Jack
"Nikki, give him the shot."
"Why?"
I don't know why. The cartel are hiding Luisa, Ernesto – and God knows how many others. And this man has killed people – we know he's killed people. So why would we help him? Why would we give him the medicine that will keep him alive? Nikki's a doctor – and a bloody good one. Helping people is what she does. But that's not why she's doing this.
She agreed to give the prisoner the medication he needs because it was the only way to stop them from releasing this dangerous man, - which would allow him to kill more people. He's also her only link to Luisa.
But she's angry – more angry than I've ever seen her. And there's a sharp needle in her hand. It's never going to be a good combination. I can't blame her though because I want to do exactly the same. So I don't stop her and she loses her temper when he won't tell her anything.
And I lose my temper because he's upset her.
"I was doing what you should be doing – getting him to talk."
We were. But she won't ever tell them that I lost my temper too.
"He knows where they are. They're alive and you're not even looking for them" She continues to scream at the head of the police. "What about Ernesto Vasquez? He was taken less than 24 hours ago. Ernesto Vasquez – you know who he is. His Mother-"
"We warned Dr Vasquez that she and her family were at risk."
Nikki scoffs – much like I do. "You warned her? You're as bad as them! You're protecting them!"
This is an eye-opener to be sure. I've never seen Nikki react like this to anything. I've never heard her shout as much – or as loudly. But she has every right to be angry, so she can shout as much as she wants.
She can scream and yell. I'm not going to stop her.
"You stand there in that uniform...What does that badge say? Justice? What bloody justice?"
Like I said, Nikki would never tell him that I lost my temper too. But El Buitre does – and the other inmates. All I did was shout, but we are both deemed too emotional and banned from seeing the prisoner.
After Nikki's stormed out – and with a lot of persuasion, I manage to convince the head of the police to let me give the prisoner his insulin – as long as I'm heavily guarded while I do it. He claims not to have enough men to keep that up though, so I have to send for Thomas. 15 hours -and that's just the flight. I can do it until then under police guard, but the chief of police is adamant that Nikki goes nowhere near the building. Apparently, she's more of a 'loose canon' than I am. Well, that's something I never thought I'd hear.
"This is not you're job, Nikki." I tell her quietly, once she's calmed down and we're back at the compound. "This is not your job – and it's not our fight. Please just come home with me."
She doesn't answer – and looks away from me.
"Maybe...we're making this worse." I continue gently. I'm desperate for her to listen to me. "Did you ever consider that?" Again she doesn't answer. She would never deliberately make things worse – I know that. Nikki was born to help people, but at times she has trouble seeing the bigger picture.
She can't always see the wood for the trees.
I keep trying"We might be making it worse. Our being here is just another provocation. Another reason for them to kill."
She is listening to me. "You think it's hopeless." She almost whispers.
I sigh. "I don't know if it's possible to win this thing." I admit sadly, I just want to get her home – away from all this. I'm afraid of her getting hurt.
"They're going to let him go – aren't they." She mutters.
"No." I answer. "Thomas is on the way – and I'm allowed to give the prisoner his insulin under heavy police guard until he gets here."
"Thomas?" She answers, sounding shocked.
"I know, Nikki – believe me, I know. I don't want him in this either – but it was the only way I could stop them from releasing El Buitre immediately - and I didn't know what else to do. I'm sorry."
"Thomas...agreed?" She seems more shocked about that than anything else, if I'm honest.
"You didn't think he would?"
"I...I don't know what I thought." She mumbles.
This is a dangerous place – and the last thing I want to do is to bring Thomas into such a volatile situation – but it's the only way. I'm sorry, Thomas. And I'm sorry for Rosie.
If anything happens to Thomas, I'll never forgive myself.
Nikki
"We're not helping them, are we?" I mumble, sitting down next to Jack. "Maybe you're right. I mean - I lost my temper..."
"We both lost our tempers." He corrects me.
"Right." I agree. "And now, Thomas is involved because we're not allowed near the prisoner. If Thomas gets hurt...If you get hurt..."
"Shh-shh." He whispers soothingly. "Gustavo was right – it's all upside down. The sun's coming up."
"It does that." I almost growl. "Every day."
I'm so tired. Tired of this country and the of the danger it boasts. Tired of having to look over my shoulder all the time. Tired of unfamiliar things. I'm just really tired. I want to go home. I really want to go home, but I can't because Luisa's still missing and I promised her father I'd find her – even if it's just her body. Then Ernesto went missing – and I promised Eva too.
"Come on." Jack whispers softly. "You need sleep, hmm?"
And he's right – I really do. We sit and watch what should be a sunset.
Jack
"Jack?" A familiar voice stirs me – and a light hand shakes my shoulder.
"Huh?" A open my eyes to see Thomas's concerned face looking down at me from a peculiar angle.
"I'm here." He tells me helpfully.
"Yes." I agree, trying to sit up - and suddenly becoming aware of a heavy object lying on my chest. "I can see that."
It turns out that Nikki and I fell asleep out on the step last night – as the stiffness in my neck explains. The heavy object, is of course, is Nikki's head, and she remains oblivious until I gently wake her up. I try to wake her gently, but she's very un-nerved to find that's she's been fast asleep in such an odd place – and to find Thomas and Eva watching her when she opens her eyes.
She totally freaks out and scrambles to her feet in a panic. "Wha-Wh-What's happened? Thomas, Wha-? Jack, wha-?"
I grab her hand, scrambling to my feet as well. "Easy, easy! It's ok. We're at the compound, remember. Thomas has come over on the plane."
She calms down a bit. "Oh. Sorry – um..." She glances at me quizzically. "I was asleep outside...?"
"Yes – we both were." I answer – and look to Eva for further explanation.
"Gustavo said you were both tired and we had to leave you alone." She mutters. She clearly didn't agree with 'leaving us alone', but then her son is missing and while we've been asleep, we haven't been helping look for him. We've been asleep for hours and hours – probably partly jet-lag, but things have been pretty full-on since we arrived in Mexico.
Nikki later goes for a shower, but then comes running back with Eva afterwards. Eva says she's had a tip-off about Ernesto.
"Let's go then." I say.
"No." Thomas answers firmly. "I'll go with Gustavo. You need to stay with Nikki and Eva."
So, Thomas goes off to the safe house with Gustavo and his men. They're away hours. The safe house is miles away, and even if Ernesto's not there, there are many places around the safe house where he could could be a while before they all come back. I hope Thomas stays safe.
The days are confused here and darkness creeps in.
"What if it is him? What if they bring him home?" Eva murmurs. From the way she says it, she's obviously expecting a dead body – or nothing.
"Eva, you can't..." Nikki starts gently.
"How can't I? Don't you understand?" Eva answers urgently. She hold a photo of Ernesto and puts it over her heart.. "I'd give my life for him. I'd give all our lives for him." She shakes her head. "I'm sorry. I can't wait here. I have to go to him." She gets up and grabs her coat.
"Wait." Nikki exclaims.
Shit, she's going to offer to go as well. Of course she is.
"I'll come with you." She tells Eva – just as I expected.
I reached for her arm as she grabs her coat. "Nikki-"
"I'm not asking you to come with us!" She snaps.
But Thomas told me to stay with her and I'm not letting her go off on her own in this place.
No way.