The First Age

Jacinda returned with three men. Stumbling, she pulled out her gun and shot two of them, leaving who Ricky assumed to be El Diablo. He nodded as she asked if Marta was okay, and followed her instructions to disarm the man.

Jacinda poisoned theman and the she went to retrieve Marta. Ricky wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of her seeing the two dead men, but there was little to be done about it. The girl was obviously scared of the man andstuck closeto Jacinda. Ricky could see the rage in the man's eyes.

They left the building without incident. Unforrunately to sell their departure, Marta had to leave the blanket behind and she shiverered in the cold. Ricky went to the back of the SUV and pulled out another blanket for her. She stiffened as he wrapped it around her.

El Diablo took the front seat with Jacinda sitting behind him gun at the ready. Marta sat in the badk with Jacinda and yawned. The poor girl had had a really long day and Ricky hoped she would sleep. They needed to find someplace to keep her, and as he pulled away, Ricky thought takimg her to his place would be alright. They needed to go back there to get theantidote anyways. He could call Mercedes to watch he'd until he got back.

Ricky looked in the mirrkr and saw the girl had lay down in the back seat fast asleep. For that moment, his anger disappeared and a breif smile touched his lips. Hepulled out his wallet and called Mercedes.

"Hey I need a favor."


"What is it? Is everything okay?"


"Kind of...listen I need you to come over to my place andkeep an eye on a little girl for me.She's sleeping now, shouldn't be hard. I'll explain more when I get there."


"Okay...
She sounded confused.

"I need to focus on driving. I will explain later. I promise. And if you have some clothes for an 11 year old, that would be great."


Alright Ricky. I'll go through my little sisters stuff. You better explain what's going on though."


"I will. Thanks. I owe you one."


He hung up his wallet and El Diablo spoke. "The girl is Nuevo Leon property. This course of action does not bode well for you."

On the word "propery" Ricky's fingers tightened on the steering wheel. He tuened to look at Jacinda. "Can I please hit him?"


She nodded and spoke. "Keep your eyes on the road."


Ricky turned and punched the man in the jaw. His head bwnged on the window and Ricky had to admit that it felt good. Ricky could also tell the poison was beginning to work. He pulled up in the alley behind is bar and exited the vehicle. He opened thedoor.behind him and gently picked up Marta.

"I'll take her upstairs and get the antidote. Where is it?"
Jacinda gave him directions.and he went inside.

Mercedes was waiting and Ricky told her he had found the girl fleeing a brothel in the Nuevo Leon district. It was a lie, but he couldn't tell her the whole truth yet. He took Marta to his room and Mercedes pulled back the blamket d tucked her in.

"She's really tired, so I don't expect she will wake up. I'll keep her with me until I find her family. If they didn't sell her that is. I'll have a lot to think about.


Ricky could see the tears in Mercedes eyes, welling up because of the girl's sad story. Mercedes brought out the clothes and set them on the bed. "I can't stay. More to take care of. I'll be back soon. Thank you so much. "


Mercedes nodded and Ricky kissed her on the cheek. Jacinda's direcrions were good and Ricky quickly found the antidote and went out to the car, locking all doors as he did. He handed it to Jacinda and started driving. The night wasn't over yet.


Edited by Enrique, Dec 23 2014, 12:58 AM.

Jacinda kept one eye on 'El Diablo'- what a douche- and one on Ricky. The kid was getting emotional again. Jacinda understood, of course. She was human, after all. But anything she felt went into that box, tamped down and sealed tight. It would sit there, festering, building pressure. But she knew herself. She knew how that felt, when it got harder and harder to hold. The pressure pushed her, moved her, impelled her until finally, that glorious cathartic release. Pleasure wormed in her stomach, anticipation.

The two guards had been only minor indulgences, necessity more than anything else. Still enjoyable- they supported and enforced when went on there, after all. El Diablo, though, he would be fun.

Ricky dropped Marta off with that girl from the other night. Seemed like they were getting more than just casual. He'd better be careful. In their line of work, attachments were mostly a hindrance. He returned with the antidote and then started driving.

She checked the time. Buddy boy here had maybe ten minutes. His blusters and threats had stopped a while ago. He was definitely in pain, from the way he kept his head back and had his eyes squeezed shut. Jacinda smiled.

Casually she pistol whipped him in the side of the face. "Hey! Devil man! Wake up! No rest for the wicked."
She grinned at him tauntingly, the way he shied back. The anger and darkness was still in his eyes. "Yeah yeah, big strong tough guy. Selling little kids."
She showed the contempt she felt. "Even without the poison, I'd kick your ass."


