Chapter 48

"Something happened," Paul muttered as they drove along the route outside of the resort. It was already dark, and he could see in the distance a few destroyed vehicles still giving off smoke in the middle of the road, filled with dead bodies strewn across the ground.

"What happened here?" Madison exclaimed as she also saw the situation in the distance.

"Announce that we're back," Paul said, looking at his mother beside him in the copilot seat. "Use the radio to contact the entrance checkpoint." Then he picked up his radio and said to the group that was with him, "There are problems back home. There are destroyed vehicles up ahead along with dead bodies. It seems they fought off some group trying to break in. Be alert and prepared for anything."

"Roger that," the whole group acknowledged, receiving the information.

"Hello, is anyone there? If the front entrance checkpoint is there, confirm," Madison said through the radio.

They waited for a few seconds before a voice responded from the other side. "Yes, this is the entrance checkpoint group. We hear you loud and clear."

Paul looked at Madison, now more relaxed as the man's voice was someone he recognized.

"The whole group that left to scavenge previously is back," Madison said to the man on the radio and to every other guard of the resort on the same frequency. "We're about to move to the front entrance. Await us."

"Roger that," the man said a second after her.

"Still, we should be cautious," Paul said, his dark humor kicking in. "Maybe I'm thinking too much into it, but it could be possible that the place is already taken."

"Love, don't say that," Madison said, rolling her eyes at her son. "At least there's someone on the radio we recognize. That's something."

"Alright, let's check it out," Paul said, shrugging with a smile. Then he picked up his radio again. "Team 1 and 2, move in front and go inside the resort first. We'll be right behind you. There seems to be no problem inside, as there was a known voice on the other side. Let's hope for the best."

"Roger that. We will take the front," Teams 1 and 2 confirmed, and they rushed to the front of the convoy.

"Let's see what happens now," Paul murmured, looking ahead while taking hold of the car wheel with both hands.

Not long after, they were near the entrance. They saw some guards opening the front gate and then removing the strip of spikes that were blocking the road.

Teams 1 and 2 entered first, and after a moment, Paul and the others followed. It seemed there was no problem or anything out of the ordinary in the place. As they saw people coming and going, not alarmed or in fear but rather distressed and worried, everyone in the group that returned felt more relaxed yet still alert.

"Leaders, you finally came back," a man trotted beside Paul and his group, addressing him and Madison. Oscar and the others also came beside them to find out what had happened.

"What happened?" Paul asked slowly, already thinking that the gangs must have come to cause trouble, coinciding with the time they were out.

"The gangsters," the man quickly answered, trying to remain composed as everyone looked at him. "The gang you repelled before came back to cause trouble."

"I knew it," Paul sighed, just as he thought they had come to bother them again. He needed to know their location to eliminate these pesky insects or maybe not. He wasn't totally sure as he was leaving this place.

"It's like he said. They came back to trouble us," Daniel said as he appeared from the side. "They tried to ram against the gates again, but the spikes did their job, avoiding that possibility."

"We took them down, stopping them directly in the road," Daniel said, satisfied with that result. But then, his face tilted slightly as he continued. "But early, when you left, there were new survivors coming to the resort. We did as we did with the previous people these days, isolating them before being checked, but what no one knew was that the gang infiltrated people in here among these survivors."

Daniel sighed and looked at Chris, Oscar, and then at Elena who had just come beside them. She looked heartbroken and worried.

"They took some people as hostages in the parking lot when their people tried to break in," Daniel finished, disturbed. "But as we stopped and killed them, they instead changed their thoughts and ran away from the parking lot into the route, leaving between the barrier as their people hurriedly collected them. They took with them a few people from the place, including Andrés, Hector, and Liza..." Almost knowing they wouldn't have a good ending.

"Shit..." Paul exclaimed. "I knew that shitty place needed reinforcement. Against the walkers, it was okay, but not against people. I intended to make it more secure in time..."

"What? My Mom. Where is my Mom, Daniel?" Chris hurried beside the old man, grabbing his arm and questioning him in despair.

