King of All I Survey
Chapter 55: Dad Owes Luis a Beer

Chapter 55: Dad Owes Luis a Beer

The news anchor continued, "The woman who appeared in both videos along with Rafael Camal de Leon, Maria Isabel Flores, has been identified as the president of Food First, A charitable organization headquartered in Sacapulas. The charity has been helping farmers increase their production yields with modern technology according to local sources. We interviewed one of the local farmers, who gave his name only as Chipa."

The reporter’s face faded out and the scene faded to another reporter holding a microphone. "What was this Miss Flores like?" he asked pushing a microphone toward an older man’s face. The older man, dressed in jeans and an old T-shirt with the English words "Run with Sneakers" printed on it in a cartoonish font, looked at the microphone for a second before remembering he was supposed to speak into it. "Maribel, that’s what she wanted us all to call her, Maribel was very nice to everyone. She asked how we were doing and if we needed help with anything. She was always so beautiful, like a movie star, always smiling. A shame she wasn’t married at her age... All of us brought our corn to her for processing, she had a big American machine that made so much masa and tortillas from our corn, we thought it must be magic! I hope she comes back. We could all use the extra money again from taking the extra tortillas to market. And she even gave her share away to people who could not afford to buy enough food for their families. She is a hero, she was practically a saint... maybe that’s why she wasn’t married? I never heard good things about that Camal de Leon character, but I guess if she likes him, he must be ok. A woman like that would never stand by a bad man."

Rafael was laughing out loud so hard that he was bent forward. Maribel blushed and slapped his arm, "Stop that, it’s not funny."

"Oh, yes, it is. ’not married at her age’... ’she must be a saint’" he managed to say through his laughter.

Somehow, despite herself, she found his laugh infectious. It was kind of funny, she thought. "Don’t be such a bad man or I won’t stand by you!" She scolded him playfully. He broke into new fits of laughter.

The first news anchor was back on the screen when they remembered the TV. "She has been traced to a home in Mixco according to police sources. A raid was executed on her home, but it appeared to have been hastily abandoned just moments before police arrived. They found no trace of her present whereabouts."

She glanced at Rafael. He was staring at her. "How the hell did you manage that?" he asked incredulously. Then he turned to Luis, "or maybe I should ask you?"

Luis smiled, "That is a trade secret Mr. Camal de Leon."

"Of course it is," Rafael said with an appreciative grin.

But Luis offered a little more, "Let’s just say that property records in Guatemala are... sometimes inaccurate."

"Records indicate," The reporter continued, "that she recently arrived in Guatemala from her native Peru. She is linked to the wealthy Flores family of Lima, Peru. Peruvian authorities have been asked to question her reclusive family members but reportedly have been unable to locate them. Our investigation shows the family has extensive business and investment holdings in Peru and The United States."

"A source who chose to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to speak on the matter, told us that the Guatemalan government had attempted to seize the bank accounts of both Mr. Camal Leon and Miss Flores, but found they had already been emptied, the money transferred overseas through several banks and shell corporations, and cannot be fully traced."

Rafael stared again at Maribel, then at Luis, "You took my money?"

Maribel answered, "Let’s just say, it’s hidden away in a safe place. If you continue to play nice, perhaps you can have it back."

Rafael’s face darkened for a moment, a bit of his old rage showing through. He visibly calmed himself, "well, I guess that’s better than the government taking it."

Maribel smiled, "And," she said, "Luis tells me that the records of your helicopter and private plane have been mysteriously altered so that it looks like you never owned such things at all."

"That must be a trade secret, too, I’m sure." Rafael said with a sly grin.

"Of course it is," Luis answered.

Luis suddenly stared into the distance, listening to his earpiece. When he looked back, he said "two of the assassins have been terminated, their bodies have been secured."

"Really?" Rafael asked playfully, "Only two, I would have thought you’d have them all by now."

"We would have," Luis answered coolly, "but we have to wait until they’re alone, otherwise picking up the bodies and carrying them away gets... awkward. I’m sure you know something about that in your former line of work. Also, we have orders not to touch them until they are actually in Guatemala."

"Are you saying you have agents in Chiapas and Colombia who could reach them?" Rafael asked with one eyebrow raised.

"I am not saying anything," Luis riposted.

On the television screen, the reporter looked off camera for a second, then a hand entered the view from his right side, handing him a sheet of paper. "We have a breaking development. Witnesses in Huehuetenango are reporting that military helicopters have brought troops to a fenced compound outside the city. The aircraft landed outside the fences and troops rushed forward breaking open the gate and running inside. Gunfire was heard for several minutes. Local witnesses say the compound was frequented by members of the Tohil gang. The Tohil gang are thought to be one of the strongest organized crime factions in the country."

Rafael raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. Somebody seems to have grown a pair of balls suddenly. I don’t suppose I could have a phone to make a few calls?"

"Not just now, but soon. In fact, we have some particular people we’d like you to call a little later and even a script for you to follow," Maribel told him.

His lip twitched, betraying his anger, but he did not otherwise react.

"If this continues, a lot of my people will be killed. A lot of soldiers, too." He said coldly. "Some of them would follow me against the cartels..."

"Perhaps they would. You know," she confided, "when we were developing this plan, I suggested just killing all of you outright and being done with it." She inhaled sharply, not sure why she said that. She felt it was true, but she didn’t recall any such statement.

Rafael looked at her appraisingly, "Did you? What made you change your mind?"

She smiled and turned away coyly as she answered, "They showed me your picture..." She rose from her seat beside Rafael and started toward the kitchen, "Anybody else want some coffee? I’m putting on another pot."

Rafael stared after her, bemused by her casual admission, or really by both admissions. "Are you flirting with me Maribel?" He asked.

Manny suddenly broke into a coughing fit. Luis stood up quickly and moved toward the kitchen as if to put himself between Rafael and Maribel, he turned and faced Rafael resolutely, "No. SHE IS NOT," he said emphatically. Both Manny and Luis knew that Maribel was just a cover identity. The real woman, buried in some hypnotic amnesia for this mission, was named Susan Bailey, and she was married.

Both Rafael and Maribel stared at Luis, caught completely off guard by his sharp response.

"Luis! I’m sure I can take care of myself, thank you."

"I’m sorry Miss Flores, I just think your father might not like that kind of forward behavior." Luis called up one of the post-hypnotic triggers out of desperation.

Maribel’s eyes twitched ever so briefly before she agreed, "You’re right, of course, Luis. He is very protective." She went back to making coffee, almost as if she had dismissed or forgotten the entire interplay.

---

Back in the Status Room, we had a view of the discussion in Maribel’s house alongside the situation map display. My attention was captured by the colored dots as one color swarmed together in groups and moved quickly across the map toward a group of another color. Then some of each color winked out as men died. It didn’t seem real when they were reduced to little colored dots like a video game. I made a point to call up the detail of each one, the man’s name, his family members, good things he had done as well as the bad. Mentally, I made a side file of those killed because I chose to intervene at this place. When I could, I vowed, I would visit their families and offer my sorrow. I would not apologize, they chose their own course in life, but I could grieve for them.

I looked over and noticed Dad was paying no attention whatsoever to the situation map. He was leaning forward, wholly focused on Maribel’s house. I had totally missed whatever happened there. I saw Luis standing facing a seated Rafael. Maribel standing behind him. Dad leaned back, relaxing a bit. "Good man, Luis," he said, "I owe you a beer."

I had no idea what was going on there.