They both got out of the truck and walked towards the main entrance. Eugene was afraid what they would find. He was praying Abuelita was fine. If something had happened to Abuelita, he was sure his throwing stars would be getting immediate use. He prepared himself for the worst as Bob opened the door.

  “Fourth!” Eugene screamed and rushed inside.

  The missing Fourth was sitting with Abuelita, having lunch. Eugene couldn’t believe it. Eugene rushed forward and tackled Fourth in a huge hug the poor man was not prepared for.

  “What was that for?” Fourth asked as he pulled away from Eugene.

  “I have been so worried about you,” Eugene told him, trying to keep the tears in check. “Your kidnappers are asking for ransom for you. Constantine is working on a negotiation,” he explained, trying not to sound crazy.

  “Negotiations?” Fourth almost screamed. “Rookie, you know our rules.”

  “Yes I know. But this is Death’s territory and they have different rules than we do,” Eugene told Fourth.

  “Eugene is right. City wide genocide is out of the question,” Bob added.

  “City wide genocide. Bob, please tell me you’re kidding?” Abuelita asked him.

  “That’s Pestilence’s rule,” Bob told her and no other explanation was needed.

  “I knew that heifer was crazy as hell,” Abuelita said, appalled. Fourth’s eyes got really wide at Abuelita’s comment. Bob and Eugene had to turn around to hide their smiles.

  “The Mistress is not a heifer,” Fourth told Abuelita.

  “You are right. I have other chosen words for that one but will leave those for another time,” Abuelita told Fourth. “Eugene, honey, are you shrinking to death?” she asked Eugene, her eyebrows scrunched in concern.

  “No ma’am. It’s probably stress,” Eugene told her, trying to sound convincing. He was sure his stomach was eating him from the inside out from hunger.

  “I don’t believe you. I’m getting you some food,” Abuelita told Eugene in a tone that left no room for argument. “Have a seat so you can visit with your friend. Bob, you are eating too, so sit down.”

  With a shrug of his shoulders, Bob took a seat next to Fourth.

  “Thank you, Abuelita,” Both Bob and Eugene said in unison.

  “My pleasure guys. Get comfortable. Remember the drinks are over by the bar.” Abuelita pointed at the drink area as she walked around it to get to the kitchen.

  “Will do,” Bob responded and stood, moving to the drink area.

  Abuelita had the best Horchata in Texarkana. Bob grabbed one for himself and walked to the table with another one.

  “Here you go, Eugene.” Bob handed him his drink.

  “Thank you,” Eugene told him grateful Bob had read his mind.

  “No problem,” Bob said. “So Fourth, where were you? Shorty’s people have checked all the hangouts for Los Lobos with no luck,” Bob asked, and Eugene was glad. Eugene really wanted to know, probably even more than Bob did.

  “They had me in the second floor of the Union Station building Downtown,” Fourth told them.

  “That building needs a new owner. Too many people just keep using that place to stage their crazy schemes,” Bob told Fourth.

  “It’s a beautiful building if somebody was willing to put in some time and money,” Fourth informed them.

  “How did you get away?” Eugene asked.

  “You would never believe this, but those idiots left this crackhead to watch over me,” Fourth told Eugene in disgust.

  “They literally left a crackhead or just an odd guy?” Bob asked Fourth, leaning on the table.

  “I wished it was lack of option but no, he was definitely an addict,” Fourth confirmed.

  “I’m still not following you. How did you get away?” Eugene asked Fourth.

  “Easy, I convinced the poor fool to try some of the drugs they left behind.” Fourth puffed out his chest.

  “That easy?” Eugene couldn’t believe it. Compared to his last twenty-four hours, Fourth had just been chilling.

  “Of course not,” Fourth clarified. “I had to take some first before he would try it. It wasn’t his fault really. Leaving an addict next to a container of drugs is like leaving a kid at Toys-R-Us and expecting them not touch anything.”

  “Here you go, boys.” Abuelita walked in carrying two large plates. “Make sure to eat everything.” She gave Bob and Eugene a pointed stare.

  “Thank you, Abuelita,” Eugene told her, ready to dig in.

