windar
Teller of Tales
Goldman only took Moore to the most reputable places-the Coliseum, the Vatican, the Tower of London, the Bronx. No crimes there, right?
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Escape to Tampico
- Thread starter Loxuru
- Start date
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
Of course, Goldman would pay the bill of the stay at the resort!
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
5.
“Out! Reingold!”
“But Bella…!”
“Reingold! I said out! OUT! I don’t want to see you anymore!”
“Out? Where…”
“Not my problem, Reingold! Arrange that with your cartel friends, since you are so close with them…! It cannot be so difficult to find another room from where you can watch ‘Cheers!’ But not here!”
So, Bella had kicked out Reingold of the room, and she had no intention to let him come back. She left the room only to eat, and having walks, hoping to avoid Reingold (for his own good!) underway.
So, five days passed. Then, after diner, a woman awaited Bella.
“Bella! My name is Rosita! May I have a word with you? Here, in a quiet place in the lobby!?”
“If you come on behalf of Reingold, my answer is no! Tell him to leave me alone!”
“I am not here for Reingold, or to talk about him, Bella! Captain Gonzales has asked me to do.”
“Gonzales, what…?”
“Bella! I understand you are upset! But it is not what you think! The point is, you are here, for whatever reason, we don’t ask questions. But it is time to think about how to make your life here in Mexico. You could of course ask refuge officially, and then the government will take care of you, and provide you some help! But only the minimum. And keep in mind, it needs one corrupted public servant, and you’ll be flown back to Washington, cuffed between two FBI agents. We, on the other hand, want to make an offer for you!”
“What do you want me to do? Smuggle coke to the US? They catch me on the spot, with my criminal record?”
“Cocaine? Bella! Forget your prejudices. We are a large, versatile business company. We are in real estate, trade, hotels, finance, insurance, things like that. Just look around! The resort!”
“Don’t you forget casinos, bars, nightclubs, prostitution, all funded by cocaine traffic!?”
“No! No! The Zuni Sociedad is clean and respectable!”
“Should I believe this?”
“Bella! I agree, many business companies in Mexico have a somewhat dark past. That is often the only way to grow, in this country, with a corrupted and incompetent government. Now, our company provides decent jobs to thousands of people. Companies like ours pave the road to a more wealthy future for Mexico!”
“Especially the white lines in the middle of the road, you mean?”
“Bella! Once more! Put away that prejudice! Yes, this business is originally founded on cocaine trade! So what? First of all, do not have too much compassion with cocaine users! They are mostly selfish, narcist, snobby rich folks, who wake up with champagne for breakfast, spending the day doing nothing! Those are people who never worked a day in their life, who only care about themselves, not about the rest of the world. We, on the other hand, care about that ‘rest’ of the world, Bella. Cocaine trade creates huge added value, and a lot of that trickles down. Traffickers who load or unload the wares in containers. Home crafters dilute it and cut it into retailable portions. Furthermore, local trade offers an opportunity for young people to develop their business, entrepreneurship and sales skills, in a market working at the edge. Profits of the trade may be used to provide loans to other people to start a decent business! All these people would otherwise remain unemployed and live in poverty. You see, Bella, there is also a good side to this trade! All to satisfy the addictions of some useless snobs, who would otherwise nothing have in short anyway! But as I said, this is not what we are doing here! Having switched to respectable business, which gradually took over its darker activities, while the profits of the former trade can be invested in the real economy, and contribute to the welfare of the whole country!”
Bella felt it had no use to argue about it.
“What are you considering to offer me?”
“You were a cop, Bella! A good cop, I have been told. Stubborn, not always working by the book, but very smart, intrepid, prepared to take risks, to go to the edge, even at the danger of your own life!”
“What do you want from me? Make me a hitwoman?”
“Bella! Please! We do business, not murder! Yet, we need people like you! Let me tell you something! You already met Captain Gonzales, didn’t you? Captain Gonzales has been a good cop, of the same stuff as you were, with a long career. He was also smart, bold and dauntless, and not always by the book, but he really believed he served justice by doing so, like you did. He did it for the modest salary, a police officer is paid in Mexico! One day, he undertook a righteous action, that ran in the way of the interests of a politician. So he got blamed for a nothing, and he got fired! Dishonorable discharge! He lost his pension. Not that a police pension means something in this country either, but still..! So, he joined us, and now he has a job that awards him esteem, respect and a good life, something he never could dream off otherwise! Do you think a honest and decent man like Captain Gonzales would have joined us, if we had been criminals? Think about that, Bella!”
“So what’s the offer?”
“Well, in fact, the success of our company does not go unnoticed. Competition is harsh. Some are jealous about it, and want to snaffle a part of our market share! Not always by peaceful means. Therefore, they target the people who work for us. They pressure them to work for them and sometimes murder them if they do not accept the threats. We want to make them more vigilant. That could be a first job for you, Bella : train their women in the use of firearms and self-protection methods.”
“That’s it?”
“That would be it for the start, Bella! Think about it, I will work out a proposal for payment, including your stay here, and then we meet again, here tomorrow!”
“I doubt whether my basic Spanish would be good enough to convey technical details to them!”
