Chapter 18 - Cradles 18

IC felt a huge relief after the drama at the NYPD's office but got into his element after finding out his brother knew a piece of the scrap he was finding. It was like he was now on the edge of a precipice. Next morning he rushed down early on his up and down jumpsuits to Peng's house, with a nice sneakers fitting into his slender legs, "knock knock," he says and Rina got the call,

"Ok, I get that we were all pardoned yesterday but what are you doing here," Rina said, squeezing her face. Immediately IC bagged into the house and Rina got a pull of on her hands, "why are you acting so weird,"

"Where's Peng?" He asked looking raddled

"First you're looking tired," she said, "probably because of yesterday's mix up, I know. But can't this wait, he's sleeping,"

"Peng, isn't a kind of guy that seems to me as lazy ass,"

"Well, he is not superman," she slams the door and gets in front of him, "now get out,"

"I wasn't sleeping," Peng voice came from the other room, "I'm in the kitchen,"

"Well, you'll wanna come out and hear this one," IC said,

"Talk I'm listening," Peng didn't give a damn as he was still cutting his leaf, "and…go away when you're done,"

"I know who took our money,"

Peng ran out immediately from the kitchen, "Who?" He and Rina chorused,

"Now you're interested," IC said,

"I have a five hundred thousand dollars of share in there, so,"

"Wooo, we don't run a charity organization here ma'am, if you want a share you'll have to work for it," IC said,

"No one said I didn't have hands and legs,"

"First of all, I found Willy," IC snapped his fingers, "second, he's dead,"

"Are you being serious right now? What about the information part we talked about?" Peng said

"Well, I found him in my house, with my brother, I was angry and I was wondering through my head and I picked up a gun and pulled the trigger and somehow the bullets ragged out his heart and he died,"

"Uuh. That aside. Who stole the money?"

"Those the name de Desperados ring a bell,"

"No way Sharon was working for de Desperados,"

"Well, my brother confessed Willy told him about it himself,"

"Willy isn't a type that talks? How manage he just ran straight to your junior brother and seeked refuge, then shared important information with him," Rina said then suggested, "that's not a total coincidence,"

"So what you're saying my brother is a rat now,"

"Nope I'm just saying maybe you'll ask him other questions that needed to be asked," Rina said

"This is the height of it, I'm out. I can't sit around while someone is accusing my brother of what he didn't do. And how do you know Willy is a talkative," IC said, his voice rising, "not like doing any real job. Just seat around here and hide behind your brothers back,"

"From what I heard, you guys tortured him two nights straight, no one with a tap mouth can survive that,"

"Alright, you're welcome, I made a mistake coming here," IC took his hands and cleaned his mouth then made an attempt walking out the door, "I won't take any more of your leaky mouth,"

"Alright, alright, enough of the arguments, IC," Peng called out twice raising his voice, "calm down, I know he's a hard pill to swallow, but as you said there's only one way you use in catching de Desperados because no one is coming to save them,"

"So what are you saying, interrogate my brother," IC said wearing a hard face,

"I'm just saying you should call him and see if he's at home. I mean if he's at home he's not afraid of anything but if he's not, then maybe he ran away, just like Kross afraid you'll find out and ran away,"

"Ok, I'm gonna do that right here, right now and prove all haters wrong,"

"I'm all ears Mr."

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"Good morning boss," Jacob greeted Tancredi walking through the entrance hallway to his office,

"Jacob, what do you want?"

"I wanted to walk you," Jacob said. Tancredi stops and turns, "haha," he chuckles, "I hate walking with you, Jacob so make this quick,"

"I heard you caught a Desperados,"

"You heard I caught your teammates, yep," Tancredi says, "what about that?"

"Well, I wanted more info on the situation,"

"Look, Jacob, I know you're a dedicated officer and agent but c'mon this is early morning Thursday, we all have what to do? If you want any information you can ask Ria and Kayden they were there the whole time,"

"I heard it's so easy to catch them,"

"Again, I'm very busy, you can ask Ria and Kayden if you want to know more,"

"Well, I won't need to ask them if there's someone else I could ask,"

Tancredi leaks his lips and says, "I get this, you want to interrogate Kross,"

"Unfortunately yes,"

"No, that's not happening," Tancredi says, "I know he's a rat but the last thing we want is out his face as a billboard for everyone to mock,"

"I'm not gonna mock him, I'm gonna choose my choice of words very nicely, and appropriately,"

"I'll let you interview him, if you help me through this case the whole time," Tancredi says, "even if the case takes twenty years. Any time of the day you're ready to go on a hunt, in the night, or the middle of the day. Your life is ready to be on the line,"

"That's a hard decision to make but yep I'll do it. I'll go. I agree,"

"Alright, that being said, he's all yours," Tancredi walks a distance then turned, "something tells me you're writing a report about de Desperados,"

"Better than not doing anything at all,"

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After a few phone calls from IC to Pedro without anyone answering he paused his pacing and siad, "he's busy, my brother loves playing gambling,"

