UNITED WE STAND
The survivors of Nosalida were all up before sunrise. Jack and Cole helped Valentia pack what little food and munitions they still had, which wasn't enough for the fifteen of them. The remaining food store consisted only of five loaves of stale bread. With all revolvers and rifles loaded, they only had twenty extra revolver bullets and fifteen extra rifle bullets. The success of the mission hinged entirely on garnering support from the small settlements on the road to Mexico City.
Valentia went over the plan with everyone before they departed. "We must act quickly, recruit as many people as we possibly can and get as many supplies as we possibly can. We do have the element of surprise, but we must take advantage of it as quickly as possible.
"Be prepared for the worst. It is very likely that the army has done some work along the road to Mexico City. We will help where we can, build a good name with these people, and then we will take all the healthy and fit men that we can find for the job. We will be going against the army, highly skilled and trained professionals. Manpower will hopefully be our greatest friend.
"It is very important that we stay away from Escalera. Escalera is the capital of Nuevo Paraiso and many Reyes supporters live there. We will be taking a detour around Escalera, then we will be back on the main road once it is passed.
"Be prepared to risk your lives, men. It is going to be muy brutal out there. Now we must leave. Vamonos!"
The small group of rebels departed Nosalida and headed south toward the main road to Mexico City. Jack knew what lay ahead and was terrified of what might happen. He then remembered what Cole had told him about using his adrenaline to his advantage, and he relaxed. The party rode in silence through the Mexican landscape. The temperatures quickly escalated and were well into the 90s within a couple hours.
Jack spoke up. "So, Valentia, what was it like bein' in the army?"
"I am very sad that the comrades I once fought with are now traitors to this country," Valentia said. "I was one of their best fighters. I led my men to victory many times. But I left when Sanchez took control, and I have been wanted as a deserter ever since."
"So you've been a rebel since Sanchez was in office? Did you ever sympathize with Reyes?"
"I did not side with anybody during that conflict, but I did know about Reyes. He was too much for me, you know? He seemed like he did not really care about the people of Mexico. He just wanted power to have power."
"Will you take over if we succeed?"
"When we succeed, Jack Marston, I will bring Mexico out of poverty. I will make it a shining gem, like our neighbor to the north. I will rid the country of its criminals and rebellions. I will bring peace and prosperity to this land."
"Do you even have any political experience?"
"Jack, stop asking so many questions," Cole said.
Valentia laughed. "I do not mind, Senor Ricketts. I have never been a politician, but I have something that Reyes never had. I have leadership experience. These men with us now, they easily could have run away when they saw their comrades die. But I have inspired a sense of loyalty, one that is unwavering. I know how to lead. I know how to inspire."
"Alright, whatever you say," Jack said. "Sorry, it's just...you still kind of sound like everyone who's taken control of Mexico. What sets you aside? Who's to say the power won't go to your head?"
"It will not go to my head because I will not allow it to," Valentia responded. "I have studied the ways of your great presidents and I will do what they did."
"You mean steal land from the natives and push their stuck-up ideals and beliefs on us? Sounds about right," Jack said sarcastically.
"Jack, stop that," Cole warned.
"Yes, listen to your friend," Valentia warned. "You are now saying things that you might regret later. Remember that we are allies, not enemies."
In a low voice, Cole said to Jack, "I actually could not agree with you more. I have my suspicions as well. Just keep your mouth shut or you might have to worry about more than Reyes."
"Escalera is just ahead," Valentia said. "We should divert our course to the east." The small group of rebels turned onto a thin horse trail and in a single file line maneuvered around Escalera. Jack whistled at the sight of the town; he had passed it several times before, but he had never actually been there. He caught a glimpse of the palace and was reminded of Reyes's palace in Mexico City. In some ways, Escalera was like a miniature version of Mexico City, which was exactly why the rebels were steering clear of it.
"That is one impressive city," Jack said.
Valentia chuckled. "If you like that, you are going to love Mexico City. It is absolutely beautiful. And I will enjoy turning that beauty to dust."
The party continued on past Escalera, moving as slowly and inconspicuously as possible. Once they had put some distance between them and Escalera, they sauntered over to the main road and broke into a gallop once they reached the road. Over three hours had passed since their departure and the full heat of the day took its toll. A gentle summer breeze was blowing, but as with most Mexican breezes during the summer, it carried only heat.
Their horses panting from exhaustion, they pushed on to their first destination, a small town called Bustamante. When they arrived, though they had been told to be prepared for the worst, the sight that met their eyes was still horrendous. Hanging from a tree just outside of town were three men. They had been stripped completely naked and castrated. Two of them had multiple gunshot wounds while the third had his throat slit. They had been dead before they were hung; everyone knew that the army was trying to send a message.
A small group of armed men, consisting of five individuals, approached Valentia's party and demanded that they surrender their weapons. A small Spanish conversation that Jack could not understand occurred, and whatever Valentia said, it was enough to convince the townspeople to lower their weapons. They were led into town, where numerous burned buildings lined the streets of a once peaceful and sleepy Mexican village. What was left of the town's population cowered in fear in the adobe buildings that had not been destroyed.
