Chapter 57 - 56: Mexico

Chapter 57: Chapter 56: Mexico

"So this is Mexico, such beautiful scenery." Barko commented, gazing out the window with an appreciative look only for Ricky to scrunch his brows.

"What the f*ck are you talking about, it's just desert?" Ricky said, confused, glancing at the others as Alexander nodded in agreement beside him.

"I concur, I thought there would be well-...more." Alexander scratched his head, usually playing devil's advocate, but he couldn't see the appeal in a barren stretch of land, while both Chores and Chester scoffed.

"It's because we're so far inland and near the border, but besides that, the scenery showcases the natural beauty of Mexico." Chores nodded from the dashboard, gesturing toward the sun, which cast a beautiful cascade of light over the mountains, while Chester nodded in agreement with his words.

"Beautifully said." Chester then gazed at the scenery he had read so much about, the sight he had traveled for in this tightly cramped car.

Appreciating the scenery of the Mexican desert is like stepping into a painting of golden sands and rugged beauty.

The landscape stretches endlessly, with waves of heat rising from the ground, creating a mirage like effect.

Towering cacti stand as silent sentinels, their arms reaching toward the azure sky.

The sun hangs high, casting its warm glow over the vast expanse, painting everything in a rich, golden hue.

The air is dry, filled with the earthy scent of desert plants, mixed with the faint aroma of spices carried on the breeze.

Pockets of vegetation are sprinkled around, not clustered in one spot but spread out just enough to enhance the beauty of the landscape.

In the distance, rugged mountains rise, their jagged peaks cutting sharp silhouettes against the sky.

As the day fades into evening, the sky is set ablaze with the colors of the setting sun, casting a warm, orange glow over the desert.

The landscape takes on a magical quality as shadows lengthen and the stars begin to twinkle overhead, wrapping the environment in a blanket of shimmering light.

"So where are we headed, Slick?" Barko interrupted Chester's appreciation, prompting Ricky to pull out a map and toss it to him.

"That Juan guy is supposedly set up in the border city of Matamoros." Ricky informed Barko as they drove along the rough road.

"He's the leader of the up-and-coming Gulf Cartel, which primarily deals in weed and cocaine that he usurped from his father." Chores pulled out his notebook while reading aloud and as he lowered it, he noticed everyone was giving him odd looks.

"What? I will not simply go into dangers half assessed, if I'm going to be a mobster then I want to be a well informed one." Chores shrugged off their gazes as he pocketed his notebook, then gave Ricky a slight, indecisive jab.

Chores hadn't been sitting idly by under Ricky's employment; instead, he had been diligently educating himself in the ways of the underworld.

Adjusting quickly to such an environment was challenging, especially since he had only worked in a circus before.

What set Chores apart from the others was his willingness to put his head down and do the necessary work without complaints.

"Alright." Ricky hadn't expected Chores to be so well informed, but he was beginning to see just how reliable he was, beyond just being a strong arm.

"In your opinion Chores, do you think they'll be able to-"

"No, I doubt they'll have 2 million worth of weed available." Chores said bluntly, considering how unrealistic it would be for a cartel to prepare such large amounts in a short time..

"Whatever, we'll see when we get there anyways so why worry about it now." Ricky irresponsibly shrugged off the thoughts as he continued driving down the dirt road.

After another two hours, they finally arrived at the city that served as the Gulf Cartel's home base.

Almost immediately, a sea of hunting rifles were aimed at their car as around thirty men surrounded them, all focusing their guns on Ricky.

"STATE YOUR BUSINESS AMERICANS!" A man shouted, and Ricky stuck his head out of the window with a laugh.

"WE ARE HERE TO BUY YOUR DRUGS ON BEHALF OF THE LUCIANO FAMILY!" Ricky shouted back in Spanish, leaving everyone, including the cartel members, shocked by his perfect accent.

"Did you know he could speak-" Barko, unaware of the translation ring on his finger, breathlessly asked Chores who sighed.

"Not a clue." Chores shook his head, dissuading any thoughts of him being associated with Ricky's reckless surprises while Barko looked back at the guns.

They all looked at each other, then put down their weapons and scratched their heads in confusion.

"STAND DOWN, I SAID STAND DOWN!" A command roared from behind them, and the crowd quickly parted to make way for a single man.

"I am Juan Nepomuceno Guerra, but you may call me Juan, and yours my friend?" Juan, a young man no older than nineteen, boisterously asked Ricky with a wide smile.

