Belonging Season

Chapter-3.1: When the past comes crashing down

ALICE POVE 

Two days later

Houston spoke to the Chief about the operation. It wasn't really easy to convince the man but Houston isn't the guy who backs off without a damn fight. Koa and John too spoke on behalf of me and asked me to stay the hell away from his cabin which I gladly obeyed. I went on with my usual duty and other small meetings while they did the talking the whole day and finally, reluctantly, yet finally Jorge agreed. We all thought the operation is going to get cancelled but Jorge already had a man up his sleeve. Apparently, he was doubtful that I might accept or not and kept a second option.

I didn't care to ask who's the man up for it. I only heard the news that he's out of the country at the moment for a case and the operation will start once he comes back. I didn't care to know more. The less I know about the operation, the better. Houston, Koa and John and tried their best to keep me busy these two days, free from my thoughts and it did work since I've got friends who are really stupid and idiotic in everything else but fighting and shooting.

Tonight's a movie night for Toy Story 4. I might be 28-year woman and so are my friends, except Houston who's 32 and John 31 but these films are real. We've grown up by watching them and also, no one's ever too old to watch cartoons and animation movies.

Today's been one of those days where you've got less crimes to attend and spend a little extra time at the cafeteria. We got a high school case in the evening where we had to arrest a student for distributing cocaine among the students. We made sure to check everyone before leaving the school campus and got only one culprit. He had a bunch of them in his school bag and some at his place which we seized and brought him under the custody before the media could pop up.

'This heartbeat bill is f*****g up my brain' Said Koa, setting down the newspaper with frustration.

'Why darling, are you pregnant?' Asked John. Koa smacked him on the shoulder and continued eating his lunch.

'One of the many reasons why I won't get out of New York' I said, not lifting my head up from the Rubik's in my hands.

'I think it'll be passed here too, it's just a matter of few years' Koa said.

'No way. That will never happen' Argued Houston.

'I agree with ya' I replied.

'So, do I. If it was Hilary instead of Trump, abortion would've been legal and this stupid bill wouldn't have passed in Texas.' John said.

'No s**t, Sherlock,' I replied. 'It's stupid really. Abortion should be avoided, not abandoned. These rules are total bullshit. r**e and incest don't matter? The f**k? It's real shitty how men rule us after all these centuries.'

'r**e and incest do matter; you need a signed s**t from the police' Koa interjected.

'And you think that's easy?' I looked at him ridiculously. 'What if the victim is poor and the r****t is rich? Would she get the paper signed from the Cops?'

He didn't answer.

'Girls need to be tough and kick the guys in their shins. We gotta mold ourselves into weapons. There's no savior popping up from my sky to save, we need to save ourselves' I continued.

After lunch break, the rest of the day went in paper works. Lots of paper works on the evidences and cases on arms and drugs. Our main priority is drugs at the moment, it's been drastically increasing from past months and the arms smuggled are nothing compared to them. Other teams are up for it and they have a lot of free time than us.

Chief Jorge made us pay for not taking up the operation and the paper works did't just stop, and its already half past 6 and the movie's at 8.

My spine is throbbing and so are my arms. When Chief Jorge left his cabin around 6:45, (narrowing his gaze at me as he passed us all) we waited calmly till his car left the area before all four of us started shuffling, throwing all the papers and documents in the shelves and packing our s**t.

'You are supposed to finish it!' Said the Chief's assistant, Natalie.

'We'll do it tomorrow, I promise' I chirped and took my keys.

'Yeah, it'll be over tomorrow' Said John and the other nodded before we left the office together and parted our ways to our respective vehicles and leaving for our house.

The time is perfect for me to have a shower, dress up and leave but when I reached my floor, a loud scream that came from the neighboring apartment made me sprint towards it without seconds thoughts. It was Anna's scream.

I slammed the door open and what I saw caused me to curl my palms in fist and grind my teeth. A man naked up his waist, with a belt in his hand stood towering over a naked Anna who was sitting on the cold floor with her arms around her naked body. She's crying and they were sharp lashes on her arms which were glistening with blood.

