Axis and Axalia flanked him. As soon as Axalia spotted her, she sprinted toward Julia. Unintelligible shrieks echoed in the air. A knife glinted in her hand.
Julia didn’t flinch. She opened her arms and cooed, “Hello, darling. Mama has missed you. Come here and give me a hug.”
Axalia stopped dead in her tracks, transfixed by Julia’s voice. Julia had her hand on her Swiss army knife.Come on! Come on!
Axis rushed toward his sister. “Lia! How many times have I told you she’s not Mama? She’sJulia.”
The spell broke. Axalia’s face twisted into a mask of pain, confusion, and hatred. “I hate you! I hate you! I’ll kill you, Julia! I’ll kill you!”
“Right back at ya, little sister,” Julia flung as Axis led her back toward the General. She tossed over her shoulder atAlfredo, “See, Al? The poor girl’s mind is in splinters. She can’t tell reality from fantasy.”
Alfredo cursed and jabbed the AK-47 in her back. “Move.”
They halted several feet in front of the General. This close to him the power he emanated radiated in enveloping waves. He assessed Miguel for only a moment, then dismissed him. “Throw this man into the pit.”
Two men shoved Juan aside and seized Miguel.
Above the murmuring of the men, Axalia shrieked with delight, “The pit! The pit! Throw this pig into the pit and roast him!”
Julia and Alfredo cried, “No!”
“General. Granddad,” Alfredo appealed to him. “This man, Secret Service agent Miguel Rivera, saved our lives. In Tijuana we were attacked by the Jalisco cartel. He recognized the danger and helped us avoid being killed or taken by our enemies.”
General Escobar frowned. “Juan, is this true?”
“Sí, General. Every word. He is an honorable man. And he is the fiancé of your granddaughter.”
He raised an eyebrow and peered more closely at Miguel. “Indeed.”
“It’s a lie!” Axalia screeched. “A lie meant to deceive you, General Escobar! Throw him into the pit!”
“Silencio!” The General addressed the men who held Miguel. “Release him. Alfredo, you will escort Agent Rivera to our guest quarters. Give him food and drink and clean clothes.”
“No!” Axalia protested.
In a fluid, almost graceful movement, General Escobar backhanded Axalia. Her head snapped back. Axis stepped between her and the General, shielding his sister.
“Juan, take the Andersons to their rooms and keep watch over them. I will deal with them after I have spoken with my granddaughter.”
“Sí, General.”
Julia cast a fearful glance at Miguel as Alfredo led him away. He mouthedI love youand smiled. His confidence only allayed her fear a little.
General Escobar’s men dispersed. He offered his arm, and Julia took it. It would be rude not to accept his chivalry. They ambled down a well-lit corridor that turned sharply to the right and entered another part of the building that was clearly the General’s personal living quarters. He escorted her into a small, private dining area where a boy, probably ten years old, ran to hug him.
The General ruffled the boy’s dark curly hair. “Hola, Manny. You’re up late.”
“I wanted to meet the pretty lady. She looks like Uncle Julio, sí?”
“Sí.”
Manny pulled out a heavy, decorative chair for Julia. “Please sit here. Mama will bring you fruit, cheese, and wine. Is that okay, Granddaddy?”
“Sí, my boy.”
He ran off and returned a couple of minutes later with an acoustic guitar nearly as tall as he. “Mama is coming. Shall I show you what I learned today, Granddaddy?”
“Sí, Manny.”
