CHAPTER 23

When their car pulled into the Swiss’ garage, Gaby got down with a smirk. It was a really big parking lot, and the building was huge. Like his cousin had said, there were separate buildings in it, he noticed, which was fine by him. It meant they could be in one and avoid running into Robert Swiss as much as possible. There was no hiding the fact that he still held a grudge against the man that played a major role in the loss of his parents and family. He helped Samantha get down from the car and get her bags too. He told himself he was doing this because his spineless cousin had fallen in love with their prey. Not that he cared.

“Stop squeezing your face so hard.” Samantha cautioned, “It’s not like you don’t want to be here.” she teased wickedly.

“Girl, don’t joke with me.” he frowned, “I don’t want to be here. I’m doing this for him” he nodded in Noah’s direction. Noah was busy getting the park neatly parked and didn’t hear what was being said.

“Awwwn, that’s so sweet” Samantha said, pecking him. “It’s the sweetest I’ve seen you be to Noah”

Gaby softened visibly. “I hope he knows that” he said, loud enough for Noah, who had parked the car, and was pulling out the bags from the boot. He was barely a feet away.

“Appreciate man” Noah said, walking towards the building they would be staying. It was something he had bargained with Adriana for. His family coming for this meeting had to be done in a way that doesn’t look annoying or in the least disrespectful. Both families must behave. They had both lost things and were all nursing their wounds. They were family, like it or not. Ethan and Elizabeth linked them all. But he didn’t trust both families to behave. So, he requested they stayed apart. And since he knew the family compound so well, he knew a little distance would do everyone some good. The Swiss in their building and the other building, less used for his, and any other guest invited for the meeting. It was a solid plan that both families readily agreed to.

Adriana came to welcome them in with the twins in tow. Ethan and Elizabeth ran to hug their father. “Daddy” they both screamed. Adriana welcomed the Monterey, hugging only Samantha. “Hi” she waved at Gaby who nodded at her, with a smile. She stayed glued to Samantha to avoid any contact with Noah. The two women went ahead into the building.

“Who’s he, dad?” Elizabeth asked her father, pointing at Gaby, shyly. “I don’t know him either” said Ethan, responding to his sister like the question was meant for him.

He put both kids down and said, “He is my cousin. The only family I have” he explained.

Gaby smiled happily at his cousin calling him family. This crisis had somehow mended their broken relationship. Amidst the chaos, they were finding that family was everything. ‘Yes, that’s me” he said, bending down to hug them both. He had never met them. The few times he saw them was afar whenever he needed to speak with Noah. And he never really saw them as family. Then, to him the kids had been just a hiccup on their vendetta path. Nothing to be taken seriously. But he was wrong. They were his bloodline now. They both are a Monterey. They should be protected. “And you, cuties are my family too” he said out loud, a tear dropped and he quickly brushed it off. The kids hugged him excitedly.

“We never met any family of dad’s before” said Elizabeth, running her tiny hands through the man’s moustache.

Ethan said down on Gaby’s other lap and asked, “Are you his only family?”

“I’d like to say so.” Gaby responded happily, “But there are others”

“They are kids, Gaby.” Noah cautioned, “Don’t confuse them.”

“They’re not toys, man. They can think” he chided, smiling as both kids were running their hands all over him. His legs were beginning to ache, so he lifted them up easily and smiled at them and stood. Both kids chuckled excitedly.

“Trust me, these one…” He kept quiet, knowing that his cousin probably wouldn’t get it. Turning to the kids, he said “I have three family member. Gabriel here and Samantha, the lady who just walked in with your mom”

“Okay” said Ethan. “So he’s Uncle Gaby and she’s aunt Sam”

“I’m an Uncle now” Gaby said, grinning from ear to ear.

Noah rolled his eyes, as he shifted the weight of the bags he had carried out of the car on the other leg. He was going to be sarcastic and say, it was funny of his cousin to come to realise that now. But Gaby had come down here only because of him. They were getting a bit cordial with themselves than they ever have. Even when they were kids. They had never being this close. He didn’t want to ruin what they had going. He instead said to the kids “There’s also Nathan. You’ll meet him later.”

