Tomas Sanz

Gazing out at the scene of a once small empire, now a sprawling criminal enterprise, I felt a twisted sense of completion. The warehouse was a chaotic hive of activity: packages of drugs stacked high against the walls, the murmur of hushed negotiations, and the oppressive presence of armed guards patrolling the perimeter. This was my kingdom, built on the back of my obsession to become rich and escape the gutter.

My thoughts drifted back to the streets of Madrid, where I roamed at eleven years old until Rucci, the mob boss, noticed me. He took me in like a son, raising me in his world of shadows and teaching me the business better than he did his own flesh and blood. Perhaps it was easier to corrupt a street urchin than his own kin, but for that, I was eternally grateful. Now, as his right-hand man, I could finally provide for my mother and little brother.

"Great job, Tomas," Capo Rico said, patting me on the back as we both stared out the window, overlooking the corruption the world wouldn't dare acknowledge.

"Thanks. The Russians claimed we could never do it. I had to show them," I replied, my pride unmistakable.

"When are your mother and brother coming to the States? It's time they reaped the benefits," he smiled, revealing stained teeth that seemed as corrupt as the world we inhabited.

"Next month. They are excited," I added, thinking of their anticipation.

"Well, they should be. Buy whatever house you want, drive whatever car you want, and have whatever woman you want. You deserve it," he said, pride evident in his voice.

"I think we should focus on the DEA before I celebrate," I countered, my mind never straying far from the potential threats that loomed.

"They are in my pocket, remember that," he said with a dismissive wave as he walked away, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

If that were true, why did I have such a bad feeling about them? The uneasy knot in my stomach refused to untangle, a constant reminder that in this life, nothing was ever certain.

Indie Kincaid

You'd think a single woman would enjoy a date and some company, but guys are just so boring. "What is it you do again?" my date—Ken or Kevin, the banker—asked me, his interest tepid at best.

"I'm a DEA Agent," I replied, trying to muster some enthusiasm for him.

"Wow, that must be exciting," he said, clearly trying to be polite.

"Not really. I do paperwork mostly," I lied. In truth, I saw more action than he probably did on television.

"Wow, you are really pretty," he said, staring at me in a way that made me uncomfortable. Did he really just drop a cheesy compliment like that? I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

Just then, my phone rang, saving me from his awkward gaze. "Thanks, Ken. Hello," I said as I answered the call.

"It's Kevin," he corrected, but I was already focused on the voice on the other end.

"You won't believe who just got on a plane and left the States," Hunter said, his tone urgent.

"Who?" I asked, my interest piqued.

"Capo Rico Rucci," he replied. Capo Rucci had been a secret obsession of mine. His empire had grown so rapidly over the past three years, and I couldn't figure out why.

"I'm on my way," I said, hanging up quickly. Kevin looked even more annoyed.

"Listen, you seem like a great guy, but this could never work. Please don't call me," I said, standing up and grabbing my things.

I left him there and headed straight to Headquarters, my mind already racing with thoughts of Capo Rucci and the mysteries surrounding his empire.

I entered the room and looked at the walls covered with photos of missing women, victims who had overdosed on Fentanyl while being trafficked through Capo Rucci's operation. Each face was a stark reminder of why I did this job.

"Hey," Hunter called out from his cubicle. I walked over, curious to see what he had uncovered.

"The manifest says it was just him, but..." He trailed off, leaving me in suspense.

"But what?" I pressed.

"His jet is set to come back next week," he continued.

"Do we have a manifest of who will be on it?" I asked, leaning in closer.

"Yes. Briana and Lucas Sanz," he said, showing me the details.

"Sanz?" I looked over at the board and saw the name linked to a man we knew very little about. He had never been arrested for anything significant—just a few parking tickets—but we knew he was important. The best picture we had of him showed a phoenix tattooed on his neck.

"Are you thinking he's running it all?" Hunter asked, his voice full of curiosity.

"I'm willing to bet my next check on it," I said, staring at the wall, the faces of the victims fueling my determination. This was my chance to bring down a key player in Rucci's empire, and I wasn't going to let it slip away.

Tomas Sanz

I woke up in a haze, some girl I didn't know sprawled across my chest. Moving quickly, I gently slid out from under her before she noticed. "Good morning," she said, a satisfied smile on her face.

"I have to be somewhere. Call an Uber," I replied, tossing some money on the bed as if she were a prostitute.

"Seriously?" she snapped, getting up to reveal a perfect body. But my focus was always on business. Distractions like this could be any king's downfall. She snatched the money and got dressed. "Asshole," she muttered as I turned on the shower, smirking to myself. I never let anyone believe it was more than what it was. That's the one thing I learned from my father.

"The lady left pissed," Juelz pointed out as I walked into my living room.

"I wouldn't call her a lady," I said, tying my shoes as he laughed.

"I'm glad you're in a good mood because I have some bad news. We may need to push your mom's arrival," he said.

"Why?" I asked, looking up sharply.

"Some bitch at the DEA has it out for you. My insider says she's trying to organize a tail on you," he explained.

"Who is she?" I demanded, and he handed me a file. The woman in the photo was black, with hazel eyes and an innocent look that belied her tenacity.

