DOPE (The Cartel) Episode 5 Written by Erasmus Ugochukwu Okafor
**The Hint**
Stone came back to the cartel after few weeks and assumed his position as the second in command. He wasn’t sacked so he pretended that he was absent for a while to mourn his dear friend. He did that so that no one would suspect him because they knew how close he was to Ramon as his deputy.
As Stone worked with Hugo, he kept grooming his soldiers secretly in the remote camp. For about five years, he couldn’t hatch his plans but never gave up as he waited for the opportune time. He knew that Hugo was smart, so he had to be careful about it by laying low and waiting for the right time to strike.
***
On his twentieth birthday, Hugo invited his uncles, aunts, and cousins to celebrate with him at the estate. He’d become so powerful and inviolable in the drug deal and have established new plantations with strict rules guiding the entire workers and bodyguards.
With the help of Gustavo who wasn’t just his computer programmer but his personal assistant, he remotely implanted chips in the body of the entire workers to monitor all their movements and activities to ensure that none is involved in any anti-cartel activity, except Stone and the twenty-four elders, who were accorded some respect and privacy. He could remotely poison any defaulter without even confronting him, though he ensures that thorough investigation is covertly carried out to ascertain the culpability of the culprit/mole before terminating his life. In the cartel, everyone is considered expendable starting from the highest ranked to the lowest.
Being in the position of the CEO, Hugo understood why his late dad never had much time because of the nature of the business. Hugo was entirely cut off from the extended family for almost five years which made him use his birthday as a family reunion to bring home his family members and celebrate with them.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t complete his college. The arduous nature of the drug business and the risk involved couldn’t allow him to concentrate, so he had to drop out of school and fully face the plantation and extraction of the alkaloid from cocoa for the drug business.
Stone’s armies were ready and fully formed, forming the greatest rival for Mortos Rio cartel but the remoteness of their training camp made it hard for Hugo to discover the true nature of his nefarious activities and undetected plans but he was still on his watch with Gustavo’s help, to discover the magnitude of his threat to the cartel.
Stone believed that he’d outwitted Hugo because the young boss never confronted him to ask him any suspicious question but treated him as an equal in the business. He mistook Hugo’s silence for puerility but never knew that still water runs deep and a moving stone collects no moss.
It was unfortunate that Stone didn’t come for the birthday party, even though he was invited. Stone was busy nurturing his plans to squelch the cartel and usurp its leadership in a swift coup d’etat.
Hugo was busy inside his living room as the people were gathering at the event hall and having fun as they waited for the celebrant.
His uncle, Luciano Fuentes, who was an oil mogul in Nigeria, came straight to meet him in the living room to ensure that all is well, especially to see his nephew that he hadn’t seen since he was ten years old. None of the bodyguards could stop him because he was an authority in Fuentes’s family. Even Ramon was afraid of him when he was alive.
When Hugo saw Luciano, he was so happy to meet him in his room. If not that Luciano has a close resemblance with Ramon, Hugo would have shot him down thinking that an enemy just invaded his privacy.
“Oh, my God,” Luciano exclaimed and opened his arms for a hug, “You’ve grown so big and mature,”
“Uncle Luciano, I’m wowed to see you after many years, just as if I’m seeing my dad,”
“Come here,” Luciano said and pulled him into a hug, holding him tight to feel the warmth of his hands. “I’ve really missed you a lot, boy,”
“How is oil business in Algeria?” Hugo smilingly asked.
“Nigeria, not Algeria,” he corrected, “we’ve been doing great, even though I’m having some strong ownership issues with the government but the Fuentes are never cowed no matter the situation, so I’m still in control,”
“That’s very interesting, I’m proud of you, uncle,” Hugo echoed and smiled.
“I’m prouder because I never knew that you could do so well in this deadly and dicey business, making Ramon’s absence not to be felt so much,” he said and patted his back in compliment.
“It’s not easy for me, that’s why I’ve been busy forgetting about my family instead of reuniting with them, hence the need for this family reunion because in anything we do, the family is always the first. My dad always made me memorise that,”
“That’s correct but I can’t find Jose here. He’s been missing for many years,” Luciano said and relaxed on the couch as he waggled his legs.
“That name rings a bell in my mind’s eye,” Hugo blundered, “Before my dad died, he mentioned Jose, Veneno Rosa, which was the only and last word that came from him. Is Jose a human and related to him. I used to think that it’s just a password or something?”
“I’m surprised you’re asking such question,” Luciano muttered, “Jose is your dad’s twin brother. They’re identical to the extent that you can never detect the difference. Why would your dad keep such secret from you all these years? I don’t get it,”
Hugo was perplexed to hear that because he never heard of such name except when his dad was dying. He remained thoughtful for a moment thinking about why his dad didn’t mention his twin brother’s name until he was about to pass away. It was mind-troubling and raising the bar of his curiosity for the young man.