“Okay” Elizabeth said. “Now, we know them all.” Ethan added, “We just need to meet this Uncle Nathan”

“You will, soon” Gaby promised.

“Well, if the questioning is over, shall we go in?” asked Noah, shifting the weight of the bags again. He started walking in with the bags while Gaby carried the kids in.

Once inside, Noah dropped the bags and saw that the women were already at the dining. Setting the table. He asked Adriana where to drop the bags. Walking ahead, Adriana pointed the rooms down the hall. He dropped one of the bags. She turned back to leave, but he pulled her with his free hand into the room with him. “This room should be okay for Samantha”

Adriana freed her hand, “What’s this?”

“I was hoping we could get a few minute to talk” he said, moving away from her. Hating himself for moving away, knowing she would misread him.

“We have nothing to talk about” she said, turning to leave.

“Wait.” he said, “I can’t stay here.” he told her. “The kids would suspect something wasn’t right”

Adriana heaved heavily. She had given this a thought too. Her kids were very smart. They would pick up any strange behavior from their parents. And she didn’t want them to suspect anything. At least, not yet. But she knew her mother was being difficult. She had also insisted the Monterey stayed out of their way when she had informed them Noah wanted his family in the other building. But she supposes, her mother would be able to live with a singular Monterey under her nose for now.

He had been staying there anyway since he brought her back. But yesterday when he drove out to pick his family, Mrs. Swiss had insisted he stayed with his family in the other building on his return. “But mother, you don’t mean that”

“I do” said Mrs. Swiss adamantly. “He hurt you, why, are you letting him walk all over you?”

Hating her mother for making her despise the one man she had truly loved, she got down the stairs. Her mother waited in the living room for her. “He didn’t walk over me mom. Nobody is walking over anyone”

“You know what I’m saying, stop twisting my words.”

“Look, I hate him enough for what he did..... But.” she was cut short though before she could go on.

“But he’s still here, hurting you”

“But I’m living with it. I have kids for the man.” She said, stubbornly finishing off her sentence. “And if you can’t respect or understand that, please let me be. We all cannot be like you, chasing dad away for some silly mistake that’s had everyone in this mess.”

“Wait, what?” Mrs. Swiss looked visibly shocked and pained. “You think I sent him away?”

Adriana didn’t bother with a response. She had left her mother looking hurt and walked out of the door. Now, with Noah bringing it up. She only smiled knowing she had had the very conversation with her mother. “Of course, you are staying with us” she said, and left.

Sighing, Noah closed the door and rested on it. It wasn’t what he had wanted to do when he pulled her here. He had wanted to hold her, hug her, and just feel her warmth. But a look in her eyes and he couldn’t do that. She was still treating him a bit coldly. All the days spent with her since he drove her back had done nothing to mend the wall they had both raised between each other. And for a while, it had been tough acting normally around the kids.

The twins would soon start getting suspicious if they didn’t get their act together. The other night, while they had put the kids to bed in the other room, Ethan had walked in unannounced that he couldn’t sleep. He was surprised to see his father on the floor and his mother on the bed. “Why is dad on the floor?” he asked.

Noah had quickly had to turn it to press up. He dragged his sleeping bed roughly his hands towards himself to make it look the part. “I’m exercising buddy” he said, lifting himself off the floor and down again.

Ethan rubbed his eyes sleepily, he stopped by his father’s side and said, “But we exercised in the morning. Stop stressing.” he then went to sit on the bed, tapping his mom. “I can’t sleep.” The little boy shook his sleeping mother’s legs until she was awake.

Noah had been too busy with his press ups to caution their son so he didn’t disturb Adriana. It was too late before he realized it. “Hey.” he said.

Adriana sat up, looking from her son to their father. She yawned while asking, “Want a bed time story?.” She wondered why Noah had let him wake her up. he must have been caught off-guard too, she mused. Then nodding at him, she wordlessly asked that Noah joined her on the bed.

