“We’re just tourists visiting your beautiful city,” Rod said, trying to deflect the man’s attention away from Michelle. “I’m sorry. We didn’t see anyone like the woman you describe around here. See?” he pointed at the rental car where Sammy was standing, “Our driver is ready to take us back to our hotel.”
“Okay, sorry to bother you folks. My respects, sister,” he said with a head nod at Michelle.
“Bless you,” Michelle said, surprised, hoping that was the appropriate response.
“Gracias,” he said, and started walking away toward the hospital.
“Whew, that was close,” Michelle whispered as they hurried to the car. “Let’s get out of here.”
The mood in the car, driving away from the hospital, was jubilant and euphoric. Rod let out a loud bellow of happiness, ‘Yahoo,’ and hugged Michelle. Then everyone was laughing and talking, hugging. The men were slapping each other’s shoulders in triumph.
It was a great moment for Mike to take advantage of. He hugged Heather.
“Operation Rescue...completed in less than twenty-four hours,” Rod said happily. “Thanks to Heather’s quick response to the emergency.”
“I don’t know how you all did it,” Michelle said, shaking her head. “I’m just so grateful.”
Rod, Michelle, and Sammy were sitting in the front seats. Heather, Mike and Vincent in the back.
Rod said, “You haven’t met one of our team’s rescue members, Michelle. Sammy is our Heroshi Corporation jet pilot. He got us all safely to Mexico, with a stop-off in California to refuel and pick up the professor.”
“Thank you, Sammy,” Michelle said.
He nodded. “Now, where are we heading? To the hotel, or the airport?”
From the back seat, Mike said, “We have to go to the hotel. We need to pick up the eggs.”
Eggs? Michelle thought. What were they talking about?
“Not necessary,” Vincent said. “I’ve been to Mexico quite a few times, and things are kind of loose here. I slipped a little incentive to the concierge. They’re already on the way to San Francisco.”
“I wondered why you were talking to him for so long,” Rod said. “You bribed the concierge?”
Vincent nodded. “I’m not stupid. He got a little upfront, but he’ll get more when he provides proof that they’ve arrived safely.”
“Excellent,” Rod said. “I’ll pay you back.”
“No you won’t,” Vincent said. “I got a free trip in a Lear jet to Mexico. I got to be part of the rescue team to save my favorite witch.”
As he drove along the highway, Sammy leaned across Michelle and said to Rod, “You want to see if we can get a night flight out of Guadalajara?”
“I’d like to, but we’re all pretty tired. You and me, by our Japanese time clock, I’d say we’ve been up a couple of days.”
They all agreed they needed a good night’s rest. Rescue operations were strenuous and exhausting. Especially when trying to foil an evil warlock with supernatural powers.
Chapter 32
When they arrived at the Tapatio Hotel and Resort, they agreed they’d each freshen up in their own rooms and then meet together in Rod’s in about a half hour. The place was lush with plants, the lobby luxurious, and bell hops rushed to take the luggage to each of their rooms. Keys were distributed. They were all on the top floor in adjacent rooms.
The concierge again proved useful, to Rod this time. It was two in the morning and room service had ended for the night, but he was able to advise Rod where to call for a take-out dinner that would be swiftly delivered.
Michelle didn’t have any clothes except the robe she had taken from Leilanie, and several layers of sheets, so Rod gave her a pair of his own jeans and a shirt to change into after she took a shower. The jeans were loose and she had to roll up the cuffs, but she didn’t care. Popping the diamond in her shirt pocket, she made sure Lucifer was comfortable, with his litter box and food, and then she went down the corridor to Rod’s room.
Heather rushed to shower and change in her own room. She was especially pleased to be out of the blouse that had been burned. Then she walked along the balcony of the hotel to Rod’s. Down below she could see a large pool which looked thoroughly inviting. She wondered if late night swims were allowed.
As she entered Rod’s suite, the caterers were just arriving with what looked like a huge banquet. Waiters started unloading all the food on a table near the balcony. Her stomach started growling at the sight.
Michelle came in next. Heather hugged her and jumped up and down. They were both still excited about the daring rescue that had been accomplished.
Vincent and Sammy arrived a minute later, both with wet hair from their recent showers. Then Mike came in. There were all-round hugs, and then they started filling their dishes with Mexican food. Everyone was famished, but it seemed there was enough to feed an army: Tacos, enchiladas, Flautas with guacamole, Carne asada, rice, beans, and corn tortillas.
There weren’t enough chairs in the room, so Michelle, Heather and Mike sat on the bed, with plates in their laps. For a while there wasn’t much talk, except exclamations about how wonderful the food tasted. Their adrenalin levels were gradually coming back down to normal after a day of anxiety and fear.
The common tradition of friends gathering together and putting food in their stomachs settled them and was a welcome relief from all the tension.
It felt like a grand celebration.
When Michelle couldn’t take another bite of food, she looked at the professor and said, “You were saying something about eggs? How they were being sent to San Francisco? What was that about?”
“We didn’t just rescue you from Omar’s clutches,” Vincent said. “Mike went to the top floor and managed to get your ovum from the refrigeration unit in the lab. That was during Omar’s blackout. We packed them up and
