Chapter 37

                                    

                                          
"What does that mean? I don't know what that means." I stated, frantically looking back and forth between Mr. Vasquez and Lucas. Surprisingly, Mr. Vasquez was calm. As if he had accepted this as a terrible fate but understood it nonetheless. Lucas on the other hand looked as though his father had just announced he was moving to Indiana to become a farmer.
                          
	My question was basically ignored as Lucas stepped closer to his father, "Who delivered the message?"
                          
	Mr. Vasquez dropped his gaze and said quietly, "Daniel."
                          
	Lucas' teeth clenched and his voice came out almost inhuman, "That dick is still working for Clint?"
                          
	"Not by his own free will, son." Mr. Vasquez answered, almost as if he understood Daniel's motives. Of course, I wasn't in the loop like everyone else but it seemed like Mr. Vasquez didn't blame Daniel as Lucas did. What did that mean?
                          
	Lucas ran his fingers through his hair, "Okay well there has to be something we can do-"
                          
	"You know the law as well as I do, hijo. If someone challenges me for the thrown, I have to obey their demands. It's a rule that has been passed down through the generations." Mr. Vasquez explained though I'm sure Lucas had heard these words hundreds of times.
                          
	Me on the other hand, I was clueless, "Isn't this a good thing? Can't you just kill Clint and all our troubles will be solved."
                          
	"Not all of them." Mr. Vasquez spoke just above a whisper, nearly inaudible, his eyes staring at Lucas in pain. Guilt swam through my veins. Should I tell him that my mom may have a way to save Lucas? What if it didn't work and I get their hopes up for nothing? Rico said to keep it quiet but ...
                          
	I opened my mouth to explain the phone call I had received from my mother this morning but, luckily, Lucas began speaking before I could, "Besides, it's not that simple. When someone challenges for the throne of the drug cartel, they are entitled to a clean fight against the leader. A fight to the death with the winner claiming the throne."
                          
	"Like ... hunger games style?" I asked, gulping loudly.
                          
	Lucas' shoulders dipped, "Basically."
                          
	Mr. Vasquez rose an eyebrow, "What is hunger games?'
                          
	"It doesn't matter." Lucas swatted his hands through the air, "What matters is that you can't fight him. If Clint takes the throne he'll ruin everything, the drug cartel the United States, the whole damn world. We can't let this challenge happen."
                          
	Mr. Vasquez's head cocked to the side, "No tienes fe en mí, hijo?"
                          
	"Of course I have faith in you, it's just ... well, you aren't as young as you once were and Clint will fight dirty. This whole thing seems off, like why do all of this now? Right after Mr. Jones passing? Because we're vulnerable. He's only doing this to get to me." Lucas explained, rushing the words out quickly.
                          
	"And me." I piped in. All eyes locked on me and I realized I probably should have stayed quiet. But this was my problem too. Clint wanted me dead just as badly as he wanted Lucas dead, and now that my father was gone, there was nothing stopping Clint from killing me.
                          
	Mr. Vasquez dropped his head, his arms crossing over his chest. Hiding his face from us. Lucas knew his father much better than I because a moment later Lucas asked, "There's something else isn't there? Que es?"
                          
	Mr. Vasquez shook his head for a second before he lifted it, meeting Lucas' gaze as if he were fighting to control his tone, "There is indeed something else. Clint made it clear that one of his demands for the challenge is that both you and Kimber be there."