Soldado Perfecta

2

Clara rode through Yara for what felt like hours. With no leads and stopping occasionally to catch her breath she began to grow restless. She'd exhausted her contacts through safe houses and random guerillas she saved from officers off the roads. She stopped at an abandoned warehouse, a Libertad sign painted over the crates showed that the loot had been claimed. But that was not of her concern. Clara paced around the room punching a crate nearby out of anger. The wood splintered and fell to the ground, her knuckles brushed with droplets of blood.

She's always been so strong, so resilient, so stupid. She never let her emotions show since that day she disowned her family in Esperanza. Her feelings pushed down, down into the darkness of her mind. And now, she just couldn't take it anymore. Clara fell down to her knees, the cold floor sending a shiver up her spine. She was the strong fearless leader of Libertad but, god she was always so afraid.

She sat on the cold bloody floor for what felt like an eternity. She was broken from her trance only when her phone rang in her pocket. In a swift motion she answered and held the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Jefa I have Dani's location. Paolo found one of El Doctor's associates and tracked him down. He took her to the Biovida Lab in Barrial."

"Gracías Juan. That's all I need."

"Clara wait!-"

She hung up the phone and put it back into her pocket. Standing up she took a few deep breaths before leaving the warehouse. Outside she mounted her horse again holding the reins tight in her hands. "Ándele!" She shouted as the horse took off back down the way she came, merging back onto the highway. The wind whipped in her hair, her braids flowing behind her as she rode. She heard whispers as she rode through freed check points, every guerrilla's eyes on her.

"Is that her? Is that Clara?"

"What is she doing here?"

"What happened to Dani!"

She didn't let them slow her down, but she knew now the morale in Libertad would be down until Dani was recovered. Know it or know Dani was the backbone and true moral of the people, when she would walk in people knew they were safe. They people needed her, Clara needed her. And that's why she needed to come home. Riding through Noventarmas she made her way into Barrial. She followed the road eventually finding the international airport and like a bloodhound immediately knew where to go. She gripped the reins tighter, her knuckles growing pale as she rode faster toward the lab. She only hopes she's not too late.

Riding into the lab she pulled back, the horse stopped abruptly with a snarl. Jumping off the horse's back she unholstered her gun, clicking the rounds into place. It seemed empty of solados save for a few. She felt the smooth leather of the handle in her hands, the engraving in between her fingers. Behind the cover she picked off the guards she could see, her own little Angel de muerte. She stayed put, and as more soldados came to investigate the gunshots she'd pick them off too, until no one else came.

She shot up from her hiding spot and bolted toward the door. Gun in hand she opened it holding the pistol out in front of her. The immediate stench of poison filled her lungs. She dropped her pistol to the side, coughing. Holstering her gun she untied the bandana from her neck and tied it around her mouth. It wasn't the best but it would help for a good while. Still she coughed and wheezed every so often as she made her way through the lab.

She kept one hand close to her gun as she walked but it seemed no soldados were in the building. They only guarded people from coming in or coming out. This part of the lab seemed clean and well kept. Tubs of medicine and hazard suits. Clean tile floors and TV screens playing the same Viviro ad. It was all for looks Clara came to notice as she found an unlocked door with the light behind it flickering, red smoke creating a thin film on the window.