“But what could have made my dad not to mention about him? Were they in a fight?” he asked; with his hand akimbo in that deep meditative mood. He couldn’t just get it.
“I really can’t say that,” he answered and peered around to have a closer look around the room.
“You have such a nice place but your study should be located in a hidden apartment in case the anti-drug enforcement agency raids your home anytime. The reason is that it would take some time for them to locate where you stay to research about the business. You should be more careful, nephew,”
“Where does he stay? Is he in Brazil?” Hugo asked even though he’d taken the correction but more concerned about the person whose name was on his dying dad’s lips. For his dad to have mentioned the name, there must be a big role his twin brother has to play but he’d find out by locating him.
“No…maybe, I really can’t say,” Luciano falteringly mouthed, “he’s been staying in Miami, Florida in the US, but suddenly there were no communications with him anymore because he decided to go completely dark and unfound. He’s been an introverted personality to the extent that it’s hard to know what he’s thinking at a particular time. Jose used to be in the seminary school and we all thought he was going to be a priest but he surprised us by leaving the seminary to an unknown location. Well, I know that Jose is Ramon’s twin brother but Veneno and Rosa are strange names to me. It’s a task for you to figure out. You need to dig out why he mentioned the three names. The puzzle is yours to solve. I believe he left a clue with those names; believing you’re smart enough to figure it out”
“But why the puzzles and hurdles?” Hugo rhetorically queried, “It’s really insane to think of this enigma. Why did my dad keep his twin brother’s existence a secret from me all these years until his dead? Maybe if we discussed this when he was fully alive and active, he would have said more. Even mentioning the name was hard for him before he passed away. I guess there could be more clues he should have left for me if he had the strength to talk. I think the revelation came late. Even the hidden treasure he told me about, he couldn’t even reveal the location before dying. I am just so confused right now,”
“Well, I can’t answer that. Even Marcelo and Sabrina don’t know. Once you find Jose, you’ll be well informed about everything, but that’s if he’s still alive,”
“I’ll take an adventurous trip to America to find him,” Hugo said venting his resolves to ensure that he traces the dad’s twin brother because, for Ramon to have had his name on his lip before he died, there must be something important he wanted to say and there must be a role that Jose was meant to play, “tell me about my dad in a nutshell. I mean all you can remember,”
Luciano smiled and shook his head, with smiles hovering on his lips. He chuckled silently as he thought of how to begin. He just kept nodding repeatedly and tapping his fingers on his lap while Hugo waited patiently to learn more about Ramon.
“Ramon is a paradigm of secrecy,” He said and smiled while shaking his head still, “You should have known that by now, except you didn’t really know him well. Hugo, I’m not here to talk about Ramon’s numerous secrets. Let’s join the party. Your uncle, Marcelo and Aunt Sabrina are waiting, even your cousins are there too,”
Hugo put on his all-white suit worn on his white cowboy’s shoes with a white hat, to attend the all-white birthday party.
He knew that Luicano may not have to say much but he was willing to dig for the twin brother and know why his dad referred him to meet the man he never met while the dad was alive.
Uncle Luciano ushered him into the event hall attracting some uproar of cheers and applause, especially from his family members that haven’t seen him for many years.
Even though he was so happy seeing his relatives, he was really perturbed thinking about Jose Veneno Rosa and wished to be excused, to take his private jet straight to Florida, to search for his dad’s twin brother.
The celebration continued with assorted kinds of food and drinks for everyone. They exchanged pleasantries and enjoyed the family reunion.
Andre Italo, Hugo’s personal bodyguard suddenly appeared to pass some pieces of information to him, which made him listen with rapt attention: “there is a guest that isn’t on the guest list but has been insisting on attending the party,” the bodyguard said and waited for his instructions and actions.
This triggered some questions in his mind, making him eager to see the uninvited guest that wanted to see him.
“Bring him in, but be careful and make sure that he’s thoroughly searched,” he warned.
“Sir, the uninvited guest is a not a man,” Andre whispered.
Hugo was sunk in thoughts but still couldn’t figure out who she could be. “Just bring her in, but ensure she’s thoroughly searched, but know your limits while searching so that you won’t invade her privacy as a woman,”
Andre left immediately. After a couple of minutes, pretty quick enough, he came back with Larissa, who seemed transfigured from a young beautiful teen to a ravishingly pretty young girl; as sexy as the succubus.
Larissa was in a white figure-hugging velvet mini gown, worn with six-inch long-strapped white shoes that made her attract the attention of the entire guests, turning them to audiences and onlookers.
