by Lea Hart
“A couple of hours of dirty loving will usually fix what ails you, and I’m glad I was here to give you just that.”
“Me too since I was on the verge of a full-fledged freak.”
“Do you want to change the agenda for the trip?” He ran his hand down the center of her body and watched her shiver. “We have another week or so of stops, right?”
“Yes,” she replied as she pulled herself up straight. “I’m actually thinking of skipping Juarez. There’s been plenty of coverage on what’s happening in the border town, and I don’t know that I’d contribute anything new to the conversation.”
“What about Texas?”
“I’d like to get inside the detention centers, but I just heard back from a colleague, and he said he couldn’t get access. They had the one event for the press a couple of weeks ago, and it doesn’t look like they’re letting more in for the time being.”
“Do you have enough to write the series?”
“I think so.” She let her arms drop and slipped into the water. “I’m going to do some research and see how I can get an interview with a family who was separated. I think it could be the final puzzle piece that will make the series worth something.”
“I’ve got to say, it’s been hella interesting watching you put this thing together. What made you want to pursue this type of journalism in the first place?”
“Truth?”
“Yeah, since that’s the only currency we deal in.”
“I have an insatiable curiosity and always have. I can’t rest until I know the how and why of everything. My mom called me a reporter for as long as I can remember, and I’m pretty sure I made my parents nuts because I asked hundreds of questions daily. Mom finally gave me a notebook and a little tape recorder when I was eight or nine and told me to do something with the information I was gathering. Looking back, I think it was her way of slowing me down, so I wouldn’t interrogate everyone who I came in contact with.”
“Did it work?”
“Not really, it just made me more curious. I’d write little reports about whatever it was I was interested in and then read them at dinner. My dad called it Lisa’s reporting hour and always told me it was one of the best parts of his day.”
“That’s so fucking cool. What kind of things would you report on?”
Shrugging, she looked up at the sky. “Let’s see if I can remember any of the breaking stories.” She lifted herself out of the water and moved to his side. “There was one about the great strawberry ice cream shortage, and then, after much research, I broke one on whether the house at the end of our street was haunted. I also did some lifestyle stuff and had my sister test various lip glosses to decide which one was best and then, of course, got all my friends to vote on the best song of summer.”
Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he pulled her closer. “And that led to traveling all over the world, sitting in rooms asking really tough questions, and standing witness to some pretty horrific shit.”
“Yeah…”
“Maybe there’s something between being in one of the most dangerous cities outside a war zone and the great strawberry ice cream debacle.”
“That’s what I’m hoping for because I love asking questions and figuring out the why. I just can’t see any more kids in caskets for a while.”
“Most people go a lifetime without seeing that, so don’t judge yourself harshly.”
“Kind of hard not to since plenty of people do this job for a lifetime. It makes me feel weak, and there’s nothing I dislike more.”
“There’s nothing weak about knowing your limits. I’ve seen men in my line of work go past the limit of what they can handle, and it breaks them. So badly sometimes that they never become whole again.” Turning, he wrapped her in his arms. “No way am I going to let that happen to you.”
Resting her hand on his cheek, she tilted her head. “You are a good man, and I’m happy that I’ve had the chance to discover how much that’s true.”
“I sure as hell want to be one for you. Not sure some days how I’m going to manage it, but I’ll try my best.”
“Can’t ask for more than that.”
Bending down, he captured her mouth and hoped her words were true because they had some big challenges ahead of them.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Lisa walked down the sidewalk and saw the restaurant where they were meeting her friend was only a half-block away. “That’s it,” she said to Ace as she watched his eyes scanning the streets. “Is there something that has your spidey senses tingling?”
“The air is different today; there’s a quiet heaviness that usually means an earthquake at home. Not sure what it means here in Central America, though.”
“We can ask Igor at breakfast since he’s sure to have the latest scuttlebutt.”
“Tell me about this guy again,” Ace said as he kept Lisa’s hand in his.
“Igor Padilla is a well-known reporter for the national television station HCH. He covers general news and crime and also directs a comedy program called Los Verduleros.”
“Where did you two meet?”
“It was years ago in Argentina when the economic crisis and government corruption scandal erupted. We’ve kept in touch over the years, and he was one of the first people I called when I started doing background on the story.” Hearing Ace’s phone buzz, she looked over and saw him frown. “What’s up?”
“Ramon had to run back to his offices. He said he’d be back in a bit and then drive us to the airport.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.”
“I’d prefer to have backup in case something happens, but there’s nothing I can do.”
“We’re having breakfast in the middle of a quiet neighborhood at eight in the morning. What could possibly go wrong?”
“Honey, those are words that should never be spoken.”
“Yes, sir.” She gave him a wink and then snapped off a salute. “I’m happy to follow your orders.”
Ace opened the door to the restaurant and smirked. “The only time you follow my orders is when you’re naked.”
She sashayed past him and shrugged. “And your point is?”
“Nothing, just stating the obvious.”
