9. Complicated Situations
COMPLICATED SITUATIONS
BISHOP
Too much shit is happening at once, and I’m about to go off the rails. The El Paso chapter has reported that Sunny Vasquez has been making plans. They are waiting on details, but they’re not sure what he’s up to.
Then we got the ATF banging on our doors, trying to get us involved in their bullshit. The “I scratch your back, and you scratch mine” part of my life with them ended a long time ago. I am a hick. I even look and sound like one, but I’m far from dumb.
Those son-of-a-bitches are snakes, and they will turn on you in a heartbeat. We know we can’t trust them, but the problem is my insiders have been MIA, so we have to entertain them to know what they want.
The timing of everything bothers me too. Myers showing up unannounced after years of being missing, Frazier getting out of prison, the ATF sniffing around, and a cartel with ties to sex trafficking all popping up out of nowhere is suspicious.
Nah, something is foul.
Yes, we know the ATF will work with whoever they can to get what they want, because we learned that a few years back.
Hell, I had to get a man on the inside so we could do our business without getting caught.
But I wouldn’t think the ATF would work with Frazier.
He would be too much of a risk. But both of them showing up in our territory is too much of a coincidence.
Frazier went to jail because he was stupid and got caught with the weapons he was supposed to be selling to the VFC. He didn’t snitch on the cartel because he’d be dead if he did. But he’s dumber than I thought if he went to work for them again after spending over a decade in jail.
Wire is still investigating if there are new players in North Texas, but it’s been quiet. Too quiet. Which means people are actively hiding what’s happening.
My burner cell ringing brings me out of my thoughts. Only a handful of people could be calling, and only for a handful of reasons. I don’t even think before answering because I know it’s important.
“Talk to me,” I say, picking up.
“Wire got a hit on the face recognition software. I’m calling church. Get here now.”
Rock hangs up, and I’m on the move. We finally caught a fucking break. Maybe now we can figure out what the hell is going on.
Kevin Frazier has been a pain in our ass since he went to jail. It was my mistake for not killing him fifteen years ago, then again five years ago when he sent his spawn after us. I won’t make the mistake again.
When we find out where he is, Frazier is a dead man no matter what he’s doing on the outside. We will know peace from our former brother-in-arms and the man who has betrayed us the most!
I hope Wire finally found something!
Rock slams down the gavel. “I call this meeting to order.”
Everyone quiets down so we can hear what’s going on. The tension in the room is thick, and everyone is on high alert. From the outside, we might look like a bunch of lawless thugs, but we’re more organized than any legal organization could ever think of being.
We live by our own set of rules. Some of us have families and livelihoods to consider. We like to party and have a good time, but we also like to live free. In order to do all of those things, we make our money… unconventionally.
We dabble in pills, weapons, laundering, and even extortion. We don’t fuck with any type of sex trafficking or sex trade. That’s one of the reasons we don’t fuck with cartels. The cartels here in the south do a lot of sex trafficking.
“One of the VFC’s generals has been seen in Southlake. His name is Dezi Torrez; he’s been with the family since the beginning. Some say he’s an illegitimate son of Sunny Sr., but nobody knows for sure.”
Wire pulls up a picture of Dezi, and I wish I could say I recognize him, but I don’t. We didn’t get a glimpse of any VFC members when we visited El Paso.
However, our brothers from the El Paso chapter managed to get pictures of all the cartel’s major players. All it took was a little cash and being in the right place at the right time.
“So, do you think the VFC is the new player the ATF was talking about?” Ace questions, studying the picture.
I can tell by the gleam in his eyes that his sharpshooter brain is zeroing in. Dezi Torrez better lay low because he’s definitely on the Hounds’ watchlist. If he makes one wrong move, Ace will have a bullet between his eyes before he can blink.
“It’s a huge possibility. The streets aren’t talking yet, but after going through the pictures, Torrez and a few VFC members are here.
I’ve only been following his movements for a short time, but it looks like he might be here doing business.
I’m not sure who he’s working with, though.
We haven’t gotten any further intel yet,” Wire answers.
“Have you been keeping an eye on Agent Parson? That might give us a clue on who she meant,” I suggest to Wire.
He nods and starts furiously tapping on his keyboard. We haven’t seen or heard from Agent Parson since she left my office that day. It was funny that she wasn’t very forthcoming about being with the ATF. That fact alone told me she did her homework and knew exactly how to approach me.
Agent Parson knew who I was. The problem is that she shouldn’t know shit about me. Since that day, I’ve been digging around trying to find out who she is. All of this shit is connected somehow.
“Parson hasn’t been moving around too much. As far as I can tell, she hasn’t taken any meetings outside of the bureau. If she’s met with any contacts, it’s been inside of the ATF offices.”
“Okay, stay on her. And dig deeper for her connection to us. It’s there somewhere; we just gotta find it,” Rock says.
“On it, Prez,” Wire replies.
“The second order of business is our supply chain. The pills from New Mexico have slowed down considerably. Our chapter president, Havoc, reported that the DEA showed up at the last drop. Our insiders gave him a heads-up, so they pulled out before they picked up the goods. But the bastards still got the product. It was too close for my liking, so they are laying low until we get a handle on things,” Rock states, frowning.
“Do you need me to go overlook things?” I ask, wanting to investigate the mishaps for myself.
“No, we need you here. The ATF is snooping here, and you have the insider information that we need. I’m gonna go to New Mexico. And you’re gonna stay here and be in charge while I’m gone.” Rock smirks at me.
I scowl because he knows I hate being put in charge of these rowdy motherfuckers.
Dealing with all the shit that comes our way is like having the world on your shoulders.
That’s why Rock does such a phenomenal job.
He’s been the backbone of this organization since before we started the Hounds.
Hell, he’s been one of the steadiest people in my life since we met in elementary school.
“You better not take too long, motherfucker,” I reply, still scowling.
Rock just chuckles, but his laugh is cut short when another picture pops up on the screen. Wire enlarges the image, and I can’t believe my fucking eyes. I know you can read the shock on my face because I was completely caught off guard.
“Who the fuck is he? Because I just met his ass last night when I paid off Blue’s debt,” Big Black says, pointing at the screen.
“What the fuck did you just say?” I ask, my eyes going wide.
“Uh, he’s been rumored to work as a Vasquez enforcer; his name is Brick,” Wire hesitantly answers, looking around.
“Fuck!” Rock and I say in unison.
This situation just got even more complicated!