"Hahaha," Rina broke out laughing uncontrollably, "you're seriously a jockey,"

"What?" IC said shouting, "oh, you don't believe me now,"

Penb smiled, "you don't know that, you're brother may be somewhere else,

"With de Desperados," IC completed,

"Maybe,"

"I don't like this, my brother is not a rat,"

"A rat is not the only animal that steals, a dog does it too," Peng said,

"So you're saying my brother is what huh,"

"I'm just saying, maybe he was forced or something. I mean, you'll have to call him and talk to him," Pengman extended this part a bit, "g-e-n-t-l-y,"

"Alright, alright, I'll talk to him and see how much I can get from,"

"Maybe that would help with your curiosity level," Rina said

"I hate nonsense," IC approached the threshold and held the door handle, "what about T and Lobos, should we tell them or just keep this between us,"

"I'll call them and tell them but, it'll be nice if you keep this simple as I said, no pressure just you and him and the truth,"

"That's if he'll like to cooperate," IC said

"You don't wanna miss a brother because of de Desperados man, you'll regret it,"

"I pray to keep to your ground rules of interrogation," IC opened the door and walked out waving his hands,

"I'll see you later," Peng said,

"Seriously, see him latter," Rina said, "no way you and that scumbag is getting along,"

"I didn't come back for your advice, I have work to do," Peng moved back to the kitchen and said, "where's my phone?"

"I don't know, you didn't come back for my advice so apparently not my direction either,"

"C'mon Rina, where is it,"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The moment came after the deal with Tancredi, when all had been finalized. Jacob walked into an awkward silence in the room where Kross was held and closed the door slowly. As usual, a steel table mounted in the middle and two other chairs stacked on each side of the table. Kross sat on one, with his left hand handcuffed,

"I'm sorry this happened to you," Jacob said seating on the other chair in front of him,

"Don't be, I'm not sorry did my self,"

"Good thing you're talking,"

"Guess this trick works every time,"

"Well, you know the rules, no need stressing both of us. You just tell us what you know, we give you a fair deal and everyone gets to go home,"

"Except that I won't be going home or let's say I'll be going to my new home," Kross said, "the four walls of LA prison,"

"Don't make this harder than it already is, we both know boss is not happy with you and your a disgrace to the NYPD,"

"Yeah, you're boss now, huh,"

"He was your boss too," Jacob blinked, "well, I won't be saying that because you have two bosses now, one on the streets and the other off the streets,"

"gosh, what a mess I'm into,"

"Good you realized it. But that's not the end of the world if cuz,"

"What do you want?"

"Three things, one tell us more about your boss on the streets," Jacob said, "we can start with that,"

"First, de Desperados is not a drug cartel on the streets, it's a royal something,"

"An excellent start, continue,"

"I don't know much about them, I got home one Friday night after work and I got this weird call, that promise to bring good fortune if I worked with them,"

"How long?"

"Three years and counting,"

"Ok, that's a really long time," Jacob made some jotting, then said, "second question. Who were you receiving the orders from and who were you giving the orders to,"

"Well, this one man kept calling me all this years but I was sent to numerous, big names, really big names,"

"Well, I love really big names," Jacob says, "you mention as much as you can and I'll do the writing,"

"Alright…"

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T says, "we came as soon as we heard," Lobos and TBC banged the door and rattled through inside Peng's apartment,

"There's this rule that says knock before you enter, don't know if drug dealers don't follow that anymore,"

"Woo, I didn't invite you to come, I just told you about it and here you are," Peng said,

Lobos walked all the way to the window and closed them, "no mistakes, this time,"

"Ok, I can see, taking precautions, I'm a rat, no issue,"

"Let's go, get up," Lobos said,

"Where are we going?" Rina asked,

"First, there's no we, second, it's none of your business,"

"Well, it is now,"

"What about that Peng?"

"She's getting a part of my one Million, that shouldn't be a problem,"

"Anyhow, just get up, we're going to IC's territory,"

"Nope," Peng refused, "that guy is having some sort of alone time. The last thing he wants is a disturbance,"

"The last thing I want is time wasted," Lobos says,

"Now get up,"

"Don't be hard, Pengman, who know how real Lobos is when he sees money flying like rocket off the moon,"

"Alright, alright, let me just be done with my food, ahh, I was in the middle of something,"

"One minutes," Lobos says

"Jesus Christ," Rina sighed, "who will I be walking with,"

"Mad L, that's my name," Lobos says and turns back to Peng, "one minute is over, peng get up,"

"Ok, I'm done, let's go,"

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"Twelve big names on the list and other sparkling information, rate my interrogation skills out of ten," Jacob is done with the interview and moves straight to Tancredi on the other side of the room,

"Eleven over ten, that was excellent, except the part where you said you're a disgrace,"

"Woo, just came out after a lot of controlling,"

"Remember, we need to be professional at all times,"

"Just pity the young lad, twelve years into this and he'll already end up in the nick,"

"And you're what, thirteen years or what?"

"Fourteen," Jacob said smiling. They both had a nice conversation afterwards.