The Chaos Order (Fanghunters Book Three) (11 page)

B
ack at the mansion, Dom got ready. He packed a couple of pairs of changes of clothes, shampoo and shower gel, anti-vamp hypnosis lenses, and a couple of cans of DEET mosquito repellent into his duffle bag. He didn’t pack any weapons. There was no way of getting guns through airport security, even if they were only dart guns. So, plan B was in effect. Dom hoped it would work.

Trixie had booked the earliest flight out to Tijuana from O’Hare International, which left in a couple of hours. In terms of what to wear for the flight, Dom decided to enter Mexico low-key. He put on a sleeveless beige shirt, a pair of khaki combat pants, and Nike sneakers just in case he needed to make a quick escape. He thought of putting on sandals, but decided that would be a lame look. He wanted to retain some sense of toughness and sandals just didn’t cut it.

“Don’t want em thinking we’re a bunch of pussies,” he said to his reflection in the mirror as he shoved an NY Yankees baseball cap over his shock of blond hair. He placed a pair of shades on to cover his blue eyes, and hey presto, Mr.
Gringo
was history. “There ya go, Eddie, now I’m incognito.”

Yeah right,
he heard Eddie say in his mind. He shrugged. It was better than nothing.

He clapped his hands in excitement. “Mexico here we come!”

He grabbed his duffle bag, his eyes falling on the photo of him and his family by his bed; the one he’d taped back together, photocopied, and framed. Staring at Dad and Eddie enveloped his heart with sadness. In a moment, his excitement at heading for Mexico melted into dejection. He sighed. “I’ll come back,” he told the photo. All the people in it just smiled back at him, including his slightly younger self.

He took a deep breath to try and control those unwelcome emotions. He then forced himself to leave his bedroom, flicking the light off on the way. Out in the corridor, he almost bumped into Vincent.

“Ah, there you are, young man,” Vincent said, pulling up sharp.

“Yeah, here I am,” Dom replied, staring at the carpet.

Vincent eyed him with concern. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah. Just thinking about my dad and Eddie again.”

Vincent’s eyes rolled downward. “Eddie is proud of you. And your father would be too.”

Dom nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.”

Vincent patted him on the shoulder. “Come along, Dominic. Time is of the essence.” Suddenly more upbeat, Dom followed Vincent as he led him down the stairs. Trixie was already there in a pair of tight black pants and turtle neck. By her feet was her duffle bag.

On seeing Dom, she smiled. “You ready?”

He took a quick breath. “Yeah, I’m ready.”

A pat on his back made him spin. He was faced with Vincent. “Take care out there. And keep a close eye on Trixie.”

Dom nodded. “I will.”

“Don’t worry. Lionel and his group will take care of you. He’s a good fellow.”

“A goodfella, huh? Maybe that’s just what we need.”

Vincent chuckled. He looked past Dom at Trixie. “Watch yourself, Patricia. Okay? No playing the heroine again.”

“Okay, Daddy,” she said with an innocent grin.

Vincent grumbled under his breath.

Dom chuckled.

“Here,” Trixie said, handing something to Dom.

Dom glanced down. In her hand was a smartphone.

“Take this. I’ve given one to Troy as well.”

“I’ve already got a phone,” Dom said.

“Yeah, but this one’s better.”

Dom shrugged. “Okay. If you insist.” He took it and put it in his pocket.

“Come on, let’s go,” Trixie then said, picking up her duffle bag.

They left the mansion and got in the waiting Land Rover. Dom started her up. Trixie wound down her window, letting in the light rain.

Vincent appeared by her side. “God be with you both,” he said to them.

Dom noticed the emergence of a tear in his eye. “We’ll be okay, Vincent,” he reassured him. “We know what we’re doing.”

Trixie reached down and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. “Bye, Dad.”

A small smile appeared on Vincent’s face. “Good luck,” he said.

Dom waved Vincent goodbye, and then pulled away. He blew the air from his cheeks; nerves were brewing in his stomach. What if that was the last time he ever saw Vincent?

Just don’t think like that,
he told himself.
Think positive!

It was the fear of the unknown playing on his mind. He had no idea what was waiting for him, and the fact they had no weapons made things worse.

“I don’t know what we’re gonna do about not having dart guns to use down there,” Dom said, expressing his concern as he pulled away from the estate. “Those things have saved my ass on more than one occasion.”

Trixie’s eyes stayed fixed on the wing mirror as they moved down the driveway. “Don’t worry, it’s all under control.”

“Oh, okay. It’s all under control. I’m starting to realize control around here means winging it; thinking on your feet.”

Trixie turned to face him. “In my experience, that’s the best way.”

“Er, I tend to disagree. Failure to plan is a plan for failure.”

“Okay, Descartes.”

Dom whipped his head around to face her. “
Day
-what?”

Trixie rolled her eyes.

CHAPTER TWELVE

T
hey both slept for the duration of the flight. They arrived at Tijuana airport in the early morning, groggy and hungry. Dom dragged himself out of the airport to be met by a blazing morning sun. He put on his shades and stared out into the shimmering horizon while Trixie went and arranged a taxi.

He was glad he decided to dress light. The heat difference between Tijuana and Chicago was like night and day.

“Dom,” Trixie called, and he turned her way. She was hanging out the back of a yellow taxi. Dom went over and threw his stuff in the trunk.

