The Mafia's Princess

Dead and Gone

“Should be here” One of them grumbled eyeing the crowd for danger. Without me seeing they had silently formed a small circle around me.

“There it is. The black hummer” another one said and we all moved towards the hummer that was conveniently isolated from the rest of the cars. The driver door opened and out hopped a guy around my age. We were all stumped by his age and Isaák stopped our group, looking at him suspiciously. Despite looking around my age I could tell in an instant that he worked for the family business. He was dressed ‘casually’ in plain jeans and a white top. He was deliberately wearing plain clothes so he wouldn’t gain attention and sunglasses so he could look around without anyone knowing. When your father’s business operates mostly out of your home you come to recognise the generic look of his employees.

His biggest tell though was how blank and professional his face was in spite of his youthful features. “What’s going on?” Isaák asked eyeing up the kid and the now suspicious looking hummer.

“You tell me” He replied evenly in a deep voice. “Nora sent me here to pick up some cargo” He explained. The men around me shared a look

“And she put you in charge of the escort team?” Isaák asked in surprise

“Escort team? She just sent me to make the pick-up” He replied looking wary himself now. He moved his hand behind his back and just like that things got pretty tense.

“I would keep your hands where I can see them if I were you” Isaák warned in a steady voice. The guy didn’t move trying to figure out where he stood in this situation. “There’s been a little bit of a miscommunication apparently.” Isaák sighed having figured out what was happening here. “Nora should’ve sent a whole team because this here is the cargo. Pretty special cargo too” He continued, gesturing to me and just like that the tension was gone.

I felt his eyes slowly taking me in from head to foot and back again. With every passing second his eyebrows drew closer and closer together in confusion. “This is what Nora sent me to pick up? This is your special cargo?” He clarified struggling to hide his confusion

Isaák gave him a stern look, “So special that she should have given you a whole team. Now everyone in the car, we’re starting to attract attention.” I climbed in behind the passenger seat without any hesitation and waited for everyone else. “What’s your name kid” Isaák asked gruffly pulling out his phone.

“Julian Vasco” He replied clearly. That seemed to mean something to Isaák who looked up from his phone with an appraising look, eyebrow arched.

“So it is” He mused. “You’ve grown kid.” Amusement was clear in his voice.

“Do I know you?” Julian asked

“You probably don’t remember me, the name’s Isaák.” He said turning to the three other men.

“The Isaák?!” Julian asked with awe clear in his voice

“The very one” Isaák replied ruefully. Julian now turned to me again a thoughtful look on his face trying to figure out how I fit in to all of this. I turned away from him and listened to Isaák. “We’ll be escorting her all the way apparently. I’ll call Ari and let him know so he doesn’t leave the jet running.” The men climbed into the car and Isaák made a quick phone call to our pilot. Two guards climbed to the back and one in the passenger seat. Isaák hopped in next to me and we were finally away. I looked out the window and watched Sacramento pass by. My aunty lived about 20 minutes from Sacramento along the coast line. The city scene soon changed to rolling green hills and the ocean.

Finally we reached the right street. I could tell straight away because it was set up just like my street back in Australia. The area around this street was pretty bare considering how built up this one street was. Green hills went on far into the distance on either side and opposite the street. You honestly couldn’t sneak up on this street because they would spot from kilometres away, which was kinda the point. The street was bustling with people and we stopped at the start of the street to talk to the large men ‘conveniently’ hanging around the only entrance/exit. After a quick greeting they went back to their business and we pulled into the street, large houses on either side. Kids played freely around the street and adults moved about without a care.