"Ricky Luciano, but everyone usually calls me Slick." Ricky introduced himself to Juan, and the cartel leader suddenly had a realization about the significance of the Italian mafia's nicknames to their operations.

"Are you perhaps Mr. Luciano's son?" Juan tentatively asked, wanting to make sure who he was speaking to before continuing.

"My pops heard that some of our people were having trouble connecting with you, so he sent me to fix our business relationship," Ricky said with a smile, spinning the most random bullsh*t he could think of as Juan and his men looked on in surprise.

"Repair?" Juan, looking confused, asked since he was well aware of the Luciano family's troubles with getting their product but didn't understand how their relationship could have created a fissure.

"It's just that my father didn't want your cartel to think we weren't interested in your product, so he sent me to ensure our continued friendship." Ricky walked up to Juan, who was slightly shorter, and looked down at him.

Ricky had grown three inches over this period and now stood at 5'11" at the age of 15, his birthday having been just two weeks prior.

"I'm very grateful that Mr. Luciano values our relationship so much." Juan said enthusiastically, though in reality, he was slightly worried.

Juan's cartel had amassed its fortune and power by smuggling whiskey through the Texas border.

It was only after a chance encounter with the Luciano family that he began supplying them with drugs.

For the past two years, the Luciano family had been his top buyer, however, with the recent lockdowns along the border, their profits had begun to dip.

"Juan, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" Ricky asked as he released Juan's hand as he nodded.

"Ninteen." Juan said, though he was wary, as he had been underestimated for his age.

"I'm fifteen, it's nice to talk with someone similar in age." Ricky chuckled at the sheer surprise on Juan's face, noting how Ricky was built like a tank for his age and seemed taken aback.

It was brief but Juan felt familiar with Ricky since young drug lords were rare, and Juan had struggled to find common ground with others after usurping the cartel from his father.

"Do you have a place where we could talk about business by any chance?" Ricky asked, and Juan shook himself out of his shock and nodded.

"Of course Slick, brother's let them through the gate!" Juan ordered his men, who parted to make way for the car without a driver, while the three currently in the car looked at each other.

"Why are you looking at me, does it look like I have opposable thumbs?" Barko asked, holding up his paws as Chester nodded as well, holding up his wings.

*Sigh*

"I guess I'll drive." Chores got out of the car, which shook violently as the weight shifted, and then climbed into the driver's seat.

20 minutes later,

Juan personally led Ricky into his sprawling mansion, which was nearly three times the size of his father's.

As they walked through the grand halls, Juan pointed out various luxuries that he and his family had been collecting.

Once seated on lavish furniture across from Juan, Ricky nodded appreciatively at the opulence surrounding him.

The sound of clicking heels caught his attention, and he turned to see an immensely beautiful girl approaching.

"TWO MILLION!" Juan yelled, finally snapping out of Ricky's earlier words, his eyes seemingly bulging with the sight of dollar signs.

*SLURRRRRRRP*

"I know it's a little last minute and a tad bit unprofessional, but the Luciano family would appreciate it if you'd humor us with two million dollars worth of weed." Ricky vigorously slurped the Horchata before asking once more.

"Slick, my friend, can you give me a moment?" Juan suddenly asked, Ricky nodding and watching him bolt into a hallway before doubling back.

"ROSA, KEEP SLICK COMPANY UNTIL I GET BACK!" Juan screeched backwards, dashing around the corner leaving the two alone in the luxurious hall.

"Although he called me Slick, you can call me Ricky." Ricky stood up, setting the empty glass on the table while Rosa's eyes immediately darted towards his hand.

"Rosa." Rosa briefly introduced herself, shaking his hand while keeping her gaze fixed on the ground as Ricky had to duck his head slightly to meet her eyes.

Rosa widened her eyes, then looked to the side, trying to hide her embarrassment but Ricky smirked and repeated the gesture, his persistence causing her face to flush red.

"W-What are you doing?" Rosa asked in an anxious tone as Ricky persisted in moving his face into her line of sight.

"Seeing if you'd meet my gaze, but it seems you really don't intend to look at me," Ricky said, noting that his efforts were becoming a bit futile as he released her hand, and she immediately turned around.

"Ha!" Ricky let out an immediate laugh at her embarrassment, her ears turning red as he noticed.

Meanwhile, his eyes trailed down to her backside, relishing in those delicate yet protruding curves that made men rabid.

