She headed out of town and directly toward Farmer’s Pass. Just as she made it along the quiet road, she saw the bolt of lightning. She was concentrating on the sound Mel was making as she took her foot slightly off the gas pedal and slowed down. She was growing impatient. She wanted to see Michael and Chad so badly she was speeding. Getting pulled over by the sheriff or one of his deputies would be embarrassing.
She continued along her way, noting that no one else was on the road. They probably decided to wait out the storm, but not her and Mel. They trekked along until her tire blew out. Alexa gripped the steering wheel, which seemed to have lost all its ability to provide control, and she rolled down into the ditch and hit a tree. Her head hit the steering wheel, and she screamed as she realized that she’d crashed.
The lightning started and then thunder followed.
“Shit!” she yelled then slammed her fist down onto the steering wheel. That was when she felt something on her forehead. She reached up, and when she pulled her fingers away, they had bits of blood on them.
“Oh God, I’m bleeding.” She panicked and then her cell phone rang.
* * * *
Michael and Chad recognized the asshole known as Solandro Cruz. He had been tagging along with Francisco Santos for years. He was like a son to him, and rumor had it that the enterprise was going to be handed down to Solandro.
“It’s him. He’s the one in the United States right now. He’s a pompous asshole who thinks he’s above the law,” Mason stated.
“Well, remember what he looks like. This is the piece of shit that killed Nate and sent his sister the body. If he’s here in the United States then we need to get him. I want you two to forward this information to the commander.”
“Already done. He’s on line one now, Michael,” Chad stated as he typed with one hand. Chad’s fingers still moved pretty damn quickly over the keyboard.
“Commander, do you have all the info that Nate sent us?” Michael asked.
“I do. I’m pulling up the other pictures of Solandro Cruz’s main guys that you sent a little while ago. We’ve got names, and I’m verifying their last-known locations now. They do not have any criminal records in the system. But that was just in the US. They could be wanted elsewhere. I don’t like that Solandro knew personal information on Nate. He may know things about the five of you. Security measures must be taken immediately.”
“Understood. We need these faces distributed throughout the various security departments including homeland security so we can grab them if they enter through the airport, train stations, busses, etcetera,” Michael stated.
“I’m on it. Do you have the pictures up?” Dale asked, and Chad brought up the pictures onto his desktop computer screens. There were five lined up on the large wall. All their mugs now faced Michael, Chad, Mason, Dale, and Virgo.
“Oh fuck! Chad, bring that one guy in the center up. Who is that?” Virgo asked.
“Miguel Felez. He does have a criminal record. He’s Solandro’s main guy. An enforcer, so to speak. He’s wanted by the US government.”
“Michael, call Alexa and I’ll call BJ,” Virgo stated.
“Why? What the fuck is wrong?” Michael asked, and Virgo looked at him then Chad.
“I fucking just saw this guy in town. He was waiting for Alexa to come out of the deli. He looked at her, winked, and she ignored him. That’s when she and I sat down and talked.”
“Oh God, no. No!” Michael yelled.
They heard the sound of a phone ringing. Chad had immediately dialed her number.
She answered.
“Hello. Oh thank God, Chad.”
“Alexa, listen to me. You’re in danger. I can’t explain right now. Where are you?”
“I’m in my car. What kind of danger? I just crashed my car when the tire blew out. The steering wheel wouldn’t work either. I hit my head.”
“Fuck! Are you okay? You can’t drive the car?”
“No, Chad, I can’t. I was just about to get out and walk. It’s starting to thunder and lightning.”
“We’re sending help now. Virgo is on the phone with BJ.”
“Wait. There’s a car coming. I see the headlights.”
“No, Alexa. It’s not help. It could be members of the drug lord who is after us. You need to run, Alexa. Run through the fields and as far away from the men in that car as you can. We’re on our way.”