“Do not worry, Bella, you will not be alone there! You will get a guard to protect you, who can interpret if needed. It could even be me! Like I said : think about it!”
“One more thing, Rosita!”
“What!?”
“In case Reingold should have talked with you about coming back, my answer is still : no passeran!”
“I’ll tell him if he asks for!” Rosita said with a smile. “Meanwhile, Bella, see you here, same place, tomorrow evening, for diner, and then we discuss my proposal!? Right!?”
Left behind alone, Bella started thinking. No matter how repulsive the idea was, to work for a drug cartel, regardless in what way, she considered that she had little choice. The other option was to leave the resort, since it was obvious that she could not remain here for long, practically without a penny. Reingold had assured her that ‘the company’ could use its tentacles in the financial world, to pull strings to have their financial assets, and particularly his monthly pension, diverted to Mexico. But still…
Sustaining a life in Mexico, had been one aspect she never had considered seriously, when she had planned her escape. Actually, she had planned nothing, it all had gone in a rush, and the problem of how to settle in Mexico, had never been her worry at the time. She had vaguely considered to open a bed and breakfast in a touristic area, but meanwhile, it had become clear to her that such an even modest enterprise needed sufficient funding, permits were hard to get, particularly since she had no official working permit, and that problem could only be overcome by bribing. And there was always a risk of racketeering. She would have to ask permission – meaning begging for protection – from either the local police, or the local cartel, and such was absolutely not for free.
Another option, Reingold had proposed underway to Mexico, was, to write together police novels, with themselves as lead characters. A couple of investigators. But since his idea of storylines was that she would always in peril, and he would rescue her, and because of the sado-erotic story lines, Reingold had in mind (her getting involved in a crucifixion or a hanging peril), she had been very reluctant to follow him in that.
Still cursing Reingold, for not having been able to come up with something better, Bella decided that she would better accept Rosita’s offer. It was that matter, she discussed with Rosita, during diner the next evening. Then, they talked things further in Rosita’s room. That was not just room, but a much larger suite. And from business talk came other talk, fueled by, first, a fine bottle of Riesling wine (the resort had no Italian Pino Grigio on the wine list), and next the finest tequila Bella had ever tasted. Rosita got closer and closer to Bella, and got her arm around her neck, as the talking got more and more intimate.
“It’s getting late!” Bella said. “Time to go to my room!”
“What are you risking? Stay here!? It is sad you being lonely here, right? Or are you longing to Mister Reingold’s company?”
“Who is Mister Reingold?” Bella said, giggling.
“Right! Stay with me! I’ll make you forget that Mister Goldfish!”
(to be continued)
“Out! Reingold!”
“But Bella…!”
“Reingold! I said out! OUT! I don’t want to see you anymore!”
“Out? Where…”
“Not my problem, Reingold! Arrange that with your cartel friends, since you are so close with them…! It cannot be so difficult to find another room from where you can watch ‘Cheers!’ But not here!”
So, Bella had kicked out Reingold of the room, and she had no intention to let him come back. She left the room only to eat, and having walks, hoping to avoid Reingold (for his own good!) underway.
So, five days passed. Then, after diner, a woman awaited Bella.
“Bella! My name is Rosita! May I have a word with you? Here, in a quiet place in the lobby!?”
“If you come on behalf of Reingold, my answer is no! Tell him to leave me alone!”
“I am not here for Reingold, or to talk about him, Bella! Captain Gonzales has asked me to do.”
“Gonzales, what…?”
“Bella! I understand you are upset! But it is not what you think! The point is, you are here, for whatever reason, we don’t ask questions. But it is time to think about how to make your life here in Mexico. You could of course ask refuge officially, and then the government will take care of you, and provide you some help! But only the minimum. And keep in mind, it needs one corrupted public servant, and you’ll be flown back to Washington, cuffed between two FBI agents. We, on the other hand, want to make an offer for you!”
“What do you want me to do? Smuggle coke to the US? They catch me on the spot, with my criminal record?”
“Cocaine? Bella! Forget your prejudices. We are a large, versatile business company. We are in real estate, trade, hotels, finance, insurance, things like that. Just look around! The resort!”
“Don’t you forget casinos, bars, nightclubs, prostitution, all funded by cocaine traffic!?”
“No! No! The Zuni Sociedad is clean and respectable!”
“Should I believe this?”
“Bella! I agree, many business companies in Mexico have a somewhat dark past. That is often the only way to grow, in this country, with a corrupted and incompetent government. Now, our company provides decent jobs to thousands of people. Companies like ours pave the road to a more wealthy future for Mexico!”
“Especially the white lines in the middle of the road, you mean?”
“Bella! Once more! Put away that prejudice! Yes, this business is originally founded on cocaine trade! So what? First of all, do not have too much compassion with cocaine users! They are mostly selfish, narcist, snobby rich folks, who wake up with champagne for breakfast, spending the day doing nothing! Those are people who never worked a day in their life, who only care about themselves, not about the rest of the world. We, on the other hand, care about that ‘rest’ of the world, Bella. Cocaine trade creates huge added value, and a lot of that trickles down. Traffickers who load or unload the wares in containers. Home crafters dilute it and cut it into retailable portions. Furthermore, local trade offers an opportunity for young people to develop their business, entrepreneurship and sales skills, in a market working at the edge. Profits of the trade may be used to provide loans to other people to start a decent business! All these people would otherwise remain unemployed and live in poverty. You see, Bella, there is also a good side to this trade! All to satisfy the addictions of some useless snobs, who would otherwise nothing have in short anyway! But as I said, this is not what we are doing here! Having switched to respectable business, which gradually took over its darker activities, while the profits of the former trade can be invested in the real economy, and contribute to the welfare of the whole country!”
