White Death

It was a beautiful house; it sat majestically on top of a hill surrounded by green, beautiful lawns. Exotic flower beds marked the walks and sat amongst huge, old trees who had watched the passing of time for ages. Not far from it white wooden fences marked the area where stallions and mares frolicked and played with each other knowing they were safe and they were cared for. Air conditioning equipment hummed near the stables while men sweated in the gardens and lawns. Around this incredible setting in the middle of the jungle miles and miles of coffee plantations extended their finger into the impassable jungle, the birds sang and a cool breeze descended through the tree tops to relieve the workmen of the humidity and heat that surrounded them. It was a perfect picture; it was man’s hand in the middle of heaven.
In the studio, behind the desk sat a man maybe fifty five years old, Don Juan, he sat stooped on a huge leather chair staring into nothing. On his face you could see the passing of time, the pain and the loneliness he lived with day after day. Armed men walked around the house and sat in turrets around the grounds, to his left a helicopter lay ready for flight, to his right a swimming pool with a waterfall feeding it incessantly. Around it pool chairs and tables invited his guests to get rid of the heat with drinks music and dance, the barbecue pit was empty and the leaves accumulated slowly on the water. There were no visitors, there were only employees walking around silently doing their chores. Two years ago on a summer day the pool area was full of life, music echoed on the mountains and laughter travelled in the wind, the glasses were full and the aroma of food cooking on the grill filled the senses. Two years ago life was good, there was something to look forward to, grandchildren, a beautiful wife who loved him dearly and two sons that made him proud, two men to walk the land with, his wife, his sons, were no more, he was alone.
Don Juan sat on his chair and looked at the solid gold nugget he used as a paper holder, he looked at the massive safe full of money in the corner, he looked at his antique gun collection on the wall and nothing mattered anymore, he was alone, no one to share his wealth, his hacienda, his apartment in the city, his bank accounts, or his love with. He sat there looking back in time, remembering his wife and her beautiful black eyes; he remembered her eyes like deep pools of water in a cave. The way she used to look at him, the way those eyes brought peace to his mind and soul at night when he lay in bed besides her. He remembered how he had loved her, how he loved her still, how he missed her and her laughter and a dry smile came to his lips, just a twist of his mouth, he could smile no more. He thought of his two proud sons, he remembered them sitting on great horses, heading for the mountains like knights going off to the crusades. He had made them strong men, he had been proud of them, he had built all his empire so they would not have to sacrifice themselves, so they would be able to live happily and give him grandchildren that today would be sitting on his lap annoying him with their screams and their games. Yet on this afternoon in summer, he sat alone, his world shattered, his soul empty, his house full of ghosts that haunted his every moment.
Don Juan sighed and closed his eyes; the memories came to him as always full of feelings, pain and suffering. He went back in time ten, twenty years when he was young and full of energy. He saw himself working his coffee plantation, caring for his horses and watching his two sons growing from children to young adults, to men. His heart sank deep into the darkness when he told himself that all had been his fault, that he was responsible for his loneliness, for the graves that stood high above the house below the cedar that protected them from the sun and the rain. The same graves he visited every morning where he cried and asked God why they were gone, to the graves where he spoke to the souls of his wife and sons long gone, long forgotten by time. Only he remembered them, only he prayed above them, only he carried the cross he had brought upon himself. Twenty years ago his father had passed away in bed, like every man should. He had taught him all he knew about coffee and cattle, he had built the house Don Juan now stood in, he had been a good father, a good provider, an honest man who lived of his work and his sweat.
Don Juan thought about these times, about the day he met his Isabella, about the day she came to him with his first son, Rodrigo. He was a beautiful child, full of energy and laughter, a great horseman and an even better person, always hanging around with the hands and working besides them in the fields. Rodrigo was a boy who preferred eating in the kitchen and bathing his horse, a boy who wore boots from dawn to dusk and never complained about the work or the sun, a true hacendado. A few years later Carlos was born, a silent boy who enjoyed reading and spent most of his time learning and working the numbers instead of going out on the field. Carlos loved mathematics, travelling, classical music and preferred a good book to a party besides the pool. Quiet, but strong in his own way, he came to be his right hand in the office while Rodrigo took care of the fields. Two boys completely different one form the other but how he had loved them, how he had cherished their every action, their every smile and jest.
His heart shrunk when he remembered that day; the terrible day when his foreman knocked on the door of the study and told him three men were there to see him, three riders of the Apocalypse, three angels of death. He welcomed them into his studio and closed the door behind them, before sitting on the same chair he sat today, Don Juan offered them coffee, drinks, maybe a little something to eat. They refused politely and the one who appeared to be their leader started to speak. He told Don Juan about the problems coffee growers were having and the way the market had collapsed since coffee was grown all over the world. He spoke about his son’s future and those of their families. His tone was even, slow and his words were very convincing. Don Juan listened and agreed on all he said, in the back of his mind alarms were ringing and going off but he was young, he was strong, he had a family to care off, so he listened without interrupting.
