Alvaro watches the late breaking news on CNN with an expanding smile. The carnage and different eyewitness reports make him wish that he had been there to see the shit go down for himself. “That’s right, you slimy muthafuckas. You don’t fucking mess with Alvaro Guzman’s shit.” He pumps a fist against his chest as if it declared him king of the jungle.
“Delmar!” he shouts. “Delmar, get your ass in here!” Chuckling to himself, he turns to head back over to his desk where he proceeds to chop off a few more lines of coke.
Delmar rushes into the room, looking tense and nervous. “You call for me, boss?”
“Yeah, come on in here, amigo.” He waves him in. “Impossible, huh? Just look.” He points to the television. “Does that look impossible to you?” He starts laughing again.
Delmar turns toward the television and watches a few minutes of the breaking news. Finally he relaxes a little. “You were right, Alvaro. Nothing is impossible.”
“Damn right. From now on, this is how we handle our business. Without fear and with big-ass cojones.” He grabs his balls and gives them a good shake. “After today, everyone will know that we’re not the ones to be fucking played with. It’s all about respect,” he shouts. “C’mere, you.” He stands back up and waltzes over to Delmar to embrace him in a big hug. When Delmar hesitates to hug him back, Alvaro frowns. “What’s wrong? This is a time to celebrate!”
“Mind if we join in?” a voice booms behind them.
Alvaro and Delmar turn to see Hector Guzman standing in the doorway.
“Ah, Uncle Hector!” Alvaro’s arms sweep back open as he strolls over to give his father’s only brother a welcoming hug. “What a surprise. I didn’t know that you were coming here today.”
“It was an unplanned trip.” He glances over his nephew’s shoulder to look at Delmar. “I hope that I’m not interrupting anything.”
“No. Don’t be silly. You know I always have time for you. C’mon in.” He sweeps an arm toward the television. “Surely you’ve heard the great news. I have dealt a powerful blow against the federal government. From now on, they will think twice about who they’re fucking with,” Alvaro declares, bright-eyed.
“So you’re proud of this disturbing news?” Hector inquires sternly.
Alvaro’s smile shaves off a few inches. “Disturbing news? I don’t understand.”
Delmar’s gaze shifts from the uncle and the nephew to the four brick walls that masquerade as Hector’s bodyguards. He doesn’t like the way this looks.
“Alvaro, I know a great deal has been placed on your shoulders to fill your father’s shoes.”
“Yes. But I have risen to the occasion. Except for that minor hiccup when the DEA breached a line of our operation. But today, I struck back,” he brags.
“You call that fiasco today taking care of things?” Hector’s cool voice starts to rise. “This atrocious public display of violence in the middle of a major fucking city is the way you chose to handle a situation?”
Clearly confused, Alvaro’s mouth drops open.
“Tell me, Nephew. What do you think the government is going to do about this bold heist that you’ve chosen to pull off in broad daylight?”
“Do?” Alvaro blinks.
“Yes. Do.” Hector steps toward his nephew, and Delmar thinks he actually sees steam rolling off of him. “Do you think they’re just going to accept this backhand slap? Do you think the public will accept it? Do you want to know what I think?”
Alvaro steps back.
Hector continues without waiting for an answer. “I think that in response to your childish act, the federal government will make our lives a living hell.”
“But … but … they stole from us.”
“Yes. A mild inconvenience. Nothing more and nothing less. We win some and we lose some. Nine times out of ten, we win more than we lose, no? This”—he points to the television—"will demand the attention of local police. This will demand the attention of Homeland Security. This will demand the attention of the president of United States. The public will demand that they do something. Americans don’t like the idea of major drug wars breaking out in the middle of a major city.”
Hector steps back and drags in a deep breath. “The key to our success, Nephew, is the ability to remain invisible.” He points to the television again. “Does this look like we’re invisible to you?”
At a loss for words, Alvaro shakes his head.
“This is the work of a clown,” Hector says. “This is the work of a fool. This is the work of a child.”
As Alvaro stares up at his uncle, his eyes start to glisten with tears. “Sorry, Uncle. I didn’t—”
“You didn’t think,” Hector thunders. “And now I have to do the thinking for you.” He walks past Alvaro and moves to his cocaine-covered desk. “What’s this?”
Alvaro starts stuttering. “It … it’s just a little pick-me-up.”
Exhaling an impatient sigh, Hector turns back around to face his nephew. “You have disappointed me greatly today. I can’t help but think that your father is rolling around in his grave. How much of this do you do a day?”
“What? It’s nothing.” Alvaro tries to wave off his uncle’s concern. “I just do it on special occasions. Isn’t that right, Delmar?” He turns to his childhood friend.
Delmar keeps his mouth shut and his eyes glued straight ahead of him. He knows better than to get involved in a family squabble.
“Do you think that your father and I built this organization off our blood, sweat, and tears just so you can shove it all up your fucking nose?”
Alvaro jerks back at the rebuke. “Now wait a minute, Uncle.”
“No. You wait,” he says with chilling effect. “You’re nothing but a child pretending to be a man. And I’m not going to let you run this organization into the ground. Let me ask you something. How far do you think that van is actually going to get?”
Alvaro frowns.
“Do you not see that there are helicopters in the sky? Both the government and the news media? And even if by some miracle they are able to shake the helicopters, how much do you want to bet that the van has a GPS or homing device on it?”
Alvaro’s eyes widen.
“Your stupidity will lead police straight to whatever safe house or warehouse you have your men going. They’re better off dumping it and making a run for it. And on top of that, whatever eyes you have working on the inside will probably be closed to you now that it’s been reported that three DEA agents were killed on the scene.”
Alvaro finally swallows the large lump in his throat. “I’m sorry, Uncle. I didn’t think—”
“That’s right. You didn’t. But don’t worry. I’m relieving you of your responsibilities.”
“What? You can’t do that.”
“I absolutely can and I just did.” Hector turns.
“But this is my birthright. My father left me in charge.”
“The Lord giveth and I taketh away. I will clean up your mess, and you can go back to your drug habit.” Hector heads toward the door.
Alvaro glares at him and starts to shake uncontrollably. “I can’t let you do this.” He reaches into his waistband and pulls out his 9 mm. “I am the boss!” He lifts and aims the gun at Hector’s back. Hector’s men are late going for their own guns.
Without thinking, Delmar whips out his gun and splatters his childhood friend’s brains all over the room.
Slowly, Hector turns around. He glances at his nephew and then over to Delmar. “Looking for a job?”
Delmar swallows and then nods. “Good. You’re hired. Come with me.”
Relieved that he won’t be eating a bullet, Delmar smiles and steps over Alvaro’s dead body, then follows Hector toward his new future.