Valentia dismounted and ordered his party to do the same. Jack climbed off his horse and looked around at the destruction. He was saddened by the fact that this savagery no longer surprised him, and he wanted more than anything to kill Reyes and end this nightmare. The town's residents followed them and together they all met in the most solid structure that was still standing.
Jack observed that only a few able bodied men had survived the attack. The army had only spared the elderly and the females of the town, but a few men were able to hide until they left. Besides the five that they had already met, there were only two others. Only a gain of seven rebels to the cause and, by the looks of it, no supplies.
Their leader began to make a speech in Spanish. He spoke with passion and anger in his voice, stern but more inspiring than frightening. He made violent gestures with his hands and every once in a while the crowd would erupt in a roar, either agreeing with what Valentia was saying or expressing their anger. Though Jack could not understand what Valentia was saying, he was impressed at how their leader carried himself in a speech.
By the end of the speech, night had fallen across the landscape. Everyone worked together to clean up the mess of the attack; the hanged men were removed from the tree and the dead were buried in graves. Once the clean up was completed, agreements had been made and Valentia's force was seven men stronger. Unfortunately, the army had been very thorough and either stole or destroyed the vast majority of the town's food and weapon stores. Just as a few men had hidden out, however, some food, weapons, and ammunition was given to the cause.
At sunrise the next day, the force departed for their next destination. The days only continued to get hotter and their limited food supply was dwindling rapidly. It was two days until they reached Juarez, their next destination. They ran out of water near the end of the first day, and on the second day, two of their horses expired from heat exhaustion. Things were dire and fresh supplies were desperately needed. Valentia did his best to keep everyone's spirits up, hoping that Juarez would bring them good news, but he had his serious doubts. Juarez was a strong settlement, but because the army had made it to Bustamante and Nosalida, he guessed that Juarez hadn't been spared from their wrath.
When they reached Juarez, however, they found that it was virtually untouched. The rebel force was greeted with cheers of joy. Over one hundred men rushed forward to volunteer their time, resources, and lives to the rebel cause. Jack, Cole, and Valentia were taken aback at how intact the place was; it was almost as if the army had bypassed the settlement for some reason. Juarez was second to Nosalida in terms of known rebels, so it was strange that Nosalida had been destroyed yet Juarez had been untouched.
Suspicious that this could be a trap, Valentia requested to speak with someone in charge. He was taken to a very energetic man who introduced himself as Pablo. Valentia recognized Pablo and the two shared a hug that seemed to last a long time. Valentia and Pablo both explained that they were war buddies. Pablo had been Valentia's second in command during the Spanish-American War. Pablo explained how he had been tipped off that the army was approaching. He had quickly gathered all of the town residents he possibly could and used what he called their "secret weapon", a Gatling gun, to scare the army away.
Valentia's eyes lit up when Pablo made mention of a Gatling gun. "What did the army do when you began shooting at them?" he asked curiously.
"They all ran off scared!" Pablo said, laughing. "We came prepared and we drove those putos out of Juarez!"
"I'm not convinced," Cole said, leaning against the doorway of Pablo's adobe shack. He took the Mexican cigar he had been smoking out of his mouth and let out a puff, watching the smoke trail up to the ceiling.
"Cole, this is an amigo," Valentia said. "Treat him as such."
"Isn't it awfully convenient that the army just...skipped by here without doin' anything?" Cole asked. "Do you even have a Gatling gun, Senor?"
"Of course I do!" Pablo said. "Would you like to see it? I can even give it to you to help your cause."
Cole scoffed. "Alright," he said, putting the cigar back in his mouth. He motioned toward the door and added, "Come on then."
Pablo led Jack, Cole, and Valentia to the south side of town, where a Gatling gun sat pointing in the direction of Mexico City and what would have been the approaching army. Cole began inspecting the Gatling gun, taking in every square inch of its appearance. He ran his hand around it, pausing periodically to sniff it.
"What the hell are you doin'?" Jack asked.
"No gunpowder," Cole observed. He wheeled the Gatling gun forward slightly. "The ruts are deep. This thing's been sittin' here for a while. The army would have come through here less than a week ago. I don't see any tracks leading to this place; with the dry weather we've been havin', seems like at least some faint semblance of track could be seen."
"Pablo..." Valentia began, turning toward his old friend. To his surprise, Pablo had his gun trained on him, ready to fire. Jack and Cole prepared to draw their own guns and the remaining rebels quickly convened around their leader.
"Don't come any closer!" Pablo hissed. "Your leader will be killed. Besides, you are outnumbered." At his signal, all of the town's residents and a few army soldiers trained their weapons on the miniscule rebel force. Among these soldiers was Carlos, the man whom Jack had worked with when he was still sided with Reyes. Carlos immediately recognized Jack. The rebels were surrounded and escape was not possible.
"Well if it isn't the traitor Jack Marston," Carlos said.
