Chapter 12: Promotion

Carlos stepped out of the closet after the men left, he walked through the hall and into the kitchen. He looked ay his mother's bleeding corpse, he fought back the tears. He walked over to his father's corpse, he noticed his father's pistol laying on the floor. Carlos picked up the pistol, he had pearl grips and a hair trigger "Romano" was engraved on the barrel. He put the pistol in his pocket and left the small house, he ran down the street and through Little Havana. He reached the trailer park where his uncle Ricardo lived, he banged on the door loudly "Uncle Ricky, open up. It's me Carlos!" he yelled pounding the door. Ricardo opened the door to find the ten year old bawling "Hey, what's the matter buddy?" he asked his nephew "Mom and dad have been murdered!" Carlos cried out. Ricardo wrapped his arms around the young man, and Carlos buried his head into his uncle's chest crying. Ricardo shook the young man "Mijo, you have to be strong. You're mom and dad would want you to be strong, one day you'll have your revenge." Ricardo told the crying Carlos, Carlos nodded and wiped his tears.

Frankie was driving down the streets of Little Havana, Carlos had sent him to do a pickup from yue businesses that the Romano cartel was protecting. Frankie and Pedro, a gunman working for Carlos stopped and parked in front of Cortez Café a local Cuban owned coffee shop. Frankie got out of the car, Pedro followed him inside the restaurant, Frankie approached the counter "Hello Fred." Frankie told the man at the counter, Fernando Cortez the proprietor of Cortez Café "Who are you?" Fernando asked Frankie "I'm a collector for Carlos, we're here for our take." Frankie replied. Fernando nodded and reached under the counter, he had an envelope right next to a 357. Magnum under the counter, he grabbed the envelope and handed it to Frankie "Give Mr. Romano my regards, he was a good kid." Fernando told Frankie, the two men walked out and got in their car.

Frankie had pulled up to Romano Casino, he and Pedro got out of the car and walked inside, Carlos' bodyguard searched Frankie for weapons. When he was done he stepped aside and let Frankie walk into the restaurant area, Frankie and Carlos shook hands and hugged then Frankie sat down. Carlos smiled and looked at Frankie "Did Freddy give it up?" he asked Frankie "Sure did." Frankie replied pulling the envelope out of his jacket, he handed Carlos the envelope "Good, you know. You're a loyal guy, and my second closest friend. I can't bring you in as a partner like I did Trevor, but how would you like to be my right hand man?" Carlos asked Frankie "Uh well shit man, sounds good but.." Frankie replied. Carlos cut him off "Think about it, you'll be doing hardly any dirty work, it's all three piece suits, manager of a big business, and a 6 figure paycheck every week." He told Frankie "I'll be able to raise my kid well with that kind of job." Frankie said. Carlos nodded "Yes you will, you won't have to worry about anything ever again." Carlos raised his wine glass, Frankie raised his they clanked glasses and drank on it.

Mark was sitting in the stool of a small bar, it was a dirty dusty place with bikers and rednecks. He drank his fifth glass of whiskey and took a sip of his sixth Pisswasser beer, he stood up and walked to the bathroom. He walked in the bathroom and to the urinal, as he was taking a leak a Latino man in a black suit come out of the stall. He pulled out his pistol and aimed it at Mark "Turn around." He told Mark, he finished up and zipped up his pants. He turned around to face the man, Mark was staring down the barrel of a 9mm. Mark sighed and put his hands up, the man walked closer to Mark and grabbed his left hand. Mark grabbed the gun with his right hand and pulled it out of the man's hand, he then pointed the gun at the man and shot him in the head. Mark put the gun in his pants and walked out of the bathroom, he walked out the door and left the bar.