Finally the man started speaking of the true reason he was there, they wanted to rent some faraway land from him, they would process cocaine there and they would not interrupt his work or his people, no one would ever know they were there. They would use mule trains to transport it to the coast not far away where it would be shipped north, they would pay him for each kilo they produced and he would not have to dirty his hands. Isabella need not know about this meeting or its results and he could easily save money to send the boys to school and help them build their futures. He did not think about the people he would hurt or the fact that it was a crime. In his mind he saw an easy way to make money without getting involved at all, he would allow them to do their deed and he would collect his money every month as promised. It was only business. Today he cursed himself one and a thousand times more. Nothing is for free, nothing that comes from evil produces any good. And so it happens that one man takes one path and the other takes another, so turn the wheels of destiny and one never knows what the outcome will be of the actions and decisions we make one day to regret another.
After they left, Doña Isabella came to him and asked who they were and what did they want. All he said was that it was Don Pedro from up north and his partners. They wanted to rent the land they needed to expand their plantations and he had accepted, a little cash money every month would do them good. That night, at dinner he was very happy and enjoyed chatting with his wife and sons until it was their bedtime. He remembered standing on the balcony looking over the dark fields, listening to the sounds of the night and feeling the cool breeze on his face. His mind moved forward in time, years later when the same quiet, dark field was washed by floodlights and armed guards walked all over it twenty four hours a day, when the sounds of the night ceased to be, when darkness and peace, ceased to be.
Time passed and all was well in the lands where Don Juan was king, the money poured in and there was no problem, no suspicion, no repentance. His boys were growing, his wife was happy, his coffee plantations were taken care of and best of all, there was money in the bank. But little we know about what destiny and the Gods plan for us, how a pebble can start a huge landslide and how the fires burning in hell can suddenly rise to the surface and burn us. While Don Juan’s kingdom lay in peace under the sun, around the world the price and demand for cocaine rose like yeast in a loaf of bread. From one day to another the price of white gold drove production into frenzy. Don Pedro came to ask for more land, this time he was surrounded by guards, he came in bullet proof cars, he was now a patron, a boss, an international cocaine dealer. He brought with him cardboard boxes full of money and this time he invited Don Juan to join him, to become his partner.
Don Juan accepted the money and refused the offer, but the seed was planted. He did not care about drugs, he did not care about the news, all he wanted to do was plant his coffee and care for his horses. While he turned on the television every morning at the same time to check on the price of coffee in the local market a war was raging all around him. People were dying in a fight for land, for territory, for cocaine. For years he had lived in peace in his mountains and in a few days his world was about to explode, life as he knew it would cease to exist in a very short period of time. One Saturday morning he awoke as always, at five in the morning, he sat with his cup of steaming coffee in the veranda and made plans for the day, there was coffee to fertilize and horses to train, he had a full day ahead of him. He waited for his Isabella to awaken and order breakfast. As he sat at the kitchen table with her eating slowly, enjoying her company he felt uncomfortable, he felt like something was wrong, terribly wrong. Little did he know that a storm was about to hit him.
After breakfast he went to the horse’s training circle where he sat in his favorite spot and ordered the first horse be brought before him. It was a mare and she was black with two white stockings, she was a lady. She was led out from the stables by a man on foot; that started running her in circles so Don Juan could see her pace and her every movement. Media Noche had the grace of a ballet dancer and her streaming hair flew behind her in the wind, her hoofs rattled on the hard ground and the sound they made was like music. She was beautiful in the rising sun, the stamina of her ancestors showed in every muscle as she moved in circles taunting her with pride, full of energy. When she was taken back to the stables, he looked up from the arena for a second and on the edge of the forest he saw a body lying between two trees. He called to Pancho, his right hand man and told him what he had seen. Pancho took a few men and ran out to the place where Don Juan had seen the man disappear. After what seemed like an eternity they came forward carrying a man who was obviously hurt, it was Don Pedro, he had three bullet holes in him but he was alive. Don Pedro was taken to a room upstairs and a car was dispatched to the nearby town to get a doctor.
His world had started to collapse and he did not know it yet, at noon a peon came running into the garden asking to see Don Juan. Ten armed men on horseback where coming through the coffee plantation from the north. The peon had recognized Don Francisco heading the group; they were coming fast and would arrive within the hour. Don Francisco was his neighbor, his friend; they had played together since they were children and saw each other once in a while through the years. Don Juan sat on the veranda and wondered what was going on, why were armed men on the way to his home, passing through his property without permission. He was a cautious man, even though he did not believe there was any danger he ordered the gun locker opened and the men armed. His most trusted men were armed and distributed around the house and grounds where they could go unseen and produce the greatest damaged upon the small army coming towards them. From his desk drawer, Don Juan took a huge Desert Eagle he had received as a present from a very old friend and they waited.
