Part 7:
Infiltrated
The wagon creaked and rumbled beneath Jack; it jostled him, Maddie, and the six Mexican soldiers who sat alongside them in the back, along with several crates of ammunition, firearms, and other destructive supplies. The long caravan of mounted soldiers and wagons stretched for nearly a quarter mile as they made their way towards El Presidio later that evening. The wagons were waiting for them at Casa Madrugada, just as they had left them, and with more than enough hands to help, they'd hitched up several of the army's horses to them and transferred the supplies from the train to the wagons. Then the long haul to El Presidio began; all was quiet except for the plodding of the many horses' hooves and the creaking wagons as the army ambled along down the road. Guns were loaded and held at the ready; eyes were alert and swiveling should another ambush take place so near their destination.
Jack glanced back over his shoulder at the seemingly endless line of mounted soldiers that extended past his sight and over the winding road from whence they came. He looked at Sundance and Gypsy, who were tied to the back of the wagon and were shuffling along. A pang of guilt resided in Jack's chest; he frowned and thought, I'll make sure to let them get some rest. God knows they deserve it after today.
Looking forward, his eyes fell on two more wagons in front of the one he rode in. His gaze continued on and snagged on the man leading the caravan. The rump of the dapple-grey Andalusian stallion swaggered back and forth, his black tail a swaying banner of pride as he half-pranced, half-walked. His rider held himself up quite nicely, almost too happily as he rode in front of his men. Reyes carried himself in a very dignified way. To Jack, he seemed almost too self-aware that he was the President, and it annoyed him. Sure, he's the President and all, but he sure as hell doesn't need to act like such a pompous ass, he thought as he took one last long look at Reyes' back before redirecting his attention to matters that were of greater importance.
His attention was redirected as his wife cuddled closer to him—amazingly, she had fallen asleep in his arms shortly after the wagons began the long trek to safety. Her head rested heavily against his shoulder, and even though the wagon jostled her and Jack about, she was sound asleep. He smirked down at her, adoring how she looked in his arms, and he closed his eyes as he kissed her forehead. His lips lingered there for a long moment, as he was grateful to be alive and with her now. They would've undoubtedly been killed by the bounty target had Reyes not have showed up when he did and saved them. After another second longer, Jack pulled away and opened his eyes, only to stare at her longer in silent happiness.
Not a word was spoken by neither soldier nor Jack as the army progressed closer and closer to El Presidio. Within ten minutes, just as the sun had begun to set, the fortress was visible. The pink and orange splashes of color from the sunset washed the white walls of El Presidio with a glorious palette, as if it were a blank canvas that had been painted with watercolors. Seeing their salvation in the distance, the soldiers urged the horses faster, making the wagons jostle even more so than before.
They were met with shouts and hollers of joy as the gates swung outward invitingly, and out poured hungry citizens begging for food, clothing, water, and protection. Reyes rode through the swarm of people with a reassuring, bright smile, looking like a chivalrous knight playing his part in a medieval epic of long ago. He ushered them all back inside in rapid Spanish, and when the wagons were stopped within the fortress, the people took to the supplies with a ravenous gusto. Food and water was dispensed, clothing was passed around, and firearms and ammunition were given to the soldiers. Through all the commotion, however, all Jack cared about was Maddie. Groggily, she awoke in his arms, and once she knew where she was, he helped her to her feet and out of the wagon. They pushed their way out of the tight crowd, and the second they were free from it and were ascending the stairs towards the main building, he released her.
"Jack, what about our horses?" she shouted over the crowd below.
He shook his head dismissively. "I'll take care of them." He ushered her toward the door with a gentle push. "You just get inside and get some sleep. Lord knows you need it."
She blinked. "But what about you? At least let me help you with—"
Again, he shook his head. "No, darlin'. I'll take care of them. Just go inside, please."
She frowned, looking guilty. "You sure?"
