Chapter 13

Posted: March 29, 2007 - 12:28:42 am?

Thirty-eight days had passed since the kidnapping of Peter and his sisters, when Gabe and Selena strolled out of town, headed for the mountain camp of Commander Zorra. The walk to their cache took an hour and a half, so it was near nine in the morning when they donned their camouflage, picked up their weapons and headed up the mountain. Gabe was still intent on finding any other entrances to the cave that Commander Zorra was using as her base. To accomplish that goal, he and Selena were going back to the entrance they'd already found. From there, they would work clockwise around the mountain, looking for trails or guerilla activity. It was slow, tedious work, but having Selena along made it much easier to tolerate.

They found the waterfall and lake on the second day, drawn by the sound of the cascading water. Gabe found a spot where they could remain hidden, and still study the unusual little gorge and its waterfall. It took Gabe only about ten minutes to find the narrow little trail cut into the side of the gorge. He and Selena set up camp at the vantage point they now occupied, and waited to see if the trail they'd found received any traffic.

They hit paydirt about an hour after it was fully dark, when two men mysteriously appeared at the start of the trail. Gabe had been focusing his night vision goggles on the trail, so he didn't see from where the men emerged. Gabe followed their progress up the trail, but lost them when they went over the rim and out of the gorge. The men that had used the trail were in uniform and armed, so Gabe figured they were guards of some sort. He kept his goggles focused on the top end of the trail, and was rewarded when another pair of men appeared and started the trek down into the gorge. Gabe stayed focused on the men until they vanished behind some large boulders at the base of the falls.

Gabe realized immediately that there had to be another entrance to the caves besides this one. The waterfall entrance was useless during daylight hours, and way too hard to enter and exit. One man on the rim of the gorge could take out the entire column before they could get half way up the narrow trail.

While Gabe was searching for the back door of the cave system, his son Peter was sitting with his sisters, explaining the new turn of events. He was happy for having the chance to give them positive news for a change. He sat them down and with a big grin, filled them in.

"Ladies, for the first time in almost six weeks, I've got some great news. As of about an hour ago, we are no longer hostages."

He paused for dramatic effect, expecting his sisters to start jumping for joy. Instead, they just looked at him expectantly, waiting to hear more.

"It is going to take a few days to arrange, but Marta is working on a way to get you back to Bogotá and into a hotel. We'll call Mom tomorrow or the next day, and let her know, so someone can come down here and take you home."

Pete looked expectantly at each of his sisters; they still hadn't said a word.

"Someone here needs to say something besides me," he finally said in exasperation.

When they did talk, it was all at once.

"You are staying here with her, aren't you?" Darla said.

"I don't know if I want to leave just yet," Katherine added.

Then Stephanie dropped a nuclear bomb.

"I missed my period. I think I'm pregnant," she whispered.

The Tiger Battalion came roaring into Prado on day thirty-nine. As soon as the trucks stopped moving off the road and into the Prado Airport, Major Pasada began setting up the camp. Since it was early afternoon, Colonel Nuñez took a company of soldiers into Prado. Using the technique that worked in Purificación, he sealed off the town and declared martial law.

John Riley and his mercenaries set up shop in the best hotel in town, the same hotel in which Gabe and Selena still had a room. Riley was in high spirits at finally being this close to the end of his assignment. Of course, he still had to safely recover Ballard and his sisters, but he had faith in Nuñez. The man was an excellent officer, but more importantly, he was a man who liked money. Riley thought that the half million dollars Sean O'Malley was offering for the safe return of Ballard and his sisters would inspire the colonel to figure out how to get them out of there alive.

Gabe and Selena were up early the next morning, as they continued to work their way around the mountain. As they sat down to rest and eat their noon meal, Selena swore she heard voices off in the direction in which they had been traveling. They quickly picked up their rucksacks and headed out with Selena in the lead. Selena stopped and listened after about twenty-five meters, and adjusted their course more up hill. The second time they stopped, Gabe heard the voices too. It sounded to him like women cheering at a ball game.

When they could hear the voices while moving, they slowed their pace. They could hear individual voices distinctly by now, so they crept forward in a deep crouch. Selena spotted the break in the jungle growth, and dropped to her stomach. When Gabe did the same, they wormed their way to the edge of the undergrowth. Selena stopped, and Gabe crawled up beside her to see what she had spotted. He was totally unprepared for what he saw.

