It was June, the rainy season in Cuba. But in this country, as Katey suddenly remembered stepping off the dingy little plane; even when it is bucketing down, it is sweltering hot.

How she had ever worn that polyester school uniform was beyond her.

The airport was modest, to say the least, and right away she noticed the army guards standing by the entrance doors, rifles in hand.

"Do not worry Señorita, it is just for show" the pilot said, coming up behind her.

Katey spun around, and he caught her by the elbow and kept her walking briskly through the pelting rain. "Have you ever been to Cuba before?" he asked, with a thick Spanish accent.

"Y-y-yes" Katey stammered, trying to keep hold of her suitcase as the pilot kept her walking, straight through the doors where the guards were standing.

"Yes, but have you been to Cuba since the revolution?" he asked her, once they were inside the building. Katey shook herself off, droplets of water spraying all over the lime green carpet. She looked up, into his face just as he removed his sunglasses, "no" she answered humbly.

"Ah, so this may as well be your first visit…" he replied with a smirk. He motioned to a queue, where passports were being checked, and began to head that way… Katey followed close by his side.

"It is…" Katey began, and the man turned to her, "yes?" he urged.

She cleared her throat as they stood in line, "it is safe though, si?"

He gave a faint nod, "it is better for us…us Cubans…."

Katey gave a dejected nod, and suddenly felt less sure of this visit.

There were only two more people ahead of them. The plane had only 6 or so passengers, which was not surprising. Cuba was not a desirable destination for Americans these days.

"Después!" the line had suddenly disappeared, and Katey and the pilot were now being ushered up to show their passports. Katey allowed the pilot to go first, but he took her by the elbow again, and led her up with him.

He approached the clerk with ease, and spoke in Spanish so quick that Katey missed half of what he said; "Buen día mi amigo! Esta señora encantadora del yound está con mí, si usted por favor, sea rápida. Tenemos una reunión importante!"

Katey furrowed her brow as he snatched her passport from her and quickly flashed it at the clerk's face; "Si?" he asked, and the clerk nodded, waving them ahead.

"Come Señorita" he said, handing her back her passport and leading her away.

"Err…thank you…" she stammered, a little confused by his kindness.

"Do not mention it… I owed him a favor, and now my debt has been paid" the pilot replied smoothly.

Katey frowned while she walked, trying to think if she had heard him correctly.

"Pardon?...What do you mean by a favor…who are you….?"

But he didn't seem to hear her; either that or he wasn't interested.

A pair of double glass doors loomed ahead, and on the other side, the rain was still steadily falling.

"You seemed to have picked the wrong time to come to Cuba, si?" the pilot chuckled as they approached the doors.

"What is your name?" Katey finally demanded, stopping dead in her tracks. The pilot had to take a few paces back to be standing in front of her again.

"Why are you helping me…and what do you mean by a favor?" Katey insisted.

"My name is Paco…and…." He raised an eyebrow, "you do not know who asked me to help you?"

Katey slowly shook her head.

"Suarez" Paco coolly replied.

"Javier?" Katey's mind swirled, "…but how could he know that I…. I mean, how did he know that I would be…"

"Si! Si! Javier Suarez!" Paco nodded, and reached for her elbow again, ushering her towards the doors, seeming not to notice the shocked expression now plastered on her face.

"You have money, si?" he asked her, once they were outside.

Katey gave a faint nod as Paco left her side for a moment to hail a cab.

"You know where you are going, si? Not far from here….to the club."

"The club?" Katey repeated, suddenly feeling light-headed.

"Si. La Rosa Negra" Paco replied, waving one arm out frantically. It finally caught a driver's attention.

"This is as far as I take you. You know where you are going, si?"

Katey gave another faint nod as Paco reached down for her suitcase. "He will be there" he said coolly, as he opened the door for her.

Katey's heart suddenly pounded, like the drum in her dreams….loud, hard and fast beats. "He's waiting for me?" she asked Paco, bewildered.

"Si, si!" he replied, seemingly annoyed now. He bundled her into the cab, spoke quickly to the driver… this time Katey didn't catch a word of what he said…and then he tapped on the roof, waved goodbye, and the cab sped off.

Katey was breathing deeply now as she sat in the backseat of the cab. Deep breaths, in an attempt to calm her beating heart and pounding head.

She could not believe this was all so easy. She had thought she would visit his home… in hopes that he still lived there. The letter he had sent had no return address.

How did Javier know she would be on that exact flight? At this exact time?

How did he know she would come at all….had he that much faith in here?

Her mind was racing with all these thoughts. She didn't even seem to notice the familiar streets she was passing. Though they looked decidedly dreary during this bleak weather.

"La Rosa Negra"

Katey blinked, and gasped for a single breath.

"W-w-what?" she stammered.

"La Rosa Negra!" the driver said again, pointing.

The cab had not yet stopped, but he was pointing to the familiar building as they approached.

"La Rosa Negra…" Katey whispered, looking out the window. Suddenly her heart seemed to calm to a normal pace. Suddenly, she could breathe again.

He pulled over, just a few feet away from the club's entrance. "Cuánto?" Katey asked, and the driver replied "diez".

Katey peered inside her purse and pulled out two five's.

"Gracias" Katey replied, and the driver nodded.

Slowly, she opened the door and stood out on the sidewalk. Walking around to the boot which popped open, she pulled out her suitcase. And as the cab sped off, she stood looking up at La Rosa Negra, not quite believing what she was seeing.

She didn't even feel the sticky rain as it drenched her. She just stood for a minute or two, drinking in the sight. "Somebody pinch me" she whispered to herself as she finally moved towards the club's entrance.

Tentatively, she reached out her hand, and pushed open the door.

The smell hit her instantly. The faint aroma of tequila, sweat and the hard wooden floors. It smelt the exact same, and the comfort of that suddenly made her want to cry.

She let out a little gasp as she dropped her bag by the door and took her first few steps inside.

It was all packed up for the day, all the chairs were sitting still atop the tables. There was a dead quiet, apart from her heels clicking across the wooden floors.

All the same posters and prints hung on the walls. The paint was a little more chipped than she remembered, but the hot colors still brought warmth to the place.

She stood in the centre of the dance floor, and slowly turned around and around. How could this place have stayed the same for so long? It was as though La Rosa Negra were stuck in some sort of time-warp, indifferent to the changing days, months and years. Katey smiled inwardly, thinking to herself that perhaps this place hadn't changed, so that when she finally returned to Cuba, she would remember it.

Suddenly she blinked, remembering the exact reason why she was standing here.

Javier had sent for her. But the club was seemingly dead. Not a single sole apart from herself.

And then she thought for a moment, 'why here? Why La Rosa Negra?'

"Si ése es los expedidores de la cerveza... le dije venir la semana próxima! ¡Usted morons!"

Katey jumped as she heard the voice come from somewhere behind the bar. Roughly translated, the unknown voice had just called out; 'If that is the beer shippers... I told you to come next week! You morons!'

"H-h-hello?" Katey called out, looking towards the bar.

A door swung open. And Katey's heart stopped.

Javier.