*****042:

As we walked up to the doors, a family came out and we waited, sunglasses shielding our identities--- this wasn't someplace you expected to see famous pop stars.

"So, Roberto." I started, unable to stop myself from asking the obvious.

"Call me Eli. I go by Eli."

"So, Eli, if you are Felicity's Uncle, why didn't she recognize you?"

"She has never met me. Gomez and I have been--- estranged for many years. Our lifestyles are mutually repellent of each other."

"I'm surprised that was allowed."

He shrugged as we identified the two Latino men wearing black beanies, looking ridiculous in this heat. This was slightly gratifying to me, even though lots of guys habitually wore beanies year round regardless. It still looked stupid in these record temps.

We went right to them.

Both of them were eating animal style double burgers with a huge basket of fries. Neither of them managed to look like they recognized us. It occurred to me that in the confusion I had not waited for Max's return call. There was no ten minute warning shot fired across the bow anymore. I may have just made the head of the Sonora Cartel fairly angry, but if he knew Eli was with me, then....

Finally one of the guys chin checked us. His dark eyes blazed up at Roberto / Eli, and then back down as if he was of no consequence. I figured my lapse in consistency was about to be remarked upon.

I didn't want to waste any more time, nor allow for any control to slip out of my fingers. I slapped both palms down flat on their table and then lifted the right one so they could see the charm necklace underneath.

"So, you choose to ally yourself with the school teacher." The first guy said in a monotone voice, before taking a huge bite of his burger and then setting it aside, he wiped his mouth on a napkin and I was reminded of the dude who had come all business dressed up to the studio to warn me off. These guys may look like thugs, but their education and breeding reeked from them.

Was this some kind of code name?

Eli took that very small stance adjustment that couldn't be considered a step forward and Aidan adjusted his hand so it was patently clear he was carrying. Even in here. I was glad my head of security was up for this kind of work.

The door behind us opened and we all looked up. I'm not sure what anyone else was looking for, but it was not cops like I'd half way worried about. We looked suspicious. Too many vehicles, too many people in them--

But it was obviously a detective. The worn gray suit, the darting eyes, the loosened tie, thinning hair. What were they thinking sending someone so absolutely stereotypical?

I looked back at Max's guys. I moved my hand indicating let's get on with this.

Their eyes were on the detective. They knew him.

What?

"Give Max the necklace and be done with it. It may or may not have what he's looking for. He may or may not be able to find it, but in the future, you deal with me. This family is under my protection. You mess with them again." Roberto/ Eli warned.

It couldn't have been a real threat. What did he hold over them? What army did he command that he could be a true threat? Nothing. He was not even affiliated. It had to be a bluff.

By their faces I could see they were skeptical. They were also wary because of the detective who was now ordering food. I slapped the table one more time.

"Time is wasting, guey." My eyes met his, and his flicked back to the detective, and then as the door opened, another supposed threat or something to worry about. A woman with kids, and a skinny Latino guy--- maybe their dad. I looked away.

I felt Eli stiffen beside me, felt his sudden capitulation. He moved my hand, grabbed the necklace and made a break for the door. In shock, Aidan tried to tackle him, I went for the first of the animal eating Max guys, while the other one made a break for the farther door. And then Eli turned and threw the necklace over all our heads, it sailed through the air in what could have been slow motion.

My attention should have been focused on the guy I had not completely disabled. I felt his arms around me in a classic bear hug. I dropped my weight, elbowed him in the nads as I floored his instep, he dropped like a rock. But not without me taking a sucker punch in the jaw. My nose spurted blood everywhere, and as I leaped away from Max guy, I saw him pull his knife. Hopefully, it was for his own protection, I had my eye on the necklace and Eli hurrying out of the restaurant.

I dashed out after him, determined to catch him. I'm a fast sprinter, and even with my face cracked and throbbing, I knew I could catch him, but he was making his way through the line of cars waiting for the drive through, back to his own vehicle. Where did he think he was going? I had his kid!

I yelled, he turned.

I waved, he saw me.

I heard sirens, he did too.

He made it to his car.

"I have your kid!"

"Meet back at your place!"

Shock ripped through me. Hadn't he just betrayed me? Who had he sent that necklace flying to? Damn! I rounded, lost my balance as a car started moving forward and looked through the parking lot till I found my van and Ben waving to me frantically. The detective came smashing out the front doors, gun pulled, ready to do business.

Shit!

I jumped in the passenger seat, found Hannah already there, and continued on over her now writhing form. I stepped on the console, stepped on Ben's arm on the console, and told Hannah to shut up all in one breath. In seconds, I was kneeling in the back seat between Rein's car seat and the door.

I put my finger up to tell him to stop screaming and he was just scared enough to leave off, gulping air between sobs.

"Go! Go! GO!" I shouted in an urgent whisper-hiss to Ben who made a hard left and sent me to my knees.

"What's wrong with your face?" Ben was yelling as he drove. "How'd you get blood all over you? What the f--- is going on?"