'You get the f**k outta my house, unless you need the whuppin' too' The man whom I didn't concentrate much on as I was looking at Anna, threatened me. I stared at him and I saw his eyes drifting to my holster. He gulped in fear but I didn't buy it.

I ran for him, jumping in the air, seeing his eyes widen as big as sausage as he tilted his head to look up at me. A hard punch came down to his nose and he broke down on the floor instantly. I expected him to be passed out but he was crying in pain, clutching his bleeding broken nose.

I kicked him in the balls before taking up the belt that had slipped out of his hand. I started whuppin' him, imagining the worst way he would've done it to Anna, who still sat their curled up and crying. The man screamed in agony for every hit and his bare upper body started to bleed.

'Good to taste your own blood, right, nigga?' I spat on his ugly face and kept lashing out without any remorse.

'Stop it! Stop it!' I heard Anna scream.

'You came to f**k her mother, you do it and leave. Don't you know it's against the law to raise a hand on a young lady or a woman of any age? And who the f**k are you? Her father? Even her father will be put behind the bars if he assaults her daughter this way!' I shouted on his face and dropped the belt, it's metal clanking on the floor.

Removing the gun from my holster, I sat down and aimed it to his forehead. He screamed louder in fear as he stared at the pistol with wide eyes.

'You touch that little girl again, I will castrate you, peel your black skin off your body and then put a bullet in your head, do you hear?' I threatened calmly. 'Do you hear me?'

He nodded furiously, not able to make up a reasonable sentence.

'I must never ever see you here again, do you understand me?' I seethed.

He nodded again.

'Now, out!'

He tried to get up but couldn't. He cried out in pain, clutched his arms, stomach, balls, everything altogether making me realize how badly I beat the s**t out of him, but it didn't move my heart. Instead I want to beat him more when I look at Anna. I let him whimpering on the floor and went to Anna.

She didn't hesitate and wrapped her hands around my shoulder. I took a towel from the couch and put it on her bare back before leaving the house.

I opened my door and locked it behind. Anna was still crying in my arms.

'It's okay. I'm here now, I'm here, baby' I placed her on the couch and quickly went to my room to get the spare clothes she usually keeps here and a first aid kit from the bathroom.

I kneeled down to her and helped her with her clothes. Thankfully, I was on time and the bastard was able to give her only two lashes on her left arm. They were bleeding and she cried the entire time I cleaned and dressed them.

Being an Agent comes with perks and we are taught about self-treating ourselves at difficult situations. We know a little above the basic knowledge of first aid and one look at her arm I know the cuts ain't deep but she won't be able to lift her hand for a week or so.

'It hurts, Alice,' She whimpered, looking at her banded arm. 'I can't lift my arm.' She started to cry all over again.

'It's a wound, Anna. It will hurt but it will not last. You got to be strong, okay?' I pushed her hair back and cupped her face in my hand. She nodded.

'C'mon, wash your face, we're going to movies, that is if you want or we can stay at home and watch cartoons' I said.

She tucked a strand behind her ear and licked her dry lips in a nervous way before looking up at me in her lashes.

'What movie?' Came out her small voice.

I grinned at her.

'Toy Story 4' I replied.

She grinned back at me and in spite of tear-stained cheeks, bloodshot eyes, she looked beautiful to me.

'C'mon freshen up' I said. She hoped off the couch and ran to the only bathroom that's situated in my bedroom.

I got up on my feet, opened the main door and looked out to the open door of Joyce's apartment. The guy isn't on the floor as I expected him to be. Taking out my gun from the holster, I closed the door behind and walked towards the apartment. The door is wide open, just the way I left it. Keeping the gun pointing in front of me, I walked inside the house and there was no one. I was so engrossed in beating the man that I didn't see that the house is flipped upside down. The cupboards are fallen on the ground, the mattress of the bed is ripped open, they were papers and clothes everywhere. Joyce's got one of hell of a cleaning work to do when she comes home.

A roar of engine came from the open window. I quickly walked towards the window and saw a bike and a car. The man whom I beat the life out is being supported by two men and taken into the car. Once they were all in, the bike and the car speed off into the lonely road. I looked at the name plate of the car before leaving the apartment.

