Uneven Exchange

by Derban, S. K.

  “Mago will kill you.” Her voice quivered.

  “He’ll never believe a word you say. Not when he finds out about the poison,” Camacho challenged, letting his pants drop.

  “What poison? I told you! I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

  “I hope you make love as good as you lie,” he said, drooling.

  Alexandra’s eyes narrowed as she glared at Camacho. In a steel tone, she said, “Maybe I can’t stop you from raping me, but you can be certain of one thing. No matter what happens, it will never be making love.”

  By this time, Camacho had stepped out of his pants and was mounting the bed. His gut rolled over, covering the top of his dingy yellow briefs. Beads of sweat had collected on his chest. She choked as vomit threatened to climb up her throat.

  Camacho pushed her shoulders aggressively, forcing her to lie back. He straddled her hips and began to untie the satiny belt of her blouse. Alexandra squeezed her eyelids shut and turned her face as far sideways as possible, trying to escape the range of his foul, hot breath. Too frightened to formulate a specific prayer, she repeated the name of Jesus over and over in her mind. Then suddenly, the weight was gone.

  Alexandra opened her eyes in time to see Camacho being heaved across the room. Rico nailed his obese body against the wall and pummeled his face with blow after blow. Within seconds, Camacho slumped unconsciously to the floor.

  Rico rushed to Alexandra. “Quick, let’s get out of here!” he said as he rapidly untied her hands.

  Without saying a word, she followed Rico out to the Mercedes. He glanced around, then opened her door. After helping her in, Rico set the lock and hurried to the driver’s side. Once inside, he started the engine and pulled away.

  When they were beyond the gate and on the safety of the road, Alexandra asked, “Where are the guards?”

  “I took them out.” Rico offered no further explanation.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  MISSING

  Kevin

  Kevin’s fist crashed onto the conference room table. “Where the hell is she?” he thundered.

  Conner placed a compassionate hand on Kevin’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. It’ll be okay. We’ll find her, boss.”

  “Find her? We shouldn’t have lost her in the first place. What happened?” he screamed.

  “We don’t know, boss,” Armando said. “One minute she was in Santiago’s room, and the next minute she was gone.”

  “Was she with anyone?” Kevin pressed.

  “First Rico and then Torres,” Armando said. “What happened after that, we don’t know.”

  “What about Camacho? Where was he?”

  “Home,” Conner replied.

  The door to their meeting room opened and Ramón Torres entered. As he looked around the room his expression turned to one of concern. “What’s happened? What’s going on?”

  “It’s Alexandra,” Kevin answered. “She’s missing.”

  “Missing? How can she be missing?”

  “That’s what we’re trying to figure out. I’m glad you’re here, Ramón. Now maybe you can help fill in some of the missing pieces.”

  “She was alone when I left her,” Torres volunteered. “Alone, of course, with the exception of Santiago.”

  “How long ago was that?” Kevin questioned.

  Torres checked his watch. “Whew,” he said, expelling a loud breath of air. “I’m not sure. Maybe thirty minutes, or forty minutes max. I had to make some calls and confirm our flight plan. But what about Ricardo Aleman? Is there any sign of him?”

  Kevin looked at Conner and Armando for confirmation. They shook their heads, and he answered, “No, not a one.”

  “Well, apart from me, Aleman was the last one to see her,” Torres explained.

  “He couldn’t have been the last one,” Conner said.

  “Come again?” Torres asked.

  “Somebody took her,” he said. “Plus, I’m positive it wasn’t Rico.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because it’s not his style,” Armando said. “Rico loves Daniela and knows how much Santiago means to her. He would want her to be at her brother’s side.”

  “That’s right,” Conner agreed. “So we’ve ruled out Rico, and Santiago doesn’t count. Who’s left?”

  “Carlos Camacho?” Kevin guessed.

  “I don’t know, SAC. We saw him head for home.”

  “Then maybe our tight little hospital group isn’t so tight,” Kevin suggested.

  “Oh, Kevin, I cannot believe that,” Torres said. “We handpicked a select few especially for this job.”

  “Handpicked or not, something went wrong.”