The jungle ended on a rocky outcropping that was above a small pond. At one end of the pond, a spring came gushing out of the mountainside, and split into a series of small streams which fed the pond some ten feet below. The edge of the pond opposite from where Gabe and Selena lay was a boulder strewn sandy slope about twenty-five or thirty feet wide. The pond was clearly manmade, as the end of it opposite the feeder-streams had a dam made of carefully stacked rocks and boulders. Frolicking in the water or washing clothes on the bank were about a dozen naked women. Three of the women stood out from the rest, because of their light complexions and blonde hair. It was not the manner in which he had envisioned finding his and Alexandra's children.

Gabe touched Selena on the arm and pointed towards Darla.

"That's my daughter, Darla, standing out there in the pond, the two blondes washing clothes on the bank are her half sisters," he whispered.

Selena smiled and squeezed his hand.

"They appear to be in good health and spirits, my husband," she replied.

Gabe nodded and sighed in relief. It took him another minute of watching, before he saw his son sitting under a tree, talking with a tall, statuesque woman. Even though the pair were only sitting there talking, it was obvious from the casual way they touched that they were a couple. He now knew why Pete was so adamant about being treated well here. Gabe understood immediately that the opportunity to free his children without bloodshed was staring him in the face. He grabbed Selena's arm and pulled her back into the jungle so they could talk.

As usual, Selena was already inside his head as she spoke first.

"We could free your children now, my love, and have hostages of our own to insure a safe passage to town," she said excitedly.

Gabe smiled and kissed her.

"Yes we could, Little One," he replied, "but first we need to find the guards watching over them."

Selena nodded her head in understanding. Of course there had to be guards, this Comendadora Zorra was too cautious to have her troops in the open like that unprotected. They crawled back to the jungles edge, and carefully scanned the other bank. It only took about ten minutes to find the two sets of guards overwatching the laundry detail. The guards were in concealed positions, but were smoking and moving around. Gabe and Selena fixed their positions, and moved around the pond to take them down. It took almost an hour to creep up behind the first set of guards, but they took the man and woman completely by surprise.

Gabe left Selena to watch the trussed up pair, and moved to the next position. It would have been easier to eliminate the guards with his silenced Colt Woodsman .22 pistol, but because his son and daughter were being treated so well, he decided to do as little killing as necessary. He was here to rescue his children, not to wage war on the FARC.

The next pair of guards, this time two men, weren't quite as easy to subdue. Gabe ended up shooting one of the men in the thigh, when the man attempted to raise his AK-47. He bound both men and duct-taped their mouths, before checking the man's wound. The bullet was still in the fleshy part of his upper leg, and he was in considerable pain. He wasn't losing much blood, however, so Gabe left him in place and went back for Selena, leading the other man.

The laundry detail was just starting to gather their dried clothes off the bushes and low hanging limbs, when Gabe and Selena walked out onto the trail, herding their prisoners before them. Marta saw them first, and made a grab for her pistol.

"Don't make me shoot you, señorita. I am only here for my children," Gabe commanded.

Pete held her hand to keep her from unholstering her 9mm Makarov, and stepped between her and his dad. Marta gave Pete a fierce look as he held her hand.

"That's my father," he said with a shrug.

Marta's eyes went wide, as the man and the small Colombian woman with him moved further into the clearing. Her first thought had been that somehow this man was with the AUC battalion that had arrived in Prado the day before, and all was lost. She was incredulous that Peter's father had not only found them, but had turned the tables on her so completely.

"Get your sisters, son, and let's get out of here. It would be a shame for me to have to kill anyone, if they have been treating you as well as I suspect."

The women in the pond saw the new people on the shore, and started to cautiously exit the water. Darla was on the shore before she recognized one of the people as her father.

"Daddy!" she screamed, as she raced towards him.

The look on Gabe's face as his naked daughter flung herself against him caused Selena to burst out laughing.

"I told Pete you'd come for us. How'd you find us anyway?"

This time it was Gabe who shrugged, as he tried to look everywhere but at her.

"It's what I do," he muttered. "Why don't you find your clothes so we can get out of here."

Darla suddenly remembered she was naked. She blushed, but didn't try to cover herself.

"Oops, sorry Daddy. We've gotten kind of casual about nudity here. I'll be right back."

When Darla turned to get her clothes, Stephanie fell in beside her, but Katherine boldly walked up to Gabe as if he had been expected for lunch.

"Hi Mister Ballard. What are you doing here? Are Mom and Dad here too?"

Gabe kept his eyes averted as he answered.

"No Katie, your parents aren't here. Your mom sent me to find you, so here I am. Get dressed so we can leave, okay?"