Fifteen minutes later, the riders came out into the open grounds and started to fan out without being too obvious about it. Don Francisco and two other men he did not know headed straight for the house where Don Juan stood on the stairs to the veranda. There was silence all about. As if the birds, the wind and everything around them knew something was about to happen, time stopped during the moments it took the three riders to reach the veranda, there was so much electricity in the air anything could have happened right there and then. Don Francisco walked his horse up to the stairs, and said, “Good morning Juan, it has been a while.” Don Juan answered politely but did not invite him to get off his horse,” Yes Francisco, it has been a while, is there something I can do for you?” Don Francisco shifted on his saddle and pointed his AK-47 away from Don Juan and said,” We are looking for a wounded man, is he here?” Don Juan looked him in the eyes and answered,” Yes he is; he is under my protection, why do you want him? Why did you shoot him?” You could have heard a pin drop all the way to the stables, it was a straightforward question and Don Juan wanted a straightforward answer. He was a man of peace but he had not kept his land and his posessions in this wild land by letting others walk over him. He just stood there waiting, his eyes going from one man to the other while in his hand the Dessert Eagle was ready to come up in a fraction of a second. There was no doubt in his mind that the first to fall would be Don Francisco.
Don Francisco sat on his horse for another minute and then, slowly, very carefully he dismounted putting his AK-47 on the green grass at his feet. He looked up and said,” May we talk … privately …inside?” “Come”, said Don Juan and turned his back to him walking inside. In silence they walked through the house and into the studio, behind them the doors closed and the initial violence had been aborted. What would happen later none knew, it all depended on what the Dons had to say to each other. Don Juan sat behind his desk and waited for Don Francisco to explain himself and his armed intrusion, breaking all the silent agreements and the law, while hunting for a wounded man. After a few minutes he looked up and said, “Juan, I am terribly sorry for what has happened this morning, this man Pedro has been planting and processing cocaine within my territory and it was until now that we were able to take him down, two of his men are dead and only he managed to escape, we are here to finish the job.” Don Juan thought about these words and a thousand questions came to his mind, what would happen if he turned Pedro over to them? Could he live with this? What would happen if he did not turn him over, was he ready to fight his neighbor and start a war? What about his family, his employees, his own life, what would happen to all of them? The easiest way out was to turn him over and walk away, but life had never been easy and he was not a man to step away from a problem just because things looked tough. People would interpret this as a sign of weakness and you could not afford this in a place where there was no law, where the only things protecting your land and life where respect and the will to use guns.
Like many times and things in life, the wheels of destiny turned and Don Juan made up his mind. He had been making money off Pedro’s business for a while now and he was not about to lose it nor would he allow anyone to call his property a territory. He looked into Don Francisco’s eyes and saw that he was a different man, that he had changed and that he was willing to take Pedro away by force if necessary. The man had not only changed on the inside but on the outside too, his clothes were new, his boots were shiny even after the long ride, even the hat he held in his hand was different, the man’s stance was that of a man used to being obeyed, used to command and good things. “Let us start by clearing a few facts, my land, not an inch of it, is not your territory or someone else’s territory, it is mine and a lot of blood will wash over it before anyone can lay claim to it. This, Francisco includes yours and that of anyone that rides with you against me. I know that when you rode in you noticed that I have armed men surrounding the grounds, you know that they will all die even before you get up from that chair if I say they die. We have known each other for many years , we have been neighbors and our fathers were neighbors too, you know I am not holding this gun to threaten you, you know I will kill you instantly if I believe you are a threat to me, my family or my property.” He let his words sink in while he forced himself to cross the line between right and wrong, between law and crime, between comfortable living and immense power and riches.
“Pedro works for me, what he is doing on my land is none of your business or of any other person. Pedro is in my home and will remain here until he is well, he is under my protection and will remain so as long as I decided he needs it. Even after he leaves my home if he is walking in the jungle and a snake bites him and he dies, I will assume you sent the snake to bite him and I will come hunting you personally. Even if he dies of a heart attack, I will assume you told God to kill him and I will come hunting you personally,” He looked at Don Francisco and asked,” Do we understand each other clearly?” Don Francisco thought about this for a few seconds and answered,” Juan, I am truly sorry, I did not know he was working for you and that you were selling base. I never intended to say your land was mine or anyone else’s it was just a figure of speech. Four of us have divided the land around here as territories where coke is grown and processed, it is us who authorize people to enter or leave the business, and I did not know you were involved. I apologize and guarantee Pedro’s safety with my own life.” Don Juan sighed and looking back at Don Francisco he asked, “So the matter is settled?” the answer came fast, “Yes, it is.” Don Juan stood and waited for Don Francisco to do the same, he sent his regards to Doña Beatriz, Francisco’s wife and wished him a pleasant ride back home.
