Page 76 of Vistaria Has Fallen

Chapter Fourteen

At eight o’clock that night, the news did turn worse. The television station, which had been broadcasting re-runs all day, broke into an X-Files episode and cut to a studio where an anchorman spoke swiftly, holding a sheet of notes in his hand. The paper trembled.

“Jesus Maria,” Calli breathed. The Spanish was too fast for her to pick up more than the odd word.

Minnie suckedin a quick breath. “Pascuallita! They’re talking about Pascuallita.”

Calli bounced off the sofa and ran to knock on Joshua’s door.

He came out, wrapping a gown around him, barefoot and wild of hair and sat in front of the television.

Minnie had her hand to her mouth, her eyes wide. She looked at her father, stricken.

He nodded. “Fighting in the mountains. Just south of Pascuallita. Many rebels.Some deaths. The army is there.” He looked at Calli. “This is it,” he added. “The army has engaged the rebels in combat. This is the birth of a revolution.”

Minnie gave a choked sound. Tears streamed down her face.

Joshua patted her knee. “I’m sure he’ll be okay, your Captain,” he said awkwardly. Then he groped for the remote control. “Wait. They just said something.”

He changed the channelto the local commercial station. It was on the air. A woman sat behind a panel, speaking into the camera. Calli had no trouble interpreting the intent of her message. She radiated fierce joy, even fervor. “That’s why the station went off the air,” she said. “They’ve sold out to the rebels.”

Joshua nodded. “It would seem so. We’ll get nothing but propaganda from them.” He listened for a moment.“They’ve coordinated their announcement with the rebel action. She is claiming a grand victory for the rebels in Pascuallita. They’ve taken over the town and will march towards the capital, drawing true Vistarians to their ranks as they go.” He grimaced and changed channels. “It reminds me far too much of the Communist crap I had to listen to in Vietnam.”

Calli sat on the arm of the sofa andrubbed Minnie’s shoulder. Minnie was still, big tears rolling down her cheeks. She made no move to wipe them away. “They’ve taken Pascuallita.”

Joshua looked at his daughter, his eyes narrowing. “It’s bullshit, honey. Pure bullshit. The TV station doesn’t have any more idea what’s happening up there than the government station and the government station isn’t saying the army took a beating.”

He listened for a while to the government channel and his face grew grave. He shut the TV off with a snap and threw the remote onto the coffee table. “Ah, truth is always in short supply in wartime.” He got to his feet. “We can’t do anything tonight. Tomorrow, we have to figure a way to leave the country. We’ll steal a boat, if we have to. It’s only a few hours to Acapulco from here.” He ruffledhis hair again. “Get some sleep,” he advised.

When his bedroom door shut, Minnie reached for the remote and turned the TV back on. Calli sat beside her and stared at the television, wishing she could understand Spanish better.

For most of the night they stayed on the sofa. Minnie picked up as much of the Spanish as she could while Calli tried hard to distinguish words. Names. After much repetition,the events took shape in her mind.

The attack on the silver mine had been a ruse, a way to scare the Americans and force the government’s strongest ally to take cover. It had also drawn army personnel to the south of the main island, away from Pascuallita, the location of the first main assault.

The strike, when it came, was rushed. The announcers and the experts they interviewed speculatedthat the rebels had not anticipated the riots in the city. Instead, they had taken advantage of the government’s distraction. Their attack had been, so far, merciless and strong. The army had scurried to meet the challenge, moving through the mountains with less speed and agility than the rebels who had trained and lived there for months.

“Theyaretaking a beating,” Minnie whispered.

Callifell into a light doze in the small hours of the morning. She could no longer concentrate on the endless run of Spanish, when her heart was so heavy and she was so afraid of what the day ahead might bring. She jerked awake when a hand patted her shoulder. She sat up from her sprawl across the arm of the sofa and blinked up at Joshua. Through the window behind him she saw the lightening sky. The dayapproached.

“Where’s Minnie?” he said.

She looked around. The sofa was empty.

“Her bed hasn’t been slept in,” Joshua added.

A chilled clamped Calli’s chest. She hurried into Minnie’s bedroom and looked for the pack of essentials Minnie had prepared. It was gone.

“What are you looking for?” Joshua asked, from the door.

“Her pack has gone. So have her hiking boots.” A flat black Vistarianhat sat on the bed. Minnie had brought it back from Pascuallita.

“Pascuallita,” Calli said and turned to Joshua. “I think she’s gone to Pascuallita.”

He opened his mouth in shock. Then, “The car!” He whirled away.

Calli followed him out the front door of the apartment, where he stood looking at the empty spread of cement where the little car normally sat.