“I don’t know…” Mauricio couldn’t finish the sentence. My tongue is swollen and my lips are cracking every time I try to say something. Is this normal? “I’m happy—” I got to see you one last time.
“He’s not making any sense,” Rosie cried.
I’m fine; don’t worry, he wanted to say, but his eyes were closing despite his efforts to remain awake.
“He fainted,” Rosie cried.
No, I haven’t; I’m still here.
“It is a normal reaction to the gas they pumped inside his cell. He’s going to be fine,” Arias answered.
Am I?
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Don’t worry, Mistress,” Arias said.
You don’t sound so sure, do you? Mauricio laughed.
“Arias, is he crying? Is it the pain?”
“His body is trying to release the toxins.”
“What are we waiting for?” Rosie took one of Mauricio’s hands in hers.
Your skin is so soft and warm. I feel better already. His mind was slowly starting to clear, but he was still confused about what was happening around him.
“We are waiting for Leander to jump start the van and pick us up here,” Arias answered Rosie, but he was preoccupied and it showed in the way he spoke.
“What if—” Rosie started while stroking Mauricio’s hand.
“Don’t think about that, Mistress. Leander is coming.”
Mauricio could hear the older man pacing back and forth. Rosie was stroking his hand absentmindedly, but the prolonged silence between her and the slave was difficult to ignore. The surreal atmosphere was broken by the ominous sound of angry voices rapidly approaching.
“Arias, the guards are already here. Where is Leander?” Rosie stood up alarmed.
“Rosie…” Mauricio murmured when her hand left his. Come back.
“I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise,” Rosie crouched down immediately and whispered to him.
“I see Leander. I see him!” Arias shouted and then came to help Rosie with Mauricio.
“Where is Guen?” Rosie asked with sudden apprehension.
“We have to leave as soon as the van arrives.” Arias put his arm under Mauricio’s armpit and pulled him up. “Man, you’ve got to help us. Stand up,” he coaxed.
“Mauricio, hang in there. It’s just for a little while longer.” Rosie went to the other side and tried to keep him standing.
“I can hear the engine,” Rosie said to Mauricio.
Mauricio felt the van coming through the vibrations under his feet. He opened his eyes, but it was still too dark to see anything farther than his nose. Rosie faced the incoming vehicle and he turned with her.
“I’ll be right back; I need both hands to light a match to help Leander find us.” Arias cautiously removed his support.
Mauricio felt it immediately, but he tried not to fall on Rosie.
He saw the light showing through Arias’ fingers, and for a moment, the night was less dark. The match consumed itself faster than Leander could have possibly seen it. Arias lit a second one and then proceeded to light another three before the sound from the van’s engine got increasingly closer. Meanwhile, the shouting voices were getting louder. Mauricio’s heart was pounding with adrenaline; not knowing where the guards were was torture.
Finally, the van arrived. Arias came back to support Mauricio, and the three of them ran toward the vehicle.
“What took you so long?” Arias yelled as soon as Leander opened the passenger’s door.
“It’s not like I steal cars every day, you know? And, I couldn’t find the gasoline tanks you asked for.” Leander’s face was illuminated by a faint light, and his hands were shaking on the wheel. “Good thing the women needed someone to get rid of the sewer waste, or they would have never taught me how to drive.”
“Thanks for coming to my rescue,” Mauricio murmured.
“Anytime,” Leander answered without smiling.
Arias let Rosie inside first and then helped Mauricio by her side. “Lower the seats down,” he instructed Rosie, and then he climbed in beside Leander. “Go!” he commanded.
“But, what about Guen?” Rosie asked.
“Guen knew what she was doing,” Arias answered, while giving the final okay to Leander to start the van. The window by his side cracked.
“What the—” both Arias and Leander said at the same time.
Mauricio gingerly touched the pieces of broken glass now resting on his lap; he watched as a trickle of blood dripped down from his fingers.