"I don't know, Chris. They took her along with the others while we fought off their people. Sorry," Daniel said with a heavy heart.

"It can't... It can't be..." Chris muttered in despair, broken and fearful for his mother.

"Paul, we need to look for my mother, please," Chris then looked at Paul, his expression hopeful.

"We will, Chris. Don't worry, I will do whatever I can to find them and bring them back," Paul assured him, Oscar, and Elena, who were also desperate for their loved ones.

"My brother... These bastards, I'm gonna kill them..." Oscar said under his breath, worried about Andrés' unknown situation.

"Paul, can I have a word? Please," Elena asked him as she tried to compose herself.

"Yes, Elena," Paul said softly to her, knowing that she was distressed about her nephew.

They moved a little farther away from the group.

"What do you need, Elena?" Paul asked, looking at her eyes.

"I— I know a place. Maybe we could get the location of this gang if we trade with some people..." Elena said quietly. "They are a gang too... Like those causing trouble here."

"Alright, let's do it. If we can get the position of the gang where they are staying, I will kill them all and bring back our people," Paul said, already pissed off with that gang that had caused them trouble three times in a row.

"What could we offer to make them spit out the info fast, without going around?" Paul inquired.

"Maybe we could offer them guns, meds, supplies, or goods like ice and fresh fish..." Elena suggested a few things but still seemed unsure about it. Even she didn't know what they could ask for the info.

"Fine, we will try to offer them a few of those FX-05s that we have in surplus, some common meds and supplies or goods, not everything at once but testing their willingness at the offer," Paul nodded at her suggestions. "When do we leave to look for this gang?"

"We should leave now because they are in Tijuana, and it would take us a while to find them. Maybe we could try to ask for information about your brother while in there, as I know you and your family were preparing to leave this place to look for him," Elena said after a moment.

"Okay, alright. Let me prepare all the things in a moment, and we'll leave," Paul said. Then he moved to the rest of the group and told them what he and Elena had been talking about.

"Daniel, prepare a few FX-05s so we can trade them with the bullets in their magazines," Paul instructed the old man. "Chris, help him move the things."

"Alright," Daniel said, and Chris followed him silently, distressed and anxious about his mother.

"Elena, prepare the fish, ice, and the rest of the things you think they could work. Oscar, help her," Paul continued instructing. "We will leave as soon as we have all the things prepared. The trip will take a while to get there."

As everyone left to do their things, Paul stayed beside the van he was driving with his women.

"You all will come with me. I will not leave any of you here," Paul said as he grabbed his sisters into his arms, caressing their waists. "It is dangerous if you are alone here while I'm away, and if you are beside me, I can protect you from anything, even if we go to a dangerous place."

"Alright, love. We will do as you say," Madison said, kissing him on the lips.

"Yes, brother. We will listen to you," Alicia and Claire also followed their mother and gave him a wet tongue kiss.

The rest of his girls did the same, supporting what he told them to do.

"Good girls," Paul smiled, satisfied, fondling the asses of both his sisters, enjoying the soft flesh that spilled from his fingers, making them tremble and lean even more against his body.

A while later, they prepared everything, refilled the vehicles with fuel, and left the resort again.

Paul and his girls left in the van, alongside Elena. Oscar and Chris were in another truck with the goods for trade. Daniel was left behind to protect the place as he had done a good job repelling the gang from trying to break in, even though they had taken those people away from the resort by exploiting an insecure breach.

"So, where is this place we are going, Elena?" Madison asked her as they were driving.

"We are going to a warehouse where these culeros are staying... they are another different gang from outside of Rosarito," Elena told her and the rest a bit about it.

"How did you know about them, anyway? Do you have contact with these people?" Claire asked her, doubtful.

"I'm not, but my nephew... Hector's brother is part of them," Elena said as she sighed. "Antonio is my nephew. Los culeros took him long ago."

