"This could be interesting."

☆

The feel of the coach's engine stopping was enough to bring Carlos round. His once nestled position of being tucked under Rio's arm had been replaced by the hard glass of the window. 

“Everybody off!” 

The call from the front of the vehicle now brings Rio around from his slumber. He looks at Carlos, whose eyes are still fixed on the view out of the window. “Carlos are we here already?”

“No.” Carlos utters a little under his breath, but loud enough for Rio to hear. He turns to face him. The look of dread in his eyes. 

“Everyone off!” 

The call from the front of the coach is heard once again, but the pair still don't move. Carlos looks back out of the window. “What is it? Is it the police?” Rio asks, as he tries his best to see past Carlos' head. 

“No, not the police.” Carlos feels his body sink into the slightly cushioned seat in defeat. “I'd recognise those vehicles anywhere.” He looks at Rio with a fear present in his eyes. “My sister.  She has found us.“ 

“Your sister?” Rio feels every muscle in his body tense. Up until this point, Chanelle Matheson had been a name spoken of like a character in some fictional tale. Someone who sounded real but was make-believe. That was until that moment. All the confidence, the positive outlook of making it to some kind of utopia, seemed to vanish in an instant. Chanelle Matheson is real, and Rio felt the power of control shift once again to Carlos, who reached out a hand. 

“The gun…. Give me the gun…  quickly.” He utters quietly. 

“It's not loaded.” Rio pulls it discreetly from his bag. He hands it over as requested. 

“She doesn't know that. Nor does she know I have no diamonds.” 

“You two.” The voice directs itself to the pair still sitting in their seats. “Get up.” 

Carlos tucks the gun in the waistband of his trousers as he nudges Rio from his seat, with Carlos following behind, as soon, the few remaining passengers stand in a huddle by the quiet roadside. 

Rio watches a suited man speak with the driver out of earshot before patting his shoulder. They both turn to look at him and Carlos. His heart sank at the realisation that even after all their best efforts, they had still been noticed, but not only that, it had been by someone who was under the Matheson influence. Now all thoughts and plans of what to do next had left his mind as the suited man approached them.

“Ms Matheson wants to see you.“ 

“But I don't want to see her.” Carlos is quick to reply. He dares to take a step forward. “Don't forget you work for me too." He goes to reach for the gun, with the suited man doing the same. 

“Don't.” Rio puts a hand on Carlos’ hand as he is about to reveal the gun. “There are kids present.” 

Both males momentarily freeze as they turn to see a couple of children standing with a lady, watching their interaction. “Be on your way." The suited man calls out to the driver, who on the command, begins to usher the passengers back on the coach. The engine switches on, creating a cloud of dust as it pulls away.  Soon, the quiet road is deserted with just the three males remaining. 

As soon as the moment presents itself again, the guns are revealed. Both pointing straight at each other with Rio stood at the sidelines feeling powerless. 

“You won't kill me.” Carlos dares to smirk, with the gun pointing to his temple. Though his heart was racing beyond belief. “She hasn't ordered you to kill me, has she? You wouldn't dare go against her order.”  That about Chanelle he knew. She was all about a wise lecture, the game of prolonged torture, before she chose to end someone's life, and Carlos knew she would have plenty to say to him before she decided on his fate. 

“You're right.” The man relaxes his hold, lowering his gun a fraction. “And you won't kill me because you are not built like her. But she said nothing about him.” The gun now points directly at Rio, who instinctively holds up his hands and screws his eyes closed in readiness to meet his bitter end. "Will you kill me now, I wonder? Would you defend an innocent man, or is he really your captive? Your sister would have disposed of him already unless he was needed or..."

“Ok, ok. I'll come with you, just don't hurt him.” He cursed inwardly at the thought of the gun in his hand. The barrel, empty. Carlos had never killed another, but in that moment, he wouldn't have given it a second thought. To place a bullet between that man's eyes.  

The man grabs for the weapon in Carlos’ hand, pocketing it. He keeps his own gun pointed at Rio for a moment longer, sensing the connection that seemed to have formed between the two. He lowers the gun completely. “This could be interesting.” He laughs under his breath as the vehicle parked a small distance away now draws a little closer. A van blacked out. The back doors suddenly swing open from inside as another man gets out and pulls both Rio and Carlos inside, woth the doors slamming closed.

Rio looks over to Carlos in the dim light, casting a shadow over part of his face. “What do we do now?” 

“Carlos doesn't even look up at the other male as he utters. “There is no ‘we’ not anymore. This isn't your mess. It's mine.” 

“No, we agreed…” But Rio is interrupted by Carlos, who now dares to look at him. 

“Why didn't you run? I have no weapon. I have no diamonds. I have nothing. He saw my reaction back there when that gun was pointed at your head. He will no doubt tell my sister, and she will use it against me.” Carlos reaches forwards to take Rio's hand. “My priorities have changed. Keeping you safe is all that matters to me now.”