He nodded. To reassure her further, he leaned closer to her and kissed her forehead. She reciprocated his affection with a passionate kiss on the lips. In the brief pause that time allotted them, Jack could feel the relief and love she felt—relief for being alive and being with him, and her love all the more powerful for him.
As she pulled away, she said, "Try to not keep your wife waiting for long."
He smirked. "Yes, dear."
With that, she turned and ambled up the stairs, disappearing behind the door of the main building and leaving him alone on the steps staring lovingly after her. Jack turned and stood staring at the sea of moving bodies before him, and it reminded him of swarming fish in a river voraciously fighting over scraps of bread tossed down at them from curious children's' hands. Dumbfounded by the scene and numbed with exhaustion, he rested his hands on the railing and leaned against it as he stared at all the needy citizens who were desperate for the simple requirements of survival. A handful of soldiers stood within the wagons, dispersing whatever supplies their hands fell upon within arm's reach. Dozens of desperate hands reached up to snatch the necessities away from the soldiers as quickly as they offered them. Gradually, however, the crowd died down, and once all were clothed, fed, and watered, many of the soldiers exited the gates of El Presidio.
Curious, Jack walked outside and ambled about as the army scurried around him setting up a perimeter. Using the wagons first, they blocked the entrance of El Presidio, parking the empty wagons on the road front to back, and stretching outward, they began building a fence constructed of barbed wire, empty crates and barrels, and any other excess form of strong fortification. Chunks of wood and broken pieces of metal, anything from the tops of shovels to bayonets, were used in the promise of defense against outside threats. The fence was at least fifty yards away from the fortress wall, and as the fence was erected and solidified, Jack stood back in awe at the quick proficiency of the Mexican Army. With Reyes barking orders in Spanish astride his grey steed and the hundreds of soldiers scurrying about, within several hours, El Presidio was reinforced and made all the more safe.
When at last the perimeter was made, the soldiers set about setting up camp. Hundreds of small canvas tents were erected; tiny campfires burst to life and lit the rows of tents with sufficient light, so much so that Jack didn't even have to squint in the fading light as day waned into night. One by one, the cavalry unsaddled their horses and picketed them all nearby the rows of tents; twenty soldiers began building a round pen out of the scraps of wooden posts and anything else they could find within El Presidio. The smell of horse sweat, trampled dirt, and campfire-cooked meals reached Jack's nose in a pungent mix. A constant stream of Spanish rolled off the tongues and past the lips of the soldiers' mouths; there were so many men talking all at once that it was a jumbled cacophony of sound to Jack's ears, and he grew uncomfortable by it all. Also, the whickers, neighing, and blowing of horses added to the mix, and even though it all became a bombardment of white noise, it was still just enough to put him on edge. Even the sight of such a large army encampment was enough to make his spine tingle with anxiety. Tired and wanting nothing more to do with it all, Jack retreated back into El Presidio.
His attempt to escape the slew of people and the onslaught of Spanish was thwarted still—just as he predicted— as he walked back into the packed fortress. The citizens had also erected tents that were nearly overlapping one another; living conditions were worse than outside. Feeling claustrophobic, Jack made his way through the crowd and back towards the horses. He untied them from the wagon and led them away from the chaos over to the gates, where there was a small area for horses. There were a fair few of equines already there, but he had managed to squeeze Sundance and Gypsy in and unsaddle them. The horses looked grateful to have been removed of their tack, and their coats were covered with foam and sweat. Though he was exhausted, Jack took to brushing and washing the horses with gusto, knowing they needed more care and rest than he did at the moment. He gave them as much hay and water as they needed before he slipped their halters on and tied them alongside the other horses. Giving them both appreciative and affectionate pets, Jack turned and finally left them to rest.
