One of the men, the bearded one, went to the refrigerator and took out bottles of water, handing them out when he returned to the group. Paco guzzled his down, then wished he had another but didn’t want to ask the unsmiling men. He also wondered what was under the grave-sized section of recently poured concrete. Some of those thoughts made him sweat.
Less than an hour later, someone tapped on the shed door. The bearded man opened it a crack as another man spoke to him while he handed a set of car keys through the slim opening. Paco stood separately as the others got together and talked of their plan.
One of the men left, returning five minutes later in an old pickup. He parked in front with the engine running. The men with weapons put the rifles in a locker near the front wall. The driver said, “We’re ready, load up outside.” Paco and the others climbed into a ten-year old, dual cab Chevrolet pickup, locked the shed, and left to follow Highway 90 into Del Rio and across the International Bridge into Acuña.
The men stopped near Paco’s home and, without a word, left him out on the street before driving away.
Paco walked the short distance to his home and went straight to the bathroom where he threw up. When he returned to his small living room, Sofia waited near the door.
“What happened,” Sofia asked.
“La Patrulla, the Border Patrol. They were waiting for us.”
“And they have all the children?”
“Yes.”
She kicked a chair across the room and into the wall, knocking a framed photo loose from the nail so that the glass shattered when it hit the floor. “This was an important load, worth much money. Especially since we lost the little one with violet eyes. Our jefe is furious about that.”
“It wasn’t my fault.” He thought a moment and said, “It must have been the woman, because I saw her again when I ran.”
“The woman we saw near your house?”
“Yes, the same.”
Sofia nodded, “She is a Border Patrol Agent.”
“She wasn’t wearing the uniform and badge.”
“She is friends with another one here. She is from the Presidio area, across from Ojinaga.”
“How long will she be here?”
“Long enough to cause more trouble.”
“What should we do about her?”
“I will decide that. In the meantime, we have a plan to make up for this disaster of yours. Be ready to go at a moment’s notice.”
“People?”
“One, a very special one, and very soon.”
“I will be ready.”
“Paco, if you fail me on this….”
Paco gulped and nodded, his throat too constricted with fear to speak. He knew she meant it.
She leaned close and told Paco of the plan. When she finished, she saw his face grow pale. “You will do this, do you understand?”
“Yes.” He licked his lower lip as his eyes darted around the room, avoiding Sofia’s.
She said, “When it is delivered to you, get it across the river and drive to the usual location. We are putting decoy groups to cross downriver, and that will take the Border Patrol out of the picture. Your way will be safe.” She held his chin, “Let no one stop you.”
“Yes. I will be well armed.”
“You cross this one by yourself, so there is less chance of word getting out. I will have help for you on the other side. And remember, go fast when you receive the child. The law will be looking.”