KING OF TYRANTS
Jack sat back in the wagon, trying to relax while his captors were taking him to Mexico's capital. He had absolutely no idea what Reyes wanted with him; he had heard his father speak of him, but he never knew his name until Cole had mentioned it. How could Reyes have known Jack? More importantly, how could he have known that Jack was in Mexico? Jack pondered these questions as the wagon left Nuevo Paraiso and the southernmost boundary of his father's Mexico map.
"Where are you taking me?" Jack asked.
"To Mexico City. President Reyes would like to speak to you," a soldier said.
"Why? What does he want with me?"
"He said he wants to catch up with an old friend."
"You've got me mistaken for someone else, mister. I've never even met President Reyes."
"That's impossible. He gave us your exact description. Do not lie, Senor Marston."
Shocked that they apparently knew his name, Jack just sat back and waited for the wagon to reach Mexico City. The wagon rocked back and forth gently, slowly lulling Jack to sleep. Jack's dream was of his future encounter with Reyes. He remembered what Cole had said, that Reyes was an aggressive tyrant, and so he dreamed that he had a duel with Reyes. Reyes quickly drew his pistol and sent lead into Jack's body. Jack collapsed in severe pain and felt like he fell off the edge of a cliff. He just kept falling and falling, and the ground was nowhere in sight. When it finally came into view, Jack jerked awake.
Night had fallen on the Mexican landscape, and Jack stared up at the vast expanse of stars above his head. He looked to the front of the wagon and saw that one of the soldiers had fallen asleep, while the other one tirelessly continued to drive the wagon onward. Jack took another look up at the stars and was in awe at how many there were. He always had a passing interest in astronomy but never really got much of a chance to study it. He had been very busy over the last few years and regretted not being able to continue his more intellectual pursuits. None of that matters now, Jack thought to himself. I'm livin' the outlaw life now. Good for me...
The wagon finally reached Mexico City late in the afternoon the next day. Jack found himself surrounded by grand buildings and paved roads. "Welcome to Mexico City, Senor Marston," a soldier said to Jack. Jack looked around, stunned and amazed at the sight of the grand capital of Mexico. The biggest city he had ever seen was Blackwater, and that was only a city of 1,500 people. Now, he was in the largest city in the country of Mexico, and he was very impressed with the way it looked. With how the capital appeared, Jack suddenly found it hard to believe just how poor the rest of the country was.
A few minutes later, the wagon pulled into the presidential palace, a four-story building on top of a hill. At the front of the building, the second and third floors had large balconies, and just outside the building was an impressive garden, complete with several different kinds of flowers and other beautiful plants. Well maintained bushes surrounded the entire palace, which was light tan in color and made of hand-laid adobe bricks. A large Mexican flag flew high and proud on top of the palace and a smaller one hung above the front doors.
The wagon stopped at the north side of the palace and the soldiers helped Jack out of the wagon. "What do you think of the capital, Senor Marston?"
"It's beautiful," Jack said. "I can't believe it! I've only read about cities like this in books! This is amazing!"
"I'm glad you like it here," the soldier responded. The soldiers led Jack to the front entrance, two doors made of thick oak wood, and led him through the main foyer. The floor was made of marble, and directly above the center of the foyer was a giant chandelier. A large staircase led to the upstairs rooms and several hallways connected the main foyer with the rooms on the first floor. Jack was led up to the presidential room on the third floor. There, the soldiers sat Jack down in a chair and left him to wait for President Reyes.
Just a few minutes later, Abraham Reyes entered the room. Reyes had short and neat hair, a well-trimmed mustache, and an average build. Jack sat with his back to Reyes, so he was alerted to Reyes's presence when he said, "John Marston! I never thought I'd see you again, mi amigo. You must tell me..."
Reyes stopped talking when Jack turned around and showed Reyes his face. Reyes immediately turned aggressive. "Who are you, gringo? Where is John Marston? I want you out of my palace immediately!"
"Easy, friend," Jack said. "I'm John's son, Jack."
"Jack? Oh, Jack!" Reyes recalled John mention his son, but he had never mentioned his son's name. Regardless, Reyes added, "Your father always talked about you, Jack. The Marstons are always welcome here at my palace. You must tell me how your father is doing."
"I'll ask him as soon as I get to hell," Jack said. "My father was killed several years ago."
"Que? That cannot be! You must tell me everything." Reyes sat across from Jack, a look of concern on his face. Jack didn't know if it was a genuine look or if Reyes was faking it. He wasn't really in the mood for opening up about the assault on Beecher's Hope, and especially not to somebody like Reyes, but he didn't want to do anything to make him mad. He had stirred up enough trouble as it was, and he especially didn't want to anger the Mexican government. Jack sighed and nodded in agreement.
"After my father left Mexico, the men who wanted him to catch Javier Escuella and Bill Williamson told him that he had to find one more man, Dutch van der Linde. I always knew him as Uncle Dutch growin' up."
"Ah, yes, John did mention Dutch. He sounded like an interesting man, a revolutionary like me. So you grew up around this man?"
"Him and Javier and Bill. Anyway, my father spent about a week huntin' Dutch, finally comin' across him at a place called Cochinay. They exchanged some words, and some gunfire..."
"John always did love those guns of his," Reyes interrupted, chuckling.
"Right," Jack said awkwardly. "So Dutch ended up dyin' and they let my father reunite with me and Ma. Things went alright for about a week. Pa taught me a few things about shootin' and huntin', and I can't say that I was the perfect child, but I was glad he was home."
"Can we just get to John's death?" Reyes asked impatiently.
"Fine. A man by the name of Edgar Ross sent a group of soldiers to the house about a week after Pa returned home. We fought them off as best as we could, but Pa sent Ma and me off on horseback, and we heard a lot of shots and found him dead and the soldiers gone when we returned home."
