Page 51 of V-Day
“Everyone…” he murmured.
Ibarra took a half-step sideways, putting distance between himself and Torrini.
Serrano spoke just above a whisper, not because he was controlling himself, but because his vocal chords were under so much pressure, he couldn’t speak louder. His voice was hoarse.
“There are twelve thousand enemy troops sitting on the other side of the Freonegro pass. The only thing stopping them is a drone circling over Washington, and the prisoners we took tomakethem stop. We knew it would work because of the intelligence Torres and Zalaya before him unearthed about vulnerable people in the White House, and the key people among the Loyalists. Do you know how we learned all this critical information?”
The question was directed at Torrini, although Ibarra still quivered.
Torrini let out a soft, airy breath. His expression was calm. He knew how bad this was, the poor bastard. “Online data algorithms.”
“Computer information,” Serrano corrected him. Serrano’s grasp of digital technology was so weak, he failed to understand online data algorithms was a more precise answer than his.
Ibarra kept his expression rigid. His heart was hurting more than his ear now. Hemusttake a nitroglycerin dose as soon as possible.
“And now,” Serrano continued, “you are telling me there is no more computer information for us to read.”
Serrano’s statement was a wild over-generalization of what was happening although he had grasped the important part—that the data they needed was no longer available.
Torrini didn’t move. “That is correct,” he said, his tone the same as if he had just confirmed there were bagels for breakfast.
Serrano calmly unclipped the flap of his holster, took out his Mauser and fired.
Torrini dropped with a heavy thud. The shot had taken him in the chest, right over the heart. The blood seepage was minimal as a result, yet it still reached out toward Ibarra’s boots.
Ibarra moved farther out of the way and massaged his chest. His heart was working far too hard. Was this it? Was this the moment when it would give out on him?
He watched Serrano for clues about what he would do next. Would Ibarra join Torinni on the floor?
Serrano put his gun away and buttoned the flap of the holster.
“Is there something you would like me to do to compensate for this loss, General?” Ibarra asked cautiously.
“Somethingwemust do, yes,” Serrano told him. “The strategy is already in play. The full weight of my forces—every man who could be spared—will land upon Peña’s pathetic army in the next few hours. Then we will kill them all. Then the Americans and the Mexicans won’t matter.”
He turned to his window and peered out, his hands back behind his spine once more. He was calm because he had vented all his anger with a single bullet.
Ibarra began to shake. He must reach his office at once. The drugs were there.
“I will collect updates on the current positions and report back, General,” he told Serrano’s back and escaped, while he still had the strength to do so.
*
THEY HAD BEEN MOVING DOWNHILLfor two hours, threading through the silhouettes of trees which all looked the same, when Cristián made them stop.
He was behind Chloe in the long, single file line led by Yardley, who was some sort of navigation genius. Parris was right behind Yardley. No one spoke as they moved. Chloe was the only one giving away their presence. She was tired and stepped on twigs and dried out leaf matter which popped and cracked alarmingly in the silent night.
Cristián brushed past her, his long legs pulling him downhill at a faster rate than anyone else. Chloe looked up from her feet, startled. Cristián slipped past the two men who were pacing between Parris and her, then Parris herself, who looked around sharply.
Cristián grabbed Yardley’s arm and brought him to a halt.
Everyone gathered up behind the pair as Cristián murmured to Yardley. Parris stepped closer to listen. Chloe couldn’t make out what he was saying.
Parris, though, shook her head. “We’re still a quarter mile from the defense perimeter.”
“I’m telling you, the electronic surveillance reaches out farther than normal.” Cristián’s voice was a little louder. “We’re about to walk into it.”
Parris considered him. “Do you even know where we are?” she asked.
