Grenade Pin
Chapter 2
Camilla stood rooted to the spot, the quiet click of the door closing was like a defeaning sound in the vast space of the office. She was alone, the silence stretching into a roar of nothingness while shock set in. Every miniscule noise was amplified until it rang loudly in Camilla's ears.
The body of the former consulate general slid sickeningly slow down the leather couch. The hole in his head still weeping a bloody mush of brain matter along the corpses face.
How had things gone so wrong?
This was hell, a twisted nightmare of terror and despair threatening to swallow her whole on the isolated island of Yara. Was she stuck here now? Why hadn't he killed her too? Would the El Presidente send her home, back on the rickety fishing boat to relay the death and failure of the American representative.
Camilla's mind fluttered around with so many unknown variables, it was hard to get a grasp on any one question before she was asking herself more. None of which she had any answers too.
Seconds passed from the thunderous ticking of a clock somewhere out of sight in the grand room, Camilla's thoughts had been running a million miles a minute until the door opened once more to reveal another soldier. The man was followed in by more military personnel, the uniforms a dead give away. She observed his ranking was high enough to be giving orders in Spanish to the other men. A few dragging away the deceased body of her former boss, while others cleaned.
"Excuse me, Miss Ramos," the soldier intercepted her vision of the unsightly scene. Standing a foot away, the man was devoid of emotion, just as ridged in form as his leader, yet lacking the dangerous aura. He peered down at her, waiting for some inkling of acknowledgment from the stupefied women.
Camilla blinked at him, then everything came rushing back. It was like waking from a daze, the icy bucket of reality had her shaking like a leaf, but she stood her ground when all the women wanted to do was crumple into a crying mess.
"Yes," her voice held steady.
"Our El Presidente wishes to extend our hospitality to you. A room has been organised for your stay," he inclined his body towards the door stiffly and held a hand towards that direction, "Follow me please."
"No," Camilla had to be crazy, she didnt know what she was doing, but she didn't trust any of these people. Yet disrespecting President Castillo's orders knowing full well he'd just killed someone minutes earlier might have been a death wish on her part.
"No?" the soldier echoed back confused.
"No" she repeated sternly. There was no way they were getting her cooperation, "I am not leaving this room." Camilla's arms crossed like a bratty child, doing her best to hide the fear. For all she knew they could take her out the back to be firing practice.
The man seemed to reconsider, glancing back at his fellow soldiers, none of them were willing to touch the women. Although he disapproved, he was not going to risk his own neck by forcing the El Presidente's guest into her new quarters.
"Understood. I will pass on your reservations," as quickly as they'd come, they all left. The room was clean, her paperwork gone, no trace of blood remained, just a stinging smell of chemical left behind by the efficient clean-up crew. It made her wonder how often the president would snuff out a life within his walls.
So Camilla waited. Not daring to sit down, she would not be the next victim cleaned of the chair.
It wasn't long before an explosion rattled the windows and the women dropped to the floor in terror. The blast was close, sounding like it was directly outside, yet there was no way for her to know what had transpired. Peaking around, there was no damage to be seen, was it even a blast she wondered.
After a good 15minutes, she finally worked up the courage to lift herself up and tentatively ease towards the grand windows. The sun was setting yet it was barely visible through the haze of smog that blanketed the city. Red puffs of colour spiralled into the air from smoke grenades bellow her vantage point. The muffled sound of screams barely reaching her ears as stragglers ran from around flaming cars and buildings.
Trapped in the monster's lair, safe yet surrounded by evil. Her arms came up to wrap around herself , offering the only security she could get in this hell. Castillo had told her not to go beyond the compound, escaping through the city of rebels was about as appealing as staying put...neither felt like survivable scenarios.
"They say you refused to leave?" the deep accented voice caused her to jump back from the glass, never expecting him to appear so close behind her. Castillo was a silent predator, observing her while she watched his world below. She couldn't be sure how long he had been there, only meters away, lost in her own thoughts.
"I h-have questions," her voice trembled at his powerful aura. Camilla had refused his hospitality, disobeying a direct request to move on from his office. The terror of loosing her life seemed to come along swifter than she'd expected, it had Camilla holding her breath as his passive face scrutinized her.
"Very well Miss Romas," Castillo humoured her as he moved to sit behind his desk. She watched his sight wander to the other chair knowing full well she would not sit where the diplomat had.
She tentatively moved towards his desk too, it was almost a magnetic pull towards something familiar in the foreign atmosphere. A handsome man hiding a killers face, her instincts pressing for caution while her mind pleaded for information.
meeting his expectant gaze as he nodded for her to continue once she was standing in front of the solid piece of furniture.
"Are you going to kill me?" her nerves levelling out as the most important question came to light. Camilla simply had to know, fearful of the answer yet eager to have her future filled with hope.
"I will not harm you unless you give me due cause too," his pointed look shot straight through her heart, "you won't give me cause though, will you miss Ramos?" his brow cocked ever so slightly, the challenge put forth in this twisted game she was now a part of.
