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     “Shoot me dead, Bernice,” Rocky laughed in surprise. ”You snuck up on me.”

“I’m quieter now, because I’m dead.”

“That makes sense.”

“Even told me to help you and give your support if you needed it.”

“Evan is an interesting guy.”

“He likes you. You give him a lot of work.”

Like old friends they walked down a lane between piles of bones. Some lay in their path, fallen from the higher mounds. They were careful not to step on these wayward fragments.

Occasionally they would see a walking skeleton. It’s clothes hanging in scraps. “You see that?” asked Rocky.

“Even told mess we would seess such things,” Bernice hissed a little. Her change was near completion. “They don’t want to be dead and they don’t want to be alive. Even said sometimes it takes centuries to decide.”

“Are they dangerous?”

“Yesss, because they’re angriesss.”

“Then they were never happy,” Rocky commented.

“Who’s Julius Caesar?”

“A great general and emperor of Rome, very long ago.”

“Evan told messs he still walksss in the streets of Bone.”

“I think you mean Rome.”

“Whatever,” Bernice shrugged her shoulders and rattled.

“You seem happy.”

“I’m okay. I just wish I were alive.”

“Where do you think Arango is?”

“Where he can hide and if possible put up a fight.”

They turned into a corridor that headed north. His eyes darted back and forth looking for possibilities. Arango might be dug inside one of these bone piles.

Something touched his shoulder. He had bumped into a pile and a bony hand had his shoulder. He spun and pulled out a complete skeleton.

“I’m free, I’m free at last I’m free,” it screamed.

Rocky thought he had even seen a possible smile.

Pulling out his gun he was about to fire.

“Hey pal, you can’t kill me, I’m already dead. Ha, ha, ha.”

“Just keep back,” Rocky said.

“No problem, I owe you.”

     “Rocky, don’t disappoint me.” The man in black with the cape held Ricky’s arm and smiled.

“Who are you,” Rocky asked.

“Evangels, I’m an avenging angel from below. I deal with the nefarious humans you send to us.”

“If this is true those guys needed to be sent to you.”

“That’s true. We are actually old friends and you have kept me pretty busy.”

“I’m sorry then.”

“No, no it’s been a good busy.”

“It’s not really in my nature to do what I do.”

“I understand. Your consideration of others is very commendable. But in your work you cannot have a considering option.”

“No, that’s true.”

“So go now and give me Arrange. And please, you may just call me Evan.” He gestured with his hands, signaling Rocky to leave.

Rocky turned and looked over the area. Dirt lanes bordered high piles of bones. Human rubble was everywhere. Past lives were piled in high white monuments. Even though Rocky was used to death it was disheartening. He heard a quiet rustle and rattle behind him.

 

“Please listen to me, Arongo,” the female voice pleaded.

Rocky sat back and listened to the conversation on the other side of the wall. The lady was in love.

“I will, you know I will,” the male voice argued.

“When.”

“Maybe sooner than you think, I have a feeling.”

“Rocky?”

“Not sure.”

Rocky looked in the distance toward town. A flash of pink disappeared behind a building. Was that Bernice? His eyes moved back and forth trying to get a complete picture.

The pink appeared again and Rocky knew it was Bernice. He never locked his truck. Maybe he should start doing that.

Because of his reputation in Mexicali people were afraid to steal from him. The saying was: don’t fuck with the man in black or he’ll eat ya like a snack. It held an underlying meaning that Rocky didn’t want to think about.

Bernice carried the shotgun. Rocky wondered if it was for Arango or himself. He didn’t want to kill her, but for Hector, he would if he had too. Saving Hector from the Dead Truckers was top of mind for Rocky.

Bernice was getting close and she was a mess. Her pink dress was soiled and spotted; the fabric was ripped and hung off her like dead skin. Every thing about her looked decayed. Her hair hung everywhere. She had been crying. Her eyes were black rings of mascara. Blotched skin smeared her face. Her hands looked like claws. She reminded Rocky a little of Lucille.

She moved at a rapid pace and she swung the weapon to the cadence of her gait.

She held Rocky in a state of awe. “You make me think I should lock my truck.”

“Wouldn’t have mattered, I’d just broke a window.”