Chapter 10
“Are you hurt?” Rosie took Mauricio’s hands in hers and cleaned off the blood.
I feel… strange.
“Is he hurt?” Arias turned around and swore at the sight.
It can’t be that bad. I’d feel way worse.
“No, he isn’t,” Rosie answered after a cursory inspection of his body.
It tickles where you just touched me.
“Go, don’t stop for anything,” Arias said to Leander, who did as ordered and the van’s tires screeched on the ground.
Why are you trembling? “Are you okay?” Mauricio, with great difficulty, asked Rosie.
“I’m fine,” she answered, but her shaking body said otherwise.
He rested his head on her shoulder. I’d hold your hand if I only could raise mine. He looked down at his body, but nothing seemed wrong with it. “What—”
Another crack and the van swerved dangerously to the right, sending all the passengers across the seats.
“Take control of the van!” Arias shouted above the deafening noise coming through the broken window.
“I’m trying!” Leander answered, his voice shaking. Another loud crack and the van circled around on its axis. “What’s… oh crap—” Leander didn’t see the large stone in their path until it was under one of the tires that had not yet been shot out. He lost control and the van went flying.
Mauricio was freefalling inside the revolving vehicle. He hit the ceiling with his head, and then his limbs followed. Rosie’s body tangled with his. Somebody started screaming. The van kept rolling for what seemed hours and then finally stopped.
I feel nauseous.
“Get out of the van. Now. Or I’ll shoot you where you are.” A woman was staring at them upside down. Another four were standing several steps behind the speaker, upside down as well.
That’s strange…
“We’re trapped,” Arias said.
“Are you wounded?” the woman asked.
“My arm is broken,” Arias answered.
“And you?” The woman poked Leander with the tip of a rifle. Leander stayed motionless. The woman poked him again. “I guess this one is gone. Good riddance to him,” she said, and without spending more time on Leander, moved to the side and looked at Mauricio. “Are you dead, too?” She was still walking upside down. “This one is trapped against the ceiling.” The woman called someone else to help her.
Mauricio felt their hands tugging and pulling at some parts of him, and then he fell down and the universe rearranged itself. Now the woman was standing right.
“Mistress Layan!” she yelled in surprise when she realized who the fourth passenger was. The women rushed to help extract Rosie from the vehicle.
“Is she alive, Captain?” one of the four women asked with a terrified voice.
“She’s breathing and there’s some blood on her hands and on her shirt, but I think she's fine,” the woman with the rifle answered, relieved. “Call her mothers, immediately,” she commanded, and someone scurried away. “Mistress?”
Mauricio saw the woman lay the rifle down, put Rosie on her lap, and slap her gently.
What are you doing? Put her down!
“Mistress? Can you hear me?”
Rosie stirred and opened her eyes. She screamed and scrambled out of the woman’s embrace.
“Mistress, I’m Captain Reese. It’s okay. You’re not in danger anymore; we just rescued you, an
d we have called your mothers. They’re coming.”
Rosie looked at the woman, and it was clear in her eyes that she was horrified. The captain mistook Rosie’s behavior and leaned in to comfort her. “Don’t touch me,” she screamed.
At hearing Rosie’s distress, Mauricio commanded his body to react, and after a moment of struggling, he was able to escape from one of the broken windows. With great effort, he hauled his body out of the van and then dragged himself to Rosie, using only his arms. I sure could use my legs right now.
Both Rosie and the captain saw him, and for a moment, silence reigned. The captain went for the rifle, but Rosie slapped away the woman’s hands, sending the arm to the ground, and ran toward Mauricio.
“Shoot him,” the woman ordered the group of hesitant guards.
Rosie heard the command and impulsively covered Mauricio with her body.
No! Don’t! He tried to move her, but he didn’t have any strength left.
At the same time, the captain saw what was happening and let out a string of swear words. “Stop! Do not shoot. I repeat, do not shoot!” The woman stood up and faced the guards, who were aiming at the bodies on the ground. “Mistress, please stand up. We are here to defend you. Let us do our job,” she spoke slowly.