Bella felt it had no use to argue about it.
“What are you considering to offer me?”
“You were a cop, Bella! A good cop, I have been told. Stubborn, not always working by the book, but very smart, intrepid, prepared to take risks, to go to the edge, even at the danger of your own life!”
“What do you want from me? Make me a hitwoman?”
“Bella! Please! We do business, not murder! Yet, we need people like you! Let me tell you something! You already met Captain Gonzales, didn’t you? Captain Gonzales has been a good cop, of the same stuff as you were, with a long career. He was also smart, bold and dauntless, and not always by the book, but he really believed he served justice by doing so, like you did. He did it for the modest salary, a police officer is paid in Mexico! One day, he undertook a righteous action, that ran in the way of the interests of a politician. So he got blamed for a nothing, and he got fired! Dishonorable discharge! He lost his pension. Not that a police pension means something in this country either, but still..! So, he joined us, and now he has a job that awards him esteem, respect and a good life, something he never could dream off otherwise! Do you think a honest and decent man like Captain Gonzales would have joined us, if we had been criminals? Think about that, Bella!”
“So what’s the offer?”
“Well, in fact, the success of our company does not go unnoticed. Competition is harsh. Some are jealous about it, and want to snaffle a part of our market share! Not always by peaceful means. Therefore, they target the people who work for us. They pressure them to work for them and sometimes murder them if they do not accept the threats. We want to make them more vigilant. That could be a first job for you, Bella : train their women in the use of firearms and self-protection methods.”
“That’s it?”
“That would be it for the start, Bella! Think about it, I will work out a proposal for payment, including your stay here, and then we meet again, here tomorrow!”
“I doubt whether my basic Spanish would be good enough to convey technical details to them!”
“Do not worry, Bella, you will not be alone there! You will get a guard to protect you, who can interpret if needed. It could even be me! Like I said : think about it!”
“One more thing, Rosita!”
“What!?”
“In case Reingold should have talked with you about coming back, my answer is still : no passeran!”
“I’ll tell him if he asks for!” Rosita said with a smile. “Meanwhile, Bella, see you here, same place, tomorrow evening, for diner, and then we discuss my proposal!? Right!?”
Left behind alone, Bella started thinking. No matter how repulsive the idea was, to work for a drug cartel, regardless in what way, she considered that she had little choice. The other option was to leave the resort, since it was obvious that she could not remain here for long, practically without a penny. Reingold had assured her that ‘the company’ could use its tentacles in the financial world, to pull strings to have their financial assets, and particularly his monthly pension, diverted to Mexico. But still…
Sustaining a life in Mexico, had been one aspect she never had considered seriously, when she had planned her escape. Actually, she had planned nothing, it all had gone in a rush, and the problem of how to settle in Mexico, had never been her worry at the time. She had vaguely considered to open a bed and breakfast in a touristic area, but meanwhile, it had become clear to her that such an even modest enterprise needed sufficient funding, permits were hard to get, particularly since she had no official working permit, and that problem could only be overcome by bribing. And there was always a risk of racketeering. She would have to ask permission – meaning begging for protection – from either the local police, or the local cartel, and such was absolutely not for free.
Another option, Reingold had proposed underway to Mexico, was, to write together police novels, with themselves as lead characters. A couple of investigators. But since his idea of storylines was that she would always in peril, and he would rescue her, and because of the sado-erotic story lines, Reingold had in mind (her getting involved in a crucifixion or a hanging peril), she had been very reluctant to follow him in that.
Still cursing Reingold, for not having been able to come up with something better, Bella decided that she would better accept Rosita’s offer. It was that matter, she discussed with Rosita, during diner the next evening. Then, they talked things further in Rosita’s room. That was not just room, but a much larger suite. And from business talk came other talk, fueled by, first, a fine bottle of Riesling wine (the resort had no Italian Pino Grigio on the wine list), and next the finest tequila Bella had ever tasted. Rosita got closer and closer to Bella, and got her arm around her neck, as the talking got more and more intimate.
“It’s getting late!” Bella said. “Time to go to my room!”
“What are you risking? Stay here!? It is sad you being lonely here, right? Or are you longing to Mister Reingold’s company?”
“Who is Mister Reingold?” Bella said, giggling.
“Right! Stay with me! I’ll make you forget that Mister Goldfish!”
(to be continued)
That’s her problem in a nutshell. She never plans anything well.
Hmmmm … problem there is that I think it has already been done. Now who was it who wrote those stories … I can’t recall … couple of very obscure writers, I believe.
Migoz2
Senator
I can imagine Michael Corleone making a speech like this in Godfather II............
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
No idea either! Publishing on some obscure forums, probably!