Looking around the restaurant, she saw her friend sitting toward the back and waved. “Igor.”
“Lisa, como esta?”
“Bien, y tu?”
“Toda esta bien,” he responded as he hugged her warmly. Standing back, he held her hands. “You’ve never looked better.”
“That’s a lie.”
Igor looked over her shoulder and gave her a smug smile. “I’m guessing the man giving me a glare of death is the reason why your color is so high.”
Turning, Lisa took Ace’s hand and pulled him forward. “This is Ace, and he’s my…”
“Boyfriend,” Ace answered firmly.
“Boyfriend,” Lisa repeated quietly.
“It’s nice to meet you, Ace the boyfriend,” Igor replied with a laugh as he took a seat.
Ace walked around the table and pulled out a chair for Lisa and then took his own. “Nice to meet you too.”
“You look like an operator and have taken a seat with your back to the wall, so I have to ask how Lisa found her very own personal security guard?”
Lisa covered Ace’s hand and leaned forward. “I met him in Yemen and made him crazy, so I asked him out and the rest, as they say, is history.”
Igor let out a laugh. “Congratulations, Ace, and I’ll be sure to include you in my prayers because I know you have your hands full.”
Ace nodded, looking down at Lisa. “Good thing mine are so damn big.”
Feeling her face heat, Lisa looked around the restaurant. “So, what are we eating?”
“Okay, I can see that subject is closed.” Signaling to the waitress, he put up three fingers. “For breakfast, we’re having the traditional Honduran meal, which includes; eggs, ham, refried beans, fried plantains, and tortillas.”
“We both love to eat,” Lisa said before taking a sip of coffee. “And adventure. Ace organized a trip to Utila, and we got to see whale sharks up close. It was one of the most magical experiences of my life. I’ll never forget being surrounded by the warm Caribbean water, holding Ace’s hand as we swam next to the majestic creatures.”
Igor nodded and smiled widely. “A man who can make your dreams come true is someone you should hold onto.”
Before Lisa could respond, the food was delivered, and the table was covered with large platters. “This is too much.”
“Honey, I’ll finish whatever you don’t.”
“Thank God you’re willing to, so I can let go of the guilt of wasting food.” Lisa dug into her food and noticed that Ace kept one eye on the glass front of the restaurant and hoped they made it through the last day of their trip unscathed. “How is the comedy show going, Igor?”
Wiping his mouth, he sat back. “We’re getting decent ratings, and it’s the perfect balance to the day to day reporting I do on the current conditions in the country.” He lifted his coffee cup and drained it. “I’ve started to get threats again and having the chance to focus on life’s absurdities is more than welcome.”
“Why do you look so calm when you’re telling me someone wants you dead?”
“Por favor chica, that’s life in Central America, and considering how much of a spotlight I shine on criminal organizations, it’s expected.”
Lisa shivered and looked over at Ace and noticed he’d stopped eating. “What, honey?”
“I was just wondering where Igor’s security detail was because I don’t see anyone covering his six.”
Igor let out a laugh and shook his head. “Half the time, private security is as dangerous as the people who want you dead. With enough cash, almost anyone can be bought.”
Ace nodded and folded his arms. “That’s exactly what I’ve been telling Lisa since we landed in San Salvador and I saw the people who were allegedly protecting her.”
Igor picked up a tortilla and tore it in half and filled it with beans. “Unfortunately, we have to take the risk sometimes and do what is necessary to get the story. There are two powers in this world: one is the sword, and the other is the pen. I’m not a warrior like you, Ace, because I don’t have your talents. But I do have talent with a pen, and I’m willing to do just about anything to get to the truth and share it with as many people as I can.”
Lisa put her fork down and nodded in agreement. “Doing whatever good you can in the world is not out of fear for hell or rewards of heaven, but because it feels better not to be an asshole and do nothing. Especially if you can.”
Igor leaned forward and bumped her fist. “Palabra, chica.”
Leaning back, Lisa moved her plate away and held up her hands. “I give up.”
“You did a decent job,” Ace replied as he moved the plate in front of him. “I’ll just finish this up.”
Groaning, she shook her head. “I’m going to have to go home and exercise every day to work off all the delicious food we’ve eaten.”
“So, how was your visit to La Planta yesterday?” Igor asked as he wiped his mouth.
“Informative and depressing as hell,” Lisa replied.
“The alliances that have taken place with the Mexican drug cartels to move cocaine through the country have made an already intolerable situation worse. The homicide rate has skyrocketed as the brutal rivalry between street gangs explodes as each of them fight for a piece of the drug trade pie.”
“We saw kids as young as eleven or twelve with guns in their hands yesterday, and that was with police presence in the area.”
“Kids killing kids,” Igor replied quietly. He shook his head and laid his hands on the table. “I wonder if I’ll see an end to it in my lifetime.”
“Doubtful,” Ace said after he laid his napkin down. “The world is not getting more peaceful, and the chances of our kids fighting the kids of the current insurgents is better than average.”
“A prospect I can’t even begin to process.”
