Chapter 6

Off Cuban waters

Karen screamed! "Dead? Paul's dead?"

"No, Karen, this miserable dog failed. We found Paul right after he fell from the ship. We were assigned to protect you from danger. Our lookout saw the whole thing. Paul is in my bunk. He was hit with a glancing shot to his head. He just woke up, but our medic will not let him up yet. We waited to get an arrest authorization before we could make contact."

KT ran to attack the kneeling man when she heard a small Spanish voice behind her. "Papa, what is wrong?"

Junta ran to the children and ushered them below decks. "Let's make popcorn. KT showed me how to do this. It is so much fun."

Hullo stepped in front of KT. "This is not the way. Your father will be fine. Let us take care of justice."

After the children were out of the way, Paul was allowed by the medic to return to his boat provided he stayed quiet and in the reclining deck chair. He and his family listened as Fidel told of his family's capture and the bargain he made to keep them alive.

"You should have told us, Fidel," replied Karen. "We would have helped you. I don't know what we can do for you now, but we'll try."

A Cubin sailor called Hullo aside. When he returned, he was shaking his head. "When we saw you shoot Paul, we sent a police car to your home. I just got the report back. There is only one person there, a body. A neighbor identified the body as your wife."

Fidel fell to the deck as he screamed. A few moments later, he lifted his shocked face. "Where is my daughter?"

"No one else was there. That will give you a lot to think about while you're in prison."

Paul cleared his throat. "You guys send people to prison for an honest mistake? Fidel was going to show me his gun when we hit a little rough water and it went off. It scared me. I tripped, fell, and hit my head on something."

KT looked at her father. "Dad, you know that's not what happened."

"Were you there?"

"No."

"I was." He quickly looked at the man who shot him. "Fidel, shut up!"

Fidel closed his mouth and fell back to the deck at Paul's command.

Hullo looked at Paul and asked, "Are you sure this is the way you want to remember this "accident"?"

"Yup, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. Now we need to find a young lady, and save her life."

The Florida Keys

The south Florida moon was the only light on the private dock on one of the southernmost keys. Stars were bright twinkling contrast to the black of the cloudless sky. The warm night was laced with humidity making breathing almost difficult. The winds were absent, almost as if they were ashamed to be a part of the scene taking place.

The rough looking security guard's tight fitting uniform bulged over hardened mounds of steel like muscles. As he almost gently pulled the frightened girl from the boat to the dock, he asked, "Do you understand English?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. I want to make this as easy on you as I can. Do what I tell you and don't cause any trouble. If you do that, I won't have to be nasty with you. You do want to be a good girl, don't you?"

The guard looked in anticipation at the young girl. Her clothes were dirty, but in good shape. The undersized sun dress she had on showed cleavage much too large for a girl of 14 and that view was further enhanced by her hands being cuffed behind her back. She tried to keep her responses under control, because if she didn't do as they told her, they would kill her mother.

Consuela had been at the top of her school in military training, and due to her father letting her study his military history books, was further advanced than most of the older students that had graduated. She pulled back into that mindset to hide her feelings. She knew, as her father had taught her, that if she showed the least amount of fear, they would own her. She was determined not to be owned.

"Well, girl, you really don't want me to be nasty. You want to be good, don't you?" he asked her again.

"Yes sir. I'm sorry I didn't respond quicker."

"That's OK this time. Let's not make me wait for another answer, though.

"Yes sir."

"What's your name girl? I don't like calling you girl."

"Consuela, sir."

"OK, Connie, let's get you in the van so we can get you home and cleaned up."

The man gently helped her into the back seat of the van and removed the handcuff from one hand and locked it to a bar on the seat. "Comfortable?"

Consuela nodded her head, "Yes sir."

"Good. You keep this kind of respect for your betters, and you just might be around for a while. I hope so, kid. I like you, and once you clean up I'd bet you're easy on the eyes."

Consuela choked down her true response and replied, "Thank you sir." Consuela's maturity had always impressed those around her. At an early age, her parents had spent hours training her in the ways of diplomacy and adult interaction. This training would now be seriously put to the test.

Havana government conference room

The large wooden table was surrounded by a group of very unhappy people. Maria was the most unhappy of the group. Her voice vibrated against the wood paneled walls. "Paul, you can't be serious! If you go back to the States now you're going to jail, and I can't help you. You need to stay in Cuba while your people try to clear this mess up.

"Maria, one of my people is in trouble, and he is getting my help. Fidel and I are going after his daughter. This is because of me, and I'll not let it rest."

Maria stomped to Paul's chair and glowered over him. "One, Fidel is a Cuban military officer. He is not one of your people. Two, the only way this could be your fault is if Captain Adzes had been forced to try and kill you, but you have sworn that it was an accident. If you are changing your story, we have enough on the good Captain to put him in front of a firing squad. Are you changing your story?"