He climbed the steps up to the second level, where he sought refuge alongside the wall. Finally, he thought with a deep sigh of relief, I can get some air up here! Jack leaned his elbows against the top of the wall and looked out at the perimeter and across the army's camp. Though he was temporarily free of the hundreds of people, it did ease him to a point where he realized he was at last safe, as well as everyone else within El Presidio. Nevertheless, as he stood leaning up against the wall gawking about, he couldn't help but think, All this protection, and it don't feel any damn bit of good. We're all packed in here like hogs in too small a pen. It's too many people in such a small place as this. He glanced past the fence surrounding the fortress and out across the landscape. Hell, I'd be more comfortable out there taking my chances with La Phantasma than sit here unable to breathe, much less move around in here. Still, at least we're all safe here, and with the entire army here now, La Phantasma doesn't stand a goddamned chance against us. She'd be really stupid to try to pull somethin' now with us.
He did his best to ignore and stay out of the way of the soldiers who walked along their stationed portions of the wall; no doubt Reyes had set up a constant watch with more than enough men to switch out. Even at the perimeter fence, men were stationed every twenty feet with guns at the ready should someone see a threat. As night fell over the last safe place in Mexico, silence blanketed it softly. Peace settled all around, and as soldier and citizen alike drifted off to sleep (save for the men who were on night watch), all that could be heard were the nocturnal creatures outside the walls and off into the wilderness before them. The sounds of people snoring occupied a small portion of sound in the night, adding another counter melody in the symphony of the night. Before Jack knew it, hours had passed, and when he checked his pocket watch, it read one-thirty in the morning. Yawning, he returned his watch back into his shirt pocket and leaned away from the wall.
I wonder if Maddie is asleep, he pondered. He ran a hand over his face, feeling all the more tired.He glanced over his shoulder back down to the main building, where his wife had disappeared into many hours prior. I should go to her soon… He let his thoughts fade out of existence in his mind as he turned to face the land before El Presidio.
He blinked with surprise and did a double-take, however, as a certain important man came strolling up to him. Every soldier he passed said something amiable or respectable to him as they saluted their president, and as Reyes came to stand beside Jack, the men sized each other up once more. To Jack, the President looked even more absurd with his heavy adornment of metals that glittered and shined brilliantly in the moonlight. The man looked at him with a certain amount of respect the likes Jack didn't expect, but then he recalled that Reyes had known his father and through him, he'd attained a respect for his family. Feeling inclined to show him the same respect, Jack inclined his head and said, "Mister President."
Reyes bowed his head as well and gave him a tired but amicable grin. "Polite like your father was," he noted before offering a hand. "Now that things aren't hectic and urgent matters are tended to, I'd like to formally introduce myself to you, Mister Marston. I am honored to have met the son of the man that helped me liberate Mexico from Allende's tyrannical leadership."
Abashed, Jack took his hand and shook it. He was surprised by the man's firm grip and confident handshake, but he realized that it was expected of him, seeing as he was the President. Jack looked him sincerely in the eyes and replied, "Thank you, señor. I appreciate it. A friend of my father's is a friend of mine, I reckon."
The men released each other's hand and stood before one another like old friends, even though they'd met hours earlier and in the most unlikely of circumstances. After a brief moment of awkward pause, they turned and faced the landscape, both resting their hands on the wall's ledge. The silence between them lasted another second or so before Reyes struck up the conversation once more.
"It's a quiet night, no?"
Jack nodded somberly, not knowing what else to say.
"Marston," Reyes began suddenly as he turned to face him, "I didn't get a chance today to speak with you after we got here. I was busy leading my men and taking care of the people to pull you aside and ask you your well-being. How are you and your wife?"
Jack sighed through his nose and faced the President. "I'm fine. Came out of that gunfight without a scratch, amazingly."
Reyes stepped closer and clapped a hand on Jack's shoulder. "Of course you wouldn't be hurt, mi amigo: you are the son of John Marston! It has been quite a struggle here in Mexico, but with you and your wife here to help, I am quite sure we can handle the country's sufferings. Still, I can imagine you have had to endure hardships of your own."