  “Looks and smells amazing,” Bob said, sniffing the steam rising from his plate.

  “My pleasure. I brought you some to-go boxes to take with you,” Abuelita told them.

  Eugene was really happy since now he didn’t have to feel guilty that Second was missing out.

  “You are awesome Abuelita. Thank you,” Eugene told her with a soft smile.

  “Okay Fourth, back to you,” Bob told him.

  “What happened to the crackhead watching you?” Eugene asked, realizing he had no idea if he was still alive.

  “I left him on the floor,” Fourth said in a calm tone.

  “You left him to die?” Eugene asked him.

  “Of course not, he was just passed out,” Fourth said, leaning back in his seat.

  “Fourth, you do remember we didn’t dilute that batch?” Eugene asked Fourth. “You realize that sample you gave that boy was pure.”

  “Oops,” Fourth said. “I’m sure he is okay. Or else my new little friend will be meeting your boss soon.” He directed the last part at Bob.

  “How come the drugs didn’t have the same effect on you?” Abuelita asked Fourth.

  “We are immune to all sorts of drugs, poison, and chemicals,” Fourth told Abuelita with a smile.

  “Well that’s convenient,” Abuelita told him. “Unless you boys need me, I’m going to start getting ready for my dinner crowd.” She left the three men with their plates and headed to the kitchen.

  “How did you get here?” Eugene turned back to Fourth.

  “I walked,” Fourth told him. “It was a lot farther away than I expected. I was planning to walk all the way to Reapers but saw Abuelita coming in with boxes. I couldn’t resist and decided to help her. She offered to call you guys instead of me having to walk the rest of the way.” He went back to his food.

  “We are glad you are okay,” Bob told Fourth.

  Now that Fourth was safe, Eugene had no idea what the next step would be. When his phone rang, he was grateful for the interruption.

  “Hi, Rookie. Everything okay?” Second asked when Eugene answered the phone.

  “Everything is perfect,” Eugene told him. “You would never guess who we found.”

  “Besides Abuelita, I have no idea,” Second told Eugene.

  “Then hold on to something because you are not going to believe this,” Eugene told him. “We found Fourth. Actually, Fourth found us but the result is the same.”

  “You were right; I don’t believe it,” Second admitted.

  “We will be heading back shortly. Please let Constantine know,” Eugene told Second.

  “Not a problem. See you soon,” Second told Eugene and they both disconnected.

  “Now what?” Eugene asked Bob.

  “Sounds like a question for the boss,” Bob answered. “Which means we need to get going.”

  Before they could get up, Abuelita came rushing out with bags of food.

  “Here you go. Have a great rest of your day, and get those punks,” Abuelita told them as she patted the top of their heads.

  “Thank you again, Abuelita. We will keep you posted,” Bob told her as he stepped toward the door, ushering Eugene and the other Intern out in front of him.

  It felt wrong heading home with Fourth after all the problems his drugs were causing. Eugene would just have to ask Constantine for some advice.

  Eugene couldn’t believe it, but after twenty four hours of stressing and worrying, it was over. Something wasn’t right. The situation felt anticlimactic.

  “Are you okay?” Bob asked Eugene as he was pulling into his parking space at Reapers.

  Eugene shrugged “Yeah, I guess.”

  “So this is the famous Reapers?” Fourth said from the backseat. “It is definitely deceiving from the outside. Not bad.” He climbed out of the truck.

  “Let’s go, Eugene. You need some hot chocolate,” Bob said.

  Eugene couldn’t help but smile as he followed Bob, dragging Fourth with him.

  They didn’t make it too far in the loft when Fourth was tackled by Second. Eugene had to jump out of the way to avoid getting crushed by the excited man. He never realized how much Second cared about Fourth.

  “Fourth, you are alive. I’m so happy,” Second told Fourth, still holding him tight. “Now give me my five hundred bucks before you get yourself kidnapped again.”

  “I knew I liked that one for a reason,” Constantine told Bob, who started laughing.

  Fourth struggled to get to his pocket, but managed to pull his wallet out. He handed Second five Benjamins and Second released him.

