"Vivian, Sam and Seth weren't the only ones who worked for Ramos...," Leigh began. "Ramos' reach is far and wide, and whether you know it or others know it, at some point you work for him. Even if you don't want to," she said bitterly.
"What happened, Leigh? Just...tell me," Redjack said, though he wasn't too sure now if he really wanted to know.
"Remember how Aaron mentioned that Ramos ordered Vivian to take out Sam?"
"Yeah."
"Well, Ramos had a habit of 'testing' those in his employ. Loyalty is a precious commodity and a rare one to boot. One look at this motley crew is a testiment to that. Ramos was none to please at her killing a car instead of Sam. Sam had gotten away and Vivian knew her head was next on the block. I may not be her biggest fan, but she's a smart cookie and not only had she failed to get a single slug into Sam's body, but she realized there was only so long she could continue to skim off Ramos' millions before getting caught. The thing is, Ramos knew about her pilfering long before he decided to do something about it. He toys with you, letting you sweat, waiting for you to slip up and then... Ramos knew what was going on. You don't get to his level in life without making sure you know everything in your business. In everyone else's business too. When he was done toying with her, and playing his sick head games he ordered that she be taken out."
"You." Redjack said, with some suprise in his voice.
"Me," she whispered.
"You've never had a problem with taking orders before. What was different this time?"
"Vivian was pregnant."
Redjack raised an eyebrow and said nothing.
"It was one thing to kill her, but her unborn child? I couldn't bring myself to do it. And in failing to follow orders, I lost my position in Ramos' company. After that, I knew he would be coming for me next."
"But wait. If she was pregnant, where's the baby?"
"That's the bitter pill - one of many here - she never was pregnant. It was a rumor that Ramos fed me to see if I would follow orders or not. It was my test - to see if I was 'loyal' enough. He knew how I felt about kids, especially since I can't have any of my own. He knew that was my Achilles' heel. It's part of what he does. He finds what is important to you and he uses it to fuck with you." Leigh had been staring out the side window while she recounted her story, but she looked at her brother then, hoping he would understand.
Redjack was quiet, letting this information sink in.
"You're still not telling me everything."
"I know, Redjack, but this is hard for me. It brings back things that I'd rather not remember. Until two days ago, I had a new life. I left this all behind, had tried to start over and now...," she left that last statement in the air.
"Finish your story, lil sis..."
"Vivian escaped and I let her. I did nothing to stop her. In the end, it didn't matter. Ramos found her anyway and his men gave her the beating of a lifetime. In all honesty, she should be dead right now. How she survived is nothing short of a fuckin' miracle. When Ramos found out she was alive, he killed one of the guys who failed to kill her to set an example and then he made sure the drugs were planted. At the time everything that Ramos told me and showed me let me believe that Sam was the one who planted the evidence. And I didn't really doubt that Sam had the motive do set Vivian up like that."
"Why would he bother?"
"For the most basic reason of all: revenge. Vivian may have slaughtered a beautiful car, but her bullets missing Sam doesn't change the fact that she tried to put them in him in the first place. Someone trying to kill you is not something you're likely to forget that quickly. Ramos had managed to get "proof" that it was Sam, and I believed him. It was the 'evidence' that I eventually tried to show Vivian."
"So, she really was innocent..."
"Of that, and only that, Red. Don't kid yourself, one 'innocent' moment, does not make up for a world of wrong. Believe me, I know."
"So, how did you manage to make it out alive yourself? You failed to follow orders...."
"Ramos knew that I would kill whoever he sent after me. Unlike Vivian, if he sent someone after me he knew I wouldn't miss. So, he went after someone I still loved instead."
"Aaron."
"Yes, Aaron. Much like the way I believed Ramos about Sam's 'betrayal,' Aaron believed him about 'mine' - and that, as they say, is that."
"Damn, Leigh. This story gets uglier and uglier."
"I know. And now we are all headed on a suicide mission on a rinky dink boat to go after Ramos' millions. Believe me, he will be more than prepared for us."
"How on earth could he know about all of us?"
"If I was able to find you guys with my limited resources, what trouble do you think a man like Ramos is going to have?"
"Not much, but look me in the eye and tell me that the idea of revenge doesn't give you a bit of a thrill?"
For the first time since she began her tale, the corners of Leigh's mouth turned up a bit.
"Revenge would be sweet...and the millions wouldn't hurt either...."
"Now, that's more like the Leigh I remember," Redjack said as he grinned and pulled out of the garage. "Don't forget who you are Leigh - the money and fancy clothes can't change that. Instead of saving a bullet for Sam why not save it for Ramos instead?"
Leigh looked at her brother as he drove. The aresenal expert who had taught her how to shoot her first gun did have a point. And it had been a long time since she had been in the game. Money and revenge all tied up in one little heist.
What more could she want?
