Chapter 17- Ascendency
Yunior Delgado's plane departed Argentina late in the evening on Monday.
On board was his wife Diadra and his two children, as well as Andres and his fiancé Roxana, who attended the regalia at Perona de la Mar.
Also on board were the Mendozas, Ricardo, Eliza, and Luis, who sat in awe since it was their first time flying on a plane and leaving the country of Argentina.
After an hour in the air, the flight attendant began to serve dinner and drinks.
Ricardo stared at the plate of food, marveling at the perfect portion of filet, the lobster tail and crisp potatoes, and a side of asparagus.
He'd never eaten asparagus and wasn't sure he'd like it, but he would not appear as an uncouth Neanderthal in front of the classy family his daughter was marrying into.
He sat, simply staring. He stared for so long, his eyes began to water and Andres noticed. Clearing his throat, Andres addressed the man.
“Senor Mendoza, are you well? Do you have food allergies and would prefer a different meal?” Andres inquired.
“No,” Ricardo replied, wiping away the tear. “My daughter. She travels like this with your brother?”
“Sí, but they usually travel in my father's plane,” Andres replied.
“And meals such as this, she shares with your brother, or does she eat in the back with the flight attendant?” Ricardo asked.
“Alita shares the table and meals with Micah,” Andres replied, uncertain what the man was thinking.
“At our home in Colombia, each time I have sat at the dinner table with my family to share a meal, she has been seated beside my brother. The only exceptions are when we have guests and dignitaries visiting, and she must take on the role she is hired to do which is to stand guard.”
“As this guard, she has told me stories of her training,” Ricardo said. “I find it difficult to believe so much trust would be placed in a simple girl like my Alita.”
Andres shifted in his seat and crossed his legs.
“I trained her personally to start, and then she moved on to train with a sensei and martial arts masters.
She is a certified black belt, and her hands are registered as lethal weapons.
Alita is a weapon, but also a lovely girl.
I wouldn't piss her off and have her come after me.
My father trusts her with my brother's life, so that should answer your questions.”
Ricardo nodded and began to eat his food. Eliza, on the other hand, held the glass of rich red wine sipping, observing, and learning. Her eyes were on the eldest of the Delgado sons, the one set to inherit Perona de la Mar, a handsome man, whom she'd heard very little about.
Unlike his uncle, Eleon’s only son, a man known to abuse his power and position.
He had abhorrent appetites and deviant behaviors with young women who often ran and hid when they heard he was coming.
A man, whose own father had to shackle him for overstepping.
The man her daughter stated slobbered on himself and lived in a room in the big house, often scaring the housekeeping staff by doing inappropriate things.
A broken man, a shell of his former self that embarrassed his mother, Anya.
They kept him hidden away from the public eye.
He was a monster before Eleon had to deal with him as per cartel rules.
These young men didn't seem anything like the Fernandezes.
She watched Yunior interact with his two children.
His assistant, a dark-haired young woman she thinks she heard called Zeta, worked on a portable computer during the flight before falling asleep after dinner.
It did not miss her notice when he rose to change the clothing of the one child with food spilled on his shirt and pantaloons.
He didn't leave it up to his wife; instead, he was taking care of his children.
Three hours into the flight, she watched the man get on the floor of the plane to play with toy cars with his son.
She sat in amazement at his affection for his daughter, reading her stories and adding the bow to her hair when it fell off.
Eliza took notice of the other brother Andres, who paid close attention to the woman he was set to marry in less than six months.
Eliza waited for Andres to get overly familiar with the woman.
He did not. She waited for him to want to play kissy face with the woman.
He did not. She watched Andres hold his fiancée’s hand, listen to her stories, and have an actual conversation with her about the latest project she was working on.
Roxana removed a notebook from a satchel, sketching designs she shared with Andres, who took an interest, made notes on the colors, and praised her work.
Tears came to her eyes as she watched the young men interact with the women in their lives.
These ladies weren't adornments or chosen breeders.
They were the life partners of the Delgado men.
Her Alita, she prayed would be so lucky to find this in her Micah.
She looked at her son, who was blossoming under the guidance Micah was providing for him.
