The Charity Chip (35 page)

The uneven door scraped against the concrete as he yanked it open and took the stairs two-by-two up to Doctor Barilla’s apartment. He shoved against the door, but it was locked. He pounded on it, but nobody answered. He hurried back down the stairs and checked the office, but it was dark as well. He sat on the bottom step and put his head in his hands. He racked his brain trying to come up with some way to stop Isak, but nothing came to mind. He thought of all the advice Mamá had given him, but none of it seemed to fit. Strangely, Isak’s words to Sergio echoed in his head—
Shall I kill one of your brothers, or can we trade a life for a life?

He rummaged through his backpack pockets and found Isak’s card. Since it was Saturday, he hoped that Isabela wouldn’t be working and the call would go straight to Isak. He dialed the number. Isak answered after the third ring.

“This is Isak Blixt from Caritas.”

Julio swallowed back his fear and answered, “Isak, this is Julio César Camino de Pachacutec, but you can call me Julio.”

“Who is this?”

“This is Julio César Camino de Pachacutec. The young man you have in the ambulance with you is Raúl Puma Camino de Pachacutec, my twin brother.”

Isak waited a long time before answering, and Julio could hear the sound of traffic in the background. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“I was at the game. I saw you take him from the field.” Julio decided to bluff. “I am prepared to take the evidence I have to Sofía Encuentro.”

“Everything Caritas is doing falls within the bounds of international law. You have nothing.”

“Unless you harvest my twin brother. He never volunteered for Caritas.”

“Prove that it’s your twin brother,” demanded Isak.

“Check the right eyebrow of the young man in your ambulance. Remember that the gang shaved my right eyebrow less than a week ago.” Julio heard the phone go silent but could tell the call hadn’t ended.

A moment later, Isak came back on. “The eyebrow is different, but that still isn’t proof.”

“He has the remains of a recent black eye, and he has a scar over his left eyebrow. I gave him that scar, and the real Julio doesn’t have that scar.”

“Those are all cosmetic differences. The DNA sensor doesn’t lie.”

“Which hand is the charity chip in? You know I chose the left hand.” The phone went silent again.

After another long pause, Isak responded. “What do you want?”

“I want to trade a life for a life.”

“A life for a life . . . Very well,” began Isak. “Meet me—”

“I will send you a text telling
you
where to meet
me
,” said Julio. Then he ended the conversation, turned off the phone, and took out the battery and SIM card. He didn’t want to be tracked.

He used the hidden key and slipped into Doctor Barilla’s office. He went straight to the storage cabinet and grabbed a scalpel and a large bandage. He knew he wouldn’t have time for stitches, if his plan worked at all, and he didn’t bother to take the suture kit. He found the flash drive still on the floor across the room and tucked it into his pocket hoping to sell his bluff. He locked up as he left. The scrape of the uneven stairwell door against the concrete aroused a strange sense of nostalgia as he skated away.

Next, he skated to the gas station near his house. He was glad to see Zambo working. “
Hola
, Zambo. Trade you a cell phone for a refill?”

Zambo gave him a funny look. “Who did you steal the cell phone from?”

Julio grinned and pulled a phone from his backpack. “It was a gift. I swear.” He held it out to Zambo. “But I need two bottles.”

“Does the phone work?”

Julio pressed the power button and the phone came to life.

Zambo shrugged. “I’ll give you several liters for that.”

A few minutes later, Julio skated for
El Infierno
with three one-liter bottles full of diesel fuel.

El Infierno
was empty when he arrived, but the ashes in the fire pit were still smoking. Someone had been here last night. He knocked down the ashes and piled all the spare wood he could find, along with some fabric scraps, in the pit. He pulled his juggling batons from his backpack and threw them onto the pile as well. Finally, he tossed his skateboard on top of the pile. If his plan worked, he wouldn’t need the batons or the skateboard. He took out one of the bottles and sprinkled diesel fuel on the pile. He stuffed a rag into the top of the half-empty bottle leaving a long strip to act as a wick and placed it in the middle of the pile with the piece of fabric extended where it would be easy to light.

He dragged three of the old sewing machine tables from the edges of the room and placed them in front of the elevator shaft and gathered armfuls of old fabric scraps and piled them on until the pile of musty fabric was taller than he was. He stood in front of the elevator shaft. The pile of tables and fabric provided a small barrier between the fire pit and the open shaft, hopefully enough to give him some cover.