  Torres moved his head slowly from side to side. “Yes, something did go wrong, and it is my fault. I am very sorry for leaving her alone.”

  “Ramón, no,” Kevin said, instantly regretting his outburst. “I’m sorry. None of this is your fault, and I take full responsibility. You had to make the arrangements. The problem is I assumed too much. I assumed that, with Santiago laid up, Alexandra would be safe.”

  “It’s our fault too, SAC,” Conner added. “We should have kept a closer eye on her.”

  “You only did what you were told. Let’s forget worrying about laying blame and find our girl. Ramón, can you stall the plane?”

  Solemnly, he shook his head. “We either leave here in fifteen minutes or we don’t leave tonight.”

  “Crap. Well, I’m not leaving without her,” Kevin announced.

  Armando and Conner exchanged glances.

  After several quiet moments, Torres spoke softly. “We have waited a very long time for this moment.”Kevin breathed deeply and just stared at the wall as the heat of frustrated anger crept up his neck. Then, after a long pause, he responded, “You’re right. Thank you, Ramón.” He turned to face his agents. “Conner, Armando, are you two guys willing to stay behind?”

  “Of course we are, for you, boss. We’ll do whatever you need.”

  “Yes, SAC, whatever. Just name it.”

  “The it is simple. Find her. Please find Alexandra.”

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-ONE

  BROKEN COVER

  Alexandra

  Rico darted his eyes from the rearview mirror to the road ahead, then pressed his foot firmly on the gas pedal. Santiago’s Mercedes blazed forward toward their destination in the old city of Mazatlan. Alexandra tried in vain to hold back tears, but the tumultuous mixture of stress, fear, and revulsion released itself into the form of uncontrollable sobs.

  “Baby, come here.” Rico gently reached over to pull her closely. “Shush, Alexandra, shush,” he soothed. “You’re safe now. Everything’s going to be okay.”

  She leaned her head on his shoulder and tried to suppress her tears. Then her eyes bulged open as she realized what Rico had just said. He had called her Alexandra. She didn’t move as thoughts whirled through her mind. What do I do? What do I say? He knows! She then straightened to sit erectly and dried her eyes. In a casual tone, she asked, “What did you call me?”

  Instead of answering her, Rico just stared at the road. After several minutes, he finally responded, “I’m sorry. I didn’t think. With all that’s happened, for some reason I assumed you knew. But how could you?”

  “Knew what?” she asked, her voice still shaking with fear.

  “Don’t worry,” he assured her. “You don’t have to be afraid anymore. I work for the DEA.”

  Totally caught off guard, Alexandra stammered, “I don’t understand. Then why did they need me?”

  “They needed you in order to bring Santiago out alive and to bring me out me as well. We could not have done it without you.”

  “I still don’t understand.” Alexandra’s head throbbed, and she was having a hard time grasping what Rico was telling her.

  “You saw how segregated Santiago keeps his men,” Rico explained. “You also saw how well guarded he is. Getting to him would have been possible, of course, but difficult
without blowing my cover. Then if I did get to him, what would my chances have been of escaping?”

  Alexandra stared silently ahead. Rico’s shocking revelations had left her speechless. Her emotions had finally reached their crescendo, and physically she was thrashed. Without the energy to do more, she concentrated on the drone of the tires rolling over the asphalt as they sped along. But with each revolution of the tires, the pain in her head shot up another notch. Alexandra had no idea of their destination, and she couldn’t bring herself to ask.

  After approximately half an hour, Rico turned the Mercedes onto a narrow dirt road. He parked the car close to a fence and instructed Alexandra to get out on his side. With a protective arm around her shoulders, Rico guided her up the path leading to an adobe-brick house and knocked firmly on the door.

  It took several minutes for the porch light to illuminate, and then several more minutes for the door to open.

  “Rico,” a short, slightly plump woman exclaimed. “It’s after midnight! What are you doing?”

  “I’m so sorry, Yoli, but we need your help.”

  “Of course, Rico. Whatever you need. Come in, please come in,” she said while unlocking and opening the screen door. Her gaze immediately moved to the gash on Alexandra’s forehead, and she directed Alexandra into the tiny living room. Using a motherly tone, she instructed her patient to sit on the sofa, then said, “I’ll go and get some ice for you.”