Hugo was so surprised that the girl of his dream in high school still remembered him, especially being the girl that was being hard for him to get her attention in those days. He never knew that Larissa had an interest in him too and allowed him to wallow in gloom for not getting her attention. He was simply stunned and flabbergasted seeing the femme fatale as she advanced closer to meet him.
He stood up from his seat and gave her a welcome hug.
“Wow, you look…in fact, I’m bereft of words,” Hugo exclaimed and embraced her. “That’s Guerlain perfume,” he added and sniffed the scent, “I love the sweet fragrance,”
“Thanks, dear. I love Angelina Jolie, so I have to love the perfume,” she said and rolled her eyes, “I’ve really missed you but chose to come on your birthday to surprise you with my presence. I’m not here as a girlfriend because I was never one, but as a friend who missed her friend’s presence for many years. I can’t imagine that you’ve grown beards. You now look more handsome,”
Hugo blushed for a while and smiled. “Thanks love. I feel so elated and honoured with your presence. Sit, please,” he added and offered her a seat.
They sat down close to each other.
Hugo waved at the waiter to get some drinks for them while the Indian waitress served the foods according to Larissa’s order.
“It’s been long and I’ve really missed you but business couldn’t allow me to stay around in school and complete my assignment on you. I was bent on making you my girl but you were really tougher than you appeared,”
“Ha-ha,” she laughed and shifted her weight to one side and crossed her legs, exposing her spotless lap as she started sipping her wine, “I really had an interest in you but you were too shy to act like a man. I wanted you to own up to your responsibility but one of the major reasons why I didn’t actually give you that chance was that there were always bodyguards around you. I hate to intermingle with the rich because they always think that any girl around them comes to enjoy their wealth. I was born and groomed in a lowly home, so I didn’t need any rich guy to come and take control of my life just because he’s swimming in affluence. I apologise for that but I have to lay my cards on the table to make you understand the reasons for my actions. I’m sorry,”
Hugo was surprised that the calm and mousy girl suddenly became the oratory, with strong power of eloquence without being fretful or shy as she used to be as a high school girl. Age and time can do so much.
“I’m happy that you’ve opened up to me, but then in high school, I came to you with sincerity and kind feelings of affection, not as the son of one rich man that wanted to entice you with wealth. Well, I decided all these while, to allow you have a break because I thought you weren’t interested in being my girlfriend, especially seeing Vitor Rodrigo always around you like a bodyguard, so I thought you were in love with him and gave him a chance,”
“Vitor was my cousin, not a boyfriend but I used him as a shield to ward off many guys from the superfluity of disturbances that I was getting from them. I’m sorry that you were a victim of my deceit too,”
Hugo was wowed hearing that because nothing could have convinced him that the closeness between Vitor and Larissa was just staged for defensive purpose.
“It’s okay. I’m sorry that I left you since but I promise to…to…” As he was talking, the voice of his father resounded in his ears, making him remember his warning against attaching emotions that could mar his steadfastness and commitment to the business. The nursed thoughts got him deterred so he hung the words on his lips.
“What promise?” Larissa curiously asked.
“I just wanted to make a promise that I’ll forget about the past,” he lied.
“Just that?” she disappointedly asked.
She expected a promise of lasting friendship or even a marriage proposal which she was ready for.
Hugo actually was so happy seeing her but he had to take it slow, with Jose’s name still stuck in his mind.
“We have lots of sumptuous meal to entertain you. Just make your order,” he said, dropped his business card for contact and left her immediately into his room to get ready for his trip to the US.
Larissa was grimaced and dispirited when Hugo left, making her leave the white estate immediately feeling bad that the guy she just met wasn’t the soft-hearted guy that he used to know in high school.
All of a sudden, Stone appeared and pretended to be busy with his efforts to secure a new deal for the cartel which made him not to come on time for the birthday celebration.
Hugo believed him since he was always the one that always scouts for potential buyers and business partners but he wasn’t convinced that Stone had dropped his ambition for a putsch.
He handed over the welfare of the company to Stone Antonio with a strict but secret supervision and monitoring by Gustavo to ensure that Stone never succeeds with any plans he may have cooked up.
Since Stone was second in command in the cartel as installed by the stakeholders, Hugo couldn’t just hand over to any other person except him because he had no evidence against him yet.
Even though he had the secret footage, it wasn’t enough because it could be believed to be doctored because the footage wasn’t clear enough due to the smokes that covered the area. If not that Hugo knew the location that Stone hid during the shootout, he wouldn’t have recognised Stone from the video.
Meanwhile, he knew how deadly Stone could be because his heart is as hard as his name sounds, so he didn’t just have to convince the stakeholders to sack him but keep him close in a bid to be able to be monitor him at close range than when he’s forced out of business.
To be continued…
