King of All I Survey
Chapter 111: What if Colombia Does Attack?

Chapter 111: What if Colombia Does Attack?

The President’s jaw dropped open. He sat staring at his monitor in disbelief for at least five seconds, running over in his head the words he thought he just heard. "I’m sorry, what?" He finally asked.

Maribel looked apologetic as she answered, "We have decided that should another force attack Guatemala, we will not simply kill them as they cross the border. In fact, we are sickened by what we did with the Chiapas incursion. Every one of those graves is an eternal reminder of our moral and strategic failures."

"And so, if Colombia does launch a military strike on Guatemala because of what you’ve done, we are on our own to defend the country against them?" Arroyo asked weakly.

"No, we will not engage in fighting, nor support either side should fighting occur. However, it is our firm belief that Colombia will not be able to get a single ship or ground transport of any type to make it more than 100 yards outside of their own borders. Military aircraft bound for Guatemala, we believe, will be found to be inoperable," Maribel clarified.

Arroyo raised an eyebrow and tilted his head as if considering, "Much the same way we found our aircraft disabled when someone took over our television broadcasts and was afraid that we might use them to blow up all our own transmitting antennae?"

"Perhaps," Maribel replied, shrugging her shoulders noncommittally.

"I see. Still, if they decide to march an army through Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras to get to us? Or perhaps they would just send specialized clandestine teams to attack specific targets in Guatemala."

"Really? Do you think Panama or the United States would let them march an army over the Canal? Even if they did, we think they will find it difficult to do much damage or to escape being identified," Maribel said with a slight smile.

"Do you? And can you tell me why you are of that opinion?"

"I’m afraid I can’t. However, we also don’t think it likely that they will make any attack on your country at all."

"You said 100 yards," Arroyo said watching Maribel’s face on the monitor.

"Yes, roughly," She answered.

"No, I mean most Peruvians would have said 100 meters, not yards."

For a second, just a second, Maribel looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Back at the base, Dad and I exchanged glances. "I knew nothing good would come from the metric system," Dad proclaimed with more venom that I thought was justified.

"Really, you’re blaming the metric system instead of blaming the one country in the world that refuses to adopt it?" I asked with mock indignation.

He looked at me out of the side of his eye as he turned his attention back to the viewscreen.

Maribel recovered quickly, "I spent some time abroad, and got used to it."

"You know, we did investigate your background and your family in Peru. Although we found plenty of public records, we didn’t find any actual people. We didn’t even find people who had ever seen any of your family, including you. Perhaps we should have looked somewhere other than Peru. Maybe a country that doesn’t use the metric system?"

Maribel looked at Arroyo coldly, "I really don’t think you should look anywhere at all."

"Maybe so, but you are asking me to accept an awful lot of faith."

"No, President Arroyo, I am asking you to look at what we have accomplished in Guatemala and elsewhere. Would you really like us to leave? Would you prefer the country as it was when we found it? Do you doubt our ability to do as I have said we would?"

Arroyo sighed deeply. He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. "Maybe not, but I can see situations where knowing your identity or your true affiliation might cause me to answer those questions differently, especially since you have announced plans to replace me as President."

"It’s not entirely out of the question for you to convince us otherwise..." Maribel offered, "but that is a question for another day. Tell me, do you plan to issue a statement, or will you visit the UN and OAS in person?"

"I will issue a statement in writing. I will also make the same statement later this afternoon on television. If they ask me to testify in person, I will do so. And what of you, Miss Flores?"

"I will follow your lead and present our case in writing. I will include the names of members of the Colombian government, military, and law enforcement who have been working with the cartels, and the evidence we have against them. I will provide evidence against the cartels themselves. I will say that I worked loosely with you and the government of Guatemala on events within Guatemala, but that you had no knowledge of our plans outside your borders. I will say, quite truthfully, that we hold no prisoners within the borders of Guatemala. I will offer to testify in person at a time and place of their choosing, under diplomatic immunity for the duration of my visit." Maribel’s eyes narrowed and an evil grin spread slowly across her face, "I will also offer to do for any other country, whether in the Americas or elsewhere, what we have done in Guatemala."

Arroyo’s face showed his surprise at the last piece of information, "Really? Do you have enough resources at your immediate disposal for that?"

She smiled, "I suppose it depends upon how many countries take us up on the offer. Will you be willing to host foreign delegations wishing to visit and see our work here first-hand if they should express an interest in doing so?"

"Yes, within limits and with an official escort at all times," He answered after a moment’s consideration.

"Good. I will get to work on the written statement and files right away. I will send them within 30 minutes. I think I should send them separate from yours, to make the distinction as clear as possible. Do you agree, Mr. President?""

"I do. I would ask that you hold off until my own statement has been sent. Mine will take a bit longer. Perhaps three hours from now?"

"Of course. I’ll send mine to the UN and OAS in three and a half hours. In the meantime, if you have any further questions, or if you want to clarify any points, you have my number. It has been a pleasure talking with you." With that, the connection went out, and President Arroyo was left staring at a blank screen.

"Morales, Hernandez, what are your thoughts?" we heard him ask the two who were on audio phone lines only.

"I don’t like it one bit!" Hernandez declared. "They put us in this mess and now they refuse to fight if we’re attacked? Preposterous!"

"But Alejandro, she all but said that she will make it impossible for Colombia to mount an attack at all, even if they chose to," Arroyo protested.

"Just who the hell are these people? I think we need to know," Gabriel Morales said. "What’s their endgame? What are they after?"

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