Chapter 6: Argentina

Joe Sanchez logged off the internet and called upstairs for Tony who had slept until the late afternoon, had finally eaten and was just now stepping out of the shower.

"Tony," Joe called. "Your wife is going to be on a news show this evening. I just found the listing on the internet. I'll see if I can pick up the channel."

Tony trotted down the steps in tight jeans and a t-shirt. He decided not to shave since all of the descriptions of him noted that he was clean shaven. He had on occasion worn a beard and mustache and he liked the look.

"Michelle's on television! When?"

"The show starts in 15 minutes," Joe replied. "Get us a couple of beers from the fridge and we'll watch. I bet she gives the interviewer a run for his money," Joe chuckled.

The interview was impressive. Everyone sympathized with Michelle and Tony. They were seen as tragic heroes, trying to defend a country that had now turned against them both. Over the next few days Michelle was on virtually every news show in LA and then started to appear on the national news shows. Tony watched every appearance and grew prouder of her by the day. He knew this was putting a strain on her, all of the travel on top of the pregnancy. He began to feel guilty that he was putting her through this. But on each appearance she looked well and confident and ready to carry this fight on forever.

The next two week passed slowly for Tony. He spent most of his time on the internet reading the hundreds of news stories that were being printed about him and Michelle and his family. It seemed as if everyone he knew had been interviewed and had an opinion. He was able to watch Michelle on television on a daily basis which always made him feel better.

Almost three weeks after his arrival at Joe's house, Tony stood in the kitchen cooking breakfast. Living with Joe as a little like living with Michelle, Tony though wryly; Joe couldn't cook worth a damn either.

Joe walked into the kitchen and inhaled the scent of huevos rancheros. "I'm going to miss having you around to cook, son, but I just got word that we're a go. My sources say the heat has died down and it's safe to move you to Argentina."

Tony put two steaming plates on the table. "What's the plan?" he asked.

"I'll fly you to Costa Rica. There we've got you booked as a hand on a freighter to Chile. Once you are in Chile we have ground transport to Argentina."

They would not fly out until after dark which gave Tony the whole day to be anxious. He had settled into a routine at Joe's and didn't really want to leave, but knew that he had no choice.

Joe had a two engine Cessna at a private airstrip. They flew through clear skies with a bright moon and eventually landed at a small airport in Costa Rica. Tony watched as Joe paid the man in charge a large sum of money to make sure the flight was not on their log book.

"Joe, I don't know how to thank you," Tony said as they shook hands.

"Beat those charges and get back to that pretty wife. That's all the thanks I need." Joe continued, "When Manny called me and asked me to stash you at my place, my first instinct was to say 'No'. I didn't need to play nursemaid to some candy ass U.S. agent who pissed off the government then decided he didn't have the balls to stick around and face the charges. But Manny said it would be a favor to Jack. So I eventually said 'Yes'. Then I heard your story on television and a couple of hours later, I met you and I realized that I was wrong. What you did took real character. I hear you even went up against Jack. Now, that took guts, Son. I've never even gone up against Jack. Be careful. If you need anything, I mean anything, Juan will know how to get in touch with me." He surprised Tony by embracing him as they said goodbye.

Joe directed Tony to take a bus to the port, where be would board the freighter. Joe supplied him with fake ID. Although it was dark, Tony made sure he stayed in the shadows with a hat pulled low to hide his eyes.

He boarded the freighter without any questions and was shown to a cabin that he shared with 10 other men. He followed orders and stayed to himself. He spoke as few words as possible since his Spanish was tainted with an American accent and he feared giving himself away. He doubted, however that any of these men had heard anything of his escape since they had been on board ship for weeks and little world news trickled in, but he didn't want to arouse anyone's suspicion.

The work on the freighter was monotonous and physically exhausting, but Tony didn't mind. Frankly, it took his thoughts off of Michelle. He was so tired by the time he went to bed at night that he fell immediately asleep.

Four days later, as the ship was about to enter the port in Chile, Tony was approached by an officer. The officer gave him an order that required that Tony go off by himself for a few moments. Once alone, the officer returned and spoke to him in English.