Don Francisco stood and started to walk out when he hesitated and turned around to face Don Juan. “I would like you and I to meet with some people who work in the area, we could help you with your business and you can help us with ours, it is better if we work together and stay in touch”, he said, “It is the way to keep peace and order in the land. I will speak with them about Pedro and I will send a rider tomorrow to let you know when we will be coming so you can be ready. Let us do things the right way, have a good day.” And he walked out, after a few minutes he heard the horses galloping away and his foreman came in to say they were gone. Don Juan sat back on his chair and took a deep breath, he was not sure what he had done or what he was getting into, but at least he had saved a man’s life. He ordered armed men to patrol the grounds until he knew what was going on and what these men had to say. He walked out of the studio and headed up the stairs to see what his Isabella was doing and to have a chat with Pedro, life had dealt him a hand and he needed to see the cards he was holding. He hoped Pedro had the answers he needed. His mind went over the last words Francisco had said. Who were these men? What would they have to talk about? What had he done?
He entered Pedro’s room silently in case he was sleeping; the curtains were drawn so he could barely see him lying on the bed. Don Juan walked up to the bed and looked down upon the figure lying there, Pedro turned and looked up at him, a weak smile on his face and said, ”Thank you, Don Juan, I owe you my life and I will be your most faithful servant till the day I die.” Don Juan looked down at him and answered, “It is nothing, and I could not let them kill you like a dog, not here, not anywhere. Now tell me what is going on, why did they shoot you?” Pedro sat up on the bed slowly, wincing with pain from the bullet hole on his right side and started to speak. “Due to the fact that we are in the middle of the jungle, away from any towns and therefore police or army posts this place is perfect for the growth and processing of coke. Any patrols that come this way are sent away with a little money, liquor and rations so they forget what they have seen. If they are not willing to go away like friends, they are killed and dropped off in some place away from here but within their patrol zone so their superiors think they were ambushed by the guerrillas or narcs away from us. This has only happened once a couple of years ago and the problem went away without any fuzz.
The area is divided in territories, these are controlled by four men, including your neighbor Francisco, and anyone working with coke in the area must pay them a fee or sell their product to them. They have armed men who patrol their territories and make sure that everyone pays and that everyone stays in line. Your land is included in these territories even though you are not in the business, if you had been, probably they would have come to you before to talk things over and establish your territory so you could all work together in peace. With what you have done today to save me, you have entered into a new world which will produce you a lot of money but will also be dangerous. Don Juan looked up to the ceiling for a few seconds and turned back to Pedro, “what if I take you away from here and when they come back say it was all a misunderstanding and that I do not want to have anything to do with their business?”
Pedro looked up at him and answered slowly and clearly so there would not be any possible mistake in Don Juan understanding his words and their meaning, “If you do that, war between you and them will start immediately. You will have lied to them; you will have laughed in their faces and mocked them before their men and before yours. It is fear that keeps them in charge, people do not respect them like they do you, they are terribly afraid of what they will do to men and their families if they fail to do what they are told. No Don Juan, my heart is heavy with guilt but there is no way you can walk away from this with words and an apology, you either join them or men will die until their thirst for blood and revenge is satiated. You cannot hide, I cannot hide either, and they are part of a larger organization that soon or later would catch up to us and our families. The time has come for you to become a true Don, I will stand by you as long as I breathe, I will teach you what I know and one day, God willing you will be strong enough to walk away from all this but for now you must ride with the current and pray for our souls.”
Don Juan left so Pedro could get some rest, he kept thinking about his words and tried to find a way out without bloodshed, without conflict. He did not regret his decision, he would do what had to be done and he would take advantage of it. Don Juan thought of his children, of his wife, of all the things he could buy for them, comfort, education, security. The house was solid but old, it needed to be brought into the present, air conditioning, a swimming pool, things that would make their life happier and buying them he would ease the doubts that grew in his mind about the business he was about to engage in. As he walked towards Isabella’s sitting room he rationalized his feelings, his worries, he was not forcing anyone to take cocaine. If he did not grow and process it someone else would so why not take advantage of the opportunity and reap the benefits. He was not only thinking of his family but of the people around him, of the community and all he could do for them if he had money, schools, medical attention, electricity, and so many other things. And so, like with many other good men in the world he managed to quiet his conscience as he walked into the room where his Isabella was putting fresh flowers into a vase. He stood behind her and caressed her long black hair while she turned and smiled. “Do not worry, he said, all is well…all is well. Tomorrow I will meet with Francisco and his partners to straighten things out, it was all a misunderstanding.” He took her hand and led her downstairs to the kitchen where she walked up to the huge stove and poured him a cup of steaming coffee. All was well, peace had returned to their lives. Over the horizon, a storm brewed that would tear them apart, not today nor tomorrow but eventually violence would erupt and blood would run like rivers on the land. For now, they sat chatting and enjoying their company.