"..." Rosa remained quiet, covering her face in embarrassment, while Ricky rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

'Wow that system description is really spot on but what did it mean by eccentric tastes?' Ricky, amused, reflected that while he usually skimmed mission descriptions and rarely connected them to the woman involved, that perspective was slowly changing.

"Has anyone ever told you how much of a chatterbox you are?" Ricky joked, trying to spice up the awkward atmosphere.

"No~" Rosa said, her voice tinged with a hint of whine, which made Ricky burst into a hysterical laugh.

'How adorable.' Ricky thought, taking a step closer to position himself behind her.

"Rosa." Ricky whispered in her ear, causing her to shiver before she flinched, suddenly running in the direction her brother had gone.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ricky began laughing at the sight of her scurrying away like a frightened mouse, all while she covered her reddened face.

"Now, what am I going to do?" Ricky frowned as he scanned the room until his eyes landed on a mini bar tucked away in the corner as his frown gradually transformed into a malicious smile.

"It's five o'clock somewhere."

While Ricky was reveling in the unattended bar, Juan rushed to the warehouse with utmost urgency.

Rival cartels and small gangs had been steadily eroding his funds, and despite taking over the small border town, their profits were slipping.

Upon arriving, Juan immediately seized their inadequate inventory catalog, starting to do the math in his head.

'Dammit.'

Eventually, Juan returned to the exact spot only to find no one in sight, his confusion mounting.

His thoughts began to spiral, and anxiety crept in as he searched for his sister along with Ricky.

Finally, he spotted Ricky off to the side, downing an expensive bottle of tequila behind the mini bar.

"Whoa, this some good sh*t!" Ricky displayed a boisterous attitude, causing Juan to let out a relieved sigh, realizing he had been overthinking the situation.

"Slick if I may inquire-"

"Your sister left ten minutes ago after we introduced herself." Ricky could sense what Juan was about to ask as he began slicing more limes.

*Sigh*

"I apologize on her behalf; she's just a shy girl." Juan said with a wry smile as he walked over and sat in front of Ricky, not at all offended by Ricky helping himself to his expensive liquor.

Ricky then began pouring tequila and grapefruit soda into a mixer, squeezing in some lime juice and topping it off with a pinch of salt.

It might be a problem later, but Tequila really brought out Ricky's wild side which some would refer to as crazy though no one would know until it was too late.

"So, I'm guessing you're a little short." Ricky could tell from the look on Juan's face as he shook the mixer.

"Only a little-"

"Then how much do you have for me?" Ricky asked, pouring the drink into two glasses and setting one in front of Juan.

"From the books, only around 1.4 mil worth." Juan gulped, grabbing the drink as Ricky nodded, a little disappointed but still downing the glass in one sitting.

"I won't lie, I knew coming in that you wouldn't have it but I'm still a little disappointed-"

"I can get you the rest!" Juan suddenly interrupted Ricky who was about to down the rest of the bottle instead of making another drink, raising an eyebrow before he could backwash the tequila.

"When." Ricky asked, glancing back at the tequila, which was as smooth as silk.

"Four-no, three days. Give me three days and I'll get you the rest." Juan eagerly suggested, and Ricky raised an eyebrow before shrugging.

As Ricky walked away, Juan's nerves spiked when he saw him turn the corner and pull out his inventory key.

Suddenly, bags were tossed in his direction from the side, causing Juan to flinch in surprise.

Seeing the duffel bags filled to the brim with the green that the Founding Fathers themselves had created, Juan's curiosity was piqued.

But when he turned the corner, all he saw was Ricky walking away, finishing his drink.

Speechless and confused, Juan scratched his head, unable to figure out how Ricky had gotten those bags.

"Are you-"

"Devilishly handsome?" Ricky, feeling a bit tipsy, swiped the bottle from the counter and asked, his voice slightly slurred.

"Yes, yes I am."

Later that night at the Mexico City Continental,

At the bar, a gorgeous woman known only to a select few as Raven sipped her gin on the rocks, her eyes fixed on the map spread before her.

Several X marks littered the parchment, each representing a potential destination.

As she absentmindedly twirled a pen between her fingers, Raven pondered her next move, deciding where she might head next since she was free for a while.

"Mrs. Darkholme, the information you paid for has been acquired." The bartender appeared, making Raven raise a smile.

"Is that so?" Raven raised a smile, halting the twirl of the pen and placing it on the map.

"What little goodie bag has dropped on my lap?"