Birthday and Surprises. Part 1.

Boosty account address - b*o*o*s*t*y*.t*o* /a*b*i_d*a*u*l*e*n* AbiZul - name of my account 

Just delete * and you get it there. Let me know what you think. And yeah I used Deepl PRo for translating and edits. Hope it was good decision to pay for it. 

Birthday and Surprises. Part 1.

Loud dance music, the roar of lowriders and walls painted with graffiti honoring dead gangsters. Welcome to Valentino territory. Style, guns and gold. That's the order in which Valentino's mostly Latino gang members live. Although two more elements need to be added for a complete description: family and death.

All members of the gang consider themselves and the residents in their territory as one big family. And are ready to shed rivers of blood to protect their own, and betrayal is considered one of the most terrible acts, which is always followed by severe punishment. And the harsh life makes death a constant companion. The locals pray not only to Christ, but to Death himself, whom they call Santa Muerte. They even have a holiday in memory of the dead, El Día de Muertos, whose roots go back to Mayan and Aztec times. It's a wild mix of christian and pagan beliefs. How do I know all this? That's what Guadalupe Alejandra Wells, also known as Mama Wells, Jackie's own mom, whose restaurant, Limping Coyote, is where we're celebrating her son's birthday.

- That's the kind of culture we have here, angelito.

- Thank you, Signora Wells.

- Don't call me that. Just Mama Wells. You don't have to talk like corporations in a business meeting. Oh, sorry, angelito, I forgot you work for the Trauma Team. - She looked at me with a slight shame in her eyes and, seeing that I wasn't offended at all, smiled.

- What can you do. I work so my cat can have a better life," I jokingly saluted her with my wine glass.

- Ha ha ha. Oh, angelito. That's funny. "For my cat to have a better life." I'll have to remember that. Eh, I work too so my kitty can have a better life. He was the last one I had, and his job just makes my heart clench every time he comes home from another assignment," Mama Wells sadly narrated.

- Today I will give him one very useful gift that will help reduce your anxiety for your son - I took out a small box on which archangels were depicted in silver.

- What is it? Let me see!

- No, no, no, Mama Wells. It's not interesting like that, when the gift-giving starts, then you'll find out. - I put the box away and cover my body like Gollum with the Ring of Power.

- Dios Mio! What an obnoxious boy you are. I'll go hurry my son with his presents. I'm anxious to see what's inside. - Mama Wells left the bar and walked toward the table where Jackie and V were arm wrestling.

She, like a mama cat, took her son by the scruff of the neck and started saying something. Jackie, like a good son, nodded and clapped his hands, attracting the attention of the guests.

- People! Gifts! - And all the guests got up and started carrying gifts for the birthday boy.

Mostly jewelry and money. Finally it was my turn, and I carried a box. Everyone wondered what was inside. Many whispered and assumed that there must be some expensive stuff, like a cross or a ring. Ha, no, my gift is much more expensive and useful than that.

Holding his breath, Jackie opened the box and then bulged his eyes, pulling out a strange card with TT symbols on it.

- Yo, Marcus. What's this? A souvenir or some kind of toy? - Jackie asked, pointing to the card in his hands.

His words made me laugh. Yeah, a toy that a lot of people would give a lot of money for.

- No, Jackie. This is a special card that I call my last chance. If you break it, or dictate the numbers to the TT hotline, either I or another squad of Archangels will fly in to rescue you and treat you in a top hospital, and for free. Roughly speaking, it's like getting an extra life like in video games. - After my words, many people's jaws dropped, and Jackie, not believing, looked at me and at the card in his hands.

- Thank you, angelito! Thank you! - Mama Wells threw herself on my neck and cried without stopping to thank me.

I can see why she had that reaction. Now she'll feel better about her son. Then I was taken into Jackie's bear hug. They're so emotional.

Gradually everyone calmed down and the fun began. Alcohol flowed, people sang and laughed. Mama Wells, who, apparently, remembered her rebellious youth and began to teach young people how to drink tequila, was having fun. Everyone was having fun. The last thing I remember is being taken for a ride on a lowrider, and me laughing, trying not to fall out of a car that was jumping like a bull at a rodeo.

Waking up was of the category: better to die than to live like this. My mouth was a radioactive wasteland. Rummaging around in my jacket, I pulled out an auto-syringe and injected myself with a special cocktail of hangover cures. Pulled out another and injected myself with a mild stimulant. It would help to recover, but it was better to get a few liters of water and eat normal food with meat as soon as possible.

Looking around quickly, I realized I was in the company of V and Jackie in some motel. They were both in bad shape. They smelled so bad you could start a fire with a match. I guess we must have had a pretty good time last night to be here. It was fun. Having risen and reached the curtains, pulled them aside and only when I saw what was on the other side of the window, my mood was sharply spoiled. First of all, we're in Pacifica now. That fucking beach and shoreline I remembered well from earlier in my career. It's too bad, the Voodooists really dislike outsiders, and after TT sicced the Animals on them, that dislike is at its peak. Now nine times out of ten they shoot or attack demons first and only then wonder what you're doing in their territory. Second, there's that lowrider we rode last night outside. Except it's missing its wheels, and someone's taking it apart right now. Yeah, looks like a quick getaway's not an option.

But the shitty part was that some tough bastards with voodoo gang symbols on their clothes were coming up to our room. And looking closer, I wanted to curse, for one face was very familiar to me. It was fucking Placid, one of the highest-ranking members of the Voodooist gang, second only to bitch Brigitte.

I rummaged in my pockets for a couple more light stimulants and a syringe of painkillers. I rush over to V and Jackie and start injecting the stimulants into them, splitting the painkiller dose in half for each of them.

- Ergghhh.

- Kha-khargh.

They start to come to their senses and try to figure out what's going on. I have to condense all the information into one sentence.

- We're in Pacifica, and the Voodooists are coming for us, and we need to get out.

But we didn't have time to think of an escape plan before we heard the enemies start rushing into the neighboring rooms, kicking in the doors. Only two rooms away from ours. We'll have to improvise.

I pull out my gun and take a half-empty bottle of tequila in my free hand. I stand at the side of the door, waiting for the uninvited guests. It's show time.