I chose to wear robes of white and gold, as I had for his father’s funeral. Reading from my Bible, I remembered Kenneth in the words I had thought through carefully the night before. As I spoke, Christina began to cry. “Dear Father, I place my young friend, Kenneth's, soul in your comforting hands. Commending him to the peace that only you can give, we beg your forgiveness for his sins. Father, I turn this man over to your safekeeping. Forgive his sins, though they are many.” With nothing left to say, I walked over to the casket. Patting it gently, I was conscious that these were Kenneth’s remains inside. As a priest, I had done the same a thousand times before. But this time, each pat brought with it greater pain. Unable to remain near Kenneth’s lifeless body remains, I walked over to the children. Holding them close to me, I needed their strength. They said nothing, only smiling at me through their tears.

After a moment or two, we began our walk slowly down the hill. Benjamin held my arm tightly as we descended toward the road below. I smiled as I fought back the tears. As always, a parishioner waited below to drive me back to the parish. Entering the car, I left Christina and Benjamin alone on the road. As the car pulled away, I began to cry for Kenneth.

As I was being driven to the parish, I thought of the Colombian culprits. They had taken my friend Michael Aragón and now my very own Kenneth. With Kenneth gone, I wondered who would be left to defend the Family’s honor. Upon reaching the rectory, that afternoon, I received a telephone call from Kenneth’s mother, Anna. She too was broken hearted. Praying together, we asked God for His grace upon Kenneth. After a few minutes, she said goodbye and hung up. Since that time we’ve spoken several times. Anna finally told me the full story of their lives together. Now I understand why so much had been kept from me.

Neither Special Agent Brian Denahy nor Peter McKenna knew the truth. Unknown to them, the Eme soldier, Ramos, was a part of an elaborate plan by the Colombianos to bring Kenneth Aragón down. John Lucero had orchestrated the conspiracy under the direction of the Colombianos. The soldier, his nephew, had defected to the FBI Task Force under Lucero’s orders and turned State’s evidence. Lucero, the life-long enemy of Michael Aragón and the killer of Benjamin Levy’s grandfather, had waited decades to get even.

Many years before, Michael made a promise that he would avenge Benjamin Levy’s murder.  Three of the five men present in Levy’s store that night had paid with their lives. There had been only two men connected to Levy’s death who hadn’t been killed by Michael Aragón. One was John Lucero, and the other was his father’s long-time limo driver, Old Mario Leyva. Leyva had been kept close by Michael Aragón. Paid to spy on Lucero, Leyva had kept an eye on him over the years. Given money to keep Lucero’s dope habit alive, Leyva played the part of Lucero’s best friend. In this way, Michael played the puppet master. Aragón believed that some things were worse than death. Lucero, a broken and humiliated man, was left for all to see and remember. Becoming a joke to the Family, he was a warning to all.

After his father’s death, Kenneth had come to know that it was Leyva who had sold out his father to the Pérez’s, the Miami Colombianos. Kenny had his soldiers kidnap and hold Pérez’s oldest son, the tall blonde, Arturo. Badly tortured, it had taken weeks before he broke. Jimmy León had handled the sessions personally. Owing Michael everything he had, León enjoyed the job.  After Arturo finally broke, he was moved and kept drugged in a Tijuana safe house. The man could no longer remember his own name. The electric shock treatment had permanently damaged his brain. Pérez’s days were spent drooling, tied to a basement post. Kenneth’s hatred of the Colombianos had consumed him. He took joy in this exhibition.

The day Kenneth was indicted at the United States Court House on North Spring Street in Los Angeles was not the end, only the beginning. Understanding only too well that the charges of income tax evasion and possession of cocaine could not be beaten, Kenneth knew it was over.  When Ramos defected to the FBI Task Force and turned state’s evidence, Kenneth prepared for the inevitable.

Making a call to his father’s friend, Don Adolfo Romano, a secret meeting was arranged. At the meeting in East Los Angeles, Romano blessed Kenneth and took an oath of honor on Michael Aragón’s grave. He wouldn’t allow his dead friend’s son to go to prison. This was a matter of honor. During the meeting, Romano told Kenneth he owned the federal judge who was to take the case. But for now, Romano could promise only bail. The two hugged and left.

Consulting with Feinstein and his sister, Kenneth accepted the fact that he couldn’t win the case. Kenneth decided that he wouldn’t go to prison. Telling no one except his boyhood friend, Rolando, together they planned for Kenneth’s death. But for now, Kenneth had two last scores to settle for his father and Benjamin’s grandfather, Old Man Levy. Kenneth then instructed Rolando to get his dental records. Once acquired, Arturo’s teeth were made to look like Kenneth’s. A reliable Mexican Cartel dentist did the work. Trusting no one, Rolando had the name on the dental records altered to keep Kenneth’s identity from the Mexican dentist. Only Rolando knew the truth.

By the day of his arraignment at the Federal Courthouse, all was ready. The presiding judge had been bought and paid for. The death of a young male Hollywood street prostitute at the Judge’s beach house had ensured his cooperation. The Judge’s S&M appetites had gotten the best of him. The boy’s end came in a fit of sexual rage.

The hearing’s outcome being assured, Kenneth arrived confidently at the rain soaked courthouse to find television crews at the building entrances in need of a hot storyline for the six o’clock news. Radio crews with remote feeds were providing commentaries to live talk shows. As he exited the limo, newspapermen determined to get their story, pushed and shoved to get to him. His polished bodyguards shouted, “No comment, no comment,” as they forced a path for him through the congested entrance.