***

'Why did that man hit you, Anna?' I asked once we reached the theater.

'I don't know. I was studying and the door opened. I think he did that hairpin trick you usually do, because I remember very well locking the door. He asked for mama and when I said she's not here, he started to search her closet and the whole house. I tried to escape but he didn't let me and then afterwards he tore my clothes and hit me.'

I felt hot anger at the mention of him ripping her clothes off her.

'Why didn't you do anything?' I grunted. 'I thought you some self-defense and what happened to the pepper spray?'

'He started hitting me because I used the pepper spray'

Jesus Christ!

'Where's your mother?' I asked.

'I don't know, but she's right, Alice. Mama says I should die, we both should die' She said softly and I didn't dare to push the matter any further.

The theater was crowded and I held Anna close by me as I searched for my friends. I called them on the way and asked them to buy an extra ticket for Anna.

I saw them near the food counter, talking and laughing about something amusing.

'You're are never late to movies' Said Koa once I reached them and all of them looked down at Anna with the same expression on their faces.

's**t. Don't tell me her mother did that to her' John kneeled down and examined her arm.

'No, one of her f**k buddies. She wasn't at her home'

'Bet she wouldn't have done anything even if she was there' Said Houston.

'Doesn't matter now. Two lashes were the farthest number he could go. I was there at the right time'

'Thankfully' Said John and stood up with Anna in his arms. For a ten-year old girl, Anna is short and tiny and that's mainly because her mother doesn't feed her well.

We walked inside the theatre room and Anna sat with John and Koa towards my right while Houston towards my left.

In some or the way Anna seems to be easier with John than with me. John loves the little girl so much that sometimes (most of the times) when her mother doesn't make it home and I'm working late night, he asks his wife to pick her up and she stays the night at his place.

Joyce doesn't care where her daughter is but she always knew that she's with me and no one else and I keep it that way because I don't think it'll sit well if she comes to know that Anna visits John's place and goes on well with his family.

I've seen so many cases of bad mothers and motherhood that Joyce doesn't surprise me much. It's the usual but I can't help but wonder how can she do this to her own daughter. 

When I bought that apartment 6 years ago, Anna was just four years old. I use to hear her mother shouting and yelling how much of a mistake Anna is and that she shouldn't be alive. Anna who barely understood anything, only cried. I never interfered in their business for few months until Anna was sitting outside her home, crying while her mother was f*****g some asshole inside. I took her in, made her eat and sleep at my place.

A little love and affection can bring about a great difference they say and that's what happened with me and Anna. She became my regular visitor, a friend and a company to me. Also, she was a distraction from my own thoughts.

I heard Anna laugh and I turned to see her being tickled by John, the movie clearly not capturing her attention. They were mostly families and kids and John narrowed his eyes at a fat boy who kept looking at him and the movie, wondering what a big bulky man like him doing here.

We were having real good time in watching the movie until the interval.

Koa and I went to buy popcorns and coke while Houston and John stayed back with Anna.

My phone rung and I took it out to see it was none other than Jessy, from the intelligence department. I groaned loudly, not caring that the popcorn guy who was flirting with me gave a weird look. Unlike his job, I've got dirty places to visit and hit rowdies and assholes at uncalled times.

'Pick it up. Don't want our asses to be kicked, Jorge's already pissed at us, specially at you.' Koa said.

'Yeah, I know. You get the popcorns; I'll be right back' I said and went to attend the call.

'I've successfully managed to go through till the interval. Pity me, please,' I said as soon as I picked up the call 'Until it's too very important'

'Downtown, low land street, La De Cruz' She said, ignoring whatever I said earlier.

'Jessy I'm in the theatre with Anna for Christ sake, send another team, will ya? And don't tell me they are busy; I know Jorge is doing this to us'

'My job is to inform you, Alice. According to the information, Alex is there too. There was gun firing inside and the guards immediately called 911 ―

'Then inform the cops, Chief Logan is perfect to get the work done. We work in ATF and we see to drugs and arms, not some shoot out by some local kids' I said, recalling the earlier time Logan spoke to us at the night of the drug raid in the warehouse.

