“Nicaragua will always owe you for that.”
“I don’t count favors I’m owed. As far as I’m concerned, no one owes me a thing.”
“I like that attitude. Tell me something… did you like being a shooter?”
Nathan wouldn’t lie to this man. He’d created Raven and owed him the truth. “Maybe I should’ve… disliked it more than I did.”
Raven coughed and tried to smile. “We did our jobs. You were always a man of deep conscience, something I’ve known… is missing in me.”
“You didn’t kill Estefan’s wife.”
“No women. No kids.”
“Well, then you just confirmed it’s there. You’ve just never embraced it. What’s your real name?”
“Roberto Miravel. What about you?”
“Nathan McBride.”
“I knew you had some Irish blood, but I’d never hold it against you.”
Nathan smiled, and they didn’t speak for a few seconds. “Is there anyone you want me to contact?”
“No, not really. What are you doing to stay busy these days?”
“I’m partners with Mayo in a private-security company.”
“I’m betting you’ve pursued more…” Raven coughed. “More exciting ventures on the side, no?”
“A few here and there. Maybe it’s in our blood. We’re like moths.”
“Thank you for being honest with me. I need to tell you something about Macanas.”
“What about him?”
“You won’t like hearing it.”
Nathan felt his skin tighten. “I’m listening.”
“He’s the one who betrayed you to Montez.”
Nathan grabbed Raven by the shirt and yanked him closer. Raven grunted in pain. “You know about that?”
“Yes.”
“You’re lying, Raven.”
“I’m not lying. Macanas and Montez knew each other.”
“That’s horseshit. Why should I believe you?”
“You said it yourself… ten minutes.”
Nathan didn’t say anything; he didn’t trust himself.
“Money.”
“Money,” Nathan repeated.
“Macanas stole Montez’s money. The money your CIA paid Montez to let you go.”
Nathan was stunned. “How can you possibly know about that?”
“Macanas was my recruiter. Viper’s too. All of the kilos.” Raven closed his eyes again. “He had ties with your government during Iran-Contra. Lots of money changed hands, but Macanas never got any of it. He was bitter — thought your government owed him.”
“Are you saying Macanas and Montez worked together to capture me and then collect the ransom money?”
“Yes.”
“I was there for three weeks.” Nathan felt as though blood were going to burst from every pore in his body.
“I didn’t know about it, or I would’ve tried to save you. I swear it. Macanas was really drunk one night and told me. All Montez was supposed to do was hold you, not torture you. Montez never found out Macanas double-crossed him.”
“Let’s say I believe you, which I’m not sure I do. Why didn’t Macanas just kill Montez after stealing his money? Why leave a loose end like that?”
“I don’t know.”
Nathan’s mind raced. Why hadn’t Cantrell told him about Macanas? She had to know about this. He hated believing Cantrell withheld this and then asked him to come down here. No way. She’d never do that. Something was missing. Something that got Cantrell off the hook.
“There’s more, but you must never tell Viper… Estefan.”
Nathan waited.
“Your word…”
“All right, you have my word.”
“Before the war, Pastor Tobias was in Macanas’s pocket when he worked for the government.”
“When who worked for the government? Macanas or Tobias?”
“Tobias. He negotiated the leases for most of the mines in Atlántico Norte. He’d been taking bribe money for years, giving Macanas inside information about land identified for gold mining.”
“Here, in Jinotega or in Atlántico Norte?”
“Both, but mostly here… Macanas has been acquiring land up here for years. He’s set to make millions from leasing it to large commercial operators next year.”
Raven’s breathing began to slow, and his body shuddered.
“Are you cold?”
Raven nodded.
“This doesn’t sit right with me.”
“I didn’t think it would.”
“No, I mean you. You’re dying in the dark while Macanas lives on in luxury.”
“Since when has life… ever been fair?”
“Point taken.”
Raven’s voice grew weaker. “Everything you need to bury Macanas is in the lumber mill’s office. In the wall next to the shower. You’ll see… fresh paint. I thought I might need it someday. It’s yours now.”
“You were a good soldier, Raven.”
“I cared about my work.”
“It showed.”
“I don’t… feel very good.”
Raven reached out with his good hand, and Nathan grasped it.
A few seconds later, his former student — his Frankenstein’s monster, a man he’d mistakenly hated — lost consciousness.
That’s when Nathan noticed that a sense of time had slowly returned to his world. At some point, the needle of his pain clock had reversed direction and returned to the green. Maybe he’d sit here for a while. It seemed wrong to walk away from Raven. He didn’t think Harv would head up to their SP for at least ten more minutes, but he wasn’t sure. It felt good to just sit here and do nothing. He closed his eyes and listened to Raven’s breathing, knowing it wouldn’t last much longer.
Thinking about his former student caused sadness. The man slumped against the wall had made some bad choices. He’d left the railroad tracks and ventured into lawless territory. Raven said he’d lacked a moral compass, but Nathan knew otherwise. A truly bad seed would’ve killed Estefan’s wife without a second thought. Was there an honor code in cartels? Did they have standards they wouldn’t betray? Nathan didn’t know the answer, but he wasn’t above the question. He’d bent the rules himself and ventured into his own landscape of lawless territory. Many times. The train tracks didn’t always take you where you had to go. Did the ends justify the means? When can laws be defensibly broken? Sometimes? Never? Always? He knew life couldn’t be defined by a book of rules. It simply wasn’t possible. Sooner or later, everyone broke one of society’s bones.
Nathan didn’t know how long he’d been in here, but it seemed like hours. He wished he could doze off and sleep for several days, but alas, this wasn’t over yet. He reached over and gently removed the gold bar from Raven’s pocket along with one other critical item he’d need later. He was about to get up when Harv’s voice boomed into the tunnel.
“Nathan! Are you in there?”
“I’m here,” he yelled.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.” He listened to Harv’s running footfalls grow louder and louder. “In here, on the left.”
Nathan watched Harv peer around the corner before entering the tunnel. Harv reached up and turned off his IR.
“Nate.”
“Harv.”
His friend looked at Raven and took a knee. “I can’t believe you came in here.”
“Tell me about it. Weren’t you supposed to head up to our SP?”
“It hasn’t been thirty minutes.”
“I shot two men outside the mine. Are they dead?”
“Yes.”
“What do you think of my green campfire?”
“The light stick? Are you okay? There’s blood all over your hands. Your leg too.”
“It’s just a fragment.”
“How big a fragment?”
“I don’t know.”
Harv pulled his Predator. “It’s still leaking pretty good, better let me have a look.” Harv sliced the fabric above the wound. “Yep, it’s a hole. I’m going to apply a pressure bandage just to be on the safe side. From all the brass I saw, your ears must be toast.”