Cradles 6

"A friend's eye is a good mirror," TBC tells Lobos nodding his tie in front of a rectangular plane mirror hanged at one side of his room, "what do you think of my dress,"

"What do you say today was again," 

"The new TBC Cartel attends burials of his soldiers, plans wedding ceremonies with them…hmm and other goodies," 

"That's funny coming from you," Lobos smiles

"We live like brothers in short. You should come, in fact, you are come," TBC parroted, "these men died on the day of your release,"

"I'm not gonna wear a suit, and walk around like a Pope,"

"Hahaha, funny, but I insist, if we are running one of the biggest cartels in LA then we should show examples,"

"Like wearing suits and walking the streets to the church,"

"Like attending burials and sending money to the families afterwards,"

"I'll come then but no suits…"Lobos says walking through to the restroom,

"About IC, how do we take him off the street? Because he's a bad investment, and every time he messed up we get to pay for it," T leaves the mirror and walks towards the bathroom,

"I told you I'll handle him. He won't run away this time,"

"IC is a snake in the garden, a dangerous one at that. One man can't kill a snake,"

"Ok, let's just say I'll throw the bait and hook the fish…" Lobos said, "what about the money? You said you've found a way to get it,"

"Let me worry about the money and you deal with the freshly shaved pie in front of you," T leaks his mouth, "nevertheless we have to tolerate each other's little foibles,"

Lobos chuckles, "when do you start learning English?"

"When I started going big," he smiled towards Lobos coming out of the restroom by the corner of the room, "I'll start meeting with high profile personalities, I'll need to learn new ways to keep the conversation going, hmm,"

"As long as you keep the faith, I promise to back you up to the hilt,"

"Show off…" T says, 

"Not only you want the big names huh,"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Agent Tancredi with a pointer in his hands stretches towards the square like white board, "the tracker made three stops before we lost the signal, here - he points towards a basement in one fancy restaurant - here, - he points unto another near the riverside - and here. This is exactly where we lost the signal, a remote area in LA. We believe this is where TBC runs his drugs empire," Tancredi's phone beeps, he hoicks it out of his pocket and stares a bit at the front screen, "over to you Ria,"

Ria holding her side stomach walks unsteady to the edge of the table, "ho ho! What do we have here," she jerks, "ok, one of our sources had a look around the area, asked some neighbors upfront, their responses were simple - we are not allowed to go in deep, the abandoned hotel has been home to thugs for over six months,"

Everyone muttered amongst themselves, "Don't worry it will stop soon," Agent Kayden says,

"Where was I?" Ria says

"The inhabited hotel," Kross says, "ho-hum, boring," Jace echoed, "seriously…I wasn't talking to you jackass,"

"Enough, we got something on our face, if we're fighting already how do we get the real enemy," Ria says holding her stomach, 

"Continue please," Kayden says 

"There's only one entrance, with over 20 security cameras…" Ria says

"Good thing we can watch them from the computers," Jace suggested, 

"Yeah we could, but the cameras don't belong to us, it belongs to TBC, we step a foot into the area, he sees us and runs away,"

"He'll have to pass through us to get out, we can get him from there," Jace says

"Are you even thinking like an Agent, Jace, because your suggestions are not helping, not a bit," Kross says

"Watch your mouth, Kross,"

Ria runs her eyeballs through Kross and Jace and they both behave, "we believe TBC would have another escape route. We don't just know where it would be," she says, "you've heard the gist, we leave in 20 minutes,"

"Wait…" Jace says, "how do we get in without the cameras exposing us,"

Ria grabbed her files in-between her arms, "we leave in 20 minutes,"

"I'll go gear up then," Jace says

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rina and Pengman sit helplessly on the couch, facing the big back television, "Linc's mom should be off to Wisconsin by now?" Rina says,

"-hmmm maybe, just tired of hearing bad news," Peng's face mien boring, as he is stuck with a cup of ice cream and running toy images on the screen,

 "Yes, I hope so," Rina continues, "you're boring, very boring,"

"I'm happy if you ask me," Peng smiles, 

"it's funny how TBC goes on holiday the same day with the Feds and Lobos breaks out of NYPD's office, head office for that matter," Rina says, "do you think he broke him out?"

"TBC is capable of many things but being that foolish, I doubt,"

"It's really straightforward that TBC would want Lobos out so he can help him with IC,"

"TBC can handle IC on his own,"

"Like he handled Sharon. TBC is broken by Sharon's change of heart if you can't see that, then you have a misconceived drugs policy,"

"Do you really think I give a fuck what TBC feels, just want to get out of this whole crab"

"Then let's get out, me and you, let's run far away,"

"That's what I'm trying to do, make a life for myself, in three years I'm 30. But we can't run with our real identity, it's a total waste of time no matter how you look at it,"

"We both started at the wrong side of diligence, I can feel it," Rina leans backward,

"Come here little mite!" Peng says, "we will get out of this, together,"

"So, who do you work for? Now that running around has been left for the big guys. Who do you work for?"

"No one. I won't be working for anyone, till we find a way out of this mess we created for ourselves. We have enough money to pay the bills for six months. That's more than enough time to find a way out"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The burial is over. Lobos on his jean jacket and Jean trousers walks out of the large field with TBC walking behind, "such a long time I was drowned in the burial spirit," TBC says, 

"Me too, since my mom died I've not been a fan of burials," Lobos replied

"Wow! So you don't have friends that are not into drugs," TBC asked hoping into his black rovers packed on the roàd side

"Few? I'm just having fun giving excuses after the burial. Never lacked what to say,"

"What?" TBC phone rings, "Jace from Feds," TBC seems surprised, 

"What are the Feds planning this time?" 