'Alice this is not the time to argue, just check in'

'Bu ―

The line died.

Pushing away the frustration, I walked into the theatre, ignoring the audience shouting for me to move aside.

'Got some case. I'll go check in' I said to my friends.

'I'll come' Said Houston. I looked at Anna, and John nodded at me. With quick nod back and I exited the theatre with Houston beside me.

'La De Cruz' I said once we were out. 'Alex is there too'

'Must be some bunch of kids' Houston reasoned.

I really wish he's right.

***

We reached the La De Cruz night club in ten minutes.

However, nothing seemed out of place. The music was loud, resonating off the club walls, the guards stood at the sides of the door in their usual stand, drunk girls were swept off their feet by random guys and taken into their cars.

We walked together and showed our ID's to the guards. Their eyes quickly widened and one of them accompanied us inside. The room was crowded with sweat and the stench of alcohol high in the air. Dancing feet, swaying hips to the beat, I couldn't help but join the club, the hip hop music by the DJ giving me dancing vibes.

'Alice! Alice!' I heard Houston shout for me in the loud noisy club. I nodded my head and followed them behind, dancing along.

Houston grabbed my arm and pulled me along, making me walk with them. I bobbed my head to the music making Houston to huff in frustration.

The guard took us to an elevator and pressed a button that goes underground. Maybe the shooting took place in the parking lot.

When we reached the basement, it wasn't a parking lot. The light here was even worse than it was above in the club. Dark blue-black lights and people standing were nothing but silhouettes. It was less crowded. We walked through a narrow path that led us to a door. The guard opened the door and our eyes landed on the body that was laying on the floor, dead.

's**t' Houston cursed and quickly scooped down to check the pulse of the lady. A trail of blood surrounded either side of her short slutty cloth, and her hands were on either side of her head, the right hand had a gun. The window above her is open to the trail of woods that looks dark under moonless sky.

'She's dead' Said the guard before we could shoot the questions.

Houston nodded and got up his feet. He glared at the guard before pulled him by the collar and slamming him on the nearest wall.

'Why wasn't she taken to the hospital?' He demanded to the guard.

'She died before we could do anything!' The guard protested.

'Let him go, Houston,' I said calmly and closed the door. 'What happened here?' I asked the guard.

'We don't know. There were a bunch of kids who crashed in to f**k here but then saw her. Her and one lady, both with their guns out. The other lady shot her before she could and jumped out of the window, running into the woods. The kids came to us and informed' He explained and all the while I was seeing right through his eyes.

He's telling the truth.

'Who were the kids?' Houston asked.

'I made them sit in the office, with the manager. I'll go call them' He said and quickly went off. Houston was about to leave with him, not trusting the guard but I held his arm in a firm grip and motioned to the dead lady.

'What?' He asked, agitated.

'Her boobs. There's something peeking out of it' I said.

Houston looked closely before slipping a glove to his hand and taking out a packet that was peeking out of her left boob.

'I guess it's cocaine. But it's not much' He said.

I looked around the empty room and something glittery under a small table caught my eyes. I bent down and took out a chain. A gold chain. I looked closely. The chain had no pendent and must be no more than 10 grams. The hook was S in shape and the width is 4 mm. For some reason the chain looked familiar to me.

I tried to whack my brain of the possibility of where I must have seen this when the door opened and walked in the guard, four kids and a fearful short fat man who looked like a pimp. I quickly slipped the chain into my jean pocket.

'You must be the guy providing drugs and guns to your customer, ya?' I asked the fat man. He opened his open to talk but nothing came out but air as he looked down to the dead girl and then at me. He was sweating profusely and that made me chuckle for some reason 'And you kids, what did you see?' I asked.

They looked at the dead girl and started to talk together. There was nothing but babbling.

'Any one talk!' Houston barked and the talks turned to whispers and then everything went silent.

'You, the blonde guy, what's your age?' I asked. He stepped back and stared at him.

'1-19' He stammered.

'Legal enough. What happened?'

He repeated exactly what the guard told us before and the other guy and two girls nodded furiously.

'Manager,' I called and the short man quickly stiffened. 'Close the club right now. No one should leave' I said.

