Subject: Chap XV.. Better late than never...
Author: marta i (198.232.250.51)
Date: 01-10-2000 16:43
XV:
Juan is giving navigation orders at the first lights of daybreak.
The Luzbel is very
heavily loaded. Juan is more decisive than ever. They leave Saint
Pierre behind in the
distance. Juan looks at Mount Pelee (the volcano) and then stares at
Monte Parnaso
(the mountain by which he left Monica) with anxiety. They cannot
drop anchor there because it is too deep so they have to wait riding
the waves until they see what happens with the volcano.
Everyone has evacuated Mount Pelee toward the city of Saint Pierre,
but once there, they are partying, eating, not really worried at
what is going on. Meanwhile, there is a deadly heat, fish are dying,
sea birds are fleeing, smells like sulfur, streams from MP are
carrying mud instead of water. The governor is giving a speech with
a tone of 'nothing is going to happen, going to be business as usual
tomorrow.. we'll wait this one out, no need to leave town'. Sofia
and Yanina are listening to this. Sofia runs into Renato who just
arrived to the Governor's mansion. She's mad at him for abandoning
her and Campo Real for his love craze with Monica. He tells her it's
no longer an impossible obsession. Monica is free and loves him. He
got the annulment papers with him. Sofia claims what about CR?? He
says he'll take care of that afterwards as soon as Monica is
rescued. He will take care of CR and she will regret her bitter
words towards him. Sofia asks if he has soldiers available. Not yet,
but know the Governor will provide me with them. He has the legal
authority now to go after JDD (which is what the GOvernor had
requested of him, the papers). Sofia begs him not to go after Juan
himself. He's going!! Pedro Noel is defending him. Sofia says all
his (renato) life has had the dark shadow of Juan. Renato says you
don't even know the whole story, it's gone farther. But this is the
last battle and Renato already has the winning decision made for it,
the one that redeems him and noone can take away.
PN gets to the governor first. HE's carrying 3 thousand signatures
from townspeople requesting life for Juan Del Diablo and the
fishermen. Governor says Juan is not sentenced to death. PN says
Juan and the others are virtually sentenced to death, since they are
trapped at CDD, precisely where the lava is headed. The Governor
says but J acted against government officers. PN says the town wants
help for them who are going to be scorched alive only for trying to
defend themselves from the injustice of a thief landlord with no
soul. PN tells the Governor this is his chance to benefit his image
in the town. He (PN) could gather many more thousands of signatures
if given more time. They are interrupted by Sofia and Renato who
break into the room without even knocking when they realize PN is in
with the GOv. Gov is upset that they broke in unannounced. He wants
them to wait but Renato says it's about the same issue PN is there
for. Renato says he brought what the Governor had requested to let
him go after Juan, the annulment papers. Renato tells PN to warn
Juan that he's holding Monica without having the rights and that he
advises... PN says Juan is not in the mood to take advice from
noone!! If Governor agrees with his (PN) request, Monica will be
free to do what she wants to. REnato says she already can and it
will cost Juan his life to hold her by force. PN insists J is not
holding Monica by force!! Renato says he is not there to argue with
PN. PN is just an unloyal ex-employee of his family. Sofia backs
Renato on his insults to PN. SHe and Renato throw threats and
insults to PN who keeps trying to have the Governor send them to
another room and wait their turn. Renato insists that the Governor
comply with their earlier agreement and Renato will hand over to him
the fugitives. A messenger arrives to let them know that the
fugitives have escaped from Cabo del Diablo. They arrested some men
but Juan del Diablo was not among them. REnato asks about Monica.
She's not with those arrested. With this the GOvernor is enraged. If
he only had more men.. Renato reminds the Gov that he is a reserve
officer and offers him his services, along with those of other
officers he knows are in SP. They can form a supplementary troop to
enforce law and order. Gov accepts Renato's offer. Renato asks for
40 men and the coastguard ship (Galion). Gov thinks it is much to
ask, but still complies with the requested resources. PN keeps
complains about Gov's turnaround to no avail.
Monica is at the convent looking out to sea and wishing she could
see through the weather, smoke and distance the Luzbel, the people
on it, and Juan on the post looking at the volcano and waiting
anxiously.
Juan and Colibri are worried about all the smoke and ashes, dead
fish and fleeing sea birds. J tells C when night falls, they'll get
closer to the shore to let a boat down and observe what is going on
with the volcano. Saint Pierre will perish. J is sure, like if the
birds could tell him about it when they fly past them. Something
terrible is about to happen to his homeland, and a terrible threat
is falling over the woman he loves...
REnato is forcing Segundo to tell him where Juan and the others
went. Segundo asks if he'll be set free if he talks, but Renato
yells that he will kill him if he doesn't. Segundo tells him they
are leaving on the Luzbel but they can't get far with that load.
Monica is also with them. Renato asks him if Monica was taken by
force and Segundo tells Renato he thinks Monica loves Juan. Renato
gets enraged and shouts calling Segundo a liar and a dog, slapping
him around pretty hard. PN is enraged at the physical abuse on
Segundo, who is even tied up. Can't believe Renato's attitude.
Renato has Segundo sent back to the basement cells. Let's go on the
Galion right away!! Get the 40 soldiers and let's go!! PN begs
REnato, don't you care about your father's last wish and final
request? But Renato is choking on his own hate, pain and jealousy.
PN: He's your brother! / R: So what if I needed his blood?? LEt's
go!!
PN runs into Ana. PN yells at her and she says that Catalina sent
her to tell him that she received a letter from the Mother Superior
saying that Monica is with them at the Mount Parnaso convent and she
is safe. Cata wants to go there asap (seems like she needs PN to go
with them or get them a way there). PN realizes REnato should hear
this, this neews could stop him and prevent him to go against his
brother. He calls for a coach, a horse or something to try and catch
up with Renato. PN catches up with them before the ship leaves. But
Renato is reluctant to believe the story and does not trust it
coming from Ana, so he asks to see the letter before he believes it.
He thinks PN is making it all up. PN offers to go to the convent and
get her (Monica) himself. PN asks Renato to wait for him there, it
will take about an hour. As soon as PN leaves
Renato orders the soldiers to sail immediately. They'll find the
LUzbel. HE thinks PN is just trying to slow him down in order to
give Juan some extra prescious time to escape. That brother whom he
admires and despises, seizes and rejects all at the same time. He
keeps shouting orders to be ready for a battle. Be alert at all
times. The battle is to death, the Luzbel cannot be very far!!