Loco, Razer 8 (16 page)

Claudia is walking out of the medical doctor’s office. She
smiles with happiness as she strides towards her car.

Oh dios mio, my bebe is healthy. I’m having a boy. I’m so
happy. Si, I know that Roberto will be pleased.
She wipes a tear from her
cheek.

I haven’t been able to get any information on Roberto.
Every agency where I inquire about him refuses to provide any information. It’s
classified, they
maintain. I need to know that he’s alive. I need to
confirm that he’s well. I know that he would be here with me if he was well. I
need to be with him. I can feel that he’s alive. I’m going crazy. This is the
only thing that’s keeping me from being one hundred percent happy.

Claudia reaches her car. She looks around out of habit. She
slides into her car.

Wow, I’m still acting like if I’m undercover. I pray that
I will be able to live a normal life. Christopher also resigned at the same
time. Ice is annoyed. Si, Veronica and Christopher are happy.

She stares straight ahead, not noticing her surroundings.
She’s in deep thought.

I have to tell my Mama that I’m pregnant. I’m going to
start showing soon. I’m sixteen weeks. Oh dios mio, I can’t believe it. My
padres are going to be upset, but I know that they will love my bebe.

What should I tell them about Roberto? I know they will
have lots of questions.

She wipes her tears away with her fingers, closing her eyes.

She sees Roberto smiling, gazing into her eyes. She hears
him clearly in her mind.

“Si, Baby, I feel you. Te amo,” replies Loco. “My alma has
loved you since the beginning of time. I know this is amor, you’re my alma
gemela.” 

Si, I have to remember and believe in his amor,
thinks Claudia. She wipes her tears.

I have to get home and talk to my Mama. I need to get my
room ready for my bebe. Si, I’m going to ask Monique to help me decorate my
room,
she thinks.

Ghost walks into Loco’s room, smiling.
Damn yes, Loco is
ready to leave this damn hospital
, muse Ghost.

“Why are you so happy?” growls Loco. He pulls on his black
t-shirt. “Did you get the information that I want? Did you look for her?”

“Loco, yes. I finally located her. Damn, Loco, you really
want her! You’ve been driving me crazy with your demands. I had to contact my
ex-partner to get her information. You know this is against policy,” says
Ghost. He shakes his head. He hands Loco the information.

“Ghost, I don’t need you to give me grief. I need to locate
her,” says Loco. He takes the paper, glances at the address, and then shoves it
in his pants.

He grinds his teeth.
Hmm, this still hurts. Yeah, but I’m
gone. I need to get to Claudia and my bebe. My Mama told me she’s having my
bebe and I believe it
, thinks Loco.

“Damn, why won’t you tell me why you want to talk to her?
You won’t tell me what happened,” says Ghost. He glares at Loco. “What
happened?”

Loco glares back.
I’m not telling him shit. This is
sacred. Claudia is my mujer (woman) and I’m not going to explain anything to
Ghost. Yeah, he’s like my brother, but Claudia is my mujer. I still haven’t
told him that I resigned from the agency. I know he’s going to be pissed
,
he muses.

I’ve had a lot of time to think. It’s clear that I won’t
be able to live without Claudia. I understand what my Mama meant. Yeah, my
familia is the most important thing in my life. I will not let Claudia go. I
will not sacrifice my amor, my alma gemela for a job. This is a job and Claudia
is my world,
he thinks.

“Ghost, I need you to take me to my apartment. I have to get
my bike,” requests Loco. He looks at Ghost.

“Loco, you’re insane. You can’t ride your bike. I came to
pick you up in a rental,” replies Ghost. He glares at Loco. “What’s so damn
urgent that it can’t wait a few more weeks?”

“Ghost, you’re my hermano, you know that!” says Roberto
glaring at Ghost. “I’ll tell you on the way home.”

Ghost follows Loco down the hall and out the hospital. He
notices Loco’s exertion of will to continue when he hurts.

Damn, stubborn Loco, he’ll never quit. This is insane. He
won’t back down. He’s still not a hundred percent recovered
, muses Ghost.

They reach the parking lot. Ghost strides quickly down the
lot ahead of Loco. He walks to the black SUV at the end of the parking garage.

Ghost opens the door and Loco slides into the rented SUV.
Damn,
at least he rented this SUV
, muses Loco. He closes his eyes and leans back
into the seat.

Ghost slides into his seat and starts the SUV. He backs out.
“Loco, I need you to tell me everything. Why the urgency to talk to the FBI
agent? Oh yeah, it took longer to get the information because she’s not with
the Bureau anymore,” says Ghost.

Loco opens his eyes, turns
slightly towards Ghost.
Hell yes, my baby did resign. This is fantastic. I
don’t have to worry about her. Everything will work out. I know it
, he
thinks.