She held up the hypostick between two fingers. His eyes followed it hungrily. "So....before I give this to you, you're going to answer some questions. Got it?"
He nodded. "You've had some disappearances of late. Sightings of strange creatures. Dead bodies discovered, mangled. And not with the usual cartel signature. Tell me everything."


The confusion in his eyes was plain. To him, this whole thing tonight was a cartel beef, nothing more. He opened his mouth, clearly wanting clarification. She leaned forward, whispering to hin. "Questions are a waste of time. More specifically, your time. I suggest you answer the very best you can."

Ricky drove while Jacinda and El Diablo "chatted." It was really more of a one sided discussion at this point. She was using the antidote to mock him, and usually that sort of thing would have upset him. This time it didn't. After all the pain and fear this man had caused, he deserved to be staring death in the face.

Ricky listened as the ass began to talk. "Some of my men and customers have been disappearing. Others come speaking of a strange bat like creature. Any corpses we find are ravaged - claw and teeth marks. They are usually sighted near the caves. We sent some men there. They didn't come back. That's all I know...I swear."

Ricky could hear the man's panic, and as he made a quick glance over, he saw it in his eyes as well. The pain must be intensifying. The cartel members eyes were on the antidote. Ricky stopped the SUV. The mouth of the cave before them. "We are here."


Jacinda administered the antidote and as it took effect, El Diablo realized where they were. "No - not here." Ricky could hear the panic in his voice.

Ricky pulled out one of his colts and pointed it at the man. "Out."
Ricky followed suit, keeping his gun trained on the man who got out slowly and stumbled a bit as he got to his feet. Jacinda also got out of the vehicle, her gun trained on El Diablo. Ricky gestured to the mouth of the cave silently.

El Diablo swallowed, but didn't move. "Come on. We're just helping you be a good lieutenant. You wouldn't want El Sanguinario to stop by and see that you haven't checked out the issue that's been going on around one of his prime establishments."


The man cringed but began walking. Ricky followed him into the cave. He pulled out a light and kept it just bright enough to see by. The man stumbled a couple of times, but got up as quickly as he could. A few minutes and they emerged from the tunnel into what appeared to be a den. Skeletons and bodies littered the floor and the room smelled of death. Ricky allowed El Diablo to walk farther in. The man was shaking and looked up as he heard a screech. Ricky turned his light to the ceiling and for the first time looked on his quarries. There were four of them, all rather large, at least larger than any he had seen before.

The stories said they were attracted to sin. It was why he had gone to confession. He had been cleansed. The four creatures gave him a momentary gaze, but although he was the one holding the light, they turned their focus on El Diablo. Except for one - it's eyes were clearly turned onto Jacinda.

Jacinda was glad that Ricky didn't say anything about her use of poison on the man- or shooting his guards in the back of the head with no warning, for that matter. Good. He knew she wasn't interested in hearing his whining. He was a good kid but a little too soft. This job would shave that away quickly, or else you risked getting stabbed in the back.

'El Diablo'- so pathetic, this little weasel man- almost seemed to whine as he spoke, finally realizing that the pain he was feeling meant he was nearing death. Jacinda allowed the box to open just a bit and she relished his weakness. Not too much. Still had to keep things under wraps. But you had to enjoy what you did, after all, or else why bother?

She administered the antidote none too lightly. She had neglected to tell him that it didn't do jack-shit for the pain. But that wouldn't last too long anyway, mores the pity. If ever someone deserved to suffer it was this douchebag.

The vehicle stopped outside the caves and they exited. The full moon hung fat and low in the night sky, shining brightly and casting an eery ethereal glow to everything. There was little sound from the city due to the light breeze, but she could see the lights of the brothel and cantina in the far distance. The night was cool, though she kept her leather coat on. She'd put her gloves and body armor underneath back at Ricky's place, and it felt tight against her, as if holding her.

The anticipation continued to grow in her stomach, the familiar warmth beginning to radiate out, arms and legs, hands and feet feeling loose and limber. She pulled her gun and let Ricky order the guy around. She was content to walk in trailing their decoy. No question that he'd be the first target which would give them the opportunity to strike.

The queztals were normally around the size of a small bird or bat, though briefly, after seeing the bodies scattered, she wondered how they'd been able to drag people back here. Maybe it was a pack. They were ferocious and quick and cut deep and true, always seeming to alternate between the eyes and the hands and mouth, for some reason.