"We're going home! Avoid those cops!" I pointed to the two cop cars with full sirens on, racing down LeConte in our direction. Looking back I saw Aidan's car disappear out another exit and Eli right behind him. I ripped off my shirt, pressed it to the nosebleed and brought it away realizing it was a pretty good gusher. Damn.

I started talking right away, as I knew Ben was about to get mad enough to pull over and demand answers. I knew it was somewhat dangerous to explain to him and Hannah in front of Virgil and Felicity, but it had to be that way. I gave it my best attempt at a PG version.

In moments we were back on the 405 North, whipping in and out of traffic, till I asked Ben calmly to get ahold of himself and stay with the main flow of traffic. He eased off the accelerator, and slammed his fist into the CD player which was harping on Primary Children's songs in the annoying key of C.

I called Aidan, who was behind us, I think. He answered on the second ring, explaining that he'd been calling more security for the band and Aubrey. There would be repercussions for this stunt. Since that was what I'd been calling him about I clicked off quickly and leaned in the middle of the console across Rein's lap. He had started sucking his thumb, and was caressing the silky softness of my garments, temple clothing I wore under my normal shirt. Blood had soaked through in a cloying stickiness that felt gross against my abs.

Juan wasn't a talker, but he was crying in his car seat too, and I looked behind me, absolutely no patience in my repertoire and saw Virgil take his hand comfortingly, even though his eyes were round and scared on me. I nodded to him like I would have a brother in arms. Like a man, and he nodded back, getting it. He's six, but he was no dummy. I winked then, to let him know I knew he was still a kid. And he winked back. Which meant he blinked at me with both eyes. Nice try.

I felt the heat of battle skipping off me, and started to shake.

Aftermath.

I remembered it from Teotihuacan.

Shaking, sweating--- though anybody would be sweating in this heat. I looked up at the read-outs attached to the roof of the van, a digital clock and temperature reader, and saw that it was 104 degrees outside.

The chill of the AC wasn't cutting it. I felt like I was going to throw up.

Ben got off the freeway, connected to the I-1, which is PCH, and took a roundabout way home. I hung my head, forcing myself to breathe. Forcing the images out, the thoughts out, the feelings to come--- perch, twirl and fly through, no nesting, no roosting. Move on.

We pulled up to the house. All that--- forty-five minutes to In and Out Los Angeles for kiddie meals and animal style burgers --- and as they all thought, forty-five minutes back. I heard Rein quit sobbing, looked under my arm at him, to see he'd fallen asleep. We pulled all the way into the garage, levered the automatic door down and I opened the van and loosened Rein. He remained out even when I took him up the stairs to his room and put him in his crib.

Abbie and Jeremy were back from wherever they'd been. I thanked Hannah for her service, told her I'd give her a huge bonus for taking the time and being there for us, which she sassily declined, saying the excitement was better than going to the movies. Now Abbie, who was twirling on the counter stools, wanted to know what had happened, and why my shirt, face and G's were covered in blood. I chin jerked Hannah to let her know not to say a word. She now understood the very real danger and said she was going home.

"Take one of the bodyguards." I cautioned as I threw my soiled shirts into the laundry room.

"I'll take her," Ben announced, waving me off.

"Then both of you take a bodyguard." I challenged but brooked no disobedience. "I'll call you in a bit. Are you coming back here?" Ben gave me an okay sign, following Hannah out soundlessly. And I had the fervent hope that they could talk through this together since they actually had no one else it was safe yet to talk about it with.

I looked at Abbie still standing at the foot of the stairs. "Aubrey is in the hospital, not having the babies, just for observation. We have Eli's kid, Juan, please keep track of them. If you want to go outside, we have security on the property, make sure you let them know." Then I went in to shower, gut-shaking with adrenaline. I'd called Ben originally to help me with the sense of Deja Vu, that had now triggered an all-out reaction--- and Ben was gone.

I stripped, stepped into the hot steamy shower and put both palms flat on the tiles as I let the water rush over my face and shoulders, neck, and collarbone. I turned it on pulse and as high as it would go. My body felt hammered, beat up, even though I wasn't the one who had taken the beating, I'd dished it out, but I knew--- being the aggressor had its drawbacks as well. Anger and adrenaline took their toll on a guy afterward.

I trembled.

My legs quivered in release, felt weak in the knees, and forced myself to keep standing. Then I remembered Eli.

Where the f--- was Eli? That slimy traitor! What had he done? Why?

I pressed my head to the heated tiles, flipped the water to cold and knelt in that freezing cold shower to pray.

Prayer wasn't my first go-to, as you can see. I'd rather deal with things with my intellect, or my brawn, but all else failing, I was learning to turn to a higher source.

I don't remember what I said, how I felt or what answers I might have got, if any. I just knew that after a few minutes of dry sobbing out my guts, I felt like a million pounds of pressure was lifted, and I gave the burden of it all to God.

*****