"No, ofcourse not President Castillo" the relief of keeping her head was short lived by the underlying threat. Her hands came to fidget behind her back, doing her best to stand her ground instead of running.
"Good," his cunning mind already weaving her vulnerability to his advantage with a smirk.
"Why did you kill..." Her voice trailed off as she turned her attention back to the offending chair. It was no good showing her fear to a ruthless dictator, her screams would never be heard if she was stupid enough to follow in her predecessors path.
"I thought I had made myself clear the first time. You are still valuable my dear, he was not," his tone stern, as he made note of her curiosity. She got the impression that Castillo did not often repeat himself. He was like no man she had ever met, confident and willing to take whatever he wanted, he had no limits and no consequences.
"By next week You will be presumed dead by the American government, your associates killed by the rebels beyond these walls. Their bodies will ofcourse be sent back respectfully and the culprits executed to satisfy your law." He waited for Camilla to digest that information, her face paling at his inconceivable words, she just wanted to fade away as her stomach tightened sickeningly. Yet the realisation that she had no say in this matter was excruciating.
"Tell me, do you share your government's political views?" a niggle of ice shot up her spine, he would not ask if it wasn't vital to her value.
"I have no opinion; I just pay my taxes and avoid the subject" Camilla did her best to dodge the question. The best answer seemed to be no answer at all, no need to poke the bear while she stood in firing range.
"A neutral party... How quaint" he teased unfooled by her lie. "Then perhaps you can help me with a little problem? Have you experienced war before?"
"What, no. My job is as far removed from war as it gets. I work for an organisation that values peacefully resolutions, safe sanctuary and communication." Everyone had their own motives, there was a reason he hadn't killed her, something he wanted from her. She was in survival mode, anything to keep herself in the living realm.
"I am el Presidente, the one they love and fear," power radiating from his proud stature as he spoke with measured words, layered thick with his smooth accent. "There is no democracy here. We don't have room for those weak ideals. But like a disease, it has taken hold of some of my more feeble-minded subjects. There are whispers... they say Americans will save them, rescue their worthless revolution and side with the resistance to overthrow me. Yet you are the only American left" his hands threaded together as he took on a more professional disposition.
"I care for my people; I will give them the chance to reform. That is where your usefulness will begin." His charming smile locking in her fate, expecting her to submit.
"And if I refuse?" said almost breathlessly. Camilla was uncertain, tentative in her words to the leader as her mind searched for a way out.
"You are beautiful which is an asset but there are not many other uses for you and I do not keep useless things" a dusting of pink stained her cheeks for the briefest of moments, his allure reeling her in than casting her aside.
"So unless you plan to join the gorilla warfare outside these walls and have a target on your head, accepting my offer will be the only thing to keep you safe in Yara" Castillo's tone darkened, she felt like a petulant child. The man was patient with his explanation but disappointed with her opposing his authority.
"You want me to communicate with the rebels. Tell them America isn't coming...and... and organise a peaceful surrender," she wasn't stupid, Camilla could connect the dots.
"Yes," a broad smile stretched over his features, obviously please by her intelligence within the situation.
"I'm not a diplomat, they will know I'm lying," she urged softly, not wishing to anger the president.
"Truths can be stretched but there are no lies. You are from the American embassy which makes you an American representative. The Americans only want to use my homeland, I've declined, which means they have no reason to help a bunch of rebels who hold no sway over my recourses" he stood, smoothing a hand down his jacket, an imposing elegance of lethal grace as he came to meet her in front of the desk.
"They will kill me" she backed up a step, keeping the distance and trying not to hyperventilate. The intensity of his eyes paralysed her from moving further.
"If you are a neutral party as you say, then you hold no threat to either side. You are an unarmed female, it is easy to see you've got no military training, a perfect mediator" Castillo ran his eyes over her frame, a compliment or insult seemed the same thing as he regarded her.
"I will agree to do this, if you let me leave once it's done" the strength in her voice was barely steady yet she hoped he gave her this small reprieve. Her life in return for aid.
"You can't return to your homeland Miss Ramos. That is one thing I cannot permit" he did not lie to her, of which she was grateful, yet her hope was crumbling. "I will give you a new life here, Yara will prosper and you will come to love my island just as I do" he lent back against the table, arms folded awaiting her response.
"Ok," there was little choice. She would have to find her own way off this island.
"Excellent," Castillo's light tone dismissed the women as he went back around to sit at his desk, already taking paperwork from a draw, "My men will take you to your room."
Camilla turned to see some soldiers waiting by the open door. She spared Castillo a glance once again before walking away. It was a miracle she'd survived that encounter.
"Oh, Miss Ramos. One more thing," his head lifted as she made it to the door. "I assume your morals prevent you from warming my Generals beds," Her cheeks flamed and nostrils flared at his disrespectful remark. He had told her that beauty was an asset, yet here the man was warning her off whoring herself out.
"My apologies, I seem to have offended you," his lips lifting subtly at her reaction. "So I will rephrase, if you find your morals waning, I expect my bed will be the only one you seek out on this island. Is that understood?"