For Rosita's 'apology' to talk the cartel 'clean', I had myself indeed inspired by that source.
windar
Teller of Tales
And they'd certainly never sell enough to earn a living...
Or any tech billionaire in Silicon Valley!
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
6.
The next weeks, Bella started her assigned task, to train local women in self-defense and use of weapons. Her ‘class’ was varied group, from barely eighteen to nearly eighty. Some were well educated, others were nearly illiterate. The largest barrier was the language, but Rosita was always present to translate. Soon, Bella caught some words and phrases to communicate directly, which turned out very useful, since she needed her authority as a cop to keep the group at the leach, in order to prevent accidents during shooting practice. These exercises, with live ammunition, took place on a laguna bar, and were directed towards the sea. Still, it took some effort to convince her pupils to always observe safety measures, and for instance, when a weapon incidentally jammed, not to wave around with the gun, or look into the barrel, meanwhile repeatedly pulling the trigger.
During the practices, the laguna bar was guarded by armed men from the resort, and Bella found it strange that such training could take place in the open, just a few miles from a big city like Tampico, without drawing attention of any kind of authorities.
Meanwhile, Bella enjoyed life in the resort, wondering by herself how she could have turned that switch so easily. Was it, because she enjoyed Rosita’s intimate attentions? Rosita was a real Mexican beauty : long black wavy hair, olive skin, a small mouth but plump lips. Her dress accentuated her medium sized breasts and her apple-shaped waist, thin, but with flesh on her bones. Rosita, while remained enigmatic about her own past, gave Bella a good life, in a luxury she had never imagined. And Rosita unleashed feelings in her, she never imagined she had. Rosita was right! She managed to make Bella forget Sam completely. Bella had barely any idea where he was and what he was doing. Was Sam doing hits with Gonzales (who, by the way had personally told her he appreciated her work very much), or had he, grumpy, locked up himself in his room, uninterruptedly watching reruns of ‘Cheers’? In fact, Bella did not care.
****
“Bella! Wake up!”
“Mhhh?”
It was around 3 a.m. Rosita stood at Bella’s bed, dressed and packed.
“No questions! Wake up, pack a few things and follow me!”
“But what…?”
“I explain you later! Hurry! Believe me! It is a matter of life and death!”
Bella obeyed, got dressed and packed a few things.
“We leave!”
“Leave?”
“Follow me! Be silent! We must be quick!”
Rosita, followed by Bella, slipped out of the room, passed through corridors and over spaces, to end up at the car park.
“We take this one!”
“What? Why..?” Rosita had indicated Reingold’s Ford Granada 1981.
“Old fashioned technology! The other cars are computer secured! They may be tracked by satellite!” Rosita said, while showing up a screwdriver. She put it into the door over the lock, and opened the car in no time.
“Get in!”
Rosita took the driver’s seat, and did a few things with the screwdriver at the engine lock’s cables, and fixed it to start the engine! Immediately they drove out of the resort.
“The road block!?”
“They only care about incoming traffic, Bella! As long as no one was alarmed!” Rosita said.
“Can you tell me what is going on!?”
“I tell you what is going on, Bella : you are a dead woman walking!”
“Dead? Who wants me dead?”
“Your good friend Reingold!?”
“Sam!? Impossible! You must be joking!?”
“Unfortunately, Mister Reingold has turned into Mister Golddigger in no time! The cartel has made him an offer he cannot refuse! And he is about to accept it! There is only one problem in the way!”
“What problem?”
“You!”
“Me!? Why?”
“Listen! Reingold is about to return to the States! There, he will get an assignment in a perfectly legal and respectable company. No more trustworthy Executive Management Director than an ex-cop, right?”
“What will that so called respectable company do?”
“No matter what they will do! The real purpose is a money whitewashing process! And don’t get it wrong! It will earn him in one day up to as much bucks as his yearly pension would!”
“Incredible! But why am I a problem?”
“Bella, his disappearance, together with you, could have drawn attention from US justice! When he returns to the States, he might face questions about it, a situation that could compromise him and his company! So, it must be arranged that you will disappear from Earth! He must be detached from you! He has never driven you to Mexico! He has gone alone, for business! He does not know where you are! And in order to clear him from any involvement in your runaway, you are the key witness that must be eliminated!”
“Unbelievable!”
“Right Bella! Reingold got an offer at the border, to sell this car for old timer value, right? He got the card from a potential buyer!?”
“Right!”
“The buyer is dead! And the customs officer too! Accident, officially!”
“What!?”
“The guy who fixed your passports, Bella!?”
“What about him!?”
“He already sleeps with the fish in the Potomac!”
“No!?”
“Yes!”
“But why are you getting me out, Rosita? How do I know I can trust you!?”
“Because, Bella, I am also a witness to be eliminated! If I had not done this, we would both rest in a grave somewhere in the big desert! The cartel knows people who are skilled in making someone vanish without a trace!”
“So, I am on the run again…?”
“Yes, Bella, and this time for Reingold!”
“Sam Reingold, you.. bloody treacherous Gringo!”
“I would not have said it better!”
“And me being afraid he would be pissed off when you stole his beloved vintage car!”
“Don’t bother anymore! If he gets his job, he will be able to afford himself a huge upgrade to drive with!”