His expression turned from tension to more stressed out. I could see the gears running in his mind, scared of what the owner of the club might say. 'M-madam but ―

'It looks like second degree murder. Can be first too. I will close the case by saying you are the culprit, am I clear?'

He murmured some bullshit which none of us understood but nodded.

'And you kids will be interrogated, so don't you dare leave the club'

'But Ma'am it's not our fault and we need to reach our home on time. Pl ―

'And you guys will be his team members, how does that sound? He'll get a death sentence and you guys will get 25 years of jail. I'm sure 25 minutes of waiting is worth than 25 years of jail, yea?' I replied sweetly to a girl who mustered up her bravery and came up with a good reason to escape.

No one replied.

The manager left, saying he'll get into work and I sent the kids away too, to stay in the office while Houston called the cops.

'They'll be here in few minutes, we'll just leave' Houston said after he spoke to the cops.

'No,' I said and looked out of the window, into the dark woods. 'The night's not over'

***

We walked into the woods with flashlights. The sky is cloudy with no moon and stars.

With nothing but trees, bushes and darkness around us, we could see nothing. I feared we might close the tiny evidence but I kept moving. Houston didn't protest and kept looking for anything that might come of use.

After fifteen minutes of walking into the woods we saw a bean of orange light coming through trees and focusing on the debris on the ground. I quickly switched off the flashlight and took out Brute from my ankle strap and pulled the s***h back before pointing it to the ground and slowly walking towards the source where the light is coming from.

Houston pushed the bushes slowly yet softly and we saw what's the back side of a building. It took a long second to recognize.

The meat house.

The orange light was dim and pouring out through the broken windows. There wasn't any movement but this is not the time Alex keeps it open, until he's up to something. 

The meat house is situated at the intersection of Low land street and Fleet street, popularly known as Dead street. Dead street is one of the deadliest street and even cops fear to enter in.

'I'll go in first' Said Houston and I heard the concern in his voice. He too sensed that something's wrong.

'No, we go together' I said.

Houston took a deep breath and nodded, knowing it's useless to argue with me.

'But you stay close' He said.

I nodded.

We walked towards the meat house together with cautious steps. The place looks like any other meat house you'd find but the only exception is it's extremely dirty than the others. Alex isn't a neat guy who does neat business. They were drugs and arms sold inside meat and imported few years back and Alex was put behind the jail but came out in no time.

There was an instant drop in the temperature when we entered in; the area was cold as ice, the floor was slimy and slippery and they were meat hung from the walls through sharp hooks. The sound of footsteps echoed in the silent meat house and we tried to walk as soft as possible. We walked through the raw meat, not touching anyone of them.

I was walking right beside Houston and nearly stopped when something caught my eyes. I nudged Houston and nodded towards the direction of a door. There was a cloth fallen down in front of the door and they were blood stains on it.

I took the cloth and examined it. It's a silver sleeveless bodycon dress. The patches of blood were slightly wet. We opened the door slowly and entered in without a noise. The area here is even colder and I wish I had worn my leather jacket like I usually do. This area had no meat but blocks of ice all over.

I shivered in cold and walked cautiously on the wet floor. I signed Houston that'll check around and walked away before he could protest. They were refrigerators that contained cans of ice and they were tables filled with long and heavy ice blocks. Some of the refrigerators also had meat stocked inside with no gap and they were dead hard to look at.

I was led into a narrow channel and as I walked in, the cold seems to dissipate. A single door stood wide open in front of me and there was nothing inside until I heard the whispers which made me stop in my spot. Pulling out my walkie, I spoke softly in the phone and asked Houston come here right away. Then there was a moan, a faint and painful moan and suddenly I remembered where I saw the gold chain.

On Joyce's neck.

When Houston came, he too listened to the moans and whispers and there was a clank of metal hitting the tile. We quickly covered the steps, not caring that our footsteps are loud, with guns raised in front.

My eyes quickly found men sitting down on their toes in front of a woman and since they weren't prepared, they could do nothing but raise their hands up in the air as we aimed the guns at them.

At first, I thought they were gangbanging the woman but then a pool of blood caught my eyes and I quickly looked back at the woman.

