GENESIS
Aaron had texted her not too long after breakfast. We wanted them to meet at that cafe again, but she insisted that they meet at a park not too far away from there as the cafe was where Luke had sighted her with Aaron at first. She did not want to take any chances of it happening again in order not to fuel Luke's suspicions.
Aaron did not have a problem with meeting at the park so they agreed to meet there by four in the evening, that have her time to make lunch and dinner before it was time to meet him.
All the way there, she was hoping with everything in her that he would have good news for her, that he would tell her that there was a way to get rid of her brother forever. At this point, she no longer minded if the plan involved ending her brother's life. He had put her through so much that she did not just care anymore.
She parked and called him to find out where exactly in the park he was. Luckily for her, he was by the playing ground that was not too far from the entrance. She found him sitting on a plastic chair under a small tarpaulin canopy, typing away on his phone. There was a chair beside him that she assumed was for her.
“Aaron.” She called out as she took her seat beside him.
He lifted his head once he heard her voice and immediately his eyes fell on her, he smiled. “Hey, Jenny.”
“So, do you have any news for me?” Genesis went straight to the point. Her anxiety did not let her think of exchanging pleasantries properly.
“Straight to business, I see.” Aaron laughed a little. “But… um…”
“Aaron, just speak.” She was getting more uneasy with each passing moment.
“All of them refused to get involved since it's your brother.” Aaron started. “They know him very well and are fully aware of what he's capable of, they do not want to risk their lives and businesses like that. If anything, they all want to get on his good side.”
“I should have known.” Genesis exhaled and her shoulders dropped. She should have known that anybody that Aaron would know that was able to help would also be familiar with her brother. Rodriguez was not only dominant in Mexico, he also had extensions in Spain somehow. So she really should have not gotten her hopes up. “Thank you for your effort.”
“Look, Jenny.” Aaron spoke in a low tone, like he was scared that someone was going to hear them. “I think we should involve the police.”
Genesis gave him a look that suggested that she found what he had just said stupid. He, of all people, should have known that her brother was not one to falter at the involvement of the authorities; instead, it would make the whole process more interesting for him. She remembered that her brother liked to call situations like that sweet adventures.
“You should know that that would do nothing to stop Rodriguez.” She said to Aaron. “If anything, he'd just get more excited to play his games, and I do not want that please.”
Aaron sighed in defeat and slouched on his chair. She also felt defeated as everything now looked like she was back to square one.
“I know something you can do!” Aaron sat up again and her ears perked up again as she listened to him. “You can run away to Spain with your family.”
She really did not know what it was with Aaron and spilling bad ideas today. She shook her head and just looked away from him without giving him a response. That was enough to tell him that she did not think his idea was smart at all. He went back to slouching on his chair and the both of them just sat there, staring into space with the vague sounds of children's laughter in the background.
******
She went to check on Elon and found that Lana was still there. It was thirty minutes past when the teacher usually left so it was a surprise to find her there.
Lana must have noticed the confusion on Genesis's face, because she said, “He was just having trouble with a concept so I stayed to help him with it.”
“Oh…” Genesis nodded. “Has he grasped it yet?”
“Yes, he has.” Lana responded. “I was about to start packing up before you walked in.”
“Oh okay.” Genesis walked to the table and faced Elon with a smile. “How are you?”
“I'm great, thank you.” He said as he closed his books and put his pencil case together. “I just want to have a little nap.”
“Alright.”
Genesis helped him to the bed and tucked him in. “I'll come get you once it's time for dinner, okay?”
“Okay.” The boy smiled a little bit and, soon enough, he was already asleep.
Meanwhile, Lana was still standing there, watching the both of them. This confused Genesis even more as the woman was supposed to be on her way out already.
“Do you need something?” Genesis asked.
“No.” Lana shook her head and turned to leave. But then, she stopped in her tracks and faced Genesis again. “Actually, I want to tell you something.”
“Okay…” Genesis frowned slightly. “I'm listening.”
“I… I just want to tell you to be careful.” Lana began. “Be very careful. People are watching and you don't know. Nobody knows what they are planning but their eyes are everywhere. Thread carefully, Genesis. We don't know when they'll choose to strike.”
“What are you talking about?” Genesis was now very confused. “Who are they? And why are they watching me?”
“I don't know who they are.” Lana swallowed hard. “But they are watching.”
Genesis did not like the vagueness of Lana’s statement at all. And that fear in her eyes? Genesis had not seen her that horrified before.
“Please, just be careful.” Lana repeated. And without even waiting for another word from Genesis, she turned and walked out of Elon's room.
Genesis stood there, dumbfounded and confused, with wide eyes and gaped lips. What in the world could Lana have been talking about?
It took her a while to gather herself and also leave Elon's room. But even as she prepared dinner, it still disturbed her mind. Lana looked really disturbed about these people she claimed to have been watching them, and it scared her a lot. And throughout dinner, she tried not to let that fear show on her face for the sake of Elon. They had dinner as normal that evening.
But she ran to her room and immediately called the person that she told most things to: Sara.
*******
She had just finished explaining everything that Lana had told her to Sara and her heart was beating faster than usual.
“Hmm.” Sara hummed in thought. “Don't you think it has something to do with your brother?”
Genesis paused and thought for a bit. It made sense. It really did. But there was only one loophole. “How would she know about my brother?”
“Well, she did say that she did not know who they were, did she not?” Sara responded. “It's possible that your brother has something to do with what she was talking about.”
“But it doesn't make sense.” Genesis sighed. “I know my brother, he does things very discreetly. You only know what he wants you to know. So I don't think it's possible that Lana would easily discover it if he's truly as near as the people she's talking about.”
“Well, what if he wants you to know? And he's using Lana to do that?” Sara suggested. “Maybe it's a way to get in your head, to get you off track. Maybe he just wants to plant fear in you.”
That indeed sounded like something that her brother was capable of. It made sense now. It was Rodriguez. It had to be. But what exactly did Lana notice to have her like that? Or did Rodriguez directly approach Lana? That did not seem likely, but there was still a chance that he did.
“Well, if that's the case, his plan is really working.” Genesis breathed heavily.
“Oh Jenny…” Sara spoke softly. “Just let me tell Matthew about this.”
“No.” Genesis refused. “No, please. Don't do that.”
“How do you intend to do this alone?” Sara sounded very worried.
“I told you I have help.” She actually no longer did as Aaron was not able to convince any of his connections to help her. She was stuck and out of ideas, but Sara did not have to know that.
“If you really did, then why are you so scared?”
“Because I know what my brother is capable of.” Genesis responded. “But I have help, don't worry.”
“Alright.” Sara sighed in defeat. “But if you should change your mind, call me immediately and I'll tell Matthew.”
“I won't change my mind, Sara.” Genesis said. “And I should let you get some rest. Sleep well, okay?”
“Okay…”
She ended the call and stayed staring at the ceiling for a while. At that point, she has given up on the whole thing. She no longer had any fight left in her, she was defeated. All she was going to do was wait for her brother to finally get his hands on her.