Trouble In Trinidad

by William Manchee

Chapter 17

Ahmad stared at the crowd of reporters outside the entrance to the hospital. He had kept a lid on the situation about as long as he could. He and Sharad had been dodging reporters all morning. Rumors were running rampant. Most reporters were speculating that Ray Mohammed had been arrested and charged with the attempted assassination of the Prime Minister. He would have to hold a news conference soon, but first he had to visit his beloved, Kiran. He still couldn’t believe what had happened to her. As he and Anila walked in, they were elated to see her smiling.
"Sweetheart! I've been so worried about you," Anila said, cautiously bending over to give her daughter a hug.
"I'm okay."
"You look tired. Your skin is pale," the Prime Minister said.
"I feel kind of weak."
"What do you expect?" Anila said. "You've been shot, for godsakes."
"We were so worried when you disappeared from the beach. What happened?" the Prime Minister asked.
"We were just messing around when all of a sudden, cars started exploding everywhere and men started chasing us. Deviane took us into the caves. From there we managed to escape into the forest."
"Oh my poor darling, it must have been terrible being in the forest all night," Anila said.
"It actually wasn't so bad. We camped at a really pretty waterfall. Kevin built us a lean-to and made us a fire. It was kind of fun, until the death squad showed up."
"The death squad?" the Prime Minister asked.
"Yes, didn't you know Malcolm Mann ordered Kevin killed?"
"What! He ordered him killed?"
"Yes."
"God damn it! That bastard! I'll strangle him with my bare hands! Jesus! If the NDC hurts Kevin or Deviane, I'll see every last member hanged. I swear it!"
"How do you know this, Kiran?" Anila asked.
"After I was shot, some man, a friend of Kevin's, picked us up on the road. He told us."
"Who was he?" the Prime Minister asked.
"I don't know, but if he hadn't come along, we'd all be dead now."
"What do you mean?"
"We were asleep when they showed up. We made a run for the main road, thinking your troops would be there. About half way there, I sprained my ankle. So Kevin had to carry me. It was just before we got to the road that I was shot. Luckily, the man came just in time to help us get away."
"You poor child. What a horrible experience," Anila said. "I'm so glad Kevin was with you two, to protect you."
"He was wonderful. I wouldn't be here now had it not been for him. Where is he anyway? I was hoping he would come and visit me."
Anila frowned. "Oh, Kiran, you don't know."
"Know what?"
"Kevin and Deviane were captured by the NDC!"
"Oh, God. No, no! It can't be! They'll kill them!"
"Maybe not," the Prime Minister said. "If they want to gain public support for their party, it wouldn’t look good for them to be murdering innocent people. They’ll have to be very careful about what they do with Kevin and Deviane. It's a delicate situation. They probably just want to use them as bargaining chips."
"You've got to find them, Daddy. You can't let them kill Kevin and Deviane!"
"I won't, believe me child. We've got thousands of people looking for them right now. We'll find them and we'll bring the kidnappers to justice. I promise you."
"I don't care about the kidnappers, I just want Kevin and Deviane back safely."
"I know. We'll get them back. Don't worry. I'm going to leave you with your mother now. I must get to work on a statement for the press. They’re frantic for information, I’ve got to give them something."
"Okay, I'll see you later, Daddy."
Ahmad left. Anila and Kiran talked for another half hour, until the nurse suggested Anila leave and let Kiran get some rest. She promised to return after dinner so they could talk and watch television together.
Anila was taken by her security escort from the hospital to St. Andrews Church, where she met with her priest. They prayed together for Deviane and Kevin's safe return. Then she went home to get ready for dinner. She and Ahmad were supposed to have dinner with the leader of the NAR and his wife. The purpose of the dinner was to brief his ally on recent developments and get his advice on how the government should handle the current crisis.
After dinner, Anila returned to the hospital to spend the evening with Kiran. The evening went quickly as they reminisced about past events and speculated about the future. Late in the evening, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno came on.