“All done now” Noah announced and moved his sleeping bag aside. He went to sit on the bed, beside his son. The two had sat down on the bed, with Ethan placed in between them while they told him stories. Eventually, he slept and Adriana took him to his room. When she got back, he was back on the floor with his sleeping bag and she said nothing about him joining her on the bed. Again, there was yesterday when he was to go get his family. While the kids waved their goodbye, Adriana had mumbled inaudibly and turned to leave. But Elizabeth had noticed there had been no kiss.

“Dad?” she had called, “Ain’t you forgetting something?” she asked “What did I forget, baby?” he had asked his child while mentally cross checking his list. He had packed his lunch, thanks to Adriana. He didn’t take anything much as he was due back the day after. So, what was his daughter talking about?

Elizabeth had run after their mother, pulling her out. “The goodbye kiss” said Elizabeth with a smile.

“Oh” Adriana had said, turning to her husband, not enjoying this one bit.

Noah, happy about the turn of event had seized the opportunity to kiss her passionately. When he pulled away, he could bet she was all heated up as was he. Saying nothing to him, she had turned to Elizabeth and said, “Thanks baby, dad was in a rush” and she left.

It was their thing now. They spoke only when they had company. Once they were alone, there was nothing to talk about. He didn’t know how they got here. They had been married for close to ten years now, and though they fought on several occasion, it was nothing compared to this. There were times when they go days without talking because there was a misunderstanding. At night, she would turn away and so would he, but they still slept on the same bed. And most of their fights always ended with one person reaching towards the other in bed. Afterwards, they would settle their misunderstanding.

They somehow always found their way back to each other. ‘Doesn’t look like we will ever get out of this’, he murmured to himself. This was no ordinary fight. This was betrayal. And he was seeing his wife hurt in a way he never knew he could do to her. But he was drained of it all. Why won’t she see that he was hurting too? He was tired of playing warmth when they were falling apart like this. He wanted them to heal. He just didn’t know how to do it.

********

Adriana came down the staircase to open the door for her sister and Jason Valdez, and was pulled into a warm embrace. “Hey Sis” she said, letting her sister cuddle her. She managed to say hello, before getting squashed back in again for a warm hug. While they exchanged greetings, James and his team got down and went to stay in hidden spots to man the house. As his men found their spots, James together with Sam did a thorough sweep of the house. Satisfied, there wasn’t anyone stranger lurking around or any strange thing lying around carelessly, he nodded to his men.

The Swiss’ head security detail came out to meet them. Sam and James went with him to their CCTV monitor room to continue monitoring the entire vicinity.

“I’m so glad you’re okay” Evangeline said, relieved to see her sister.

“I told you it was Noah” Adriana whispered, “He’s here by the way” she nodded towards the chamber room where the meeting would hold.

“Hello again” Jason greeted, “It’s a relief that you’re okay”

“I’m alright” replied Adriana, hugging the man. “Though you guys are a bit late. We’ve being waiting for you”

“Evan woke up so late. I didn’t want to wake her up.” said Jason, giving his glowing baby mama a warm look.

Evangeline blushed, remembering he had been the reason she woke up so late. After their night rendezvous, the man had woken her up in the middle of the night for another round. He was practically insatiable. She smiled at him, seeing he knew just why she had slept so soundly till the late hours of the morning.

Adriana watched the two love birds and coughed, breaking their eye contact. They were almost face fucking each other right in her presence. “Shall we go in now?” she asked and the trio walked down the hall into the chamber room where everyone was seated, waiting for their arrival.

Evangeline greeted her mother with a warm hug, and extended the hug to her father, who held her a bit too long. She tried not to squirm out of the embrace. Noah sat stiffly at a corner with his family, she presumes. Out of courtesy for his family, she greeted him warmly with a hug. Then leaned over to whisper in his ear, “Next time you pull this kidnapping shit on my sister, I’ll skin you alive” she warned, vehemently.

Noah nodded at the younger Swiss, “Okay ma’am.” he said, trying to hold in the laughter. “It won’t ever repeat itself again”

“Just so we are clear” Evangeline said, standing straighter. She greeted Samantha and Gaby before taking her seat beside Jason, who held her hand as she sat down. From across them, Evangeline saw that her mother looked displeased as she exchanged greetings with Noah and his family. She looked at Adriana, who was sitting beside her and leaned towards her, away from Jason. “I take it mother doesn’t like that they are here” she said.

