Page 29 of Fear No Evil

As Arias nodded, Maggie made a note never to speak English in his presence.

Boris heaved a sigh for the Argentine’s plight. “Did they say they would release you if you got them rich?”

“Yes.” Arias closed his prim mouth and swallowed hard. “And they promised to kill me if I do not.”

A pained silence filled the small space until Boris broke it. “We will do everything in our power to keep that from happening.”

“Thank you.”

Maggie’s gaze wandered a second time. Several books of Marxist leaning lay atop the crude desk. A pen lay next to a closed notebook, which she longed to crack open. Catching her eye, Jake drew her attention to the handheld radio lying atop an old boom box that occupied the windowsill. Thanks to the repeater on the top of the mountain, the FARC could communicate regardless of their position on the mountain.

“Have you seen the hostages?”

Boris’s question drew Maggie’s attention to the Argentine. “No, no.” He shook his salt-and-pepper curls. “I arrived here only a week ago, and I’ve been at this camp since I was kidnapped.”

“Have you met General Rojas, the rebel commander? Do you know where he stays?”

“No, I haven’t met him yet. I probably know less than you.”

Maggie could tell the man was speaking honestly.

“But you will take our requests to Rojas, right? You’re the middleman.”

Arias spread his hands in a shrug. “I suppose so.”

Maggie shot a frustrated look at Jake. This business of negotiations could take weeks, even months, to accomplish. They had to find Howitz and Barnes before the captives succumbed to starvation or illness, and the batteries for Jake’s phone ran out of power.

Looking depleted, Boris went to sit on one end of the lower bunk, propping his elbows on his knees to keep from bumping his head. “The first thing we will need from you is proof of life.”

Arias nodded, looking overwhelmed. “What would that look like?”

Charles shifted toward the screen door to warn of impending visitors.

“Well, a written message with their signatures would suffice. When we have that much, we will make our offer to the FARC.”

The Argentine thought for a moment. “Then there’s nothing more to discuss right now?”

“No, but we’ll just stay right here until they come for us.” Boris glanced back at the bed, as though tempted to lay back on it and fall asleep. “I hope they’re going to feed us soon.”

Jake bent down to examine the boom box. “What do they listen to out here?”

Arias smiled cynically. “You’ll see. There’s reveille every morning and every afternoon anti-American hour. Commander Marquez opens the window, and the trainees are made to sit and listen to a Cuban Marxist rant aboutlascapitalistas. They have no idea what they’re listening to. Most are just simplecampesinosforced to take up arms.”

Maggie pictured the girl who’d given her the clothes and wondered at her circumstances. “Why are there only teenagers here? Where are the rest of the FARC?”

Arias thought for a moment. “I have no idea. But I’m sure there are more.”

Maggie was also sure.

With nothing else to accomplish, they basked in the luxury of electricity until Charles straightened abruptly. “Time’s up.”

Marquez pushed open the screen door and poked his head inside. “All done?”

“Sí.”

As Arias came to his feet, Marquez said to him, “We will travel to my general in the morning.”

“How long until you return?” Boris bravely asked.

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