When everyone got back, it was well past midnight. They all went to their rooms, but since Percy could hear the tv on in Leo's room, he went and knocked on his door.
"It's open!" Leo called softly.
"Hey," Leo, who had been sitting on his bed, said when Percy walked in. He saw the serious expression on his face and switched the tv off. "What's up?"
"We need to talk."
"Go for it."
Percy took a deep breath. "What I'm about to talk to you about cannot leave this room, alright? You can't tell anybody, especially not Dionysus."
Leo laughed. "What, you think we don't keep secrets from Dionysus? He has no idea about half of the stuff we say or do."
Percy hesitated, then said, "I broke into his office today."
Leo raised his eyebrows. "Seriously, that's it? We've all done that! Did you read those creepy files he has on us? Stalker!"
"Oh," Percy said, surprised. "Well never mind then. But I saw your file, Leonardo."
Leo blushed. "You can't say you honestly thought my name was just Leo."
Percy shrugged.
"Anyway, what about it?" Leo asked.
"I can't believe you're related to the Valdez family!" Percy blurted out.
Leo's eyes went hard and he looked away.
"Not anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"They disowned me." Leo stated. "I didn't want to become a murderer."
"Well, that's what they are." Percy said. "Your family killed my parents!"
Leo looked up sharply. "What?"
"On March 4th, two years ago." Percy told him. "They were cops, and they were killed by your relatives."
Leo stared at him in shock. He remembered that night. It was just over two years ago, and his parents had taken him with them, as always, to a meeting.
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"Listo para ir?" Alejandro Valdez had asked his son in Spanish.
"Sí, papá," Leonardo answered, cleaning his rifle.
Rosabella rushed in, wearing a fancy dress and jewelry. She was a beautiful woman, with dark hair that fell to her shoulders and curled like a movie star's. Her large green eyes were exactly like her son's, and her lips were stained a deep red.
"Alejandro, Leonardo," she scolded, "English! English! We are in America now, we must speak the language if we want to get anywhere here!"
"Yes, mother," Leonardo sighed.
"My Bella," Alejandro said charmingly, sweeping her into a hug, "We will speak the English outside, but in our home Spanish is fine, no?"
"No," she answered firmly, swatting his hands away, "Always English. Now be ready in two minutes, I'll be in the car." She briskly walked out the front door.
"Mujer impaciente," Alejandro muttered, shaking his head.
Rosabella's head popped back through the door.
"I heard that!" she called. "And I'm not impatient! One minute!" then she slammed the door.
"Yes she is," Alejandro whispered to his son with a wink, "but that is why I love her."
Leonardo grinned.
"Let's get going, rapidamente!" Leonardo said, heading for the door with his rifle slung over his shoulder.
"Wait, Papá!"
Alejandro turned around to face his eight year old daughter, Abelie. She looked up at him with sad eyes.
"Please, may I go too this time? I won't get in the way!"
Her father shook his head and said, "No, Abelie. Not this time. Perhaps next time."
She pouted and he kissed the top of her head.
"Alejandro!" Rosabella's voice called.
"I'm coming!"
Alejandro hurried out, and Leonardo gave his sister a quick hug.
"Be patient. We'll take you with us soon enough."
She grabbed his hand.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Then he followed his father out the door.
The family got into their Cadillac Escalade, and the driver took them to a building in the heart of the Bronx.
Alejandro was the head of the Valdez crime syndicate. He had been coaching Leonardo since he was three years old so that he could one day take his place. Every time they had a meeting, he brought Leonardo along so he could practice his bodyguard skills. Even though he was only fifteen, Leonardo had some serious skill in handling guns, and Alejandro couldn't have been more proud.
However, this meeting was different. The cops had been hammering down on them, and were getting close to shutting down their illegal arms trade. It had been a secret operation for the cops, but Alejandro had worked out a plan to get out of hot water.
He had arranged for one of the family members to get caught by the police in a fake convenience store robbery. The member had fed the cops a story about all the head in the Valdez family holding a meeting tonight, which was true. But he also told the cops that there would only be eight of them in all- four chairmen with one bodyguard each; that was where he lied. He warned Alejandro that the cops were sending twenty men for them that night, but Alejandro wasn't worried.
"No problem, I have it all under control." he told the concerned member.
So that night, when twenty policemen were on their way to the building the meeting was supposedly being held in, fifty gunmen were waiting.
Inside the building, Alejandro was resting comfortably on a chair, smoking a cigar. His wife was lounging on the couch beside him, sipping champagne.
Leonardo however, was getting edgy.
"Papá, what's happening?" he asked, "What are we doing here?"
Alejandro patted his son's curly hair.
"Tonight, Leonardo, you are going to make me proud."
Leonardo was persistent, "Exactly how will I make you proud?"
Alejandro explained the whole story to Leonardo, who was horrified.
"And the stupido police believed him!" Alejandro laughed, "Now, the cops will learn what happens when they mess with Alejandro Ernesto Valdez!" he finished, jabbing the air with his cigar, scattering ashes on Leonardo.
"What?!" Leonardo asked incredulously. "They're going to kill them?"
"Yes, of course, my son," Alejandro said, confused, "And you will be with them, helping!"
Rosabella sat up straight on the couch.
"Leonardo," she said gently, "Those people are trying to destroy our business. We can not let them do that to out family. Don't you want to make us proud?"
"No!" Leonardo yelled at them, "This is horrible! You're both horrible!"
Rosabella reached out and slapped Leonardo across the face. He glared at her with steely eyes and she slapped him again, harder.
"Don't talk to your Mamá that way, Leonardo!" she spat. "You will respect your parents and do as we say!"
Leonardo could hear sirens coming down the street.
"No!" Leonardo said, throwing down his rifle. "Not this. I refuse." He turned to his father, who was staring at him blankly. "How could you make your own son do this?" he pleaded.
Alejandro gave him a sharp glare. "Since you refused, then I have no son." he said coldly, and turned away.
His words stung Leonardo, and he took a step back.
The men were getting their guns into a firing position now.
"No!" Leonardo yelled, sprinting for the door.
He ran outside and collided with a female cop with startlingly green eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, then Leonardo yelled, "Run! Everyone get out of here! It's a trap!"
Leonardo heard his father yell something in Spanish. He heard a gunshot and cried out as he felt a slicing pain in his left arm. He clutched it and spun around, just in time to see the cop get hit with a rain of bullets, and she fell to the ground.
There was nothing else Leonardo could do. He turned and ran for it, still clutching his wounded arm.
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"I'm so sorry," Leo said, misty-eyed. "That's why I thought you looked familiar. Your eyes are just like your mom's"
Percy sighed sadly. "I know they are. And it's okay, it's not your fault. I can see you're not really one of them."
Leo shook his head guiltily. "Still, I know my family is horrible. I'm really sorry about your parents."
Percy nodded. "Thanks, man. And for the record, it was really brave of you to stand up to your dad like that."
Leo gave him a small smile.
"Well, I'll see you in the morning, Leonardo." Percy said, getting up from the chair he had been sitting in and heading for the door,
Leo groaned and stuck out his tongue. "Please. Just Leo."
Percy grinned. "Night dude, it's 3:30 and I'm sure Dionysus's got something horribly strenuous planned for us bright and early!"
"Don't I know it," Leo said, falling onto his pillow and turning off his lamp.
