Ch 14: Crucial


"Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom." - Charles Spurgeon


My eyes finally glanced to the Spanish-styled home decorated with various wild flowers. It looked as if someone transported a home right from Spain and straight into rural Maryland. There were two security guards stationed by the entrance of the manor. One seemed to be speaking into his earpiece. The car slowed to a stop and the driver was coming to open the door for Dewey and I.

"You ready?" Dewey questioned with genuine concern.

"Yes," I replied with a more self-assured tone than my preceding one. From now on it was all business. The usual pleasure that comes with the work I immerse myself with would have to stop from here on out. As well as my recent prevalent cocaine usage. Although I hate to admit when I was wrong, Dewey was right. I had to stop acting up and start acting smart. Act like the man who was able to obtain this position in the first place.

By the time Dewey and I were able to get out of the car, we were greeted by one of the guards. The one that previously spoke into the earpiece addressed me while the other guard opened up the front door. "Monte Cortez would like to welcome you to his home. He will be down shortly to greet you."

We walked past them digesting the words spoken to us but not acknowledging their presence. A comely maid greeted us as we stepped into the parlor with two glasses with our favorite non-alcoholic beverages. They remembered. A coke and fresh orange juice.

The maid curtseyed and exited the room as we sipped on our refreshments. Just like clockwork, Monte Cortez strode into the room accompanied by his younger son, Mateo. His son was a 16 year-old teen that had the same amount of arrogance and characteristics as his father. I inwardly rolled my eyes. The world doesn't need another Monte Cortez. That's for sure.

"Buena noches. Cairo, Dewey. A pleasure to see you both," Cortez greeted as there was an exchanges of handshakes between the group.

There are some people you must respect, no matter how high up you are. Something Mr. Dubois said to me once. Cortez falls into that category. Although he is nowhere near the notoriety of the Dubois family, he has several strings he can pull in places they don't. People who knew people in Spain, who knew people in Italy, who knew people in Ireland. Royals, office-holders, etc. You get the point. Also, Mr. Dubois would be even more pissed if a repeat of T-Bone occurred. Time to be respectable as fuck. It was exhausting, really. The only people I genuinely respected consisted of my future in-laws and Jazmine. With them, respect came natural. With everyone else, respect was forced.

My face sported a solemn smile. "I wish it was a pleasure to see you," I began as Cortez's eyes furrowed in confusion.

"Que paso? What do you mean?" Cortez's thick Spanish accent pondered.

I briefly glanced at Dewey and Mateo, "I believe these matters should be spoken in privacy between the two of us."

Cortez nodded. "Ahh, si si. Mateo, ser un buen anfitrión. Cairo, come into my office where we can talk in private."

When we were finally alone, my formal composure lessened and my eyes sternly bore into his. "Let's cut the act, Cortez. Where is Jazmine?"

Still in apparent confusion, his irritation became made known. "What?..." Cortez fumed. "I don't follow."

I explained to him every detail that we knew about the circumstances. His face went from confusion to pensive. "Why the hell they would put my name on a note is beyond me. You know how close I am to Don Dubois. Su familia a mi familia…I wish I had more information, but yo no se."

Dead fucking end.

"I understand," I responded monotonously. "Well, if you don't mind Don Dubois has requested all of your security footage for the past 2 weeks. We want to know of all business transaction, meetings, the works. Don't even think about tampering with evidence because we have guys that good. They will know. Don Dubois expects to have them all ready and handed to his analytical force by tomorrow morning. 8 am. Sharp."

"It's 6 in the evening! Ay dios mio. How in such little time?" Cortez bellowed in outrage.

"We don't know how but you know Don Dubois doesn't like anything late. Ever.…I'm sure for Mateo's sake you'll find out a way to give us what we want. How do you say that en español? Andale."

Cortez was dumbfounded with his nose sneered in disdain. With, that I left and grabbed Dewey on the way out. As soon as I was able to breath in the evening air, I inhaled deeply and started to gather my thoughts, my peace of mind, my existence. I got this.


-Flashback-

9 Years Ago

"Come on Jaz! Everyone's going," my persistent best friend Liz whined. "Even Jimmy," she urged in a sing-song tone.

A loud sigh escaped my lips as I began to reject her for the umpteenth time. "Liz, no! You know what the tradition is on the last day of school and not even Jimmy and his charming smile will change my mind."

Chills went through my body as I merely uttered his name. Then his image appeared in my mind. Those dreamy, hazel eyes. Tan, flawless skin. A smile that would warm even the coldest women. For a moment there, a small part of me thought about canceling the tradition but the better part of me knew that was not even remotely going to happen.

Damn you, temptation.

"Well, I tried." A defeated Liz proclaimed.

I rolled my eyes. "If by try you mean harass and start an internal war with my inner demon and inner angel then, yes. You did great."