  “Thank you,” Second told Fourth, kissing his money. “Welcome home my little friends. I have missed you.” He cradled his money to his cheek, and when he noticed everyone watching him, he shoved it in his pocket and moved to the dining table.

  “Let me guess, the man doesn’t pay?” Bob asked Second.

  “Oh, he pays, but on his own time and never the full amount,” Second clarified.

  “I thought Pestilence at least paid well,” Constantine added.

  “According to her records, she pays almost as much as we do,” Bartholomew told Constantine from his computer station.

  “How much?” Constantine asked as curious as any cat over shiny objects.

  “About forty-five hundred a month, not counting lodging, food, clothes, and utilities that are all covered.” Bartholomew was reading from his screen.

  “How do you know all that?” Fourth asked, almost disgusted.

  “He knows everything,” Eugene told his peers. “Don’t get offended. He could tell you a lot more if you asked.”

  “Who cares how Bartholomew found out? The real questions is, what do you do with all your money?” Constantine continued his interrogation.

  “Gambling problem,” Eugene tried to whisper, but it sounded like a scream in the quiet room.

  “Traitor,” Fourth told Eugene.

  “Just helping you out,” Eugene told Fourth. “Things go a lot smoother and faster if you don’t lie.” Not that Fourth would ever admit anything, but Constantine had a knack for finding the truth, one way or another.

  “Now that makes sense,” Constantine said in a matter of fact tone, but there was no judgement there. “What do you guys play?”

  Eugene giggled. Constantine’s curiosity was getting the best of him. Eugene could tell he was trying to control himself but was having too much fun to stop.

  “UNO,” Second answered after a few minutes.

  “UNO?” Bob asked from the stove. He had moved to his kitchen while everyone was talking. He had milk on the stove and was taking out ingredients from the pantry.

  “Don’t hate on UNO,” Second told Bob.

  “It’s a better competitive game, full of strategies,” Fourth added.

  “Especially if you are drunk and can’t think straight,” Eugene translated for Bob.

  “How is that possible?” Bartholomew asked. “Wouldn’t your immunity stop you from getting drunk?”

  “You have to drink a lot of liquor and very fast, but it can happen,” Eugene explained. “By the time you are done, you are more stuffed than drunk. But it makes for a fun night.” He added a smile.

  “Sorry Eugene, that doesn’t sound fun at all,” Bartholomew told Eugene, shaking his head.

  “I agree with Bartholomew. Too much work for very little results,” Constantine told Eugene.

  “We are very grateful for your hospitality, but it’s time for us to go,” Fourth told the Reapers team. “I need a shower and a nap.” He rubbed his stomach.

  “We can fix both of those things,” Bob told Fourth, putting Abuelita’s food on plates for everyone else.

  Fourth didn’t answer Bob, although he watched him very closely. Bob handed Bartholomew, Constantine, and Second their lunches, then went back to the fridge and grabbed a pie.

  “Have a seat Fourth, please,” Bob said, carrying the plate to the table. Fourth walked over and took a seat. “You should join him as well, Second. I’m pretty sure you guys don’t eat too well at the lab.” Bob placed another plate in front of Second.

  “It’s pretty good, just not as good as yours.” Since Eugene was the resident expert that got to visit both locations, he felt confident in his assessment.

  “Thank you, Eugene, that makes me feel better,” Bob admitted to the guys.

  “Thank you, Bob,” Second told Bob as he started devouring his food.

  “Oh wow. This is amazing. I never tasted anything so good,” Fourth told Bob. “Did you really make this?”

  “Bob can do miracles with the simplest ingredients,” Constantine told the two men as they ate.

  “This is delicious, but as soon as we are done, we need to get home,” Fourth told the room.

  “We are leaving?” Eugene asked Fourth.

  “Of course. We no longer have business here,” Fourth told him. “Not to mention we have been away from the lab for too long.” His tone was serious. Eugene wasn’t happy, but what could he do? Fourth outranked him.

  “What about the werewolves?” Second asked.

  “What about them?” Fourth shot back.