Miles away in Francisco’s hacienda he stepped out to the parlor to receive his guests, three very powerful men that had come to discuss the morning’s events with him. The men were armed, they were not ordinary men, their eyes were empty, there was no feeling in them, they were men used to being listened to, obeyed without question, these were men who had killed and had ordered men killed. They were the heads of a very large and powerful organization that sent tons of cocaine to different parts of the world, money meant nothing to them, they had rooms full of it, their problem was how to spend it not how to get it. Francisco looked into the garden and was satisfied to see that more than fifty men armed with AK-47 stood or walked around the house, men who were responsible for the lives and wellbeing of those inside, men who would die or kill for their bosses without a second thought. Greetings and embraces where exchanged, they talked about the coming soccer matches, they talked horses and cattle, one of them took out a beautifully decorated Colt 45 and passed it around. It was a magnificent piece of art, of death, it was made of solid gold, the handle was laid with emeralds and rubies, they all admired it while a silent maid poured coffee and offered drinks. Anyone watching them would have thought it was a gathering of friends catching up on news and events, four men enjoying each other’s company and the taste of excellent coffee. The truth was far from that, they were dangerous men, criminals who fed their poison to the world every day, everywhere, men who killed and destroyed lives every minute of every day.
Finally they got down to business and Francisco explained what had happened. He told them about the events that led to his arrival at Don Juan’s home, of the armed men strategically distributed on the grounds ready to respond to hostility or fire; he even told them about Don Juan standing his ground with a gun in his hand. The men sat silently, listening to every word he said, they pictured the scene in their minds and wondered what could have happened if someone had made a mistake, if a shot had been fired accidentally. Don Francisco paused, waiting for questions or comments, none came, he looked at their faces trying to read their reactions, there was nothing there, their faces were made of rock, not even a twitch was detected. He then continued with the events that followed, he explained his exchange with Don Juan and his reaction.
Francisco stood and brought four shot glasses and a bottle of aguardiente from a nearby table; he poured the drinks silently and sat again behind his desk. The first man spoke, “Are you sure that you are not confused or misinterpreted Juan’s words? Did he really say that the plantation and works were his?” “Definitely yes,” answered Francisco.” “This changes things radically,” said the second man,” we must make adjustments and we must decide how we will deal with this matter. This is our territory and we cannot allow anyone to work alone and step on our toes, not even Don Juan. It could be dangerous to us, if we let him be, others may think they can do the same thing and we will lose control. Let us wait for some time so he relaxes his guard and then we will hit him hard, wipe him out completely.” They contemplated his words and Francisco and the two men exchanged opinions and thoughts, the third man just sat and listened to them without saying a word. The third man just sat there looking up at the ceiling, once in a while turning his head towards one or the other of the men speaking around him. His gold watch gleamed in the afternoon sun bathing them through the open window; he turned his back to them and walked over to it looking into the garden.
Finally after a few minutes, he turned and said, “There will be no killing, no shooting, no waiting for anything. I want you to send a rider over to Don Juan’s hacienda asking if he can receive us two days from now for lunch. This is possibly the best thing that could have happened to us. Don Juan is a loved man in the area, he is respected not only by the people but by the law too, there is no way we could get away with killing him. In fact he will be a great addition to our group; he has the men, the land, the resources we need to grow fast and constantly without having to worry about someone trying to take over our business. There will be no threats and no show of force, we will come politely with a business proposition he cannot walk away from. He will come to him with an opportunity not with an ultimatum. We will invite him to join us as an equal partner in the biggest business the world has ever seen. Francisco, please send that rider now, when he returns send another to my place, I want his answer tonight, I will be waiting. He stood, took his hat, squared his pistol and walked out. The man had spoken and the dice were rolling.
Back at his place, Don Juan received the messenger and asked him to tell his boss they were welcome at his home for lunch and drinks, he would be waiting for them two days from today. When the rider walked out, a fresh horse was waiting for him and he took off like the wind. As he took off, he pulled up his coats collar, all of a sudden the night was cold and the wind on his face and back chilled him to the bone. The second rider started off through the jungle hours later baring the news that would change the region forever. A few hours later, all was said, all was done, there was no turning back for all those involved directly or indirectly. Dinner was over, men and women all over prepared themselves for bed, lights were turned off and good nights said, the jungle came alive not knowing that soon its life would be taken to give place to roads, helicopters, guns and landing strips. The lives of men would change forever, some say for good others for bad but the truth was that it would change and would never again be the same. Money would pour in and peace would leave, progress would come and the mother Earth would bleed. As the moon glided through the sky, Don Juan sat in bed making plans for the great event, it had been a while since Isabella had had guests, there was time enough to bring an orchestra from the city, to invite all his neighbors, to make this into a great celebration, of what, only God knew.
