Chapter XVI

RUN JAKE RUN!

The next morning I was in the yard working with Tom when Mike came running out of the house shouting something to the men. Two of them headed for the house. The others headed for the barn. “Jake put up Tom. Trouble is headed our way.”

Leading Tom toward the barn, we met the men rolling the helicopter out. “What’s going on?”

Mike was headed my way carrying a pint bottle of some dark liquid. "Change of plans Jake. It seems the government got wind of the drop off to the ship. They are headed this direction now. We need to get you out of here."

He handed me the bottle. "Go run a tub full of water, pour that in it, and climb in. Make sure you get every square inch of you wet but don't get it in your eyes. It won't blind you but it will burn like hell."

Holding the bottle out in front of me I tried to imagine why I wanted this dark stuff in my bath water. "What is it?"

"Tannic Acid. Same thing green walnuts has in the husk. It's going to change you into a chicharro” ." A smile crossed Mike's face.

"What is a chicharro?" I was trying to fathom what it was going to do to me. I knew all about getting hold of green walnuts. I had never bathed in the stuff before but I had handled it.

"Go, we don't have that much time. The military will be here in about an hour and I want to be long gone before then. Quinswala will tell them all the hands are out chasing cows." He turned and was gone back out the door.

I headed for the bathtub. I already knew what I was going to look like when I stepped out of that tub after splashing around in his stuff. Quinswala caught me right after I got out of the tub. She led me into the kitchen and rinsed my hair. When she was through I put on the clothes she handed me. I was looking at a stranger in the mirror in the hall. I didn't know the black headed, brown skinned, boy in the mirror. Now I knew what a chicharro was.

Mike was back and he was holding the front door open. "Let's go. They are less then ten minutes out."

Quinswala handed me a bag with my clothes in it. I bolted for the front door behind Mike. "What about Albert?"

Mike was climbing up in the chopper. "He's gone already. The men took Albert up in the mountains. He'll be okay. Get your butt up in here Jake or I'm gonna leave you behind."

The engine on the helicopter was already turning over as I climbed aboard. "Where we headed?"

"You're headed to Chili and I'm going to go have a talk with a man." Mike was yelling over the roar of the engine as the blades begin turning.

"What about fuel? I thought we were empty when we came in and I didn't see any gas pumps around here." I was searching for the fuel gage on the dash as I shouted back at him.

"Filled it up after we parked it in the barn. I don't let everyone know I have fuel or a chopper on this place. Buckle in Jake." He glanced around and the helicopter jumped off the ground. He stayed low, only a couple feet off the ground as we sped off to the north.

I turned around and looked over my shoulder at the ranch we just left behind. One of the men was driving a herd of cows across the front yard and through one end of the barn and out the other. I wondered what he was doing? It finally dawned on me. He was erasing all tracks. No footprints, no skid marks from the helicopter, no nothing was left to be inspected. Mike was thorough if nothing else. Several miles out from the ranch Mike started gaining altitude as we started closing in on forest and mountains.

We had been flying for about two hours when I spotted another ranch ahead of us. Mike was dropping down so I figured that was our destination. He was talking as he started to circle the buildings. "Jake, from now on you are mute. I don't want to hear a single word escape from your mouth. Jesus is a friend but I trust him just so far. He is going to fly you on the next leg. Don't talk to him. If he asks you a question nod and smile and shake your head. Do you understand?"

I nodded, smiled, and shook my head.

He laughed. "You're really quick Jake. Remember to do exactly like that from now on. Jesus knows you are a boy on an errand for me and nothing else. He is going to get you to Lana's Place in Chili. That is all he needs to know."

Just before he set the helicopter down, Mike picked up the sack with my clothes. He slid them under his legs. He dropped a small satchel in my lap. "This is what you are delivering. Keep it with you and don't lose it. Jake, about your clothes? They are a dead give away. We don't get many cowboys down this part of the world. I'll make sure they get where you're going. You can't be caught carrying them or you will be recognized. From here on, you let me take care of the satchel of clothes.

I couldn't believe it. "My passport, my billfold, everything I own is in there. How am I going to get out of the country and back home?"

"All your identification is exactly why you can't carry it with you. Getting out of the country isn't any problem. All your belongings will be there when you need them again."

