The Untouchables

21. One Last Breath

The cold morning of our battle comes and I swear I haven't had a single good night for the week I had to wait for him. I searched for him everywhere, but I resigned soon, knowing he would hide well enough to be found only when he wanted to.

Carlos Quintero, my worst enemy, makes me wait at a wharf at 6:00 am. But as soon as I step in the middle of it, I shoot three times into the sky.

"Face me, fucker!" I yell, and my voice echoes in the emptiness of the foggy place. "Where are you, coward? Don't dare to pussy out of the fight!"

Something hits my arm and I drop the gun. I pull my skin to see where the bullet is, but it's too deep in the hole filled with blood.

"Look who decided to show up." Carlos comes out of a yacht at the end of the wharf and starts the walk to me.

"Where are your men, you bastard?!"

"Nowhere. I didn't bring anyone with me, it's just me and you."

"It seems like you're begging me to be shot."

"I want a fair fight, Gabriela. No weapons, just our bodies. And if you win, you'll have everything that is mine. If I win, you'll die, of course."

It's a shame that all I want is to watch him die. All he has are money and power, and I have so much of those that I don't even know how to use them anymore.

I run the few steps between us and punch him in the face. Carlos cleans the blood pouring out his lips with his thumb, licking it. He seems to enjoy it, smiling.

"Gabriela Lopez, you're such a tease,"

"No way." I aim at his face again, but he moves out of my way and my fist barely touches his shoulder.

Then he hits my hip with the strong punch of a man that defended, protected and fought for himself and his business for over ten years.

I don't fall, resisting the pain as I hit his nose with my head, then push him on a side, just the necessary to make him turn a little bit. With a side kick behind his knee, I send him to the ground. I shouldn't let him stand up.

I kick him as hard as I can in the guts, in the face, in the crotch, over and over while he curls up in a ball. I want to get my hands on his face too bad, but I resist. I've not much time to save myself, the bleeding is already making me weak and I'm sweating on a cold morning.

I hurry to pick up my gun with my good arm and aim at Quintero's head.

He turns on his back with a groan, rolls on his knees and elbows and finally raises his eyes to my gun. I spit on his elegant jacket. I won't ever let him stand up again.

"One move and you're dead," I growl.

"Good job, Gabriela Lopez," he says, pronouncing my name like it's disgusting poison on his tongue. "You got your freedom. But I took everything else from you, even the little you got to know of love."

I back up, feeling like a hurricane just pushed me away. I don't have anyone to love and nothing to earn anymore. I got so much of what I needed that I don't want it.

As it was the first time I met Quintero, I've nothing to lose.

I tighten my grip on the gun and take a deep breath. "You're right."

His raucous laugh turns into a death rattle when I shoot him in the face.

I kick his body a few times; blood gushes out his injuries, he has a few spasms, but he doesn't move further.

The war ended with this fight, and so are we.

I point the gun under my chin and pull the trigger. A light pops like a white firework in my eyes. I can't feel my body anymore, and as I fall it's all black.