When the Man Comes Around part 7

He took the stolen thumb drive and plugged it into the onboard computer in the Dragon. The computer was built by Rex Robinson, so it was powerful enough to bypass the encryption, but it would take some time. When he encountered Agent Saffron a day earlier, he was told of video footage regarding Sister Mary Catalina, the nun who raised Nadie. Saffron didn’t think there was anything of importance in the footage, but the Cavalier wanted to see it for himself. While he wasn’t sure if this particular thumb drive had what he was looking for, there was only one way to find out.

Saffron’s idea of defeating Nadie was to ally himself with La Respuesta despite the innocent lives they took. That alliance ended up being a fatal mistake as Nadie had a spy named Ramona Sanchez working both sides. Saffron was killed by Nadie’s military and it seemed that some of the top leaders of La Respuesta were killed by Ramona herself. He felt lucky that, during the melee, he took Ramona’s phone as well.

Cavalier had flown to an area just outside a secluded village. As he was still in possession of Ramona’s phone, he used the Dragon’s geocoding technology to trace her calls. The computer was still decoding the thumb drive and searching for any video files, so there was still time to take care of other tasks. When he looked into Ramona’s phone, he found several calls coming from and going to a villa on the northern coast. The number had no name given to it and the property was said to belong to the Costa Tristen government, even though satellite images showed it was a lavish residential area, not the sort of location any governmental entities would invest in. He surmised it was Nadie’s residence and set a course.

Just then, the Dragon’s computer alerted him to a video file on the thumb drive. There was some hope in that. He selected the file and began watching, hoping it was the footage he had been looking for.

A few minutes later, at Nadie’s villa, Mano entered the old man’s den. “Sir, General Barca has his sights on the Cavalier’s hovercraft.”

“Where is he?”

“Heading this way. Barca believes he’s found your location. I can -”

“No,” Nadie interrupted.

“Sir?”

“Something has been on my mind,” Nadie folded his hands in contemplation, “I’ve been fighting all my life. Fighting against bullies, criminals, corrupt police, politicians… I thought this man wasn’t any better than any of them. I underestimated him. I can’t think of a time in which I felt so… unsure. At least not recently. My plans have changed. First, I want you to call the president. He has to drop whatever he’s doing and come here immediately.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then, I want you and the men to leave this house.”

Mano’s eyes widened, “I’m sorry?”

“Leave. All of you. I don’t care where you go, but I need you to leave for the rest of the night.”

“And… Should I give Barca the go-ahead to shoot the Cavalier down?”

“No. He’s to stand down and clear the skies.”

Mano grew concerned, “Sir, I’m sorry, but I can’t let you stay here alone.”

Nadie reached out and took him by the hand, “Remember when I first met you?”

“Yes, at the orphanage. It was just after you killed Zahino.”

“You didn’t have a name. No orphans did, not until I had the law changed.”

“… Yes, I remember.”

“I saw that you were strong. You had gotten into a fist fight with five other boys to protect a little girl on the street. I knew you’d become a good man, so I took you in. I had Guerrero’s men train you from a young age and because of that, you’ve served me well. I feel I’m close enough to you to be considered your father.”

“Yes, of course you are.”

Nadie looked him in the eyes, “So do as I say.”

Mano’s expression was fearful, but he complied, “Yes, sir.” He quickly left the room and Nadie was alone with his thoughts once more…

Years earlier, Nadie sat next to a lamp, a Bible resting on his lap. The second phase of his plan was underway and he knew the anarchy that was occurring throughout the country in the wake of Zahino’s death. He opened his Bible and turned to Psalm 49, then read to himself:

“Hear this, all you people; listen, all who live in this world, both low and high, rich and poor alike: My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding. I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle: Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me? Those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches? No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them.”

In an expensive restaurant, a senator ate dinner. His own bodyguard approached him from behind and plunged an icepick into the back of his skull. The senator fell into his plate of food and his aides quickly ran away in a panic, as did everyone else in the restaurant. The bodyguard silently walked away.

“The ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough so that they should live on forever and not see decay. For all can see that the wise and the foolish all perish, leaving their wealth to others.”

A Costa Tristen general rested in bed, his mistress next to him. A shadowy figure burst into the room and fired three shots from a silenced pistol. Bursts of crimson exploded out of the older man’s chest and his mistress sat up screaming, his blood dripping from her face.

“Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.”

An American weapon contractor received a warning from federal agents that his business partners had just been murdered. He rushed out of his house and got in his car outside. Once he placed the key in the ignition and started the engine, the car exploded.

“People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they die just as the animals do. This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and the followers who approve their sayings.”

A Costa Tristen business mogul suddenly became suicidal and threw himself out of the 13th floor of his building.

“They are like sheep and are destined to die. Death will be their shepherd, but the upright will prevail over them in the morning.”

News eventually spread to the populace. No one really knew who was involved. Some thought it was Director Guerrero. Others thought it was the Americans. Some speculated the nice man in the wheelchair who ran charity groups as he always seemed to have a lot of connections. It didn’t matter. Zahino was dead.

Some of Zahino’s foot soldiers were dispatched to keep the peace when protestors took to the streets. The soldiers were overwhelmed by the crowds and dragged through the streets before getting stripped naked. Then came the bricks.

“Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.”

Politicians and authority figures were rounded up in multiple cities. “To the wall! To the wall!” the people shouted and they were lined up and shot to death. Then their bodies were paraded around.

“Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases; for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.”

The editor of Zahino’s newspaper was found dead in his home. Despite the decreasing lack of support, he was openly declaring the rioters to be terrorists. His home was broken into and he was strangled to death on his private pool table. Then his body was violated with a pool cue.

“Though while they live, they count themselves blessed and people praise them when they prosper. They will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life.”

In those days, it wasn’t common to wake in the morning and see dead men hanging by their necks or floating face-down in rivers. It was curious how life was going on despite the death that surrounded them.

“Those who have wealth but lack understanding will die like animals.”

Nadie made the sign of the Cross and quietly closed the Bible. He then wheeled himself to the balcony. There, he watched the fires burn in the distance.

Guerrero’s men helped assassinate the few allies Zahino had left. In the coming years, Nadie rewarded Guerrero by making him the ambassador to the US where he helped with multiple operations stateside. Additionally, he knew which senators, governors, and mayors were on his side and used them to create a new government. Slowly, he took control and molded the country into something else. All presidents from then on were elected with his say-so. He made sure certain laws changed. He disbanded the Secret Police. When he saw potential threats, he made sure to either eliminate them or place them where he could see them.

He made Esteban Barca the top general, despite his violent nature. The corruption was still there and Nadie met the challenge head-on. New cartels rose up and when that happened, Nadie ensured the gangs were moved to other parts of the world. The money would then be funneled back to Costa Triste. It was okay that he was often disgusted by the methods as it reminded him that he was still human.

In the end, it was all justified.

****

The Cavalier set his landing cycle. The villa was three stories tall and loomed over a gorgeous beach with rolling waves. The villa was gated, but no one seemed to be guarding it. He wondered if he found the right place. The lights were on, which meant that someone was likely home. The Dragon’s sensors did not pick up any weapons or movement, so he proceeded.

He used his Round Table weapon to activated a shield and sword, then made his way to the large double doors leading into the mansion. He noticed the security camera above the door and made it no secret that he was there. And again, there was no movement. He made sure to use his armor to pick up on body heat signatures, but found no evidence of anyone in the near vicinity. Part of him thought it was a trap, but he had to see it through. He pushed the door and it swung open, revealing that, not only was it unlocked, but it wasn’t even latched. He peeked around multiple corners and peered into several rooms, finding no one. Eventually, he made his way up the large, winding staircase and ventured down a hall to a dining room with a closed door.

Finally, his sensors picked up two heat signatures, indicating there were at least two males in the house. He braced himself, took a breath, and flew forward, giving the door a hard kick. It burst off its hinges and clattered to the ground with a sound that echoed through the large, empty house. Once inside, he found an old man in a wheelchair sitting at the head of the table, happily eating dinner.

Surprisingly, the president of Costa Triste, Javier De Guzman, was also at the table. He sat perpendicular to the old man and appeared far more nervous.

“You once told me…,” Nadie began as he cut into his chicken, “That you were going to come to Costa Triste yourself and that you wouldn’t stop until you and I were finally in the same room. Now, here you are.” He took a bite and delicately dabbed the corners of his mouth with a napkin before setting it next to his plate, “So what can I do for you?”

Continued…