He rummaged through his backpack and removed his lighter and the medical supplies from Doctor Barilla’s office. He tucked the lighter into his pocket and placed the scalpel and bandages on the middle sewing table where he could access it without being seen from the fire pit. Then he shoved his backpack with the second bottle of diesel fuel under the pile of scraps that formed the barrier and set the third bottle on the floor next to the barrier.

Standing in the opening of the shaft, he found the metal ladder just inside and climbed on to test it. The acrid smell burned at his nose. He ignored the smell and climbed down the ladder to check the pipe opening—still unobstructed and filthy. He stopped and kissed his pendant. “Saint Michael,” he whispered, “guardian of souls, vanquisher of rebel spirits, pray for us.” Then he looked up the shaft and added, “Mamá, if you can hear me, I’m trying to keep my promise, but I need your help.”

He climbed up the ladder and slid out of the shaft. The sun was going down. He figured that
los mALditos
would be celebrating today’s victory at Plaza Sol y Sombra with the rest of La Victoria and wouldn’t show up tonight until late into the night, if they showed up at all. He put the battery and SIM card back into his smart phone and turned it on. Then he hung on the ladder just inside the shaft and using the camera from his phone, peeked around the wall without exposing himself. From this position, he could see anyone that came up the stairs and the drainage pipe at the bottom of the shaft gave him an escape route. The makeshift barricade of old tables and fabric gave him some cover.

He climbed out of the shaft and moved to the fire pit. He snapped a picture, looking toward his makeshift barrier in front of the elevator shaft. He slipped outside and took a picture of
El Infierno
from the street, making sure to capture the street address. When he was satisfied that he had prepared well for his plan, he texted the pictures to Isak Blixt with a message.
Bring Raúl here to this warehouse. Come upstairs and stand next to the fire pit. You have one hour before I take the evidence to Sofía Encuentro.

* * *

Isak used the entire hour, and by the time Julio saw his black sedan pull up in front of
El Infierno
, the sun had set and a thin layer of fog had shrouded Lima. Isak stepped out of the car and looked around before opening the trunk and extracting a black duffle bag. With the bag in one hand, he opened the back door and pulled out Raúl. He kicked the door shut and locked the car before pulling Raúl across the street to the entrance of the gang hideout.

Julio wiped the sweat from his palms and struck a flame with his lighter. He lit the strip of fabric in the fire pit and hurried to the elevator shaft and climbed onto the ladder. He peeked around the corner with his phone just as the fire exploded to life and lit up the room. He turned his camera on so he could see Isak come up the stairs, but neither Isak nor Raúl emerged. A few seconds later his phone vibrated. Isak Blixt was calling.

“
Hola
, Julio,” said Isak before Julio could speak. “I brought your brother as instructed. Come downstairs so we can make the trade.”

“No. You come upstairs.”

“How do I know that this isn’t a trap? Are you alone, or do have your gang members ready to pounce on me the moment I come up the stairs.”

“Everyone is at the victory celebration. We are alone. Besides, I’m sure you are armed.”

“I do believe in superior firepower. I’ll be up in a few minutes.” Isak chuckled. “
Si Dios quiere.
” The call ended.

When Julio peeked around the corner again, he could see the top of Isak’s head over the makeshift barrier. Isak had come upstairs while they were talking. He couldn’t tell if Raúl was with him. He searched with his camera phone, but the barrier blocked his view. He would have to get out of the elevator shaft and face Isak. He glanced down at the drainage pipe, kissed his pendant, and swung himself out of the shaft.

Before he faced Isak, he slipped the lighter out of his pocket and held it in his left hand. He wanted to be ready to light the barrier on fire if he needed to make a quick escape. Then he grabbed his cell phone in his right hand and turned on the video camera before poking the phone around the barrier. He wanted to capture his exchange with Isak as evidence.

Isak stood by the crackling fire with Raúl in front of him. Raúl’s mouth was taped shut and his hands were bound by the plastic restraints all too familiar to Julio. Isak was dressed in his black coat and held a large black rifle at Raúl’s back.

He turned and shouted into the elevator shaft to create an echo and hide his exact position. “Release Raúl!”

