Ivy's Twisted Vine Redux by Latrivia Nelson (books to read for beginners .TXT) 📕

“I actually did it,” Hector said to himself as he watched the men load the truck and walk away.

As instructed previously by Caesar Hector got in the car and watched the villain drive off. When he was alone in the parking lot with only Antonio and his men across the way, he started his truck,. He was about to dial Caesar’s number to let him know that everything had gone as planned, when he was suddenly flashed by a bright light that did not to appear to be coming from Antonio. His heart stopped when he realized that it was a police car’s spotlight.

On the loud speaker, a loud and commanding voice demanded that he and Antonio turn off their trucks and put their hands in the air. Hector could hear his heart beating and large sweat beads forming on his forehead. Following their instructions, Hector tried not to look as suspicious as he actually was.

The officer, although very new to the area, realized that the situation would call for back up. Getting on his radio, he called in Hector’s tags and the request for additional vehicle. Looking for the least threatening car, he spotted Hector, visibly nervous and alone, and decided that he would approach him first. Getting out of his squad car with his hand on his gun, he walked towards Hector’s car. He called in the license plates and proceeded to the driver’s side. Still with his hands up in the air, Hector tried to ignore the sweat running down his forehead.

“Sir, turn off your vehicle, and carefully step out of your truck and give me your license and registration,” the officer said with a tighter grip on his sidearm.

“Yes, sir,” Hector said turning off of the truck. Getting out of the car, Hector passed the officer his license and looked over at Antonio’s truck.

“Hey, don’t look up at them,” the officer demanded peering through his glasses at the young preppy Latino, his finger pointed. “Turn around and place your hands on the truck.” Patting Hector down, the officer was relieved to find no concealed weapons or drugs.

“Is there a problem, officer?” Hector asked trying to ignore his first panic attack.

“What’s your purpose for being out here this late?” he asked reading Hector’s body language.

“I got lost,” Hector said visibly nervous.

“Lost?” The officer looked through Hector’s wallet.

“What were you trying to find with your truck full of homies over there?”

“I was looking for a friend’s place.” He stuttered.

“On a warehouse lot?”

“Like I said, I got lost, sir” Hector said wishing that he had collaborated with Antonio on a just in case story.

“Oh, I’m sure,” the officer said wondering where his back up was and looking over at Antonio’s truck.

“Really officer, this is all a big misunderstanding. Me and my friends were…” Hector was violently interrupted by a loud gunshot and blood splatter across his face. He screamed and hit the ground. Ducking beside the truck, he looked over to see the officer bleeding on the ground.

“Shots fired! Officer down!” The officer struggled as he tried to pull his gun from his holster. “I’m hit. Do you hear me, I’m…” With a fade of life in his eyes, the officer swallowed one last bloody gulp before Antonio walked up and shot him in the head.

“Oh my God! Why did you do that?” Hector shrieked in tears. “Why would you fucking shoot him?” Shaking in his now urine soaked pants, he instantly wished that he had not volunteered to help his brother.

“Shut up with all that damned whining,” Antonio said pointing his gun at Hector.

“This is not happening!” Hector wiped the tears and blood from his eyes. There was something new in Antonio’s eyes. “Antonio, I need to call Caesar!”

“No, you need to stay here,” Antonio said shooting Hector in his chest. Pulling the young man from the side of the truck, Antonio jumped in the Yukon and pulled off with the other men following shortly behind.

For a moment, as Hector watched himself drown in a bloody pool beside the now already dead police officer, he thought about how stupid this entire situation had been. Why did he volunteer to do this? To throw is life away. He cried and kicked, the pain shot through his body and he gasped for fleeting air.

Hector held on to his last breaths debating what good thing he could do. He didn’t have the strength to call his brother and say goodbye. And in his last hour, he was angry at him for exposing him to this. Having no chance to receive his last rights, having no one to hear his last confessions, he reached over the officer’s radio.

“Hello,” he said hoping someone on the other end would hear him.

“Dispatcher 1-5-0. May I ask who this is? Please respond?”

“My name is Hector…Hector Dominguez. I’m Caesar Dominguez’s brother. Umm…The drop went bad; Antonio Martinez shot me up pretty bad and left me here to die.” He coughed blood. “I am dying.” He began to cry, wheezing to breath in between the painful inhalations.

“There is help on the way. Where is the officer that owns this radio? Please respond.”

“Dead.” Hector looked over at him. “ But I didn’t kill him…Antonio Perez did. Now, we don’t have a priest for our last rights.”

“Someone is on the way. Please hold on. Give me your exact location. Please respond.”

“I see lights,” Hector said seeing five police cars approaching speedily with their lights and sirens. “But it’s too late.”

“Hold on,” the female dispatcher said hearing his voice fade.

“Caesar Dominguez is at 124 Clearborne. He’s at the old Clearborne apartments…building 202…apartment 4. That’s his headquarters. That’s where he is. Tell him that I sent you. Tell him it’s from little bear to big bear.” Hector said laying his head on the officer’s chest as he took his last breath.

Chapter Eighteen:

Caesar’s Last Stand

Chapter 18

CAESAR’S LAST STAND

“Let’s round it up