Fever Dreams by Laura Leone

Author:Laura Leone
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ePublishing Works!
Published: 2011-04-06T16:00:00+00:00

*****

To Madeleine's surprise, Alvarez brought them dinner a couple of hours later. With so many hungry people in Montedora, she didn't understand why the army bothered feeding two prisoners who were destined to disappear forever tomorrow; people taken to Seguridore headquarters were never seen again. Despite her churning stomach, the stuffy heat, her revulsion over the way Alvarez leered at her, and the unpleasant odors in their cell, she followed Ransom's orders and ate a little of the food—beans and rice—since they had no idea when they'd have an opportunity to eat again.

After their bowls were taken away, Ransom suggested she lie down on the narrow cot and try to get some sleep. If their plan was successful, they'd be on the run by morning and would need all their strength.

That "if" kept her wide awake, though.

They had argued heatedly before settling on a plan. Ransom's original scheme would have put him in danger while she hid in their cell. Her passionate declaration that she'd rather die than be stuck here alone after he got himself killed was the argument that finally overcame his stubborn refusal to let her help him.

If they disarmed their two guards and made it out of this cell block, if they got past the soldiers on guard duty, if they could get beyond the garrison walls, if they could make it out of the village without getting shot...

If they succeeded, they'd be penniless fugitives in an unstable, impoverished country whose new leader wanted them dead. If they failed, they'd be shot trying to escape, or else turned over to the Seguridores in the morning.

How had Caroline described the fate of Escalante's victims? Arrested, beaten, tortured and—if they're not executed—locked up in some dank, rat-infested cell and forgotten about.

She wished Caroline hadn't felt compelled to tell her about it. Now she couldn't stop imagining it. Who would have thought that she would become one of Escalante's victims? But, for once, even being a Barrington couldn't protect her. Escalante could indeed get away with it. No one would ever know the truth.

Her dinner churned in her stomach. She shifted restlessly, fighting her terror.

"What's wrong?" Ransom murmured. He was sitting on the floor, his back resting against the cot, his head leaning back. She shifted again, so that his hair brushed her arm. He turned his head slightly to look at her. Night had fallen, and they could scarcely see each other now; there was no light or lantern in their cell.

"Just thinking about something my sister said," she answered, recalling Caroline's warnings again.

He evidently sensed it upset her. "Tell me."

To her amazement, she didn't tell him what Caroline had said about Veracruz and Escalante. Instead, she heard herself saying, "She said... Both of my sisters said they're tired of me being... so perfect."

After making such a huge admission, she was surprised to hear him say casually, "Oh. And here I thought I was the only one who got tired of it."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, sometimes you really piss me off," he said mildly.

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