Tatsu - The Threat

Chapter 16 - The Murky Path

Now here was Brian in the path he'd chosen. On his way to becoming someone. On his way to speak to Don Pedro in Durango, Mexico.

No matter how hard he tried to think of a way to make a deal happen, Brian could not come up with something that made sense. Not with $78,000.

They finally arrived at the house in Nombre de Dios and Brian's reaction was, Shit! They all got out of the car.

El Matanzero told Brian "Wait right here chamaco! I'm gonna let them know why you're here and if they accept to talk to you, I'll come get you." He looked at one of the guards and said, "Keep an eye on them Pollo!" Pollo was one of the two guards outside. He was mean and had a bad temper. The guy had killed at least 30 people throughout his life and had absolutely no remorse. Brian could see the bad man in Pollo's face.

As they were waiting there, Red said to Brian "Hey bro, this is like a crazy movie! I can't believe we're here doing this!"

Smokey reinforced Red's comment "And we're just getting started. Hopefully we don't end up all shot up by some bandidos though!" They all just laughed, except for Brian who was still concerned about his next move.

He took a few steps to disconnect from the situation, to think clearly. He continued his desperate search for the next move, Think fool, think! It almost seemed like the John Samson encounter all over. Brian was sweating, he was fidgety. Looking around trying to find inspiration and saw a couple guys with the corner of his eye digging holes on the side of the house and sticking huge transparent plastic bags. It seemed like money bags.

El Matanzero came rushing out of the house and said to Brian "The boss said to go back where you came from!" He turned to the guards and said in Spanish "Pollo, take these mocosos to the bus station and make sure they get on a bus far away from here right now!"

Brian felt relief and anger at the same time after hearing that Don Pedro didn't want to see him. And although he didn't have a plan, he wanted this to happen. He wanted to tell Don Pedro what he didn't know he wanted to say to him. We're all so erratic sometimes, but Brian wasn't going to miss his opportunity again. No one likes rejection. It's demeaning and harsh, especially when you give it all you got and you still get ungratefulness. None of this mattered though. Ambition was the locomotive driving Brian's will. Brian wanted to be someone and he was about to find out exactly who.

Before anyone had a chance to react, Brian ran for the door like a cheetah, definitely not like a prey. He could hear shouts from El Matanzero, "Shoot him, shoot him!" Brian felt a warmth on his back, anticipating the impact as he heard a rain of bullets. Either el Pollo, El Matanzero and the two other guards had really poor aiming or someone or something was watching over Brian. He made it passed the front door with Keisha's smile on his mind, but it was time to forget her, even though he was closer to her than ever. He could smell the marijuana smoke coming from the living room. Brian had been a dead man walking far too long. He made up his mind, he was doing this, so he made his way to the living room. A few steps and there he was, now just a few feet away from Don Pedro, a Mexican rancher and drug dealer who ran the fields in the area. He was heavy, he was mean and in his own turf.

Don Pedro looked at Brian and ordered the guards in the living room to stand down. A second later Pollo, El Matanzero and the other guard barged in ready to kill Brian. "Don't shoot cabrones. Stand down!' yelled Don Pedro. El Pollo, El Matanzero and the other guard obeyed the order and immediately lowered their guns.

With a smirk on his face Don Pedro stared at Brian and asked, "What the hell do you want boy? To get shot?"

Brian responded with an evil grin of his own, "Don Pedro, I came to tell you that it's a big mistake to not wanna do business with me."