"And now here is the host of the Tonight Show, Jay.... Lennooo."
Jay Leno came out on the stage to the music of the Tonight Show Band and made his usual run to the audience to shake hands. Then he returned to the stage for his monologue.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Tonight Show. We've got a great lineup of guests tonight, including Priscilla Presley, Tom Hanks and singer, Paula Abdul."
The crowd roared its approval and Jay continued.
"In the news tonight, there's a rumor about Kevin Wells. You remember Kevin Wells, the boy who saved the life of the Prime Minister of Trinidad? As you recall, he was a guest on the Tonight Show several months ago. Well, you may have heard Kevin was invited to Trinidad to stay with the Prime Minister's family for a week or ten days. Well, he's down there now and apparently, he and the Prime Minister's two daughters, Kiran and Deviane, were nearly kidnaped."
"Ohhh...," the crowed wailed.
"Yes. They got away though. In fact, rumor has it that Kevin and these two beautiful woman are lost somewhere in a rain forest in northern Trinidad."
"Ewww...," the crowd yelled.
"You may not know this, but Trinidad is where Robinson Crusoe was stranded with his trusted companion, Friday. That's right. Now, I want to ask you, does Kevin Wells know how to get in trouble or what? Come on. This guy gets in the way of an assassin's bullet and becomes a national hero. Now he goes to Trinidad and is nearly kidnaped, but ends up stranded in the forest with two beautiful women. Jesus, I wish I had that kind of trouble!"
The crowd laughed and Jay went on.
"Now, we've done a little checking on Kevin Wells to see what makes this kid tick. We talked to some of his friends back at his high school in Plano, Texas. They tell us that Kevin had a hidden agenda in going to Trinidad. Yes, you see, the Trinidad police believed that he was going down there to finger the Prime Minister's assassin. The Prime Minister thought he was coming down to accept his thanks for saving his life. Actually, Kevin went to Trinidad in search of a virgin."
"Ohhh...," the crowd yelled.
"Yes. Apparently Kevin is from the old school and believes that a man and wife should be virgins when they get married."
Several of the members of the audience chuckled.
"No, now that's an ideal that’s rarely achieved nowadays," Jay laughed, "but a goal all young people should aspire to, right?”
More chuckles from the audience.
“So, as you would expect, he hasn't been able to find a virgin here in America. However, when he found out the Prime Minister's daughter had never been kissed, he became obsessed with the idea of seeing her again. Well now he's got his wish. In fact, he's out in the forest right now with two virgins."
"Ooo...," the crowd screamed.
"You could say he's covering some virgin territory."
The crowd moaned.
"You know, it's really amazing that the Prime Minister of Trinidad was the father of two virgins. But I guess he's the commander and chief of the army, so all the boys in Trinidad knew what would happen if they messed with his daughters!"
The crowd applauded.
"If they didn't get shot, they'd get drafted, right?"
The crowd roared with laughter. "No, seriously, Kevin's a good kid and we hope he and the Prime Minister's daughters find their way home safely. With their virginity intact, of course."
The crowd clapped vigorously.
"Oh, just one last thing. The President announced today that he has added virgins to the endangered species list, so he can get funding from Congress to help in the search to find Kevin and the Prime Minister's daughters."
The audience laughed and applauded.

"Can you believe that Kevin is a virgin?" Anila asked Kiran.
"Sure, he told me he was."
"You've talked about virginity with him?"
"More or less."
"What does that mean?"
"He's told me how important love and trust are to him and that marriage is sacred. It's pretty obvious what he meant."
"He sounds like your sister."
"You're right. She's got a big crush on him, too."
"Deviane?"
"That's the only sister that I know about, unless you've been hiding something from me, Mother."
"Don't be a wise-ass. Hmm. I had no idea Deviane was interested in Kevin."
"It's too bad, Kevin already asked me to marry him."
"What?"
"Didn't Daddy discuss it with you? He made some kind of deal with Kevin. I guess if he does what Daddy wants, then he gets to marry me."
"Well, I'm going to have a talk with him, right now. I can't believe he would do such a thing and not even talk to me about it."
"No, don't. I've already agreed to it. I told Kevin I'd marry him."
"Are you serious? Do you love him?"
"I don't know, but he's good looking and fun to be with."
"You shouldn't marry him unless you love him."
"You didn't marry Daddy for love."
"Well, that was different. I was poor and I needed someone who could give me security."
"And I need someone who can make me an American citizen."
"Oh, Kiran, you shouldn't marry just to get away from Trinidad. We'll send you to America to go to school. You may not like it there."
"I’ll grow to love Kevin, like you’ve grown to love Daddy. It’ll be okay. You'll see."
"Oh, Kiran, I hope you're not making a mistake."
"The only mistake I've made is letting the NDC kidnap Kevin. If I would have been conscious, I would have made him come with me in the helicopter. I can't believe he's gone."
"Your father will find him, don't worry."
"He'd better. I'll never forgive him if Kevin is killed."

