Ciao, Amore [Carlos Sainz]

PROLOGUE

It all happened so quickly. One minute the whole group was in Harlem, checking how the gangs are doing with the distribution of cocaine, when their phones rang in the same time. Everybody got the same message from Sergio: East Coast Crew down. Go to the church in Hell's Kitchen. They quickly got to the black van and as Felipe drove through crowded streets of New York City, Carlos wondered who was crazy enough to raise a hand on one of the crews. He already knew the answer. He heard stories about Romain Grosjean and what he's capable of. Carlos also remembered how once the boss of East Coast Crew asked Sergio for help in finding him, but Mexican had to refuse. They had enough problems with Maldonado at the time, but now instead four crews there will be only three. If what Sergio wrote was true, then they just lost control over the most important territory in North America. The Brazilian pulled the car on the pavement that lead to the main entrance. Carlos got out first to look around, but there was no single person nearby. No gaping onlookers. The windows of the houses across the street were curtained. The cars haven't returned to the garages yet. Nevertheless they had to move quickly. He signaled to the others that it was safe to get out. As the boys were leaving the vehicle, Carlos stood face to face with the door covered in blood. He reached to his side to check if his gun was still there. "What on Earth happened here?". Pedro gasped, while approaching him. "We're about to find out". He answered, pulling his gun and checking the magazine. "What if it's a trap?". Gianluca questioned, keeping himself as far from the door as he could. Carlos looked at Felipe, but he just lowered his head. Carlos sighned. He wasn't going to yell at them. Sergio was the one to do all the shouting. Carlos suppose to be their big brother as he had been in their place not so long ago. He knew how it feels like. He tasted the fear more than once. The boys before him were still young, but in time they will learn that the bloody door are better than the real nasty fight. "Sergio gave us a mission". Carlos turned around to face all of them. "Don't forget that we're a part of much bigger crew. Someone in there might survive and our duty is to help that person. I'm sure if agressors were waiting for us, we would be already under fire". The boys nodded, though they still weren't happy to enter the place of massacre. "Life won't spare you. If not now, then maybe tomorrow or next week. Today you're lucky, because you're with me. I won't push you to do anything you don't want to do. I promise".

It was an ugly truth, but it was better for them to hear it from him than from Sergio. They checked their guns once again and the amount of ammuntition. They had less than Carlos expected, still should be enough to not get dead in case some enemies were in the church. He entered the temple first with Felipe by his side. As they walked down the main aisle, Pedro and Gianluca split to investigate the sides of the church. It was dark inside as the sun travelled on the other side of the city. Carlos kept his already sweaty hand on the gun, while walking through the sea of dead bodies. He saw many corpses in his life, but when he approached the body of a woman in what was once a beautiful white dress, he felt sick. The woman's hand was still holding the wedding bouquet, while there was a whole in her stomach. Carlos turned away and covered his mouth to not puke in front of the boys. That's when he heard the shot. He and Felipe pulled their guns and pointed in direction they thought the shot came from. Carlos noticed Gianluca's silhouette in the side aisle, pointing his gun at the floor. Pedro who ran to them right away took Carlos' place by Felipe's side, while Carlos himself walked up slowly to the boy. "I saw something. She's right there between benches. She tried to cut my leg". The Brazilian explained, panting. Carlos passed him by, lowering his weapon a bit. If it was someone from the crew, they couldn't just kill one of them by accident. Gianluca followed him as Carlos quickly moved to the place where he saw two benches moved apart. There was a girl in a black dress, lying on her side on the floor. The cuts and bruises were spread all over her body. Hair black as night were messy and some dust with blood got into them. When she heard them approaching, she raised her head. The beautiful brown hues caught Carlos completly off guard. She looked at him and Gianluca as if they were another enemies for her. She kept gripping a big piece of glass in her hand, not bothered that she's hurting herself. To prove the girl she was wrong, Carlos shove his gun under his jacket and raised his hands. "Put the gun down, Gianluca". He ordered to the boy next to him, but Gianluca seemed deaf. "We don't know who she is". He said with shaky voice. "And we won't find out if you keep pointing at her". Carlos raised his voice as Gianluca managed to annoy him enough. "Put the goddamn gun down! You're scaring her!".

Gianluca finally listened, but when he was lowering his gun the hesitation was visible on his face. Carlos kneeled with one knee on the floor, while still holding his hands in the air. When he reached out to her, she immediately started to crawl in the opposite direction, but Carlos managed to catch one of her ankles. As she felt his touch on her body, she started to kick and scream. Carlos drew the girl in his direction, turning her on her back. He pinned her to the floor with weight of his body, while his hands pushed down her arms, making her hand let go of sharp piece of glass which only left another bruises on her skin. Her chest was raising and falling in uneven rhythm, so Carlos took her face in his hands to make her look into his eyes. As he caressed her cheeks with his thumbs, the girl seemed to slowly calm down. Carlos was in awe of her beauty, although she would propably have a different opinion on this subject. He generally didn't allow himself that much closeness with anybody, but the circumstances were crazy enough. When Carlos thought it would be a right time to let go of her and take her out of this place, some blood escaped her plump lips. She started chocking as she failed to take a breath. Her right hand moved to her left side. Carlos' eyes followed her move in order to see a big wound on her side. "Dios madre". Carlos whispered to himself as blood was escaping her body so fast that she could bleed out any minute or suffocate. Carlos took his jacket off and pressed it to the wound in order to stop the bleeding. Then he put her hands on it, telling her to keep the pressure. Carlos screamed for Felipe to start the car, while he gently took the girl in his arms. She groaned from pain, but it was the only way to get her to safety. He didn't care if there was someone else alive in this church. He needed to leave this place fast as he was assigned with whole new mission. From reasons unknown to him he needed to keep this girl alive.

Eiza Gonzalez as Alessandra Butera

Carlos Sainz as himself