The Darkest Word

Chapter 1

I was really going to have to teach my staff how to have a confident aura.

I made my way to the meeting room with Luna. Cortez was already there with another man who I assume is Giovani Keys.

"Cortez, Keys, good afternoon."

"Giovanni and Rafael is fine" said Keys. I ignored his comment.

They both had a beard and mustache that connected. However, Cortez had a lighter shade of brown eyes than Keys. They were both well dressed and good looking men, however, one screamed more dominance than the other.

I sat in my usual meeting chair which underneath it had a gun just in case.

Luna sat on my right taking her notepad out right away.

"So Cortez, you're interested in buying our tracker. Why should I partner up with you?"

"Well-" Giovanni started.

"I believe I asked your boss Mr.Keys. Or can he not speak for himself?"

He just glared at me while Rafael smiled ever so slightly. He then cleared his throat.

"Given by the file you have in front of you, Ms.Rivera, I'd say you know exactly why you should partner up with me."

The cocky approach. Got it.

"Why don't you enlighten me?"

A frown took over his face.

"Having the most dangerous gang by your side will guarantee you protection."

"The same way you protected those 4 men who died downtown?"

His jaw flexed as the atmosphere inside the room became cold. Luna stopped writing and was looking back and forth between me and Cortez. Keys was looking at his boss as though he was waiting for the next move.

"Gio, can you leave me and Ms.Rivera alone?" He asked while maintaining eye contact.

"Luna, you can go too" I said. I could have sworn I heard her say "oh thank goodness" under her breath.

Once they were both out the room, he spoke up.

"That is a very dangerous game you are playing."

"I still haven't heard what's in it for me. Mr.Cortez you are offering $70,000 to get my tracker so you can catch the people who killed them correct?"

"Correct. Now, what's in it for you, you ask? How about I don't kill you?"

"I'm sorry that I don't get fazed by your empty threats." I was beginning to grow irritated. He thinks he controls everyone simply because he hasn't put a bullet in their brain.

"Empty huh? Same way you thought you're house was empty and decided to throw a block party? Only to discover your parents were there and someone who sought revenge had killed them?"

Looks like someone did his research as well.

Whenever someone would blame me for the death of my parents I would cry. However, I used that sadness and turned it into ambition. I started up my own technology business all so I could one day create a tracking device. With it, the killer was found. Turned out my parents took drugs from him and never paid him back. He's now in jail serving life.

"Hmm...parents, a touchy subject. Want to blame me for my parents' deaths? Okay. How about your father's? You couldn't protect your father and then caused your mother to run away."

At this his eyes turned cold. Don't get me wrong, it would be great to be able to say that The Hydras have my back. But I don't give away my tracker to just any gang simply for "protection." I can protect myself.