[3:57 a.m. at a bar]
"Ah shit man, it's been that long huh?"
*Burps*
"Yup, and you've been acting like such a bitch this whole time."
"I know man. Again, i'm really sorry I pointed a gun at you."
"It's cool, i've dealt with angry older brothers plenty of times."
I order another round of shots for the both of us.
"I don't even know how she can put up with him. We've known each other for years and I still can't stand him."
"Well to be fair they fought all the time," I take a few shots, "And now that I really think about it, they were perfect for each other."
"Yeah, i'm still not seeing how." He takes a shot then chugs his beer.
"Did either of them tell you how they actually met?"
"Nah, I don't think they trust me too much."
"Well I kinda trust you."
He holds his chest and gasps, "Oh wow! I'm so honored!"
"Heh, sarcasim must run in the family."
"Damn straight. Now get on with the story."
"Well about two years ago, Ricky was first made head of the Arañas Rojas and his first order was kill our old boss."
"What, why would he do that?"
"Well when he was just a kid, Ricky started selling yeyo for him but when he was offered a real job that would help bring in more money, the boss killed his mother. From that day on Ricky changed, he became some kinda cold-hearted monster that would always use in fist instead of his words. That's how he got a lame ass street name, 'ice cold cholo' or 'ice' for short."
I grip onto the small shot glass harder. Talking about them is harder than I thought it would be.
"He plotted day after day on how he would kill the boss. He would constantly tell me that he needed someone to kill him without any questions being asked so he hired an assassin. She was top of the chart, an obsolute beast when it came to killing. The plan was to fake a relationship, gain the trust of the gang, and kill him. But when Kaz found out the truth about her 'mother' and how she was basically raised in a cult, she wanted to kill her and lucky for us she was at the right place, right time. But when the time came to kill her, she didn't die. We thought that she was dead but she went into hiding until she was ready to strike and take Kaz."
"What kinda shit we talking about here?"
"The kind that would drive any normal person into madness."
"Oh, calm before the storm..."
"Exactly.Then, the two of em' started to really fall for each other and things started to ease up then shit hit the fan. I tired to tell him that you can't be with someone if the skeletons in your closet aren't quite skeletons yet. But he didn't listen...I think that's why they're both gone now."
"Well I have three questions; one, how do you know all this shit, two, what skeletons are you taking about, and three, how the hell did she get taken in the first place?"
"Ricky used to tell me everything and i'm kinda drunk so almost none of this was in chronological order."
"Well I don't have anywere to be and I'd love to know more..."
"Kay then, when they first met, he lied about his past and the death of his parents. He made up some bullshit story about his family being in the mafia and getting murdered. He eventually opened up to her and they fell in love then she got kiddnaped by the woman in white and a carzy chick named Lucy. They brainwashed her and treated her so bad, and we both know how insane he went trying to find her again."
He nods in agreement, "But when he found out where she was, he sent hundreds of men to storm the place and get her back, kill everyone inside, and burn the place down."
"Damn, I remember sending a few of my guys but I didn't know he burned down the place. That's brutal as hell."
"Hell yeah, he may have been childish at times but he was always feared and well respected."
I take two more shots and polish off the rest of my drink, "Oh yeah. I forgot to mention that Ricky was fucking the bosses niece and she cheated. So he left her but she became obsessed with him and tried to break into his mansion to kill him. So he killed her first and her sister, Lucy, was pissed and just as batshit as Layla. That's why she teamed up with the woman in white."
"Shit, no wonder they both wanted out. This sounds like some crazy ass story."
"Right?"
"So, you really don't know where either of em' are?"
"Nah man. If they don't wanna be found then trust and believe, they won't be fucking found."
"Well...maybe not easily."
"I think you've had too much to drink because I have no idea what the hell you're talkng about."
"You said that they both don't wanna be found but that doesn't mean that if we tried hard enough that we won't be able to find them."
"No, I don't think that-"
"Ah c'mon, I hava a few guys that are really tech-savy. Kinda how I found her the first time but it took a while because she had no digital footprint. OH! I just bought a satellite too!"
"I said no and why in the fuck do you have a satellite?"
"That's classified but why not? We could just-"
"Yoyo, the day he left I told Ricky that if he wanted to go that he needs to stay gone."
"Why would you say that to him? Didn't he give you complete ownership of HT?"
"Yeah he did...but that's not the point. I thought that if I made him choose that he'd realize how stupid he was being. But it totally backfired and now i'm stuck here."
He stares at me for a long while before responding.
"Well if satellites are a no go, then what if something so fucking crazy happened, that he would have to come back home, and even though you said he could'nt come back, this emergency needed his attention."
"¿Qué mierda estás hablando de hombre?"
(What the fuck are you talking about man?)
"I have no idea what you said but I have an carzy idea."
"An idea eh? Shoot."
"Okay, so listen..."
***
"Yoyo, what kinda shit are you taking because there's no way in hell that would work."
"Okay ouch, but he has to come back man."
"But that plan sounds like it was made a crazy person."
"Well you know what they say, it's just so crazy it might work."
He gets up and adjust his shirt then hands the bartender his card, "I know you miss them Carlos, I do too. So sleep on it. I'll see ya round."
"Adios Yoyo."
He leaves the bar and after a few minutes I do the same. Although I do miss them both how can I know that this'll really work? Am I ready to face them again...but more importantly, are they ready to face each other again?
'I know you miss them Carlos...'
His words keep ping-ponging back in fourth in my head until the cab reaches the hotel. All my thoughts are all jumbled up and all the liquior really isn't helping me decide.
"Am I crazy for even considering this?"