The Mayan Codex

71

‘This place is perfect.’ Abi looked around himself. The warehouse stood by itself down a country track, surrounded by a field of blue agave. Rifle, shotgun, pistol and ammunition cases were stacked haphazardly throughout the building. ‘Nobody will hear anything that goes on here. When we get hold of our three little piggies, we can take our own sweet time with them. What have you done with the stiffs?’

‘They’re in the car.’

‘And the watchman?’

‘He’s outside. He’s got a broken jaw, but he can still talk.’

‘Get him in here.’

Oni brought the watchman in. The man was bleeding from his mouth.

‘You got a cenote around here? You must get your water from somewhere. And it surely isn’t the national grid.’

The man ducked his head like he couldn’t believe what he’d been asked.

‘Hit him, Oni.’

Oni raised his hand, but the man slithered out of his grasp and tried to make a run for it.

Abi raised the Glock and shot the man’s leg out from underneath him. ‘Oni. Go outside and ask Berith if he heard that shot.’

‘Okay.’

Abi waited. The watchman was writhing around on the floor of the warehouse. A viscous pool of deep-crimson blood was oozing from his leg.

Oni came back. ‘No. You can’t hear anything out there.’

‘Good.’ Abi shot the man in his other leg. ‘Now look here, my friend. It’s obvious you’re not going anywhere in a hurry with both your legs smashed. I’m going to shoot you in the arm next. Then in the stomach. Each time you don’t answer a question, I’m going to shoot you someplace else. You understand my Spanish?’

The watchman nodded. His face was pale and his eyes were fluttering. It was clear that he was going into shock.

‘The cenote. Where is it?’

The watchman indicated with his head. ‘North. Through the woods. About six hundred metres.’

‘Who else knows about it?’

‘Nobody comes here, if that’s what you mean.’ The man could hardly get the words out through his broken jaw. ‘Nobody dares. Bad people own this place.’

‘Yeah. And now they’re dead.’

The watchman shook his head. ‘No. There are more. They come to get you. You people will die.’

‘How many more?’

The man hesitated.

Abi raised the Glock.

‘Six. Maybe eight. I’m not sure.’

‘Where are they now?’

The man sighed. It was as if he knew that he was coming to the end of his life. ‘You going to kill me?’

‘Where are they now?’

‘Up at the US border. They got a big consignment of weapons coming in. They away for maybe six days. Pepito was just working something on the side when he made the deal with you guys. The boss left us here to watch this place. Pepito shouldn’t have left me alone here. But he said he’d pay me a hundred dollars if I watched the warehouse for an hour or two.’ The watchman was losing consciousness. His voice was fading away. ‘You going to kill me?’

‘Break his neck, Oni.’

‘Break his neck? Why should I break his neck? It’s hard to break somebody’s neck. Why don’t you just shoot him?’

‘Because I need you to keep in practice. That’s why. Okay?’

Oni smiled. ‘Okay.’

The watchman closed his eyes. He was pleased now that he’d lied to the gringo. Pleased that he hadn’t told him the truth about the boss, and the consignment, and how many people the boss had, and the number of days they would be away.

When Oni broke his neck it was almost a relief.