The Bogotá court room was stifling in the afternoon smog. The man who everyone was here to see sat coolly flanked by expensive lawyers and co-defendant associates. His hands were un-cuffed at present, a dozen heavily armed police officers spread about the old baroque room itching for him to try and escape.
The big man was theatrically preening himself taking in the crowded press gallery his flamboyant reputation making him a surreal celebrity choice in this troubled country. Cesar Mendez had learnt to be patient. His arrest and prolonged trial had taken over two years and to the frustration of the outside world seemed as far from conclusion as when it started.
The last few weeks however had started to unnerve even this amazingly rich and influential drug lord.
The pot bellied Columbian narrowed his eyes stroking his unshaven face in growing anger as the afternoon proceedings drew more and more difficult.
The latest judicial prosecutor to take his case was proving better than he had anticipated. With the last half dozen in hiding or already dead Cesar had assumed this new young and inexperience lawyer would not be up to the task. However she was proving unsettlingly confident and adept
"You told me this young bitch wouldn't be any good!" Mendez hissed under his breath as the gallery gasped at the young lawyer latest rock solid accusation.
His surrounding team shrunk back fearful of his anger. Even in jail Mendez's influence could reach into their homes and souls with ease.
"Cesar, "his closest advisor said exasperated. "It is beginners luck, she is nothing."
Across from him a slim shapely woman in her late twenties spoke softly but with steel purpose to the judicial panel.
Veronika smoothed her trim black business suit into her hips as she continued her prosecution. Her full pouting mouth seemed to have captivated the judge the man mesmerised by her deep dark eyes, her cascading face framing brunette hair and that full maternal bosom encased in a tightly stitched jacket.
Veronika leaned forward showing a long calf; her high heels giving her a towering dominant appearance.
"You're Excellency?
She paused, a little frustrated with his manner, eyes like oil pools. "Sir?"
The judge snapped back from his fantasy Veronika momentarily put off her stride by his apparent day dream. He shuffled his papers muttering to himself. The young woman calmed herself and smiled.
"I suggest we re-convene tomorrow Sir, when I will present more key evidence."
The judge nodded a little embarrassed and called a close to the day's proceedings.
The drug lord almost roared with rage. The informant why had he evaded detection so long? And this bitch wasn't playing by the rules; all this new information was beginning to look bad for him. But he had made his decision days ago; you had to know when to act and like normal it appeared he had acted none too soon.
Sat in the back of his armoured prison van the sole occupant was simmering on the brink of explosion as he returned to his cell. But he took deep breaths reminding himself he had proved as slippery as an eel when it came to the law and this would prove to be the case again.
"Why do they under estimate me always?" He said in a resigned yet excite frame of mind.
Driving home that evening Veronika edged through the darkening street her body tired from standing in that heat all day. She knew her job was a big risk, but with the enthusiasm and confidence of youth she had risen to the challenge. Mendez has got through 4 judges and 9 prosecutors in the last two years. 1 judge had died mysteriously others had just decide to retire or move abroad; either way the case had moved at a snails pace. The same unexpected changes and tragedies had also happened to the prosecuting teams; the law was a joke.
Veronika was embarrassed and disgusted by her countries meek and cowering attitude to the evil men of influence. Bribery and corruption were common place and in that environment people such as her; young in year but patriotic and with moral fibre could rise to senior rank incredibly quickly. A successful prosecution and she could have the pick of government attaché jobs anywhere in the world. She planned on Paris.
"Beep, beep!"
She narrowed her eyes. The truck ahead had got himself stuck in the bin cluttered street and as she huffed and gestured trying to do a u-turn another vehicle a four by four almost ran into the back of her car.
It was over in seconds. Masked armed men jumping from the blocking trucks rear canopy, more from the pinning jeep.
They dragged the business suited goddess from the car many hands blindfolding and binding her arms behind her back. She felt herself gagged with a cloth and thrown into the land-cruisers rear. There was a slam of the boot and calm controlled chatter from her captors. Veronika's heart was racing, it had all happened so fast. In the tight narrow streets with little overhead light and Mendez loyal citizens all around she suddenly realised how easy kidnap was.
The ride in the boot of the jeep was hot and cramped Veronika wriggling but unable to adjust her position in any way that could attempt an escape. She heard voices as the vehicle slowed like at a check point and she made muffled calls for help. The kidnapper vehicle speeded up again and appeared from the echo to be entering a tunnel.
The boot finally opened and hands helped her out and to her feet.
She arched her back bust rising in her jacket her eyes blindfolded her breaths in short pants.
Climbing metal steps she heard keys rattling and heavy doors opening and slamming. There were echoes of distant voices; a low hum of humanity, but in the blackness of her world she concentrated on the different surfaces her heels stepped on. There'd been metal, then concrete and now as yet another door opened then slammed behind her, slippery tiles.
She felt the humid wet heat as steam caressed her skin and she instantly started to sweat buckets her white linen shirt no doubt beginning to turn transparent with the perspiration. The gag; then blind fold were gently removed.
Veronika's eyes opened wide as if to take in the impossible.
In front of her was a naked fat hairy man. His body hair was like a gorilla as he washed and scrubbed standing under a streaming shower head. As the young woman looked about she saw the wall curved out of view holding many shower heads the grim tiled room steaming the floor draining water down channels. The hum of voices, men's voices was still there, in the air like ghosts.
Leaning against the wall were two other mature men dressed in shorts and flip flops smoking cigarettes. Behind her one of the kidnappers held her shoulders. He was bizarrely dressed in a Hawaiian shirt his grinning face now unmasked.
But it was the naked washing man that made her stomach knot. She shivered in horror at his audacity.
She was in a shower block, a prison shower block!
"Ah Miss welcome to my humble home," said Cesar letting the spray rinse his face of lather.
Her lips parted then decided to say nothing. She looked around a little desperate hoping for a sign she was safe. Cesar saw her confusion, her disbelief at the situation.
"When you have lived as long as me," the scrubbing man said, "you will realise nothing is as obvious as it seems."
He wiped the water from his face turning off the shower tap." Do you really think I could be held by this country if I didn't allow it?"
What could she say? It had become painfully apparent that the rule of law was worse than she imagined. Maybe he'd blackmailed the guards and prison governor or maybe he'd just bought them all. Either way it was obvious Cesar Mendez had more to gain by choosing to fight and win a court case, which would exonerate him, than been on the run forever.
Mendez reached for a towel. "We have your informer, the one that's been making you look so fucking smart"
Veronika acted confused. The government informer was only known to her by a code name. He had never revealed himself but somehow Mendez claimed he had him. There was no way for her to know either way.
She shrugged her shoulders starting to talk her way out of the questioning.
"Don't fucking play games with me," Cesar snapped now more menacing. "Your supply of juicy information has gone."
He calmed himself returning to his gentleman approach. "Now we need to negotiate a truce."
Veronika shook her head acting braver than the situation should dictate.
"Never! I will not be bought; I believe in justice."
Cesar smiled, "I know you do, very amicable. But I didn't say I would offer you a bribe. It's too late for that."
He came closer his belly and genitals swaying unashamedly.
"Bringing you here shows my power and how little you have. If I can smuggle you into my prison unopposed, how easy would it be to bury you somewhere deep in the jungle?"