“No, she doesn’t.” replied Adriana. She was also looking at her mother keenly too, waiting for an eye contact with her so she could tell her to back off. It wasn’t like she was going to forgive the man, but at least they could all be civil. The Monterey were here after all as a courtesy to them. The least they could do was be cordial too. last night, after the Monterey had settled in well, Mrs. Swiss and her husband had gone to check on them and welcome them to their home. Adriana had had to go with them to be sure her mother wasn’t out of line. After their little discussion earlier that day, she was seeing to it that her mother stayed in her lane.

And it was a good thing she had joined the parents on the visit with the ways her mother kept looking at Gaby like she wanted to eat him. “You should have seen her with Gaby last night” she told Evan “Who’s Gaby?” asked Evangeline.

“Oh, that’s him seated beside Noah.” Both ladies looked towards the direction. “He’s Noah’s cousin and that’s Samantha beside him. There’s another male cousin too, Nate. He’s the one that got shot. He couldn’t come. Doctor’s order” she replied her sister in one breathe, with her gaze back to her mother’s.

“Okay.” nodded Evangeline “How is he?”

“He’s okay.” she replied, looking away from her mother. “All bandaged up but okay”

“You were saying mother and Gaby did what?”

Adriana smiled remembering the last night event. Her parents had gone to welcome their guest as insisted by her father. Mrs. Swiss had forced herself to go with and Adriana had decided to chaperone them, scared of what her mother might do. Samantha had opened the door and welcomed them warmly. All had been going smoothly, as Samantha was a charmer. Even her mother had been swept off her high horse feeling. But everything changed the instant Gaby walked in. The moment Gaby and Mrs. Swiss saw; it was like two enemies walking into the same room. The two glared at each other like sworn enemies which was surprising. If anyone was to feel animosity here, it should be Gaby and it should have been directed at her father, not her mother.

But then again, there was her own situation to consider. Her mother probably blamed Gabriel Monterey for the vendetta on her family. And she was right. Who would have given the call if not the family head?

“Mr. Robert” Gaby had said, taking his seat farther from them like he didn’t want to mingle with them.

Adriana noted that it was something Noah did too. Moving far away from them whenever they had a serious discussion. Perhaps it was a family coping mechanism they had all picked up. Considering what they’ve been through, she could understand Gaby moved slightly, “I understand you need our help”

“Yes, as do you” Robert replied, “I know how this must feel” he apologized, “I’m sorry for all I’ve cost your family” he apologized.

But Gaby was no longer looking at him. He was staring at his wife, who looked anything but apologetic like her husband. “It would seem your wife here doesn’t quite agree with you” he told Robert. Adriana had turned to look at her mother who looked exactly as she did now.

Evangeline laughed as her sister described the look. “Did you just say our mother looked like a double decked cabin falling apart?” she laughed so hard that all eyes were on her. “Sorry, guys” she said, trying to tone down the laugh.

“Just look at her now, and tell me she doesn’t look that way” Adriana said and it only made Evan erupt in another bout of bubbling laugh. She apologized again while her sister blamed it on her hormones. “Must be the baby” she told everyone with a straight face.

Beside them, Jason looked at Evan, wondering how hormones made her this hysterically. Evangeline shook her head and mouthed it had nothing to do with the baby. He nodded, still looking at her belly.

“So, who are we waiting for?” Robert asked, when Evangeline eventually got herself together. He looked round and it seemed everyone was present. There were the Monterey seated, Valdez was here, and the associate he had contacted while he had been away was waiting to be called in. He was joining them on phone. And his joining would only be when they needed weapons or more hands, which for now could hold.

“We just need to wait for the computer analyst Logan wants to replace him.” He told everyone.

“He’ll be here soon, together with my analyst. They are working on some slight faults” Announced Jason. When Logan had insisted he was sending his analyst rather than coming himself, Jason figured Key should be here too. And when Anderson had reached out that he couldn’t access the account, Key had asked him to come over. So, both men would be coming in together, soon.

