Dolph lounged on Seth's bed as he flipped through the television channels. Seth was laying next to him alternating between texting Roman and reading a novel. It had been a fully 24 hours since they left Miami and came home to St. Louis. Everything seemed calmed, no one had called with another death or disaster. This fact made Bob Orton and Randy comfortable enough to leave the house and run to the grocery store to stock up on some essentials. No one knew how long this lockdown was going to last and they wanted to be prepared on all fronts.
While everyone else was slightly calmer, Dolph was very nervous and not because Randy was out on run. Dolph didn't wish misfortune on Randy, but he wouldn't mind if he got hurt. Dolph was nervous because he hadn't heard for Rey in the last 24 hours. After he sent a text to Rey about Bret and Christian dying, Rey said he would call him later on that night. The call never came. Seth tried to ease Dolph's thoughts, telling him that Alberto and Hunico probably returned and that Alberto called a meeting with them about everything. Seth reasoned that the meeting probably finished late and that Rey didn't want to disturb him, and Rey probably knew if he called you too late Randy would question it.
Dolph agreed with what Seth told him. It all made sense. Rey would never call him too late because that would get him in trouble with Randy and Rey would never put him in harm's way, but it was the next day and he still hadn't heard from his lover. Normally he would receive a good morning text from Rey, but he hadn't received it. Dolph looked over at phone that was on the nightstand and stared at it while he bit at his fingernails.
"Staring at the phone will not make Rey call." Seth commented as he sent a text to Roman. Roman was updating him about the situation in Miami. There hadn't been anymore attacks since Evan was shot, but they were no closer to finding out who did it.
Dolph turned to Seth. "But he hasn't called me or text me and he always calls me or texts me." Dolph whined and Seth huffed.
"Well, call him." Seth suggested.
"But he may be busy with Alberto and I don't want to disturb him." Dolph explained and Seth rolled his eyes as he picked up his phone that vibrated across the bed.
"Either call him or stop you whining." Seth ordered as he opened the text from Roman. "Roman says the funeral for Bret and Christian will be this Sunday." Seth reported and Dolph nodded. "That's pretty quick." Seth commented.
"You know Shawn was always a mover and a shaker." Dolph added and Seth nodded in agreement. "I can't even imagine how they must feel." Dolph said and Seth nodded again.
"Shawn has to be devastated. Bret and Shawn were really in love…and Nattie and Adam…" Seth trailed off. "Do you think Nattie will step up and take over?"
"Of course." Dolph said quickly. "Nattie is all about family. She wouldn't leave them hanging now. It won't be too quickly, probably a few months from now we'll see her at the front of the family. Adam will by her side, but I would think they would be too sad to talk about positions now." Dolph said and Seth shrugged.
"I don't know…" Seth started. "You can't leave a void like that for too long, creates a power vacuum." Seth explained. Dolph was about respond to Seth's comment when he heard his phone buzz on the nightstand. Dolph turned his head and saw Rosa's name pop up on the screen. Dolph smiled and picked up the phone. Dolph had saved Rey's number under Rosa's name so if Randy checked his phone, he wouldn't become suspicious.
"It's Rey." Dolph said to Seth before answering the phone. "Hello."
Rey sighed shakily into the receiver when he heard Dolph's voice. The last 24 hours had been hell for him and to hear Dolph's voice was very soothing for him.
"Rey…hello." Dolph said again. He could hear Rey sigh into the phone, but he wasn't speaking. "Are you there? Are you okay? Talk to me baby." Dolph pleaded and Seth turned and gave Dolph a questioning look.
"I…I don't know w-what to do…" Rey stammered.
"What happened Rey? Are you hurt?" Dolph asked.
"Physically no, but mentally and emotionally…yes, I'm hurt." Rey said with a shaky voice.
"Rey, tell me what happened." Dolph said and Seth tapped Dolph's shoulder, to silently ask him what happened, but Dolph shrugged him off.
Rey took a deep breath and exhaled before speaking. "Joseph was killed…" Rey said in a low monotone voice. "Shot in the head, execution style."
Dolph gasped and sat up in the bed, a tear ran down his cheek. That was the first time in a long time Dolph cried over someone that died a violent death. Dolph was apart of a crime family and violent deaths came with that. Many people, within the five families, died every year due to violent crimes. At first Dolph would mourn them all, but this eventually became exhausting. So many people kept dying these violent deaths that Dolph ran out of tears. That was when Seth took him aside and explained that violent deaths were apart of this life and that he would have to get used to it if he wanted to stay in the family. Seth told him it was always sad to see people die violent deaths, but you couldn't let those deaths stop you. They had to keep moving. The family always had to keep going...it was business as usual. Dolph always thought that mentality was unusual, but Dolph understood it. If they stopped and cried and mourned every fallen member of the family, work would never get done but Joseph's death was too much. Joseph was only five years old and knew nothing about this life. He didn't ask to be in his family and he hadn't done anything to deserve this.
"Oh God." Dolph groaned. "And Ricardo and Alberto? Are they okay?" Dolph asked. Seth shook Dolph again, trying to figure out what happened, but Dolph pushed him away.
"Ricardo was shot in head, execution style too…he's in the hospital…I'm at the hospital right now waiting on Alberto. He's suppose to be here soon." Rey said and the sniffed. "They don't know if Ricardo will wake up. He's in coma, there was some damage to his brain stem or something…" Rey tried to explain, his voice shaking.
"Does Alberto know?" Dolph asked as he wiped his tears from his cheeks.
"No." Rey answered. "How…how am I suppose to tell Alberto that his son…is dead and that the love of his life my be a comatose forever…what do I say?" Rey asked and Dolph sighed.
