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"Damn them," I whisper, wiping away the tears angrily. "What the fuck do they want from me?"
My instincts scream at me that I'm in danger.
Mexico is my only salvation; there, the chances of me seeking alliances and protecting myself suddenly seem a lot more promising than here in New York.
"Ya basta,"I murmur, to my brain that just won't stop spinning in circles.
Enough is enough. I need to think!
As I sit on the edge of my bed, wringing my hands, my thoughts drift back to Jalisco, Mexico. If I could just get there, I know I could find people who would support me and help me regain control of my life.
My father's connections might not be helpful, since I no longer know where loyalties lie and who killed him, but with my connections - take Clara, for example - I could forge my own path.
"Voy a regresar a México, cueste lo que cueste,"I whisper to myself. I will return to Mexico, no matter the cost.
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts. It won't be easy to escape this compound, but I have no other choice. I need to act fast, before they have a chance to tighten their grip on me even further. After all, I made a grave error, one I had to in order to test the waters. My experiment worked. It confirmed my suspicions of being a prisoner. But, it also told them what I'm thinking about.
Escape.
"Isabella,tú eres fuerte," I remind myself. Isabella, you are strong. Don't let anyone control you. How can I get past the guards and out of this prison? I need to be clever and resourceful if I want to make it back to Mexico alive.
"Si puedo llegar al consulado mexicano, estaré a salvo," I say, thinking aloud. If I can reach the Mexican consulate, I'll be safe.
My eyes scan the room, searching for anything that could aid in my escape. The window catches my attention – it's large enough for me to fit through, and while the drop is significant, it's not impossible to survive. Yes, I think, that will be my way out.
All I need is to get to the Mexican embassy. I can figure out the rest once I'm safe.
I grab the burner phone, but suddenly feel afraid. If I get caught, they could find it. It's safest to leave it here. That way, even if I can't escape successfully, I'd still have a lifeline to the outside.
So, I leave with nothing.
I carefully push the window as wide as I can get it to open. The hinges protest with a soft creak. My heart catches in my throat, and I pause, listening for any signs of disturbance from the guards outside.
Nothing but the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze – I must continue.
I grip the windowsill tightly, feeling its cold, rough surface beneath my fingers as I prepare to climb out onto the ledge.
"Here goes nothing," I say under my breath, my voice barely audible.
As I hoist myself up and out of the window, the cool night air wraps around me like an icy embrace, sending shivers down my spine. The compound stretches out below me, its darkened grounds seemingly endless, a maze designed to keep me trapped.
"Uno, dos, tres..." I count silently, before pushing off from the windowsill and launching myself onto the narrow ledge below.
I manage to steady myself and slowly inch forward. first shuffling one foot, then the other. Almost there.
But then, my foot slips up and I cling to the windowsill as it twists off the ledge, sending a shooting pain up from my ankle to the knee. I can't keep my balance. It's now or never. I need to jump. But as I try to see how to do it, still clinging to the ledge, someone notices.
"Hey! She's trying to escape!" a guard's voice pierces the night out of nowhere, shattering the silence that I had been clinging to. Panic surges through me as they give chase, their shouts echoing off the compound walls.
"Rapido!"I mutter under my breath, forcing myself to move faster despite my injured leg. I climb back on the ledge, each step sending jolts of pain shooting up my spine, but I can't afford to slow down – not with freedom so tantalizingly close.
Signorina! Stop at once!" another guard bellows.
"Capo will be furious if we don't catch her!" another guard yells, their voices growing louder and more urgent.
They're closing in, and I know I must make my move now or risk being captured again. I begin walking along the ledge, looking for a spot from where I can make an escape.
I spot the opening in the fence that I've been scouting from my bedroom window for days, barely large enough for me to squeeze through. It's risky, but it's my only chance. I jump, roll on the grass, and begin to run.