“Glad you didn’t.”

“I know where Arango is, for sure. Just let me kill him and you and I will be fine.”

“Can’t let you do that. That’s my job.”

“I’ll save you the trouble.’

“Right now he’s working something out with some woman. You may know her.”

“That’s why I’m gonna kill him and her.”

“I think you already have.”

“What.”

“Killed her.”

“Who.”

“Lucille. At least that’s what I’m picking up.”

“She’s here?” A look of fear covered Bernice’s face.

“Is that you, Lucille?” Rocky yelled.

“Yes, Rocky.”

“How’s my pal, Hector?”

“He’s fine, he offered one of my girls a job.”

“You know what he’d want her to do?”

“Yes. She didn’t like it and that’s what got her killed.”

“That you, Lucille,” screamed Bernice. “I’m sorry I did you.”

“I doubt that, Bernice.”

“You took my Arango from me.”

“You never had him, sweetheart,” Lucille chucked.

“I’ll kill you both for that.”

“You can’t do that Bernice. I need Arango to trade for my friend.”

“Know all that, but I want Arango.”

“You kill him I’ll have no one to trade but you.”

“So what do you want me to do?”

“Put down the gun.”

“No I won’t do that. I can see I may have to kill you.”

 

 

Outcomes like this were not unusual for Rocky. He had just killed a man, but he was more concerned about getting something to eat. The air was fresh and clear. There were no food smells. No tortillas, eggs bacon, no carne asada, beans, nothing. His stomach growled. He hadn’t eaten since he left Hector and this was day two. The only scent was the dry acid odor of sage. He was walking out of buildings and looking at grassy, bushy, boulder strewn open hills.

He reached a high wall compound that did not appear to be a building, but consisted only of thick wooden walls. He reached an opening wide enough for a truck to pass through. The door opened in two halves, which were held together by two bony arms in a clinch-fisted grasp. It was a dead man’s grip that reminded Rocky of the Dead Truckers in the La Rumorosa Mountains.

On each side every wall appeared to be about fifty yards long. The ground around the structure was clean. There were no rocks, grass, brush and it looked cultivated by a furrow. It was flat clean earth.

Rocky spent time inspecting the structure, he pushed pulled and found nothing that would provide a way in. It appeared solid. He looked and listened.

Finally he sat down and leaned back against the rough timbers. What was inside was still a mystery. He thought he heard arguing voices between a man and a woman. At first the conversation was distant, but now was getting louder. They were walking inside the walls and approaching where he was sitting.

“Can’t talk about Lalo,” he killed Lalo. “He was the door for my recruits,” The womans voice was filled with frustration. Rocky dropped him in the grinding stones.”

“What about his people, what did they do?”

“Nothing, they were stupefied with the bone syrup.”

“I hear Rocky is good,” said the male voice. “He’s after me. I’m a little nervous.”

“If he got you, then you could come to me.”

“You know I will, but I’m not ready now.”

“You don’t say that when we’re making love.”

“That’s because I’m only thinking of you.”

There was a feminine sigh.

“What about Beatrice? Have you any thoughts of revenge?”

“Yes, but that may take some time.”

“Did Lalo say where I was?” The male voice sounded nervous.

On the other side of the wall Rocky was guessing who they were. But where was Beatrice? Arongo was just a job. But Beatrice had an insane edge of sinister. And Rocky knew she was dangerous.

“Not that I know of,” said the feminine voice. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know.”

     Now here’s Lalo wanting to play games. Rocky wondered if these strange people would help Lalo if he needed it. If   he screamed would they go against Rocky. He had to do something. Time may be running out for Hector and he was babysitting a possible murderous psycho. Beatrice acted nice with Rocky, but was she?     Rocky never turned his back on her.

Lalo gave Rocky a challenging look. His hands were hidden behind his leather apron. Was he holding some kind of weapon? Beatrice was edging closer and behind Rocky. He could smell her feint waft of cologne. It smelled sweaty. Would he have to deal with her and Lalo? They had a history of some sort.

Lalo walked along the edge of the pit between two beams pushed by his slaves. He kept pace with the movement of the turning bars. Rocky jumped up on the space next to Lalos and stood between two spokes pushed by what appeared to be a groggy crew. “So here we are rocky,” he chirped out and pulled a stevedore’s loading hook in each hand.