“Okay then. Shall we proceed?” he asked. His eyes fell on his older daughter, who whispering in her sister’s ear something funny thing apparently as Evangeline seemed to cover up her laugh with a handkerchief to her mouth. “If you both are done” he said, hoping his daughters would behave.

“Yes, we are” Evangeline said. Jason held her hand under the table, stroking it.

Just then, two men were ushered in by the maid. The maid bowed, and closed the door, leaving the men standing at the entrance.

“I presume these are the men?” Robert asked Jason while pointing that the newcomers sit beside his wife. “Come in”

“Yes” replied Jason. He nodded at the men as they bowed beside him while they took their seat.

“Welcome” Robert said, “Now, we begin”

“Finally” Gaby murmured. Noah looked at him, a signal that he behaves. The other man shrugged but said nothing, promising nothing. Noah then turned to Samantha for help. Nothing was said, but Samantha knew what to do. She nodded and that meant she was on top of the game.

Adriana watched the exchange with interest. The family were well coordinated, she observed. Even Gaby was in his best behavior, somewhat. Perhaps his encounter with her mother had something to do with that. Last night, after he had pointed out that Mrs. Swiss didn’t look apologetic like her husband, her mother had guffawed. It was an unusual and unbecoming behavior from her mother, who was always well primed and classic.

“I did nothing” was Mrs. Swiss reply before she went on to say, “You, on the other hand owe me years and years of apology”

“How do you mean?” Gaby had asked, looking at the woman with interest, and rekindled anger. If he had been feeling forgiving towards the Swiss, this woman right here was making him see no reason while he shouldn’t be angry. Imagine her staring at me with those eyes. “I lost my family because you locked them up in a room without considering that you called the wolves on them” he scoffed, “With nothing to defend themselves with.”

“We didn’t pull the trigger. We didn’t shoot them. We had no blood on our hands” barked Mrs. Swiss Samantha stood up, seeing as the tension was high. She went to sit beside Gaby to calm him down. She could see Robert Swiss doing the same too. Adriana watched the scene with interest. They had to talk about these. It was needed. If nothing was said, the tension would remain, waiting for an outlet. The longer it was pushed unhandled, the more explosive it could be.

“You may as well have pulled the trigger” Gaby retorted. Thanks to Samantha, he was calm a bit. But the woman had to hear it straight from him. He wasn’t Noah that they could guilt wash. This family wronged him, and he deserved an apology.

“We didn’t, did we?” replied Mrs. Swiss stubbornly. “But for nothing we did, you ruined my daughter’s life” she was tearful as she said, “Just look at what you did. She has two kids for your stupid vendetta”

“They are family” Gaby replied softly. “If you think those kids are nothing but a result of our vendetta, then you’re more ignorant than I thought”

Everyone stopped to look at Gaby. Even Samantha was surprised. It was the first time she was seeing this side of him. Adriana realized sadly too the reason her mother was against the Monterey. It was because she felt the kids were vendetta. She had quietly left the room afterwards as both families sat down, apologetically for the things they had done to each other. She had gone upstairs to meet Noah and the kids asleep on her bed. Not wanting to disturb them, she went to sleep in the kids’ room. And her last thought as she slept was, her kids were a part of her. There was no regret there.

“We should start with the analyst since they have some important information to share” said Robert.

Jason called James so he would be seated here. He wanted his security team well informed. In less than a minute, James walked in and stood stiffly behind his boss. “Anders and Key, what have you for us?”

Anderson and Key looked happy as the opened their laptop. “We tracked the account to a certain Luke Smith. We also now know that it is run alongside his brother’s account; Matthew Smith. And it looks like a family account” stated Key.

“The way it works is, two people sigh in at once to withdraw the money. If the other person is not there, the other cannot take out anything” added Anders. “It’s technical jargons is what I’m saying. But the point is it is an old account. The format is like that set up by the secret government officials back then. A secret account that their agents jointly run” he stopped to catch his breath.

Key took over, “What Key is saying is, whoever set up the account must have been one of those agents”

Robert nodded, thinking of just who it could be. “But we know the Swiss owns the account”

“Yes” chorused both men.

“Then one enemy known.” Said Adriana. “But how did this all fit Logan and Jason in?”