Her heart swelled as she turned her head to look out the window.
There was nothing to see, but she looked anyway.
Luis was also looking. He was watching Andres; the man rumored to have his hands in many pots but leaving no fingerprints.
His sister Alita had only spoken of Andres briefly, stating he began her training as an assassin.
He found it difficult to believe that a man, dressed in the finest of fabrics and clothing was a trained killer. As he watched him, Andres looked up.
Luis jumped, but Andres smiled at him. The moment was interrupted by the little boy called Manny.
He wanted his uncle's attention, time and interaction Andres freely gave.
Once Yunior got off the floor with the boy, Andres got down to play with him.
He didn't seem to care about his clothes.
He didn't seem fazed when the little girl wanted to add the bow to his hair, which Luis was shocked Andres allowed.
He was Tio Andres. He loved the children, and the children loved him.
Alita would be a mother in the coming years.
Her children would call him Tio, and he wanted to be able to be as loving with them as he witnessed Andres doing with his niece and nephew.
The flight, nearly seven hours, passed without a hitch; the children were entertained until they tired and fell asleep.
Over the intercom, the pilot, having learned the children were sleep, announced in a hushed tone, “Prepare for arrival at Las Tierras.”
The flight attendant they hadn't seen since the removal of the dinner plates and serving cocktails reappeared, pressing buttons.
Before Luis could take a deep breath to prepare himself, the plane turned and was coming down.
A soft landing touched the wheels to the ground, and the plane taxied on the runway.
The doors were opened rushing in the heat of the night into the cabin.
Yunior stepped out first, holding his sleeping son, followed by his wife, carrying their daughter.
They went into the first black vehicle. Andres and the Mendozas were seated in the second, and the cars rolled towards a white adobe home sitting stately on a hill.
Few lights were on as they rode, arriving at the side entrance of the homestead.
The vehicles came to a stop as the doors opened and the family piled in.
Ricardo followed behind the Delgado men, entering the house, marveling at the size and cleanliness.
Alita waited at the door for them, wearing what appeared to be a black suit.
Ricardo's eyes went to the man and woman.
He was standing in the presence of the Fer de Lance.
His hands grew sweaty and he waited for his daughter.
“Mami, Papi, and Luis, allow me to present you and introduce you to The Fer de Lance, Eduardo Delgado, Senior and his wife, The Lady of the Lands, Ryanne Delgado.”
“El gusto mio,” Ricardo said. “Mi esposa Eliza and our son, Luis as Alita has stated. We are honored to be in your home.”
Eduardo said nothing. He simply gave them a once-over, his eyes going to the young man.
He immediately recognized the leatherwork on the belt the boy wore, crafted by the leather men at Perona de la Mar.
An eyebrow arched in acknowledgement, and the boy offered a tentative smile.
A connection had been made, and Luis said no more.
Ryanne spoke up, “It is late. The flight was long and we have a full few days ahead in preparation for this wedding and getting the kids ready for Uni.”
Eliza smiled at the words ‘kids.’ Alita’s mother honed in on the endearment, picking up on the reference and in the wording of Ryanne, acknowledging in her intonation that Alita was one of their own.
“Alita, please get your parents settled for the evening,” Ryanne said. “Andres, they are in your wing.”
She turned to Alita. “Tomorrow, Tonda, Carlos and their spouses will arrive and stay in Yunior's wings. Everyone, rest well.”
Eduardo turned to leave and stopped. “Welcome to Las Tierras,” he said.
*****
THE MORNING STARTED at a kick. The am arrived in the kitchen to find a buffet style breakfast. Food lined long tables with a variety of Colombian specialties, and Alita stuck a hot cup of freshly roasted coffee into her father’s hand.
She pushed Luis towards the plates, encouraging them to eat.
Micah entered the kitchens, looking ready to get the day started.
“Bon Dia!” he called out. “Senor Mendoza, do you ride?”
“I do, Senor Delgado,” Ricardo called.
“Senor, I am to be your son by law; please call me Micah,” he replied. “Eat up and head out the side door if you wish to ride this morning with my father and mis Hermanos. This is my little brother, Angel.”