Joyce!

'What the ―

Houston didn't get to finish his sentence. A loud bang made us all jump and I turned around to see two men standing outside the door, firing at us. Houston pulled me away and we fell on the floor hard. He started shooting and I heard one of them wail in pain and hit the floor. The men that were surrounding Joyce got up to their feet and scattered around and I let out a horrified scream when I saw what they did to Joyce.

She's naked and her stomach is ripped open; she's still alive but drugged and in subconscious level. There's a plastic cover beside her and I saw it had bloody capsules which they must've taken out from her gut.

Not letting the horrid scene distract me, I quickly got up and started shooting at the men that did this to her and were trying to escape.

'Alice!' Houston shouted but I wasn't listening. I shot them, not below their waist but right above their waist, on their f*****g heads.

'ALICE!' Houston shouted and pushed my arm aside, my aim interrupted and the bullet hit the Alex's knee, one of the two who was shooting at us. The other is already on the floor, grasping in pain.

When the shooting stopped and everything went silent, even the echo disappearing in the air, I clearly looked around. Three men were shot dead by me while the other two who started the fight ‒ Alex and his buddy were writhing in pain, clutching the part where the bullet hit them.

'WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!' Houston screamed but I was neither listening nor looking at him.

Joyce is alive, f*****g alive with her gut opened. Some of the intestine was popping up from the long curve of the knife. I kneeled down, took my pocket knife from my ankle strap and was about to end her misery when Houston pulled me away.

'Don't! She's also the witness!' He said.

'AND A VICTIM! SHE'S SUFFERING!' I screamed at him and wiggled free from his hold but Houston kicked my calf, making me lose balance and the knife was snatched from my hold. 'Give it to me! Just give it, Houston!'

'Calm down, Alice. I know she's in pain but she's also sedated and maybe drugged too. It isn't as horrible as it should to be her in this situation. We need her to talk ‒

'She's dying'

'Not dead yet. Make them talk while I'll see if I can get anything from her'

I quickly made my way towards Alexander and the other guy. Alex saw it coming and his eyes were fearful.

'Alice, please, please don't'

I slammed my boot right between his legs as hard as I can. A painful cry tore from his lungs, resonating in the meat house but it wasn't enough. Grabbing the other by his hair, I slammed his head on the wall before stamping my foot on his bullet hole on his thigh. Both the men cried and screamed like they're getting r***d.

'Why?' I asked Alex, pulling him by his collar.

'I-I...'

'WHY?' I roared. Hitting his head from the barrel of my gun, I punched the other on his nose.

Alex pants were smudged with blood at his crouch area and the other's nose and head is bleeding but I could find no remorse in me for them. They've crossed all the limits. Placing my gun in my holster, I took theirs from the floor and aimed it on their heads. They slid back till their backs touched the wall and shook their heads furiously.

'I need to question my higher authorities if I use the department gun, but these are yours and I don't f*****g need to question anyone. I could make a damn story and f*****g kill you like a sadist and hang your flesh from the wall, among the pork's and beefs!' I spat at them.

'No, no, please' The guy pleaded.

'Then tell me why you did this to her' I asked in a deadly calm tone.

'She...she killed one of us and took our...crack' He replied.

I turned to Joyce and stared at the bloody capsules in the plastic bag.

'Yeah those are it' Said the other guy looking at the bloody bag.

Rage took over my body and I gripped the guns tightly in my hands.

'Explain' I said, looking at Alexander.

He scratched his bald head and looked tensed at me. I shot the ground near his feet, and that made him talking.

'She wanted drugs from us and we said no since she had no money to pay. So, she seduced one of our men and took it from him. We got the information that she's in La De and asked one of or girls to catch her but she shot her and ran away.'

'Why did she swallow those capsules? Why are they in capsules?' I asked.

'They...they were exported here' Alex replied hesitantly.

'What?' I asked, confused.

'They were exported from Mexico City. And they come in ―

'Aren't drugs being exported from here?' I asked, feeling the whole scenario taking a complete turn over.

Alex hesitated again and I got irritated.