"Only one way to find out," TBC picks the call and answers, drops after saying yes a few times. "Funny Feds," TBC drops his phone and looks Lobos in the face, 

"What now? The Feds are coming for us,"

"Let them come, we're waiting," both giggles and blink, "haha," they said

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ria inside the helicopter with other senior NYPD officers says, "this operation is very simple, we'll hilo in and drop right on top of the building. Drones have picked up the target building. We've done the math, TBC is likely to notice our attention when we are over his head,"

"There'll be no time to run…" Kayden says 

Ria said "Exactly, we will sweep the building and wait for the land team to arrive before we attack full force,"

"That's really simple like you said in the beginning, but what if it takes too long for the land team to arrive and TBC is actually running away," Kross says, smiling at Ria, 

"We've done the math," Ria says, "you have all you need of course, let's do this,"

"Excuse me, Ria, I'm wondering why we gotta take orders from you, you're not Tancredi or any boss around here. You're just our colleague, stop ordering us around like we're new to this stuff," Jace says seemingly serious,

"We'll know soon enough," Ria says,

          •                  •                  •                 

Ria and other officers drop on the roof through a Slender thick black rope. They all move in a single file, with Ria in front, Kayden second, and Jace behind, the badge into the last floor. Kayden does a quick mien with her finger and they all divided, three went left while the other two went right, "clear," those who went left shouted, and not long after "clear," those who went right shouted,"

"We've cleared the last floor, six more to go before reaching the reception,"

"This TBC has been leaving in heaven up here," Kross smiles

Ria repeated "we are gonna stay here as planned, land teams are two minutes out, let's just hope the son of a bitch don't run away,"

"This is madness, we got the guns and advantage, let's take the elevator, go down and sweep the building as we discussed," Jace says

"We wait for the ground team,"

"Seriously, is this what Tancredi suggested or it's you who's ordering us around like Jace said," Kayden says "Because routine reconnaissance is not for senior Feds, it's the SWAT team that's responsible,"

"Turns out someone else is seeing my side of the story," Jace says, 

"...Shut up…" everyone yelled, 

"But seriously my gut is telling me something strange is going on here, that I'm not aware of," Kayden looks worried

"I really don't get it, if Tancredi is really involved in this operation, where is he?" The quiet Jacob speaks out, "I didn't see him in the office. Who else supports my claim,"

"Ok, Jacob, I understand what you're saying but everything is under control," Ria said

"This is where I don't like what I'm hearing, what exactly is under control," Kayden says, "I am second in command and whatever Tancredi is planning I'm supposed to be prepped,"

"Enough of the trouble, I'm here now," Tancredi with a dozen of SWAT soldiers moves into the building, he - Tancredi - stands in between the threshold, "SWAT clean the whole building up, and don't worry, you won't find TBC and Lobos," he says

"What?" Kayden yells, "Are we here for drama? I am second after you and…"

"It's ok Kayden, circumstances demands, I'll put you on later," Tancredi says

"So if we aren't here for the guys what are we here for?" Kross says

"For the truth, simple truth" Tancredi says

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lobos lying on the bed suddenly wakes up and meets TBC by the edge reading, "What are you doing here? There's plenty of room in this house if you don't mind," Lobos streches unto T

"I'm reading English," T replied

"You can do that in your room…" TBC still concentrates on his novel. Lobos jumps out of bed and gets it from him forcefully, "cut the crab what's happening?"

"The Feds have arrived at our former home, hope they got the message,"

"Huh, you scared the hell out of me. We dropped the message there, they'll get it, why not,"

"Just curious," T says 

"Please don't ever wake me up from sleep because of some dumbass reason,"

"Whatever you say, boss," T says,

"Now I wanna eat, what do you have in the fridge?" Lobos walks out of the room and slams the door behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ria steps aside as Tancredi walks closer to the team, "What's this all about?" Jace seems curious, "what is the truth that can't be sorted out in the office,"

"In the captivity of negativity, one of you was stupid enough to be a rat for TBC, leaking out vital confidential information…" Tancredi laughs,

"Jesus Christ," Kayden says 

"Who's that?" Kross says 

"holy moly," Jace says

"I don't believe you, boss," Jacob says, They all spoke muted amongst each other, "Most of you are as honest, some are not…" he yells this part, "but one person keeps on making me look like a fool, a big one," he says, "I am going to give you your last honor. If you know you're a rat amongst us, just come out, no stalling. You have 10 seconds, that'll be your last honor, because, be it as it may you're going down today,"

The whole crew sparks curious, gazing at each other, "I'll shoot him, let me get out of here alive," Jace jumps on Kross and holds his neck, pointing the gun to his head,

"Woo-woo-woo," Kross says. Everyone shifted pointing their guns toward Jace, "drop the gun Jace, we can work this out," Kayden says. Everyone still focused on Jace, Tancredi walks out through the team from the side, "let him shoot," 

"What?" Kross says, "you want me to die," 

"I am going to pull the trigger. He will die," Jace says, 

Ria says "Do what you have to do Jace. Just so you know, there's no bullet in the gun. In all of our guns, it's empty,"

"I choose my weapon myself," Jace said,

Tancredi says, "you carried your magazine yourself. You didn't load the magazine. Because we were foolish and careless like we always are, we all went in there and carried an unloaded magazine, except Jacob. Only his gun is loaded. So you're free to shoot scumbag," 

Jace slowly drops his hands off Kross, knells, and drops his hands behind his head, "as foolish as you look, short and lazy and crazy, unbrushed teeth, and all other mess in-between," Kross chuckles,

"Take him to the office. The holiday is over, he won't be going anywhere," Tancredi commands two SWAT officers and before long he was handcuffed taken into the bvan and driven with escort to the office.