Scene 23

Factory Compound of General Ricos

We slowly turned around to face the guards who had caught us. They quickly came to us and took the rifle I was still carrying. All the while, other guards kept their rifles trained on us.

They motioned for us to move and we walked in the direction indicated. I noticed that Livingston seemed to be getting weaker. He was probably losing a lot of blood from his wound.

As the guards led around a building, we were taken to the man standing there. Lieutenant Secuaz was now awake and apparently directing the guards as they struggled with the jailbreak.

“We captured these two trying to get through the fence,” the Corporal said to Secuaz in Spanish.

The Lieutenant turned to look at us and sneered. “So,” he said to me. “It’s you, the same one who caused the problem when you arrived. Did you really think you could escape from here?”

I knew I had to buy time for the others. “I thought it was worth a shot,” I said. “We almost made it.”

“But the guards caught you.”

“Yes, but that was pure luck. They’re not trained very well.”

I could see the anger rise in the Lieutenant. He motioned to one of the guards, who stepped towards me and drove the butt of his rifle into my stomach.

I doubled over in pain and dropped to the ground. Livingston, too weak to stand on his own, fell beside me.

“I trained these guards myself!” said Secuaz. “They are more than trained enough to stop the likes of you!”

Secuaz barked an order to the guards. “Go help the others! Round up all the prisoners!”

“But Sir,” one of the guards objected. “Shouldn’t someone stay here with you to guard these two?”

“It is only two unarmed men, and one of them is wounded. Do you question my ability to control them?” It seemed his anger might soon be directed at the guard.

“No sir,” the guard quickly answered and moved away with his companions.

“Now,” said the Lieutenant after the guards had left. “It appears you are just a trouble maker. I would have killed you before if the General had not stopped me. But the General is not here now. I’m afraid I will have to shoot you two as you attempted to escape.”

He raised his pistol and pointed it at my head.