped his coffee. “You trust me with her?”

David met his eyes. “With my life.”

Xavier smiled faint. “Then go handle your business. I’ve got this.”

.

Xavier met Lena at the beach, waves crashing sand empty under gray skies. She sat on a bench hands clasped tight in her lap, her eyes darting like she expected strangers to move.

“What’s going on?” Xavier asked sitting beside her.

Lena took a breath. “It’s Javier Cruz. The recruiter. He’s bad Xavier. I now believe he is worse than we thought. He’s not just grabbing runaways. He’s got networks in orphanages paying off staff to hand over kids. He funnels them straight to the trade routes. And the things he does… he tests them first. Breaks them. I’ve seen the files, even videos. It’s sick.”

Xavier’s face hardened. “We knew he was dirty. But this level?”

Lena leaned in. “He’s connected to the hits on David too. Indirectly. I think so. He supplies the muscle for cleanups. If we take him down we cut Aragua’s legs out from under them. I don’t think there will be any more fresh product with him gone. And definitely no more kids vanishing.”

Xavier’s eyes narrowed. “You want to go after him? Now?”

She nodded. “Yes. But leave David out. He’s already got eyes on him. One wrong move and he’s exposed. The brass is watching so we have to do this quiet. Surgical.”

Xavier thought hard. *Why cut David out? He’s the best we’ve got.*

Lena saw the doubt. “Look David’s in trouble. Those attacks? They’re escalating because he’s visible. We protect him by handling this ourselves. Let him focus on his daughter.”

Xavier exhaled because what she said made sense. David had enough on his plate.

“Okay,” he said. “We’ll do it your way. But we bring in Marcus and Riley. Just the small team and keep this off-books.”

Lena’s shoulders relaxed a fraction. “Good. They’ll listen to you.”

Inside she breathed easier. *They’re buying it. Javier goes down I’m clear. And there will be no more loose ends.*

Xavier stood. “Let’s move.”

.

Back at the apartment Xavier filled David in on the basics while omitting Lena’s full pitch.

“She’s got a lead on a recruiter,” Xavier said. “We’re handling it. You stay here with Micah.”

David nodded slow. “You sure?”

“Yeah. We got this.”

Micah watched from the doorway smiling faint. They were trusting each other like family.

Little did they know.