Chapter 36: Chapter 36

- Abduction

James's POV

I rushed down the stairs, not stopping even when I missed a stair and almost sprained my ankle. The kitchen was the first place my feet took me and I was filled with relief when I saw my mum standing over the counter.

Her back was turned to me. She seemed busy. No not busy. She was staring into space and I knew she'd zoomed off again. And when she did, she was absent. Absent enough to not hear a scream as disrupting as the one I heard up in my room.

"Mum?"

She jumped startled.

I grunted chanting "I'm not gonna cry" in my head because I knew she needed me to be strong for her. Since the day she confided in me that anytime she zoomed off it was her counting the days she had left, I hadn't been the same.

Before she was diagnosed with Colorectal cancer, she was never caught unawares. Even when we'd try to startle her as kids, she'd never even jerked. She'd always laugh and say her mother instinct told her when her kids were near.

She put on a tight smile, but her shoulders still tensed. "Jamy."

"Ma." I went to her and cradled her face. "Are you okay?'' No, she's not, I thought knowingly.

"I," she paused, placing her lips in a thin line. "I wouldn't know son."

Her answer hit me deep. Mum was always optimistic, even dying, she'd always tell you she was fine. This was one of the few times she'd let her fear be heard.

I hugged her, placing a kiss on her head. Tiny pieces of my heart broke off every day, knowing I was losing my first love.

We broke off, but I still held her hands in my bigger ones. "Mum?"

"Yes, baby."

"I came down because I heard a scream, I know you didn't hear it. You zoomed off."

She visibly tensed, again. "What scream?"

"I-" I started but decided against it. There was no need to worry about her.

"Don't worry ma. I'm gonna check for where it came from. Maybe the TV or-" I stopped short when the scream came again. This time Louder than the first, but distant.

"Jamey, what was that?" She panicked. "Wait-" she placed her hands on my shoulders wide-eyed. "Where's Zara?"

Shit! Zara.

When I thought of it, the scream came from the direction of her room. I facepalmed myself, cursing for not checking on her immediately.

But you were checking on your ma.

Ignoring my subconscious, I dashed up the stairs in the direction of Zara's room.

I opened the door with dread. Let her be okay, God, I prayed.

Empty.

Empty.

Her room was empty.

"Where's Zara?" My mum asked from behind me, her voice edged.

I shook my head in disbelief. "Are you sure she was home?"

"Yes, she was. She came back minutes ago saying she needed to go upstairs to take a shower ASAP."

Damn it. This couldn't be happening, I worried.

I looked around the room for some cue before walking to her bathroom. I knocked with the hope that she'd answer and tell me she was bathing. Even though I knew. I knew, but I was still in denial.

The scream I had heard was hers.

Still, silently hoping, I opened the door reluctantly. She might be in there, and I wouldn't want to invade her privacy, I told myself hysterically.

Nothing.

The tub was filled with soap and was still filling. The bathroom was been prepared for use.

Shit, this couldn't be happening, I cussed inwardly for the umpteenth time raking my hands through my hair.

I walked back into the room to see my mum at the window side. "They took her through the window," she muttered.

I wanted to ask her who, but I decided against it. Instead, I strode to the window to see her belongings. Her earnings. Her shoe. Her bracelet had broken, a sign that she had struggled.

Zara had been abducted.

"Calm down honey." That was my dad trying to coo my mum as he had been doing since he arrived.

I'd called him immediately we confirmed she had been abducted and not up to five minutes later he had arrived. All his cooing and words of assurances to mum was to no avail. She was ranting and restless. Just as I was.

I sighed and stopped pacing in circles. "Any idea who could have done this dad? And why?" I queried.

"I think..." he trailed. "Yes I've got an idea who mi–"

I grabbed him by the collar not letting him finish. I knew he was going to say something relating to the cartel.

"Tell me you haven't dragged my sister into your cartel shit!''

I felt a presence behind me. Mum.

"James let him go."

"Please, baby." She touched my shoulder lightly.

She knew the effect she had on me. I willed myself to cool my boiling steam. I let him go and heard a thud as he hit the chair.

"This is not the time for fights. This is the time to stick together so we can find your sister," My mum reasoned. She was right.

"Who?" I glared daggers at my dad.

"Mc Klein. Leader of the Northern cartel. Not just any cartel, our rivals."

"I assume they must have been your rival for some time?"

He watched me intently, trying to figure out where I was heading with the questions maybe. "Yes."

"So why did they decide to kidnap Zara of a sudden? Why didn't they do it earlier? Maybe before I was even told and I would've found out through that." The last part was mumbled. I didn't even know where I went with that question myself.

