(see, hear, silence)

Chapter 1.

Gabriel Rodriguez (38) lives in your typical suburban neighborhood, low crime rate, low cost of living. Easy 9-5 tech gig. His wife Melody Johnston (33) now Rodriguez is a typical ewwtube hobbyist with boys Jaime (7) and Brandon (5). They often record themselves doing Watch Me Plays, Unboxings, the typical crap you find tech mom's doing on ewwtube. Everyday Gabriel wakes up, makes breakfast, then goes off to work. Melody stays at home, looking at trends and story boarding possible ideas for her next video.

Melody knows that the boys are her face when it comes to many of her video's so she tends to use up a lot of their time on the weekends to record. Which for her means that if a shot doesn't work, she has to wait another week before she can get anything done. The boys, prima donna actors... often just make it difficult for Melody to get the shots she needs. She plays the role of makeup artist, producer, director, etc... She's tried going solo but nothing ever seems to hit.

***

It's another day for Gabriel, staring at the dual 20 inch monitors... bored... while the gig has its benefits, often its filled with uncertainty. He doesn't know if work will actually come in for him to waste his boredom. At the very least after work he gets to sit in traffic before arriving home. Its Wednesday so he will be home late tonight. It's the only night he can use his imagination to slay dragons or murderhobo some rando's that the GM decides to throw his way.

"Roll for initiative fellas!" the GM says as he put the party in a 20x20 grid filled with Goblins. Gabriel is playing a Fighter in this edition and instead of going into any of the other possible races, he sticks with Human. It still lets Gabriel enjoy himself with a couple of nerds at the local nerd hole. The GM Darren, is a pretty chill guy. He doesn't like TPK's (Total Party Kills) but isn't one to not put the players in situations where they can really play their roles nicely. Today's pretty easy for the party, Beat up a few gobbos, meet the boss, get some info, move on. So far the party has been really good meeting weekly.

"27!" says Jeremy

"Are you serious?" replies Darren

"I guess you're on top again" mentioned Erika

"Stack enough feats, bonuses, and taking a 10 later, can get you above the 20's" stated Gerald

"You mean we all didn't min/max?" in a sarcastic manner replied Jeremy

Regardless of initiative order the party soon slayed the gobbo's, heads were bashed, some mutilations occurred, the typical resume of "this is what we do as murderhobos" ensued.

"I'm asking the question bossman... where is the vase of demero" replied Gabriel as his turn came to interact with the environment.

"This can be done simply by you telling us or but us torturing you." Darren then rolled an opposed check against Gabriel to see if Gabriel could just intimidate the boss. Gabriel did not win the roll.

"Well, since I don't look threatening or intimidating to you, we will need to put in some work." Gabriel then has his character pull out a small cloth that his character unfurls. Nails... a few very small, and a few very large. All sorts of sizes, but enough that it can be kept in his characters pouch.

"Now, I won't tell you, how I know that this hurts, but trust me... It will hurt you far more than it will me." Gabriel's character proceed to place a nail under the right index finger nail of the boss. and with a quick stroke of heel of his sword.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

"painful isn't it... but the pain can end here..." in a soft voice stated by Erika.

Darren makes the call that while he does enjoy where this is going he will allow the party to proceed and lets them get the information before things become more violent for the story.

The nail trick works every single time.

"Ok guys, same time next week?" said simultaneously

***

It's Thursday... Thursdays are uneventful for everybody, but hey the weekend is almost here and that is something to look forward too.

Later in the afternoon...

- RINGTONE/VIBRATION -

On the phone display

ABEL RODRIGUEZ

"I wonder, what he wants" -- Melody

"Are you going to answer it?" -- Melody

"Babe, its your brother..." -- Melody

Thinking it over, maybe Gabriel shouldn't have picked up. This feeling of dread came over him as if some bad news was going to be delivered. The line connect and the voice of Abel comes through.

"Hey... I'm in trouble... I need help" -- Abel

"I think you're old enough to solve your own problems little brother" -- Gabriel

"The Jefe knows... we saw... we heard... and we spoke..." -- Abel

"NO! ABEL YOU SPOKE!" -- Gabriel in a fit of anger hangs up. "What was that about?", "Can you calm down a bit?" Said Melody.

Gabriel hasn't always been Gabriel. Melody doesn't know this yet. Prior to meeting Melody, Gabriel was a member of the Mara. When the Mara initiates, they initiate at a very young age. Often your first kill ends up being a friend that couldn't escape the Mara. Everybody has their use in the Mara. Some collect information, others torture, then there are those that kill. Gabriel was previously Ramiro before he came to the states. He came young, but he didn't come to look for a better life. Life is strange sometimes.

Ramiro knew better, but something inside just wanted it to end. So he left. The problem is you can't just leave the Mara. Especially if you've seen, heard, or spoke about anything in relation to the Mara. A couple of years of military training, weapons training and deep net files on US military torture tactics meant that many of the young Mareros were in fact far more sophisticated than your typical Crypt or Blood.