Igor’s phone buzzed on the table, and he answered it and then looked over his shoulder. “Apparently, a source wants to talk to me outside.” He stood and gave them both a smile. “Give me a couple of minutes, and we can resume the conversation.”
“Of course,” Lisa replied as she watched him walk out of the restaurant. Feeling Ace tense, she looked over and didn’t get any words out before he shoved her under the table as something exploded in front of the restaurant.
***
The familiar sound of an RPG slamming into concrete sharpened Ace’s senses immediately. His mind and body reacted just like it always did when operating in the enemy’s den, and he knew they needed to escape out the back of the restaurant.
The blast rattled his teeth and sent an intense ringing in his ears as he slid his HK MP5 out of his side pack and made sure Lisa stayed down as bullets snapped and fractured around them. Hearing the machine gun rounds crack near their heads like a bullwhip was not a comfortable feeling, and the sooner he could find a way out the better it would be.
Round after round chewed up the front of the restaurant as the staff’s screams filled the air.
Heart pounding, he glanced over his shoulder and tried to determine how long they could hold their position. Who was the target in this assault, he asked himself as he picked off a man in a mask who stepped through the debris and dust of the restaurant. “You with me, Lisa?”
“Yeah, are we heading out the back before…”
Seeing two more men in similar masks step through the decimated front of the building, he lifted his gun and couldn’t get a shot off before another burst of rounds came in and stitched up the wall to their left.
He raised himself a half millimeter, took a breath in, and then took out the men before they could take another step. “Reminds me of Ramadi,” he said as he pulled Lisa up, pushed her behind him, and walked backward toward what he hoped was the kitchen and an exit.
Another RPG hit and what little air was left was instantly sucked out of the room. Nothing worse than being pinned down. Tilting his head like he was miced up, he instantly remembered he wasn’t on an op with his brothers. No way to call in some good ol’ American firepower and he almost laughed when he realized he hadn’t been out without someone on his six in ages.
Moving backward at a steady clip, he heard rounds being pumped into the building, intense and steady. Once they hit the kitchen, he turned around, tucking Lisa under his arm, and hustled toward a back door, praying like he never had that they were not walking into an ambush in the alley.
Hearing tires squeal at the far end of the street, he tried to determine if moving back into the restaurant would be worth what little cover it provided.
The hood of a black suburban came into view, much like the one that Ramon had been driving earlier. Maybe God had heard his prayers, and the fucking cavalry had arrived, and they were going to get a ride out of hell. Keeping his head moving and his finger on the trigger, he swept the area as the car moved closer.
Catching sight of Ramon, he felt like letting out a hooyah so loud the guys would be able to hear it back in Coronado. “That’s our ride, honey. We’re going to get out of here.”
“Not a minute too soon,” Lisa replied as she kept a tight grip on Ace’s pant pocket.
Ramon slowed down briefly, and Ace yanked the door open, pushing Lisa in and followed quickly as gunfire erupted. “Damn glad to see your face,” Ace huffed out as Ramon hit the accelerator.
“I was on my way over when I heard the calls come in over the radio,” Ramon replied as he navigated them away from the carnage.
“We had our nuts hanging out there for a minute longer than I liked and had no idea who and what was coming for us.” Moving his gun to his side, he pulled Lisa close and looked do
wn to see that her eyes were as big as saucers.
“That was close,” she said quietly.
“It sure as shit was, but almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.” Keeping it light like Frogmen liked to do when going in or out of a life and death confrontation, he gave her a jaunty grin. “Maybe we’ll skip going out to breakfast for a while.” He watched her nod as she moved closer and closed her eyes.
“There’s no way Igor survived, is there?”
“I don’t see how he could,” he replied as he kept quartering the surrounding area. “Any word, Ramon, on who’s responsible for the firefight?”
“Chatter on the radio is saying the MK17 gang, which would make sense if Igor was the target. He’s done several reports on the group’s activities, so it’s possible they took offense.”
“They blew up half of a city block,” Lisa said as she sat up. “That’s a lot more than offended.”
“Too early to tell what the motivation was, and that’s only a guess; maybe the owners of the restaurant didn’t pay their protection money or didn’t agree to let them traffic their product through the establishment. It doesn’t take much for violence to erupt on any street corner in the city.”
Ace felt Lisa shiver and guessed she was thinking of the memorial service they attended yesterday and what the kid had suffered because he’d simply lived on the wrong block.
Ramon took the on-ramp to the freeway that would lead them to the airport and Ace looked at the city whizzing past the windows. Closing his eyes, he promised himself that he was going to do everything he could to make sure Lisa was never in the middle of a room with bullets flying past her head again.
It had been too damn close today, and he knew if she went out into the world without him, she may not survive, and that wasn’t something he was willing to let happen.
***
Lisa leaned against Ramon’s SUV in the parking reserved for airport security and watched Ace dismantle his gun and clean it. Closing her eyes, she felt the humid air surround her like a too-heavy blanket and told herself to keep it together.
