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María slowed but she didn't stop. She needed to be in front of Juan.

"I said stop!" the captain cried.

María reached the edge of the crowd. She stopped.

"Now," the captain said, "raise your arms slowly with your hands out. If you make any sudden motions you will be shot," the captain said.

The young woman did as she'd been told. She watched Juan's eyes as they widened with surprised recognition. The soldiers stationed around the room still hadn't gone for their own weapons. She only had a few moments before they would be ordered to do so.

"You," the captain barked. "Corporal."

One of the noncommissioned officers standing beside the throne room door came to attention. "Sir?"

"Take her weapon!" the captain ordered.

"Yes, sir!"

"My-my legs," María said. She stopped in front of Juan and started to wobble. "May I sit down?"

"Stand where you are!" the captain snarled.

"But they were hurt when I was beaten-"

"Silencio! he yelled.

María trembled for a moment more. The soldier had entered the crowd of prisoners on the opposite side and was making his way toward her. She couldn't wait any longer. She didn't think they would shoot her here, especially if she were down. That might start a riot. Moaning loudly, she dropped to her knees and fell forward against Juan.

"Get up!" the captain yelled.

María attempted to rise. As she pretended to struggle back to her feet, she drew the guns from her waistband. She shoved them into Juan's hand.

He took them clandestinely. Ferdinand had leaned over to help María. Juan slid a gun under his bent knee.

"Amadori's in the throne room," María whispered as hands helped her to her knees.

"We'll never make it-" Juan whispered back.

"We must!" she hissed. "We're dead anyway!"

Just then, the guard finished making his way through the crowd. He bent over María and yanked her up by the collar. She grunted as she stood and then pretended to stumble to one side. As soon as she was out of the way, Juan raised his gun, pointed at the soldier's thigh, and fired. The guard shrieked and staggered backward on a spray of blood. His gun dropped to the floor and one of the prisoners snatched it up. Regaining her balance, María unholstered her own weapon and turned toward the captain.

But the captain had already drawn his own weapon. He fired two rounds, one of which struck María in the left side. She twisted in pain and her own shot went wide. She landed on the man who had picked up the gun. Her hat tumbled off and her hair spilled out.

Juan rose as María fell. "ĄAsesino!" Juan shouted. "Assassin!"

Before he could fire, a bullet struck him in the left shoulder. He twisted as he fell, his arms flying outward. His gun went spinning along the floor toward the hallway. The captain picked it up as he stalked toward them. The man who had fired, the other soldier standing guard at the throne room, came forward.

"Stay at your post!" the captain yelled.

The crowd of prisoners began to murmur loudly and the guards unholstered their weapons. Suddenly, the throne room door opened. General Amadori's personal aide. Major General Antonio Aguirre, stepped out. He was holding a 9mm automatic, which looked only slightly less intimidating than his scowl. The tall, lean, broad shouldered man took a moment to look around the room.

"Is there a problem. Captain Infiesta?" he asked.

"No, sir," the captain replied. "Not any longer."

"Who is he?" Aguirre asked, pointing the gun toward the man he'd shot.

He pointed to María. "Her accomplice," he said.

Aguirre's dark eyes settled on the woman. "Who is she?"

"I believe she's a spy," the captain informed him.

María stood unsteadily. "I am not a spy. Major General,"" she insisted. She was clutching her side just below her ribs and leaning into the wound. It was bloody and it throbbed hotly. "I am María Corneja from Interpol. I came here with information for the general. Instead of listening to me, this man had me beaten." She raised a hand weakly and gestured toward the captain.

"I will listen to you," said the major general. "Talk."

"No," María said.