"But don't say I didn't warn you. You're about to miss out on an epic party."

"Oh yea, yea. Don't rub it in," I replied ruefully.

I heard him before I saw him and that's when I knew it was time to end the call with Liz. "Hey, Liz. Ray just came in so I gotta go. Have fun, be safe, love you." Without waiting for a response, I pressed end on the phone. Otherwise I would have been on the phone another 10 minutes being pestered by Liz.

Now, onto the Dubois tradition. While most of my peers are out partying and making ill-mannered decisions, Ray and I will be eating junk food and having a movie marathon at my house.

It's true when they say your first best friends are your cousins. That's at least how it is with Ray.

Raymond James Dubois. Ever since we were born, we were attached to each other's side by default. And yet I would do it willingly if I had to choose all over again. Ray's father is my dad's older brother. Uncle Ronnie. Naturally, my father and Uncle Ronnie have a special bond that keeps them never too far from the other. I truly believe it is the same kind of bond Ray and I have. I've always wanted a sibling and it's what I would imagine having an older brother would be like. We fight. We laugh. We confide. We cry. We encourage. We live.

If it wasn't common knowledge that Tom Dubois only has one child, so many people would assume Ray was his son. He's nearly the spitting image of my father with the same light-colored brown eyes and mocha skin tone. The only thing different is in hair style. Ray had this whole Rastafarian phase going on and decided to starts dreads over a year ago. They were now a little past his chin.

This end of the year movie marathon was a particularly sentimental one. Ray is about to start a new chapter in his life as he just graduated high school a week and a half ago. He got accepted into Pepperdine University and would be on the other side of the country in late August. I try not to let it get to me and be positive and happy for him, but I knew this would be a tough adjustment for me. For the both of us.

I rushed down to the built-in movie theater where Ray stood with 5 bags from 5 different fast food places. My stomach was jumping for joy. I was literally jumping for joy as I grabbed one of the bags and pulled out a warm burger. "I can just feel the food coma I'm about to get in."

"Tell me about it," Ray said as he placed the rest of the bags on the table. "It better be a damn good one too. Took me forever to get the food."

Lina, the house chef came in with the drinks and placed them next to the food. "A coke and a virgin Shirley temple. Anything else Jazzy Phresh?"

Every time I heard the nickname 'Jazzy Phresh', it gave me a jolt of rebellious satisfaction. My father has explicitly told the staff to address us as "Mr., Mrs, Ms" or "Sir, Madame" and it constantly bugged me to be confined to such formality in my own household. Especially since the people he refers to as 'the help' has become my family. So it's like an insider between I and my father's employees to be as informal as possible when he's not around. Because that's how it should be in your own home.

I beamed at her as I reach for my Shirley temple. "No thank you, Lina"

As she left, I turned towards Ray. "Thanks for the food, Rj"

"No prob, Jaz."

I wish I could say the festivities were off to a good start and just like any other Dubois tradition, comfortable and full of cheer, but it wasn't. I felt it as well as Ray. Although, he would never openly admit it. There was an awkward silence penetrating the atmosphere as we started to chow down on food. In order to get rid of it, I gathered myself together and started to address what was the underlying issue at hand. A part of me was full of dread, but it has to be done in order to prevent this somber mood from ruining the epic night.

"So," I began awkwardly. "Are you excited."

Ray was in the middle of chewing so he put up a finger to signal as a sign to wait. When he was finally done with the bite, he began to speak self-consciously. "Yes…And no?"

My head tilted slightly out of curiosity. "Explain?"

Ray cleared his throat and sat in an upright position. His eyes were downcast on the floor looking at something yet nothing at the same time. "You know, Ronald is all pissed off at me because I want to be a law-abiding citizen. The usual."

"But, of course. But you know better than to fall into that mess. You're the one who inspired me to be who I am and not what this family wants us to be."

A sigh escaped his lips. "I know, I know. But they're everywhere, ya know? They run this country and even have strong influences in other countries… It only takes one action to make you cross a line you can never come back from. What if that shit happens to me?"

"Rj, where is this stuff coming from? You seem so different…I've never seen you doubt your own cause before. What happened?"

There was strong concern in my voice. Ray is never one to second guess himself. He's as stubborn as a mule and will always support his way even if he's the only one fighting for it. It just makes him fight harder.

"The night after graduation, my mom had a talk with me... About my father."

Father? If I wasn't on the edge of my seat already, I would be now. When Ray says the word father it's as if the air becomes constricted and the conversation adopts a serious tone. There was a short pause before he was able to continue.

"Would you believe me if I told you he wasn't always this way," A small smile adorned his face.

My eyes widened in shock. "No way…"

"Yea, apparently he was quite the rebel when it came to Grandpa and his ways. He was actually a lot like me. Planned out his future and everything. Didn't give a shit about gramps, crime, or the family business."