Jack scoffed and smiled. "Yeah, you can say that again. It's been hell ever since we got here in Mexico. This bounty hunt has certainly become a lot more than we bargained for."
"It would appear so, Marston. I too have had trouble finding and killing this puta. She has been one elusive anarquista. She truly lives up to the name the people of Mexico have given her."
"How did she rise to power so quickly?"
Reyes shrugged and explained, "When a person wants to destroy and make change in the most violent of ways, it is quite easy to do so, Jack. If you can talk in such a way that makes even the smartest of men to change their mind and side with you, then you can be successful. Or, in La Phantasma's case, if you can scare the absolute hell out of a people, then you can rise to power. A criminale can rise to fame in a number of ways. I've seen it done many times, as I'm sure you have as well, with the line of business you and your wife are in."
"Were in, actually," Jack rectified. "Maddie's always been the one in and out of bounty hunting; I gave up that life a long time ago, but she drug us both back into it when she heard about La Phantasma."
"And you went willingly?" Reyes questioned with a cocked eyebrow, clearly looking like he was uncomfortable with the supposed power Maddie had over Jack.
Jack noticed this and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Against his knowing, his eyes narrowed as he looked the President in the eyes and said, "Of course. Maddie and I have a great marriage—we decide on things together." He sniffed and looked away out of embarrassment, knowing that what he'd said was partially true.
Reyes, however, looked unconvinced and smirked knowingly. He studied Jack's body language and noted, "I can see that you're lying, Marston. You ought not to let a woman control you in such a way." He snobbishly raised his chin and added, "That's why I refuse to marry a bull-headed woman of no noble blood. I may not have a wife yet, but when I do, I will make certain that she knows her place."
Again, Jack's temper boiled beneath his skin. However, he picked his words carefully before he hissed, "You talk bold words, mister. My wife doesn't control me, nor do I control her. We are married, not a master and slave."
To cover up his mistake and embarrassment, Reyes threw back his head and laughed. He clapped his hand to Jack's shoulder out of friendly jest, but when Jack refused his hand and stepped away from him, he cut off his laughter abruptly by closing his mouth and frowning. In the dark, his eyes danced with confusion and outrage as he stared at Jack. Mystified, he shook his head and said, "You are a strange man, Jack Marston." He shook his head once more, looking like he didn't know what to think of the man standing before him with broad, proud shoulders and the resilience of a middle-aged work horse.
With unspoken consent, the men resorted to suddenly and awkwardly ending their conversation, all the while confirming their respect of one another though they secretly disputed over one another's beliefs. Jack stood unrelentingly before the President, not at all intimidated or questioning his own beliefs and lifestyle—he'd done enough and seen enough to believe that how he lived his life was the best he could live. When both men realized the conversation turned grim, they faced the road once more and studied without seeing of the camp below them or the moonlit desert that stretched past their eyesight.
When the silence proved too much for him, Jack leaned away from the wall, turned, and said, "It's getting late. Maddie's probably wondering where I am."
Reyes nodded and turned to face him. A change in the President's eyes happened just then as he looked at Jack; a wash of newfound reverence flooded them. "Then go to her, and get some sleep. God knows what will tomorrow will bring us." As Jack walked hurriedly past him, he added, "And señor?"
Jack paused in mid-step and looked back over his shoulder.
"Buenos noches. I hope to speak further with you tomorrow. Perhaps we can…get on better terms?"
Against his inner disgust and hoping to please him, Jack nodded and tipped his hat to the President.
"Muy buen," Reyes replied with a bright smile.
Jack did his best to escape the President's sight as he approached the main building, where he knew Maddie would undoubtedly be in. He felt Reyes' eyes upon him as he ascended the small set of stairs and across the walkway leading to what the army had set up its headquarters. He looked forward to disappearing behind the door of their bedroom and going to her. With that prospect in mind, he walked past the door and towards a set of stairs leading down to the sleeping quarters.
