I run under a huge metal sign printed with the business nameBlanco Cattle Feed andbolt past the boundary fencing. Not caring about the stones digging into my soles or the fact I’m wearing an elegant evening dress paired with yellow diamonds, or that I have someone else’s blood on my hands.
None of it matters. I focus on the streetlights ahead of me and the far-off traffic passing through the crossroads.
The further away I get from Giovanni, the louder the engines become and the faster adrenaline pumps through my veins. Without thinking, I stumble onto the road, flailing my arms in the air to catch the attention of an oncoming car. My sullied hands slam into the driver's side window when it rolls to a stop.
“I—I need a phone,” I pant, meeting the wide eyes of a young woman. “Please, help me… please.”
The woman behind the wheel scrambles for the inner handle and pushes the door open, forcing me to stagger back out of the way.
“Oh, my God. What happened to you? You’re bleeding… I’ll take you to the hospital.”
“No. I don’t need to go to the hospital. I need a cell phone. It’s an emergency.”
“Okay…” She nods and grabs her purse from the passenger side footwell. I pad closer and wait for her to fish it out. “Here.” Her brows snap together as she studies the state of me. “If someone is after you… you should probably get in my car?”
I don’t answer her. Instead, I type in one of the numbers my brother made me memorize and begin to pace while the ringing tone sings in my ear.
“Please pick up,” I whisper. “Come on.”
“Hola?” André’s raspy voice is music to my ears. “Who the fuck is this?”
“Dré… I don't have time to explain… it's me… India… Giovanni needs you.”
“If you’re about to tell me he’s knocked you up, I’ll fly to Colombia right now and shoot him in the fucking balls.”
“Dré! Listen to me, please. Your brother is in real trouble. The sort of trouble that means you could never see him again.”
“What the fuck is going on, Indy? Where are you?”
“Can your guys trace this call?”
“Sí… why, whose phone are you using?”
“Gio needs help, Dré.” I lose my breath. “He’s unarmed and… in a place called Blanco’s Cattle Feed. Please… help him. Ask Tomás to send an army before they kill him.”
“Jesus fuck. Carlos fucking Blanco has my brother?”
“Yes.” I palm my stomach. “It’s all my fault, Dré. They came for us when we left prom. Please… you have to send helicopters. A bunch of sicarios. A whole damn army. There’s no time to waste.”
“Okay. Okay. I’ll organize a hit squad and an extraction crew immediately. Stay where you are, Indy. Our men will get you.”
“No, Dré. I have something important to do.” I almost choke, the gravity of our predicament all too real.
“No fucking way. Do not go anywhere. Do you hear––?”
“If I need your help, I’ll call you back.” I cut him off. “Focus on saving Giovanni. There’s something he needs me to do, and I have to do it alone.”
“India!”
“Make sure he gets home to me,” I say quickly and set the phone down without hanging up.
The woman frowns. “Why did you set it on the sidewalk?”
Looking into her car, I see her name badge for a local convenience store and the car keys swinging from the ignition have a photo of a cute kid on the keychain.
“Luisa, I need you to listen to me very carefully.” My muscles brace for what I’m about to say to her. “I’m sure you’ve heard of the Souzas, right? The most powerful men in Colombia.”
She nods slowly. “Well, the man I just spoke to is part of that family and he’s organizing an army to take that warehouse over there any minute.” I look over my shoulder and then back to her. “I need your car. If you step out of the vehicle without a fight, I won’t tell the cartel where you work or where your kid lives.”
