Back in the SUV, I sipped my sweet drink, enjoying the French vanilla creamer I’d added. Elias produced three sets of fake IDs and papers as we approached the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge. Here was our first test of the journey—getting out of the country. Every lane was open, so we only waited about twenty minutes before it was our turn.
A trim man greeted us with a warm smile. “Hola, and welcome to Mexico! What’s the purpose of your trip?”
Anthony smiled at the man, and my forehead gave a small pinch. He was sending his calming sorcery to the smiling man. “Hola, sir. We’re on vacation. We’ll be making our leisurely way to Panama.”
The border agent raised an eyebrow. “That’s a dangerous trip, young man. Are you sure that's wise? Not many are equipped to handle the travel through the jungles.” The pain in my forehead intensified, telling me Anthony was laying it on thick. The man smiled and continued, “I’m sure you’re filming a documentary or something, eh? Well, good luck, cabrón.”
I whispered to Anthony. “Did he just call you a dumbass?”
“Yup,” Anthony said, teeth clenched into a smile.
The man gave each of us papers to fill out. He told us what information to bring when making the return trip home, and then we were safely across the border.
“Riley, I swear, you’re bad luck for my calming ability. He was hard to soothe. And he thought we were stupid for making this trip,” Anthony complained as we entered Mexico.
“You made my head hurt trying to do it. Do you think my possible Unseen ancestry could be helping me block you?” I asked.
“The thought has crossed my mind. It’s something for us to explore when we're safe,” Elias interjected.
I pressed my nose to the window, taking in the sights. Since we weren’t sure which cities along the way were safe and which were dangerous, we decided to drive straight through to Mexico City. We opted not to take the most direct route down to Panama in case someone figured out where we were trying to go.
It took us seventeen hours to get to Mexico City. The guys wouldn't let me drive, so I mostly slept, aggravated that I wasn’t allowed to pitch in with the driving. Halfway to our destination, when we rolled through a tiny town and encountered some problems, I suddenly became grateful I didn’t have to drive.
We were stopped in the road by police carrying large guns. They spoke rapid Spanish, and I didn’t understand a word. Anthony handed over a small wad of cash, and we were on our way again. I didn’t ask to drive after that.
* * *
I didn’t see Mexico City coming. It was so immense that I didn’t realize we were there until we were almost in the middle of it. The city was a mishmash of vibrant colors, Aztec-inspired architecture, and modern skyscrapers; absolutely stunning. Elias drove us to an opulent downtown hotel, The St. Regis.
“Shouldn’t we stay somewhere less conspicuous?” I asked as we pulled up to the front doors. Anthony got out to secure a room, and Elias drove around to the parking garage.
“We’re taking a page from Michael’s book and hiding in plain sight. Plus, this hotel has excellent security and surveillance. Anthony will tell the front desk we're transporting an American celebrity, and we'll be given access to the service entrance. Grab my bag, there’s a black hoodie in there. Pull the hood low so your face won’t be on camera.” He parked the SUV as I rifled through his stuff. We waited for Anthony to find us before unloading our bags.
They climbed in the back seat with me, and we loaded our holsters with guns, as well as tucking several into each bag before putting the rest in the hidden compartment. The blood came up to the room with us. In case of car theft, we could afford to replace the car and the guns but not the blood. I wasn't allowed to carry anything up to the room so we could maintain the celebrity facade.
My steps were slow between my bodyguards. I soaked in the opulence of the hotel as we made our way through a hallway to an elevator. Even coming in through the service entrance, my feet sank in the plush carpet. The wallpaper looked too expensive to touch, and the light fixtures sparkled enough to hurt my eyes. It was by far the most expensive hotel I’d ever been in. Michael and I rarely traveled, and when we did, we stayed in cheap roadside hotels and motels.
I kept my head down and my gaze on my feet, afraid someone might be watching the cameras and realize I was no one special. We made our way upstairs in a ritzy elevator covered in rich wood paneling. My jaw dropped when we entered our room. The view was phenomenal—I couldn’t wait to see the city lit up at night. I pulled back the hood and turned in a circle, taking in the room. An enormous bed with an ornate wood frame dominated the room. A separate seating area circled a television, and a small, fully functioning kitchen shared space with a grandiose dining table. I sped to the two doors off of the sleeping area. The first door was an empty walk-in closet, and the second was a bathroom I knew I’d never want to leave. The bathtub was so luxurious it even put Elias's tub in Tennessee to shame, and I was sure four or five people would fit in the shower.
“Are we in a hurry? Well, I know we’re in a hurry, but do I have time for a bath?” I called to the guys. They stood inside the door with bemused expressions on their faces. I realized they’d been watching me admire the room.
“You have plenty of time, Coya. It’ll take us a while to arrange transportation out of Mexico. I’m going to try to charter a plane.”
I jumped a little and clapped my hands. Then I scrambled to take off my shirt as I shut the bathroom door. I stripped and filled the enormous tub with scalding hot water.
“Riley?” Elias called through the door. “I’ve got your clothes and toiletries.”
“You guys can come in here,” I replied. “You’ve seen me naked already. There’s no point in being shy.”
Elias opened the door and set my bag on the floor. He avoided looking up at me.
“Eli, will you order me a steak, medium well, with a loaded baked potato and steamed broccoli? I’m starving.”
“Of course,” he said, looking up at me. His gaze perused my body, lingering on my lower half, and I blushed. Saying I wouldn’t be shy didn’t make it easy to actually not be shy.
My big toe protested as I dipped it in the hot water. “Leave the door cracked open, please. In case I want to talk to you guys.” He smiled at me, then walked out, leaving the door open about a foot.
I spent some time sniffing the selection of bubble baths before choosing something that reminded me of a lotion Michael always loved, sweet pea. I sank down into the water. The tub was so big the water completely covered my body. It was heaven.