Once in the courtroom, Kenneth found it packed. His case was the latest media lead story, and the press flooded the room. Escorted to his sister, Christina, and her co-counsel, Feinstein,

Kenneth took his seat next to them. Turning to look behind him, Kenneth saw his brother, Benjamin, sitting in the front row for support. The two smiled. Deputy Director McKenna was present. Throughout the proceedings, the man never took his eyes off of Kenneth. Also in the room was a relaxed Don Romano.

When the Honorable Maxwell Goldman seated himself, the courtroom went silent. As the bailiff called the court to order, his Honor gave instructions to counsels. Oral arguments began.  The federal prosecutor seemed very nervous. Dropping his brief, he quickly retrieved it, and attempted to recover his stride. Goldman was decidedly unimpressed. The tall, balding prosecutor tried in vain to present Kenneth as a risk for flight. Playing to the media, the shaken attorney offered canned law and order phrases. Tinny and lacking the polish necessary for the one-liners so loved by the media, he said nothing memorable or persuasive.

Once her competition rested, a poised and professional Christina, dressed in an expensive dark blue business suit, began her argument. With her blonde hair pulled back in a bun atop her head and her designer glasses perched on her beautiful nose, she argued the illogical conclusions drawn by opposing counsel. Pointing to her brother’s perfect record as an exemplary citizen, Kenneth Aragón’s risk as a flight case was described as a joke.

Feinstein was the last to present. A respected and seasoned trial lawyer; he systematically placed doubt on each of opposing counsel’s arguments. Polished and urbane, Feinstein’s quotable delivery was peppered with catch phrases. In the end, Kenneth Aragón was presented as a successful and responsible corporate citizen with no reason to flee. Finished, he sat down and awaited the decision.

Still the gallery wasn’t swayed. The deaths of FBI agents and policemen in Santa Barbara had left too much doubt. The vast sums of money confiscated at Aragón’s villa and warehoused drugs added weight to the prosecutor’s unpersuasive arguments. Sensing this, Judge Goldman called for a ten minute recess. As he retreated to the security of his chambers, the Judge glanced at Romano. He was instantly reminded of the need to make payment in full.

Upon returning to the courtroom, the room was called to order. Goldman cited Kenneth Aragón’s record as an honest businessman and citizen, and allowed bail. The courtroom erupted. Saying nothing, Kenneth Aragón left to post bail. Within minutes, bail was posted. A free man for now, he made his way to the restroom as planned.

Accompanied by three bodyguards, he found Rolando and a heavily drugged Arturo Pérez.  While his men discouraged entrance, he quickly exchanged coats with Arturo. Putting on Arturo’s hat, Kenneth was satisfied. Having the same build and complexion, wearing Kenneth’s rain coat and hat made Pérez look almost exactly like Kenneth. Rushing Arturo out the door and down the hall, Rolando and the three bodyguards surrounded Arturo as they made their way out of the Temple Street side entrance. Once outside, an awaiting limousine was parked at the curb. In the meantime, Kenny had made his way out

Judge glanced at Romano. He was instantly reminded of the need to make payment in full.

Upon returning to the courtroom, the room was called to order. Goldman cited Kenneth Aragón’s record as an honest businessman and citizen, and allowed bail. The courtroom erupted. Saying nothing, Kenneth Aragón left to post bail. Within minutes, bail was posted. A free man for now, he made his way to the restroom as planned.

Accompanied by three bodyguards, he found Rolando and a heavily drugged Arturo Pérez.  While his men discouraged entrance, he quickly exchanged coats with Arturo. Putting on Arturo’s hat, Kenneth was satisfied. Having the same build and complexion, wearing Kenneth’s rain coat and hat made Pérez look almost exactly like Kenneth. Rushing Arturo out the door and down the hall, Rolando and the three bodyguards surrounded Arturo as they made their way out of the Temple Street side entrance. Once outside, an awaiting limousine was parked at the curb. In the meantime, Kenny had made his way out another exit to a waiting car. Within seconds, Kenneth was gone.

As Rolando shoved Arturo into the back seat of the limousine being driven by Leyva, the heavy winter downpour covered the tinted windows in sheets of water. The already darkened windows showed nothing of their occupants. At the same time, a second car pulled up alongside the limo. Rolando and the bodyguards got in and sped away, as the long black limo slowly drove away from the curb. To the world, Mr. Kenneth Aragón, the head of La Eme, was being driven safety to the comfort of his Beverly Hills estate.

As planned, the unaware Benjamin and Christina waited eagerly at the main entrance to congratulate Kenneth. As they stood talking with Feinstein, Kenneth’s limousine moved into traffic and exploded in full view. The massive bomb blast rocked the entire block as it obliterated the limo, leaving no possibility of escape. Within seconds, reporters mobbed the last remaining Aragóns, demanding to know how they felt about the death of Kenneth Aragón.  Confusion reigned as reporters pressed law enforcement officials for confirmation

that all occupants of the limousine had died in the explosion. A stunned Christina collapsed. In a state of shock, Benjamin held his sister in his arms. Trying to cope, the thought of the loss of his brother was too much for him to bear. Tears streamed down his face as he tried to be strong for his sister.

This is how the world saw the life of Kenneth Aragón, head of La Eme end.