LANA
Everything is a blur past me. I see colors and shapes, but don’t recognize them. My heart, instead of racing, is pumping so slow that I internally check myself for other symptoms of going into neurogenic shock. I swallow hard, trying to calm myself even though it’s impossible. Not when my baby is out there all alone, with her psychotic father keeping her under lock and key.
I’m vaguely aware that someone pulling my hand to follow them, and even though I know it’s Michael or Joseph… I still can’t seem to focus. I’m going to need to pull myself together if I expect to get anywhere.
“Okay. Here’s the deal. You have to let me and Michael do all the talking, okay? Let us handle it, Paolo’s people know us at least,” Joseph whispers hurriedly in my ear as we round the main corridor.
I nod to let him know that I hear him, unable to say much else. Let them do all the talking? I hardly have any choice in the matter.
Up ahead, three extremely intimidating men stand off to the side of the hall, wearing matching pairs of sunglasses with their arms folded carefully out in front of them. Something tells me that these are the guys we’re looking for, and as we slow down, Michael nods to them. Joseph threads his fingers through mine.
“Señor Wright? Paolo has offered you a ride. We have the car parked out front, waiting, but Paolo wishes to speak to you as well. Follow us,” the man in the middle says, taking quick stock of our surroundings before gesturing down the hall.
“Of course,” Michael says, sharing an unreadable expression with Joseph as we follow after the three men.
The small airport is practically empty aside from the six of us walking to the front, where a white Range Rover in pristine condition is idling at the front curb. This must be our ride.
Michael opens the door for me and I slide in, still not sure if any of this is real. I don’t know whether it’s the lack of sleep, or my nerves, or probably a combination of both. I don’t know what to expect from this Paolo guy, but I have to put my full trust and faith in Michael and Joseph. At least I have them on my side…
Once we’re all seated inside the Range Rover, the man who spoke to us before slides into the front passenger’s seat, turning to face us as he pushes his sunglasses up on top of his head. “We know of where your daughter is located,” he says, his accent thick.
I take a deep breath and nod.
“But there is a problem. The man who has her, he has very powerful protection. The Escobars are feared. We are not sure there can be much done if they do not want to give her over.”
My vision goes hazy. I fight against the hopelessness that’s trying to drown everything out inside of me. “What are we going to do, then?”
Michael rubs my shoulder, his voice low, “We’re not just going to stop there, Lana. I don’t give a damn if we have to hire an entire army to extract Olivia, that’s exactly what we’ll do. But first, we need to speak with Paolo. There might be a better way of handling things. Can you take us there?” he asks the man.
“We will bring you to Paolo. It’s not far from here.”
The car pulls away from the airport, bright city lights turning into colorful blurs as we fly past. I wish that I could enjoy the scenery, remembering how Javier used to talk about the small town he grew up in, how gorgeous it was, but I bury the thought, bitterly. The very last thing I want to think about is anything that makes Javier smile.
As the city lights fade away behind us, the road turns narrow and winding, and it’s not long before we’re driving down a real dirt road, somewhere deep in the lush green forests. With the windows rolled down, warm air whips at my face, keeping me alert. I can smell the sweet scent of flowers from somewhere nearby, my brain picking up random thoughts as we go.
Joseph’s rubbing small circles along my lower back, while Michael keeps his hand firmly planted on my knee. God knows I don’t know what I would’ve done without them — how I would’ve even made it this far. As absolutely shaken as I am, at least I have them to draw some of my strength from. Their confidence in getting Olivia back helps soothe me, even though I don’t think it will be as easy as they seem to think.
I see the how deeply the dark circles are etched under both their pairs of eyes, and I know they’re worried too. Olivia means a lot to both of them, and even though I don’t quite know what to make of that, I can’t help but appreciate it nonetheless. I know neither one of them have slept any, not with that kind of determination in their eyes.
I settle myself between the two of them, keeping my eyes on the darkness ahead of us, waiting.