"Dios, eso tomó una eternidad."
(God, that took forever.)
"Hey, Yosef called earlier."
"Oh? What did he want?"
"He said that he was gonna stop by the house because he needs to speak with you and to call him back when your meeting's over."
I dial his number and toss my car keys over to Fernando, "Take her home."
"Hey! You can't just get rid of me whenever you get bored!"
"I'm not doing this with you right now. Get her outta here."
"Hello?"
"You wanted to talk to me about something?"
"Oh yeah, I was gonna swing by your place but I stopped for a drink instead."
"So you're at a bar?"
"Yup, and you better get here fast because I got a little present for you!"
"Lo juro por Dios, que si esto es una especie de broma, lo haré-"
(I swear to God, if this is some kind of joke, I will-)
"I'm gonna stop ya right there and tell you that I don't care. Be here in 15 minutes or kiss this kick ass gift bye-bye."
Dial-tone fills the other end of the call and I hang up.
"Miguel, go pull the other car around, and try to hurry."
"Um excuse me, but can someone please tell me what the fuck's going on?"
Lina looks at me for answers.
"It's nothing that concerns you. Fernando, can you please get her home?"
"Er...right. Lina lets get go..."
He rest his hand on her should it she jerks away and scolds me.
"Yeah no. I'm not going anywhere."
"Catalina, right now isn't the time for one of your little attitudes."
"Don't call me that and I don't have an attitude!"
Miguel pulls up and opens the car door for me, "That's great. Nando, if she doesn't get home safely, I'll personally see to it that you get your ass beat."
I get in the car and in the rear-view mirror, I see Lina give me the bird and by the looks of it, she's definitely cursing at me as the car drives away.
"Where to sir?"
"The bar off of 5th and 3rd."
***
"Well you sure took your sweet ass time getting here. I thought you'd never show."
"Listen mane, today was a long day and I got here as fast as I could."
"Mhm, well I ordered a beer for ya."
He hands me a bottle and I pop the cap off and take a long, slow swig.
"Thanks. So why did I needa meet you here again?"
He shifts his body away from the the bar and scans the room.
"Aye Dee, get ova here girl!"
A tall brow skinned woman with long jet black braids that sweep her lower back walks over. Both her arms are covered in tattoos and on her right hand is the same brand Yoyo has.
"The fuck is you yelling at me for?"
'Ouu, she has a sexy accent.'
"This is the guy I was telling you about."
Her eyes move towards me, "Damn, you kinda cute and I like the man bun."
I smirk, "Heh, thank you."
"Dee here had came to me with a crazy ass plan-"
"I can talk for myself." She clears her throat and shoves Yoyo over so she can squeeze in between us.
"So basically I made one of the dudes I talk to work as a double agent and put all kinds of shit on a USB for me."
"...A dude you talk to? I thought he was your boyfriend."
"And who the fuck said that?! He been tryna crack on me for the longest, so I worked my magic and bow, I got what the fuck I came for."
"Well thanks but I don't see how I could benefit from this."
"You remember the whole ordeal bout two years ago? When the pussy's who work at 79th Precinct had all those crooked cops and they paid top cash for that cover up?"
"Oh shit! I forgot all about that, but yeah I know what you mean."
Dee cuts in, "Well they tried to cover it up but Ray's good with computers and he pulled up all kinds of shit and it turns out that the cover up runs deeper than we thought."
"How deep we talking?"
Yoyo lowers his head and motions for me to move closer to him, "We think that Ricky's mother is still alive."
I choke on the beer that I had been drinking and spiral into a coughing fit. When I regain my breath I start to laugh uncontrollably.
"You guys must be messing with me...even I know that's fucking ridiculous."
They stare at me without saying anything.
"Shit, shit, SHIT! What the fuck am I supposed to do now?!"
I get up and start pacing around, "¿Ni siquiera estoy cerca de encontrar a Kaz y ahora esto.? ¿Cómo demonios se supone que voy a encontrar a ese hijo de puta y contarle sobre esta mierda?"
(I'm not even close to finding Kaz and now this? How the hell am I supposed to find that motherfucker and tell him about this shit?)
"Any idea what he's saying?"
"Sorry but ninth grade Spanish class ain't cover all that."
I wander behind the bar and grab an unopened bottle of tequila, twist the top off, and chug it.
"Well whatever he said must've been some stressful shit. Look at 'em go, that's a full bottle."
I toss the now empty bottle on the floor and it loudly clatters then rolls under the table, "Was, a full bottle."
"Gotdamn El Chapo, you can hold ya liquor!"
Yoyo slaps her arm, "You crazy?! You can't be calling him that!"
I stagger back over to my seat, "It's fine. You two should probably come back with me."
"Whoa, I don't know what kinda freak shit you be on, but I don't get down like that, sir."
"Ugh, he means to discuss this situation."
"...Oh."
Her face blushes as she realizes her misinterpretation of my invite.
Yoyo eyes her and licks his lips. "Damn Dee, you dirty."
"The hell I am!"
"Jesus, you two fight like you're married. I'm a little buzzed so you mind keeping it down?"
"Yeah sure whatever, now about that ride to your place..."
"Right. Aye, Miguel!"
He shuffles from the other side of the bar and heads out to go fetch the car. When he comes around it front, Dee and Yoyo take the back seat and I sit in the passengers side.
The car ride home was silent and the only noise was coming from the loud purr of the engine mixed with the loud thoughts barging my mind.
'How the hell can I manage all this at once? Looking for Kaz is hard enough but this...this is beyond insane.'
I get all anxious thinking about it. My palms start to sweat and my heart pounds so loudly, that I'm almost certain that everyone else can hear it.
"Carlos? Hey, did you hear me?"
"Oh my bad, I sorta zoned out. Run it by me again."
"I said that there's a change of plans. So Dee'll have to show you what's going on."
"What? Where do you have to be so late at night?"
"I got business." He taps on the shoulder of Miguel, "Aye mister car driver sir, pull over up here, I can walk to where I needa go from here."
The car slows down and he hops out, "Adios bitches."
"Looks like it's just the two of us, huh?"
'Damnit. Fuck you, Yoyo.'
"Yup. It would appear that way."