𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐏𝐋𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐊𝐈𝐃𝐒 - jj maybank

- 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞

𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁 the beginning, Luis Flores was still only a naive teenager, bearly having graduated high school yet. College wasn't doing him any justice in the world, and he knew he needed to do better, something worth doing. He was a smart kid, smarter than most he knew. He didn't take all the money he had for granted, and always kept in mind that one day he'd be running the family business.

However, his father wasn't exactly the most present person in his life, and neither was his mom. Mikel and Marie were always too busy — whether they were working, partying or simply just eating, they were always busy. They had their three kids sent to the best tutors money could afford by the time they could chew food, and left them with education and fortune only. And Luis took those to the furthest he could.

Ward Cameron was the man who took Luis on as an intern. Ward was the man Luis had looked up to for the large majority of his life. He and Mikel were good friends, and Luis had known him from being a baby. He was family. He was somebody Luis trusted.

Things went well for the Flores man for a short while. He did his work, he put in his hours, all whilst still studying and doing plenty of planning for the long, bright future he was set to have for himself.

He and Ward got closer from it, too. Luis had never been close with his father before, and slowly, he and Ward had the relationship he could only imagine ever having with Mikel. They went out all the time, hosting barbecues together, taking fishing trips out on the Druthers. It was the happiest time of Luisʼs life.

But throughout all of this, also came a lot of darkness. Ward was a smart man, and he used every chance he could to pick at Luisʼs brain, turning the younger man into him. He taught him all about the history of their town, all about the Limbreys and the Tanneys, he showed him the original maps and where the Royal Merchant had sunk. He even bribed the Flores into helping him find the gold, along with his ʼfriendʼ, Big John Routledge. Ward knew that, with Johnʼs knowledge and Luisʼs mind, he could get the gold. He could have that dream.

Mikel Flores started to realise something was up a week prior to the Routledge manʼs disappearance. He always knew he wasn't the most touchy, awake father, but he always thought that was a good thing. It was how he was raised, and how his parents before that were. He set all three of his children down a strong path of education and wealth, to which they were supposed to come out of it as great leaders, ready to take on their familyʼs legacy he was planning on leaving behind. And, in his own way, Mikel did love his kids. He did.

When John Routledge came to their door that night, Mikel and Marie were more than confused. He was so shaken up, so worried about his life. He explained the hunt for the gold, how they were so close to finding it, how obsessed the men were with it. He told the parents that he was concerned about Luis, and that he was falling down into a deep pit that Ward dug for him.

Mikel trusted Ward Cameron like a brother. He laughed off the dumb pougeʼs words and closed the door behind him. It was only when John Routledge didn't return home the next week that he started to worry. Obviously, he told Ward what the crazed man had said. But he didn't realise that he'd be killed for it. And certainly not by the hand of his own son.

Ward Cameron didn't murder a single person. He was the mastermind of it all, of course, the one that twisted peopleʼs words and poisoned their minds. But it was Luis Flores who did all his dirty work. The whole time.

Finally putting the pieces together, Mikel was furious. He took a step in to protect his son, he wanted to get Luis some help, he wanted the best for his boy.

But Luis had gone too far down the spiral to stop by then.

When Mikel went to confront his lifelong friend one night, he found his son there, glaring at him with murderous eyes. Mikel went on to threaten Ward, told him that he'd turn him in if he didn't release his son from his grip. He cried, he begged, Luis to listen to him, to understand that Ward was not a good man, that he was just using him.