Marta gave him a brief smile. He matched her tone and it was kind of endearing. The man's scent was friendly too. One thing the wolf abilities had done for her is that it did help her find out who she could trust and who she couldn't. Matias introduced himself and the last name rung a bell, but she couldn't place it.
Marta looked around conspiratorially and then whispered to him. "Mucho gusto."*
He asked about Nox and she shook her head. "I don't think so...I don't really know what's wrong or how to help. Just that he needs help. Maybe just pray too." she figured at the least it couldn't hurt.
Matias asked where she was from, and normally that would give her pause, but he didn't demand or force it. He just asked, and his scent was sincered and maybe even a bit concerned. Did this stranger actually care? It was a nice thought. She hesitated just a moment before saying her place of origin. "Mexico."
It seemed like every time she said the country's name, the memories popped back; her uncle killing her parents and selling her. The horrible men there. The needles. It all came back, but this time it was different. The memories were no longer tempered with fear even as unpleasant as they were. A darkness always came over her when she thought of Mexico.
That's when Marta remembered. Amengual. Her decision to go against the cartels had led her to research. The name Amengual had popped up. A cartel from Nicaragua - recently destroyed. Marta was now lost in her thoughts. Fear came then - and anger. They vied for control of her like a spinning roulette wheel, and she had no idea which one she would land on. Marta was no longer looking at Matias. Instead she was staring straight ahead, her mind lost in her thoughts.
Was this man a remnant of the Amengual cartel, newly hired by the Nueveo Leons to find her? Had she just proven to Matias that she was his mark? Would he take her back there? Or was the name a coincidence? Was he completely innocent of the atrocities committed by the cartels. She didn't know.
A pull on her sleeve brought her back, the small panic only lasting a few moments. Her hand pet Splash on the head and scratched her ears. Marta had known it was the wolf that had pulled her back to reality. She hadn't had a panic attack. Not a real one - she had just disappeared for a moment.
Okay? Spash's image came to her mind.
Okay. She sent back to her companion.
Marta's gaze went back up to Jesus on the cross. Her mind had landed on an emotion. Anger. Not at Matias - at least not yet - but at the cartels. Always at the cartels.
Did you send him? Is this a test? Why? she thought, wondering seriously if this meeting had been destined. But it only mattered if he was connected.
Marta didn't turn to face him. Her gaze didn't waver from the cross. Splash was no longer laying down on the floor, but was sitting, Marta's hand still on her head. "Are you with them? her voice was soft, laced with anger. Venom laced the next words. "With the cartels?
Marta told herself this couldn't be. He couldn't be one of them. He smelled too nice. He had spoken with kindness. He had cared about her prayers and her friend. No...he couldn't be with them. Could he?
*Nice to meet you
Marta looked around conspiratorially and then whispered to him. "Mucho gusto."*
He asked about Nox and she shook her head. "I don't think so...I don't really know what's wrong or how to help. Just that he needs help. Maybe just pray too." she figured at the least it couldn't hurt.
Matias asked where she was from, and normally that would give her pause, but he didn't demand or force it. He just asked, and his scent was sincered and maybe even a bit concerned. Did this stranger actually care? It was a nice thought. She hesitated just a moment before saying her place of origin. "Mexico."
It seemed like every time she said the country's name, the memories popped back; her uncle killing her parents and selling her. The horrible men there. The needles. It all came back, but this time it was different. The memories were no longer tempered with fear even as unpleasant as they were. A darkness always came over her when she thought of Mexico.
That's when Marta remembered. Amengual. Her decision to go against the cartels had led her to research. The name Amengual had popped up. A cartel from Nicaragua - recently destroyed. Marta was now lost in her thoughts. Fear came then - and anger. They vied for control of her like a spinning roulette wheel, and she had no idea which one she would land on. Marta was no longer looking at Matias. Instead she was staring straight ahead, her mind lost in her thoughts.
Was this man a remnant of the Amengual cartel, newly hired by the Nueveo Leons to find her? Had she just proven to Matias that she was his mark? Would he take her back there? Or was the name a coincidence? Was he completely innocent of the atrocities committed by the cartels. She didn't know.
A pull on her sleeve brought her back, the small panic only lasting a few moments. Her hand pet Splash on the head and scratched her ears. Marta had known it was the wolf that had pulled her back to reality. She hadn't had a panic attack. Not a real one - she had just disappeared for a moment.
Okay? Spash's image came to her mind.
Okay. She sent back to her companion.
Marta's gaze went back up to Jesus on the cross. Her mind had landed on an emotion. Anger. Not at Matias - at least not yet - but at the cartels. Always at the cartels.
Did you send him? Is this a test? Why? she thought, wondering seriously if this meeting had been destined. But it only mattered if he was connected.
Marta didn't turn to face him. Her gaze didn't waver from the cross. Splash was no longer laying down on the floor, but was sitting, Marta's hand still on her head. "Are you with them? her voice was soft, laced with anger. Venom laced the next words. "With the cartels?
Marta told herself this couldn't be. He couldn't be one of them. He smelled too nice. He had spoken with kindness. He had cared about her prayers and her friend. No...he couldn't be with them. Could he?
*Nice to meet you