"I don't…" Dolph started and then stopped himself. "There's nothing you can say to ease Alberto's pain, but you have to tell him the truth and then you go from there." Dolph said. He knew it was horrible advice, but it was what he would do in that situation.
"God…when I find out who did this, I'm going to torture and kill that person." Rey growled.
"Just leave a piece for the rest of us." Dolph mentioned and Rey sighed.
"I wish you were here with me right now." Rey started. "I really need you…I should come to St. Louis."
"No." Dolph said quickly. "Alberto will need you more than ever right now, you need to stay with him and be his rock…maybe I'll come to Mexico City." Dolph offered.
"And you'll be my rock…and I'll be yours." Rey suggested.
"Yeah." Dolph agreed. "Do you want me to tell everyone?" Dolph asked.
"Please…I don't know if I can't handle talk to anyone else right now." Rey admitted. He knew that if he spoke with Ata or Shawn, he would break down even more and speaking with Vince would piss him off. He never really liked Vince and since the McMahons or the Ortons had yet to be attacked, he figured Vince was behind this.
"I'll tell Seth and he'll spread the word. You know how big his mouth is." Dolph joked and Rey smiled when he heard Seth yelled at Dolph and say he didn't have a big mouth. His smile quickly faded when he saw Alberto and Hunico barreling down the hallway.
"I have to go. Alberto is here." Rey said quickly.
"Okay remember, there's no easy way to tell him this and there's nothing you can do to ease the pain. I love you Rey." Dolph said and it gave Rey a little courage.
"I love you Dolph." Rey said and then hung up the phone. He stood up as Alberto stepped in front of him, worry lines had formed on Alberto's face and it looked like he aged a few years in the past 24 hours.
"I tried to get here, but the fucking weather in LA. We couldn't go anywhere…fucking lightning and the rain." Alberto stopped himself and breathed deeply. "What happened? Are my babies okay?" Alberto asked and Rey bit his lip and shook his head.
"Ricardo…" Rey trailed off and looked away from Alberto before looking back at him, in the eyes. "Ricardo was shot in the head. It caused a lot of damage. He's in a coma, they don't know if or when he'll wake up. If he does wake up, he'll have motor and cognitive issues." Rey explained and watched as Alberto's eyes watered.
"What room is he in?" Alberto asked and Rey pointed to the door across from them. Alberto stormed into the room and walked over to Ricardo's bed side. Ricardo was hooked to a multitude of machines, tubes were running in and out of him. Alberto let the tears fall as he pressed his lips to Ricardo's forehead. Rey and Hunico entered after him and watched the interaction.
"I'm sorry." He mumbled softly to Ricardo. "I'm so sorry. I failed you." Alberto said before straightening up. He wiped his tears away before looking over at Rey.
"Where's mi hijo?" Alberto asked. "Joseph, I need to see him. Who did you leave him with?" Alberto asked and then watched Rey's face fell and tears sprang from his eyes. Alberto's eyes widened and he shook his head in disbelief.
"No…" Alberto gasped and Rey nodded.
"Joseph was shot too, he…he died." Rey said with a shaking voice and Alberto rushed across the room and grabbed Rey by his shirt and shook him angrily.
"Don't, don't fuck with me Rey." Alberto grunted out, tears running down his face. "Where is Joseph?" Alberto forced out.
"Downstairs…in the morgue." Rey answered and Alberto released his hold on Rey and fell back into one of the chairs. Alberto rested his head in his hands as he cried his eyes out. He couldn't understand how someone could kill an innocent child. You would have to be the coldest person on the planet to shot a child, especially his son...his sweet Joseph.
"Alberto, I'm sorry." Rey said and Alberto shook his head.
"Don't apologize to me. It's not your fault." Alberto mumbled before looking over at Ricardo. "Find out who did this…and bring them to me." Alberto said before getting up and walking toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Rey asked as he grabbed ahold of Alberto's wrist.
"To the chapel." Alberto said. "I need to pray." He explained before leaving the room. He needed to gain some understanding for all of this and ultimately ask God a simple question...why?
Dolph sighed as he hung up the phone, wiping the tears off of his cheeks. Dolph turned to Seth and Seth waited for Dolph to speak.
"Joseph is dead and Ricardo is in a coma. They don't know if he'll ever way up." Dolph explained and Seth gasped.
"Oh my God, little Joseph…" Seth trailed off as he thought about the boy. He was so young and he didn't deserve this.
"Rey asked if you would spread the word. He isn't up for talking to anyone else." Dolph explained and Seth nodded. "He's hurt, Joseph meant a lot to Rey, and if Ricardo dies, I don't know how Alberto will make it. I don't know if there is a way to come back from this."
Seth nodded as he picked up his phone. "You should go to Mexico and be with him. Sounded like he needed you." Seth suggested and Dolph scoffed.
"And tell Randy what?" Dolph asked. "That my lover in Mexico needs me, yeah, that'll go over great."
"If you want to go, go…I'll handle Randy." Seth said as he dialed Roman's number.
Dolph was about to ask Seth when he meant by "handling Randy" when Elaine burst into the room, the door slamming into the wall behind it. Dolph and Seth's eyes snapped to the doorway where Elaine was standing.
"We have to go to the hospital now!" Elaine yelled and Dolph and Seth quickly hopped off the bed.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Seth asked.
"The hospital called…Someone ran your father and brother off the highway. They're both in critical condition." Elaine explained. "We have to go now." She demanded before turning on her heels and leaving the room, going downstairs to her car.
Dolph and Seth quickly slipped on their shoes before following her down the stairs. Seth finished dialing Roman's number and pressed the call button as the walked toward the garage.
"Hello." Roman answered and then heard Seth sigh deeply into the phone.
"You're not going to believe the shit I'm about to tell you." Seth said as he entered the garage and walked over to the car. "I suggest you sit down."
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