Katherine shot Pete a glance before answering him.

"I'll get dressed, but you need to talk to Petey about us leaving."

Katherine went to join her sisters, as Gabe turned to his son with a questioning look.

"Commander Zorra released us yesterday, I'm staying here with her, but we are trying to find a way to get the girls to Bogotá. We have a problem though, because there is an AUC battalion here now, looking for the column," Pete explained.

Gabe rubbed his head in confused frustration.

"Let me get this straight. You are now free to go, but you won't leave. Your sisters are free to go, but can't, because of some paramilitary group that is after the guerillas that captured you. Does that about cover it?"

Pete grinned ruefully and nodded.

"Yeah, it sounds strange when I hear it, but that's the gist of it. I fell in love with the commander, and she with me. She is going to renounce her membership in the FARC and apply for a pardon, but we have to deal with the AUC first."

Marta's head was bouncing back and forth like a ping-pong ball between the two men as they talked. She was having a hard time comprehending how the father of her lover had found them. She finally got over the shock, and started thinking like a leader of soldiers again.

"Excuse me Señor Ballard, but where is my other guard," she said, breaking into the conversation.

Gabe looked at her in startled embarrassment.

"I had to shoot him, ma'am," he admitted, "but he's still alive and tied up back at his post. If you've got a medic out here, Selena can take her back to him."

Darla walked up and heard the conversation. She volunteered to check on the man, and departed with Selena. Selena had herded all the guards and the laundry detail back into the pond, where they were milling about in waist-deep water. Marta glanced at her people, then back at Gabe.

"So what now, Señor?" she asked.

Gabe was at a loss as to what he should do next. Things were not going as he had expected in any shape, form or fashion. He shrugged his shoulders and looked at Pete.

"I don't have a clue. What exactly is it that you want me to do, son?"

Pete was as shocked and surprised as anyone that his father had not only found them, but had managed to get the drop on Zorra and the guards. Yet, his father was standing right there as calm as you please. He knew that Marta could use all the help she could get, and his mother always said that his father was about the best in the world at what he did.

"I've got an idea, but lets move this into the cave to talk about it. We need to get the wounded man inside anyway, and we certainly don't want to have someone get worried and come out looking for us."

Then it finally occurred to him, to ask about the small young woman who was with his dad.

"Umm, Dad, who is your little helper?"

Gabe clapped Pete on the back, delighted at the chance to spring a revelation of his own onto his son.

"That, my son, is your new step-mother."

It only took Colonel Nuñez a day and a half to understand that Prado was in no way the same as Purificación. In Purificación, he had received a hero's welcome, and the cooperation of the town's people. Here in Prado, he couldn't get the time of day. He was equally irritated at the townspeople's lack of gratitude, and because his searches and roadblocks had not turned up a single FARC guerilla. He sat in camp that evening, and discussed the situation with Arturo Guzman on the telephone. For Guzman, the knowledge that the local populace seemed to be protecting the FARC column was an ominous omen. No wonder the DAS had no clue about the Columna Carlos Sanchez.

"Pedro, my old friend, a respected communist cell is a very dangerous thing, and must be eliminated at all cost. If the citizens of Prado do not cooperate in accomplishing your mission, you must consider them enemy collaborators. Do what you must do to bring that FARC puta to me. Dead or alive, I will see that the reward for her is as much as El Chico's.

"Do not let other considerations, such as the Norteamericano family, interfere with your primary mission. If anything happens to Ballard and his sisters, we will blame it on the FARC and score political points with the Yanquis for bringing their murderers to justice."

Nuñez assured Guzman of his understanding of the task given him, closed his cell phone, and turned to Major Pasada.

"Miguel, tomorrow morning I want you to erect two tents inside two of the revetments built for the helicopters. String razor wire around the tents, two strands high. I have a feeling we will be having some guests starting tomorrow afternoon."

The two male guards from the pond supported the wounded man as they walked back to the caverns. Gabe and Pete were walking at the back of the formation, talking about all that had transpired.

"It is just like you, Dad, to shoot the one person here who has done me harm," Pete said.

When Gabe asked him what he was talking about, Pete told him about the man butt-stroking him in the head when he had tried to help Stephanie right after they had been kidnapped.

"Well, that makes me feel somewhat better," Gabe admitted. "I was actually feeling bad about shooting one of the commander's men, after finding out about her releasing you voluntarily."

Pete just shrugged. "No need to feel that way; he is an ass. Besides, I guess getting shot is an occupational hazard for these people anyway."

