Santino's birthday is also celebrated by the masses in the streets, and he spared no expense to make this day memorable. It starts out with a big parade, where we drive in his armored Hummer through the capital, waving at the cheering crowds on the sidewalk. Armed guards observe the whole event closely, and judging from some of the faces, I'm not entirely sure whether the people are here by choice.

When we pass by the town square, half-a-dozen temporary barbecue pits have been erected and a large pig turns on a stick in the center. Though I'm usually not a big fan of pork, the sight alone makes my mouth water. Stalls with fruits, vegetables, and pastries line the entire north side of the square. Miguel told me that the party will last all day, although we'll be celebrating at the same venue as Bettina and Ramon's wedding. It has been colder over the past few days, and when we arrive at the hotel, Miguel tucks a warm coat around my shoulders.

"I don't want you to catch a cold." His lips brush over the part of my face that still shows a slight coloration from his beating two weeks ago.

Naiara showed me how to best cover it with makeup, and my skin appears flawless. Only the invisible scars that are a painful reminder of what my boyfriend is capable of continue to throb without a sign of relief.

He guides me to the large lawn in the back of the main building where workers built a makeshift podium with small garden chairs lined in neat rows. Handing me a glass of champagne, he steers me toward the front. Most faces are unfamiliar, but I notice Bettina already seated next to Raine and Shauna in the second row.

"Can we sit with my friends?" I ask Miguel, who turns toward the group with a frown.

His gaze lingers for a moment on the girls. "Sure, why not? I have to give a speech in honor of my dad, so I guess they can translate. I'll join you afterward."

He walks me over to the girls and makes sure I'm comfortable with a fresh glass of champagne. Bettina keeps rubbing her belly and is pale as a ghost; she actually looks sick.

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know. I had cramps all night but didn't want to spoil the party for Ramon."

"Maybe you're in labor." Raine's eyes are filled with concern. "Do you want me to take you to the doctor? I could do without the speeches."

Bettina's face twists in pain and she shifts in her seat. "No, not yet. Ramon is expected to give a speech and it's really important for him. He worked on it all week."

Shauna stares straight ahead with wide eyes and doesn't have an opinion. Over the past few days, she has admitted to me that Tomás yellsat her constantly; even the slightest thing can set him off. Not talking at all has proven most effective, so that's the reason why she usually keeps her mouth shut.

The lawn fills up quickly; when I turn around, Pearson and the US ambassador are taking a seat in the section that must be reserved for foreign representatives. If I get the chance, I'm seeking Bennett out today to ask for his help.

Ramon's father is the first to speak and introduces Santino, who walks onto the stage like a king. A cold wind blows; when my teeth begin to chatter, I pull my coat closer around me. What a miserable day. The speech seems to drag on forever and I only manage to catch a few words. People laugh and clap at certain intervals. I join in on occasions, but most of the time, I don't bother to pretend I'm having a good time.

Ramon is next, followed by some woman I've never seen before. Finally, Miguel takes the stage and beams at me as he pulls the microphone closer. Spanish words float from his mouth and most people are captivated by him. Guests stop yawning behind their hands and people soak up every word. I can't take my eyes off him; even though I have no clue what his speech is about, his presence alone is mesmerizing. The way he carries himself brims with self-confidence and he holds up his head with pride. The fire in his eyes could convince me to buy sand in a desert.

All of a sudden, his full attention shifts to me. "Stacy, could you stand up, please?"

Face burning, I oblige. Every single face in the audience turns in my direction and I want to be teleported to another planet.

A spurt of Miguel's words floats across the lawn, and everyone starts to clap and smile. I grin back like a goof, uncertain of what just happened. My gaze falls on Pearson, who regards me with the deepest frown, while the ambassador glares at me with venom. Miguel's news certainly didn't make them happy.

Raine tugs on my hand. "Why didn't you tell us you two got engaged?"

My jaw drops and I glance at Miguel; he has moved on to something else and ignores me. Plopping back into my seat, I'm painfully aware of Bettina's, Raine's, and Shauna's stares. They are waiting for an explanation.

