Just Another Liar

Chapter 8: Milo

The food was delicious, and Aurelio was being kind, but my mind had drifted to the memories of my mom putting a needle in her arm.

The first time had been a shock, to say the least. I had come back from my second day back at school. I was wearing my favorite yellow puffer coat and a pair of skinny jeans that I had begged for. I wore my thick frames on my face. Those were the days before I got the corrective surgery so I could be a field agent.

I walked in happy that I had made it through the day without crying and turned the corner into the kitchen. She sat at the table with needles tossed around. The smell of something burning hit my nostrils and made me gag. Around my mother's arm was a cloth wrapped tightly, and she had a needle filled with a muddy liquid. When she saw me her eyes went wide, but she didn't stop injecting herself with the drug. Tears fell from my eyes as I stood there frozen, I could only manage breathing and barely kept upright.

"Baby, where did you go?" Aurelio said. We sat in his car as it drove itself. I looked over at him and shook my head as if that would wipe the memories away.

"Sorry I was just thinking about this other article I have to write. Rent's due soon," I lied.

"Okay," he said, not sounding convinced. "My crew is coming to the house for a meeting. I don't know if you want to be there so I can drop you off at the movies or something and pick you up when it's over. I forgot I had planned it, you were only supposed to be here for a weekend but that's changed."

"I just want to get in bed. I'm full and tired from all of that food," I replied. He nodded and began texting on his phone while the car drove up to the ranch. There were several cars along the driveway. Some were older and others were new and luxury. People of all ethnicities, sizes, and gender expressions walked around or loitered in the front smoking. This was why we couldn't nail the cartel down.

The mafia had nationality requirements, gangs were normally comprised one race or ethnicity, and most cartels were made up of latinos. The Río Dorado cartel was way more diverse than what we were used to.

This diversity made it hard to set up a profile for who they recruited, who was connected, and the places they sold. They had done what most crime organizations had not even considered. I wished I could take a picture of what was happening, but that would end with me getting a bullet between the eyes.

"Don't get nervous you're with me so they won't bother you. Just go to the bedroom and I'll get you when I'm done with all of this," he said. He reached over me and pulled out a Glock Gen 5 9mm handgun. I knew the weapon well. It was standard issue for agents who worked on the field. I knew how to break it down and put it back together. I could also hit a target eighteen out of twenty times.

"What's that for?" If he was having a meeting with his crew, why would he need a gun?

"Intimidation is one of the keys to leading a group of people who want your spot, also generosity, but you have to let them know you don't play games. The last lieutenant made that mistake and now he's no longer breathing."

I had nothing for that, so I just nodded my head in agreement. He parked, and we entered the home. There was music and the fumes of weed in the air. I noted that I never saw the actual drugs in Aurelio's home, or anyone who were obvious users. They probably had a strict no usage policy. It was a smart move to make if that was the case since the drug was highly addictive.

I walked to the bedroom without speaking to anyone and closed the door behind me. There was a camera on the fireplace, so I couldn't do anything suspicious since it would be recorded. So acting as if I was a normal tired person, I kicked my shoes off and climbed into bed. I could smell Aurelio's scent in the sheets and restrained from taking a deeper breath. I pulled my phone out and looked at the message my mother had sent me. A request for two hundred dollars. No hello, how are you? No, I miss you and hope you are well.