Once in the caves, Zorra had someone find Captain Garza to assist with the wounded man. When Darla asked her why she'd called Garza, the commander elaborated.

"Ernesto and I were students at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia (National University of Colombia) during the student riots of 1999, although we didn't know each other then. He was near the end of his third year of medical school, when the rioting broke out. Because he continued to aid wounded students after being told to disperse, he was arrested and expelled from the university. Ernesto is from Ibeque, so when he came home, he joined the 21st Front. He was transferred to me two years ago, when I formed a second company. He is a brave and honorable man, but he is much better as a doctor than as a soldier."

Darla nodded her understanding and replied, "It doesn't hurt that he is very handsome either."

After Garza removed the bullet from Ramon's thigh, the members of the column, Pete and his sisters, and Gabe and Selena, met in the big headquarters cavern. As everyone was waiting for a few stragglers, Gabe introduced Darla and Selena. The two women both only knew snippets of the other's language, but they exchanged pleasantries nonetheless. As Selena had predicted, Darla was immediately suspicious of the relationship between Selena and Gabe.

"I'm sure she's a nice person and all, Daddy, but don't you think she's kind of young? I mean Katherine looks older than she does."

Gabe laughed and translated for Selena. Selena drew herself up to her tallest five foot one before speaking.

"I am twenty-nine, Señorita Darla, plenty old enough to know when I am in love."

Gabe turned to Darla and conveyed Selena's message. Darla blushed and apologized. She hadn't meant for Selena to be told what she'd said.

"I'm sorry, Selena. You are right of course, and I'm really glad you've been helping my father. I just worry about him and want him to be happy."

When Gabe translated that comment, Selena gave Darla one of her beautiful shy smiles.

"Then we will get along very well, because you will soon see that is what I want also."

When everyone was assembled, Zorra briefed her troops on Gabe, and the amazing way he had found them. She also addressed the issue of the AUC unit that had rolled into town the day before, and the future she envisioned for the members of the column.

"My friends, we are at a crossroads that requires us to reconsider the future. With El Chico and the rest of the front gone, we are suddenly orphans. During the next twenty-four hours, every member of the column is going to have to make some difficult choices. First off, you each must choose whether you wish to remain a member of the FARC, or join me in seeking amnesty."

Zorra had to pause until the sudden buzz of conversation died down, before she could continue.

"Before you make any decisions, I want you to know why I am leaving. I am resigning from the FARC, because I no longer think that the ideals for which I joined are important to the Central High Command, and most other units. For me, the revolution meant a way to find dignity, equality and justice for the compesinos. For many others, the revolution has become a convenient excuse for enriching themselves by protecting and working for the drug cartels.

"I still want the same things for our people, and I think most of you do also. A way has come to my attention that will allow us to accomplish the things we want, without living in a cave and living on the fringe of society. There is a place in this endeavor for each and every one of you.

"The other thing I have to tell you is not so pleasant as us starting a new life. As you know by now, the hated AUC Tiger Battalion is in Prado looking for us. That maricón (big faggot) El Tigre Gordo wants us captured or dead, so he can claim he demolished our entire front. For those of you who were not here four years ago, it was El Tigre Gordo who murdered the martyr for whom our column is named. The choice we have is disband and fade away, or to stand and fight. I vow to do the latter, but each of you must decide on your own what to do. However, if you decide to stand and fight, we will repay El Tigre Gordo back in spades for all the injustices he has committed. I will give you three hours to think and talk amongst yourselves. After dinner tonight, we will meet again. Does anyone wish to comment?"

A couple of people looked as if they wanted to say something, but when Sergeant Morales stood up, they all deferred to him. He was the eldest and most respected of the soldiers.

"Sí Comendadora, I wish to speak."

He turned towards the assembled soldiers.

"I do not need to think about what I will do. I too, have seen and disapproved of the changes in the FARC over the last few years. I have also watched the Comendadora since she joined almost eight years ago; I have watched her grow to become one of the best commanders I have served. I will stay and fight, and I will stay for whatever she has planned next. To do less would be disloyal and cowardly, and the Comendadora has never been either of those things to us."

Morales's sentiments were shared by every soldier in the caves, as far as fighting against the AUC, but there would be much discussion on the other matter she mentioned.

After the meeting, Zorra pulled Morales aside and thanked him for his unwavering loyalty, and gave him a short assignment.

"Serafin, I want you to stick close to Peter's father. Find out what kind of man he is, and what kind of soldier. If he is as good as I expect, he can be of great service to us."