  “Are we just going to let them keep passing our formula around? People will start dying soon if we don’t stop them,” Eugene said, trying to keep his voice normal.

  “Why do we care?” Fourth responded, not an ounce of concern in his tone. “So what if a few people die? It doesn’t affect us.”

  Eugene pressed his lips together. He needed a better approach. It was obvious Fourth didn’t care about the citizens of Texarkana.

  “I just didn’t think we were going to let them go unpunished,” Eugene said, trying to sound uninterested. “It’s not like our reputation is at stake here.” It was his last gamble, but he had a feeling Fourth would bite if his pride was involved.

  “What do you mean?” Fourth asked, and the words came out hesitant.

  “Oh, you know the routine. If you let one group of punk kids walk all over you, the rest of them think they can do it anytime.” Constantine explained, and as Fourth looked at the ceiling in thought, Constantine winked at Eugene.

  Eugene tried to hide his smile.

  “If the Mistress finds out somebody stole from us and blackmailed us, she will be pissed,” Second jumped in. “I think we need to teach those assholes a lesson.”

  “Good news, we already have a meeting set up for tonight at nine,” Constantine told them. “I’m sure if we work together, we can come up with a great ambush.” His words came out so cheerful it worried Eugene. The crazy cat had to be planning something big.

  “Why would you want to help us?” Fourth asked, a bit skeptical.

  “Easy. We are all related here,” Constantine explained. “If people think they can take advantage of one Horseman, they will try it with the rest. I can’t afford to have Death mad. It isn’t a pretty sight. So, it’s in our best interest to take care of this problem as soon as possible.” Constantine planted a huge smile on his face, showing his canines.

  No doubt about it. The cat was smooth, and it amazed Eugene just how smooth he was.

  “I second the motion,” Second said and then laughed at his own words. “I been waiting ages to use that phrase. Second has seconded the motion.” Eugene covered his face while Constantine rolled his eyes. “I also have a drone we can use to recon the area.”

  “What can your drone do?” Constantine asked in a flat tone.

  “You know, the usual,” Second said, trying to sound modest. Eugene knew the drone was Second’s pride and joy. “Aerial maneuvers, video and audio recording, as well as still images.” He grinned.

  “Not bad,” Constantine said. “Mine has missiles, machines guns, and can be controlled from here for over a hundred-mile radius.” Constantine angled his head, waiting for a comeback.

  “Okay, you win,” Second conceded, bowing down.

  “I told you he was a smart one,” Constantine bragged to Bob, using his head to point at Second.

  “This is all great, but what are we going to do?” Fourth asked the group.

  “We can set up some traps in the area before the meeting,” Bob told them.

  “They are werewolves. They will be able to smell your scent in the air,” Fourth said, crushing everyone’s dreams.

  “We can create a smell neutralizer,” Eugene told them. “The devil did it for me when he sent me out to chase those lunatics.” Which he was still mad about. The devil’s trickery wouldn’t go unpunished, though. He had plans to get him back one day.

  “That’s a great start,” Constantine remarked, his tone pleased.

  “Where is the meeting point?” Eugene asked.

  “In Wake Village, inside King Baseball Park,” Bob informed the group.

  “Not the most ideal location, but at least it’s outside,” Fourth said. “We can make a few potions for our new friends.” He drummed his fingers together, which made him look more than diabolical.

  “Rookie, do you have enough stuff here to make some weapons,” Second asked Eugene.

  “We probably have a little of everything, but we’ll need a lot more,” Eugene replied.

  “We could send Shorty back to your lab to get the supplies while we do the recon,” Bob told the group.

  “I like the plan, but there’s a small problem,” Fourth told them.

  “What?” Constantine asked, his whiskers twitching in confusion.

  “Me!” shouted Fourth.

  “I don’t get it. What about you?” Constantine replied.

  “He is supposed to be kidnapped,” Bartholomew said as he got closer to the kitchen table.

  “Not a problem at all,” Constantine said to Fourth. “You stay here so that way the area is not contaminated.”

  “That sounds great, but why would they agree to the meeting if they don’t have me.”

 

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