Vistaria Has Fallen (The Vistaria Affair/Vistaria Has Fallen #1)(69)

They turned a long, curving bend in the road. Nick worked at the wheel to keep the car in the deep ruts as it leaned sideways. As the curve straightened, two things happened at once. The windscreen in front of Nick blossomed with three stars that radiated out across the glass and Joshua threw up his hands with a dismayed, “Holy shit!”

Nick stamped on the brakes and the car slewed to a halt, the back of it fishtailing in the loose sand. He fought the wheel to keep the skid under control. They halted, the engine ticking.

On the road ahead were two men standing with their legs spread. A third was off to the side, lowering the gun he had been aiming at the car.

Joshua whistled. “Bulletproof glass?” he asked Nick.

Nick nodded.

“You are one lucky son of a bitch,” Joshua declared.

It confirmed what Calli had thought—the stars on the windscreen were bullet marks.

“Everyone stay still. Nobody say a word, no matter what they say. Understood?” Nick said in an undertone.

“Who are they?” Calli breathed.

“I think we’re about to meet our first official rebels.”

The smallest of the pair standing on the road waved them forward. The man with the pistol ran down to stand level with the car and Joshua’s open window. “Fuera! Salga del coche.”

“What did he say?” Beryl whispered.

“Ponga las manos arriba!” he screamed.

Joshua shot his hands up into the air. “All right, already,” he said. “I’m getting out.”

“All of you!” the man said with a heavy accent. “All. Out.”

Nick switched off the engine, pulled out the keys and got out of the car. Calli opened her door and tugged Minnie into following her.

The man with the gun herded them toward the other two. A fourth man stepped out of the trees, pointing a rifle with a long, curved magazine. Calli caught her breath and tried not to show any reaction. The fourth man was Harry, the congenial guitar player she had met in the truck on the way to the party. He did not appear as young or easy-going, now.

They were surrounded. Calli kept Beryl and Minnie beside her and in the center of the ring where Nick, Joshua and she would offer a little protection if the men fired.

The smaller of the two men standing in the middle of the road appeared to be unarmed. The other held a large revolver, cradling it in the crook of his other arm, his finger resting against the barrel. All of them were unshaved and dirty. None wore anything that resembled a uniform. Harry wore the jeans and tee-shirt she had seen him in at the party.

The small man smiled as Nick stopped in front of him and spread his hands in welcome. “La mirada lo que yo me agarré hoy...se?or Nicolás Escobedo.” He gloated.

“Pablo Santos,” Nick drawled. “I’m surprised to find you on the other side.”

Pablo laughed a little. It was not a pleasant sound. “When Serrano told me to watch this dirty road, I thought he had sent me away. He was right, after all. He said rich bastardos would try to get to their big boats and run away. I do not think even he thought someone like you would run away, el leopardo.”

Nick’s glare was his only answer.

“Oye, Pablo!” It was Harry. “La alta rubia allí. Esa es la dama fuerte.”

In amongst the Spanish, Calli focused on words she recognized. La dama fuerte. Her skin crawled. Harry was talking about her.

Pablo stepped forward, trying to move past Joshua so he could see her. “La mujer de Escobedo?” he asked with an evil smile and reached behind his back.

His movement triggered Nick. Nick took two big strides toward Calli, pushing Beryl out of the way as he did so. A shout went up from the rebels surrounding them, panic clear in their voices. Nick threw his left arm around Calli and spun her around. Calli felt his right hand tug something between them. His hand shot out to point at Pablo...and his gun was in it.

Beryl screamed and Minnie dropped to the ground, her hands over her ears.

At the same time Pablo pulled his hand out from behind his back and brought up a revolver and cocked it, pointing it straight at Nick.

Both of them grew still, their guns aimed at each other.

Nick had pulled her around so she would be out of the line of fire. Calli trembled. Pablo had either intended to shoot her out of hand, or else use her to force Nick to comply with whatever he wanted. Thank God Nick had guessed his intentions.

Pablo smiled. “Shoot me, and Harry will kill everyone here. Including you.”

“You’ll be dead, though,” Nick responded, his voice low and even.

Pablo considered it a moment. Then, with a quick movement he lifted his revolver up in the air, taking his finger off the trigger. “You see?” he said. “This will get us nowhere.”

Nick didn’t lower his gun and from the corner of her eye Calli could see that none of the other men had, either.

Pablo shrugged and let the gun hang from his hand. “We have more to offer you, se?or Escobedo, than a bullet.”

“Recruitment?” Nick said, his voice dry. “What makes you think I would sell out as easily as you?”

Pablo’s face flushed. He shook his head, dismissing the criticism. “How long is it since you heard a status report, Nicolás? Three hours? More?”

Nick didn’t answer.

“The army has laid down its weapons. The people have emerged from their homes to show support for the revolution. Serrano is on his way to the palace. Your brother Jose will be escorted from the grounds before midnight tonight. We have won, a great victory that will be forever known as the fastest revolution in history.”