Chapter 3 - The Setup
The phone slipped from Marisol’s hand and clattered against the metal floor of the truck.
She felt the entire world spin out of control as the reality of the kidnapping set in.
"They took him," she whispered, her voice cracking with raw terror.
Julian forced himself into a sitting position, pushing his medic away.
"Who took him?" Julian demanded, his eyes suddenly burning with lethal focus.
"My landlord said men in a black van broke into our apartment," Marisol sobbed.
Julian cursed loudly and slammed his fist against the wall of the truck.
"It was Navarro," Julian growled, looking at his lead rescuer.
"Navarro is the cartel boss who put me in that basement," he explained to Marisol.
Marisol wiped her tears, a fierce, desperate anger replacing her fear.
"Why would a cartel boss kidnap a community college student?" she yelled.
Julian looked down at the heavy silver medallion still clenched in his bloody hand.
"Because Navarro wants this, and he knows I will do anything to keep you and your brother safe," Julian replied.
Marisol shook her head, completely confused by his strange loyalty.
"I have never met you before in my entire life," she argued.
Julian remained silent for a long moment, his jaw tightening.
"You haven't met me, but I have been watching over your family for five years," he finally confessed.
The truck suddenly swerved violently, throwing Marisol against the metal wall.
Gunfire erupted from outside, pinging loudly against the armored exterior of the delivery truck.
The lead rescuer racked the slide of his assault rifle and kicked the back doors open.
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Two black SUVs were riding their bumper, heavily armed men leaning out the windows with automatic weapons.
"Get down!" Julian yelled, tackling Marisol to the floor as a barrage of bullets tore through the open doors.