They walked into the cave with the "Devil" at the head, his whimpering weak, thankfully, due to the pain he was in. Ricky did have to shove him ahead a few times, keeping his soft red light just bright enough to illuminate without ruining their night vision. She kept her eyes alert, looking everywhere, listening. Nothing but the occasional breeze or some distant semblance of music suddenly drifting out from the city.

As they went deeper it became more silent. The all stopped at the same time when they heard the screech and Ricky's light went up....and their they hung. Four roosting quetzals. They were bigger than any Jacinda had ever seen as they dropped to their feet and spread out, fanning out their wings. The size of large eagles, wingspan 10 feet maybe, long necks ending in a head with a massive sharp curved beak and a bony crest across the top. The red of the light traced reddish lines- veins?- in the membrane of their wings as the large sharp claws at the tips twitched. Two of the creatures seemed to focus on Diablo and rooted him in his place, his whimpers trailing off.

But Jacinda could only spare a moment for that because....there was something wrong. Two of them were looking at her, staring with those black dead eyes, endless pits and she couldn't move. It was as if she could see herself reflected in them. Despite having beaks, she almost imagined a smile on one of them. For the first time in years, she felt fear lance through her, from chest to groin and her limbs felt watery and weak, like she had as a little girl so many years ago.

And at that moment, the two quetzals struck.

She could almost see them move as if in slow motion toward her, claws and screeching beaks coming for her. This was it. The terror seemed to overwhelm her, the fear of the oncoming death.

But from deep inside, something snapped. That box burst open and all her rage and anger and hatred burst out from inside her, a volcano of pure fire, filling her, suffusing her to her core, and suddenly that fear and terror she'd felt turned into a fury she'd never felt before. They judged her?!! Her? "Fuck you!!!"
she screamed and pulled up her gun and fired at the one closest to her, hitting it point blank in the head.

It still moved forward, thrashing even as it fell and knocked her to the ground. She struggled as the other rushed forward, claws raised, beak snapping, as she tried to bring up her weapon. Her hand came up just as she saw herself reflected in its eyes.

Despite the certain death approaching, she laughed, filled with glorious joy to see the fury and fight on her face. What a run. Bring it on. She spit in its eye one last time.

As the quetzes attacked, Ricky moved. Two of them decided to go after Jacinda and two after the quivering wreck that was El Diablo. Ricky could care less about his fate, but Jacinda was different. Despite his disagreements on her methods, she was a sister in arms. Ricky paid little attention to El Diablo, but he could hear him scream as the attack started.

Jacinda took one down, but the two quetzes coordinated their attacks and one got her. She laughed and spat in its face, despite her impending death. Ricky wasn't going to let that happen. As he ran, he pulled out his twohip revolversnd fired. El Diablo began to shriek hysterically. The other two were beginning to feed. The creature Ricky fought screeched as each bullet hit. He counted as he fired - eleven shots. The fury of his assault attracted the attention of the quetz and it shifted off of Jacinda to assess the threat that had been blind to its sin detecting senses. At least Jacinda had some room now - and time.

Ricky wasn't done. He continued running towards the creature. It was weakened,but still alive. He had been going for a distraction. He closed the distance and the thing shrieked at him. It moved to attack, but its moments were sluggish and Cocky shoved his pistol into its eye and fired the reamining bullet. The creatured howled and fell to the ground.

Ricky helped Jacinda up, holstered his empty pistols and pulled out his shoulder revolvers as he turned to face the two remaining creatures. Their beaks were covered in the blood of.the corpse beneath them, but their partners shrieks had attraracted their attention. As they attacked, Ricky fired at one, taking time to aim. This time he was going for the kill. His eyes blazed with fury as the creature came at him, all of his emotions bubbling to the surface. He emptied his weapons into the creature, aiming for vulnerable spots - mostly the head. Jacinda should be able to take on the last one. The creature shrieked and fell, breathing its last.

Ricky turned to face Jacinda. As he did his eye caught the reflection of a gemstone from one of the corpses. He didn't know why, but it seemed familiar to him. He would check after making sure Jacinda was okay. "Are you okay?"
he asked,genuinely concerned.


Edited by Enrique, Dec 30 2014, 09:02 PM.

Jacinda saw her death in its eyes and she laughed and laughed. This is how it should happen. Not in a bed. Not like a bitch. Nah, you go out fighting creatures from hell. And she'd had a good run as a field hunter, longer than most. But she'd not die without a fight, not even now. This thing wanted to take her life? Then it'd give something up. It'd remember that she was no easy meat.