"Dios mio," Reyes said, genuinely sad. "John Marston is dead. I cannot believe it. And you say it was a man named Edgar Ross who did this?"
"That's right, Mr. Reyes," Jack said.
"You call me President Reyes."
"Fine. That's right, President Reyes." Jack put emphasis on the last two words.
"Good, good."
"So how did you come to power? Someone in Chuparosa was tellin' me that my father somehow helped you out there."
"Ah, yes. John helped me kill Coronel Allende, Captain De Santa, and Captain Espinoza. They were all very important people in the Mexican government. Allende was the man in charge of Nuevo Paraiso and De Santa and Espinoza were very important people in the Mexican army. When they were killed, I led a force of men to Mexico City and stormed the capital. President Sanchez never stood a chance. I allowed him to surrender and he's living in exile now."
Reyes paused for a few seconds, then continued. "Now I want to talk to you about why you're here. I was told you stole one of our money wagons. The government needs that money for her people. I want you to tell me where it is."
"Not gonna happen," Jack said.
"Perhaps you don't understand." Reyes pulled a gun on Jack, and Jack instinctively drew on Reyes. "I will not kill you if you comply, Jack."
"I won't comply unless you kill me," Jack snapped. This frustrated Reyes and he glared angrily at Jack. After ten seconds, however, a smile crept to his face and he laughed. Jack gave him a confused look, not understanding why Reyes was laughing.
"Ah, Jack, you certainly are your father's son!" Reyes said, still laughing. "You're stubborn and aggressive and blunt. I like that about you." Reyes put away his gun and put his arm around Jack. "I understand that you need money, and I have a plan that will benefit us both. Work for me and I will give you anything you want."
"What do you mean, 'work for you'?" Jack asked.
Reyes began pacing back and forth. "There is a rebelion against my government and my people. I have been fighting it for so long, and I have been fighting well. With somebody like you fighting for me, I will finally have the upper hand and I can win. With you, Mexico will be moved into a new golden age and her people will be much better!"
"What makes you think I'd help you with this rebellion?" Jack asked.
"I helped your father. Now you help me. It is very simple."
"My father helped you plenty," Jack said. "I don't owe you nothin'."
Reyes immediately changed his tune. "I know what you did at Rio Del Toro," he said, his voice becoming ominous. "The American government is looking for you. If you do not do as I say, I will make sure they find you and kill you. If you do as I say, I will protect you from them and I will give you anything you ask for. Do we have an understanding?"
"How the hell do you know about that?" Jack asked wildly.
"The American government asked to investigate a murder that took place recently. A murder of one of their top men. I approved their request. When you mentioned Edgar Ross, who was the man identified at the murder scene, and how he killed John, I guessed you were responsible. And just now, you confirmed my guess. I can inform your government that you are here and have them take you away...or you can work for me and I can protect you. Now...I ask again, do we have an understanding?"
Jack bit his lip and gazed bitterly at Reyes. As much as he hated to admit it, he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He couldn't just let Reyes get away with manipulating him like that, but at the same time he wasn't interested in being extradited back to the United States. He would be put on trail and hung for his crimes. Jack shuddered at the thought of being put to death by the same people who had killed his father.
At the same time, however, Jack knew that siding with Reyes was a bad idea. He remembered what Cole had told him about the rebellion, how Reyes was no good for Mexico and how the rebels were working to remove Reyes's tyrannical regime from power. His father had already helped this joker to power, and Jack certainly didn't want to make the same mistake of helping him. He knew what he had to do, but it wasn't something he was particularly fond of. He decided to side with Reyes. He knew it was a bad choice, but he also didn't want to fall into the hands of the US government.
"Fine. What do you want me to do, President Reyes?"
"Ah, good choice, amigo. First, I want you to tell me where you hid my money wagon. And any pesos you have, give them to me. You are now my guest, and my guests are treated as kings. You will have anything you want, but kings do not need to carry money."
Jack pulled out the remainder of the small sum he had taken from the wagon and slammed it down in front of Reyes. He then pulled out his father's map of Mexico and laid it on Reyes's desk. Pointing, he said, "It's south of this bend in the road here, hidden in some bushes."
Reyes laughed. "That's not the hiding spot I would have chosen, but gracias, Senor Marston. I will have it brought back here. Next, I want you to spy on the rebels for me. I have been trying to get a spy into the rebel camp of Nosalida for many months. I have lost many great men. You are as a stranger to Mexico; they will not know that you are with me. You will get me information about their plans against me, and if you are lucky, they will let you meet their leader, Jose Valentia."
"What's in it for me?" Jack asked.
"I've already told you. My protection and perhaps even a spot as one of my personal bodyguards someday. Do we have a deal?"
Jack shook Reyes's hand. "Deal."
"Excellent!" Reyes said, genuinely excited. "Jack, we are going to make excellent partners! Now go and rest. You have much traveling to do tomorrow. Buenas noches."
Jack was led by a soldier to his room, which was large and had carpeted floors. Jack removed his hat and lay on his bed, pondering what his life would become like shortly. He didn't want to be involved in this rebellion, but at the same time he didn't want to be turned in to the law enforcement back in the States. Jack was completely opposed to a death at the hands of the United States lawmen. He didn't want to go out as his father did; if anything he wanted to go out in a more glorious way, a show of his skill and power.
Maybe my death will come in this rebellion, Jack thought. Maybe this is it for me. I can't go back to America and I can't stay out of this war, and both seem like a death sentence. Only I'd rather die at the hands of Mexican rebels than the government. I wonder if they're even looking for me? How long 'til they track me down to Mexico and send someone after me like they sent my Pa after Javier and Bill? Or will they even do that? As Jack was pondering this, he fell asleep.