  Ever grateful, Alexandra practically collapsed onto the soft cushions. Rico sat next to her and held her hand for comfort. As he lightly brushed the strands of hair away from her cut, she watched him examine the swelling of her jaw. When Yoli returned with the bag of ice, he asked, “Do you have any antiseptic or perhaps a bottle of rubbing alcohol?”

  “Sí, Enrique, I think I do!” Helpfully, she rushed out of the room while Rico applied the ice pack.

  “Enrique?” Alexandra asked. “I thought Rico was short for Ricardo?”

  “Enrique is my real name. Enrique Hernandez. Ricardo Aleman is the name I use for my cover. But, Enrique or Ricardo, I still go by Rico.”

  “Oh,” Alexandra replied, realizing she had not bothered questioning his credentials with the DEA. She placed her hand on the ice pack to free his, then asked, “I’m sorry, but how do I know if you’re telling me the truth? Can you prove you really do work for the Administration?”

  “Sure, you can ask Yoli,” he answered playfully.

  Alexandra’s tone remained serious. “I don’t know Yoli, so that wouldn’t prove a thing.” She started to ask for his credentials, an ID or something, but since he was working undercover, Alexandra quickly realized the absurdity of her thoughts.

  “Well then, ask O’Neil the next time you see him.” Rico grinned at her.

  Just hearing Kevin’s name made her feel homesick. “What’s his first name?” she asked cautiously.

  Rico laughed deeply. “Is that my test? If I can tell you O’Neil’s first name, then you’ll believe I’m with the DEA?”

  “Don’t tease me,” Alexandra responded wearily.

  Rico grew serious. “I’m sorry, Alexandra. I don’t mean to make fun of you, and by the look of you, it shouldn’t be hard for me to remember what you’ve been through.” He inspected her forehead with a concerned look, then called out over his shoulder, “How’s it coming, Yoli?”

  “I hit the gold mine with an old first aid kit. Be there in a sec.”

  “Okay, thanks.” Rico turned to face Alexandra again. “Now back to me and back to O’Neil. His first name is Kevin, and his middle name is Patrick, and his wife’s name is Casey, and they have two kids, Randee and Tanner, and shall I go on?”

  “Oh, Rico, I want to believe you. I want this whole thing to be over, but—”

  “But, nothing. Alexandra, you have to trust me. Anyone could know the names I just gave you, but I’m not anyone. I was Kevin O’Neil’s partner until I went in undercover and he got promoted to SAC. Before sending you, Kevin asked me to protect you. So how do you think I am doing so far?”

  “Well, you did save me from Camacho, and once again, I thank you for that. But I still don’t get it. If you were undercover, how did you talk to Kevin?”

  “We have our ways. I usually check in about once a week.”

  “Why didn’t he tell me about you? I would have felt so much safer.”

  “He didn’t tell you in order to protect my cover. If you weren’t able to get to Santiago, I would have had to stay under.”

  Alexandra nodded, finally understanding. She smiled gently at him and said, “I sincerely meant it when I said thank you for saving me. I don’t think I’ve ever been more afraid in my entire life.”

  “It was my pleasure.” Rico smiled. “I would be happy to save you anytime.”

  Alexandra wrapped her arms tightly around his neck while silently thanking the Lord for her safety.

  Rico returned her hug as Yoli came back into the room. Her arms were loaded with an assortment of first aid supplies. “Our nurse is here,” he said, gesturing to Yoli. “Alexandra, I would like you to meet Yolanda De la Cruz. Yoli for short.”

  “I am so pleased to meet you, Yoli.” Alexandra stretched out her left arm to shake Yoli’s hand while still holding the ice pack in her right hand. “Thank you very much for helping us.”

  Yoli cupped Alexandra’s extended hand gently between her own. “Any friend of Rico’s is a friend of mine.”

  Alexandra immediately felt welcomed by Yoli’s effervescent demeanor. “Well, I do thank you,” she said, feeling pensive. “About your last name, De la Cruz? Are you any relation to Armando De la Cruz?”

