Page 92 of Vistaria Has Fallen
Nick nodded and moved to Minnie. “Minnie?” He laid his hand on her shoulder.
She pointed to Harry and her hand trembled. “He was the one. He was the guy at the party.”
“I remember his face.” Nick patted her shoulder.
“It was he who nearly got Duardo killed—” She stopped and lowered her hand. She wrapped her armsaround her knees. “I’m okay,” she said hollowly. Nick patted her shoulder.
He rose and came over to where Calli lay propped on her elbows. He crouched next to her and put the gun on the ground, then helped her sit up.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked. “When I pushed?”
“My pride, for a moment. God, Nick, I thought you were going to join them!”
“That’s what I wanted them to think. It’s the only wayI could get them to relax and drop their guard just enough to give me the time I needed against four of them.”
“I still can’t believe you pulled it off.”
He dropped his gaze, as if he was ashamed. “I was tempted,” he confessed, his voice low. “For a moment I considered it.”
“That’s natural,” she said. “He offered you the one thing in your life that has meaning.”
“The price for that was givingup the only other thing in my life with meaning.” Nick lifted his head. “Pablo’s orders were to kill anyone trying to leave the country. He knew I had guessed what those orders were. I could see it in his eyes.” He got to his feet and helped her to hers.
Calli was still trying to process his first statement. “What could possibly mean as much to you as Vistaria?” she asked, trying to quench thehope soaring in her.
He smiled. “You, of course.” He turned to look at Minnie. “At the end, Duardo understood it better than I did. Don’t sacrifice love, for there is no greater cause and you never get the time back if you let it slip away.”
Minnie smiled. Her cheeks were wet with tears.
Nick picked up Calli’s hand. “I won’t allow Duardo’s sacrifice to be meaningless.” He kissed her hand. Thenhe took her in his arms and kissed her briefly, then let her go. “We must leave. Now. I have to get you to the boat.”
* * * * *
Twenty minutes later they clattered onto an extended dock, running like crazy for a long sloop tied at the end of the wooden pier, their bags and packs slapping against their legs and backs. Although they had not been challenged again, Nick took no more chances.
Hegrabbed the rail of the boat and vaulted over the side onto the decking. “Joshua, come with me!” he called as he pushed aside a pair of doors. He climbed down into the cabin.
Calli helped the other two on board and went below, to see what else needed doing. She found both her uncle and Nick standing at a radio, listening. Nick had the microphone in his hands, as if he had been speaking and wasnow waiting for a response.
Nothing but harsh buzzing and static.
“What’s happening?” she asked.
“Shhh...” Joshua told her and shook his head, glancing at Nick.
The radio crackled to life and a tinny, distant voice sounded.
“Soy arrepentido, Nicolás. Ha sido confirmado. Jose murió hace veinte minutos. Sobre.”
“Ah, dammit...” Joshua breathed.
Nick grimaced and looked down at his feet. Then,after a second, he lifted the mike. “Cómo?”
The response lagged. “El fuego enemigo...No vuelva a la ciudad, Nicolás. Ellos estarán en el Palacio antes de interrupción de día...Usted tendrá que encontrar otra manera. Oye usted? Sobre.”
Nick looked at Joshua and it seemed they exchanged a silent communication, for he sighed and said into the mike, “Sí, oigo. Sobre y fuera.”He threw the mike ontothe shelf beside the slim radio set and turned the radio off.
“I didn’t get the last part,” Joshua said apologetically.