The next day Hacienda La Victoria buzzed with activity there was much to do so everything would be ready for the next day’s event. Don Juan watched his Isabella go from one place to another giving orders and doing this and that, he thought to himself that they should entertain more often, she was truly enjoying all the comings and goings. Riders had been sent early to the neighboring haciendas with handwritten invitations, a special area was assigned for cars and coaches that would be bringing the guests, the rooms on the second floor were opened and cleaned thoroughly in case guests decided to stay for the night. Siler was polished and the glassware was taken from the pantry to be washed and set around the tables. Chicken, pigs, and cattle were slaughtered for the big barbecue while men prepared the pits and grills where they would be roasted. There was no rest for anyone until all was set, the guests would start to arrive during the morning and all had to be in ship shape for the grand occasion. Don Juan did not know who these men coming to see him were, he wanted to play it safe and fill his house with people to avoid confrontation and any thoughts of violence.
After he was fed, Doña Isabella asked him if he did not have something to do in his study or something to inspect away from the house, he was in the way and needed to find something to do instead of interfering with the women and men running around giving the house the last touches. Obediently he walked into his studio and sat there with nothing to do but await his guests and hope for the best with regards to the meeting. At ten he walked up the stairs to get dressed, a horseman had come in to let him know that the first guests were just entering his property. This gave him enough time to get ready and to walk the grounds setting up the armed men who would guard him and his guests from any danger or surprises. He wore a white suit and a white hat, his brown boots shone like the sun, he thought about wearing his beloved pistol but considered it unnecessary and possibly offensive. He stood before the mirror and decided he did not look bad for his age, thirty five years old, he owned his land, his cattle, he did not owe anyone a dime and he had the most beautiful woman any man could expect to find.
As he walked out on the manicured lawn his foreman came up to him and joined him as they walked around the house and towards the stables. His trusted friend and foreman pointed out the strategic but discreet locations where the men had been placed. Don Juan pointed out a few things he wanted changed and finally returned to the house for a drink that would settle his nerves. Isabella walked down the stairs in a beautiful white gown with light blue trimmings and he felt he was the luckiest man alive, she was beautiful, her hair held back behind her head and her eyes shone with happiness while she took his hand to walk him around the house showing the preparation she had made. The orchestra was setting up behind the fountain where there was enough room to dance without interfering with the conversations going on around it. Everything was perfect and he said so to his Isabella who gleamed with satisfaction.
When their guests started to arrive, Don Juan and Isabella stood on the parlor welcoming them and showing them into the house, the women chatted endlessly while the men bowed before him. He was a respect and appreciated man in the land; many owed him favors for this or that, favors he never collected because he got more from the unpaid debt than from the debt itself. Soon the house was full of laughter, music and children running around from one place to the other, women raced silently from one table to another bringing drinks and refreshments, the smell of roasting pig assaulted their senses making their mouths water. Doña Isabella’s cook was well known in the country and everyone thought about the marvels hidden in her kitchen while they drank and laughed. Long tables had been set in the inner patio and as they filled up, Don Juan wondered about the men he was waiting for, would they come with their families or would they come alone?
He put all these thoughts in the back of his mind and gave his attention to his visitors, he walked from one table to another chatting about cattle, coffee and the market, he discussed the weather and the road from the nearby city that was being paved to bring the remote area they lived into so called civilization. None of them were sure if this would be good but beyond their extensive properties was a huge bay where the government intended to build a port from where they could ship their coffee to every corner of the world easily. They did not want a road, it would bring strangers to the land, they were content with the long mule trains carrying their coffee to the city from where it was sent away on trucks. The few dirt roads in the area allowed them to travel fast when needed, besides them, a horse was all they needed. A paved road would bring more problems than solutions. This was progress they did not need or want but times changed and they all had to adapt to them.
While Don Juan chatted with a fat cattleman from the south, his foreman stood near the front door trying to catch his eye, when he did he pointed to the entrance and he excused himself from the cattleman and walked out. Coming down the road six large SUVs approached, their windows were tinted and they came slowly and carefully so as not to raise dust or appraising the situation ahead. Don Juan crossed himself and walked to the edge of the road to wait for them, even though a cool breeze was blowing, there were sweat beads on his forehead, he was out in the open unarmed and alone, anything could happen. The first car passed him and stopped a few yards ahead, the last one stopped a few yards behind the fifth car, five armed men came out of each surrounding the four other cars immediately, the men were alert and searched the surroundings ready for an attack. After a few agonizing minutes one of them men gave a signal and the drivers of the other cars got out and opened the doors. Women and children started pouring out and Don Juan gave a sigh of relief, none would bring his family to a showdown.
