Leon sat at one end of the table.
Frost, Storm, Tornado, Nick, John and everyone there were throwing out ideas for how they would or could beat them at their own games.Everyone seemed to agree that the Gondo men would come back to Leon’s front door and try again but no one knew when.
Lucinda shook her head at them as she listened.
Leon turned his head to look at her then he asked, “You don’t seem to agree?What do you know that we do not?”
Lucinda glanced at her grandfather and she saw him nod.Henri was highly aware of her always watching the Gondo men and their deals.Then she looked at Leon and carefully put her coffee cup down on the table.She dropped her hands into her lap and swallowed hard before she spoke, “Senor Vincinti, I have been watching that family for most of my life.I have seen them at their worst and I have seen them, well I can’t say I have ever seen them at their best because they have never acted like real people.All they know is pain and retribution for supposed wrongs.Pinto threw his sons into a pit when they were just children.He gave them knives and told them that if they wanted to survive they would have to prove they could fight.Ortega and Silva were better with the blades than Chanto was and they’ve all carried scars since then.But Senor, they also do not care about anything and that way of life has been pounded into their very souls for so long that they do not care about anyone other than themselves.Not even about each other, just themselves and they are very selfish human beings.Their fathers had also taught them to uphold the family name and to make people fear it in order to give them what they are due.As the heads of the family, Paulo, Pinto and Carlos have proven that they run things.For years, they have lived under their fathers and now, their fathers are dead.Ortega is the oldest one of the three remaining and I’m not sure if he’s ready to lead the others or just push his way into the leading role here.All three of them are dangerous and right now they are all unstable enough to kill each other to become the one to lead.”
Henri cleared his throat and added, “She is right, senor.Ortega should be first in line but Silva thinks he’s the strongest of them all and he might start a fight just to prove himself.”
Leon sat there for a moment then asked, “And Jose?”
Lucinda shook her head.“Jose is sneaky and underhanded.He’s the kind of man that will slit your throat while you are sleeping just because you dared to close your eyes.But his cousins aren’t the type to let him.They know him better than he knows himself.So they will sleep with one eye open and a knife in their hands.”
Henri sat back in his chair and nodded.“And you will never convince them of Orlando intentions to take the money and run.Those boys will never believe you until it happens for real.They are stubborn enough from growing up in that familia that they think no one will ever cross them.”
“Why didn’t you say something before now about this?”Leon asked quietly.
“I have been listening to you all discuss war and I am not an expert at that,” Lucinda replied just as quietly.“But you are all forgetting something here.”
“And what is that?”John crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at her.
“You are all men that think and plot clearly but Ortgea, Silva and Jose are not.They live and breathe for the moment.They only want what they want in that moment.They have never had to think about their future because that’s all the time their father’s gave them.Pinto and Carlos were the same so that’s what they taught their sons.With no one to guide them they have no direction.To trap them you need to remember that.”
The whole room went silent.
Chapter Seven
“So what do you suggestwe do?”Leon broke the quiet.
“One thing comes to mind,” Lucinda told them.“When we were children growing up, they liked to look for me, they would look all over the village and when they found me, they would make a big deal of taunting me, many times they would hunt for me to beat me up because they knew no one would dare to stop them.It was practice for them you see?To be the bullies they were meant to be.So, if you want to rattle them into making a big mistake, take a page out of their own story.Let them know you are watching them, hunting them and that you can take them out anytime you want to.Play the game they always played when we were children.That will rattle them more and make them easier to take down.”
Leon sat back in his chair and smiled.He thought about her plan then his smile grew.“Bene, that is good.Make them live in fear while we use their game against them.”He looked over at her and shook his head.“You are devious, do you know that?”
Lucinda shrugged.“It is just a suggestion and here in Boston they have no one to hide behind.They will be powerless without family to step in and stop the game.They will have to think for themselves.And they don’t know how to do that.They are a long way from home and everyone they came here with is dead.”