Mauricio saw how, while the captain was talking to Rosie, she was silently commanding her guards to come closer and, with a hand gesture, was positioning them in a semicircle. “Rosie, you must get out of here,” he whispered to her, but his voice was so low he didn’t know if she could hear him. You must save yourself and our baby.
“You are in shock; please move away. This slave is a fugitive. You must listen to me for your own sake, or this man is going to harm you,” Captain Reese said in the sweetest voice, as if she was talking to a small child.
Rosie didn’t acknowledge the captain’s words, instead she whispered to Mauricio, “I’m not going anywhere and I won’t let her take you.”
“She’s going to kill—” I want you and the baby to live.
“Mistress Layan, please, listen to me. It’s done… You’re safe now, with us.” The captain stressed the last two words. “A doctor will check you as soon as we get back to the building.” She took a small step toward Rosie, while accepting a gun from a guard.
“Don’t come any closer,” Rosie called back without looking at her, and then her mouth was pressed to Mauricio’s ear again. “I’ll find a way out of this. I promise.”
“How? Go away, now.” Mauricio moved and his mouth was aligned with hers. His heart slammed against his chest and he felt dizzy.
The captain looked back and forth between Rosie and Mauricio, her eyes becoming wider as she took the whole scene in. “Mistress? What are you doing? Are you okay?”
“Leave us alone. Go back to the farm,” Rosie said, her hands splayed on Mauricio in a protective gesture.
“I can’t do that. I’m sorry. You need to let me do my job, so step away from the slave, like the good pure breed you are.” Captain Reese started to walk toward Rosie, and the rest of the women moved along, corralling her and Mauricio inside the ring.
“Rosie… you should go…” Whatever you intend to do, the captain isn’t going to let me live anyway, but you don’t need to suffer because of me. Mauricio tugged at her arm. The effort of staying conscious was consuming all of his energy, and thinking and talking at the same time was already a chore.
“No, I shouldn’t. I got it—don’t worry; they are not going to shoot at me.” Rosie put one hand on his arm to reassure him. “If you want him, you have to go through me,” she said to the guards.
Mauricio felt her shivering. “Rosie…” he tried to say something, but he was losing his grip on reality.
“This is not happening,” Captain Reese said, dangerously moving her gun from one hand to the other. “Why would you care if anything happened to a slave?”
“You wouldn’t understand,” Rosie answered the rhetoric question.
“No, obviously, I wouldn’t.” All of a sudden, Captain Reese retraced her steps and went to haul Arias out of the vehicle. “But, I can play your game,” she yelled and angrily pulled at the man’s arms while he screamed in pain. She said something back to Arias and then pulled some more. She was satisfied only when his body was completely out on the ground where Rosie could see what she planned to do.
“No!” Rosie yelled as soon as the captain pointed the gun at Arias’ back.
Mauricio started trembling. I don’t want anybody else to suffer.
“Now, let’s see if we understand each other,” the captain said, looking coldly at Rosie. A ringtone echoed in the night.
“Captain, Bruna, the President’s publicist, wants to talk to you.” One of the guards interrupted her and, ignoring her incinerating glare, offered the woman the cell phone.
The captain snatched it from the guard’s hands and whispered angry words at the caller. Using the same irritated tone, she briefly explained that she had the fugitives and the President’s daughter, who didn’t want to cooperate. The captain stared at the night sky while the other person took her time to comment. The expression on her face betrayed a whole array of different feelings. Anger was replaced first by shock, then astonishment, and finally, incredulity.
“What you are suggesting can’t possibly work,” the captain said after a long pause. She looked around as if worried that someone was eavesdropping to her conversation. “And, pray tell me, how do you think I am going to explain it to the President?” the woman said between clenched teeth. “This is a nightmare,” she added, while abruptly closing the cell phone. Arias, still under the gun’s aim, moaned in pain. Without announcing her intentions, the captain hit him hard in the head with the butt of her gun. Arias lay still.