The Crypts and the Bloods while feuding against each other would often cross paths with a Marero. And well sometimes it ended up badly for a Marero. But when it didn't... not even the local PD got in the way of the investigation. See violence is one thing that the Marero is fully accustomed to. Family genocides, graffiti, torture, it is all part of being a Marero. There is always a group of mareros that can easily blend in. These are the special ones, the ones that only a few know but many fear. The ones that can blend into your day to day life and you wouldn't know anything was different.

***

Erika is a Honduran woman in her late 20's. She works at the local Bullseye. She was introduced to the local nerd hole conveniently called "The Nerd Hole" by Jeremy who also happens to work at the Bullseye. Erika was fairly new to the neighborhood and was able to make friends with Jeremy fairly easy. Then again Jeremy is in his early 30's and single. Erika spends most of her week working and then gets to relax on Wednesdays when she is able to role play with the party.

"Incoming message" -- Erika

--We have found "Abel" and have begun the procedure to get information out of him.

"Well... I guess I'll soon be next" -- Erika

***

It's Friday, and the family after a busy week are ready to relax in and get some games in.

"There's a letter for you Gabe" -- Melody

"No address?..." -- Gabriel

As Gabriel opens the 4x6 letter, a small 4x6 card is pulled out.

"3 monkeys..." -- Melody with a curious look on her face.

"Mel... I'm going to need you to take a small vacation to your parents" -- Gabriel

Worried Melody can't possibly leave her husband. Gabriel as much as he tries to convince her to leave with the boys just will not budge. Gabriel understand the message. It's no coincidence that the day before he gets a random call from Abel only to then receive a letter like this. Gabriel understand that his family is not safe, but Melody is ignorant. She isn't from the same world that he is and it's difficult for her to comprehend the level of danger that the family is in.

-- BOOOOM!!!! --

"WHAT THE HELL!" -- Melody

The families smart vehicle lights up brighter than a fireworks display Bisbeyland. Car shrapnel all over the neighbor's yards, their own yard. Luckily the there was nobody outside to get hurt. But message is clear to Gabriel. They know where he is. They probably know a lot more like place of employment, where Melody's sister lives, etc... Gabriel understands far too well that this is just the beginning.

"We need to call the authorities Gabriel!" -- Melody

"Please listen, You have to leave. Take the boys, and get on an Buber to your sisters, at the very least" replied Gabriel.

A fire truck later and a few squad vehicles all he needs to tell the PD is that it must have been some internal smart car problem. The PD doesn't buy the story, but it is plausible in today's world. Overcharged battery, if it can happen with tablets on airplanes, why couldn't it happen to a smart car? The Local PD leaves his card and mentions, "if anything comes up, to call right away."

"Sure will officer" -- Replied Gabriel

Melody and the boys take a Buber to Harmony's place. Harmony is a "powerwoman", She is a tech savant and leader at one of the Tech Companies in the area. She's also young for the position she is in. 26 years old to be exact. She claims that she is too old, and she might be right in the world of technology, but you don't hear of very many Tech CEO's being 26 years old. Unless they are some millennial startup. No, Harmony is not that by any means. With Several patent under her belt any tech company would take her.

***

Gabriel finds himself in front of a concrete wall in his basement. He takes his sledge hammer and swings.

-CRACK, BAMM, CRACK, BAMM-

About 10 minutes of breaking through the one inch thick cement, a door. As he passes through the door motion sensitive LED's start to come on in what looks like a very narrow corridor. About 48 feet into the hall another door. This door opens into a small 10 foot by 10 foot room. The room is dimly lit with a singular source of light illuminating a chair in the center of the room. To one side of the room there is a table with multiple tools. Drills, nails, hammers, mallets, saws... etc.. He knows what this room will be used for later. But first he needs a bit of preparatory work to get done.

***

It is close to midnight, the house is dark and the shadow of a person sitting next to a table is all that can be seen. The door opens and comes through a hooded individual. Quietly closing the door behind them they come up to the person sitting on the table.

"Ramiro... I'm certain you knew that you couldn't hide forever" - Spoken softly,

-- SMASH --

The sound of glass from a plant vase shatters all over the floor. The hooded person drops to the floor.

"What a familiar voice..." thinks Gabriel

Gabriel proceeds to drag the body over to the now prepared room in his basement. Using some smelling salts he manages to wake up the hooded individual.

"Sonia... it has been sometime hasn't it?" spoke Gabriel.

"You got the note Ramiro, you know why I'm here" -- Sonia

"Abel, as much as he tried... well it doesn't matter now does it." -- Gabriel

Sonia is a Marera (female Marero for those that don't get it). Sonia joined younger than Gabriel, but is only younger by a couple of years. In age however she is older than Gabriel. For a Marera life isn't any easier, collecting information often leads to prostitution. She was good at what she did. She could make men speak, she could torture them and have them wanting more. Sonia was good, but often underestimated Gabriel.

"So.. should we get to the part where you untie me?" -- Sonia