Page 69 of Cavern of Silence

"We don't know you, lady. Those men don't look Latino, either," one of the men yells and spits on the ground.

"Please, let me come give you the money." My insides shake with fear, but we need to cross.

"No—"

"Shut up, Mario. Let her give us the money," another man says.

"But—"

"I said, shut up. Get your ass over here, now," he yells and points to the side of his ATV. "And you better not have a weapon."

"I don't! I promise." I slide down in the seat and reach for the door.

"Julieta!" Ryker cries out and grabs me.

"Get your hands up," the men both scream.

"Keep your hands up," Vanessa cries out.

Ryker throws them in the air again, and I get out and approach the men.

Stay calm. Just give them the money and we can be in Honduras.

As soon as I get to the ATVs, a man frisks me. Once he finishes, he reaches into the pocket of my shorts and pulls out the wad of cash I brought. "You go down the trail and get off our property. I don't want to see you here ever again," the man growls.

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

"Go!" he snarls. "And everyone is to keep their arms up. Your driver uses one hand on the wheel only. Understand?"

"Yes."

I get back in the vehicle and raise my arms again but point. "Drive on that track with one hand in the air and one on the wheel. Hunter and Vanessa keep your hands up."

Ryker's face is red. He scowls but does what I instruct. For several miles, the men follow us on the ATV. One drives and the other has his machine gun pointed at us.

We stay silent. At the end of the dirt track is a gate, and the driver opens it while the other one keeps his weapon aimed at us.

We get past the gate, and I slowly bring my arms down. "You can put your arms down now."

My insides are still quivering, and so much self-loathing surfaces, I can't look at Ryker or anyone else. I promised everyone it was safe. They could have died, and it would have been my fault.

Ryker drives a few miles and then stops. "What was that about, Julieta?"

I don't even know how to respond or make sense of what just occurred. I blurt out, "We had to pay."

"You promised me it was safe."

"They changed men. I didn't know."

"Who were they?" Ryker growls.

"Workers for the landowner."

So much anger is on Ryker's face. It tears at my heart. He barks, "Who is that, Julieta?"

"Nobody important."

"Don't lie to me," he accuses.