“Rosita, what are you planning to do?”
“We go to Mexico City, the best place to hide! Anyway, moving outside Zuni territory, as quickly as possible, as far as we can! With a little bit of luck we make it in the late afternoon! Fortunately, the gas tank is full!”
(to be continued)
The next weeks, Bella started her assigned task, to train local women in self-defense and use of weapons. Her ‘class’ was varied group, from barely eighteen to nearly eighty. Some were well educated, others were nearly illiterate. The largest barrier was the language, but Rosita was always present to translate. Soon, Bella caught some words and phrases to communicate directly, which turned out very useful, since she needed her authority as a cop to keep the group at the leach, in order to prevent accidents during shooting practice. These exercises, with live ammunition, took place on a laguna bar, and were directed towards the sea. Still, it took some effort to convince her pupils to always observe safety measures, and for instance, when a weapon incidentally jammed, not to wave around with the gun, or look into the barrel, meanwhile repeatedly pulling the trigger.
During the practices, the laguna bar was guarded by armed men from the resort, and Bella found it strange that such training could take place in the open, just a few miles from a big city like Tampico, without drawing attention of any kind of authorities.
Meanwhile, Bella enjoyed life in the resort, wondering by herself how she could have turned that switch so easily. Was it, because she enjoyed Rosita’s intimate attentions? Rosita was a real Mexican beauty : long black wavy hair, olive skin, a small mouth but plump lips. Her dress accentuated her medium sized breasts and her apple-shaped waist, thin, but with flesh on her bones. Rosita, while remained enigmatic about her own past, gave Bella a good life, in a luxury she had never imagined. And Rosita unleashed feelings in her, she never imagined she had. Rosita was right! She managed to make Bella forget Sam completely. Bella had barely any idea where he was and what he was doing. Was Sam doing hits with Gonzales (who, by the way had personally told her he appreciated her work very much), or had he, grumpy, locked up himself in his room, uninterruptedly watching reruns of ‘Cheers’? In fact, Bella did not care.
****
“Bella! Wake up!”
“Mhhh?”
It was around 3 a.m. Rosita stood at Bella’s bed, dressed and packed.
“No questions! Wake up, pack a few things and follow me!”
“But what…?”
“I explain you later! Hurry! Believe me! It is a matter of life and death!”
Bella obeyed, got dressed and packed a few things.
“We leave!”
“Leave?”
“Follow me! Be silent! We must be quick!”
Rosita, followed by Bella, slipped out of the room, passed through corridors and over spaces, to end up at the car park.
“We take this one!”
“What? Why..?” Rosita had indicated Reingold’s Ford Granada 1981.
“Old fashioned technology! The other cars are computer secured! They may be tracked by satellite!” Rosita said, while showing up a screwdriver. She put it into the door over the lock, and opened the car in no time.
“Get in!”
Rosita took the driver’s seat, and did a few things with the screwdriver at the engine lock’s cables, and fixed it to start the engine! Immediately they drove out of the resort.
“The road block!?”
“They only care about incoming traffic, Bella! As long as no one was alarmed!” Rosita said.
“Can you tell me what is going on!?”
“I tell you what is going on, Bella : you are a dead woman walking!”
“Dead? Who wants me dead?”
“Your good friend Reingold!?”
“Sam!? Impossible! You must be joking!?”
“Unfortunately, Mister Reingold has turned into Mister Golddigger in no time! The cartel has made him an offer he cannot refuse! And he is about to accept it! There is only one problem in the way!”
“What problem?”
“You!”
“Me!? Why?”
“Listen! Reingold is about to return to the States! There, he will get an assignment in a perfectly legal and respectable company. No more trustworthy Executive Management Director than an ex-cop, right?”
“What will that so called respectable company do?”
“No matter what they will do! The real purpose is a money whitewashing process! And don’t get it wrong! It will earn him in one day up to as much bucks as his yearly pension would!”
“Incredible! But why am I a problem?”
“Bella, his disappearance, together with you, could have drawn attention from US justice! When he returns to the States, he might face questions about it, a situation that could compromise him and his company! So, it must be arranged that you will disappear from Earth! He must be detached from you! He has never driven you to Mexico! He has gone alone, for business! He does not know where you are! And in order to clear him from any involvement in your runaway, you are the key witness that must be eliminated!”
“Unbelievable!”
“Right Bella! Reingold got an offer at the border, to sell this car for old timer value, right? He got the card from a potential buyer!?”
“Right!”
“The buyer is dead! And the customs officer too! Accident, officially!”
“What!?”
“The guy who fixed your passports, Bella!?”
“What about him!?”
“He already sleeps with the fish in the Potomac!”
“No!?”
“Yes!”
“But why are you getting me out, Rosita? How do I know I can trust you!?”
“Because, Bella, I am also a witness to be eliminated! If I had not done this, we would both rest in a grave somewhere in the big desert! The cartel knows people who are skilled in making someone vanish without a trace!”
“So, I am on the run again…?”
“Yes, Bella, and this time for Reingold!”
“Sam Reingold, you.. bloody treacherous Gringo!”
“I would not have said it better!”
“And me being afraid he would be pissed off when you stole his beloved vintage car!”