While they waited by the cars, the front doors were opened and four men stepped out. He looked at them one by one, the first was his neighbor to the north, Don Francisco, he was a tall man who stood very straight, his hair and eyes were brown, his moustache covered half of his lip and was stained by tobacco. He was unarmed. He smiled and looked at Don Juan taking his hat off and walking over to him. From the second car a heavily built man emerged, his hair was black and his eyes were shadowed by a Yankees cap, he wore pointed boots with a golden tip added to them. On his side a holster with a Colt 45 in it, he did not smile or move he stood a few seconds by the car door and finally, after looking around, unbuckled his gun and gave it to his driver. The third man was fat but not chubby; this was a man who even though he was overweight was fast and moved without effort or wasted energy. He did not wear a fancy hat, like a Stetson or something like that, it was a regular hat like those used by the men when they went to town on Sundays, he was well dressed but not fancy, his boots showed were polished but showed wear, he looked like an ordinary man coming to visit friends. The fourth and last was a lanky man who sometime in his life had had acne problems which had remained, he had the eyes of a snake crouching in wait to bite you.
Don Juan made up his mind very fast, he had known all kinds of men and these were not the exception. He stepped forward to the chubby man and extended his hand in welcome, the man shook it firmly and said, “Thank you for the invitation, I am Antonio Murcia, this is my wife Maria and my children. I am honored to be in your home. He turned and said this is Joaquin Mejia and his wife Tina.” Don Juan moved forward and shook the snake eyes man’s hand, it was wet with sweat and his grip was light and weak. Don Antonio continued, “You know Francisco and his wife so they need no introduction and this is Agustin Rios and his wife Dolores. Again I wish to express my thanks for accepting to meet with us and for receiving us in your home with all your friends. I apologize for the armed men that accompany us, I pray to God you are not offended by their presence but we live in hard times and they are necessary to make travel safe. I beg you instruct your foreman to permit them to keep their weapons and to distribute them amongst your men where they would be most helpful in case of problems.”
Don Juan looked him in the eyes, measuring his intentions, measuring the man himself, he had guessed right, this was the boss man, snake eyes was the most dangerous, the others were like him, business men who were ready to defend their families and properties but were not men who lived off violence and confrontation. He took his hat off and bowed slightly the way his father had taught him to do when showing respect and welcoming someone he did not know to his home. The man smiled and bowed before him too. Don Juan made a gesture towards the house and said, “It is my privilege to have you here, my house is yours. Please come in and enjoy, rest and have a few drinks. If it is okay with you, after lunch we will discuss our business but first let us drink and share with our families, get to know each other a little for it is not good to discuss business with a dry throat and an empty stomach. Please come in, my wife is anxious to meet you too.”
As they all walked into the parlor, Don Juan noticed that snake eyes remained behind and was the last into the house. He was going to be a tough one to deal with, he thought, this man does not even trust his own shadow. Introductions were made and again Don Juan felt proud of his Isabella, she smiled and said all the right words while he watched the men and women melt in her hands smiling as she praised their dresses and ruffled their children’s hair. Don Juan signaled for the music to stop and all his guests turned to him, he stood beside the new arrivals and introduced them one by one by name telling his friends that they were new in the area and that he would appreciate greatly if they were treated as old friends and were welcome into their community. And so the party began after sitting his new guests Don Juan went about from table to table making sure there was enough food and drinks for everyone. He watched satisfied as his friends one after the other walked over to the newcomers and introduced themselves taking the time to exchange a few welcome words and offering their services to them. The party moved along nicely, and everyone was happy. He could even see snake eyes relax for a while he danced with his wife.
As dusk fell over the land and lights were turned on around the house and the inner patio, Don Juan decided it was time to excuse themselves and get down to business. He asked Isabella to take care of the women while he asked the men to follow him into his studio, drinks and coffee were waiting for them as they entered into the room and the doors were closed behind them. He pointed to six leather chairs and asked them to sit, on the table drinks and coffee stood for anyone who was interested, none accepted, they all sat in silence. Antonio Murcia looked around at the men’s faces and finally stared at Don Juan, when he spoke his voice was soft but carried an air of authority, of finality. He said,” Don Juan I want to apologize for what happened with your man Pedro, if we had known he was working for you nothing would have happened and we would have come forward before this. I pray to God he is well and recovering. There was never any disrespect intended for you and your family, we believed he was nothing more than a squatter trying to make a few bucks on his own. I pray to God you consider this a closed issue and you are ready for us to discuss business and the future.” Don Juan looked at him and said, “I understand and appreciate your apologies, I have known Francisco for many years and I accept your apology the way I accepted his. I am sure there was no intention to hurt me, my business or my people. Thank God Pedro is recovering and there will be no further mention of this incident. Let us put this behind and let me hear what it is you have in mind.”
