Free The Mission War by Wesley Ellis Page A

insects and frogs and night predators.
    They still had Jessica Starbuck.
    They had her and that could not be allowed. Ki frowned. He had effected his own escape, but that might or might not have been to Jessie’s advantage. Would they now bind her more tightly, increase the guard, chain her ... or worse?
    The head of Jessica Starbuck would still bring a huge reward from the cartel, from Don Alejandro as Kurt Brecht had taken to calling himself.
    Something moved in the darkness and Ki crouched, his muscles bunching, his hands positioning themselves. The night held something, someone. Ki could feel it, but he could see nothing. The frogs still croaked in the cattails; the crickets still chirped as if whatever was out there moved invisibly, without a whisper of sound.
    The feeling lingered for a time and then passed and Ki gradually relaxed. For another three hours he kept his silent watch. An hour or so before dawn, Maria, yawning, came to the door of the goatherd’s shack. She came to him, put her arms around his waist, and rested her head on his chest.
    â€œIs everything all right?” she asked.
    â€œI think so. Yes.” Ki didn’t explain about the silent thing in the willows.
    â€œWhat will you do now?” Maria’s dark questioning eyes met Ki’s.
    â€œI will free Jessica Starbuck,” Ki answered. He shrugged and kissed Maria’s forehead lightly.
    She didn’t smile in answer. “How, Ki?” she asked. “How do you plan to free her from Mono’s bandidos?”
    â€œNow,” Ki replied, “you have asked the difficult question. I don’t know how I will do it.”
    â€œIf I can help you...”
    â€œYou can’t go back into San Ignacio, not now. They know you helped me.”
    Maria’s temper flared briefly. “Do you think I am a coward, Ki?”
    â€œNo, I think nothing of the sort.”
    â€œThen I will help you.”
    Ki held her for a minute. The air was damp and cool, the river a whispering thing moving past them. To the East the sky was graying. Birds were beginning to stir in the willows.
    â€œWe have to find out what they are doing, where they have Jessica,” Ki said thinking out loud.
    â€œIt will be daylight soon.”
    â€œThat might be a disadvantage. On the other hand, the nearer it gets to dawn the more the bandidos will have drunk and the more likely they will be to fall asleep or at least be off their guard.”
    â€œI have many friends and family in San Ignacio,” Maria said. “Some of them might help.”
    â€œI don’t want help just now.”
    â€œMaybe you need some,” Maria said. She bit her lip thoughtfully.
    â€œYou have something in mind?” Ki asked.
    â€œClothing. What you wear is too obvious. A peon costume, a serape. You are just dark enough if someone doesn’t look too closely.”
    The woman was right. It wasn’t a bad idea at all to try disguising Ki. The moment he was spotted, Mono’s people would try to kill him. Perhaps the moment of recognition could be delayed with a disguise.
    â€œMy cousin Fernando is not quite as tall as you, but nearly. And, he is a barber,” Maria said with sudden inspiration.
    Ki frowned. “What has that to do with this?”
    â€œYou will see. Let’s go now. Fernando is on the far side of town. We can follow the river without being seen.”
    Ki was dubious, but he had no better idea. He was ready to accept any help that was offered just now.
    They moved along the bank as the first colors of sunrise began to streak the sky. The river absorbed the colors and reflected them darkly. Ki stopped suddenly.
    â€œWhat is it?” Maria asked, her eyes widening. She crouched a little as Ki was doing and looked around.
    â€œJust this.” Ki pointed it out. A footprint in the sand, a very fresh footprint. It had to have been made during the night. “So,” Ki said, “he is not a phantom