  Yoli laughed. “Armando? Yes, I admit it. He is my baby brother.”

  “He is?” Tickled by the news and grinning, she turned to Rico, and asked, “Then you must know Mando too?”

  “So now it’s Mando?” Rico responded slyly. “Of course I know him.”

  “Does he ever,” Yoli exclaimed. “Why do you think I can’t get this man to marry me? They’re always off together, chasing other women. Now move aside,” she announced while nudging Rico with her knee. “This poor girl needs attention.”

  Rico stood from his kneeling position in front of Alexandra. “I think that’s my cue to get rid of the car. Yoli, any chance there is room in the garage?”

  “Sure, there’s plenty of room,” Yoli said. “Just move the paintings to one side.”

  Rico left to hide the car while Yoli proceeded to nurture Alexandra. Still holding the ice pack in place against her jaw, she winced as Yoli applied the antiseptic to her open wound.

  “I’m so proud of what you are doing,” Yoli said.

  “You know about me?” Alexandra questioned.

  “I know a little but not much. Sometimes Rico comes here to call headquarters,” Yoli explained.

  “Are you two…an item?”

  “You mean Rico and me? Ha! I wish!”

  “But, what you said…”

  “Oh, about Rico marrying me? I was only kidding. Of course I love the guy. He is like a brother to me, and he is gorgeous, no? But Rico’s heart belongs to Daniela, and only to Daniela.”

  “Since he was working undercover, wasn’t that all just a setup?”

  “I’m not sure. It probably was a setup at first. Rico will have to explain, because I do not know the whole story. But I do know he fell in love with her, proposed to her, and he is still madly in love with her.”

  “Have you met Daniela?”

  “No, but Rico carries her picture. I must say your resemblance to her is amazing. To me you do look exactly the same.”

  In silence, Alexandra pondered Yoli’s last comment. Thinking of her own appearance and the similarities she shared with Daniela, Alexandra watched as her hostess drew near to finish applying the bandage. She noticed the smooth softness of Yoli’s skin and the rosiness of her cheeks. Yoli finished just as Rico returned.

  “Thanks, Yoli. The Mercedes is hidden from view. By the way, where’s your car?�
�

  “I sold it, since I’m planning to turn the garage into my studio. Besides, who needs a car here in Mazatlan? Not with the easy access to Pulmonias.”

  “I don’t get it.” Alexandra laughed. “You don’t need a car because it’s easy to get pneumonia?” she asked, confused.

  Rico and Yoli both joined in the laughter as they explained the term. Along the coastal roads of Mazatlan, people used open convertible cars in place of taxi cabs. Pulmonias, the proper name for the cute, taxi cab replacements, was also the Spanish word for pneumonia.

  “So you see, Alexandra,” Rico explained. “They are called Pulmonias, or pneumonia in English, because that is what you can catch while riding out in the open.”

  “I thought Mazatlan is predominantly warm.”

  “Warm, but not always dry,” Yoli exclaimed. “Just try being stuck riding in a Pulmonia during an unexpected cloudburst.”

  “Then are you certain it was a good idea to get rid of your car?” Alexandra asked.

  Of course I am! You see, Pulmonias are part of the adventure of living in Mazatlan. Who wants to be cooped up in a car when you can experience the open air?” Yoli pretended the wind was rushing through her hair by pulling up a few strands. Her comical expression made them both chuckle.

  “How are you feeling?” Yoli asked in a caring tone when their momentary laughter had subsided.

  “I feel so much better now. Thank you.” Alexandra held the ice pack back out to Yoli. “The ice really helped.”

  “I put butterfly bandages on Alexandra’s head,” Yoli explained to Rico. “But I really think she needs stitches.”

  “That cannot happen,” he said firmly. “We can’t take the chance of going out.” He looked directly at Alexandra. “I’m really sorry.”

  “It’s okay, Rico. I understand.”

  “Alexandra, it’s very late and you need to rest,” Yoli said. “Are you hungry?”

  “Yes, I’m starving, but I think I’m too tired to eat.”

  “Rico, how about you? I know you are always hungry, but do you want to eat now or wait until morning?”