He almost descended the steps towards where his beloved resided, but something caught his attention and made him pause. The faint sound of ticking could be heard from within the main building, where the arm kept their telegraph, maps, and other accouterments required to plan—it was their main discussion and planning room. Jack turned and stared up at the door, noting that it was slightly ajar. The light from the room poured out towards him in a thin sliver of yellow, casting a slight glare upon his face. Squinting, he stepped away from the steps and cautiously approached. Curiosity and suspicion egged him on. His hand instinctively rested on the butt of his high-powered pistol as he peeked through the crack of the door.
What little he could make out of was enough to make him instantly tense. From the back view, it looked like Captain Gonzalez—he was standing with his back turned to the door. His right arm subtly moved up and down as he appeared to be sending a telegraph. The contraption was stationed on top of a small table in the farthest corner of the meeting room. Jack hastily turned his head to try to get a better view of the rest of the room, and from the limited viewpoint, Gonzalez appeared to be the only person in the room. With more than enough evidence to prove that something was amiss, Jack drew his gun and threw his shoulder against the door, knocking it wide open.
"What are you doin'?!" he demanded as he stepped into the room with his gun raised and pointed at Gonzalez's torso.
Gonzalez started violently and whirled around to face Jack, looking petrified as if he'd been caught in some traitorous act.
"Get away from that!" Jack barked as he beckoned with his gun, jerking it to the side to usher him to step away.
"Mister Marston," the captain stuttered with surprise. He blinked in rapid succession, trying to make sense of how and why Jack was there acting as he was. "¿Qué está pasando?"
"Take off your gun belt," Jack commanded. When the Captain hesitated to do so, he yelled, "Do it or I'll shoot!"
The man acquiesced quickly and dropped his gun belt down to the floor.
"Kick it towards me."
He did so without hesitance.
"Now, what the hell's so important for you to be sending a telegraph at two in the morning?"
"Un momento, Marston! Wait!" He held up his hands in submission.
"You'd better have a damn good explanation, amigo."
"I do, señor. I was merely sending a telegraph to America to send more reinforcements. We need as much help as we can in order to defeat La Phantasma!"
Jack felt his eyes narrow in dark suspicion. His grip on his weapon tightened as he asked, "Why would the States bother to get into Mexico's affairs when they're already preoccupied with The Great War? That sure as shit doesn't make much sense to me." He stepped closer to Gonzalez with his gun still aimed at his chest. "Besides, we have plenty of men to take on that bitch now. She'd be real stupid to try to take us head-on, now that the rest of Mexico's army is here and protecting the last safe place around."
All trace of terror suddenly melted away from the captain's face just then; in its place morphed a crazed smile that sent a chill down Jack's spine. He didn't have to think twice to realize the confrontation had gone from bad to worse as the soldier stood before him with a sudden, unexplainable calmness. Gonzalez's voice was instantaneously collected as he said grimly, "You're already dead, boy. Everyone in here is already dead."
"The hell do you mean?" Jack hissed, feeling a pulse of fear throb from his chest outwards to the rest of his body.
"Even with Reyes' forces, how can you hope to stand a chance against una anarquista like her? Now that he's here along with every gutless filthy commoner in this sandbox they call a fortress, her ultimate plan will come full circle, and you're all already too late."
Jack narrowed his eyes, now knowing all too well he'd caught a traitor single-handedly. Swallowing down his rising anxiety, he gripped his gun firmly as he growled, "What sort of plan is that?"
"La Limpieza."
"Which means?" he demanded impatiently.
"The Cleansing, you ignorant gringo. Here, within these very walls of the last sanctuary of Mexico, the country will be swept clean of all filth, including that bastardo Abraham Reyes, and a new government shall arise from the ashes and blood of the pitiful past system."
The high-powered pistol trembled in Jack's grasp as he shouted, "You traitorous son of a bitch! You've condemned all the lives of everyone in here! You've betrayed Mexico and its people!"