"Him and whatever they could take hold of in Rosarito before leaving the place," Elena continued telling them. "As everything was failing, Antonio came to Rosarito. He wanted us to go with him, he said that the gang will protect us. I told him he should come home and that we would protect each other."

"He chose them over us, and Hector won't forgive him for that," Elena sighed again with a sad face. "I'm hoping he would try to help us for his brother."

"Don't worry, Elena. We will get Hector and the others back. Even if his brother doesn't look so much helpful or can't help us, at least we have things to trade for the info that would surely make them talk," Paul reassured her.

"Let's hope for the best. There is no need to think only the worst result," Madison said, also trying to cheer her up. "Don't give up on him."

"Yeah," Elena nodded.

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El Pelicano, Warehouse, Tijuana.

"Finally, we got here," Andrea said as she fanned herself with her shirt, a few drops of sweat trickling down her forehead.

"Right, so much heat in here," Alicia also nodded in agreement.

"Heh. There is so much pussy in here," Paul smirked. "I love it."

"You are such a pervert, Paul," Evelyn guffawed. "Our pervert. I love that."

"Alright, let's get down to business," Madison said, calming them down. "We do what we need to do and leave. We don't need another group targeting the hotel."

"Okay, hands to the task," Paul said as he got out of the van.

"You both guys, stay here, taking care of the things. We will try to trade with them simple things first," Paul said to Oscar and Chris as he grabbed the fish and ice.

"Fine. Get the info where they are, Paul," Chris said, worriedly.

"Don't worry, if they know about it, I will get it, one way or another," Paul reassured him.

"Good luck, then," Oscar said, also worried about his brother.

"Let me talk first. It will be easier if they see and hear a local person," Elena said to Paul and the girls.

"Alright," Paul nodded.

A big bald guy was guarding the entrance of the warehouse, donned with an AK variant in hand. The moment he saw them coming to the entrance, he opened the big metal doors a little bit and gave a hand signal to someone inside to get out, likely to receive the newcomers or in case of problems.

A guy smaller than the big guy, with a chihuahua face as if the world owed him money, stepped out and closed the doors behind him as he took a look at the group.

ES "Where is Antonio?" Elena said to them both when they were close enough. "Tell him that Elena is here. I have something that might interest him."

Paul dropped the cooler box with the ice and fish in front of them.

The guys looked at the cooler box and then at Elena, the girls, and Paul without saying anything. Then the big guy gave a head signal to the chihuahua guy as if giving the okay, and this one left to open the warehouse door.

The big guy gave a last look at everyone and moved inside the warehouse, and the chihuahua stood guard with his M4 in hand by the door, looking at them.

"Could they move any slower?" Madison commented softly, not impressed at all. They were slow like a snail.

"Heh," Aline and Amy giggled at that.

"It's part of their show," Paul said with a smile. "Anyway, at least they are moving without trouble."

ES "Pues pasele." (You can enter,) the chihuahua said after the big guy got out of the warehouse. ES "But only three people. You are too many."

"You girls stay with Oscar and Chris protecting the vehicles. I will get inside with Mom and Elena," Paul shrugged and said to the girls.

As they tried to move into the warehouse, the chihuahua guy spoke again, trying to put on a tough guy face. "Not you, only them."

ES "I'm the one who came to do business here. They are just company for the road," Paul smiled without a care about his tone as he looked at his eyes. "So, you will let me inside, or I simply go to do business with another gang around the place. There are a lot of them around the area, I was told."

ES "So, what is it gonna be?" Paul asked again, as if not caring if they did business with them or not.

Madison and Elena didn't say anything when he talked, and the chihuahua and the big guy took notice of that.

After a moment, the big guy signaled again to the chihuahua to back off.

ES "Fine, you can go in, but leave all your weapons on you," the chihuahua said after a moment. "We will give them back after you leave."

ES "Sounds fair," Paul nodded.

Paul gave up his guns except his bayonet as they didn't ask for it. Madison and Elena also surrendered what they had.