'Alice' Houston called me in a dead soft tone and before I could turn around, I knew what's he going to say.

I let my rage take over me. I kicked and punched both of them and this time Houston joined me. Grabbing Alex by his collar, I dragged him in just one hand, out of the heater room and to the ice-cold area. I threw him on the block of ice and pressed his wound on the ice surface.

He easy got away since it's slippery but I didn't let him. I pulled him with me and opened the refrigerator.

'No, no no no no' He protested and I could sense the fear emitting off him.

'You cut open her because she stole your drugs?' I slapped him on his face before pushing him in, locking the door and increasing the temperature. He started banging on the refrigerator wall and screaming on my face but they were all muffled. I watched the bastard shivering and turning cold, his face becoming pale, tears flowing from his eyes and the bullet hole turning dry and then a layer of frost covering it.

He gripped his legs, sure enough not feeling them and screamed in agony at me. His eyes are bloodshot and soon white mist started to cover the glass door that's keeping him locked inside. The meat pieces behind him have already turned into nothing but white ice block.

I watched it all with my arms crossed over my chest.

When he was not able to move his feet anymore, I unlocked the door and pushed him out on the floor. He screamed and started crawling with his arms but I held his leg and dragged him back before pressing my boot on his wound, letting the blood flow yet again.

'Please, Alice! I'll tell you everything!' He screamed and pleaded me.

I took my leg from his wound and sat on my toes, staring at his pale face.

'Talk' Was I said in a soft voice.

'T-the d-drugs we..were never b-being imported from h-here,' His teeth were cluttering badly and his stammer was worst. 'T-they were o-on-ly being im-im-iported from Mexico c-city. We confus-sed the c-cops t-hat about they were b-being I-imported.' He took a deep breath and grinded his teeth. 'Even last time, in t-the warehouse, what you saw and ceased were the r-remaining drugs. After they were ceased, the real fresh ones came in a cargo around 4 in the morning. We kept diverting your concentration, stating that they were being made here and exported from here so that the c-cops would search for labs and illegal technologist instead of the cargo and flights.'

I was shook.

I looked at him surprised, shocked and impressed, altogether. Damn, this organization and their master plan. Chief Logan needs a class from them or...or he's involved too? The cops give us the information most of the times...

'Is Chief Logan involved?' I asked.

'No,' He took a deep sigh, his eyes dropping. 'Chief Logan is not, but they are other officials in the navy and aircraft. Drugs are made into capsules and sent in fruits and vegetables and other accessories in the government parcels. They don't get seriously checked since they are government cargos and even if they are, we either give the officer the money or whatever he demands in the circle or kill him'

I quickly remembered a navy officer, Larry Robertson, who was accused of being drunk on his duty hour and fell in the ocean and died. It was a huge controversy and people and media created a high rate of accusations on all our departments. It didn't die down for over months and they were citizens organizing on going on protest and rally but the President spoke over the matter and they calmed down.

'- She swallowed all those capsules and we tried to give her enema and take it out but some of them broke inside. We had no other choice but to cut her open.' I came back from my thoughts when I heard Alex talk about Joyce.

'Joyce drinks and smokes', I said but the words sounded a lie to my own ears.

'She's a drug addict. She was even ready to sell her daughter tonight to get the drugs but she got a fair chance in seducing one of our men and stealing it from us. The ones she had in her system in nothing. She took more from us this night'

'Houston!' I called out but he was already behind me with the other guy, listening to everything the bastard the said.

'I called the team, they're on the way' He replied.

I stood up and asked Houston to give me his jacket before walking to the heater room. I stared at Joyce. Her naked form is bloody and her legs and hands are spread open. Her eyes are closed and she looks like she's in a deep sweet sleep. I leaned down and covered her body with the jacket, looking at her beautiful caked up face. I don't pity her; I don't feel sad either. All I can see in her face is Anna and I can't stop thinking of her. No matter how worst of a mother she was, Anna loved her and I have no idea how I will tell this to her.

Taking a kerchief from my pocket, I took one of the guns I threw on the floor before and walked out.

'Houston, tell Chief Jorge that I'll go undercover again' I said to him and shot Alex and his buddy dead.