My cheeks burn even hotter. I don't want to admit that I had no idea about Miguel's announcement, but I'm too shaken up to lie. Silence is my only feasible option.

Raine snorts. "Wow, you didn't know. I guess this was the worst proposal in history."

"Let it slide." Shauna squeezes my hand, pity in her eyes.

My whole body is numb, my mind unable to comprehend that Miguel broadcast to the world that I have agreed to marry him. What hurts the most is that he didn't even ask but presented me with a fait accompli. As he finishes his speech, I'm frozen in place. How should I approach him? When everyone stands and raises their glass, I get to my feet as if pulled by a string.

"Feliz cumpleaños, Señor Presidente," the guests cheer. The band starts the tune of the traditional birthday song and everyone joins in. When we are finished, Miguel has disappeared. People around me begin to shuffle and I awake from my daze. 

Raine elbows me in the side. "Aren't you gonna find your fiancé and tell him off?" 

I sure want to find Miguel and confront him, but I'm fuzzy on the rest. He put me in a precarious position. From the look on the ambassador's face, he's not inclined to help me.

Shauna sighs. "Would you just leave her alone already?"

In that very moment, Bettina bends forward with a loud grunt, a puddle quickly forming underneath her. Her entire dress is soaked from the waist down. "I think my water broke."

Commotion follows a brief silence.

"We have to tell Ramon," Raine shrieks.

Two other foreign girls come running, and all three, plus Shauna, huddle around Bettina. I feel a little lost and redundant, backing away when Ramon appears out of nowhere.

He coos over his wife. "We have to get you to the hospital."

His arm supports Bettina around her humongous waist, and the group takes off in the opposite direction from where the side door to the ballroom just expelled a group of laughing guests. Before the door can close again, I seize the opportunity and scurry inside in the hopes of finding Miguel.

The party is already in full swing and a few couples waltz around the dance floor, Santino and Naiara among them. I scan the horde of party guests but don't see Miguel. The ambassador and Pearson have also disappeared. With a sigh, I turn toward the bar where Emilien is chatting with another soldier.

"Have you seen Miguel?"

"He was heading to the basement just a few minutes ago." Emilien downs his glass in one go, signaling the waiter for a refill. He seems distracted and I decide to continue the search for my fiancé.

The basement is separated from the upper level by a heavy door. With much effort, I yank it open. The steps are steep; for a moment, I consider going back to the party. Emilien must've been mistaken. Miguel has no reason to go down there.

I'm about to let go of the door when a voice drifts up from downstairs. I can't make out the words, but I'm sure it was Miguel. With pricked ears, I listen for more sounds. Mumbling floats my way. He's definitely down there, but he's not alone. With some hesitation, I descend down the steps.

The room at the bottom of the stairs is dimly lit and carries a musty smell. When I take my next breath, the fine layer of dust tickles my nostrils; I wrinkle my nose to suppress a sneeze. Spiders have built large webs in the corners and a sole lightbulb dangles from the cracked ceiling in a rusty socket. Add the broken tables and chairs stacked against the wall, and not too many people have been down here.

A door across the staircase is cracked open. With prickling at the nape of my neck, I edge forward. I spot a keypad on the wall next to the door; in basic training, we learned that these indicate a secured area. I shouldn't be down here and will be in trouble with both Miguel and Tomás if I proceed. This area is in no way within my security clearance.

A desperate scream turns my blood to ice. I peek around the door and find a long, bright hallway. In comparison to the room I'm in, the area is modern, the walls freshly painted, and the floor spotless. Another horrific scream that originates from a room at the end makes me jump backward. It resonates in my ears long after I retreat into the safety of the basement.

I eye the stairs. Whoever is out there isn't worth Miguel's anger, but then curiosity gets the better of me. I slide out of my shoes and tiptoe down the hallway, taking extra care to be as quiet as a mouse. Groans and voices guide my way. When I get to the door at the end, I carefully peek around the metal frame.

