CHAPTER SEVENTEEN THE VILLAS NAPLES, FLORIDA

THE VILLAS

NAPLES, FLORIDA

January 9

It was so good hearing Dad’s voice through Lund’s iPhone speaker. They’d filled each other in on what they’d been through, the twins piping in every so often. It felt so awesome being together as a family again—tethered by cell phone towers up and down the East Coast. Suki wanted so badly for them to be together again. Jane Louise had fallen asleep on the double bed, a peaceful smile on her face, and Suki and her mom sat on the other bed with the phone. Before Jane Louise had lain down, Dad had promised her they’d get in touch with her mee-maw.

Lund sat on the gray fabric couch by the window. The blinds were drawn, and the lamp was off, adding to the darkness of the room. It was nine o’clock, and they all needed to go to bed, but this time was precious. It meant the world to her.

“Can I talk to Lund for a minute?” Roth asked. “Is he still there?”

“He’s here,” Sarina said. “I miss hearing your voice, Jonny.”

That was her pet name for him. It made a warm feeling wriggle inside Suki when she heard them talk like that. Teenagers weren’t supposed to like it when their parents showed affection for each other. But Suki secretly did. Especially now, after all this time apart.

Lund rose from the couch and approached the bed. Sarina handed him the phone.

Other than the two beds and the couch, there wasn’t much to the room. Just a work desk with a rolling chair. They’d already discussed the sleeping arrangements—Suki and Jane Louise would share one bed, and Suki’s mom would keep the other by herself. Lund had said he was going to get more coffee and stay awake all night to help protect them. He’d rented the room and then brought the family in through the side door of the hotel. They had no luggage, no clothes to change into, but that was okay. Even the strange hotel smell didn’t bother Suki so much.

“You guys at the new hotel?” Lund asked, holding the phone out so they could all hear.

“Yeah. Monica called earlier. She said the pandemic meeting is still happening tomorrow with the president’s cabinet.”

Lund chuffed. “I heard the same. It’s beyond irrational. A bomb threat at a high school during finals week is taken more seriously than this. I’m appalled. I thought Director Wright would be more sensible.”

“I don’t know what else we could have said to convince them. Not even the visit with the senator seemed to work. The jaguar priests are here in DC. Well, at least one is. She said the FBI director isn’t convinced it should be canceled. They’re not even boosting security.”

Lund sighed and shook his head. “Brower’s not an idiot. And neither is Director Wright. But that’s the thing about the executive branch, Mr. Roth. It maneuvers about as fast as a Winnebago in the sand. Without a credible threat, they won’t take action.”

“What about an in-credible threat?” Roth said, snorting. “Maybe nothing will happen tomorrow. Maybe that’s not Calakmul’s plan. But Moretti confirmed there’s a threat to the president, and Senator Coudron verified that the corruption is deep inside. What about the attorney? Has she talked yet?”

“We’ve gotten nothing out of her. And no grounds to hold her because we can’t prove she caused the heart attack. Personally, I’m holding out hope that the CIA will learn something tonight during their operation down in the jungle. If a drone can confirm the location of that temple—and that there are people there—then the story will be legitimized. I just hope it’s not too late.”

“Me too. Thank you so much for getting my family back, Steve. Seriously. You have my eternal gratitude. If things get weird here in DC tomorrow, I’ll let you know.”

“Well, Jordan better let me know first,” Lund said with a chuckle.

“I will, boss!” It was Jordan’s voice, distant but clear. Suki smiled.

“Good night, Mr. Roth,” Lund said.

“Hey, can I talk to Suki real quick?”

“Sure.”

Lund switched the speaker off and handed the phone to Suki.

“Hi, Dad.”

“Hey. I just ... I wanted to say how proud I am of you. You saved us in the arena. And you’re saving the family again. Keep listening to your instincts, okay? The warnings you keep getting. You were right to leave the hospital.”

“Thanks,” Suki said, her throat suddenly clenching with emotion. Her dad didn’t dole out praise all that often, so it felt more meaningful when he did.

“Keep your eye on Mom. She has insulin in her, which is good. But she doesn’t have much more, so she may allow her sugar to run high to make it last longer. I’ll work with Monica to get her a new pump and supplies for when you arrive, but make sure she’s drinking enough and eating healthy. No waffles and syrup from the hotel for breakfast, okay?”

“Got it,” Suki said. She was hoping there would be waffles, although she suspected Lund would be choosing their breakfast and wearing a disguise when he picked it up. They certainly couldn’t go down there as a group. “Take care of the twins, okay? Don’t let them watch too many gamers on YouTube.”

Her dad’s laughter made her smile. “I think they’re watching SpongeBob with Jordan right now. We’re good. I love you, Suki. Can I say good night to Mom?”

“Sure. Love you too, Dad.”

Suki wasn’t that keen on showing her emotions. But after all they’d been through, she realized how important it was to say the words. You never knew when another chance would come—or not.

Her mom had fallen asleep, so Suki gently shook her shoulder to wake her. She smiled and took the phone back. “Jonny.”