“Don’t bother anymore! If he gets his job, he will be able to afford himself a huge upgrade to drive with!”
“Rosita, what are you planning to do?”
“We go to Mexico City, the best place to hide! Anyway, moving outside Zuni territory, as quickly as possible, as far as we can! With a little bit of luck we make it in the late afternoon! Fortunately, the gas tank is full!”
(to be continued)
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
I had not thought about that movie while writing!
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
7.
“Reingold! I hate you! I hate you and your bloody rolling rustbelt!” Bella screamed, as she kicked on the Ford Granada.
“Careful, Bella! Do not hurt your feet! You’ll need them to walk!”
The drive had gone smoothly.
Until they had reached the mountains of Sierra Madre.
The road had started climbing, and it soon had become clear that the engine risked overheating. But Rosita gambled that it would hold, until suddenly, there was a ‘bang’, and, with a cloud of white-gray oily smoke, the bonnet blew open, and the car came to a sudden halt. A dead stop, Rosita and Bella soon found out.
Rosita had made a quick diagnosis.
“Maldito infierno! La junta de culata!”
“I think it was the radiator!” Bella had her own opinion.
Whatever the reason was, Sam Reingold’s orange 1981 Ford Granada would no longer serve. They left it behind and went on by feet.
While walking, Bella came up again with the issue she had brought up already in the car. That, apparently, The Zuni Sociedad was not that decent enterprise, Rosita had always claimed it was, but just another murderous criminal organization. Rosita had all the time avoided the argument. Finally tired, she replied:
“Bella, will you stop complaining, por favor!? Just think about your Mister Reingold, how easily he sold his soul to the devil of money! You never thought he would do so, don’t you!? That’s what money does with people, everywhere, all the time, so stop your futile moral bickering and walk!”
“What are we going to do, Rosita? Walk all the way to Mexico City!? Shouldn’t we better start hitch-hiking?”
“This is Mexico, Bella! Not the US! You never know who is picking you up! Especially two women astray! Before you know, you find yourself tied up naked in a trunk!”
“Oh, yes, something Reingold had in mind for one of his novels! About women from states like Minnesota being abducted and getting sold to lewd Arkansas farmers!”
Then, after about one hour walking, Rosita looked backward.
“There is a bus, Bella! Wave to stop it!”
“But there is no bus stop here!?”
“We are the bus stop! If we pay, he will admit us!”
The bus was heading to Mexico City. The arrival was scheduled in the evening, around 8 a.m., since underway, many stops would be made. The bus was crowded, it was noisy, the air conditioning worked badly, there was a smell of sweat, but at least, Bella considered, they were on their way again. After the first stop, they both got a place to sit down at least. Then, after nearly two hours of driving, the bus stopped along the road, causing some rumor among the passengers.
“Ay! Policias!”
Police? Bella got nervous. Suppose they would check her passport and find out it has been forged’? What would they do? She had no ‘dead presidents’ with her to fix things herself. Could she be arrested for residing illegally in Mexico? And what next? Getting expelled to the US? Ultimately brought to trial, with aggravating conditions that she fled justice and had joined a criminal organization meanwhile?
Yet, Rosita even looked more nervous.
“Maldito!” she anxiously whispered.
(to be continued)
“Reingold! I hate you! I hate you and your bloody rolling rustbelt!” Bella screamed, as she kicked on the Ford Granada.
“Careful, Bella! Do not hurt your feet! You’ll need them to walk!”
The drive had gone smoothly.
Until they had reached the mountains of Sierra Madre.
The road had started climbing, and it soon had become clear that the engine risked overheating. But Rosita gambled that it would hold, until suddenly, there was a ‘bang’, and, with a cloud of white-gray oily smoke, the bonnet blew open, and the car came to a sudden halt. A dead stop, Rosita and Bella soon found out.
Rosita had made a quick diagnosis.
“Maldito infierno! La junta de culata!”
“I think it was the radiator!” Bella had her own opinion.
Whatever the reason was, Sam Reingold’s orange 1981 Ford Granada would no longer serve. They left it behind and went on by feet.
While walking, Bella came up again with the issue she had brought up already in the car. That, apparently, The Zuni Sociedad was not that decent enterprise, Rosita had always claimed it was, but just another murderous criminal organization. Rosita had all the time avoided the argument. Finally tired, she replied:
“Bella, will you stop complaining, por favor!? Just think about your Mister Reingold, how easily he sold his soul to the devil of money! You never thought he would do so, don’t you!? That’s what money does with people, everywhere, all the time, so stop your futile moral bickering and walk!”
“What are we going to do, Rosita? Walk all the way to Mexico City!? Shouldn’t we better start hitch-hiking?”
“This is Mexico, Bella! Not the US! You never know who is picking you up! Especially two women astray! Before you know, you find yourself tied up naked in a trunk!”
“Oh, yes, something Reingold had in mind for one of his novels! About women from states like Minnesota being abducted and getting sold to lewd Arkansas farmers!”
Then, after about one hour walking, Rosita looked backward.
“There is a bus, Bella! Wave to stop it!”
“But there is no bus stop here!?”
“We are the bus stop! If we pay, he will admit us!”
