Chapter 18

[Monica's story continues]

Benita jumped out and came toward one of our captors. I think she planned to either raise hell about the tires or kiss him. She got a chance to do neither. Instead the man knifed her in the belly and she fell away from him mortally injured. Soledad shouted, "No!" She ran toward the man who then shot her. She was dead almost as she fell to the ground.

I stood with my hands held high and waited. I didn't move a muscle as I felt a man come beside me and pull my pistol from its holster. I waited. Finally, someone said, "Lower your hands. Do not make any sudden moves or you, too, will die."

He was speaking in Spanish but I had learned that language over the last three years. I responded. 'I am Monica Lewis, an American in Italy on the Day. I am trying to make it home. I was captured by a group who were taken over. The three of us escaped and were heading for Lisbon. Neither of my friends had weapons. They didn't have to die."

"They were told to get out with their hands up. They didn't listen. I was surprised that Jose let that one get so close before he cut her. We have lost people to other folks' treachery.

"What do you want?"

"I would like to be released and continue on my way."

"Having a second choice might be a good idea."

"Since you are going to choose for me anyway regardless of my wishes, why don't you tell me so I can decide whether to go along or force you to murder me?"

That stopped the conversation for a long moment. I think he realized that I was serious. I just then decided that I would not be someone's "woman" again. I had no family left. All I had was me and I would no longer be ashamed of what I did to stay alive. I waited for another long moment.

I said, "I'm leaving since you don't have anything to offer. Go ahead and shoot if you want. I have nothing left to live for. You have already murdered my friends. You might as well murder me, too."

"Lady, I'm sorry about your friends."

"Thanks. Now, go ahead and shoot. It won't be hard to shoot me in the back. It's either that or let me go." I started walking back the way we had come waiting for the bullet that would end my life. They didn't shoot. I walked about five blocks before turning down a street and then hiding. All I had was my fanny pack and the empty holster.

I decided that I was going to fight. I started back along a side street very slowly watching for any signs of a trap. I went into houses looking for anything that I could use. I wanted my pistol back. I also wanted a rifle and ammunition for it. I found a baseball bat so I carried it.

This time, I found them first. I found their prisoners, too. They had four women and two men under guard. The guard was the one who knifed Benita. Not even the prisoners were looking when I jumped the guy. I tried to hit a home run with his head connecting behind his right ear. The crunch was sickening. He fell slowly to his knees. I didn't give him a chance. I swung the other way catching him behind his other ear. He fell motionless bleeding slowly from both ears. I patted him down and found his knife and my pistol. I left the knife. The prisoners started to talk and I shushed them. In Spanish, I told them that, if they wanted to escape, they could follow me. I quickly walked away from the spot and went to ground in another building.

All six followed me. Once inside, I whispered, "Tell me your story quietly and quickly." I pointed at one man.

"We lived in Seville, my wife, my sister, and I. We had wandered close to here. They picked us up this morning. I don't think they were from here but came here from some place else or were forced out. My guess is they were forced out from elsewhere. I am Rodrigo. My wife is Gabriella. My sister is Maria."

The other man said, "I am Alfredo. I've lived here all my life. They captured me two days ago. Louisa lived here, too. They hurt her pretty badly." I saw that he was helping a woman about his age. They both looked to be middle thirties though I wasn't sure. That covered all of them except one remaining woman.

She looked to be the youngest at late twenties or early thirties. She was moving slow like the rest. "I am Elena. I was captured about a week ago. They were forced out from the northeast of here. They have been taking turns on me until Louisa was captured. They raped her, too. This evening, they would have the rest of you to use." She looked at me. "Thank you for saving us, Lady."

I gave them a little of my story. I said, "You must be prepared to fight or you will be taken again and used. It's your choice but, if you won't fight, I don't want you with me."

Elena said, "I know what they will do. I will fight and die rather be their captive again. I had already decided to fight next time and become free whether in life or in death."

All decided to fight to stay free. I noticed that Rodrigo's wife, Gabriella, was the only one truly slow to agree. We left the area on foot. We reached the outskirts of the little town without incident. It was too easy. I stopped us and went into a two-story house to look around some more. Rodrigo and Gabriella stayed downstairs while the rest of us went up. I found the ambush the bad guys had set in place.

At that moment, the door crashed in downstairs and angry voices were heard. I crawled to the door of the bedroom and could hear the sounds of thrashing and grunts of pain. A man's voice said, "We will recapture all of you. Where are the rest?"

Gabriella moaned, "Don't hit him again. I will talk. They left us. The woman who rescued us left before us and I don't know where she went. The others wanted to go to their homes. We were just moving out of the city and stopped here to rest."

"I think you're lying. Remove your clothes." I could hear her sobbing but assumed she was stripping. Staying as low as I could, I crawled onto the landing and looked down. There were three. One was guarding. Another was sitting on Rodrigo with a pistol at his back. His back was bleeding. In the man's other hand was a riding crop. The third man was in front of Gabriella who was removing her clothes. She stopped with her underclothing still on. The third man said, "Everything. You must be completely naked or we will whip that man some more."

Gabriella sobbed. "He is my husband. Don't hurt him."

She finished removing her bra and panties. All three were looking. She was a nice looking woman. Even the guard was looking at her and not elsewhere. The man in front of Gabriella holstered his pistol and worked the front of his pants. I decided that now was the time. My pistol was in my hand.

I shot the guard, the man in front of Gabriella who was about to pull her to him. I was too late to save Rodrigo from a shot to the back of his head as I shot the third man. It wasn't my best and he shot Gabriella in the chest. I did drop him with my final shot.

We tumbled down the stairs. Elena grabbed a rifle. The rest grabbed other arms while I checked Gabriella. She was dying. She gasped out, "Rodrigo, is he?"