Falling With Grace

“Fuck you and your mother, you piece of shit.”

“Colorful, Joaquin.” I waved my two fingers, giving Javier the go-ahead to proceed, and then chewed my second bite of taco. Javier worked the blade against Joaquin’s paralyzed calf, peeling the skin to the side.

“This can all end now—”

His screams rose above my words. Clear fluids ran from his nose, and his eyes rolled back.

Javier’s shoulders sagged, and his white shirt stained crimson. “I was getting to the best part.”

“Maybe go for the smaller bits if you want him to stay awake.” I quirked a brow and finished off my taco.

Javier gave a smug grin as hesnagged smelling salts from the table, then shoved them into Joaquin’s nose.

He jolted as though he were Lazarus, his mouth opening wide to match his eyes, his purple hands shaking.

Javier tossed the salts to the floor. “There he is.”

I chuckled as I crumpled the paper and tossed it into the bag.

“Please…” Joaquin’s head rolled side to side.

I exhaled a deep sigh and rested my arm along the edge of the table. “If I let you sleep, how would I get my answers?”

His bearded jowls jiggled as he shook his head. “Please…”

“You’re hiding something, and I want to know what it is.”

“I-I can’t.” His chin trembled, and Javier tipped the pointed end of his knife into the man’s exposed muscle, eliciting another ear-splitting scream. “She said he’d kill my family.”

I cleared my throat as I stood and walked to his side. “Joaquin.” I tapped his chubby cheek. “If you don’t tell me who you’re talking about, I’m going to hack your pretty family to bits and drop them in the well beside you.”

The man cried, tipping his head back. “En el nombre del Padre, del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo. Amén.” In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

“Amén. Now, tell me.”

“So…” He gulped and hung his head. “Sofia Torres.”

Who the hell was Sofia Torres?

“I better get more information than that if you want some semblance of mercy.” I wiped his tears off my hand and snarled.

“That’s all I know. I swear. She never showed her face. She always stuck to the shadows.”

Javier leaned into the knife.

“Victor…Victor Chekhov. He’s seen her face. He’s the only one that has. That’s all I know.” He cried.

“And where is Victor now?”

His ears filled with tears. “Last I heard, he’d hid out at some church.” His head rocked side-to-side. “That’s all I know. I’m sorry. Don’t hurt my family.”

I shook my head, my knuckles pressed against the side of the metal table. “I was never going to hurt your family, Joaquin. What kind of monster do you think I am?”

4

Grace

Fire and ice erupted across my body, spreading its wicked claws deep into my bones. My hand bobbed in a pool of cool liquid, pulling my limp arm.