Pausing, she stared at me. “W-what?”
“Where’s your ice bucket? You know, the one they put in our rooms?”
“Oh, that,” she replied. “They forgot it I think? Cause I couldn’t find it.”
I looked into her eyes. No coldness, just curiosity. I also did not feel any abnormal tension. Stepping back, I motioned for her to pass by me.
She furrowed her brows at my odd behavior then passed me. “Thanks.”
Yes, I acted odd and paranoid but I was still alive. I waited until she went down and was already at the second set of stairs before I really let go of my suspicions. I was not a fool about to die. I was smart and alive. I looked around again, of course. All quiet. I needed to set up the camera before anyone else camealong. I swiftly pegged it above the door, then opened it and stepped in to ask Carlos, “Does the screen show both sets of stairs?”
“Um…” He seemed to be studying the cell phone.
I waited a few seconds for further reply.
He then nodded. “Yes, it does.”
I shut the door, locking it and the upper lock too. Next step…I took out the tripwire from my sweatpants pocket. “Can you bring me the little drill from that tool pack on the chair?”
Carlos looked over, then got up to grab the small drill, bringing it to me.
I took it from his grasp and knelt down. Lining up the tripwire with the screw on it, I drilled it in. Then stretched it over to the other side, leaving a bit of slack. Finally, I drilled the other end into the wall there.
“Wow,” Carlos said.
I grinned at him. “Not done yet.” I stood and went over to my backpack. I took out a metal lined sack and then carefully opened the zipper to take out the contents. Turning, I went back over.
“Barbed wire?” Carlos exclaimed when he saw it.
I nodded. “If they get through the locks, they will trip.” I knelt down and lined the barbed wire piece up about three feet past the trip wire. “He, whoever he is, will get a nutsack full of pain.”
“OUCH!” Carlos hissed.
I snickered. Yes, it might have been an evil snicker, but this unknown enemy who might try to break in, deserved every bloody cut. “Hopefully by then, we will have our guns trained on him.”
“Do I have a gun?” he asked.
I nodded. “I have one for you.” I moved over to my bag, took out a small case and handed it to him.
Grabbing it, he sat on the bed and opened the case. He actually sucked in his breath as he stared down at the weapon. “A Colt M1911?” he exclaimed.
I gave him a nod and listed its stats, “Single-action, recoil-operated, semi-automatic pistol. Chambered primarily for a .45 ACP cartridge.”
“You knew this was my favored weapon?” He stared at me.
I shrugged. I did know. I just never thought I would ever hand it to Carlos Castillo, the Mexican Mafia leader. But I wasn’t doing that. I was handing it to Carlos, the man who wanted to find his sister’s and my brother’s kids. I skipped answering his question, “So from now on, you need to use it if you have to. Protecting our lives is more important than sainthood.”
He chuckled softly. “Like anyone could make me a saint. I do have to admit it though. Hitting a tree with my car might have been the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“I saw pictures of it. You almost died, Carlos.”
He sighed. “I deserved it. I’ve committed some dark sins, whether I wanted to or not. I still committed them.”
“That makes me and you unsaintable,” I told him. “I’ve killed more people than you, I think?”
Shrugging, he chuckled. “I hope no one kept score.” Then he looked from the trap to me. “But I do know one thing.”
“And what’s that?” I asked him.
