To the Land of Green

Chapter Eleven

Standing at the door I see a name on the front of it—Christian Franco Alvarez. I repeat the name in my head. This is not the man from earlier right? I mean there are many Alvarezes in this world. There is no way it is him but then again anything can happen. I just hope it is not him. Out of all the people I have to serve, he is the last person I would choose from my list.

Knocking on the door, I hear a faint voice telling me to get inside the room. Entering the room, I see an empty wood chair and a wood desk with papers on the right side and a feathered quill and ink on the left side of it. In front of the desk are two more wood chairs facing one another.

Then, beyond the chairs and tables are rows of bookshelves filled from top to bottom with books, and a circle in the middle of the shelf is aligned horizontally. Going in further, I see another door to my right which I think is a door for a bathroom. There are candles everywhere. However, there are also lanterns that I assume this person uses when he goes out.

"Marie," a man with a hoarse voice says. Turning to my left I see a man looking out of a window. He is wearing a soldier's uniform in blue and black with a fisherman hat in black and gold.

"Yes," I try to respond politely. This is definitely the guy from the forest. The way he said my name makes me feel like I want to run away from him as far as I can. The way he shouted and whipped Andres and José and the way they screamed in agony resurfaced in my memories.

"Will you take a seat, por favor," he says. It wasn't a question. Slowly, I sit down in one of the chairs. Silence fills the room. "Do you know why you are here?" he asks.

"Yes, to serve you," I reply.

"You, rebels have no respect. Your group of friends dared to rebel against me but in the end, they end up being my slaves again," he says, then laughs.

"What do you want from me?" I ask him. There is no way he just wants me to be his so-called slave. I know for sure that there is more he needs. I can feel it from here and I don't know if it is my gut telling me or Ractro. Ractro, currently hiding behind my back, has many powers.

"Blunt," he says. "I like it." Alvarez slowly turns and walks to the chair in front of me. He sits down and takes his time lighting his cigar. He puts the tip of the cigar in front of his mouth and inhales as if his life depends on it.

"What were you guys doing in the forest and who is your owner?" he asks me.

"I don't know," I reply with a half-truth.

"Come on Marie, let's make a deal okay. You give me information about the terrorists and I tell you where Andres and José are," Alvarez says. "After all, you seemed important to José. I know for sure he was twisting his words when he was talking about you. I know he just wanted to save you," he continues.

Of course, he does, I say in my head as I roll my eyes. José is only concerned because I am connected to the Lobo and I might be able to help their sister and be their "savior" whatever that means.

"Look, I don't know who you think you are talking to, but I am not one of those people. Over my dead body will I ever betray someone and plus I already told you, I don't know!" I yell.

"Lucio," he calls out.

Lucio, who is our guard, enters. "Yes, General?" Lucio says, keeping his eyes lowered.

"Take her to the Infierno," Alvarez says. Lucio yanks my arm, making me stand up.

"What do you mean Infierno?!" I scream at Alvarez while being dragged out of his office. Lucio leads me down the long hallway. Finally, we come to another gate.