Present

I enter the park very slowly, now I was in the threshold of the park, I was more determined than ever to get this situation dealt with so my dad will be one step closer to being allowed home. I didn't know what Mario wanted me to do, so I continue to walk deeper into the park looking around. I didn't know who I was supposed to look for, I can take a guess that it won't be Mario I'm meeting, he'll be much too smart to be out in the open like this. I had just reached a little crossroads in the park when my phone started to ring, I reach into my coat pocket and pull it out to reveal an unknown number. I knew who this was, so I soon answer and hold it up to my ear. 'Good morning, Miss Carter, I see you have a box with you containing what I hope to be the items which I asked for." Mario's voice soon says, he sounded calm and collected as he spoke, while I was terrified. 'That's what I was told was placed in the box, where do you want me to put it?" I ask still not seeing anyone walking towards me to come and get it, I'm sure he wouldn't want me to leave this on the ground. 'I like how you also want to get the job done, to answer your question Miss Carter, a couple feet ahead of you, you will see a brown bench facing the duck pond, take a seat." He instructs me, I look ahead and see the little brown bench he was talking about a few feet away from me. I begin to make way closer to the bench before realisation hits, if he knows how far away, I am away from this bench, that must mean he can see me! I didn't want him to see me begin to scan my surroundings for him, so I try to put that fact at the back of my mind, before I reach the bench he spoke about and took my seat. 'Well done Miss Carter, now I want you to face the duck pond and place the box beside you on the bench." Mario's voice soon tells me my next order, with shaky hands I place the box beside me and gaze at the ducks swimming around without a care in the world. 'Very good, a friend of mine is going to sit beside you on the bench and make sure what I asked for is there, you are not to acknowledge that he is there and keep your gaze at the water, do you understand?" He asks which sounded terrifying, why can't I look at whoever is picking this box up?! 'I understand." I say having to force my voice not to shake as I spoke, as soon as I said that I see out of my peripheral vision someone dressed in all black walking towards me. Within a few seconds, I feel him take a seat beside me and the box and pick it up. I force my eyes to stare at the water and not make any sort of contact with the man, I didn't even want to know what he may do if I turn my head to look at him. I feel him pick up the box and begin to open it, my heart in my mouth worried my mother's team didn't put what they said they would. 'He's just checking Miss Carter." Mario says through the phone as the man closes the box and gets to his feet, taking the box with him and walking away. 'It seems like you have held up your end of the deal, your father is safe for the time being." Mario tells me, which was such a huge relief, I followed exactly what he told me to do. 'What happens now?" I ask just wanting to get all of the facts so I know how much more I will need to go through, but when he chuckles on the other end of the line, I got worried. 'You don't need to know that information yet Miss Carter, I will tell you what is to happen when the time is right. But I must say, you did very well. Which is why I believe I should also give you something in return, that is only right don't you think?" He asks which worried me once again, I don't know if I'll like whatever Mario has to give me. 'After you hang up the phone with me, you and your babysitter can head over to the back of the bandstand, my present for you is waiting there. I will talk to you very soon Miss Carter." He says before the phone goes dead meaning he hung up; I pull the phone away from my ear and release the breath which I had been holding in. I turn my head to look at the pack gates where Jackson was still leaning up against the car, his eyes on me with every second. I stand up from my chair and begin to get closer, gesturing for him to come over. He spots this and proceeds to run towards me, where in no time we met in the middle, his hands going to take both of my arms. 'Are you okay?" He asks looking over at me worried, I nod my head letting him know I wasn't harmed at all and actually felt much calmer than before. 'One of Mario's men took the box and left, he told me I will have to wait to hear what he wants me to do next but as I did so well, he has left a present for me that you and I can go and see behind the bandstand." I say looking at him with a worried look before my eyes go back to the white bandstand, scared of what horrors may be waiting for us on the other side of it. Jackson now turns his head to also look at the bandstand, I know the same worried thoughts which I had were probably swirling around his too. He nods his head reaching down to his waist and opening the little clip to his belt, this meant his gun would be easily grabbed if needed. He then reaches down and takes my hand in his, before we both start to make our way towards the bandstand. From my experience with Mario, I know whatever gift he's giving me isn't a nice one. There isn't going to be roses or anything nice on the other side, which only causes my brain to come up with some of the worst case senecios. As we inch closer, Jackson places his hand on his gun as though someone was going to jump out at us. We soon stop at one side of the bandstand; whatever Mario wants us to see is on the other side. Jackson and I share a look before we slowly inch our way around the corner, nothing on the floor caught my attention as we did so. But once we stood right behind the bandstand, laying near a huge bush of flowers was the beaten-up body of a man. Jackson pulls me behind him slightly to try and block my view, but I had already seen who that man was. Derek.