Mauricio shook with tremors and automatically reached for Rosie, seeking her warmth, but then belatedly realized he wasn’t supposed to do that and put his arm back to his side. Sorry, I didn’t mean to put you in any more trouble…
“Hang in there,” she said and, without a second thought, took his hand in hers.
He shook his head, but left his hand where it was, closing his eyes to imagine a happier situation. You make me feel I’m worth something. “Thank you.”
The captain’s harsh voice brought him back. “Well, I tried my best not to let things reach this point.” She looked at the gun and then changed aim. The weapon was now pointing at Rosie, who was wrapped around Mauricio.
Mauricio tried to straighten his head and saw from the look in her eyes that the captain was furiously thinking. What did the publicist suggest you to do? He didn’t like the way the captain was acting; the woman was mumbling words while her gun was still targeting Rosie. In the distance, he heard the sound of another car coming, and he saw her investigate the new arrival.
The woman looked less composed than she had been before the phone call. She finally lowered her gun and began to pace back and forth, repeating the same sentence several times. “It could work. If I do it right, it could work.” The captain wiped the sweat from her temples and looked at Rosie still protecting the slave. She shuddered in revulsion and resolution dawned on her face like a mask. She breathed slowly and then went back to Arias’ side, raised his limp hand and pressed her gun into it. Then she directed Arias’ armed hand until it aimed at Rosie. “If you are not well, you need help. I’ll put you down,” she said, her voice as cold as ice, then pressed her hand on Arias’ fingers and steadied her stance.
All at once, people started screaming. The four guards were looking horrified at their captain. But one voice was louder than the others.
“No! She’s pregnant. The President’s daughter is expecting a child!” Mauricio shouted while Rosie was pressing down on his chest. The four guards gasped and two of them instinctively ran toward their captain to stop her.
“What?” the captain said, stunned that her own subordinates were revolting against her orders. Then a cruel smile lit her face and she raised one hand to put a halt to their betraya
l. “Idiots! Don’t you see that it’s just perfect? Imagine the tragedy. I can read the news already. ‘Tarin’s facility attacked by slaves. Pregnant Rosie Layan dies. Ginecea is shocked by the senseless violence and forces the mourning President to pass the laws to limit slaves’ rights.’ It couldn’t work better.” She resumed the stance and added as an afterthought, “And clearly we are in need of better legislation to deal with these animals.”
Mauricio squeezed Rosie’s hand. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’m not,” she said, easily counteracting his feeble attempt to put her out of harm’s way.
“Rosie… ” He wanted to say many things, but words escaped him. He bent his head toward hers to inhale her scent. My little rose without thorns.
“Mauricio…”
“Bruna is right. Your mothers are better off without you. You are an abomination,” the captain said.
“I’m ready,” Mauricio whispered, facing the woman. But she’s not. He channeled all his strength toward his hands to push Rosie away.
The captain’s hand never completed the act of pressing Arias’ fingers on the trigger. A rock landed heavily on her head before she could shoot. The woman emitted a choking sound and fell to the ground. Leander emerged from the darkness behind her, looking aghast. He was staring at the pool of blood seeping from the captain’s motionless body. Heedless of his surroundings, he didn’t notice the guards coming at him from the side.
“Leander, watch out!” Mauricio barely had time to say it before one of the guards struck the young man with the butt of her gun. Leander fell facedown in the blood.
“Stay down.” The guard gave Leander a kick for good measure. She was hysterical. The rest of the women stood still, uncertain of what to do with the President’s daughter. Not one of them dared aim her gun at Rosie.
“I need help here.” The guard who had struck Leander repeated the message several times on her radio. Once she was certain that someone had received it and that the slave wasn’t going to stand up any time soon, she turned toward her captain. She mumbled something under her breath that sounded like a prayer, and then she gingerly touched the captain’s arm. One of the other women asked her if the captain was alive.
The Priest Page 12