“Not until I see you and you give me what I want,” answered Isak as he scanned the warehouse.

Julio stepped out far enough to be seen by Isak. “I’m here. Release Raúl.”

Isak’s smile was smug. “How do I know you won’t run away as soon as I release him?”

“You asked me once if I was a man of my word. Am I?”

“You have been so far, at least for the most part. You did lie to me about having a twin brother.”

“I need a couple of minutes with my brother before I come with you.”

Isak shook his head. “I’m afraid that isn’t possible.”

“Is the chip still in Raúl’s hand?”

Isak nodded. “Yes.”

“Does it still work for tracking after releasing the built-in sedative?”

Isak rolled his eyes. “Of course.”

“And you have a weapon, no?”

He tapped the black weapon. “A tactical cartridge Taser with a ten round magazine and a range of up to thirty meters. It is non-lethal, but it will drop a grown man for over five minutes.”

“Then what are you worried about?” Julio stepped out from behind the barrier holding the phone at his side, trying to capture everything he could on video. “If I try to run away with Raúl, you can track us both and subdue us.” He stood there exposed. Isak’s piercing blue eyes looked right through Julio.

“Give me the evidence first.”

Julio slipped back behind the barrier. He smiled to himself.
Isak doesn’t know I’m bluffing.
He set the lighter next to his backpack and pulled the small drive from his pocket. It dangled from the lanyard in front of him. This was his last bargaining chip. He stepped from behind the barrier and tossed the lanyard and the drive into the fire and stood there exposed. “Release Raúl.”

“What about the money?”

“Martín got it all,” answered Julio without hesitation. “Release Raúl and give us two minutes together, and then I will come with you.”

“You are a man of your word.” He set down the black weapon and knelt on one knee beside Raúl. “Nobody has to die today,” said Isak as he pulled a knife from his coat pocket to cut Raúl free. “We can rechip you and your brother. You can both stay in the program as long as you agree to the risks. I can even get you more money. You can enjoy a comfortable life.” He cut the restraints from Raúl’s wrists and stood. “You have less than a five percent chance of being harvested and you can exit the program when you turn twenty-one.” He slipped the knife into his coat pocket. “Everyone sells out sooner or later. Surely those are better odds than you ever had on the street juggling fire batons in the middle of traffic.” Isak stood there with his smug smile as Raúl yanked the tape from his mouth and shuffled forward.

“Mamá used to tell me that it is better to suffer hunger than the shame of dishonesty,” said Julio, shaking his head. “I thought you were a man of your word. We both know you can’t let me live. I know too much. Besides, isn’t my life as valuable as the rich children in Europe?”

“Your life has value because of Caritas,” said Isak as he folded his hands behind his back. “Without our program, you are practically worthless. Think about it. Before you met me, nobody cared about you. Nobody helped you. Caritas and I have given your life value.”

“My life had value before I met you.”

“Really?” Isak shook his head. “If you die tonight to save your brother, what will the papers say tomorrow? Will it make the front page? Will it even be mentioned at all?” Isak shrugged. “Who will even know?”

Julio looked straight into Isak’s sharp blue eyes. “Mamá will know.” He grabbed Raúl and shoved him behind the barrier. “Give me two minutes, and then I will come with you to pay my debt.” He slipped behind the barrier and stopped the video on his phone and set it on the table.

“We have to run!” hissed Raúl.

“Not yet,” answered Julio as he grabbed the scalpel. “Hold still while I cut out the chip.”

“Why did you save me?” asked Raúl?

Julio grabbed Raúl’s right hand and prepared to make the incision. “I promised Mamá.”

Raúl’s looked away. “I don’t deserve to be saved.”

Julio sliced open the skin between Raúl’s thumb and forefinger. “Mamá didn’t deserve to die.” The chip popped out easily and Julio tossed it onto the pile of fabric. “What did she always say? Life isn’t fair, but God is merciful?” Julio squeezed the wound together and slapped a bandage over it.

“Done,” said Julio. He slipped off the Saint Michael’s pendant and put it around Raúl’s neck. “Take this. It has a money chip. The password is Angelica.” He slipped the cell phone into Raúl’s pocket. “And this has video of tonight’s exchange. Take it to Sofía Encuentro.” He shoved his twin brother toward the elevator shaft.