Chapter 53 - The Pauras

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"How many games would you like, sir?" The three of us were standing at the counter, Enrico typing my last name into the system as my father got out his wallet.

"Is there an unlimited option?" my father asked him. Enrico looked up at him for the first time, shock on his face, but nothing compared to the shock as soon as he recognized who my father was.

"Mr. Nathelee, why-how-what do you want?" Enrico finally decided on. 

"We need to talk to your father. Is her here?" my father asked. Enrico took his time answering, a battle waging behind his eyes as he sized us up. Finally he shook his head no. I stepped forward, pushing my father lightly out of the way. 

"Hi, Enrico? My name is Roseilin," I started, gesturing to my father during my next sentence. "I am John's daughter. I didn't grow up around this world, but I can imagine that it was scary for a child." I paused, waiting for some sort of response but getting none. "I know what you might be thinking. That my father is here to hurt you and your dad, get back at you for your father leaving? I promise you that we are here because we need your father's help. Mr. Thein is now after the three of us," I said softly. 

Enrico's brows worked before he finally looked at Marcus, "You're his son. Why would he be after you?"

"Difference in opinions lately," Marcus answered with his arms across his chest. His rude manner wasn't doing us any good, so I tried to take Enrico's attention back. 

"Enrico, I just recently found out the real reason that your father left, and I am sorry for whatever trauma you have been put through, but your father did the right thing when he left five years ago and helped to give you a better life. We are not here to take that life away from either of you." Enrico looked at the three of us again. I could see that I was close to breaking him. "Please, Enrico, I need your help."

Enrico looked me in the eye for quite some time, sweat dripping down his brow before he picked up a radio that was sitting on the counter. The three of us tensed before Enrico clicked the button on. 

"Dad, there are three people here who say they need your help." We all waited in silence. "They are Pauras on the run." I wanted to ask what a Paura was but there wasn't much time. There was a long silence over the radio. I was about to recommend checking what channel he was on before the static came over the speaker. 

"Send them in." Enrico grabbed his ID card from the counter and walked around the desk, meeting us at the door to the other side of the building and swiping it. He turned the knob and pulled, but before letting us in, he blocked the entrance. 

"My father did what he had to in order to make sure that I grew up with the best life that I could. It has been hard, and it hasn't been a dream, but it has been ours. Please, whatever you are here for, do not take that away from us."

The three of us nodded and Enrico opened the door, stepping to the side and allowing us in. I heard it slam shut behind us, the lock automatically engaging as we stepped forward. The hallway was dark with glowing paint splattered all over the floor, walls, and ceiling. 100 feet in front of us was a desk decorated in the same paint. 

We walked down the hall and made it to the desk, but the lighting didn't allow me to make out the features of the man behind it. Behind him, the wall was decorated with four different colors in laser guns. 

"Mateo," my father began, but the man behind the counter didn't let him continue. 

"Why are you here? Why now?" he asked. "My son is right outside. We have never told anyone about the gang and we have never been disloyal even in my retirement-"

"Mateo, I am not here as the leader of the Pauras," my father said. "I am here as a friend that needs your help."

"What could I possibly do for you?" Mateo asked my father. "And if you aren't here as the leader of the Pauras, then why do you have Robert's son with you?"

"Robert has turned on the gang." I strained to see his reaction in the dark, but all I could make out was a bulky build and a dark shirt. Mateo didn't answer right away.

"Why would he do that?" I noticed that Mateo wasn't surprised that Robert had turned, but rather wanted to know the reason why.

"I think he is thinking in the best interest of his family-"

"-Do not blame this on me or my fam-"

"Marcus I am not blaming you. I truly don't understand Robert's actions and can only come up with him making a deal to keep Newman off your back. Did you never wonder why Newman didn't kill you on the road the first time that he took my daughter?" There was another silence in the air as all the testosterone filled every square inch of this place. 

"Mateo, we need your help," I finally stated. 

"You brought your daughter with you?" his harsh tone was full of judgement. 

"Actual, I brought myself along after being kidnapped three times and being beaten more."

"Do you realize what you are doing just by being here? You are putting the life that I have made for me and my son in danger. Robert has hated me for leaving. You are just giving him an excuse to make Enrico grow up without a father, or even worse, never grow up at all! No, I cannot help you. You all need to leave, now."

Mateo walked out from behind the counter and started pushing us towards the door, and I couldn't help but notice the glint of metal in his hands. 

"Mateo, please-" my father asked.

"No, you need to leave. I am not going to let my family suffer because you messed up."

"I am trying to protect my own family!" my father yelled. Mateo stopped pushing us, and for the first time one of the UV lights gave enough clarity for me to get a good look at Mateo. He had a dark but short beard and medium length, curly hair to match. I could see his body was just as well defined as anyone else I had every met in the gang. 

"Please, Mateo, I know that you can help us. Let us at least tell you the plan that we have come up with and if you have a problem with it we will get out of your hair and Robert will never even know that we were here." My father looked at Mateo, for once since he had gotten back not ordering people around. He seemed....desperate. Even when we had gotten into the car from the Theins to the airport my father knew exactly what to do. He hadn't freaked out this entire time. Now I could see the desperation behind his eyes. 

"If I don't like one word that you say, then you are out of my building and I swear to God if I ever see you again I will ask questions second."

"Understandable," my father said. Everyone relaxed and I stood next to Marcus. My heart beat was quickened and I felt the sudden wave of nausea. Whatever was going to happen tonight, I couldn't think of a good outcome. Where we supposed to kill Newman and Robert when the got here. Where would that get us? Marcus would be fatherless, the gang would be leaderless, and Marissa would be husbandless. 

I watched as my father and Mateo walked back to the counter and through a door in the back right corner. Marcus and I found sits along the side of the wall and sat down, holding hands as we both waiting for the men to come out of the room. 


N/A  What do we think about the cool name for the gang? SPOILER ALERT the second book is all about the gang, so hang on and remember the name. Try thinking about it a little bit more because I promise it has nothing to do with pirañas no matter how much my friend tries to tell me so. 

What do you think about the chapter? 

What do you think about Mateo? Enrico?

Have a great rest of your day! Love you guys :)

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