Cost for his life

A sudden rush of cold water slammed against Kaia’s face, jolting her into consciousness. Her eyes struggled to gain focus as droplets of water trailed down her cheeks. She swept her hands over her eyes, trying to clear her vision as the blur distorted her surroundings.

Her sight sharpened, meeting the vile eyes of Rodriguez Mavrosso, a ruthlessly notorious drug dealer.

Instantly, she scrambled back in fear. Her heart pounded hard against her chest; her lungs tightened as his gaze narrowed, piercing straight into hers.

“Please, Rodriguez…” she whispered, trembling.

A slow, wicked grin tugged at his lips. “No need for introductions, then,” he said, his voice threaded with danger.

Tears streamed down Kaia’s face as he held her jaw tightly with one of his hands.

“A pretty piece on a bloody board,” he said, his eyes fixed sinisterly on hers.

“Please…” Kaia mumbled as his grip tightened.

He let go of her jaw with so much force that she hit the floor.

He snapped his fingers, and two men dressed in black came forward and raised Kaia to her feet.

They held her hands tightly behind her, causing her to flinch from the pain in her shoulders.

Rodriguez smiled sinisterly. “Let’s make this quick,” he said, snuffing out the cigar as a heavy plume of smoke drifted from his nose.

Kaia’s eyes widened, her heart still pounding relentlessly against her chest as suspense overwhelmed her.

“You have one choice,” he spoke, tossing the cigar between his fingers in a playful manner. “Work for me, or watch your son beheaded,” he concluded.

His words stung Kaia’s heart. Tears flowed from her eyes like a dam that had been let loose.

“No, please, Rodriguez, I beg you,” Kaia pleaded, agony spilling from her lips.

Rodriguez took a step toward her; his eyes carried warmth for a second.

“Please, let my son go,” Kaia sobbed bitterly, looking into his eyes, thinking the warmth in his was pity.

Within a second, Rodriguez pulled out a pistol from his jacket and cocked it right at her head.

“Don’t play dumb,” Rodriguez said. “Make your pick.”

A television mounted on a marble desk flickered on. A video of Kai played on the screen.

“No, I won’t eat! I want my mommy!” Kai screamed, pushing away the plate in front of him.

“Rodriguez…” Kaia whimpered in pain.

Rodriguez waved one of his hands, and a huge man wearing a black shirt and trousers stepped forward from the dark. The man handed Rodriguez a phone with precision.

“Kill the boy,” Rodriguez ordered into the phone. His voice echoed through the black walls.

“No!!!” Kaia screamed. “I’ll do it! Please, I’ll work for you!” she cried, tears still flooding from her eyes.

A devilish grin tugged at Rodriguez’s lips. “Good girl.”

“Keep him alive,” Rodriguez ordered into the phone.

“Okay, capo,” a male voice responded from the other end of the line.

“Tell me, what do I have to do?” Kaia asked in rage, her eyes already bloodshot from crying and screaming.

“That’s the energy,” Rodriguez sneered. He rubbed the gun slowly along Kaia’s cheek.

Kaia stared back at him, fury written in her eyes.

“Seduce Vittorio Caruso. Gather all information about his men and assets, and poison him,” Rodriguez said, his tone void of emotion.

“Why me?” Kaia yelled. “You have money, affluence, and everything to bring down this Vittorio… so why me?”

Pow!

Rodriguez shot a fuel tank beside Kaia. Her ears buzzed violently from the sound.

He snapped his fingers, and the video on the TV changed from Kai to a clip of Kaia in a hotel suite, changing her facial plastic mask after a successful mission.

“No, no… this can’t be,” Kaia said in shock.

“Yes, it is,” Rodriguez sneered. “You played similar games before, so don’t ask stupid questions.”

Kaia’s eyes were still fixed on the TV. She couldn’t believe this was happening.

She couldn’t believe her past life had crawled back into her present.

She was a con artist—but she had changed. She moved on for Kai’s sake. But now, she was faced with the very past she had repented from.

The video changed back to that of Kai.

He still yelled to see her, his little hands craving to hold her again.

A new resolve was born within her. She stopped crying, and her pounding heart slowed as she made up her mind.

“Is that all?” Kaia yelled in anger.

Seeing her son being held ransom in the shackles of death fueled her rage. A profound courage was born within her.

“Falter, and he dies,” Rodriguez said.

Kaia moved her gaze from Rodriguez to the TV to see Kai. His eyes were pale from crying, and his lips were dried from thirst.

A drop of tears fell from Kaia’s eyes.

“Consider him dead,” Kaia said.

A sinister smile curved on Rodriguez’s lips as he snapped his fingers.

Immediately, a sharp needle pierced Kaia’s neck, sending a rush

of liquid into her body.

Almost immediately, her vision blurred, and she fell unconscious.