"Tony, I have instructions for you," he said as he handed him an envelope containing a bus ticket. "After we dock, leave the port and find some cover until dark. Then go to the bus station, it's about 3 miles from the port and board this bus." He paused, "You're armed, right?"

"Yes," was all Tony said.

"Good, you may meet some pretty unsavory characters on that bus. More than a little bit of cocaine travels this same route. So, be careful. The good news is that you'll be in Argentina in two days and then you're safe. Juan will meet you at the bus depot in Buenos Aires."

When the ship reached port, Tony helped in the unloading process as did all of the other hands. Once the ship was unloaded, they were all given their pay and told they had shore leave for the next seven hours. Tony donned his backpack and left the ship with the other men. They walked in pack talking loudly. Tony slipped to the back group and when no one was looking, he stepped into a narrow alley. He stayed there for some time making sure the group was well ahead of him before he left the alley. He found a wooded area not far away where he could sit silently among the overgrown brush and not be seen. He had taken some bread and cheese from the ship's galley so he would not have to look for food. He sat back under the shade of the trees waiting for nightfall.

As darkness fell, he checked his surroundings to make sure no one was watching. When he was sure it was safe, he pulled out his handheld GPS and plotted a course to the bus terminal. He plotted a circuitous route that kept him off any major streets and calculated that it would take him about an hour to get to the terminal. That way he would have just enough time to catch the bus and not have to stand around where he could be spotted.

As planned he boarded the bus just as it was about to leave. The bus was ancient and rickety and had no air conditioning. He walked to a seat in the rear as the bus started to pull out. He took note of the other passengers. All were poorly dressed. A couple of young girls, probably no more than 17 years old, held babies or toddlers in their arms. An elderly couple clung to each other looking frightened of the two young men sitting behind them. They probably should be frightened, Tony thought. He could see the tip of an ankle holster peeking out from one of the boy's pant legs, no doubt drug runners. Tony settled into an empty seat in the back of the bus. He slipped his hand down to his own gun and removed it from the holster. He left the safety on and kept the gun hidden under his backpack, but decided that he wanted the weapon readily accessible. He pulled his hat down low over his eyes and pretended to sleep, but remained vigilant through the night.

The next two days were grueling. The bus was hot and dirty from the dust kicked up by its bald tires through the many broken window panes. Tony's initial fear had subsided. Although he was sure the young men a few rows up, and probably several more that he noticed, were drug runners, they didn't cause any trouble and after the first night, Tony holstered his gun and allowed himself to relax. They stopped every couple of hours for food and bathroom breaks. Tony rarely left the bus, especially during the day, still afraid of being caught. He doubted if the poor people in this rural area of South America would have seen his picture on the news but chose not to take any chances.

He finally reached his destination feeling gritty and hungry and tired. He stepped purposefully off the bus not quite knowing who he was looking for but not wanting to look lost and draw attention to himself. He felt more than heard someone come up from behind him.

"Tony?" the voice said.

"Juan?" he responded.

"Yeah," was the answer.

Tony turned around relieved to find a man about his own age fitting the description that Joe had given him. They left the bus depot without another word and Tony followed Juan to his car. Juan explained that he had found a loft apartment for Tony not far from their office. It was basically furnished and he had stocked the refrigerator with the essentials and left a couple of changes of clothes in the closet. He dropped Tony off and told him to get some rest. He would be by in the morning to pick Tony up, take him to the office and explain the rest of the arrangements.

Tony settled quickly into life in Argentina. His new business partners, Juan Rodriguez and Pedro Cabrera were wonderful. Cabrera was a former Brazilian government agent who also found himself on the outs with his government. Although not formally charged with any crime, it was clear he was not welcome in Brazil.

Tony enjoyed the work they did and he immersed himself in it. Typically, he rose at 5:00 and went for a run. He was in the office by 7am and rarely left before 7pm. Three nights a week he left work and went to the gym for a couple of hours to work out before finally coming home too tired to think about much before he dropped into bed. On the nights he didn't go to the gym, he often stayed in the office until 10 or 11 o'clock and surfed the internet looking for any stories about Michelle's fight to get his name cleared.