When Morales agreed, she led him over to Gabe and introduced the two men. She told Gabe that she was assigning Morales as his guide and advisor for any questions Gabe had. The two men shook hands and departed on their first task together. Morales grabbed his AK and followed Gabe to recover his and Selena's rucksacks from the other side of the pond. Morales was impressed with the way the Yanqui glided through the mountain jungle. He was as quiet and alert as a big jungle cat.

When the two men returned to the caverns, they sat and exchanged stories. Morales found it hard to believe that the man was actually ten years older than himself. He had no problems believing the man's assertion that he'd spent twenty years in the military, just based on observing how he moved and acted. Morales was surprised that the man wasn't one of the rabid purveyors of imperialism he'd assumed all Norteamerincanos were. Gabe cleared that up for him as soon as Morales asked.

"I love my country and served it proudly," he said, "but I disagree with some things bureaucrats do in the name of the United States. I guess it is because I'm from a long line of independent thinking coalminers, who were always skeptical of the promises of the mine bosses. No one is right all the time, Serafin, but many leaders are foolish enough to believe they are. There is no shame for stepping on your pinga (dick) once in a while, as long as you learn from your mistakes. It becomes a problem when you step on it, don't move, and pretend you didn't."

When Morales reported back to Zorra, he endorsed Gabe fully.

"Comendadora, this hombre is a very good soldier. He is a natural leader and inspires trust. I would not hesitate to follow him into combat."

"That is good, Serafin, because you will soon have the opportunity. I am giving him command of your company, so Captain Garza is available to treat casualties."

Pilar made sleeping arrangements for their unexpected visitors. She put Gabe and Selena in what they called their VIP quarters. The room had a queen-sized bed, a chest of drawers and an armoire, all hand made by local craftsmen. The room was where ranking dignitaries from the FARC were usually housed. The VIP quarters were also down a different tunnel than the one that housed most of the members of the column. Pilar put them there so they would be both comfortable and, more importantly, away from what ever happened in the other tunnel. She and Marta weren't taking any chances of Gabe finding out about his son and daughters' extracurricular activities.

When Pilar was showing Gabe and Selena to their room, Marta and Pete were heading for Marta's room. When they arrived Stephanie was already there. Stephanie spent most nights with them now, just as Katherine spent most of hers with Pilar. The only person still sleeping in the original cell was Darla.

Stephanie stayed with Pete and Marta of her own volition. It had been her idea. She loved her brother and didn't want to be away from him and she had a major crush on the commander. The attraction she felt for the tall and statuesque guerilla leader was a new experience for her, because she'd never been attracted to a woman before. There was just something about the forceful and self-confident Zorra that pushed all her buttons.

Marta had been quick to pick up on the fact that Stephanie was happiest when someone else was in control and fulfilled that role quickly. From the first night that Stephanie had shyly asked to spend with them, Marta had taken charge of her.

"If you stay with us, little Blondie, I will share your brother with you but I expect you to be my lover too."

Stephanie agreed to her conditions and never regretted it.

Peter was skeptical of the arrangement at first, but warmed up to it when he saw how well the three of them meshed and how happy it made Stephanie. He and Marta had started including Stephanie in their plans for the future. The news that she was pregnant caught Pete by total surprise, as he thought that he was sterile. Darla cleared the matter up when she reminded him that having a low sperm count made conception difficult but not impossible. Apparently, one of his little swimmers was a champion survivor and found Stephanie at her most fertile time. The baby-selling scheme went out the window, what with everything else going on. The prospect of actually having and keeping the baby added to Stephanie's happiness.

The relationship that developed between Stephanie and Marta was a surprise to Pete, mainly because Marta brought out a sexuality in the young woman Pete had no idea existed. When he and Stephanie made love, she liked it slow and gentle, with lots of intimate kissing and cuddling. With Marta, however, Stephanie was a rough and demanding little whirlwind. Even more surprising to Pete, was Marta's eager acceptance of Stephanie's sexual dominance. It was worth the price of admission just to watch the small blond dynamo put Marta through her paces. Marta's embarrassed explanation was that she loved when Stephanie and he took charge of her in bed. She had to be in control at all other times, so it was exhilarating to let someone else be in control during love making.

Peter had to admit that when he and Stephanie held Marta down and double-teamed her, that it was the best sex he'd ever had. The sight of the normally shy and quiet Stephanie riding Marta's face holding a double handful of Marta's long black hair, as he pounded the bigger woman's tight vagina, was erotic beyond belief.
Joe J & Wet Dream-Girl
Chapter 14