The bus was heading to Mexico City. The arrival was scheduled in the evening, around 8 a.m., since underway, many stops would be made. The bus was crowded, it was noisy, the air conditioning worked badly, there was a smell of sweat, but at least, Bella considered, they were on their way again. After the first stop, they both got a place to sit down at least. Then, after nearly two hours of driving, the bus stopped along the road, causing some rumor among the passengers.
“Ay! Policias!”
Police? Bella got nervous. Suppose they would check her passport and find out it has been forged’? What would they do? She had no ‘dead presidents’ with her to fix things herself. Could she be arrested for residing illegally in Mexico? And what next? Getting expelled to the US? Ultimately brought to trial, with aggravating conditions that she fled justice and had joined a criminal organization meanwhile?
Yet, Rosita even looked more nervous.
“Maldito!” she anxiously whispered.
(to be continued)
YIKES! Does that really happen?
windar
Teller of Tales
If it's summer there's always Yankees games...
Not sure how to do the laughing duck icon...
Go for the Gold, Stan!!!
Will Humphrey Bogart be joining them???
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
twonines
LIMERICUS
No, just Walter Houston!
Loxuru
Graf von Kreuzigung
8.
The policemen had entered the bus and ordered all the passengers to leave. Bella thought she had no choice, but Rosita whispered : “That’s no police!”
Yet, they had no alternative than leaving the bus with their hands in the air. Then, they were lined up.
“That’s Alegrio Rey!” she whispered again to Bella!
“Who is Alegrio Rey?” Bella asked.
“The third man of the Pecos Cartel. A ruthless person! His nickname is ‘El Hidalgo Ángel de la muerte!”
“Why Hidalgo?”
“Because many people in the cartels have that nickname ‘Ángel de la muerte’. It needs more to distinguish them from one another!”
“Are we in trouble?”
“Could ben Bella!”
“Oh! Shit!”
“Callàte!” one of the ‘policemen’ shouted.
The policemen (if they were) started searching the passenger’s luggage and collected papers and passports.
“Jefe! Una Gringa!” one of the men said, when he had controlled Bella’s passport.
“Jefe! Armas!” another one shouted as he had discovered weapons.
“Who are you people!? Zuni Cartel!?” the man called Rey asked and spitted on the ground.
“Señor! I am just a poor bus driver! I just do my work and have nothing to do with… I have four children, Señor!”
“Silencio!”
Rey marched along the line of captives, and stopped in front of Bella.
“Bella Moss, from Washington DC! What are you doing here in Hidalgo, Bella Moss from Washington DC?”
“I..”
“With a forged visa in your passport!? Every idiot can see that!?”
“Señor Rey! There is a bounty on the Gringa’s head in America!” one of the captives said. The disclosure shocked Bella, since she did not know yet. She knew this was going the wrong way.
“Really!? How much?”
“A thousand US dollar, Señor Rey!”
(“What! That little!? Ran through Bella’s head, despite the fear coming up).
“Thousand US dollar! Ridiculous! Not worth trying for such peanuts! If you subtract all administration and other costs, you lose on it!”
“But Señor Rey!?”
“Kill this man! He called my name!”
“Si, Jefe!”
Swiftly the man was taken out of the line, forced on his knees and his throat was cut, to the intense consternation of the other captives.
“Well, Bella Moss! I am waiting!? Are you a cocaine trafficker? Or a Gringa spy?”
“I .. am … on a holiday trip!”
“Ridiculous answer! Kill the bus driver!”
“Si, Jefe!”
Another cruel execution. Bella had to use all the discipline she had learned in the police force, to calm her nerves and anger.
“Gringa Moss! Do you really think, you can travel around here, under cover of your forged passport, and work for these criminals of the Zuni’s? What are you doing here!? Or do you want me to kill another captive?”
“I am on the run for American justice.”
“Oh! On the run for American justice! Terrible kangaroo justice in America, isn’t it!?! You Gringo’s are really lucky that Mexico exists! Mexico, happy hiding place! Mexico, land of freedom! What for are you on the run, Bella Moss!?”
“I am on the run because I had a bad lawyer!”
“Bad lawyer, huh!? I know a bad lawyer, in New York! His name is Martin Van Buren! A real bungler! He screws up every single case!”
“Mine was almost as worse! His name was Warren G. Harding!”
“Was Theodore Roosevelt too expensive?” Rey laughed. “Listen, Bella Moss from Washington DC! You are clearly a smart woman! We talk later! And we talk later because I notice you have made good friends with Rosita Martinez! A notorious staff member of the Zuni Cartel! She’s some longtime acquaintance of us! One we already longtime wanted to invite to diner with us too, right Rosita dear!?”
“Vete al diablo, Alegrio Rey! You pig!”
“Your modesty flatters you, dear Rosita, but unlike these foot soldiers, calling my name does not help you to a quick and sweet fate! You and me have to discuss a few things! Together with your friend Bella!”
Soon after, the captives were divided over the bus and the fake police vehicles. Bella and Rosita were invited into the back of Rey’s van (without windows), and guarded by two of the fake cops. After a 45 minutes trip the van stopped.