The man called Antonio collected his thoughts and said,” Francisco owns the land to the north of your property, Joaquin and Agustin own the land to the south, I own the land to the east and another section to the west all the way to the ocean, Your land is surrounded by ours on all sides except to the west where your property, like mine, goes all the way to the sea. This was not done intentionally, our families have owned this land for years and it has been unattended for long, back then there was no money in jungles and coffee was something I, in particular, have never been interested in. It is probable that your father knew our parents back then when all there was here was jungles and a few coffee plantations. Anyway, times change, the world has changed and with this change a magnificent opportunity has risen and we are taking advantage of it. People all over the world are going crazy for coke, they cannot get enough of it and they are paying dearly for it.” Antonio paused for effect and to let his words sink in, he waited for a reaction from Don Juan, when none came, he continued,” We have been exporting it successfully for some time now and we would like you to join us, you have great extensions of flatlands we could use to land airplanes and you also have more than one hundred and fifty miles of beaches where boats could come in and load up. We have the logistics and the resources to send all we can produce to market and get our money delivered right here without moving a finger. Our people will help yours to improve production and quality, you have the mountainside land we need to grow it and the flat lands needed to process and ship it out, it is a win-win situation. We are ready to bring you in as an equal partner, you will share the profits and the expenses equally with the four of us from now on. Together we can secure this area of the country so we can work without problems for as long as we want.”
So there it was, out in the open, the words had been spoken, the invitation issued. Before when Don Juan accepted Pedro’s money for allowing him to grow and process the coke in his land he told himself he was only charging rent but now things were different he was being asked to become one of them, a drug dealer, a criminal. He thought about the children he would have, he thought about his Isabella, what would she think, how would she feel about him being involved in this. He started rationalizing telling himself he could do it for a while, just long enough to secure his children’s financial future, just long enough to give his Isabella all she needed and wanted from life, he would have enough to raise his community into the future, to build a hospital, schools, everything that was necessary to improve his people’s way of life. But how much money was enough, how much time was enough, what about the people consuming the cocaine, wasn’t he responsible for their deaths and their pain? Would the good outweigh the bad? When would it be enough? What if he refused, what would happen then? How would these men react?
He stood and walked around the room, his life had been good, he had always had all he needed, but then, he was a coffee grower who lived in the jungle, comfortably but in the jungle. The world out there was different, things changed very fast, what if his children wanted something else, education, travel, what if they wanted to live in the big city and not way back here in the country he loved and cherished. What if his children wanted to be awakened by the sound of car horns on a busy street or wanted to visit all those countries he was never interested in, what if they wanted to see the marvels of the world, what then? He had never travelled outside his country, not even to a neighboring country but he knew of beautiful, different things out there. He had simply not been interested in them, but his children might, and he was willing to sacrifice anything to make their lives better, to give his Isabella the things she had never had. He closed his eyes and asked God to enlighten him, to give him a sign, none came so he turned back to the men and sat back on his chair.
He chose his words carefully and spoke softly but with determination. He looked around the table and said,” My name is Juan de Santa Maria, Francisco has known me for many years, I am a man of my word and will die for it if necessary. I do not speak lightly today, I thank you for having the confidence and the trust you have put in me by bringing this proposition to my attention. I also thank you for having respected my property and my family and employees all this time. As you have trusted me, I will trust you and embark on this business with you, I have much to learn and hope you have the patience to show me the way. I do not know how long I shall remain as your partner but while it lasts, I assure you I will do my best to make this a prosperous and friendly relationship. I invite you all to close this deal with a drink of aguardiente and may God and the Virgin Mary protect us and our families, our people and our business from danger.” He took five shot glasses from the table and poured aguardiente into them, giving one to each of the men around him. He raised his glass and said, “ To you, to us, to our families and the future we will build for them. Salud!”
The five men drank and put their glasses down, one by one they approached Don Juan and embraced him holding him for a few seconds. Nothing more was necessary, no documents to sign, no attorneys, nothing, these were men whose word was their bond, men who had known since childhood that to break this bond brought dishonor not only to them but to their families and their ancestors. In a room in the middle of nowhere one of the biggest crime organizations of the world had been born, while their families laughed and ate outside, five men had sat together in a room for as few minutes and changed the fate of millions of people all over the world. In a matter of months tons and tons of their poison would flood the world bringing death and destructions to all that decided to try it. Darkness fell over the world as an angel fell from the sky and joined the hordes Hades in the name of his family’s future and welfare.