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Back Whirlwind Save as PDF
Chapters (95)
  1. Title Page
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. 85
  87. 86
  88. 87
  89. 88
  90. 89
  91. 90
  92. 91
  93. 92
  94. Also by DAVID KLASS
  95. Copyright Page

Faces pressed tight to the bars of the cells. Women. Kids. Malnourished. Hopeless. I slow down, scanning their faces, searching for P.J.

A guard shoves me so hard I stumble. I whirl around and he’s got his club raised. Go ahead, his eyes urge. Give me the slightest chance to club you or shoot you. I’ve done it many times before, without guilt or remorse.

I turn away and lower my head submissively, and feel his club jab hard into my back.

We turn down another corridor and stop. My handcuffs are removed. Keys turn in a lock. We have reached our new home.

They push me in, and I go sprawling. The boy is shoved in after me, and we end up in a tangled heap. Then the cell door is slammed shut and locked. It takes me a minute to realize that Gisco is not inside with us.

I hear him growl and I whirl toward the bars.

Two of the guards have drawn their guns and are pointing them at Gisco’s head. A third guard approaches the dog with a rope coiled into what looks like a noose.

Gisco, don’t give them an excuse to shoot you.

Gisco snarls at the guards again. Once they put that thing around my neck, they can do what they want to me.

There’s no choice, I tell him. They probably just want to take you to the doggy wing of the prison.

Or feed me to the army ants.

I see the guards aim guns at his head. Gisco, if they shoot, they’ll kill you for sure. I’ll find a way out of here and we’ll be together again soon.

Do you promise? I don’t like the idea of being alone and at the colonel’s mercy.

I promise.

Gisco stops growling and allows the noose to be draped around his neck. As soon as it’s on, the guard yanks it tight and Gisco starts choking and gasping for air.

Keep the faith, Jack. I’ll be back. They don’t know who they’re messing with …

Two guards grab the free end of the rope and they drag Gisco away like a trussed pig to the slaughterhouse.

The boy and I watch helplessly and then turn back to our cell. It’s big for two people. But we’re not alone.

39

39

At least twenty other men and boys are in the same dank, gloomy space. When the guards unlocked the door with guns drawn, the inhabitants of the cell must have backed up to the far wall. Perhaps that’s the protocol here. I get the feeling if you violate one of Colonel Aranha’s rules, you don’t get a second chance.