“I’ve been thinking about it too.” Robert said, “Jason is a Valdez. One of the founding family member. Perhaps he’s the one they were after and not Logan. I think Logan just got dragged into the feud”

“That makes sense” Jason said, he hadn’t looked at the puzzle that way. “If that is it, then I suppose my family must have pissed them off at some point” he added, “Seeing as they have a role in the death of my parents too” he finished through gritted teeth.

Evangeline stroked his arm gently. “Dad, do you know anything that might have transpired between them?” she asked, “I mean the Smiths with his parents”

“I’ll look into it. But from what I can remember, the Valdez were peaceful people. I don’t remember any incident involving them ever appearing in my court or brought to my notice”

“Still, we should look into it” said Mrs. Swiss.

James who had been lost in thought all the while, suddenly asked, “This Luke Smith, his name bothers me” he said. The clues they had found when they went after the men trailing his boss and later Evangeline nagged at him. He was sure the newspaper clippings he retrieved carried a certain name. Luke, was it? But no last name had been in the paper. All he remembered was the man’s face. It wasn’t a face anyone could miss. The man had a deep cut on his face. The cut ran across his nose. “Do you have a picture?’ he said to Key.

Key nodded and googled up Luke’s image. He turned the laptop first so James could see then everyone.

“Yes that’s him” confirmed James. “It’s the man tailing you, boss.”

“That couldn’t be” said Noah, sitting up. “We thought Nate was attacked by Mafia. Mexicans” he said staring at the screen. “If this is true, then that is the man who attacked our brother” he pulled out his phone and video called Nate.

While he called, Robert asked what was going on.

“That man looks like the picture Nate described when he was attacked. There were two of them and a lady he calls their sister.

“Nate” Noah said, as soon as Nathan picked up the call. Everyone listened as Noah spoke with his brother” explained Samantha Nate looked like he was just waking up. His face was swollen and his eyes were red. The bandage had just being removed so he didn’t look anything appealing.

Evangeline sucked in her breathe at the sight. Turning to her sister, she accused, “Thought you said he’s alright”

Adriana nodded, shaken also by the face of the man on the screen. “He was when I saw him. He was all covered up. I think the bandage just came off”

“Hey guys” Nate said, waving slowly so his arm doesn’t hurt. “I was having my beauty nap” he joked “He cannot even laugh properly” murmured Evangeline seeing as the man struggled with a smile.

“It’s not so bad” Samantha said, leaning towards the ladies. “He’ll be fine. He’s a tough one, that one”

“Look at this” he turned the phone so he could see the image of Luke on the laptop. “Is this the man who…”

“Son of a bitch” swore Nate, “Yes, it’s him alright”

“I’ll get back to you then” said Noah. “Go get your sleep” he disconnected the call. “It was him then”

“If the Smith were after the Monterey and Valdez. I take it Noah was right after all” Robert said.

“That everyone associated with us are being attacked?” Mrs. Swiss asked Her husband nodded.

“But something still is off” Jason said.

“Yes, I think so too” Noah said, “Nate was sure they were Mafia” he dropped his phone. “Gaby?”

“According to the tattoo one of them wore, the Smith are not acting alone, they have a mafia group backing them up” Gaby announced. “I’m familiar with the Mafia. I know their tattoo” he said, looking sourly at Mrs. Swiss, who had a questioning look.

“Then do you have any reason to think the mafia would be involved with them?” asked James. “They hardly ever get involved unless it was personal” the question was directed at Robert Swiss but it was Mrs. Swiss who replied.

“Didn’t he...” she looked at Gaby, refusing to say his name. Gaby smirked, but said nothing. “He just said one of the men had a tattoo” Mrs. Swiss said, “Doesn’t that mean they are fighting for one of theirs?”

“No” said James, shaking his head “The mafia wouldn’t just get involved because a Smith was hurt . Something must have happened that involved the whole team or a considerable amount of the team”

And as the men argued on, Robert Swiss looked on exasperated. He had a very good idea just what could have made the Mafia interested in his family. Beside him, he felt his wife stiffened too. he looked at her, and she nodded. They were both thinking about the same incident.