"No, I'm not. The good Captain was a guest on my boat when his family was attacked. That makes it my problem."

Maria took a deep breath, "OK, you need to think this out. We have no proof that Sal Salendes has left Cuba. At least wait for us to finish our local search. You can find out what you can through your sources in the United States while we finish here. If we haven't found her by then, I'll help you get in through Canada. I have some friends in Cleveland, Ohio that may be able to help.

We are working with the Columbian government now to get Captain Adzes diplomatic papers. The Cuban government cannot help you, though. I can, however, get you Canadian papers for you and your family. I'm working through my people in Greece now. I think your best bet is to come in from Bermuda when it is time to go. The cost of my help is for you to wait for my uncle to finish his search. Agreed?"

"You win. Let's get back to the C-2 and start work. Fidel and the kids are staying with us for now, if you allow. It may be the safest place for them."

"OK, Paul. I really don't know why you're taking an interest in someone who tried to kill you, but it's your call."

"Maria, it was an accident."

"Oh yes, of course you're correct. It was an accident."

Later, Havana Harbor, on the C2

Karen and Junta took the kids to the harbor complex for ice cream. Paul, KT and Fidel were in C-2's galley going over the meeting at the government building.

"Paul, you know I tried to kill you," started Fidel. "Why are you covering for me?"

"My friend, you had no choice. If I were in your place, I would have done the same thing. I can't even imagine Karen and KT being put in this situation. It would make me crazy. Besides, I want the people who want me, and you are my best chance of getting them. We are more powerful if we work together."

"Well, if you can trust me, I have learned that I made the wrong choice. They carried out their threats even though I did what they told me."

"Fidel, trust is not an issue. Your objectives and mine are the same. Someone is going to pay for this, bottom line."

KT couldn't let it ride. "Also, I'll be watching you like hawk. If I even think you're having the wrong thoughts, you're a dead man. I've already killed too many men for it to bother me now."

Paul looked at her in shock. Fidel simply nodded his head in recognition. "I blame you not. I hope you do not hold it against my children. They enjoy your friendship."

"Kids are not responsible for the sins of their father. I will treat them like a younger brother and sister. Don't worry about that."

"Thank you."

Just then two very sticky children rushed down the ladder and jumped on their father. "Papa, it was so great. I had the biggest ice cream in the entire world. It was so good."

Fidel laughed, "I see, Jenna, that you are wearing most of it." He kissed her on the cheek. "It certainly was good, or is the just daddy's little girl that tastes good enough to eat?"

Florida Keys

As long as Consuela treated him with respect and did what she was told, Max Reynolds, the guard, was gentle and did not hurt her. He was almost friendly as he showed her around her gilded cage. Her thoughts, however, immediately turned to escape when Max left and locked the door.

Consuela searched the apartment. It was made up of a large combination bedroom and sitting room. One door led to what she assumed was the outside. Another led to a walk in closet, and a third led to a massive bathroom.

What looked like a window was really a back lit recess into a concrete wall. The walls were covered in a light earth tone wall covering with small scenes of the outdoors embossed on it. The ceiling was a solid sheet of some glowing material that lit the entire room. Several wall hangings were placed in recesses in the wall, but were protected by vandal resistant polycarbonate sheets.

Consuela was becoming frustrated when she heard a soft knock on the door. The door opened and Max entered the room. He was carrying several bath towels, some soap, shampoo, and a set of gym shorts and a matching tee shirt.

"I thought you would like to clean up and get something clean on while your clothes are laundered. Go in the bathroom, throw you clothes out the door, and I'll take them out for you. I'll have a little snack for you from the kitchen. That should hold you until breakfast.

"There is bottled water in the small refrigerator next to the sofa if you get thirsty. You know what they say, 'Don't drink the water.' That may be true here, there are a lot of lead pipes in these old homes.

"Lights out is in one hour. The lights will blink five minutes before they go off. When you get out of the shower, I won't be here any more, Connie. I am being transferred to another location. Ms Sexton will be here tomorrow to take care of you.

"You are a nice girl, and I hope you find a good lawyer to get you out of trouble with Homeland Security. If all terrorists were as nice as you, maybe we could get through all this crazy business."

Consuela couldn't believe what she had just heard. "I'm not a terrorist. I'm just a girl."

"I'm so glad to hear that, Connie, because here in America we have the best system of protection in the world. Hearing what you say, I'm sure you'll be out of here in no time at all. I believe that's what America is all about."

When Consuela came out of the bathroom in her tight shirt and shorts, she found a tray of sliced fruit, cheese, and crackers. About half way through the snack the lights flashed, and the young girl stuffed her mouth and went to bed. When the lights went out, exhaustion overtook her and she slept the sleep of the drugged, for more reasons than exhaustion.