Queen: A change of rules

Frudi and Cisco sat at their kitchen table, shuffling cards and grinning at each other like old poker pros. Their weekly game of hold'em was a tradition, one that Frudi looked forward to every week. She loved the thrill of outsmarting her dad, of reading his tells and bluffing her way to victory.

As they played, they mocked each other's losses, their banter a familiar rhythm. "You're going down, old man!" Frudi teased, raking in a pot. Cisco chuckled and tossed a chip at her. "You got lucky, kiddo. I'll take it back next round. And by the way, your poker face still sucks."

Frudi rolled her eyes. "Hey, my poker face is awesome!"

Frudi got up to grab snacks, returning with a bag of spicy Cheetos for her dad and a bowl of crunchy popcorn for herself. She munched happily, the salty flavors fueling her focus.

But as the game wore on, Frudi's thoughts turned serious. "Dad, why'd you teach me to play hold'em with real money? Isn't that, like, weird?"

Her dad raised an eyebrow, his expression mischievous. "Weird? It's just a game, kiddo. It's about strategy, skill – and not getting too attached to your allowance."

Frudi playfully hit his arm. "Hey, I'm a great player!"

Just then, one of their guards burst in, gun drawn. "Boss, we've got a problem. Someone's breached the perimeter fence."

Frudi's dad nodded, his expression turning serious. "Frudi, grab your piece. Let's go."

Frudi didn't hesitate, pulling out her own pistol from her waistband. She followed her dad and the guard out of the kitchen, their footsteps quiet and deliberate.

As they approached the living room, they saw a figure attempting to disable their security cameras. Frudi's dad took aim, but Frudi stopped him. "Let me handle it."

With a nod, Frudi crept up behind the intruder and disarmed them with ease. Her dad raised an eyebrow. "Nice work, kiddo. You're getting better."

Frudi smiled, holstering her pistol. "Thanks, Dad. I learned from the best."

Their guards took the intruder away, and Frudi's dad turned to her. "You know, maybe it's time we started teaching you more than just poker and combat skills. Maybe it's time you learned the family business."

Frudi's heart skipped a beat. Was she ready for that?

Frudi shook her head, her ponytail swishing behind her. "I'll take a rain check, Dad. I'm not ready for that yet."

Cisco's expression turned serious, his eyes narrowing. "Frudi, you're the heir. You need to know what's going on in the family business."

Frudi rolled her eyes. "I'm twelve, Dad. Can't I just grow up first?"

Cisco sighed, gesturing for her to follow him. "Come into my office, kiddo. We need to talk."

Frudi hesitated, but her curiosity got the better of her. She trailed behind Cisco, entering his office with a sense of trepidation.

Cisco closed the door, his expression solemn. "Frudi, our family's legacy is important. We've built an empire, and it's up to you to maintain it."

Frudi crossed her arms, feeling a surge of defiance. "Why me? Can't someone else do it?"

Cisco leaned forward, his eyes locked on hers. "Because, kiddo, you're the only one I trust. Your mom...she was the same way. She had a fire in her belly, just like you."

Frudi's heart skipped a beat at the mention of her mom. She didn't know much about her, but she knew Cisco might've loved her deeply.

"What do you mean?" Frudi asked, her voice softer now.

Cisco leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "I mean that our family's legacy isn't just about power or money. It's about loyalty, honor, and protecting our own. You need to understand that, Frudi."

Frudi nodded, feeling a sense of understanding wash over her. She knew her dad was trying to prepare her for something, but she wasn't sure what.

Cisco nodded, a small smile on his face. "I knew you'd understand, kiddo. Now, I want to show you what our family business is really about."

Frudi hesitated, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios. "Dad, I don't know...I don't want to see anything...bad."

Cisco chuckled. "It's not always about bloodshed and torture, Frudi. Sometimes it's about strategy, negotiations, and protecting our own. Come with me."

Frudi took a deep breath and followed Cisco out of the office, down the hallway, and to the basement door. She had never been down there before, and a shiver ran down her spine.