"Mike, how do I ever repay you?" I had no idea how to repay this debt I owed.

Shaking his head, Mike shushed me. "Mute, remember. You can't talk. Watch your back Jake. One other thing. Your name is Pepe Sanchez from now on."

He shut the engine down after the helicopter was on the ground. A tall thin man came out of one of the buildings and waited. Mike motioned me out of the helicopter as he slid out. He shoved a canvas bag in my direction. Mike walked over to the man and began talking to him. I didn't understand what they were saying and couldn't follow the conversation. I waited beside the helicopter wondering how an errand boy was supposed to act? Not too bold, a little bashful maybe, even a little timid? I didn't know but I was going to give it my best shot. I hid Jake way down deep inside me along with Katrina. It was ironic I was doing to Jake what I had always done to Katrina.

Mike motioned me over. I walked over and waited. Mike pointed toward me and then toward the canvas bag and satchel I was holding in my hands. They talked some more before Mike patted me on the back. Mike said something in Spanish. He handed the man the other bag with my clothes he carried from the helicopter. It had my clothes in it.

He said something else to the man and then broke into English. “The boy and the bags are to be untouched and un opened. If either one happens I will know it. The boy is going to return to my ranch. If he doesn’t I will figure something happened to him. Everyone, and I mean everyone will pay a price if he is mistreated or worse.”

Mike turned around and headed back to that chopper of his.

The tall man motioned for me to follow him so I tagged along. We walked into the building he had come out of. There was a bright red, single engine airplane inside. He climbed up in the pilot's seat as I climbed into the other front seat. There were four more seats behind us. The airplane came to life and we were rolling out of the building. Mike was fueling up his helicopter as we turned our tail to him and sped down a grassy strip. Seconds later we were airborne.

The man tried talking to me several times on that long trip. I would smile, nod, and shake my head like Mike told me. Several times the guy called me el stupido, el torro, or a few other nasty names but I didn't acknowledge I understood. If I ever came back this way I would have a talk with him but not now. It was almost six hours later when we started circling a grass strip next to some mountains. I wanted to ask where we were but I didn't. I was supposed to be a mute. Thirty minutes later my pilot was knocking on the back door of some sort of old building.

The door opened and a man was standing there. They talked for a few minutes and the pilot pointed toward me. " Pepe Sanchez."

I smiled and nodded. The man inside the door shook his head. The smile froze on my face. Something was wrong. I wasn't expected or what?

Again the pilot pointed at me and the satchel and canvas bag I was carrying. " Pepe Sanchez, Mike Harmond…," and then he was back into Spanish again.

The man closed the door in our faces. I heard a dead bolt dropping in place. I didn't know if we were out of luck or what? I wasn't given any options on this ride. It looked like it was pretty well cut and dried when I left Mike. Now it seemed it had fallen apart on this leg of the trip. Did I ride back home with Mike's friend or did I stay put and try and contact Leonard from here? Where ever here was? I really had no idea where I was at besides south of the equator.

There was a click as the dead bolt slid back and a woman opened the door. Tall, raven haired, she had classic Latin beauty in her facial features. She studied me for a minute before saying something. I nodded and smiled at whatever it was I really didn't understand. She handed the pilot a small wad of money. He handed her the canvas bag Mike had gave him at the other end of this trip. Reaching out she grabbed my shirt and pulled me into the building. When she shut the door I was standing in total darkness. I couldn't see a thing.

She tugged on my arm. "This way. Follow me."

I understood that plain enough. Clumsily, I followed along as best I could as she held my arm and led me through total darkness. I heard a click and a door opened. I was blinded by the light as she led me into a hallway.

She pointed up a stairway.. "Up that way. I'll be up in a minute. Don't speak to anyone."

That was prompting I didn't need to hear twice. Throwing my satchel over my right shoulder, I walked up the stairs. There were two doors but she didn't tell me to go into any of them so I waited. A couple minutes later I heard laughter coming from on of the rooms. The door opened. Still laughing, a man wearing a uniform walked out. When he saw me his laughter died a sudden death as he stopped and stared.

He pointed and said something.

I smiled and nodded.

Again he said something and again I smiled and nodded.

He grabbed the front of my shirt and began shouting as he shook me. I dropped the two bags I was carrying. Pants and a shirt fell out of one of the canvas bags. The man kicked them down the stairs as he shouted at me.

