Retrospective: Paris - How things got messy

4.4. Francesco De la Cruz - Trapped
Fall 1993, Street in Paris

The thudding noise of the body falling down next to Francesco was louder than the bang before. It could only be a second, but it felt like an eternity.
"Now we can talk in peace - Monsieur De la Cruz", the man with the gun said and made a gesture to follow him.
"... the fuck - " Francesco stuttered, trying to understand what just happened. He didn't dare to look down next to him.

"Will you move?!", the man yelled impatiently, and Francesco felt a sudden sharp pain in his cheek that let him lose his balance.
At least the hit gave him back his composure, and the adrenaline started to rush through his body.
Those assholes didn't just shoot -

They did.
Etienne lay next to him, a hole in his head, same as Diego had had.
Shit.
"I'm not gonna beg you", the gun man threatened, "get your ass up. Unless - you want to end up like your friend here. And..." he dropped a small white note towards him, "you don't give a fuck what happens to her."

No, it wasn't a note.
It was a polaroid photo.
It showed him with Mae last weekend.
It couldn't be.
In their apartment.
He had his arms wrapped around her, nudging on her neck from behind. She laughed.
He could even hear her giggles, looking at the photo.

"Our friend is picking her up right now", the gun man said.
No.
"What happens to her, depends on how cooperative you will be."
Francesco's stomach turned upside down. Someone of their friends had made this photo. Someone of their friends gave it to these people. Someone of their friends was about to abduct Mae, and she would go willingly with them, because they were one of their friends.

"What do you want?", he surrendered, praying she'd be safe as long as he did what the gun man said.
"Oh, not much", Francesco could hear the grinning in his voice. "Getting rid of that snobby Mexican was so easy - he was so arrogant thinking he could be our competition all alone by himself with his shiny new weapons and fairy dust", he snickered, his gang members chiming in until he lift his hand and they immediately stopped.
So they killed Diego, and now Etienne, and Mae -
"But we need someone to take the blame...", the gun man continued. "And to think that faggot brought our solution right with him - truly a heavenly gift. Now since that stupid inspecteur in charge is obsessed with you", he cackled again, "you will go right back into the station and willingly confess your crime. And while you're at it - you can take a few of our own rats right down with you! Since you're a crime boss, and all", and he laughed heartily again. "That mad inspecteur will gladly lock you up and leave us alone for a while!"

While the gun man talked, Francesco thought hard. How did they know so much? The investigations were hardly accessible for the public, shit, he himself hadn't known half of it until recently! Unless - they had someone in the police working for them...
"Now get your ass up!", the gun man was done talking. "We have to fill you in with the details, but not here on the street."
Reluctantly Francesco followed them.