"I'll talk to Capo and see how I should handle it, but I'm not moving her date. My mom's getting paranoid there. You know?" I explained, the frustration evident in my voice.

"Just be careful, boss," Juelz said, leaving me to read up on her. She had no family, no friends, no life at all. Someone like this could be a problem because if she had nothing to fear for, there wasn't much to threaten her with.

Indie

I sat in the hall of the Administrator's Office, my nerves on edge. Administrator Liz Hayes was a tough woman to work for, always seeming to have a point to prove every time we spoke. I'd been here a few times this year, and it was never for anything good.

"She will see you now," the receptionist said. I stood up, took a deep breath, and walked in, taking a seat as Hayes continued to type on her computer. To her, I was just a minor inconvenience.

"Ms. Kincaid," she finally acknowledged me, looking away from the screen.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Your supervisor made a request on your behalf to watch the airport when the Sanz family arrives. They made a compelling argument, but your request is denied." She put her glasses back on and resumed typing.

"With all due respect, ma'am, we are on to something big. If Tomas Sanz is overseeing Capo Rucci's affairs here, we could gather crucial information to bring him down," I argued, trying to keep my frustration in check.

"You graduated young, top of your class, but your father was killed ten years ago on duty. Is that correct?" she said, her words slicing through me and shutting down my defense. I knew where this was heading.

"Look, you are a brilliant agent, but you have something personal against Rucci. You're too close to this, and I am putting you on leave effective today. Don't go to that airport Saturday. Don't do anything that jeopardizes this department, or you will suffer the consequences," she warned, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Dismissed, I walked out of her office, the rage inside me battling with the guilt I felt about my father. I had given him such a hard time for being so caught up in work that he couldn't be there when mom died of breast cancer. I was ten and a complete mess when he died, responding to a call about men possibly imprisoning girls. He showed up, and Rucci's men showed him no mercy.

The memories flooded back, and I couldn't believe I had managed to pull it together the way I did. But now, I was being sidelined, and it felt like a betrayal of everything my father had stood for. I had to find a way to continue the fight, to bring down the empire that had taken so much from me.

Saturday rolled in, and I had my car packed with things I 'borrowed' from work before taking my leave. Camera, binoculars, an audio detector that could pick up conversations from a long distance, and a few other gadgets. I found the perfect vantage point near the airport and was ready to begin my own investigation.

As the plane landed, I started snapping pictures. Just as the plane doors opened, a black SUV pulled up beside it, and a man stepped out. The view through my camera seemed distorted, so I adjusted the focus. My heart skipped a beat when I saw Tomas looking directly at me. Panic surged through me as I dropped the camera and scrambled to start my car, but before I could, the window shattered.

A pair of strong hands yanked me out of the car, and I found myself in a fierce tussle. Most people underestimated my skills because of my small stature, a mistake they'd made my entire life. I managed to gain the upper hand, but then I felt a blunt object strike the back of my head. Darkness enveloped me, and I was knocked out before I hit the ground.

Tomas

I welcomed my mother and ten-year-old brother with open arms, doing my best to ignore the scene unfolding just yards away where a nosy DEA agent had been knocked out. "How was the ride, Mama?" I asked, giving her a hug. She climbed into the car, going on and on about how beautiful everything was. This was her first time in an expensive car, and I knew the house I had set up for her would blow her mind.

My little brother, Luc, was mute. He had witnessed our father being shot when he was six and hadn't spoken since. "Hey, Luc," I said, hugging him as he climbed into the car. I hated that he was like that, but I understood. I had seen someone die in front of me at about his age, but I didn't have the option to quit talking.

We rode down the street, the cityscape giving way to the suburbs. When we pulled up to the mini-mansion, something my mother could probably only dream about, she began screaming with joy immediately. That was all the gratitude I needed. I laughed a little, the happiness on her face making all this worth it.

We all settled in, and for a moment, it almost felt normal. The house was everything I had promised her and more—a safe haven away from the chaos of our past. As I watched them explore their new home, I couldn't help but feel a mix of satisfaction and unease. My world was dangerous, and bringing them into it, even tangentially, was a risk. But seeing their joy, I knew I would do whatever it took to keep them safe.

Indie

I woke up to the shock of cold water hitting my face, gasping for air as I came to. My pants had been removed, leaving me in just my panties and a tank top. I was handcuffed to a pole, sitting on a mattress in a dimly lit room. Voices mumbled around me, but the pounding headache made it hard to understand anything.

As my vision cleared, I saw Tomas walk into the room. He stared at me for a moment before taking a seat. "You have to forgive me," he said, his voice steady and cold. "If I thought you could be bought, I would have never gone to such extremes to get you here."

I met his gaze, recognizing a dangerous glint in his eyes. It wasn't the usual interest men showed me; this was something darker, a display of power and control. "What do you want?" I asked, my voice hoarse but defiant.

"For you to walk away from this unharmed. A little birdie told me you are on leave for two months. So, why were you watching me at the airport?" he asked, leaning forward slightly.

"You run Rucci's operations, and I want to know who you are," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Great. You have an entire two months to get to know me. Either you can leave here untouched or dead, but really, this is up to you," he said, standing up.

"I'm not afraid of you," I said with conviction, glaring at him.

"Good," he replied with a smile, then walked out, leaving me alone in the oppressive silence.