As her parents spoke, Suki sat on the bed and wrapped her arms around her knees. Her gaze kept returning to her mom. She still couldn’t believe she had her back, that she was herself again, really and truly. Ix Chel had a power greater even than Aztlán, which had made Jacob Calakmul younger. They didn’t know much about the magic that had made this work, but they were all grateful for it.

“I love you,” Sarina whispered. “So much. I hope you understand why I stayed. Ix Chel needed me, and I knew the kids had you. Jane Louise had no one. I felt ... I couldn’t bear to leave her. And I sensed that Suki was coming. I knew I had to be there to get them both out.”

Suki felt tears prick her eyes. She loved her mom. Her selflessness, her willingness to sacrifice herself to help others. She respected her mom’s decision not to try to escape.

“I love you too, Jonny. Good night. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

The hotel door beeped and unlocked, and Lund entered carrying a tray of food from the breakfast buffet. Scrambled eggs, sketchy bacon, some waffles and syrup cartons, fresh fruit. The TV was blaring the morning news and traffic report as he set the tray down on the worktable.

“I’m going to get the drinks,” Lund said. “Apple juice, orange juice, milk? What do you want?”

“Apple juice,” Jane Louise said.

“Milk is good,” Suki said.

“I’ll have water,” her mom said. She looked tired but rested. Lund looked like he had indeed been up all night. It was eight o’clock in the morning.

“You going to get some sleep before we go?” Suki asked him.

“I’ve had some coffee,” Lund answered. “It’ll kick in soon. And I need to make some phone calls. I’ll be back.”

He left, and the door clicked shut. They all shared the breakfast food, but Jane Louise didn’t have much of an appetite and went over to the couch by the window.

Suki watched TV for a while, thinking about how awkward it would be to be a weather forecaster. Then she noticed motion from the corner of her eye. Turning her head, she saw Jane Louise had opened the curtain and was waving to someone outside.

Suki’s stomach did an uncomfortable twist. She got off the bed, set her plate down, and went to the window. There was a car parked out there, and a family was getting into a GMC Yukon that had bug guts splattered on the grille and hood and windshield. There was a little girl outside, waving back to Jane Louise. The dad was staring through the window with a concerned look. Suki met his gaze, and his eyebrows lifted. Suki gently pulled Jane Louise away from the window and let the gauzy curtain fall back into place.

“Go sit on the bed,” Suki suggested. The door beeped again, and Lund returned with a tray of glasses with different drinks, as well as another mug of coffee.

Suki gestured for Lund to come to the window. He set the tray down by the breakfast spread. Sarina reached for the water, and Jane Louise took the apple juice.

Lund gave Suki a questioning look when he reached her.

“Jane Louise was waving at a kid outside,” Suki whispered. “The dad saw her. Then he saw me. I think he might have recognized us.”

Lund went to the edge of the curtain and parted it to peer outside. “The GMC?”

“Yeah.”

Lund frowned. “Most people ignore Good Samaritan opportunities. He’s on his cell phone. Sitting there. The whole family is in the vehicle.”

The warning feeling was throbbing hard now. “We’d better go.”

“Agreed,” Lund said. “Let’s get moving.”

Sarina nodded and hurried off the bed. Taking Jane Louise by the hand, she moved to turn the TV off, but Lund told her to keep it on. It would help convince the hotel staff they were still there.

“Out the side door,” Lund said. “Like the way we came in.”

As they left, the nervous feeling continued to build inside Suki. She was so tired of feeling it, so she started to repeat the calming mantra. They walked down the corridor swiftly and exited through the side door. Even though it was morning, it was still humid, although the temperature was only in the fifties. Suki rubbed her arms.

Lund unlocked the car, and they got inside the minivan. The Yukon appeared around the side of the hotel, creeping slowly. Suki saw the dad in the driver’s seat, still on the phone.

“Buckle up,” Lund said. He fired up the engine and then did a quick reverse. The Yukon stopped.

Lund put it in gear and started out of the parking lot. The Yukon began following them. How long before the police were dispatched?

Suki clicked her seat belt, remembering the morning after Christmas when they’d escaped another Yukon, full of MS-13 members. No snow on the roads this time, at least.

Lund clicked the side of his phone. “Driving directions to Everglades City,” he said to it.

The CarPlay app on the rental put up driving directions from Naples to Everglades City. It was southeast of Naples, deeper into Florida.

“What’s in Everglades City?” Suki asked.

“A way out where no one can follow us,” Lund said with tightness in his voice. He sped out of the parking lot toward the highway. Palm trees stood in thick walls around the edges of the parking lot. The Yukon started after them.

“Let’s see how well you can drive, Mr. Hero,” Lund grunted, accelerating toward the intersection instead of slowing down.

“Turn left on US Highway 41, Tamiami Trail,” said the robotically female voice on his phone.

Suki gripped the safety handle and grimaced as the minivan sped into the intersection in the middle of the slow-going morning commute without stopping. She closed her eyes.

Honks, brakes screeching. Her stomach was flooded with butterflies as the van accelerated.