“You did great, Manny. Soon you’ll be playing like Carlos Santana.”
His dark eyes lit with pride. “Gracias, Cousin Julia. Now, Señor Miguel, it’s your turn to play and sing.”
Miguel settled the guitar on his lap. He loved its familiar weight, and he strummed a few chords. He made some adjustments and played an easy song.
“Señor Miguel, what else do you know?” Manny thought the song beneath his new musical hero.
“I don’t know. Let’s see.”
Miguel played the opening notes to Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” and began to sing the haunting lyrics. By the time he reached the song’s crescendo, a crowd had gathered around him.He slowed the tempo down and ended on that final note of the word ‘heaven.’ There was a beat of silence before his audience burst into applause. When Miguel looked at Julia, he saw tears glistening in her eyes. And something else, too. The depth of her love for him.
Manny asked Miguel to play another song, but General Escobar approached them and said, “Later, my boy. Go play with your siblings and your cousins.”
“Sí, Granddaddy.” The boy scuttled away.
General Escobar inclined his head. “Walk with me, Agent Rivera.”
SOMEWHERE IN MEXICO
GENERAL ESCOBAR’S COMPOUND
Miguel and Julia
General Escobar ledMiguel to a secluded arbor that provided the privacy they sought. He indicated a solid wood bench. “Please sit.”
Miguel sat and waited for him to continue.
“You’re a talented musician, Agent Rivera.”
“Sir, I mean no disrespect, but you didn’t bring me here to make small talk.”
“I like your directness.”
“Why did you send men to attack us when I was in the hospital? It was a bloodbath. Innocent people died.”
How’s that for directness?
General Escobar stiffened. An uncomfortable expression crossed his face. “I’m sorry for that miscalculation, Agent Rivera. Two, who returned, are now lying in their graves. Your government will punish the one who survived. All I can say is a kind of bewitchment was to blame.”
“Axis and Axalia got to them somehow.”
“Undoubtedly. To prevent further trouble, they are locked in their rooms under guard. Which brings us to our business. I assume Julia has discussed the proposed solutions to the Anderson dilemma?”
“Yes, sir, she has.”
“And what have you decided?”
“They pose too great a threat to live.”God forgive me.
General Escobar tilted his head. “So, it has been decided.” His jaw tightened and a dark fire burned in his eyes. “Having given this matter more thought, I will not allow my granddaughter to die. And neither will you.”
Their gazes locked.
Damn Juan.“No. Do I have your word that if the fight turns dire for either of us, you’ll allow Juan to do what I asked him?”
“Sí. On my honor, Agent Rivera, you have my word.”
Miguel believed him. “Good. We will fight without weapons. Also, it will be one match between the four of us.”
