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reflected in the play of the dolphins. He’ll trust in goodness to guide him. He has only one goal: reclaiming his freedom.
    A second whale joins the first. Christopher intuitively knows they are mates. With a final flip of their enormous flukes they wave,
Hasta Luego
, diving deep.
    Christopher’s vow shudders through him. He will remember:
Just as whales can be hidden from sight in the depths of the sea; purpose, goodness, love can be concealed beneath the turmoil on life’s surface
.
    In this way he suddenly finds himself prepared for the obstacles to seizing his freedom. After eight hours of blistering sun,
Islas Tres Marias
looms in the mist.

CHAPTER FOUR
LA LUNA
    H urricane Alley comes too soon for Daniel. Carved bluffs, white beaches, at first sight
Islas Tres Marias
reflects jagged cliffs, sparkling sand, a white church and a cluster of stucco buildings. In the background, beyond the church, a massive security perimeter protects the entrance to the town.
    Cutting the engine, the boat drifts to the dock. A crew member climbs the ladder and catches bows and stern line securing the craft to the landing. Daniel stands, frozen. Tears run down his face. A handful of guards wait forming a straight line on the wooden pier.
    In the center of the group a murky haze encircles a short man, standing legs wide and arms akimbo. Mirrored sunglasses reflect the light. His assault rifle casually loops over his shoulder. Christopher’s eyes widen and fix on a coiled circle…
a bullwhip? What? Daniel meant he’d be punished with this bullwhip? It will rip him apart, leave scars, permanent scars.
    The charged moment fills Christopher’s vision with chaotic shards of light. He sees sweat break out across Daniel’s brow. Daniel trembles. The whip unfolds. Unanimated it lays heavy across the smooth boards of the wooden dock. Collectively the guards take an uneasy step backwards.
    Watching the central man Christopher sees superimposed the thick bones, large feet, muscular neck and heavily muscled shoulders of the Spanish Fighting Bull. The gloom deepens around him. Muddled dusky streaks of aggression fly at Daniel.
The flying bolts a precursor to the whip
?
    Christopher wonders,
are these men accountable? A prison isolated, in the middle of, what’s it called? Hurricane Alley?
    The air transforms dense and coarse with domination. Thick strands of muddy red encircle the man. He licks his lips, savoring the impending violence. The bull leans forward,
Bien venido a casa
, Daniel,” he bellows. “
Aqui ahora
.”
    Daniel pales beneath skin streaked red with sunburn. Circles blacken his eyes. Muscles bunched with dread, slowly he climbs the ladder. Christopher sees agile raccoon paws merging, hand over hand. “Please,
El Jefe
!” begs Daniel.
    El Jefe’s
posture thickens. Like the bull, his bony head lowers. The whip arches. Meeting Daniel’s chest, leather has become a blade. Cutting deep through muscle and skin Daniel’s shirt falls away. Another crack and boom and the whip encircles Daniel’s naked waist. Micro-bits of flesh and blood fly thru the air. Daniel buckles, falling to his knees. Christopher hears his muffled prayer, “
Dios mio! Dios mio
…”
    Now laughing guards surround Daniel. The Spanish Bull grabs Daniel by the arm dragging him to a waiting jeep. “I have a special place in town for you serving the guards.” The whip winds around Daniel’s waist cutting, tearing muscle and skin while he stumbles forward.
    Frozen with horror Christopher waits.
    In the void of Daniel’s exit one man stands on the dock. He motions for Christopher to climb the ladder. Hand over hand, as Daniel climbed before him, Christopher trembles.
    The dock, a whitewashed church, and hard dirt streets are juxtaposed against a brilliant sky. The church, freshly painted white stands outside the gates to the town. Tunneling his examination deeper Christopher sees a glimpse of shops and buildings inside the walled community. Now he