I didn't smile and nod this time. I was scared of what I didn't understand.

The woman came up the stairs screaming. I looked over my shoulder and she was obviously mad as she screamed something at the man. He turned me lose, backed up a step and stared at me. He said something. I shrugged my shoulders. I really wanted to kick him on the shins for screaming at me and kicking my things around. I didn't.

Glaring, he gave me a hard push as he walked past me. He trudged down the stairs past the woman. His push had caught me off balance. It sent me stumbling up against the railing at the top of the stairs. If I only had a rope with me, I would have dropped a loop in front of him and pulled his legs out from under him. He wouldn't have quit tumbling until he rolled out of the building. It was a good thing I didn't have that rope!

I started down the stairs after the pants and shirt the ugly brute had kicked out into space. The woman stopped me as she whispered. "No, I'll get your things in a minute. Let's get out of the hall."

She led me into the room the man had come out of. A woman was standing naked by the dresser. She turned to look when we walked into the room. She was talking in Spanish as she smiled at me.

The woman who had led me into the room shook her head. "No, Junita English, he doesn't understand Spanish."

The woman named Junita nodded. "Where you from?"

Seductively she slid her hands up her curves and held her breasts. "You want to hold these for me?"

I couldn't believe it. Was I being propositioned? I glanced at the woman who had led me up here. She looked like she was about to die trying to keep a straight face. Finally she couldn't hold it back any longer. She was laughing out loud. "Junita, I don't think he will be interested. He has never made love to a woman before."

"Oh? Well, come over here honey and I'll teach you." Junita smiled as she ran her hands over her own body.

With a big smile on her face the other lady was watching me to see what I was going to do. As bad as I wanted to explain, I couldn't. I was supposed to be mute. I shook my head.

Junita walked over in front of me and started to unbutton my shirt. I tried pushing her away. She was laughing along with the other lady. "Come on honey. It won't hurt."

The first lady finally reached over and stopped her. "Junita, wait a minute. I better explain something about our young friend here. Mike Harmond sent him over."

Junita's whole face lit up. "Big Mike? Where is that devil at? Invite him in and we will give him a real welcome."

"He didn't come. He only sent the runt."

Junita's face sagged as she showed her disappointment. "Darn Lucia, you raised my hopes over nothing."

Lucia nodded. "Not all is lost. This is still going to be a good game. We have to get the runt past the guards and on a flight out of here."

"Oooh? This is interesting. What's so important about this little man the military might have an interest?"

Smiling, Lucinda walked across the room before she stopped. "Junita, I'd like you to meet, Katrina Ann McDonald."

She waited as Junita looked around for the person she was supposed to be meeting. Finally it dawned on Junita who Lucia was introducing…, She was really speaking fast in Spanish.

Lucia held up her hand. "English, Junita, English. Our friend doesn't understand Spanish. It's rude to talk in front of company when they can't understand what you're saying."

Junita was still sputtering. "He's a she? Is this the woman the Brazilian government wants? What has she done to become such a famous fugitive?"

"I haven't done anything." I figured since they knew my name, Mike must have told Lucia about me. It didn't make much difference but I was glad I didn't have to be mute any longer. Not talking when someone was talking to me or about me was one of the hardest things I had ever done in my life.

Lucia was studying me. "Well whatever it is you haven't done has the Brazilian government in a tizzy. There is a forty thousand dollar reward out for your return. If it was anyone but Mike, I'd turn you in myself. It doesn't matter because Mike doesn't forgive nor forget. He has a real nasty habit of taking care of anyone who crosses him."

When Lucia was talking about Mike did she mean what I thought? I didn't think I wanted to know. "I haven't done anything. I was shanghaied off a flight after delivering a horse. I happened to end up at Mike's place. Besides that, I can't begin to imagine why they want me back."

Lucia left the room and came back in a few minutes carrying the canvas bag Mike had sent with my pilot. In the meantime Junita had managed to find a dress. Lucia opened up the bag and pulled out some clothes. I recognized those clothes. They were mine.

She threw them up on the bed. "Junita, put these on. We need to get our friend on a flight headed north."

Junita stood there looking dumb like I was. Finally she found her voice. "What is the plan?"