ZSEN

Chapter 43 - Blood Money

Pico steps on the pedal and speeds through a few red lights. He looks, understandably, concerned.

...

As we turn onto the street with the burning house, I can slowly hear loud rap music blasting from someone's car. Speaking of which, there are about seven or eight vehicles of varying models parked in front of this one-story house.

There are a ton of people stood by the vehicles with guns shooting into the house. They are all dressed in bright vibrant purple colors and most covered in tattoos. The guys either have no shirt or they are hooded. The women have revealing clothing and some even have their bare chest showing. All of them, however, wear some sort of mask, bandana, or even some have motorcycle helmets.

"No! ¡Madre! ¡Papá! Maldición, no! ¡Niños! Nathaniel, amigo, there are kids in there! Help me get them out of there, please!"

Pico looks to be in tears. Why would anyone do this?!

One of the guys turns toward us with one of the scariest and most angriest faces I've ever seen... He doesn't even seem to be trying to make that face, it just appears to be his normal look.

He looks a little different compared to the others. He has green cornrows, strong facial features, and green eyes. His attire looks to be a military uniform but, there's no way he'd be allowed in. He looks to have a fancy, silk-looking, purple vest with a poofy collar attached to it. It has the length of a trench coat but, it has no sleeves. He has a lot of abs showing as he has no shirt underneath. He's wearing the lower half of what looks to be the skin-tight suit and it's altered to be a tame dark purple color with a gold stripe along the sides. He looks very clean and rich, especially for a gangster, but, he's covered with tattoos on his entire torso and arms.

"Of course, but, what's going on?!"

"It's ma family in there! Come on, we can't waste time! Give me cover fire."

"What?!"

Pico rams the truck through a few of their vehicles and parks right at the side of the house.

*Glass Breaking!*

Fuck! They start shooting through my window! I get my primary gun out and start shooting.

*Molotov cocktail Explosion!*

"Shit! Pico!"

Pico comes out of the house through a hole in the wall that he tore down. He has two babies over his shoulders and a group of younger kids crying following him. He's leading them out through the backyard. He looks at me...

"Amigo, get out! The truck's on fire! Come after us!"

I crawl out through the driver's door-
"Ack!"

I got shot in the hip!

"Z, fuck! ¡Aquí, saca a tu hermano y hermana de aquí! Z, I'm coming!"

Pico grabs hold of my shoulders and drags me to the backyard. I shoot my gun in the area in front of me to make sure they stay away.

He lays me down in the grass.

"You can walk, amigo?"

"Argh! I don't think so. I can't feel my left leg."

"Fuck! Okay, you're gonna have to help me get you through the field back here, alright?"

"I'll try."

"Amigo, if I have to let go... Please forgive me. I have to think about the children first."

"Pico, I get it. But, if you could please get us the fuck out of here!"

...

We've made it about a half-mile away from the scene. Pico tried to call Mallory for support but, she has yet to show. We stop at this truck, it's one of his relatives. They pick me up and set me into the bed of the truck.