“Well, I’m waiting,” says Ghost. “We have a while to get to
your apartment.”

“Damn it! This is between us! I don’t want you to mention
this to the team,” says Loco. “You know that I resigned?”

Ghost turns to look at Loco furiously. “Fuck no! Hell no!
Why did you do that for Loco! You’re my partner!” growls Ghost, in a low tone.

“Ghost, I’ve made up my mind. I have other priorities,”
replies Loco. “I need to locate Claudia. She’s my woman. I’m going to marry
her.”

“Fucking hell, no!” says Ghost, in a low tone. He glances
over at Roberto. “You don’t know her.”

“Yeah, I do. My alma has known her for eternity. She’s mine,”
states Loco. “I won’t back down on this.”

“Yeah, I can see it. You’re so damn stubborn,” says Ghost.
He pulls into the apartment parking lot.

“We’ll talk later. I need to go to Claudia,” says Loco. He
slides out to go around the SUV. He takes the keys from Ghost. “Later.”

“Damn, Loco, you’re stubborn. You’re still not well. You
don’t know this girl,” says Ghost. He shakes his head.
Damn it
, he
thinks.

“Ghost, don’t you feel this way about your woman?” asks Loco.
He glares at Ghost.
Yeah, just what I thought
, he thinks.

Ghost glares back
. Fucking hell! I will not discuss
Andrea with him
, muses Ghost.
I plan on taking the next step soon. It’s
not the same. I’ve known Andrea for a few weeks.

Loco slides into the seat and slams the door. He starts the SUV
and pulls out. He flicks his hand when pulling out.

Claudia strides into her casa. “Mama,” calls out Claudia.

She looks at her watch. “Mama, I need to talk to you,” says
Claudia.

It’s time for lunch. I hope that my padres are here
together
, she thinks.

“Si, mi hija,” replies her mama.
She’s
in the kitchen making the tortas. “Mi hija, would you like a torta?”

“Si, Mama, I’m starving,” says Claudia. She nods, giving her
Papa Jorge a beso on his cheek.

“Hola, Papa,” says Claudia. She smiles at him.

“Hola, mi hija,” replies Papa Jorge.

Claudia walks over to her Mama Lupe. She gives her Mama Lupe
a beso on her cheek. “Mama, would you like me to help you?” asks Claudia.

“No, mi hija, I’m done.
I was making
an extra torta. I always do in case one of you shows up,” replies Mama Lupe.
“Here’s your torta.”

“Gracias, I’ll take my Papa’s plate to him,” says Claudia.
She grabs both plates and returns to the table in the sunroom. She places that
plate in front of her Papa, smiling.

“Gracias, mi hija,” says Papa Jorge.

They eat their lunch talking about her resignation from the
FBI agency and her plans.

“Mi hija, your Mama and I are extremely pleased that you’ve
resigned from the FBI. We don’t want to lose you while you’re on a mission. Do
you have any plans?” asks Papa Jorge. He takes a drink of his lemonade.

“Papa, I don’t want to work for a while,” says Claudia. She
takes a drink of her cup of water.
Wow, I’m always thirsty
, muses
Claudia.

“You want to take some time off,” asks Mama Lupe, nodding.
“That sounds reasonable. You want to relax before going back to work.”

“Si Mama, I want to relax and enjoy my bebe,” says Claudia.
She looks at her padres with apprehension.

“Your bebe?” asks Papa Jorge. He raises an eyebrow. “You’re
pregnant? Who’s the Padre?”

“Mi hija, is there a reason why you didn’t tell us sooner?
How far along are you?” asks Mama Lupe.

“Papa, Mama, I’m sixteen weeks. My bebe’s padre is a
wonderful man. I know that he loves us,” states Claudia. She smiles at her
padres.

“Where is he and who is he?” demands Papa Jorge. He’s
getting angry. “I demand to meet him.”

“Calm down, Jorge. Mi hija, why did you keep your pregnancy
to yourself?” asks Mama Lupe. “You know that we will always support and love
the bebe.”

“Mama, I was waiting for Roberto to come for me,” says
Claudia. “I wanted you to meet him. He’s a wonderful man.”

“Mi hija, I know that he has to be special. I know that
you’re extremely particular,” replies Mama Lupe, nodding.

“Mama, Papa, I met Roberto when I was kidnapped. He’s one of
the delta force operatives that rescued me,” says Claudia. She looks at her
Padre’s surprise. “No, he didn’t take advantage of me.”

Veronica and Christopher arrive at her Padre’s casa. He
helps her out of the car. Christopher pulls Veronica into his arms. “Baby, te
amo,” says Christopher. He hugs her close giving her a hungry passionate beso.

Veronica wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

Christopher pulls back, smiling. “Okay, let’s get your
bags.”

“Baby, I’m so excited. I’m happy that we’re finally getting
married,” says Veronica.