She couldn't get her gun hand up but her other hand was able to reach the knife in her boot. She got it up to its chest just as its maw of a beak tried to rip at her face. She jerk her head and it stabbed her scalp instead, deep. She felt the burn distantly, though, as her hand shoved the knife into its body cavity. She felt it spasm and for a moment she thought she had hit its heart- if it had one. But its head turned and then blood fountained from the side.

Good old Ricky, she laughed, even as it jerked again and again. She twisted the knife up into its guts, feeling the thick hot blood covering her hand. It slumped on her like some spent lover on top of her. Course, that wasn't how she liked it and she did what she would've done had someone tried. She shoved the thing off of her and rolled it over as she got up.

It was all done in a moment. The screams and screeches still filled the cave as she turned her head and saw the other two queztals that had been tearing at El Diablo. They were coming for them now, wings and claws flapping about, hopping about and gliding forward to swoop at them. Through the frenzy she could see a mass of bloody flesh around the man's face and- perhaps not surprisingly- around his groin.

She wiped away the blood in her eyes and quickly bent down to retrieve her dropped gun as Ricky begin firing away, screaming as he unloaded both clips into just one creature. She fired at the other one, curiously calm. She had emptied her box already.

This was just a cold necessary kill, simple really. Her gun emptied itself as she tried to decipher what had happened. The last time she'd faced a quetz was maybe 20 years ago. They'd never gone for her before. She wondered if they were changing, now. It was to be expected, she supposed. She'd have to remember that, though.

When they were both down, Ricky asked her if she was ok. "It got me in the head, but I can stitch it up at the house."
She went over to the creatures and looked at their bloodied bodies. Ugly bastards.

She walked to El Diablo and knelt down beside him. Despite everything, he seemed to be breathing weakly. He was going to die in soon, she was sure. He was bleeding pretty bad. Still....she looked at her knife in her hand, now tacky and sticky with blood. One quick jab into the heart and he'd be dead. Part of her thought that would be fitting. One last shot of revenge.

Instead she leaned forward and whispered. "I'm going to let you live. You can enjoy your last moments in this cave all alone in the dark."
She smiled and laughed in her chest. "Who knows? Maybe you'll have some visitors."
He moaned weakly and she felt a great sense of peace wash over her. Coyotes and other feral creatures were out and about and there was a lot of blood. It seemed fitting.

She stood and felt good. She gave Ricky a look. She wasn't in the mood. "Let's go."
They walked to the car. "Thanks for the help. I owe you one."
She did too.

They drove back to town in silence. The moon had moved only a fraction- it had been maybe 15 minutes since they'd arrived. It felt like they'd been in there all day.

The pain in her scalp was minimal. She needed the stitches. What she wanted was a drink.

Jacinda said she was okay despite the gash on her scalp. It really wasn't bad, but would need stitches. Ricky nodded and as Jacinda went to speak with El Diablo, Ricky went to check out the gem he had seen glittering before. He looked at the corpse, a Nuevo Leon tattoo stood on his back, and Ricky gasped. No...it couldn't be.

He recognized the pendent necklace that Eduardo always wore and hesitantly, Ricky turned the body over with his foot. The face was barely distinguishable, but the Atharim tattoo on his left forearm was still there. The facts all pointed to what he didn't want to accept: the unreturned phone calls, the lack of a call when going to face quetzes, and his sudden disappearance. Eduardo had betrayed him.

Ricky pulled the pendant, breaking the chain. He would replace it. Ricky pocketed the pendant and spoke softly to the corpse. "In remembrance of the man you used to be."


Ricky stood and followed Jacinda out before going back to El Diablo. "Keys."


The man reached for his pocket and pulled them out Ricky took them and left without another word. Getting into the car, he drove silently and quickly back to his home and bar. He stopped the car and sighed, turning to Jacinda.

"I'm gonna take a shower and then go for a drive. I need some time alone to think. Tell Miguel that your drinks are on the house tonight."


She looked at him flatly for a moment, as if in thought, then nodded. "Alright. Thanks."


She exited the car and went into the bar. Ricky went upstairs and showered before heading into his bedroom to find Mercedes reading a book. It was a book on Aztec mythology and she was reading about Quetzalcoatl - how strange.

"How is she?"
he asked.

Mercedes looked up. "She hasn't stirred since you left. Poor thing must be so tired."


