“Okay, now,” I told Luisa, grabbing her by her good arm and hauling her up. We ran alongside the filthy pool, curving toward the helicopter, while the house lit up like sparklers, a cacophony of gunfire and screams. I knew Evaristo and my army were doing their job, I just hoped it would be enough to drive Esteban out of the house and to supposed safety.
Then Luisa tripped, fell, nearly taking me down with her as she landed on the grass. She cried out and I went back for her, bringing her to her feet.
Just in time to hear something land near us with a dull thump.
Roll toward us.
I whipped around to see a grenade at our feet.
No pin.
“Run!” I yelled at Luisa, covering her with my body and turning us away. We ran for the trees again but didn’t get far enough.
The grenade went off, a blast that tore through my ears, filling my vision with fire and stars. It ripped Luisa out of my grip, sending me flying forward in the air until I landed in a heap at the base of the same bush we came from.
I lay there for a few moments, unsure if I was alive or dead. I couldn’t hear. I tried to get up to my feet, wondering if I even had feet anymore. I did but they didn’t work. I fell back down.
Luisa.
Luisa.
I managed to roll over and lift myself back onto my elbows.
The world spinned and I couldn’t see her anywhere. There was smoke and flames licking the grass from where the grenade went off. My head felt like a million of them were still exploding inside.
Luisa!
But I couldn’t scream. I staggered to my feet, weaving forward, until I saw her.
She was floating face down in the pool.
I didn’t know where that grenade had come from, who threw it and if there were any more but I didn’t care. I jumped right into the thick, black water and swam for her. Halfway across the pond, just out of arm’s reach, my feet tangled in weeds and branches, trying to pull me down and my body, so tired, so nearly decimated by the blast, wanted me to just give up.
I couldn’t protect her before but I would die trying to protect her now.
I started kicking, propelling myself forward until I was free. I reached Luisa, quickly turning her over and trying to clear leaves from her mouth.
“Luisa,” I croaked quietly, my voice almost absent.
She didn’t stir.
And bullets rained from above.
Son of a bitch.
I grabbed hold of her and swam her to the edge, hauling us out of the pool with what strength I had left. Every now and then I’d aim my gun and shoot at the dark figures in the distance, not caring anymore whose side they were on.
Once out of the pool, I threw her up over my shoulder, her body heavy from the water, and ran for the chopper. Inside, the helicopter body rusted and covered with weeds, I brought her to the backseats, placed her on them and started giving her CPR.
“Come on,” I said to her, tapping her cheek quickly, listening for breath. “Come on my queen. Don’t die on me now, not after all this. You’re so close.” I breathed into her again, then tore off her bullet proof vest and started pumping at her heart. “You’re so close.”
“Not close enough,” a voice said.
I closed my eyes, trying to absorb the fucking fury of it all.
I slowly turned around to see Esteban pointing a gun at me.
“Jesus,” I exclaimed, unable to help myself. “You look like fucking ass.”
For one thing he had no eyeball. Luisa really fucked him up that way. It was just a bloody hole of pink and black tissue. His hair was falling out, with huge bald patches everywhere. He was the ugliest motherfucker I’d ever seen, inside and out.
Part of me wanted to laugh, but I wasn’t about to provoke him, not with Luisa not breathing beside me. Also, there really was nothing funny about the situation whatsoever.
Still, he wasn’t easy to look at.
“Put your hands up,” he said, gesturing with the gun.
I frowned at him. “Put your hands up? You’ve been watching too many American cop shows, puta.”
He stomped forward so the gun was just inches from my face. I stared down the barrel and then raised my brow. He wasn’t going to shoot me, not yet. He had a speech prepared, he wouldn’t let me die without me hearing about all the different ways I was about to die. I knew this because I had planned on doing the same with him.
But I needed to get Luisa to start breathing again. Time was running out to a point where I wouldn’t be able to bring her back.
Don’t think about it, I told myself. Get around the situation.
But the situation said the two of us were fucked right up the ass, which was usually my favorite thing but not this time. No, definitely not this time.
I breathed in deep through my nose.
“So let’s hear it then,” I said. “Or can I at least save my wife so she can hear whatever bullshit it is you’re about to spew.”