Royal Hues of Blue: Book One

by Greg Gotti

  Rodriguez took a puff on his pipe and was silent for a minute. When he spoke again, his voice was steady and quiet.

  “I want you to go back to Hidalgo or wherever it is you go when you aren’t here. I want you to stop running RID operations in this area until I have things calmed down. If I discover any more of these RID disasters being run anywhere in the northwest, I will arrest your men and treat them like common prisoners. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Very clear, sir,” Martinez answered. He knew this was not a time to test Rodriguez’s patience.

  “You are dismissed. Get off my mountain, Martinez.”

  Martinez stood, saluted and left quickly. The general leaned back in his chair. Somewhere out there, his little girl was caught up in the middle of this mess. He would do whatever he had must to find her. He knocked the ashes from his cigar as he thought about what to do next.

  The Arcangel River was big water, but it was only about 150 feet across. The water was noisy and made white crests where it splashed against the large rocks in the riverbed. The smell of moss, pine and a hundred other things hung in the air as the river roared past the three travelers. John knew the area well, and prepared the others to cross as they knelt in the bushes growing alongside the riverbank.

  “The river here is not deep, but it does contain deep holes. When we get to the other side, we want to climb the bare rocks and get into the trees where we won’t be seen. The water flows fast, so if you lose your footing; it is going to sweep you downriver until you bang into a rock or something. Stay close and follow me.”

  “You sure we won’t run into patrols or guards here?” Williams asked.

  “No, I am not sure of anything. Nobody can be sure of anything in a war zone. For all we know, we are about to walk headfirst into some sort of offensive or training op. There is simply no way of knowing. All we can do is play the odds.”

  Williams had taken to translating whatever John said as he said it so Maria could follow. He hadn’t been happy about bringing her along, but he had to admit to himself she had actually been an asset. The bond between her and Wallace was incredibly strong; that much was obvious. John had told him a bit about their backstory, and he could not deny the devotion they had to each other. They were a package deal, so he knew if one fell, the other would not continue on. Williams was grateful to them both for saving his life. He considered himself a man of honor, but he was a man of duty as well. His duty was to report back to America. He wished he could tell Wallace more, but he had already told him too much as it was. They were all just pawns in a much larger game, and Williams needed to simply stay alive until he could get into a position to actually do anything about their situation.

  The plan was simple. They would sling their weapons, and try to cross the river together. If they were separated, they would meet at a designated spot in the trees above the rocky riverbank. It would not take long to reach the ridge with the hidden trail. Williams followed John and Maria as they waded out into the river. The water was only up to his waist, but it was colder than he had expected. He was grateful for his water-resistant flight suit, for he would not have to make the rest of the journey in wet clothes as the others would be doing.

  The current was every bit as fast as John had warned. Maria was much shorter than the two men and had to hold onto John as the water was chest level on her. Williams followed closely behind and helped to keep her steady as they slowly progressed across the river. John was careful to avoid the deep holes he knew were all around them. He had crossed into Rista territory many times using this hidden shallow path, and his only concern was avoiding any scouts who might be on their way to cross the river. He did not want to lull the others into a false sense of security, but he knew they were pretty much home free once they reached the trees on the opposite side. Even if they ran into any Soona, he could easily have Maria and Williams hide while he instructed the soldiers to carry on. They would believe he was on a classified mission and would not realize their error until the next day, if at all. It had always been about making it safely out of Rista-controlled territory, and they had somehow managed to do that.

  He led them most of the way across the river and felt the water beginning to grow shallower. He knew they were now on a very narrow piece of rock that sat between two very deep holes in the river bed. It was like a bridge lying under a few feet of water, and he knew they had to be very careful here. One slip by any of them would mean that person being swept downriver and maybe taking the others with them. He could feel the force of the water trying to push him, and he made sure of his footing before advancing another step. They were almost across this most dangerous area.

  “John!” Williams almost shouted to be heard over the sound of the river. Wallace turned his head to see and Williams pointed to the Rista side of the river behind them.

  “Look!” Williams urged as he pointed to where lights were moving across the land. They were quickly advancing towards them, and John realized they must be mounted on vehicles of some kind. It was too dark for them to be seen down in the river at this distance, but they would soon be upon them if they were coming to the river. They needed to get out the water and into the trees quickly.

  “Let’s go!” John implored the others as he turned and tried to hurry the rest of the way across the river. They didn’t have the luxury of taking their time now. Whoever was coming was coming in a hurry. John took the last few steps across the narrow strip of rock and stepped up to where the ground angled up towards dry land. He was across! The water was shallower here and he turned to reach for Maria. She held out her hand to take his and he clasped her hand just as something took hold of her ankle and pulled her down into the water.

  “John!” she cried as her feet slipped out from under her and she disappeared beneath the water.

  John kept ahold of her hand, and she almost managed to pull him under with her, but he kept his feet planted and pulled. He couldn’t pull her any closer to him, so her head stayed below water as she fought. John stepped towards her as Williams helped pull her back to her feet. She came to the surface and gasped for air.