The weekends were worse. He still got up early to run and usually went in to the office for at least 8 hours, but the loneliness when he returned to his one-bedroom apartment was unbearable and he found himself drinking far more than he should in a vain attempt to dull the pain.

He also continued to watch any appearances Michelle made on American television. He marveled at her poise. He always knew he had married an extraordinary woman, but this was more than he could have ever expected of her. As the months passed, he noticed that her face was getting a little fuller and on the rare occasion that she was not sitting at a desk or table, he could see her belly expanding. It made him smile and broke his heart all at the same time.

For their part, Juan, Pedro and the office assistants did their best to make Tony feel welcome and forget that he was thousands of miles from home. A couple of months after arriving, Juan and his wife had a party for some friends and the office staff. Tony watched Juan and Pedro with their families and longed to have Michelle beside him. As was quickly becoming his habit, he started drinking whenever he thought of Michelle. By the time the party was drawing to a close, he was far too drunk to drive home. He sat alone continuing to down one drink after another as his secretary, Pilar, sat down beside him.

"Mr. Morales, you aren't planning to drive, are you?" She asked. Antonio Morales was the identity that Tony had assumed when he arrived in Argentina, although everyone in the office knew his real name.

She was flirting with him as usual, but he didn't care. Her good looks were not lost on him. She had dark brown hair that just kissed her shoulders and huge brown eyes. Her lips were soft and full and she had an amazing figure.

"Why? Don't you think I should?" he flirted back.

"No, you'll kill someone. Let me take you home. I can bring you over to pick up your car tomorrow." She took his hand and he stood up unsteadily. They got into her red BMW convertible and started for Tony's apartment.

Pilar could certainly not afford this car on her salary as Tony's secretary, but everyone in the office knew her story. She was the daughter of a farmer in a poor, rural area of Argentina. By the time she was 18, she knew she wanted more from life than the son of the farmer a couple of kilometers down the dirt road could offer her. So she ran away to Buenos Aires to find a man who more suited her tastes.

She arrived in the capital with little more than the clothes on her back, but found a job as a waitress in an exclusive club and began to make friends. Within a year, she was dating a rich divorcee who was older than her father. She was 19 and he was 64 and she didn't care. He bought her beautiful jewelry and clothes and soon moved her into his mansion. She stopped working and spent her days shopping and traveling and having fun with her girlfriends. The two were married on her 20th birthday. She knew she didn't love him, but then again, did her mother and father really love each other? Hardly. They fought constantly and barely eked out an existence. At least she liked Javier and he was good to her and he was rich. What more could she want?

Javier died seven years later leaving Pilar a very rich widow at the age of only 27. She enjoyed the lifestyle for a couple of years, but eventually became bored. Juan's wife, Rosa, had known Pilar since they had been waitresses at the same club years earlier. Rosa joked that she should have stayed closer to Pilar and maybe she too would have met a rich, old guy instead of Juan. When Tony stared working with Juan and needed a secretary at least a few days a week, Rosa suggested that Juan ask Pilar. She was looking for something to occupy her time and was actually quite computer literate. Not a bad idea, Juan agreed. Pilar was even more interested when she met her handsome new American boss. This was just the opportunity she had been looking for. She hadn't dated anyone in a while and Tony was a prime catch. The fact that he had a pregnant wife who he obviously loved very much was only a minor obstacle for Pilar.

Tony slipped into the leather passenger seat of the convertible and fell asleep as Pilar drove away from Juan's home. The next thing he knew, Pilar was standing next to the open passenger side door waking him up. Pilar insisted that she walk him up to his apartment although the fresh air and sleep had sobered him up considerably.

Tony invited her in and asked if she would like some coffee. Pilar laughed and said, "I don't really trust you to make anything right now. Sit down, I'll make it."

Tony directed her to the coffee and the mugs while he sat on a bar stool at the counter. He rested his elbows on the counter and put his head in his hands. He regretted drinking so much today. He didn't like his business associates to see him this way. He would definitely have to exercise more self control in the future.

Pilar came up behind him as the coffee was brewing and began to rub his shoulders. "You better take some aspirin or you're going to feel lousy in the morning," she said.

