“But you would have anyway.”
I nod. She knows nothing would’ve stopped me since I was on a mission. But it might not have felt so urgent if she’d had guards.
“You said you went to the lab alone. Yourabueloallowed that. He didn’t send guards with you and didn’t insist Humberto did either.”
“Humberto wanted to keep that location secure.”
“That just proves neither Humberto nor Ernesto had men they entirely trust. They both knew the risk to sending any other men because those men might’ve revealed their secrets. They might’ve gone toTíoEnrique or sold that information to someone else. That Humberto didn’t have that kind of loyalty is unsurprising, but your grandfather should’ve.”
Flora’s taking in everything I’m saying, and she knows it’s the truth.
“Deep down, Ernesto knows he’s not as powerful as he projects. He could’ve negotiated terms with Humberto that limited your time. We’ve said he indentured you to Humberto, but that’s not true. Indenture has a fixed time period or an amount that the person must earn to be released. Your service was indefinite.”
I certainly won’t say Humberto enslaved her, but her grandfather sold her to Humberto in no uncertain terms.
“Chiquita,I know you didn’t trust my family. It makes sense considering no one gave you the full story of your father’s role in harming mine. Yours told you a warped version of the truth. However, Ernesto knew he could’ve gone toTíoEnrique. He could’ve scheduled a meeting withPapáor Alejandro one of the many times they’ve been down here. It meant humbling himself, but he knewTíoEnrique would’ve helped you. Not to thwart Humberto, but because women and children aren’t supposed to be caught in the middle of this. Ernesto didn’t care about you enough to do that.”
She listens to everything I say. She’s crushed by the realization of how neglectful herabuelohas been. It was intentional neglect—dereliction of duty in my mind.
“Chiquita, I’m certain by now your grandfather knows you’re with me, even if he doesn’t know where we are.”
“Wait, would Humberto have told myabuelowhere we went?”
“No, definitely not. Yourabuelois the last person Humberto wanted to know about this secret compound.Chiquita, yourabuelohasn’t calledTíoEnrique. Not to demand where I brought you or to ask for help.”
“Maybe he doesn’t trust Enrique to help him. Maybe he’s searching for me on his own.”
I can’t help the sadness I feel as I shake my head again. I don’t want to say—and she doesn’t want to hear me admit—herabuelo’sdone nothing to find her. Instead, I draw her back into my arms and hold her tighter.
“Yourabuelowill live as long as he serves as a vassal toTíoEnrique. If he’s uncooperative or refuses to pledge his fealty, then he’s outlived his purpose.”
“Fuck, Pablo, that sounds so goddamn medieval.”
If only she knew what lurked beneath the barracks. If she understood the true nature of a cartel, she’d know it’s a fiefdom whereTíoEnrique is the king. My cousins and I are the princes below him, and those who serve us do so at our will. They pledge their loyalty toTíoEnrique as vassals. They have men beneath them, but they all ultimately owe their lives toTíoEnrique.
“Chica, you may not know all the inner workings of how cartels operate, but yourabuelocertainly does. The reason your family became tied to mine was because yourabuelothought he could oust mine. He started a war he could never win. The ceasefire came when ourabuelosagreed to marry their children to each other. It was never a truce because neither of ourabuelostrusted each other to maintain peace.”
“Once yourabuelodied, why didn’t mine try to take over during the transition?”
“BecauseTíoEnrique andPapáarrived here and wreaked havoc for two months straight. There are buildings that’re still in rubble because my family owns that land now. They’re a reminder to anyone who thinks of rising against us. They practically wiped out every other cartel. Not only in Colombia, but Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay.”
“The countries that supply you. The ones who could stand in thejefe de jefes’way.”
“That’s right. The boss of bosses isn’t just the leader of the strongest cartel in a single country. He is the ultimate boss of every cartel in Latin America. It doesn’t matter what country it is. Every otherjefeknows they answer to him if they step out of line. He can call upon any of them and expect them to answer.”
It’s that medieval fiefdom at work.
“Myabuelodidn’t want to submit to yourabuelo. I’m the collateral damage three and a half decades later.”
“I don’t enjoy agreeing with you,chica, but that’s right.”
She remains quiet as she digests all I’ve shared.
I decided I’m taking her to Switzerland. We have a mountain property even more isolated than this one. It may be summer in South America, but it’s the middle of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. It will be an arduous journey to the property. More than just a plane ride.TíoEnrique assured me the weather has been severe enough to keep most people away. She’ll discover just what wealth and power can buy us.
“I’ll call Daniel to bring over a meal. You must be starving, little one.”
We’re standing together in the kitchen. Each of us has a soda we discovered we enjoy more than any other. It’s sugar-free, so I don’t feel guilty about extra carbs. Not that I ever do, considering I work out twice a day most days of the week. I can consume nearly thirty-five hundred to four thousand calories a day. I’d wither away if I didn’t eat that much.