  “Mi tobillo!” she cried as the two men fought to free her.

  John immediately knew what it was. It was a snare trap his people set in the river at strategic places to discourage the Ristas from crossing. There had been no such traps at this spot the last time he was here. It made sense that they would have placed snares here after his mission had been unsuccessful. He was angry at himself for not thinking of it, and he unsheathed his knife with his free hand. The lights were very close now; they were definitely coming to the river.

  “Hold her! I’m going to cut the tether!” He yelled to Williams. Williams nodded and he took a deep breath before dipping below the surface and reaching for the line. He knew how the traps worked. He had approved the design himself. The traps were activated by someone stepping into the noose and catching a foot inside. It would automatically pull tight as the foot unknowingly pulled on it, and the mechanism would allow the strap to tighten, but not loosen at all. The traps were anchored by iron stakes driven into the rock, so there was no pulling them loose. He found the strap and set to cutting it with his knife. It was the only way to free her without the key needed to unlock the trap.

  “They’re almost here!” Williams shouted when John surfaced for air. “We can make the trees before they see us, and they’ll find her here in the river. They won’t think anything of it, and they’ll let her go!”

  Williams held Maria under her arms to keep her face above water. The trap pulled her one leg off the rock bridge and the force of the current tried to pull her into the hole. John didn’t know if she could keep a foot on the rock by herself, and if she slipped off, the trap would keep her face below the surface. Maria could barely keep her chin above the water with Williams holding her up.

  “She will drown if we leave her,” John shouted. “Go for the trees. I will cut her loose, and we will meet you there!”

  W
illiams hesitated for a moment. He looked back to the Rista side of the river and saw the lights almost to the line of bushes. He looked back to John and watched him dip below the surface again.

  John sawed feverishly at the line holding Maria in place. His large knife would normally have severed the line in a few seconds, and he was confused as to why this line would not give; then he remembered: He had ordered the lines reinforced with a lightweight metal woven throughout to prevent the Ristas from doing precisely what he was trying to do now. They must have implemented the change during the time he had been gone. He surfaced once more for air to find Williams gone. He looked around and saw the pilot reach the top of the rocky embankment and disappear into the darkness of the trees. Maria held tightly to him, keeping her face tilted towards the sky as water splashed against her mouth and nose every few seconds. John heard the shouts of the Ristas as they stopped their 4-wheelers at a spot about 90 feet downstream from them and headed down the embankment. He crouched in the water so his head was just above the surface as he held tight to Maria. The Ristas stopped at the river’s edge and swept the area with bright searchlights. John didn’t think they’d be able to spot them from where they were. Maria was trapped in a spot among several rocks that protruded a foot or two above the water’s surface. He managed to find a way to securely brace his feet within some small holes in the rock beneath them. They were in no danger of losing their place on the submerged rock bridge as long as John held Maria tightly, but they still had no way of freeing her.

  John helped Maria turn her face away from the onrushing water, and this prevented all but a few drops of water from splashing onto her face. They watched as one of the Ristas began walking along the riverside towards them, and John realized his heart was racing. His biggest fear had always been being captured by the Ristas. He had sworn he would never allow himself to be taken alive... he would charge a machine gun nest unarmed before surrendering to them. Every ounce of him wanted to run for the trees on his own side of the river, but he could not do so without condemning Maria to death by drowning. He dipped his chin into the water as the Rista’s searchlight passed over them. He dared not look up. Maybe the water and rocks would camouflage them in the darkness? The light moved away as it danced over the riverbank on the Soona side of the river. John snuck a peek and realized they hadn’t been spotted. The Ristas were concerned with their own side of the river and making sure there were no enemies drawing a bead on them from the opposite side. They weren’t even paying attention to the river itself. John watched as the one approaching them walked past them as he shone his light casually around the area. John counted three other lights searching the riverbank downriver from Maria and him. He felt the chill of the water in his bones and wondered if it was not in part from the fear he felt rising within him.

  The lights in the distance stopped dancing over the terrain and switched off. John heard them calling to the Rista who had walked past their position, and he lowered himself an extra inch into the water. He didn’t dare turn his head to look, but John figured the man was now walking back towards his companions. He realized they were standing at the base of where a bridge used to be. They must have used what was left of the old road on their approach. John realized they were probably there to guard this area in case the missing pilot tried to escape their territory by crossing here. Too late, he thought with a smirk. They would likely watch the terrain from along the top of the embankment, and John knew he could eventually saw through the tether if he worked long enough. They simply had to wait until the Ristas left, and they could soon be on their way to freedom.

  John’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a shout from somewhere beside them. John turned his head just enough to see the Rista shining his light on the ground next to the river. John realized at once what was happening; the Rista had spotted their tracks from where they had entered the river. The man kept shouting, and the others switched on their lights and hurried towards him. They met up with their companion and John could hear their rapid, excited speech. He saw Maria lift her head and look at what was happening.

  “John, go!” Maria implored him.

  “I’m not leaving you,” he said.

