CHAPTER TEN

Miguel Angel and Jane burst into the restaurant at about 3am in the morning. Juan Carlos walks in after them with a big smile on his face. After hugs and kisses all around and much worry over Jane’s bloody nose, they finally sit down to talk.

“What about China?” Jane asks. “We have to save her.”

“What can we do?” Juan Carlos asks. “I was told by the guard who let you go not to come back. Didn’t you hear him?”

Both kids nod.

“But what does that mean?” Jane demands.

“Are they going to kill China?”

“I don’t know,” Juan Carlos says.

“Well, not if I can help it,” Arnold says. “I’m going back to the house. I may not be able to do much, but I can wait outside in case they set her free.” He gets up from the table but then they all hear the screeching of tires outside as two vehicles come to a stop in front of the restaurant.

But nobody comes in.

Arnold goes to the window to look out and can see one of the neo-Nazi’s sitting in a car just waiting. “They aren’t doing anything,” he says. They all know who he is talking about.

Then Johnny walks into the restaurant. He is smiling. “Don’t worry about them,” he says. “There are only four of them.”

Jane and Miguel Angel both give him a hug and they all sit down again eager to hear what Johnny is up to.

“They don’t realize they are surrounded,” Johnny says. “I got here about an hour ago and had a very interesting talk with an old guy outside.”

“What old guy?” Jeremy says. He gets up to go to the window, but his dad grabs his arm and indicates for him to sit down again.

Johnny tells them about his run-in with the old guy with a rifle and what they had decided to do.

“He went back to the house to back up his wife who was keeping an eye on things,” Johnny says, “and I assured him that I would protect the two families.”

“How are you going to do that?” Lujan asks. “Who is out there surrounding those four guys?”

“The secret service,” Johnny says. “They had set up for a raid closer to the house but were waiting for the final go signal. I got the CIA to hack on to their satellite telephone signal and asked them politely to send some troops here to protect you. At first, they refused but when they heard that you two were released, they asked for clearance to follow you. By that time, these four goons had also left the house to follow you back here and that gave them the excuse they needed to get here fast.”

“Wow,” Jeremy says. “Just like in the movies.”

“China is still in danger, you twerp,” Jane says. But then she smiles and ruffles his hair.

“I wish people would quit doing that,” Jeremy complains.

“So are they going to raid the house now,” Arnold says. “They can still rescue China.”

“Yes and no,” Johnny says. “Apparently there is a plan afoot and they are waiting for the go signal. But not yet.”

“The waiting is killing me,” Annie says. The others nod their agreement.

“So, there is no danger from the guys outside,” Lujan asks.

“None at all,” Johnny says. “If they open their doors to get out, they will be shot and then arrested.”

“Don’t you have to arrest them first,” Jeremy says.

“I prefer if they all got shot,” Johnny says. “Look the sun is coming up. It’s almost over.”