After they got inside, the warehouse was a big open place, like a mini supermarket. They waited next to a pay counter for Elena's nephew to show up, which didn't take too long as he appeared between the aisles with goods, before stopping beside them. Antonio was sweating a lot and had a tired face, as if he were sick.

"When was the last time you slept?" Elena said worriedly as she looked at her nephew.

"You shouldn't have come here, and you shouldn't have brought these Americans with you," Antonio said to Elena after giving Paul and Madison a look.

"I don't have a choice. We are here because of your brother," Elena explained with worry.

"What happened?" Antonio's voice tingled a little after hearing his aunt.

"A gang took him. We are looking for information where they could be staying. We brought things to trade for that info," Elena answered.

Antonio sighed and opened the cool box. "Fish are good, the ice is better. Can you get more?"

"Sí, as much as you like," Elena said promptly.

"Good, Marco will want more," Antonio said, closing the box. "What do you know about the people that took him?"

"We don't know too much. We encountered them for the first time with them trying to board us on the route when we were going to a site to scavenge resources. We killed them all; they were armed with automatics," Paul answered him relaxedly. "Later, they raided our place with three dozen guys, and again, I killed them all."

"Unfortunately, yesterday, I raided a supermarket with people and was out of the place. They came back, and our group repelled them, but they entered the place hours before as survivors looking for a place. When things went south for them, they left with a few people, including Hector," Paul continued narrating to Antonio his encounters with these guys. "We need to know their location so I can kill them all and bring our people back. They should operate and be somewhere around Rosarito. The gang seemed to be under some cartel; that info should be of some help."

"We have more things to trade if the ice and fish aren't enough for the info," Paul added.

"I will inquire about what you need. I have an idea of who they could be," Antonio said after a moment, skeptical about the guy or his group killing so many gang members. But anyway, he needed to ask for his brother.

"Wait here. Do not move," Antonio said as he was about to leave.

"Wait, there is more info we are looking to buy," Madison said quickly.

"What is it?" Antonio asked.

"We are looking for my son. He should be here in Tijuana," Madison said, hopeful.

"A gringo then?" Antonio said as he looked at Madison and Paul. "How does he look?"

"Skinny, brown hair and eyes, young, around twenty years old. He likes drugs," Paul said, describing how Nick looks, and then added ironically at the end. "His name is Nick. Maybe you saw or heard something about someone like that?"

"Maybe. There was this guy bringing drugs to trade," Antonio said thoughtfully.

ES "Your colonia, it is also safe, yes?" A man in the distance on the second floor was yelling to someone.

Woman crying could be heard from there.

ES "Answer me!" The man yelled again. "Where is the colonia?"

ES "Is it in the hills?" The man continued.

ES "Where is our daughter?" Another man asked with worry in his voice.

"What are they saying?" Madison asked Elena and Paul. She also looked at Antonio, who was thinking about Nick and the gang.

"He's taken their daughter," Elena said.

"What's he doing to them?" Madison asked, wondering as she looked at the second floor.

"We stay out of it," Elena said promptly. "We came for another different thing, Madison."

"Is he saying anything about us?" Madison asked again.

"No, he wants the location to some colonia," Elena sighed and translated for her.

"What'd he say?" Madison asked.

"They are talking about drugs deals with some colonia," Paul commented from the side.

"Yes, he's asking about a woman named Luciana and a gringo," Elena said after hearing the rest of the talk.

"An American? Maybe it's Nick," Madison said worriedly to Paul as she took his arm.

"Yes, someone with ratty hair. He brings them drugs," Elena said, sighing, knowing trouble will happen next.

"What do you know about it, Antonio?" Paul asked him. "If it's info about my brother, I can trade it with good stuff. Guns."

"I was thinking that the guy you asked about could be the same they are talking about," Antonio said after a moment. He knew if there were guns in the deal for some useless info, Marco would accept it right away. "Come with me. We will inquire about the gang info and the guy. But don't talk, let me do the speaking."

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We will continue in the next chapter. I'm acclimating after not writing chapters of this fic for a while.