"I have and will always serve Mexico, idiota, just not under Reyes' reign!" Gonzalez corrected, throwing back his head and raising his chin in a self-righteous manner. "He's brought debt and decay to this country even more than his predecessor! He's become the beast he overthrew, and now he must be dethroned!"
"You fucking traitor!"
Gonzalez smiles evilly. "You and that little bitch you call your wife will die along with every worthless commoner and soldier in here. La Phantasma will lay waste to this place and raze it to the ground; there will be nothing but ashes when she's done here and takes her place as the rightful ruler of Mexico."
"Yeah…not while I'm Presidente," boasted Reyes as he seemingly materialized and stepped into the room through the open door. Several of his soldiers followed him in, trickling into the room and surrounding Gonzalez with their guns drawn and aimed at the traitor's head and chest. Two men apprehended him while the President glared the captain down and snarled, "You should've thought twice before betraying me and all of Mexico. Now you will die like the dog you are."
Gonzalez smiled brightly, insanity quite evident in his expression. "You can kill me, but things are set in motion which you cannot change."
"I've already got a plan for that puta loca," Reyes hissed through clenched teeth. "As for you, I have about a thousand ways to end your life. But first, we're going to learn everything that you know."
Gonzalez threw himself forward against his captors' strong hands and spat in the President's face. "¡Chinga tu madre! I will not speak!"
Reyes struck him across the face with his pistol faster than Jack or the soldiers could follow. His anger was palpable within the large space as he snarled, "That's what you think, pendejo. By the time we're done with you, you'll be begging me to put a bullet through your brain. But I'll make you squeal long before that happens." Collecting himself from such a sudden violent loss of control, the President holstered his pistol and retrieved a silk handkerchief from a back pocket. He wiped the spit off his face, looked around at his men, and ordered, "Take this cabrón away and keep watch over him. Make him suffer but do not kill him just yet: I will make an example of him tomorrow morning." As his men followed through with his orders and took Gonzalez away, he turned and held out a hand to Jack. "Thank you, Marston. You are a valuable man, just like your father."
Jack holstered his pistol and shook his hand. "I do what I can. But…," he glanced past Reyes' shoulder to catch one last glimpse of Gonzalez looking back at him with a smile the likes of which made him shiver. Steeling himself, Jack looked back at the President and continued, "But who knows who else has sided with her and is here right alongside us?"
Reyes shook his head and chuckled with unbridled confidence. "I will personally see to it that nothing happens. This ordeal will be dealt with. We will find these traitors within our ranks and destroy them. Then we will bring the fight to La Phantasma and teach her what fear really is."
Taken off-guard by the man's certainty, Jack nodded and pursed his lips, not knowing what to say.
"Get some rest, amigo. You will need your strength for the challenges to come. And Marston?"
Jack blinked and waited for him to speak further.
Reyes met his gaze head-on and gravely warned, "Tell no one of this, comprende? I don't want this…slip-up getting out. If word reaches that there is a mole within these very walls, people will speak of it, and we cannot afford to let them gossip. Can you do that for me?"
Jack nodded dumbly.
"Good. Then I will see you in the morning, Marston." With that, the President turned and walked out of the room, following his soldiers to take care of Gonzalez personally.
Jack stared after them, watching them slither around the corner and disappear into the night like a snake in the brambles. An unshakable feeling of anxiety crawled into his body, making him shake where he stood. Suddenly, his claustrophobia returned, and with it, the unmistakable fear of law enforcement and criminals. He felt like he'd stepped into something even worse than the already terrible and not so successful bounty hunt he was already a part of. With his fear quickly getting the best of him, he retreated down the steps and into the sleeping quarters. As best he could, he skirted past the two rows of sleeping soldiers on their cots towards the door at the end of the room, and when he reached it, he hastily grabbed the door handle and rushed inside, feeling safe at last in the presence of his beloved in the room with him.