"Who are you?" Cole asked.
"We've been looking for you, Jack," Carlos continued, ignoring Cole entirely. "President Reyes is a very displeased man."
"How could you blindly follow a traitor like Reyes?" Cole asked. "He's done nothing but bring hard times to Mexico."
"You do not know what you're getting yourselves into," Pablo said. "Surrender now and we will let you live."
"You made a big mistake choosing to take on Reyes's government," Carlos added. "We have killed most of your rebels. Mexico has been cleansed of its scum. Now, most people are loyal to their government, as it should be, unlike you traitors."
Addressing the large crowd, Valentia said, "You are loyal to this tyrannical regime? You are loyal to a sick bastardo who has been killing innocent women and children because they might be rebels? Over two hundred people were killed in Nosalida recently. Some of these people were women and children. Innocent people. Reyes killed innocent people. This will not stop."
The people looked unconvinced, so Valentia continued. "How many times has Reyes increased taxes? How many times have you had to struggle to get by because of these taxes? How many of you have families that are having a hard time? Poverty has always been a problem in Mexico, but under Reyes, the poverty problem is much worse than it ever has been."
"Reyes will never care about you," Cole said. "He only cares about lining his pockets and furthering his own agenda."
"His agenda is to help Mexico," Carlos said. "He cares about the people of Mexico."
"I'm done with you," Pablo said, staring evilly at Valentia. "I fought at your right hand, but look at what you have become." With that, he fired a shot at Valentia. Valentia attempted to draw his own gun, but it got stuck in the holster. Valentia fell to the ground, wounded but not dead. This signaled a battle to the death.
Everyone ducked for cover. Pablo armed the Gatling gun and turned it on the rebels. Gunsmoke quickly filled the air. Jack watched as Cole, completely focused, rose from his hiding place, gunned down two Reyes supporters, and ducked back intcover in less than three seconds. Cole motioned toward the battle, urging Jack to fight back. Jack began fighting back, becoming so focused on his task that he wasn't aware of anything else around him besides the enemy.
Valentia rolled into cover and hoped to God that everybody would forget about him or think he was dead. He wasn't ready to die just yet, even under these circumstances. He was helped to his feet by one of the onlookers, and he was able to gather a small crowd and give a small speech on why they should fight for the rebel cause.
"Do you see what is happening?" he asked through gritted teeth. "Reyes is responsible for this destruction. You are blindly following him but he is responsible for this fight and the recent destruction of many towns. Fight for the right cause! Take up arms against tyranny! Make the right choice!" The rebels were still outnumbered and beginning to run low on ammunition, but Jack and Cole were both having a lot of luck fighting the enemy, so Valentia was optimistic. He bravely began to fight from a distance.
Jack swore when he ran out of ammunition for his revolver. He holstered it, drew his rifle, and began fighting with that. He employed all of the techniques that Cole had showed him and he found that his aim had greatly improved. Cole, too, was impressed with how quickly Jack had improved, but he had no time to think about that and focused on the battle at hand.
Cole tapped Jack's shoulder and said, "I'm going for the Gatling gun! Cover me!" He started to move forward but Jack held him back.
"Are you insane?" Jack asked. "You'll be killed!"
"For a good cause," Cole said. With that, he bravely rushed forward with pistols blazing from both hands. Pablo turned the Gatling gun on Cole and opened fire. Three bullets pierced Cole's torso before he was able to send a bullet into Pablo's skull. Severely wounded but running on adrenaline, Cole fell to the ground but quickly crawled to the Gatling gun and used it to help himself stand up. He then cranked the handle and expertly killed most of the remaining force.
Carlos gathered the few survivors and quickly fled. They were no doubt returning to Mexico City to report the fight to Reyes. With the departure of Reyes's force, Jack, Cole, and Valentia realized that, by some miracle, they had won Juarez. The only people who remained in town now were fellow rebels, and Valentia now had over one hundred men under his command. It was definitely a good start.
Cole's wounds were treated immediately. The bullets were removed and he was patched up. Though he could barely move, the man operating on him gave him a good chance of survival. The force of men gathered just outside the building were Cole was being treated. Valentia had to be helped in by a couple of the new rebels they had picked up, but he stood proudly in front of his men to address them.
"We have won a victory today," Valentia said proudly. "Today, we have won Juarez!" The small crowd cheered with joy. "We will remain here a while to rest. You have all done Mexico proud and you deserve to rest before we continue on to Mexico City. We will depart in one week; we will overthrow Abraham Reyes and remove his name from Mexico!"
As the group of men cheered, Jack went to check on Cole. When he saw Jack, Cole smiled.
"Good work out there, Jack," Cole said weakly.
"What you did out there…" Jack began.
"Hey, I never said I wasn't reckless," Cole joked.
"Someone needed to take that gun from them. We would all be dead if you hadn't done that," Jack said. "You saved the revolution."
Cole shrugged. "It's what I do. Self-sacrifice is sometimes necessary to further the cause you believe in, Jack. Don't you forget it."