I'd like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all those who offered condolences after my last update. It really meant a lot to log on and find all those messages of support and comfort. Therefor, this chapter is dedicated to Abby, and: Fighter Pilot, Pocket Quasar, Rose Philosopher, ihearttwojacks, PsychoWing, and one-who-survived-the-darkness. Thanks so much you guys!

Disclaimer: I think by now we have all accepted the fact that no matter how much we may hope, wish, pray, beg, demand, blackmail, scheme, or charm, none of us is ever going to own Alex Rider, or K Unit. Which is really a bummer, let me tell you. Oh, and I talked with the FARC, and they quite forcefully informed me that they are not for sale... my mom was kinda pissed about the whole blowing-up-the-car message, though. Note to self: always assume that terrorist guerillas are not for sale. It's not worth double checking. Anyway...

Finally, their bus arrived, they had their tickets, and Eagle had apologized to everyone he'd managed to traumatize during his short stay in Bogota. The five team members got onto the bus, and were greeted by a quiet driver, who introduced himself as "Jose"

Since Jose didn't talk much (hence the adjective "quiet"), K unit turned to the other passengers on the bus for entertainment.

There were several other English speaking tourists, who Eagle and Fox immediately started chatting with, being the only members of the unit who didn't speak spanish.

Wolf blended like a local, and so he soon found himself wrapped up in a confortable conversation with a widow from Cordoba who was traveling with her two daughters to visit her brother in law.

Alex could speak Spanish as well as he spoke English, but it wasn't expected due to his appearance. Therefor the cute teenage girl sitting in front of hin wasted five minutes answering his questions in mono-syllabic words before he finally admitted he was fluent. After that it was usual teenage chatter, enhanced by their difference in cultures.

Snake at first was content to listen to little old Cub talking to a perfectly normal cute girl about international politics. Finally, though, he recognized the book the man sitting across from him was reading, and was soon talking to him about the authors latest book. Snake's spanish was decent, from growing up with Wolf, but not perfect. But with his broken spanish combined with the man's passable english, they managed.

They stopped for lunch in a little village that depended on that bus bringing tourists to their village for lunch. Kinda sad when you think about it. Of course, this meant that their restaurant were very, very good. K unit decided to share a table with the tourists Eagle and Fox had been talking to.

Their names were Christian and Eva Hopkins, from Canada. This was their honeymoon.

The group of six enjoyed a nice conversation, swapping background stories, which K unit handled with practiced perfection, until the waiter arrived with the menus. Seeing that guests celebrating their birthdays recieved a free jar of arequipe, or dulce de leche, Eagle automatically told the waiter that it was Alex's birthday.

Alex was too shocked to stop him in time.

Moving on, the group ordered enthusiastically. Christian and Eva opted to split a simple loaf of Pandeyuca, a baked cheese bread made with yucca flower. Wolf casually ordered la ternera (veal) as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Snake and Alex (the "step-son and step-father") split a Lechona, pork stuffed with rice, corn, peas, and spices. Fox hesitantly ordered the Aborajjado, plantains stuffed with cheese, and Eagle confidently ordered the Chunchullo, much to the disgust of the others. Chunchullo was, or course, stuffed and fried poultry intestines.

The conversation during the meal was casual and relaxed. Eagle, having earlier boasted to the Canadian couple that he was an experienced world traveler, spent most of the time telling them exciting stories from his trips to the Sahara, and the jungles of Belize, and scuba diving off the coast of Russia.

Of course, the stories were total bogus. They sounded like cheezy Indiana Jones spinn-offs. But the rest of K unit knew that these stories were based of Eagle's real exploits during SAS training. So, in reality, the stories were simultaneously exaggerated and watered-down versions of the truth.

Of course, Eagle's impulsive birthday announcement couldn't go ignored. After everyone was done with their dinner, four waiters came out of the kitchen carrying a jar of arequipe, decorated with a simple red ribbon. As soon as the waiters reached their table, they started singing, much to Alex's mortification.

The song Las Mañanitas was a traditional Mexican birthday song, and once they'd gotten over the initial shock, Wolf and a few other diners in the restaurant joined in:

Estas son las mañanitas que cantaba el rey David

Hoy por ser día de tu santo te las cantamos aquí.

Despierta mi bien despierta

Mira que ya amaneció

Ya los pajaritos cantan

La luna ya se metió.

¡Qué linda está la mañana en que vengo a saludarte

Venimos todos con gusto y placer a felicitarte!

Ya viene amaneciendo ya la luz del dia nos dio.

Levantarte de la mañana, mira que ya amaneció.

The translation, if you want it:

This is the morning song that King David sang

Because today is your saint's day we're singing it for you

Wake up, my dear, wake up, look it is already dawn

The birds are already singing and the moon has set

How lovely is the morning in which I come to greet you

We all came with joy and pleasure to congratulate you

The morning is coming now, the sun is giving us its light

Get up in the morning, look it is already dawn.

Well, of course, by this time everyone but Alex was smiling and cheering, and Eagle was opening the jar to try the arequipe. The poor boy, despite it not even being his birthday, was still shocked into silence. Nobody seemed to notice except Wolf, and even he didn't understand it.

Only Alex understood what had just happened.

It was the first time anyone had sang happy birthday to him.

Okay, there you go. That's gonna have to last you until I get back (21 or 23, I'm not quite sure which). Although, here's a little teaser to keep you interested:

"Next Time, On Viva El Chacorro!"

1) The group arrives in Santa Marta just in time for the annual Festival of the Sea.

2) They get separated... purposefully and by accident!

3) Y'all get to see how well I write fight scenes!

4) We get a little glimpse of how everybody back in London's doing!!!

Also, just to help me out, here's a few questions I'd really appreciate you answering in your reviews - BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS GOING TO REVIEW, RIGHT?!?!

1) Do you want a funnier, stupider Eagle, or a smarter, scarier one?

2) Should the soldiers treat Alex more like a kid, or an equal?

3) Should I let somebody get captured, or should I try to break Alex's horrible captivity record?

4) For the sequal (yeah, can you believe it, I'm already working on a sequal) should I work on finding some girls for our soldiers, or leave 'em single?

Please, PLEASE review, and I'll see you in a few weeks!