Oh, crap! What happens when he finds the gun in Thomas’s pocket? And will he pat me down, too?
I cringe, waiting for the moment the gun is found. And then nothing. The man moves to stand behind Vega and says, “He’s clean, boss.”
What?
Thomas pushes me farther into the room. Agent Hammond inches closer to my side. Then I realize the guy who opened the door must be working for Thomas, too.
“You’re both quite dressed up this afternoon,” says Vega.
“It’s always best to blend in. This is what was called for given the events of the day.”
The two men behind him have guns drawn but they keep them pointed down by their sides.
“What have you brought me?”
“As requested, Miss Anna Boyd,” Thomas says, his clipped tone echoing through the empty room.
Vega lights a big, fat cigar and blows a huge cloud of smoke in our direction. “Very interesting. And who’s her friend? Surely, this is not the boyfriend. He is too old!”
“Agent Hammond of the U.S. Marshals Service,” Thomas answers.
I’m trying not to panic. I don’t see Mateo here but I know he’s here somewhere. Vega looks put out with this whole charade and keeps glancing to a room on his left. Is he signaling Mateo to come out? The room is big but not that big. It will be hard NOT to get caught in the cross fire. I’ve got to turn the phone off. I can’t let Ethan walk into this. I should have left it behind.
Agent Hammond is surveying the room. I wish I knew what he was thinking.
“Interesting,” Vega says, “so I assume you wish to be back in my good graces. I’m not sure there is room for you when there are so many eager to take your place.”
“Señor Vega, I was disappointed to hear you lost faith in me so quickly. Especially after so many years of loyal service”—he pauses briefly, then continues—“and the many years of loyal service my father gave before me.”
Vega laughs and his two companions follow suit as if on cue. “Your father was a good man. I never once questioned his loyalty.” He takes another long pull on the cigar before saying, “You, on the other hand, seem to be more ambitious. Those who are ambitious only look in one direction, and that is up.”
Chills race down my spine. This is not going well at all.
Thomas lets out a sharp, quick laugh. “You’re right. That was my father’s biggest complaint about me as well. And as much as he tried to beat that out of me, I’m afraid he failed. The problem is, I always think I can do it better. And I’m usually right.”
Before I can grasp what’s happening, Thomas pushes me to the side and lets out two quick shots. The henchmen behind Vega fall to the ground dead before they have a chance to raise their guns, including the one who just gave Thomas a pass in the doorway.
The gunshots barely made any noise so it’s unlikely anyone else heard anything.
Agent Hammond dropped down to a crouching position when Thomas started firing. But now he stays that way, his hand inching toward the gun one of Vega’s men had been holding moments before. When he fell, the gun landed under the side table, near Agent Hammond. God, please let him get it before Thomas sees him.
Vega screams, “Mateo!”
Mateo waltzes in from another room, his gun drawn.
“What are you doing? You are here to kill him!” Vega screams.
“I’m sorry, I can’t do that. He’s made me an offer I can’t refuse,” Mateo answers back.
Vega is terrified.
Thomas levels the gun on Vega. “Señor, you are right to feel concerned.”
Vega holds his hands out in front of him and stutters out, “You must think about what you are doing…my death will not go unpunished!”
“Well, you may be right. I’m afraid you’ll never know, will you?”
And then Thomas shoots him in the head. Vega falls backward, dead before he hits the ground.
