“And nobody heard the shot?” yelled Big Al.

“He was shot here,” said Sanchez, holding his hand like a pistol and pointing toward his own buttocks. “It muffled the sound. We were outside and did not hear it.”

Big Al dropped to one knee beside the bed and held El Pero’s hand. He made a solemn promise the gringo would pay dearly for what he had done. Then he folded El Pero’s hands across his chest, interlocking the fingers to keep them in place before gently using his fingertips to close El Pero’s eyes. Next he slowly got to his feet and mumbled a prayer, which he followed by using his finger to make the sacred sign of a cross on his own body.

Sanchez, Berto, and Eduardo politely went to make the same sign on their own bodies, but were interrupted when Big Al yelled at them to find something to cover his body.

“We have no sheets,” replied Eduardo, meekly.

“There is a towel in the bathroom. I will get it,” Sanchez said and then scurried off.

Big Al strode back to the kitchen and stood over the tunnel entrance and screamed in rage.

“Jack Taggart! I make this vow!” he yelled in English. “You murdered my nephew … so now everyone in your family will die! Not just you! Everyone! Their skin will be burned from their bodies while they scream and plead for their lives!”

Big Al stood, panting heavily for a moment, then yelled at his men in Spanish. “What are you waiting for? Go get him! Bring him to me alive, if you can.”

Before his men could respond, Big Al received a call on his cellphone. It was his boss and he gestured for his men to be quiet as he stepped back from the tunnel. He was not surprised to be called, he had already informed his boss about Jack’s real identity.

“Why have you not picked up the doctor yet?”

“There, uh, has been a big problem,” replied Big Al. “The gringo managed to grab El Pero’s gun and shoot him with it. Then he ran into the tunnel.”

“Your nephew is dead?”

“Yes. I found out about it a few minutes ago and returned to Casa Blanca.”

“And the gringo?”

“My men will drag him back out of the tunnel in a few minutes.”

“If he escapes …”

“There is no chance of that. He is like a rat trapped in a hole. I can have him plucked out very easily. When I do, we will use the doctor for a very long time.”

Jack squatted in the dark as Lily sat in front of him with her back huddled up to the front of his chest. She was only wearing Jack’s T-shirt, which acted like a short dress on her. Jack was barefoot and only wearing his pants.

He held her with one arm wrapped high around her chest and shoulders, while his other hand caressed her hair. She was going through periodic episodes where her body would shake uncontrollably, but seemed to take some comfort in his touch. What she didn’t know was Jack had positioned himself to put her in a sleeper-hold if she uttered a sound.

Jack pondered on what his next move would be. He knew when the time came, he would have to leave her alone to use the element of surprise. Would she be quiet then?

A second problem crossed his mind. I have no bullets … if I aim the gun directly at someone, they might see the cylinder is empty. If I don’t point it at them, they will realize something is wrong …

Jack came up with what he thought was an alternative. If I get a chance, point it at the back of their head … otherwise point it at their balls and see if they want to risk losing those. Bluffing is our only chance until I get a gun with bullets …

Big Al tucked his phone back in his pocket and looked into the tunnel opening. Berto had retrieved a flashlight from a kitchen drawer and shone it down the hole. Big Al peered in while his two soldiers aimed their weapons down the opening.

“Why do you not turn on the lights?” asked Big Al.

“The gringo broke it with El Pero’s gun,” replied Sanchez, “but it will be easy to fix.”

For a moment, the two mercenaries, along with Berto and Eduardo, debated whether to fix the lights. They had the option of calling out to the SUVs on the outer perimeter to bring in the night-vision goggles that they were equipped with. In that way, they would be able to see while the gringo would be in total darkness.

“I do not care what you do, just do it!” snarled Big Al.

“I will assure you,” replied one of the mercenaries, “we will take his head off … just like the iguana that fell from the tree.” He nodded toward the window. “Then we will drag him out by his feet.”

“I want him alive, if possible. Shoot him in the legs if need be but —” Big Al stopped talking and looked out the window at the carcass of the dead iguana lying in the dirt. “Did any of you see El Pero reload?” he asked.

The men looked at each other and after a short conversation it was realized the spare box of ammunition for the revolver was in the glove box of El Pero’s SUV. After Jack had been hit in the head with the rifle butt, El Pero did not return to the truck to reload, but walked with them as they dragged Jack back inside the house.

“He kept the gun … so he either does not know it is empty or is hoping to bluff us,” said Big Al, giving a grim smile.

“I’ll fix the light switch,” said Berto. “Night vision will not be necessary. Even if he is at the far end of the tunnel, we will have him on his knees in less than fifteen minutes.”

“Remember, I do not want you to kill him unless absolutely necessary,” said Big Al.

“The four of us have had training in these matters,” said Berto, with a nod toward Eduardo and the two mercenaries. “Our training included going up against men armed with machine-guns in barricaded rooms. We can bring him out whichever way you wish.”

Big Al thought for a moment and said, “Shoot off his kneecaps and make him crawl out.”

“As soon as we see him, his kneecaps are gone,” noted Eduardo.

“After that we will ask him to surrender,” added Berto, with a sneer.

chapter forty-two

Jack heard the murmur of voices and the commotion at the entrance to the tunnel as the men descended the ladder.

“Stay here. I’ll be back for you,” he whispered in Lily’s ear.

“But if you don’t —”

“If that happens, others will come and find you. Do what you must to stay alive.”

In his heart, Jack knew if he didn’t succeed, Lily would be immediately killed, too, but he wanted her to remain quiet and still. He had decided she was traumatized enough without telling her the truth.

“Marcie has talked about you,” she said quickly, in a subconscious desire to have him stay with her a little longer.

“She’s still your friend,” he said, picking up the revolver beside him and standing up. Lily reached up and clung to his wrist. “I have to go,” he said.

Lily slowly let go and wrapped her arms around her knees, drawing them tight to her chest. “I hope you kill them all,” she whispered bitterly.

Jack had not told her the revolver was empty. “I’ll do my best,” he said, wondering how many men were being sent down the tunnel after him.

Eduardo handed his pistol to Berto and then descended the ladder first, but paused on a rung of the ladder above where the roof of the tunnel started. The possibility existed that Jack could be hiding in the tunnel near the shaft, outside the view from above and attempt to grab the gun of the first person who descended the ladder.

Eduardo glanced up at the two mercenaries who were aiming their weapons down the shaft and gave a slight nod before jumping the remaining distance. He landed in a crouched position with his back against the end of the tunnel wall.