Michael Vey 3 ~ Battle of the Ampere (25 page)

“I tried. He just had a lot of excuses. And now he has a thing for Abigail.”

“He told you that?”

“He didn’t have to,” Tessa said. She sighed. “I’m going to have to find someone less electric.”

*

The cathedral of Santo Domingo was less than a hundred yards from the fountain, and the building towered above the plaza like a great stone fortress. Even though it was late, the doors to the cathedral were open and locals and groups of tourists were walking in to sightsee or worship. I had never been inside a cathedral before and I was astonished at the intricate architecture and artwork. “This is amazing,” I said.

“You should see St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City,” Tessa said. “It makes this place look like a Chuck E. Cheese’s.”

“You’re jaded,” I said.

“All of Hatch’s kids are jaded,” she replied.

Near the center of the chapel was a beautiful painting of the Last Supper. I stopped to look at it. After a moment Tessa rolled her eyes. “Come on, tourist,” she said, pulling my hand. “We’re looking for Jack, not sightseeing.”

We had practically walked through the entire cathedral before we found him. He was kneeling with his head bowed before a table of lit candles. We watched him for a few minutes until Tessa, who was growing impatient, whispered to him, “Jack.”

He looked up at us.

“Sorry to disturb you,” I said.

“It’s okay,” he said, standing.

I glanced at the table in front of him. “What are you doing?”

“I lit a candle for Wade,” he said.

“I didn’t know you were religious,” I said.

“I’m not,” he replied. He walked toward me. “Did you find the place?”

“Yes. The owner said we should get off the street. The government has shown our pictures all over the media and he’s afraid someone might recognize us.”

“I figured as much,” Jack said.

As we walked out of the cathedral I noticed five police cars were now parked on the opposite side of the square.

“Those weren’t there before,” I said.

“What do you think’s going on?” Tessa asked.

Jack lowered his head slightly. “They must have found the truck,” he said.

“If they did,” I said, “then they know we’re here.” As I looked around the square I saw police standing at every exit and alley. They were everywhere.

“What do we do?” Tessa asked.

“We act like tourists,” I said. “Jack, stay a little behind us. We’ll walk right past them.”

As we neared the alley, we could see that the police officers were all carrying pieces of paper. One of them stared at Tessa and me, then looked back down at the paper, then back up again.

“They have pictures,” Tessa said.

“I’m in trouble,” Jack said.

“Don’t run,” I said. “Not yet.”

The same officer who had dismissed us looked at Jack, then down at the paper again then back up. His expression changed. He said something to another officer. Then both officers approached Jack. They had grave expressions on their faces and their hands were on their guns.

“
Señor
, may I see your passport?” one of them said.

Then two other police officers stepped up behind him.

“I . . . I left it at the hotel,” Jack said.

The officer said something in Spanish to the other police, then said, “Please show me some I.D.”

“I don’t have my wallet,” Jack said.

The man just stared into Jack’s face. “You have no identification?”

“He got pickpocketed,” I said, turning back. “This afternoon.”

The man glanced over at me, then back at Jack. Then a fifth officer walked up to us. He was holding an Uzi machine gun. Even though I fought it, I was twitching like crazy, which I’m sure didn’t help our cause.

“Are you together?” he asked Tessa.

“Yes, sir,” she said. She moved closer to me, and I put my arm around her.

“You are Americans,” he said. I couldn’t tell if he meant it as a statement or a question.

“Yes, sir,” I said.

Jack and I glanced at each other. Two of the officers moved their hands toward their guns. I was about to pulse when the officer in front of us suddenly froze. He just stood there, as if he were having a stroke or something. Then he looked up and turned to his partner and said something in Spanish that, from what I could tell, had nothing to do with us. The policeman with the Uzi turned and looked at a woman crossing the street. It was as if they had suddenly forgotten we were even there. I recognized Taylor’s work.

I gestured with my head to Jack. “Time to go,” I said. We walked away. About twenty feet from where we were stopped, Taylor and Ian stepped out from a leather goods shop, falling in a few steps behind us. “That was close,” Taylor said. She was looking at my arm around Tessa.

I quickly dropped it to my side. “They recognized Jack,” I said.

“I think they found the truck,” Jack said.

“They did,” Ian said. “I saw them from the hostel.”

Ian stepped ahead of us and pushed open the hostel’s blue door, which led into a small dark courtyard with a picnic table and umbrella. The space was walled in with a brick-and-stucco wall. The building’s surface was terra-cotta, and there were several hanging pots of red flowers. Three cats lounged on a wrought-iron table.

“It’s over here,” Ian said, stopping to wave us on. “There’s a stairway around back.”

We turned the corner and climbed a rickety, splintered wooden stairway to an upstairs room. As we climbed the stairs I reached for Taylor’s hand, but she ignored me. Jack opened the door, and we all hurried in. Ian locked the door behind us.

The room was lit by a single bare lightbulb. There was no air-conditioning, and even though it was well past sunset, the heat in the room was stifling.

The room was small for so many people. There were two bunk beds and a pile of blankets and pillows. Zeus and Abigail were sitting on one bed.

“Not exactly the Four Seasons,” Tessa said.

“Perhaps you prefer prison,” Taylor said coldly.

Tessa looked at her and frowned. “Just sayin’, sweetheart. No need to get testy.”

They glared at each other, filling the room with an uncomfortable tension. Then Taylor turned away.

I put my hand on her shoulder, and she shrugged it off. I pulled her aside. “What’s up?”

“We’re being hunted,” she said angrily.

“Yeah, I know that. What’s going on with us?”

“You tell me. You find something new in the jungle?” She turned away from me.

“Taylor . . .”

As I stood there wondering what to do, there was a knock at the door. We all froze except for Ian. “It’s the hostel man,” he said. “He’s bringing something.”