He jumped in shotgun and beamed at the driver; a bald Mexican guy with a gray mustache. “Hey, buddy!”

The driver grinned in return. “
Hola
,” he said, adjusting his rear-view mirror. Hanging off it was a small picture of the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus.

“I’m Dom, this is Trixie.”

“American?” the driver asked.

“That’s right.”

The driver’s eyes lit up. “I love America. Welcome to Mexico! I’m Carlos. Where you going?”

“Valle del Paraíso,” answered Trixie.

Carlos’ grin vanished in an instant. “Valle del Paraíso?” he echoed in a hot whisper. “No, no, no,
señorita
,” he said shaking his head and waving his hand. “I don’t go there. Too dangerous.”

“Dangerous?” Dom repeated.

“
Si
,
amigo
. Too, too dangerous.”

Dom heard Trixie sigh. She whipped out a handful of cash. “Would this make it less dangerous?” she asked, shoving the money between the two front seats and in Carlos’ face. Carlos rolled his eyes down to the cash. He licked his lips. He was hesitating, which told Dom the guy really didn’t wanna go down to Valle del Paraíso
.

Carlos’ shoulders then slumped. “Okay, okay,” he said, snatching the money and stuffing it in his shirt pocket. “I’ll take you as far as I can.”

“That would be great,” Trixie said, sitting back and crossing her arms over her chest.

Carlos gave Dom an uneasy glance.

Dom grinned at him. “Let’s go,
amigo
,” he said.

Carlos put on a pair of shades, threw on some Latino music, and then pulled away.

A
fter a long drive through baking hot highways lined with palm trees, Carlos abruptly pulled up. Dom jumped forward in his seat.

Carlos turned down the Latino. “End of the line,
amigo
,” he said to Dom.

Dom looked out of the windshield. They were at the bottom of a valley, sand-colored mountains climbing either side of the highway into the distance.

“This Valle del Paraíso?” Dom asked him.

Carlos pointed up the highway. “
Si
. Valle del Paraíso up there. I don’t go in there. Too dangerous.”

Dom checked out the scene ahead. Dotted up the mountainsides were small houses and shacks. There was no one else around. “All right,
amigo
. Here have a tip,” he said, pulling out a bunch of pesos from his wallet. He handed them over to Carlos.

“
Muchas gracias
,” he said. “Enjoy Mexico!”

“Loving it already, buddy,” Dom said.

Trixie grabbed their bags and opened her door. “
Gracias
,” she said to Carlos, stepping out.

Dom got out. The second he closed the door behind him, Carlos threw the car in reverse and zoomed back, his tires screeching on the tarmac. Dom spun his head around to catch a glimpse of Carlos frantically spinning his wheel. The car flipped around one-eighty, and burned down the road, before vanishing into the shimmering horizon.

Then, they were alone. Dom puffed his cheeks; already the searing temperature was enveloping him.
Man, this heat’s insane.

The tarmac below his feet had a soft quality about it as if the sun was melting it. Sweat plastered his clothes to him; he could literally feel his skin sizzling. “No wonder the vamps can’t stand it,” he said as he threw his baseball cap over his head. He looked up at the brilliant blue sky; the sun blazed down on him like a tyrant.

He looked around. In the far distance, rugged mountains surrounded the area like jagged thorns. Protruding from the dirt around them were cacti, some with exotic pink and yellow flowers sprouting wildly from within them. In the near distance were squat stone houses of varying hues of blue and green, some just bland old white. And not a soul in sight.

“Where the hell am I?” Dom asked himself as he turned in a small circle.

As he went, the whole world shimmered with heat waves as if everything was dancing. The loud squeak of grasshoppers rubbing their legs together punctuated the silence.

Trixie went and stood next to Dom, handing him his duffle bag. She wafted her flushed face with her hand.

“So what do we do now?” Dom asked, placing his shades on.

“Beats me.”

Dom glanced up at the sun; it was a yellow circle of absolute fire. “I don’t know how much of
that
I can take,” he said, pointing at it.

Trixie blew out her cheeks. “First time in Mexico, huh?”

“First time anywhere.”

“Well, you’ll just have to get used to it.”

A loud rasp of tires from behind tore the silence in two. They both spun to be fronted by a Humvee with blacked out windows. Sitting in the back were men with mean faces. They were all aiming assault rifles right at Dom and Trixie.

Then from behind came more roaring engines; within seconds, they were encircled by three similar vehicles with identikit guys in the back, all aiming rifles.

Dom gulped. His hands shot straight up into the searing air. Trixie froze, eyeing the guns with alarm.

“
Hola!
” Dom said, attempting to put on a smile even though it was the last thing he wanted to do.

One of the guys aiming a gun turned his head to side and spat.

“Nice to meet you too,” Dom mumbled to himself.

The passenger door of the nearest vehicle then swung open. A small pair of feet touched the dirt, before a petite figure stepped out and stared at them from behind her shades. Her long curls bounced over her shoulders as she threw the door shut. Her caramel skin was coated in a light sheen of sweat that gleamed under the sun. Her mouth was a gash across her face; she exuded anger out of every pore.

Dom glanced down at the submachine gun hanging from her shoulder. She grabbed it and aimed it with the expertise of a well-trained soldier. She marched toward Dom and Trixie, her breasts bouncing beneath her vest. A crucifix hanging around her neck rested between them.