The sight is so gruesome I almost choke. A naked man, his face is covered in blood, hangs off the ceiling. His feet dangle in a small tub of water. Electrodes are attached to various parts of his body, the skin reddened around the tape that holds the wires in place. The rest of his torso is covered with cuts and bruises. Judging from his ragged breath, he's barely clinging to consciousness.

"Let's take it from the top, amigo." Tomás's voice comes from a part of the room hidden from view. "Who else is working with you in Malaguay?"

The man barely manages to raise his head. "Like I said, I have no clue what you're talkin' about. I'm just a tourist, looking to make a quick buck."

"Sure you are." The second voice is much younger; when the speaker steps forward, I can barely stifle a gasp. He's the boy who almost raped me. "We know you work for the US Drug Enforcement Agency and that you tried to infiltrate our organization. Do you know what we do with traitors?"

The agent doesn't respond.

"We cut out their tongues—but not before they tell us everything they know. You can make it easier on yourself and sing like a bird, or we can continue to torture you until you break." The boy steps closer. "Truthfully, I like to hurt you, so keep it up." He raises his arm and a little box in his hand gleams in the raw neon light. When his thumb hits the button on the device, a new scream fills the room.

I snap my head back and squat down, cupping my hands over my ears to make the agonizing shout stop. When I finally loosen my grip, tears roll down my cheeks.

"Your government doesn't give a rat's ass about you." Miguel's hissed words send a shiver down my spine. "Your ambassador was here earlier, and even though he knows we captured you, he wasn't bothered. Do you know why?" He allows the question to sink in. "Agents like you are dispensable. There are so many of you that your boss is more than happy to sacrifice one to keep up the other's cover."

"Go to hell." Pain cracks the agent's voice.

"You should ask yourself if all this agony is worth it. You barely earn enough money to make a living and for what? A plaque with your name on it when you don't make it home? Save yourself, amigo, and cooperate."

Silence follows his words until new shouts vibrate through the underground prison. I can't stomach the torture and crawl away on my hands and knees. Tears drip off my chin and onto the floor. My body is no longer under my command; my arms and legs move automatically to save myself from further terror.

As soon as I get back to the ballroom, I steer toward the door. Cuddling into my coat, I step outside and head for the first SUV with a driver. The agonizing screams are on auto replay in my mind. I can barely keep in the bile.

"Take me to the mansion," I mumble as I slide into the back of the car.

The driver gawks at me, not moving an inch. Then he gets on his radio. My fists open and close while I wait for something to happen. I successfully swallow more tears down, although the rest of me is totally useless. The only things still working are my hands as they ball and relax again.

The car door opens. "Stacy, what's wrong?"

I stare at Miguel, unable to utter a word.

He pulls me out of the car and holds me in a protective embrace. Though I want nothing more than to push him away, the warmth emitting from his body is comforting.

"Are you very mad about the engagement?" His nose nuzzles into my hair.

My survival instincts kick in. If he's capable of torturing a man in cold blood, he won't have a problem punishing me if I don't play by his rules. "Don't be silly. It's an honor to become your wife."

"Then what's wrong?" He runs his fingers down my spine and I close my eyes, praying he won't notice the few stray tears.

"I couldn't find you and thought you went back to the house."

He laughs. "The party is just getting started. C'mon, let's go back inside."

I keep my face buried against his chest, well aware that people are staring. "It's stuffy in there. Can we stay out here for a little bit?"

"Sure." He guides me away from the car toward the garden. Music floats through a few open windows of the ballroom, mixed with chatter and laughter. Except for Miguel and a few others, no one suspects that a torture chamber is hidden right under their feet.

He sways me to the music; after a while, I can't hold back the tears. As we turn to a slow song, he pulls me closer, his fingers fiddling with the zipper of my dress. I hardly notice. The events of the past hour press down on me like an avalanche of balled-up emotions. When silent tears fall, I turn my head so I don't get his shirt wet. The song carries on, hiding my sniffles. For most people, getting engaged is one of the happiest days of their life. For me, it'll always be a terrible memory.

~~~~

© Sal Mason 2017

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