"What's down here?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Cisco opened the door, revealing a set of stairs leading into darkness. "Just come see, kiddo."

Frudi hesitated, but her dad's reassuring nod encouraged her to follow him down the stairs. At the bottom, she saw a room filled with people, all working together, talking, and laughing. It wasn't what she expected at all.

In the center of the room, a large table held a sprawling map of the city, with markers and notes scattered across it. Cisco led her over to the table, where a group of men and women were discussing something in hushed tones.

"Welcome, Frudi," one of them said, smiling at her. "We're glad you're here."

Frudi looked up at Cisco, unsure what to make of this. It wasn't the dark, sinister lair she had imagined. It was almost normal to her.

Cisco led Frudi to a door hidden behind a bookshelf. He pressed a button, and the door swung open, revealing a small, dimly lit room. Frudi's heart raced as she followed Cisco inside.

The room was sparse, with only a few chairs and a small table. Roland, Leo, and Sergio were already there, standing around a figure bound to a chair. Frudi's eyes widened as she saw the perpetrator – a teenage boy, no older than her.

Roland nodded at Cisco. "Boss, we've been interrogating him. He's been working with a rival family, trying to gather intel on our operations."

Leo added, "He's just a pawn, but he might lead us to something bigger."

Sergio, Leo's younger brother, looked up from his phone. "I've been tracking his communications. He's been in contact with someone high up in the rival family."

Cisco turned to Frudi. "This is what our family business is about, kiddo. Protecting ourselves, our interests, and our people."

Frudi took it all in, her mind racing. She looked at the boy, feeling a mix of emotions – fear, anger, and curiosity.

Roland continued, "We need to know who's behind this, and what they're planning. We can't let them get the upper hand."

Frudi saw the determination in the men's eyes. She knew her dad was serious about protecting their family, but she also saw the humanity in the boy, bound and scared.

Cisco asks Frudi, "Can you handle this?" Frudi nods, saying, "I can try." She moves closer to Alex, telling Sergio and the others to give them some space. Cisco smiles and signals for them to trust her.

Frudi approaches Alex, who looks up at her with a mix of fear and desperation. "Hey, I'm Frudi," she says softly. "What's your name?"

Alex shivers, but answers, "I-I'm Alexander...Alex."

Frudi smiles warmly. "Nice to meet you, Alex. What's going on? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Alex glances around nervously, then leans in close. "I've been involved with the Martinez family," he whispers. "I know everything. Their operations, their routes, their secrets..."

Frudi's eyes widen, but she maintains a calm tone. "Tell me more, Alex."

Alex takes a deep breath, and begins to reveal the inner workings of the Martinez family's criminal empire. "They're into everything – drugs, weapons, extortion...They have connections with corrupt cops and politicians. I've seen them take out people who get in their way..."

As Alex speaks, Frudi listens intently, her expression growing more serious by the minute. Cisco, Sergio, and the others watch from a distance, their faces grim with concern. They know that taking on the Martinez family won't be easy, but they also know they can't ignore Alex's plea for help.

"Are you done with your sob story?" Frudi suddenly asks surprising everyone including Alex.

"Dad!" The little girl deadpanned.

Cisco walked up to his daughter looking puzzled by the oddity she was giving. "What is it, princess?"

"Really?" Frudi asks crossing her arms.

"We don't understand, Frudi. What's up?" Sergio walked up to Frudi and Cisco. Sergio was the closest to Frudi in the house. He was also a teenager but he was three years older than Frudi.

"I'll cut to the chase. If you want to show me the business, show it to me. Do not ever fake a situation!"

The jaws of all the guys in the house dropped. They were shocked by what the little girl was saying and that's because everything was true.

Few days ago, when Cisco was feeling conflicted about teaching Frudi the business, Roland suggested an operation drill to test her skills and that was how everything happened.

"Quit being surprised guys. It wasn't hard to tell actually. The Martinez family tattoo that he has is just a sticker and he was giving information too easily compared to a person who was bold enough to break into our casa!"

Hearing all the things his daughter said, Cisco picks her up and hugged her tight. "I was right about you, kiddo"