Six

It was 3:52pm, Ricardo sat his sitting room smoking a pipe and drinking tequila. Tequila was a Mexican drink but Ricardo didn't care about it's origin but how well it made him feel. It was his way of starting the day and also his way of ending it, he seldom ate but he always had his drink and smoked his pipe. Ricardo wasn't exactly in a good mood that afternoon, Luiz Sanchez was no where to be seen and he was losing the little patience he had. He had given the old man three days to pay back his money and the third days had come with no contact at all from Luiz. The least the man could have done was call him or even show up to explain things to him but Ricardo had gotten none of that and he was pissed.

Luiz Sanchez wasn't the reason Ricardo was in a bad mood that afternoon, Eric had his fair share of the blame. Growing up in Anthonio Lopez's household, Ricardo had learnt the importance of quality education and he wasn't against it. He loved learning and was always eager to help anyone who wanted to venture down that path. It was the more reason why Eric's application for M.I.T made him feel stupid.

Eric Matteo was in highschool when he came into contact with the Mafia boss, Ricardo Alvarez. A war was ongoing between two gangs and Eric was caught in the middle of it, he had witnessed the a member of one of the opposing gang kill a member of the other party and as both a witness and a threat, both gangs were after him. They had finally caught up to him after weeks of tracking close to Ricardo's casino, he tried to fight them off and was failing badly with a black eye and a cut on the head as proof of it. Ricardo got there in time and ended up fending off both parties. A debt and a need for protection landed Eric in Ricardo's group.

Two years from that incident, Ricardo felt he knew everything about Eric, from his parents who died when he was still young to his girlfriend who died of cancer to the way he tapped his foot when he was anxious. Ricardo was sure no one else in the world knew Eric Matteo as much as he did. Well, he was sure but he wasn't anymore.

4:15pm, Ricardo glanced at the huge clock on the wall with his patience thinning. Eric was nowhere to be seen and Luiz hadn't arrived with his money yet, Ricardo decided on a course of action. The gun was always on the table, all he had to do was place a call through to Eric, he was tired of waiting and Luiz Sanchez needed to be taught a lesson. News travelled very fast in the mob, Ricardo was very sure everyone was waiting patiently to find out what would become of Luiz.

"Luiz Sanchez!" Ricardo screamed as soon as he got down from the car. Eric had arrived 5 minutes after he made the call and they drove to Luiz's house in silence, Ricardo decided on asking him about the application after he had dealt with Luiz Sanchez.

"Luiz Sanchez, get out here this instant" Ricardo yelled again when he didn't get any response. He was getting ready to bang at the door when it creaked open slowly.

"Good day, Sir. How may I help you?" Ricardo stopped short as a woman poked her head out of the door and greeted him.

"Diane?" He asked with genuine surprise in his voice.

Diane had never seen Ricardo Alvarez face to face but as she peered into his dark green eyes, she understood why he was greatly feared.

"Pardon me sir, do I know you?" She said wanting to be sure.

"It doesn't matter, where the hell is your father?" Ricardo said with impatience in his voice. Luiz Sanchez had made him come all the way to Centro, he had better had his money ready and available.

"My father isn't in at the moment" Diane muttered with fear already creeping in.

"Where the fuck did he go to!" Eric flinched. Ricardo Alvarez never swore unless he was in a foul mood. For Luiz Sanchez's sake, Eric hoped he had the money.

"H-e went ou-t-t, I cou-l-d give him a message from you when he get bac-k" Diane stuttered visibly shaking. Ricardo had lost all his patience at this point.

"A message?" He smiled and Eric frowned, it never ended well whenever an angry Ricardo smiled. "Let's leave him a message"

Diane stared at him clueless as he motioned with his hand for the men that stood next to the car to draw closer.

Ricardo pointed at Diane, "Take her. Let's leave a clear message for Luiz Sanchez, shall we?"

Diane looked in horror as the men crossed over the lawn and walked towards the door.

"This doesn't seem like a good idea" Eric tried to reason with Ricardo but it was obvious his mind was made up.

"Why? Luiz Sanchez is holding something of mine, so, I will I'm turn take something of his" Ricardo said smiling broadly at Diane. "It's a fair exchange if you ask me"

"I'm not going anywhere with you" Diane lashed as the men drew closer to her, hitting one of them square on the face. Ricardo was amused, how did she expect to fend up two grown men who were hellbent on following orders? He saw her as stupid but admired her courage nonetheless.

Ricardo shot her another smile, "Sweetie, I am only doing what I think is right"

"What you think is right?!" Diane yelled with so much fear and anger pulsating through her veins. "How is this right to you?"

"It's a fair trade, Miss Luiz" he snapped his fingers and one of the men made another attempt but was restricted by a flailing Diane.

"You don't know the first thing about being Fair" she said, fear making way for anger "You kill people that don't give you what you want totally ignoring the fact that they have families who would mourn their loss". She took a deep breath and continued, "You are just heartless and conceited and people like you disgust me"

Eric stared in horror as Ricardo drew his gun from the base of his jean, he pointed the gun at Diane.

"Conceited, I'll allow. Heartless? That, I won't accept" Ricardo took a step forward and Diane took two steps backwards. "Now, before I blow your head off for insulting me like this, get in the fucking car" he said with the gun pointed at Diane's head.

Diane mustered up all the courage she could and with a very clear voice, said, "Go to hell"