Ricky nodded. "Can you stay a bit longer - I need to take care of something."


Mercedes nodded. "Don't worry. I'll be back soon."


Ricky left and went to the other room. He put on all black and went to his personal equipment to pull out the camera jammer. He checked his pistols and reloaded them before heading downstairs into his car. He checked the time and swore. Diaz would have been there and gone by now. He'd have to deal with the sick bastard later.

Ricky had another reason to return to the brothel though. He had to find out what he could about Marta. The keys he had taken from El Diablo gave him easy access to the building through an employee entrance. Using the camera jammer, he was able to sneak through undetected. These corridors seemed to be seldom used at night - all the workers were kept busy. He found a room that appeared through the window to be an office - just what he was looking for. He entered, jamming the only camera in the room. He approached it and using one of his knives cut the wire to it. He would need more privacy, but doing so gave him little time.

Ricky quickly went to the file cabinets. Finding one that read "Sales Records" Ricky opened it. Names of girls were on the folders and Ricky wanted to hit something but he focused. He searched - not knowing Marta's last name didn't help but he found one labled "Gonzales, Marta." Ricky took the folder and sure enough a photograph of the little girl was in there. He took the folder and left the room and building as stealthily as he had entered.

He entered his vehicle and drove away, finding a secluded spot a few miles from the brothel - and safely out of Nuevo Leon territory. He pulled out the file and switched on the light in his SUV and began to read. Marta was sold by a man named Roberto Gonzales. Under the section labeled "Family Status" Ricky found a single word - deceased. Upon further reading, Ricky found out that she had one living relative - an uncle named Roberto - the one who had sold her.

It was too much and Ricky started to cry in the SUV. How could someone do that - to their own niece. The anger mixed with sadness. He wasn't sure how long he cried, but when he finished he was outside - leaning on the SUV. He looked up and spoke into the night. "Gustavo Perez - I'm coming for you."
His war against the drug cartels had begun.

He drove home in deep thought and silence and found Mercedes in the same spot. Marta was still fast asleep. Ricky signaled for her to come with him and Mercedes stood and they headed to the kitchen. They sat down at the table.

"Her family is dead."
Ricky said, not knowing another way to bring it up.

Mercedes gasped. "What now?"


Ricky would have answered if it had not been for the little girl entering the kitchen herself. She looked at Ricky and then at Mercedes and then at Ricky again. "Mommy and Rafael - they are..." She didn't finish as she started to cry. Mercedes went and hugged her, telling her it would be okay. Ricky could see her cringe in fear and he saddened. He got her a glass of water. Marta took it and sat down on the floor, sniffling.

"Where...what...where will I go now?"

"You can stay here."
The words were out of Ricky's mouth without a thought. Mercedes' eyes widened in surprise.

Marta looked between both of them again. Mercedes nodded at Ricky - she didn't look like she understood his decision, but accepted it. "Ricky is a good man, Marta. You will be safe here."


Marta looked at Ricky and he could see the fear in her eyes. She turned towards Mercedes again and Mercedes gave her an encouraging smile. Marta turned back and nodded. "O...okay..."

Mercedes kneeling by the girl spoke softly. "You've had a long day - you should get some sleep okay."


Marta yawned and nodded and Mercedes accompanied her back to the room. Ricky followed and watched as the girl fell asleep again. It made him smile to see her so peaceful.

Mercedes and Ricky headed back to the kitchen. "You sure about this Ricky. There are other options - the orphanage..."


"She'd just end up back there...if they even let her live. I'm sure about this - it seems right."


Mercedes frowned. "It's not going to be easy Ricky. She's scared, confused, untrusting, and probably addicted to heroin. This will be hard. You've committed now and I know you can't take that back. I'll help if I can."


Ricky nodded. "I know it won't be easy, and I know I'll have to make a lot of changes. Tonight was a big eye opener. I know more than I ever could have wanted to know. I can help this girl. I want to help this girl."
Ricky smiled. "She's really special."


Mercedes did smile at that. "You're a good man Ricky. This is one of the most selfless things I've ever seen. I'll stay the night. I think it will be good to have a female around when she wakes tomorrow. I need to get some sleep though."


Ricky nodded. "Thanks - it means a lot."
As Mercedes left, Ricky got himself a glass of water. He was a father now. In one minute and one decision, his whole life had changed. It would be difficult, but he would endure it for Marta.

Continued in To Raise A Child


Edited by Enrique, Dec 31 2014, 11:26 AM.