  “John, te amo. Por favor, vete!”

  John looked into her eyes as the Ristas shone their lights over the water and shouted excitedly as they spotted the two of them. They charged into the water and shouted in their language as they aimed their rifles at them. John held Maria tightly, not letting her slip below the water’s surface as the Ristas drew near. He couldn’t run, and he couldn’t fight. He had to hold Maria so she wouldn’t drown. He suddenly realized his worst fear had come to pass. One of them suddenly lost his footing and was swept downriver as his companions continued on. Another one, a stocky man with a full mustache, stopped ten feet away as he beamed his bright searchlight into John and Maria’s eyes, blinding them. He shouted at them in his language, which John did not understand. The man repeated himself angrily, and Maria shouted a response. They exchanged words back and forth as the other Ristas drew near. John couldn’t understand what was being said, but he knew he was about to find himself at the mercy of the Rista military. Even in the chilly water, John could feel his blood run cold as they took hold of both him and Maria. The water rushed by angrily all around them as John was torn away from Maria and led back across the river. They forced him to his knees on the riverbank, and John wondered if they were about to shoot him. He heard one of the men shouting something before something crashed into the back of his head. John was just a stone’s throw from the safety of his homeland when his world went black, and he fell face-first into the mud and rocks of the Rista Federation.

  The sun had not yet climbed above the hills to the east when Diego Fuentes presented himself at the door and was waved inside by the High General. Rodriguez offered him a seat on the couch as he stood looking out the window at the brightening sky. Fuentes sat quietly, knowing not to speak until spoken to.

  “How was your trip, Diego?”

  “Very good, sir,” Fuentes answered. “The roads are in good shape now that they’re hard from the sun.”

  Rodriguez nodded as he thought of the muddy roads of the spring and fall.

  “How are things along the Texas border?”

  “The Texans have actually been quite peaceful, sir. They have their army massed there, but they haven’t done as much as pretend they might invade.”

  “So nothing has changed,” Rodriguez noted. “The Texans have transformed a great deal since their coup happened. They are a nation in flux, and this makes them unpredictable. I trust you have been gathering useful intel?”

  “Where do you think the information in your reports comes from, sir?” Fuentes dared a small grin and was rewarded with the slightest hint of a smile from Rodriguez.

  “How are you feeling, Diego?”

  “I am worried about her, sir. Is there any news?”

  “No news pertaining directly to Maria,” Rodriguez answered. He pinched the top of his nose as he rubbed it. He had been up the entire night and was fighting fatigue. “We are conducting a grid search for this missing pilot.”

  “He had better hope we find her in good health when we locate him, sir.”

  Rodriguez nodded in silent agreement as he turned from the window.

  “When was the last time you spoke with her, Diego?”

  “Not since we were at the hotel in Hidalgo, sir,” Fuentes answered.

  “You never came up here trying to patch things up?”

  “Sir, her note made it quite clear that she did not want that.”

  Rodriguez sat slowly in his chair and folded his hands in front of him.

  “Matters of the heart are always such delicate things,” he said. “She is not the type who takes well to being told what to do. She has always been strong-willed. She was always polite and proper while she was growing up, but she was always strong and opinionated. She was happy to respect the opinions of others, but she demanded hers be re
spected in return. When she got to be an adult, she hadn’t changed one bit. She is a woman who does not need a man. If she wants you in her life, it is because she sees something special in you. She feels something deep within her heart for you that she does not feel for anyone else. You must come to see her strength as an asset; not something that must be broken.”

  Fuentes wanted to roll his eyes, but he instead gave his most convincing smile. His reputation of being a charmer was well-earned, and he made himself appear vulnerable to the High General as he spoke.

  “Maria is a special woman, sir. I fear the stress and pressures of war led me to push myself too hard and wear myself too thin. I think of her every night wherever I lay my head to sleep. I have dreamed of her in our land and the lands of our enemies. I do not wish to control her. I wish only to love her, and I do love her.”

  “They tell me you threatened to kill any man who set foot on this mountain, Diego. You don’t think that is just a bit controlling?”

  Fuentes hadn’t expected that. He couldn’t believe anyone would dare talk to Rodriguez about his daughter. Still, he cranked up the charm…

  “Sir, she is a beautiful young woman living alone in an area full of men who are either fighting a war or have been displaced by it. I simply want to ensure her safety. She means everything to me; just as I know she does you. Until she is ready to be with me again, I want to make sure she has the peace and safety she needs. I know you want the same, sir.”

  Rodriguez studied him and decided he had to agree with his reasoning. He nodded his head in agreement as he pulled out his pipe and began loading fresh tobacco into it.

  “It troubled me that she refused to leave as the Soona drove to the north bank of the Arcangel. I thought about having her forcibly taken back to Hidalgo, but she would have simply come back unless I kept her under guard. Like I told you, she does what she wants. You are both hard-headed personalities, Diego. I gave you my blessing when you asked for her hand, but she is a tigress. She is not meant to be caged, and she will not allow herself to be.”