"It won't be the first time," Tony answered shortly to cover his embarrassment. He sat up straight and let his head roll forward enjoying the massage.

Pilar's hands drifted down to his chest. She leaned forward and allowed her ample breasts to rest against his back just below the nape of his neck. Her hands moved back to his shoulders for a moment then she let them slide down his back and under his shirt. His eyes were closed and he felt her hands on his bare skin. She pressed her lips against the back of his neck then moved over to his ear. He felt her hot breath as her tongue tickled the edge of his ear. He was quickly becoming aroused.

He stood up, and feeling the effects of the alcohol, he stepped clumsily around the bar stool. He turned to face her. He put his hands on her shoulders and started to pull her toward him. He moved his hands down and began to fondle her breasts. They were so much larger than Michelle's. That thought brought him back to reality and he suddenly felt very sober. He moved his hands to her shoulders and pushed her gently away as he took a step back.

"This… this is wrong, Pilar. We shouldn't be… I shouldn't be doing this," Tony stammered.

Pilar walked toward him and put her hands on his waist. "Don't try and tell me you don't want me," she said as she gestured to the telltale bulge in his tight jeans.

"You're wrong Pilar. Yes, I'm aroused and if my wife were here, I would probably maul her. But it's her that I want."

Pilar wouldn't be deterred. "Tony, she's not here. For all you know, you may never see her again. I'm here right now. You have a need you would like to have fulfilled and I would like nothing more than to fulfill it." She drew closer to him pressing her pelvis against his.

Tony pulled away again. "I love my wife, Pilar. I made a vow to be faithful to her. Right now she's putting all of her effort into securing my freedom. She's carrying my child. How could I possibly cheat on her? And why are you wasting your time on a married man? Pilar, you're gorgeous."

She looked surprised.

He continued, "Yes, I've noticed. I'd have to dead not to! There must be thousands of eligible men out there for you."

Tears filled Pilar's eyes. "They are only interested in me because I have money. But you…you have been so sweet to me and you wanted nothing in return. I thought maybe…" She didn't finish the sentence as she turned and walked away. She stopped as she opened the door.

"Pilar," he started. "I didn't mean to lead you on. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"No, Tony, it's not you, it's me." She paused for a moment as she lingered in the door. "I hope your wife knows how lucky she is. I'll see you on Monday unless, of course, you would rather I, uh, found other employment."

"No, no. You're a great secretary. I don't want you to quit. I'll see you Monday."

With that, Pilar stepped out of the door and Tony closed it behind her. He felt terribly guilty. Could today have gone any worse? Let's see, he thought. I got drunk in front of the entire office staff, hurt Pilar and almost cheated on Michelle.

He walked back to the kitchen and poured a gin and tonic that was far more gin than tonic. As he raised it to his lips, the piney scent of gin assaulted his nostrils. He had to stop this. He was drinking too much. He could understand now how Jack had gotten hooked on heroin. Jack's excuse was that he needed to do it to maintain his cover with the Salazars, but Tony knew that wasn't the whole truth. Jack needed the heroin to dull the pain, to forget all of the hurt he had suffered. So, too was Tony using alcohol to dull his pain, to forget how much he missed his wife and his family and his friends and the life he had created for himself in LA.

He poured the drink down the drain and reached for the coffee that Pilar had made. As he drank it, he talked out loud to Michelle as if she were there. He told her he loved her and that things would be different. He wanted to make sure he didn't turn himself into someone she wouldn't love when he finally got home to her.

Michelle spent those same months equally sad but keeping very busy. She, too, settled into a new job. As Joe had promised, Jack, Chase and Michelle were set up in a computer security business providing services to banks and brokerage houses. She and Chase really did the initial set up while Jack spent four weeks in an inpatient rehab to treat his heroin addiction. The business grew quickly and Michelle found herself constantly on the go between work and guest appearances and making contact with government officials as she continued to fight to clear Tony's name. Like Tony, she made sure she was exhausted before she went to bed because she couldn't stand to lay awake thinking of him. Tiring herself out was getting easier and easier as Tony's baby grew inside of her.