“It's not that honey.” Her father says, avoiding eye contact with her, “You know how college is so expensive to pay for, there are the tuition fees and the lodging fees and the dorm bills….” Her father explains, frowning as he stops mid-sentence.

“But I thought you were going to take a loan to pay for Dan’s college.” Delaine replies, confused as she looks from her father to Dan.

“What your father meant to say was that the documents we had wasn’t enough for the bank to grant us a loan.” Her mother interjects, realizing her husband wasn’t going to explain the situation to Delaine anytime soon now. “So we had to go with another alternative.”

“What other alternative ?” Asks Delaine, now very confused. She looked to her brother for some explanation but he kept staring at the ceiling as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

“Well, there’s this man who agreed to help us pay Dan’s college expenses.” Her mother explains.

“What man ?” Delaine asks, wondering why anyone would help them. People in this generation wouldn’t lend a penny to her family knowing their financial conditions.

“Carlisle Santiago.” Her father anxiously says, letting out a sigh, gripping the glass in his hand so hard, Delaine was half afraid it would break.

“B...but..” Delaine starts, too shocked to form coherent sentences. She couldn’t for the world of her come up with a reason for the most feared mafia in Mexico, the biggest dealer of slaves in the world, his connections were so widespread that he was at the top in most businesses, legal as well as illegal. Every man in America was afraid to even think of doing him wrong for he knew he would be murdered in his sleep if he tried to cross Carlisle Santiago.

The President of the U.S. was like a lap dog compared to Carlisle Santiago in power.

But now the question remains, why in the world would a mafia leader who owned riches she couldn’t ever even dream of help out her middle-class family, Delaine thought, her mind swimming in confusion.

As if he’d read her thoughts, her brother spoke up for the first time, his voice hoarse, “He approached us himself when he heard of our conditions and offered to pay us upfront in exchange for something.” Gripping the hard, sandalwood table, Dan looked to his mother.

“That's it. You’ve been looking at each other, asking one another to tell me something that you supposedly think I won’t be able to handle. Just come out and say it.” Delaine grumbled, frustrated with her family.

“And what do we have that the Santiagos would want ? They can practically buy the U.S. ” Delaine adds, her tone incredulous as ever.

Just then a loud rumbling of engines was heard outside, it was like the sound of multiple cars coming to a stop.

“What the heck is that noise?” Delaine yelled, trying to get her voice across over all the rumbling.

“I’m so sorry, Delaine.” Dan hoarsely says, a tear escaping his downcast eyes. Why was her brother crying, Delaine thought.

“Mr. Santiago assured us that we would get the money and he is a respectable man. Remember Delaine, you are doing this for your family. ” Her mother explains, getting up to open the door when a loud, banging sound was heard on the door.

“No...y..you couldn’t have…” Delaine says, her voice not more than a whisper as her face turns white as a sheet when it finally dawns on her what her family had been trying to tell her all along.

Four men dressed in suits with white earpieces walk into the house as her mother unlocks the door. She hears her giving a faint reply to one of the men who looked like UFC fighters, “She’s here.”

Delaine felt like passing out when she joined the pieces.

The Santiagos were slave dealers…..sex-slave dealers….Oh God !