Jack opened the door.

“Buenas noches,”
the man said, pushing his way in. He was carrying two large canvas bags. He set them down on the floor, then shut the door behind himself. “I brought you some food and water. I must warn you, the police are going door to door checking buildings,” he said. “You must not come out until I tell you it is safe. I will do what I can to keep them away. I have locked the blue door.”

“Thank you,” I said. “We’ll stay inside.”

“Good,” he said. “I must go back to the front before they arrive. One more thing. I have spoken with Jaime. He will be here early tomorrow morning to get you.” He opened the door. “I will pray to the Virgin Mary for your safety.” He walked out and Jack locked the door behind him.

The room was quiet.

“What’s the plan if they come?” Zeus asked.

“Ian will see them long before they get here,” I said. “Taylor can reboot them.” I looked at Ian. “If we have to run, what’s behind the back fence?”

“It looks like the back of a restaurant. It leads to a bunch of other streets. I think we could lose them.”

“Can you see any vehicles?”

“There’s a parking lot two blocks up. There are a few vans big enough to carry us all.”

“Any with keys?”

“No worries,” Jack said. “I can hot-wire anything here.”

“Okay,” I said. “As a last resort we blow our way out of here, climb over the fence, then follow Ian to the parking lot. Jack hot-wires a van, and we drive to Lima.”

“What if we get separated?” Abigail asked.

“We don’t,” I said. “We stick together.” I looked around the room. The fatigue of it all was getting to everyone. “Got it?” No one spoke. “All right. Let’s try to get some rest.”

*

In spite of what I’d said, no one slept. Especially me. Watching Taylor fume was agonizing. An hour later Ian said, “Two policemen just checked the blue door. Now they’re going into the front door of the hostel.”

Everyone was tense.

After a moment McKenna said, “Tell us what’s going on.”

“They’re talking to the old man. He’s just talking. He’s acting scared.” A minute later he said, “He’s taping a picture of us up on the wall. The police are leaving.”

I breathed out in relief.

Ian turned to us. “The man can act.”

*

Around one in the morning Ian came over and sat next to me. “I think they’ve given up. The police have moved out of the square.”

“Completely?”

“No. There are still a few left. They also have a guy on top of the cathedral with binoculars.”

“Do you think it’s safe to go outside to the courtyard?”

He looked over at Taylor, then back at me. I think he understood why I was asking. “You’re okay.”

“Thanks,” I said. I walked over to Taylor. “Hey.”

She wouldn’t look at me.

“Ian said we can go outside.”

“Good,” she said. “Maybe Tessa would like to go for a midnight stroll.”

“Would you like to go outside with me?”

She just sat there for a moment, then exhaled slowly. “All right.”

I gave her my hand and pulled her up.

“Hey, where are you guys going?” Ostin said. “We’re not supposed to go out.”

“We’re just going out to the courtyard,” I said. “Ian said it’s okay.”

“We just need some fresh air,” Taylor said.

“I could use some too,” Ostin said.

“Not now, you don’t,” I said. I pulled the door open for Taylor and she stepped outside. I held her hand as we walked down the stairway. We sat on a bench in a corner of the courtyard. We kept our voices down. Even though no one could see us, we didn’t know if anyone was close enough to hear us. Just hearing English might be enough to get tipped off.

“Why are you giving me the cold shoulder?” I said.

“You know why.”

“I had my arm around her so they’d think we were tourists.”

“You were pretty convincing.”

“Do you really doubt how I feel about you? You can read my mind.”

She frowned. “It’s not you,” she said. “I’m just insecure.”

“About me?”’

“About her,” Taylor said. “Tessa doesn’t like me.”

“Why would you say that?”

“I read her mind.”

“Why wouldn’t she like you?”

“Because she wants what I have,” Taylor said.

“What’s that?”

“You know what.”

I looked at her. “Why would you say that?”

“I told you. I heard her thinking.”

I just looked at her.

“You’re making me feel like a Peeping Tom,” she said.

“You are.”

“I’m not trying to be. It’s just that we’re in these small places, backs of trucks, hotel rooms . . . with Tessa around magnifying my power I can hear everyone’s thoughts without even touching them. You have no idea what’s going on in there. We’re a mess.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“Like, Jack is completely blaming himself for Wade’s death. He plans to die in Lima sinking the boat. Tessa hates Abigail and me. And Abigail is ready to call it quits.”

“She was ready to call it quits in Pasadena.”

“Well, now she’s really ready.”

“And me? What have you read in my mind?”

“You feel bad because I’m being cold to you and you love me.”

“Maybe it’s not all bad then.”

“I’m sorry. I just got jealous.”

“Why would you get jealous over me? You’re way out of my league.”

“I don’t know why you always say that,” she said. She leaned in to me. “Will you please just kiss me already?”

I put my arm around her and we kissed.

When we parted she said, “For the record, it’s the other way around.”

“What’s the other way around?”

“You’re out of my league. You’re just too nice to know it.”

I pulled her close. After a few minutes she asked, “What are we going to do about everyone? They’re falling apart.”

“I don’t know,” I said. “I really don’t know.”

While I was thinking, someone starting shouting in Spanish. Then we heard glass break.

“We’d better go back in,” I whispered. I took Taylor’s hand and we climbed the stairs. Inside, everyone was sleeping, though I noticed Tessa glance up at us as we entered. I wondered how long it would be before Jaime arrived.

T
he room’s blinds were glowing from the first rays of dawn when there was a soft rap on our door, quickly followed by another. Everyone in the room woke at the sound, except for Ostin, who could sleep on an airport runway.

I looked at Ian, who had been sleeping on a blanket on the ground but was now rubbing his eyes. “Is it safe?”

“It’s Jaime,” he said groggily. “And the old man.”