The forced one

Problems arise

Eddie slipped back into town, telling his pack to stay back to better get familiar with the new town they were staying at.

They seemed reluctant but agreed to his orders and watched him leave.

To be honest, Eddie didn't want the other pack to feel threatened by bringing his whole pack. And all he wanted to do was see his Abuelita.

Eddie still sent over money to her accounts, and when she had called him and asked how he was getting the money, Eddie had lied and said he was back to doing odd jobs.

Abuelita had accepted this answer, saying to praise God for the blessings. Eddie nodded, ensuring that he was placing a good chunk of his estate into his Abuelita's savings.

He had borrowed a car, a simple black one that didn't really catch too much attention, and slipped inside, starting it.

Once on the road, he sped off in the familiar path to his home, noticing that most of the people weren't out on the yards nor sidewalks.

The town seemed emptier, and he couldn't see anyone running around or even the familiar bass of music playing.

What was going on? What had happened? Eddie thought to himself, his grip on the wheel tighter. The last time the town had gone on lockdown like this, two rival gangs had ended up in the small town, bullets flying from both sides.

There was something different in the air, and Eddie would investigate as soon as he had checked in on his grandmother.

Once he pulled into the house, his frown deepened. There were boards where the windows were at and sprayed on crosses. Eddie got out of the car, crossing into the threshold, as he unlocked the door with his key.

As the door swung open, he heard the distinct sound of a shotgun being loaded and readied. He looked up to see his cousin Litzy holding a shotgun aimed at his head.

"Perro." she swore at him, not lowering the weapon, and Eddie held up his hands in surrender. "¿Que chingados estas haciendo aqui?"

"I'm here to check up on you both -"

"M****a. We needed you, and you were nowhere to be found. I outta-"

  "Litzy! Put the gun down." a voice cried out behind her, and Eddie recognized it to be that of his grandmother. She walked in, a scowl on her face as she glared at her granddaughter. Litzy did as she was told and put her gun down, glaring at the ground.

   Their grandmother glared at her, before turning to Eddie.

   "Are you okay, mijo?" she asked, grabbing Eddie's face and turning it to and fro.

Eddie nodded, letting her as this eased her nerves. When she let go, she smacked his shoulder.

    "Do you know how worried we were for you? A new gang showed up too, and made it unsafe for anyone to go out! Ay, dios mio, Eduardo. You have to be more talkative to the both of us. You saw what Litzy almost did to you." Abuelita said, as she glanced over to Litzy, who scowled.

     "Lo siento, lo siento, I had to go through some stuff, but I'm here to help now. I even got my own crew." Eddie admitted, and Abuelita smacked him in the back of the head.

      He knew it was supposed to be hard, but it was like a piece of cardboard was being thrown at the back of his head. Still, he made a show of bowing his head, and rubbing the back of it in mock pain.

     "What was that for?!" He asked, frowning.

      "No me digas that you joined los pinche cholos, Eduardo! Ay, where did I go wrong with you?" she asked, as she took a seat on the sagging couch. Litzy placed the shotgun next to the couch, sitting next to Abuelita, as she rubbed her small shoulders.

       Eddie blew out a breath he was holding. This wasn't going the way he liked.

       Like at all.

Back in Sacremento...

The interior of the mansion was like a tornado managed to sneak in and destroy everything in its place.

    Alicia ripped through her room, searching for the scrap of paper she had scribbled Eddie's number on. She wanted to reach him as soon as possible and explain the situation she was having.

     He would understand, right? she thought to herself, as she ripped through the pages of her journal.

     A maid trailed her, anxiously looking at the mess, but she wasn't to clean it until she was giving permission to. Alicia picke up the stacks of her books, and journals, when something clattered to the ground. Thinking nothing of it, she turned to her walk-in closet, moving her shoes and clothes around.

    The maid frowned, taking a step as she glanced at the object that fell.

    A small pendant with a ruby center laid there, on a silver chain. It looked delicate yet sturdy, and the maid picked it up, noticing there was a picture in the ruby stone. She squinted her eyes, seeing there was a date scrawled on the bottom.

     At that moment, Alicia walked out of the closet, blowing strands of her hair away from her face. She saw the maid distracted, and when she opened her mouth to say something, her eyes widened at the sight of the necklace.

     "Where did you get that?" she whispered to the maid, and the maid looked up, looking a bit confused.

      "You dropped it when you were looking for that paper, milady." the maid replied, holding it out to her. 

       Alicia recoiled a bit, staring at the necklace and then at the maid. "I've never seen that necklace before. And...it's strange."

       Alicia was right; the necklace faintly glimmered with a reddish pink aura, and it looked to be pulsing as if alive. It must not hurt though, because the maid was holding it like it was nothing.

       "There's a picture and a date written on the bottom." the maid commented, and Alicia stopped breathing, as she reached in her desk drawer for a magnifying glass.

        As she peered into it, her suspicions were correct; the picture in the ruby was indeed her.