They had arrived in a small village, with typical flat roofed white houses. There was a larger building, with a motel like appearance, to which they were guided. On her question “Where are we!?”, Bella only got silence as a reply. But it was clear, they were off the main road, and a few men obviously standing guard on the flat roofs, indicated that the place was clearly ‘no trespassing’.
The passengers from the bus were brought to the same motel like building. As Bella and Rosita entered, accompanied by Rey, the ‘motel’ aspect was even more obvious, since there was some kind of reception desk in the entrance hall. Bella and Rosita were locked up in one of the rooms, also flat roofed white cottages with hardly a window ‘and which was barred), where they spent the night.
(to be continued)
The policemen had entered the bus and ordered all the passengers to leave. Bella thought she had no choice, but Rosita whispered : “That’s no police!”
Yet, they had no alternative than leaving the bus with their hands in the air. Then, they were lined up.
“That’s Alegrio Rey!” she whispered again to Bella!
“Who is Alegrio Rey?” Bella asked.
“The third man of the Pecos Cartel. A ruthless person! His nickname is ‘El Hidalgo Ángel de la muerte!”
“Why Hidalgo?”
“Because many people in the cartels have that nickname ‘Ángel de la muerte’. It needs more to distinguish them from one another!”
“Are we in trouble?”
“Could ben Bella!”
“Oh! Shit!”
“Callàte!” one of the ‘policemen’ shouted.
The policemen (if they were) started searching the passenger’s luggage and collected papers and passports.
“Jefe! Una Gringa!” one of the men said, when he had controlled Bella’s passport.
“Jefe! Armas!” another one shouted as he had discovered weapons.
“Who are you people!? Zuni Cartel!?” the man called Rey asked and spitted on the ground.
“Señor! I am just a poor bus driver! I just do my work and have nothing to do with… I have four children, Señor!”
“Silencio!”
Rey marched along the line of captives, and stopped in front of Bella.
“Bella Moss, from Washington DC! What are you doing here in Hidalgo, Bella Moss from Washington DC?”
“I..”
“With a forged visa in your passport!? Every idiot can see that!?”
“Señor Rey! There is a bounty on the Gringa’s head in America!” one of the captives said. The disclosure shocked Bella, since she did not know yet. She knew this was going the wrong way.
“Really!? How much?”
“A thousand US dollar, Señor Rey!”
(“What! That little!? Ran through Bella’s head, despite the fear coming up).
“Thousand US dollar! Ridiculous! Not worth trying for such peanuts! If you subtract all administration and other costs, you lose on it!”
“But Señor Rey!?”
“Kill this man! He called my name!”
“Si, Jefe!”
Swiftly the man was taken out of the line, forced on his knees and his throat was cut, to the intense consternation of the other captives.
“Well, Bella Moss! I am waiting!? Are you a cocaine trafficker? Or a Gringa spy?”
“I .. am … on a holiday trip!”
“Ridiculous answer! Kill the bus driver!”
“Si, Jefe!”
Another cruel execution. Bella had to use all the discipline she had learned in the police force, to calm her nerves and anger.
“Gringa Moss! Do you really think, you can travel around here, under cover of your forged passport, and work for these criminals of the Zuni’s? What are you doing here!? Or do you want me to kill another captive?”
“I am on the run for American justice.”
“Oh! On the run for American justice! Terrible kangaroo justice in America, isn’t it!?! You Gringo’s are really lucky that Mexico exists! Mexico, happy hiding place! Mexico, land of freedom! What for are you on the run, Bella Moss!?”
“I am on the run because I had a bad lawyer!”
“Bad lawyer, huh!? I know a bad lawyer, in New York! His name is Martin Van Buren! A real bungler! He screws up every single case!”
“Mine was almost as worse! His name was Warren G. Harding!”
“Was Theodore Roosevelt too expensive?” Rey laughed. “Listen, Bella Moss from Washington DC! You are clearly a smart woman! We talk later! And we talk later because I notice you have made good friends with Rosita Martinez! A notorious staff member of the Zuni Cartel! She’s some longtime acquaintance of us! One we already longtime wanted to invite to diner with us too, right Rosita dear!?”
“Vete al diablo, Alegrio Rey! You pig!”
“Your modesty flatters you, dear Rosita, but unlike these foot soldiers, calling my name does not help you to a quick and sweet fate! You and me have to discuss a few things! Together with your friend Bella!”
Soon after, the captives were divided over the bus and the fake police vehicles. Bella and Rosita were invited into the back of Rey’s van (without windows), and guarded by two of the fake cops. After a 45 minutes trip the van stopped.
They had arrived in a small village, with typical flat roofed white houses. There was a larger building, with a motel like appearance, to which they were guided. On her question “Where are we!?”, Bella only got silence as a reply. But it was clear, they were off the main road, and a few men obviously standing guard on the flat roofs, indicated that the place was clearly ‘no trespassing’.
The passengers from the bus were brought to the same motel like building. As Bella and Rosita entered, accompanied by Rey, the ‘motel’ aspect was even more obvious, since there was some kind of reception desk in the entrance hall. Bella and Rosita were locked up in one of the rooms, also flat roofed white cottages with hardly a window ‘and which was barred), where they spent the night.
(to be continued)
Migoz2
Senator