"I'll assume that question was rhetorical as I am not a part of that cartel.'' His tone dripped with sarcasm.

"What can I say? All of you must think the same."

"No, we don't son." It was his turn to glare at me. "We aren't the same as them. They're criminals. It's time you learn about the cartel and what we do. You can't run from it, especially not now that this has happened. Now that your sister has been kidnapped."

"Which is damn well your fault."

"James put whatever you're thinking aside for a moment. Toss our différences aside at least till Zara is found. Until Zara is home and safe, let's shake hands and help each other find her. Two hands holding is better than a hand alone. Let's do it. For her."

This wasn't going to be easy as I was going to remember how he dictated my life when it hadn't even started it. But for Zara, I'd do anything. Anything.

"Okay. And we're involving the police."

"If you're expecting me to object to involving the police, then I must disappoint you by telling you the FBI has already been notified. That's why you need to learn about the cartel before you pass judgments as I know you must've already. We aren't enemies of the police. We are not the 'bad guy'."

He went, explaining everything and anything that had to do with the cartel.

When he was done, I was zoned out for minutes. I got to know what the cartel was about and it was the opposite of everything I thought and concluded. I was mentally slapping myself for judging them so fast and already seeing them as criminals that portrayed themselves as angels to the public.

The word 'cartel' sounded evil, I couldn't fault myself for thinking they were criminals that dealt with drugs and illegal arms.

"Let me see if I get this right..." I looked from my dad to my mum, and then to myself. "The Central Line Cartel is the name of your group. Barbson Empire and TMG are undercover for the cartel as the cartel is undercover for the FBI. You work with the FBI and recruit undercover agents to expose drug cartels, mafias, and their lords. Am I right?"

"Yes. That's exactly the summary of everything I just told you," Dad confirmed and Mum nodded.

"Wow," I mouthed. "It's just the... the word cartel sounds so evil that I never imagined anything good could come out of it."

"I understand. I didn't imagine the same when I found out."

"So everything about TMG being a shipping company is false?"

"No not everything. The staffs for both companies— Barbson Empire and TMG— are different from the cartel members."

"Hmm. I don't know what to say. To think I'd worked in the company for years and never sniffed anything fishy." I sighed. "How did this all start. What made MartinI start this up with the police?"

"The story has been passed down to generations, I ought to tell you." He rubbed my mum's thighs affectionately. "Augustus Martin, otherwise known as MartinI had an only child—my grandfather. He started this group when my grandfather was 15 and had been taken into custody by the FBI. My grandfather, Ramus Martin was only at the wrong scene with his friend where a drug deal was just made. It was a special operation that involved not only the police but the FBI as well. Authorities got there late only to find two 15-year-olds lurking around.

"His friend who was also 15 happened to be Erica's grandfather — Benjamin Simon. They took both of them into custody and contacted Ramus and Gregory's father— Andre Simon to tell them they had their kids. Martin and Andre had to make a deal in exchange for Ramus and Benjamin. They were to act as undercover agents to catch the drug lords that had just made a deal in the scene their sons were found. And they did. They went undercover for 3 years and the drug Lords were caught. Martin almost died, but he did it, and so the FBI cornered both men to make a final deal— form a cartel group that would serve as an undercover for the FBI. The condition for the leadership was that it must be passed down to their generations."

I was in awe when he spoke again. "I just told you the biggest secrets of the cartel. The FBI erased all pieces of information they ever had that was linked to our families. You're automatically in."

" In you say?"

"Yes. I wasn't supposed to tell you until you'd signed all that's necessary, and if the FBI should find out I did, I don't know what they'll do. I do know it wouldn't be good. I told you and you're automatically one of us. It's kind of like a secret cult." He gave me a stern glare. "But a good one as you already know."

I snickered at this.

"I want you to know something you don't. You've been with me for more than twenty years and you still don't know. You don't know me. I should let you know I'm not the type to be dragged. I can never be forced to do what I don't want to. Never." My voice was calm but dripped ice.

I looked from him to my mum and felt guilty when I saw a flicker of fear in her eyes.

It wasn't my intention to scare my already sick mum, but my dad needed to understand that I wasn't a puppy. If I was going to have anything to do with him and his group it would be because I want to. I was interested now since they happened to be the only way I could find my sister. I'd do anything to have her safe and at home.

"If I'm even going to have anything to do with the group then it would be because I want to find Zara and I'll be leaving when I want," I stated and meant every word.

His tensed shoulders relaxed a little. I felt a pang when my mum rubbed his thighs affectionately before they both squeezed hands.

She looked at me with a knowing smiled. "I assure you once you're in you'll never want to get out."