Ecuador

Chapter 4

Chapter 4ANGÉLICA NOBOA PEREZ, HOVERED over a notebook, counting species of birds on the edge of a small, wet area almost completely covered with large lily pads. A silent Jago, looking bemused, walked up behind her and softly said, ‘Please do not make any sudden moves, señorita.’

Unafraid, the feisty Angélica turned and glared at the ruggedly handsome, dark-skinned man causally pointing an AK-47 at her, and said, ‘How dare you. Get away from me. Now!’

Jago, somewhat surprised by a fearless response from the short, but not unattractive dark-haired woman standing alone in the jungle, could not help but smile. He looked down at her petite hands, perched on healthy, wide hips. ‘Your name, señorita?’

‘Kiss my ass.’

‘A most generous suggestion; I haven’t kissed one for a long while. Is that your desire?’

She turned and started to run, but before she got more than a few feet, strong slender fingers gripped her arm, and the next thing she knew, she was lying on the ground.

‘Bastardo.’

Jago was amused. ‘A nice little chicken like you must have a family close by. You are not out here alone, I think?’

She was about to say who she was but caught herself just in time.

‘You would do yourself a service by answering. I see in your manner that you do not want to answer. Perhaps you have a rich family somewhere, no?’

‘What do you want?’ she said as she pushed herself up against a tree trunk.

Jago sat down beside her, ‘To live a good life and take money to my people, and, for the moment, to escape those who are pursuing us.’

‘Us. You are not alone?’

Jago whistled. Within seconds, Lobo, Chico, San, León, Carlos, and Cherry materialized from the jungle, each with a different thought. Jago, curious, wondered who this woman was. Besides drugs, the FARC kidn*pped many people, earning high fees before giving captives their freedom. With her expensive hiking clothes, this woman would probably be from a family willing to pay for her freedom.

Cherry looked at the woman, wondering if Jago would sleep with her. Young San, inherently meaner than the rest of the men, and consequently the least liked in the band, leered with desire and fantasized about forcing her legs apart. Women had been too scarce away from their home territory to satiate his teenage hormones.

Lobo caught his intention and motioned for the fifteen-year-old to move towards the edge of the small pond to stand guard. Besides wanting to move him away, he did not think this woman would be out here alone. Although they had neither seen nor heard anyone, others might be close by. He motioned to Carlos, who was only two years older than San, to position in the opposite direction.

‘Lobo, you and Cherry see if you can find any soldiers, or where this pretty young thing’s home is.’ Angélica, thinking about soldiers nearby, almost let out a yell. But something stopped her, and she remained silent.

‘If soldiers are after you, perhaps you should run away from here.’

‘Being still is sometimes safer than moving. The mantis is invisible as long as he stays motionless.’

Angélica watched a bright yellow-green frog sitting on the side of a small branch ten feet away.

Jago followed her gaze.

‘If your sting is sufficient, you can move without such caution,’ she countered.

Jago shifted his body and turned his head toward Angélica while moving closer to her. He searched her eyes. She did not pull away and, instead of fear, felt lightheaded. He watched her pupils become larger, a slight movement as she turned toward him, her fingers opening and closing as they massaged her thigh.

He smiled. ‘Your name, señorita?... por favor.’

‘Angélica Perez,’ she answered. She could feel her heart beating faster and could not understand why. After a few seconds, again without understanding why, she whispered her family name, ‘Angélica Noboa Perez.’