Rocky’s reaction was instant. A slap across Lalo’s face sent him over the edge and into the concaved depression. He tried to slow his descent with the hooks scraping against the metal surface that let to the grinding stones. His scream and wild look over his shoulder was rewarding for Rocky. Tired of the cocky misfit’s attitude he felt refreshed in a strange way.

Lalo involuntarily spun around the grinding stones. His workers were oblivious to their masters plight.

“My apron’s caught between the stones, help me out.”

“Where’s Arango?”

“Help me and I’ll tell you.”

“I’m not buying that.”

Lalo’s hooks left circular marks in the metal panels of the dome.

“You’re not going anywhere without my help.”

“Okay, okay, he’s staying at the boneyard.”

“Where’s that.”

“Take the street out front down to the end. It’s there.”

“Okay thanks.”

“Now help me, please.”

“Why don’t you ask your people.”

“What, they won’t listen, they can’t”

“Then I’ll just let you figure something out.” Rocky turned away and climbed out of the slow spinning disc and walked for the outside door. Lalo’s painful screams were like music to his ears. They got louder and then abruptly stopped.

Rocky turned and looked for Beatrice. She was nowhere in sight. He wondered on side she was really on? It didn’t matter to Rocky, because he felt he knew. He knew she was a deeply troubled woman.

He rubbed his hand over the grip of his pistol. It gave him the same comfort as his Buddha. And he found his brass friend and gave him a few caresses, and it was soothing.

He immediately forgot about Lalo, but Beatrice remained in the back of his mind.

“May we get serious, you sure you want to go in there? This place is dangerous. You seem so nice.” Beatrice chuckled and winked at Rocky.

Rocky said nothing and walked though the open door. Empty tables and overturned chairs declared a party or a fight. A pool of blood surrounded an overturned chair. Against the wall there was a single faucet with a red handgrip. There were no bottles on rack, bartender, or waiter. It didn’t matter, because Rocky wasn’t thirsty.

A grinding and the gritty sound made the building shake.

A portly man with a thin mustache in white filthy clothes a butcher would wear cam out. He wore a greasy leather apron. “Hola, Beatrice how’s your virtue?”

“Very funny, Lalo! ” Beatrice sounded flat and angry.

“Have you seen Arango Mota?” Rocky asked.

“Who’s this?” asked Lalo.

“This is Rocky, he works with Roberto Cruz.”

“Am I supposed to be impressed?”

“Follow me I’ll show you what I’m doing now.”

Rocky and Bernice followed Lalo and the grinding sound became more intense.

“You haven’t answered my question,” growled Rocky.

“No I haven’t,” Lalo chuckled.

The room was filled with people who pushed at beams that radiated from a central stone that turned on a stone beneath it. Male and female people pushed at the timbers that made the stone rotate. Others gathered bones and dropped them into a saucer shaped hallow that dropped to the central stones. Clattering down to the central stones bones were ground into pale dusty compound that dropped down between the revolving stones.

“I’m making bone syrup, it’s quite addictive and will give you a great inner bloom.”

Beatrice rolled her nose. Rocky said nothing. The workers were automatons appearing to be numbed, like walking somnolents.

“Where do you find the bones?” Rocky asked.

“Graveyards we dig them up,” Lalo smiled. “And we have other sources.”

“So where’s Arongo Mota?”

“I’ll tell you, but you have to make me tell you.”

“Lalo, be careful,” Beatrice spoke in a quivering voice. “This man is seriously dangerous.”

Let’s get moving Beatrice. Give me the name of Arongo’s best friend. Rocky was nervous thinking about Hector. He was running out of time and he knew it.

Beatrice was acting strange. She made Rocky nervous considering what had happened to Clavio. She could not be the sweet thing that she pretended to be.

“Oh Rocky, I’m so embarrassed that you had to watch me protect my virtue.”

“He was going for it pretty good wasn’t he.”

“Yes, he was,” she moaned out her voice as if she had lost her virtue to Clavio.

“You seem to keep it pretty well intact.”