Suddenly his light demeanor became heavy and his eyes looked troubled. "My mom told me then everything changed one day and it was like he became the very thing he hated. She by then was already too in love with him to leave. She told me she thought about leaving but she couldn't… Ever since she's never seen his good side I never knew existed, Told me she still has faith it will return one day and that's part of why she stays. Prays for it everyday, she said..."

What? This just didn't add up. Why tell your son something so negative when he's about to embark his journey into the real world? "Why would Auntie Sharon tell you something like that?"

"She told me to watch out for whatever is thrown at me while I'm away. She told me that no matter what happens don't give into something so easily like my father did," I could see his fists tighten. The white of his knuckles showing through the amount of strain. "She was crying and that shit killed me…but it also made me for the first time in my life unsure of myself. What could make someone so set against something cave in? Like, what If I'm the same way?..."

So much information to digest and my mind was all over the place. Somewhere deep inside my comforting nature surfaced and I was able to conjure the words that I knew would put Ray's worries to rest. "Ray, cut that out… What are you, pussy?" I started off, using one of his favorite lines. "You are the most stubborn person I believe has ever come into existence and I don't believe anything or anyone is going to change that. Plus, you've already been through some forms of pressure. Remember how Uncle Ronnie would always put you in situations to test your morality? And what happened?"

"In the words of Ronald… 'Such a fucking disappointment, son'" He proclaimed with his usual proud voice as he imitated Uncle Ronnie's mannerisms.

"That's right," I agreed with a small smile forming. "So just keep on being that and I know you'll be a better man than he will ever be."

"Jaz," he began. I could see his eye twitch as if mentally scarred.

"Yes?"

"Don't say the word pussy ever again," he spat before laughing his goofy ear-shattering laugh. I joined him and nodded my head. Glad that the previous dark cloud was nowhere to be seen.

"Onto the real serious question of the night," I trailed off dramatically and Ray looked at me expectantly. "What's the theme? It's your year to pick."

"You already know the answer to that," he grinned with a playful glint in his eyes.

"I don't know. You tell me…What super hero saga are you going to suck me into this time?"

Ray started to chuckle but stopped abruptly. His skin turns pale as if he'd seen a ghost.

It all happened so fast.

Eyes focused on something behind me, fear raced through them. But briefly.

It all happened so fast.

It was immediately followed by an intense rage. "Who the fuck are you?" he growled through gritted teeth.

Confusion overtook my body. I turned to see who Ray was talking to and was met by 2 large men accompanied with a short portly man.

It all happened so fast.

The 2 large men were dressed in black suits and were armored with guns that were adorned with silencers. The armed men took stoicism to a different level. The only emotion I could sense came from the portly short man. And it was far from good.

Evil.

Pure evil.

It all happened so fast.

"I don't have much time before your uncle's security team is notified, Raymond. Just know you have your father to thank for this." The short man signaled the large men and they responded by aiming their guns at Ray.

"Fire."

It all happened so fast…


A part of me froze in that moment. As if time itself was at a standstill and I was the only one in motion. It was difficult to assess the situation. This woman embracing me, this woman that is supposed to be in complete terror of my existence was now holding onto me like I was the reason for hers.

And I was allowing it...

It's as if my defensive reflexes were out of order and something foreign lunged in my stomach. But not for long. Her feverish shivering brought me back to reality. That unwarranted instinct that allowed me to let my guard down ceased to exist anymore. I regained my composure as I brushed her off coldly and glared at her with menacing eyes. Harsh words perched on the tip of my tongue about to be spoken into existence but they were interrupted by her quaint voice.

"It was so fast," she whispered suddenly, almost faint to my ear that they strained to make out the few words she uttered. So I guess she's decided to withdraw back into her former character. Weak, nervous, naïve character.

"Speak up," I demanded gruffly.

Her head shook back and forth as if hesitant to continue what she was going to say. Something was going on within her seeming to want to brush off the confession. Hope that I wasn't paying attention and brush it off as well. Frankly I was not in the mood and I was going to get the story willingly or forcefully. Without warning, I snatched her wrist pressed the nail of my thumb into her flesh. It didn't break skin but it was strong enough to get the point across. A shriek of pain escaped her lips as I gritted through my teeth, "I said speak up. Or this time I'll leave a mark"

She started to speak, this time much louder, with her eyes downcast to a spot on the couch. "Fine." I let go of her hand and she started to soothe the part of her wrist in pain.

"You're probably wondering what's wrong with me. Your team probably thought you knew every possible thing about me. Did the research. Left every rock unturned. Checked and double checked and triple check…but you're wrong. So you listen and you listen well because I'm only going to say this once." Somewhere between the beginning of her words and the end, the tone changed. As if it began with one voice and ended with another. What was unsure and humble turned into sure and confident.

