Chance Encounters

Part 3: Acceptance

Riots had broken out on both sides of the wall. The Mexican government was calling for the removal of US government agents from their land. The rebels were gaining momentum from the outrage and treatment of their fellow countrymen. It was all going to plan for Galindo and the Los Olvidados.

On home soil in an attempt to recover from the scathing news report, Charlie's face was plastered everywhere along with her blood connection to Lee Harvey Oswald. She was portrayed as a threat to the government, like Lee was, for working with the rebels and they even went so far to label her a terrorist. All she had done was heal sick and injured children.

Less than a year ago she was a highly respected doctor. Now, she had nothing, no licence to practice medicine. She couldn't even leave her house, reporters were parked at her driveway and abuse was hurled at her from strangers. She was a prisoner in her own home.

Climbing the stairs, she went to her office and opened the filing cabinet. She pulled a large folder out and onto her desk. Tabs were sticking out at various pages and she opened each and signed her name. She ran her hand over the title on the front page: Official Deed to Crooked Creek Homestead. Slipping it into a thick envelope, she wrote down the address of the ranch farm.

The Presidio County Orphanage had been run out of the old home for over a decade. The large house had seen hundreds of children pass through its doors but she had still held the deed title. It was time to pass it on, she knew the orphanage would benefit more if it wasn't connected to her anymore. Sealing the envelope she placed it with the other affairs that needed to be posted.

Charlie wanted to blame everyone else for her downfall but she had come to accept that everything we her choice. She chose to help those children, she chose to assist Adelita and she chose to bring Nestor into her home. The last one still hurt, she hadn't spoken to him since he left a week ago. He received a call from Miguel the morning after he stayed and then was gone.

Charlie looked out her office window and saw the reporters had gone. Thinking she could make it to the post office before they got back she grabbed the envelopes and headed downstairs. As she got to the bottom of the stairs she saw heard an unfamiliar voice and froze.

"Have the story ready to be released." The man said into a phone.

Across town Miguel had been summoned by Lincoln Potter through his second in command Special Agent Linares. Nestor drove both Miguel and Marcus to the meeting point in no man's land. As they waited for Potter to arrive he heard motorcycles coming along the dust track.

"What are you doing here?" Miguel asked Bishop as he pulled up alongside them.

"Potter reached out, told us to be here if we wanted to get Angel's son." Bishop said. "How come you're here?"

"He told us to." Miguel murmured looking around warily. "Somethings not right. Who's watching Charlie?"

"The new prospect." Bishop said. "He's parked down the road from her place."

Gilly's phone rang and he saw it was the new prospect that he had brought in. A distant relative who was used to be obese before he went to prison. He had become muscle but it didn't stop everyone using the childhood nickname, Buddha. Flipping the burner open he answered and listened a minute before shutting it hastily. His face paled as he looked at the men waiting expectantly.

"That was Buddha. He just saw a blacked out sedan park and a guy fitting Potter's description climb her fence." He said.

"It was a fucking trap." Bishop swore. "Go!"

The Mayans jumped back on their Harleys and the others got back in their SUV to race to Charlie's house. Nestor followed the line of motorcycles travelling at breakneck speed towards Sequoia Terrace. Potter was unpredictable and that was what made him dangerous. They hoped Charlie wouldn't talk, she had shown she could be trusted when she was ready to take a bullet to protect Adelita but that was before they ruined her career.