“Yes it’s safely hidden between my legs.” She looked at Rocky and winked. “My virtue is to be given, not taken.”

Rocky didn’t like where she was going. There was something about her that Rocky felt wanted to spring out and damage. “Right now Beatrice, I need information. Where would Arrange hang out?”

“He goes to some very bad places.”

“You must know where these places are, so take me there.”

“We go to go to the down side of town.”

“Let’s go,” Rocky urged.

They passed boarded up doors and windows. Businesses that once were, but now no longer. Walking in shadows they passed a crumpling ruin of dead businesses. Boarded windows and hanging doors created a morgue-like atmosphere.

“Here,” Beatrice pointed to a metal door with a barred window. The sign said Dead Sweetening. “Are you sure you want to go in? You seem so nice.”

Keeping alert, he looked around for Beatrice and found he was alone. She probably ran out the door in frustration and was waiting for him in the street. Then he thought of that creep clavio. What if she ran into him?

“What you look for is not here,” the voice in the dark murmured. “But there will be more revelations to come. These will aid you in your quest.”

“Who is Lucille?” asked Rocky.

“You will discover that if you already haven’t.”

“Is my friend Hector safe?”

“He is as long as you don’t tarry. You must find a substitute to redeem him.”

“How do you know all this?”

A light dimly lit the face of a skull on a skeletal torso. It seemed to be suspended in the blackness. The eyes glowed red and faded to pink and then back to red. “Does this answer your question?” You might be able to solve your problem with Arango Mota. But you must hurry. A skeletal hand appeared and waved Rocky away. “Now go.”

“Do you know where he is?”

“I cannot tell you. Finding him is part of your trial.”

“Anything is possible,” said Rocky. “Can I trust Beatrice?”

“She is a woman who has murdered. What can I say?”

“Did she work here with you and the establishment?”

“For those questions you already possess the answers.”

“You’re correct.”

“Then go.”

“One more question. Did you love Lucille?”

“With every feeling I possess.”

“She’s still a beautiful woman.”

“I know.”

“Beautiful,” Rocky repeated.

“I wish you well when you walk out of here.”

“Thank you.”

Rocky turned away and walked to the door. It opened without him touching it. He walked into the street. He saw Beatrice against the opposite wall. Clavio Aiella pushed against her. He held a hunting knife with a curved blade.

“Arongo gave you to me,” he laughed. “You are mine to do with as I wish.”

“I’m not going to be your slave,” Beatrice yelled. “You go to hell.”

“If I do, I’m taking you with me.” He grabbed her arm to pull her to him.

She hit him with her fist and grabbed his arm that held the knife. “I may stick that in you myself,” she screamed. She spun Clavio around and hit him again.

Clavio was agile. He wrenched his arm away from Beatrice’s grip and cut at her and missed.

She pulled a long metal pen from her hair. Rocky watched in fascination. This might be a good learning experience. He was also learning something about the woman who was his back in Tecate. She was obviously more than she was letting on.

Clavio saw Rocky. His face was filled with anger. “You gonna let her do what you were supposed to do.”

“Hey partner, you called the shot. You gotta live or die with it. I think it may be the latter.”

“Clavio lunged forward, to meet a fist full of hair pen.”

“Aheeeeee, he screamed. He sliced Beatrice’s arm with his blade.

“You little bastard, I’m bleeding.”

He leaped out at her swinging the blade, but missed. His arm was extended. Beatrice grabbed it, throwing her body against it. It snapped at the joint of the elbow. She gave him several elbows in his face, grabbed his knife and   gave him several quick jabs to his chest. He fell limp on the pavement.

“You still want me now, Clavio?” Beatrice screamed and kicked at the bleeding body.

Clavio was still alive, but bleeding. His body fluid filled the pavement cracks around his body. Rocky was impressed. He had a lot of blood for a little guy.

“I may want to cut his dick off,” hissed Beatrice.

“No Beatrice, you’ve done your work. Let‘s take ourselves somewhere else and find Arongo.”

“Oh Rocky, I feel so shamed that you had to watch what I had to do.”

“That’s okay. It told me a lot about you. You don’t have any more hair pins do you?”

“No I don’t sweetheart.”

“Rocky wondered.”