Chapter 3 - The Brother Who Never Died
For nineteen years, Sadi had believed her brother was dead.
Jonah had been twelve when the accident happened.
A drunk driver ran a red light.
Their mother's car was struck at an intersection outside El Paso.
Their mother died instantly.
Jonah survived.
Barely.
He spent weeks in the hospital.
Then one morning, the hospital told Sadi that his condition had worsened.
By the afternoon, he was gone.
There was a funeral.
A sealed coffin.
A death certificate.
A grave.
Sadi had visited it every birthday.
Every Christmas.
Every anniversary of the accident.
She had built her life around grief.
Now Arnulfo stood in front of her telling her someone knew the one secret she had never told anyone.
“I want answers,” she said.
“I do too.”
He gave her his phone.
She called the number that had sent the message.
It was disconnected.
Another arrived.
Tomorrow.
10:00 a.m.
South Shore warehouse.
Come alone.
Sadi handed the phone back.
“I'm going.”
Arnulfo shook his head.
“No.”
“It's about my brother.”
“It could be a trap.”
“So was your diner.”
His jaw tightened.
“You're not going alone.”
“You said come alone.”
“They don't make the rules.”
Sadi looked at him.
“Do you?”
“I make sure you survive them.”
At ten the next morning, they arrived at the warehouse.
Sadi wore a gray coat.
Arnulfo wore black.
They entered through a side door.
No one was there.
A projector suddenly switched on.
A video began.
Sadi saw a room.
White walls.
A metal table.
A young man sat with his hands folded.
His hair was longer.
His face thinner.
But she knew him.
Even after nineteen years.
“Jonah.”
He looked directly at the camera.
Then raised his hands.
The signs were old.
Rusty.
But unmistakable.
I am alive.
Sadi covered her mouth.
Arnulfo watched her.
“That's your brother.”
“Yes.”
The video changed.
Jonah sat beside a woman.
Sadi recognized her.
Elena Bess.
Arnulfo's dead wife.
Sadi looked at him.
His entire body had gone rigid.
The recording began.
Elena spoke.
“If you're watching this, then someone finally found Sadi.”
Sadi's heart stopped.
Elena continued.
“Jonah isn't dead.”
Arnulfo stepped closer.
“Why did you hide him?”
Elena looked into the camera.
“Because your family wanted him dead.”
A shadow moved behind her.
Then the recording ended.
Arnulfo turned to Sadi.
“I didn't know.”
“I believe you.”
“You shouldn't.”
She looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because if Elena's warning is true, then the people who killed her are still inside my organization.”
The warehouse doors slammed shut.
Men appeared.
Arnulfo's guards fired.
Chaos erupted.
Sadi ran.
She wasn't fast enough.
A man grabbed her.
Arnulfo shot the attacker.
Sadi screamed.
He pulled her behind a steel pillar.
“Stay down.”
“You almost got me killed.”
“I know.”
“You're terrible at keeping promises.”
He almost smiled.
“I'm learning.”
They escaped through a loading tunnel.
Back at the mansion, Arnulfo gathered his senior men.
Every person in his inner circle had been with him for years.
Salvatore.
Gideon.
Marco.
Vincenzo.
And Victor.
Victor had been Arnulfo's father's driver.
His right hand.
His godfather.
The only man Arnulfo trusted without question.
Until Sadi noticed something.
Victor hadn't been at the meeting.
“Where is he?”
No one answered.
Arnulfo immediately called.
No answer.
They searched the property.
Victor's room was empty.
His safe was open.
Inside was a photograph.
Sadi picked it up.
Jonah stood beside Victor.
Alive.
Recent.
Arnulfo took the photograph.
His face hardened.
“He's been working for them.”
Sadi stared.
“Why?”
“Money.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“Not everyone does things for money.”
Arnulfo watched her.
“You sound very sure.”
“My brother would know.”
“He could be forced.”
“Then we find him.”
Arnulfo nodded.
That evening, Sadi went to Luciano's room.
He was sitting beside the window with the tactile device.
He noticed her.
His face brightened.
She sat beside him.
He pointed toward the device.
Sadi turned the crank.
Luciano placed his hand on the wood.
Then he placed his other hand on Sadi's wrist.
She realized he had learned something.
He could feel her pulse.
She smiled.
“That's my heartbeat.”
He watched her lips.
She tapped her chest.
Heartbeat.
Then pointed at him.
His heartbeat.
Luciano placed his hand on his own chest.
Sadi smiled.
He understood.
Behind the door, Arnulfo watched.
The most feared man in the city had no idea how to say what he was feeling.
So he simply entered.
Luciano reached for him too.
Father and son sat beside each other.
Sadi placed the device between them.
Arnulfo rested his palm beside Luciano's.
Three hands.
One vibration.
Thrum.
Thrum.
Thrum.
Luciano smiled.
Arnulfo looked at Sadi.
“Thank you.”
She nodded.
Then the power went out.
The house became completely dark.
A loud impact came from downstairs.
Arnulfo stood.
“Sadi, stay here.”
She caught his sleeve.
“Don't.”
“What?”
“Listen.”
He stared.
She pointed toward the window.
Three flashes of light.
A signal.
Then another.
She knew it immediately.
“That's not an attack.”
“What is it?”
“It's a message.”
Her brother's old code.
Jonah had invented it when they were children.
Three lights.
Then two.
Then one.
Sadi whispered the meaning.
“They have him.”
Arnulfo looked at her.
“Who?”
May you like
Sadi swallowed.
“Victor.”