"It was so fast, and I I I-" A half-sob escaped her lips and a hand rushed to her mouth to silence it. It took a while to completely gather her composure. When she did her demeanor become extremely cynical. No trace of fragility in sight. Her hand fell to her side so she could look me directly in my eye without fright. Face determined as if she were on a mission.

"It was so fast and I didn't do a damn thing but freeze. I froze. My cousin…The closest person in my life at the time was being murdered in front of my eyes and I didn't do a damn thing to stop it. Ray…Ray was going places. He wasn't like my father or his father or you. He had so much positivity to offer the world. So much. And I froze. Because that's what I do in bad situations. I freeze."

"I couldn't handle it so I broke. I let it completely destroy me and I allowed me to be someone else. Someone stronger - not a weak pitiful person like I was, still am. I wanted to die so much so that I started living recklessly. Doing drugs, not coming home, anything to piss off my parents…. So naturally my parents sought help."

"They took me to an institution for counseling and to diagnose my problem. It was supposed to be temporary but it turned into months. Honestly, between you and I…I don't have any disorder. Never did. None at all. I just act out as a defense mechanism. Nothing serious or mentally ill about it. I made a friend at the institution, her name was Nora. She was just one of those people you could just instantly trust and you don't know why. Like someone sent specifically for you to help you heal so you follow that instinct blindly…Anyways, I broke down and told her everything. I told her that I'm just acting out because I didn't want to go back home. Purposely making my case worse than what it really is. She felt sorry for me since she knew what type of man my father was. I mean, everyone does. She gave me tips on how to act in order to stay at the institution. She was the nurse that made sure I took my pills when in fact she would throw them in the garbage she disposed of on the way out of my quarters. My parents left me there until they got their baby girl back. Or until I made them believe they did. Until I finally was ready to come back home….And you want to know what the really messed up part is?"

An anger fueled tear fell as she continued, "My father had every single person killed involved with the incident to cover his and my uncle's weak moment….the doctors….the security…the 'help'… even Nora. That's why you or anyone else doesn't know about this – doesn't know the real reason Uncle Ronnie disappeared or the existence of Ray or my 'condition'. Because my father made it like it didn't exist. And you would think him losing his nephew and eventually brother would make him straighten up but it didn't. It made him worse."

"I was empty for years until Cairo came around and it's like he renewed my love for life again. My first and only true love. In the romantic ways, anyways… I didn't care about the rumors or what my gut told me I fell and I fell hard. Somewhere deep down I knew he was trouble but you know what they say. Love is blind, I guess…I began to forget about Ray. Forget about what his and my beliefs were. Forget that my father and family are actually horrible people. Forget that everything I possessed had been the result of someone else's suffering. Sometimes I would go days without realizing that I actually went through any of it at all. From Ray's murder to the rebelling to the institution. All of it seemed more like a nightmare that I was able to escape rather than factual events that truly happened to me. I started to go back to my naive ways because that's how I got around Cairo. He made me feel innocent again"

"I don't want to be naïve. I don't want to be weak. I don't want to hurt. I don't want to feel anything that remotely resembles how I used to be like. I don't want to be treated like a prisoner when it's pretty clear we're on the same side… Most of all, I don't want to forget."

She wasn't done and I was well aware of that but there was too much information that I was trying to process. I needed a moment to gather my thoughts. "Stop," I ordered, immediately silencing her.

Her eyes never left mine and I could see something I've never seen before. There was that usual piece of innocence within them but there was something else there as well. Hidden. Something I couldn't quite put my finger on and it made me irate to not be able to read this usual open book of a woman before me.

Who knew things were so much more complicated than they appeared?

Jazmine Dubois is not so simple or oblivious after all…

I'm not sure whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.

My jaw clenched as I stood up, ran a hand through my afro, and walked over to stand in front of my desk. My hands entered both pockets. I could feel her eyes glued to my every move. After a moment, I looked back at her and mustered my best stoic look.

"You have something else to say. Get on with it," I urged.

She stood up and moved closer to me and my body tensed up. "Don't move any closer," I warned.

"Whatever you say, boss... The bottom line is my reason for existence is now nothing to me. So whatever your plan is to get Cairo back, to get my father back…" She trailed off and bit her lip. Her delicate hands enclosed into two unwavering tight fists.

"I want in."


Author's note: Did you miss me? Sorry for leaving all of you hanging like that. What can I say? Life happens. Anyways, I won't make any promises because that creates frustration. But what I will say is that my interest recently peaked again for this story. Read my profile for more details about DIHLT if anyone still reads that. Thank you for anyone that still keeps up with Vengeance. I hope you liked this long awaited chapter. I decided too many things were left unanswered and I'm happy a lot was answered in this chapter.