Chapter 18

Kevin’s nightmare was so vivid he awoke and looked around the stark cell. It was dark, the only light that made its way into the room came from a small window above the door. He carefully extricated himself from Deviane's embrace, trying not to wake her up.
Instinctively, he looked down at his wrist to see what time it was. Then, he realized he had left his watch on the beach. Judging from the hunger pains he was feeling, he believed they must have slept four or five hours. That would make it close to noon. He got up, stretched and began examining the room carefully, looking for a clue as to how they might escape.
The small window above the door was the only one in the room. Although it was glass, a careful inspection revealed it to be reinforced by a thick wire mesh. There would be no way to get through it without some sort of wire cutters. Giving up on the small window, Kevin began to examine the walls. Unfortunately, they were solid concrete and provided no hope of penetration. Kevin turned his attention to the ceiling, which appeared to be made of heavy wooden beams. A hardwood floor had been built above it. Finally, he carefully examined every inch of the floor, only to realize that it, too, was solid concrete.
While he was trying to think up a strategy for escape to tell Deviane when she awoke, he heard voices coming toward them. He watched the door as it opened. Three men dressed in military attire stood before him. He recognized one of the men as Ray Mohammed. The commotion woke up Deviane and she sat up to see what was happening.
"Hello, Mr. Wells, I'm Malcolm Mann. I want to welcome you to the National Defense Coalition headquarters."
"What do you want with us?" Kevin said.
"I'm sorry that it has to be this way, but the Prime Minister has left us no choice. You see, he insists on pushing this Caribbean Free Trade Agreement, which would jeopardize Trinidad's independence and destroy its economy. It's obvious the only reason the United States is interested in Trinidad is to get control of its oil. Something has to be done to stop Ahmad."
"I know why you kidnaped me, but how does kidnaping Deviane help you?"
"The Prime Minister isn't likely to launch an attack on us if his precious little daughter might get killed in the process."
"I can't believe you'd use an innocent girl as a shield. What kind of a person are you, anyway?"
"It's not our choice, it's what must be done to rescue Trinidad from the clutches of American imperialism."
"You're kind of paranoid, aren't you? I haven't noticed the people in Mexico complaining much about NAFTA. The Mexican economy is as strong as ever."
"The economy may be strong, but the people are in bondage and they don't even realize it. They think they’re free, but really, they’re the slaves of Wall Street, just like the American people. I won't let that happen to Trinidad."
"No, you'd just trample all over the Trinidad Constitution and destroy forty years of democracy? You're a real savior."
Ray Mohammed started to lunge toward Kevin, but Mann stuck up his arm to restrain him.
"I don't think you're in any position to be so sanctimonious," Mann said.
"Well, when a man is about to die, it's no time to be timid, right? I know you ordered my death and I should be shaking in my boots, but somehow, I doubt that would help keep me alive. Why am I still alive, anyway?"
"That's an interesting question. You see, the Prime Minister is on very shaky ground and I don't want to do anything to strengthen his position. The thought occurred to me that if I killed you, he might make a martyr out of you. There’s also the possibility that if I killed an American citizen, it might give the United States an excuse to intervene in the current political situation. So, Mr. Wells, I won't kill you today, but just as soon as Ahmad Shah has fallen, I'm going to kick your little virgin ass all over this room and break your neck with my bare hands!"
Malcolm’s threats filled Kevin with fear. At any moment his captors could end his life, but he knew he had to be strong if he and Deviane were to survive. He struggled to maintain his composure.
"What makes you think the government will fall?"
"Oh it will fall, Mr. Wells. The Prime Minister is already being perceived as incompetent. He can't even protect a key witness who could solve the assassination attempt on his life. He lets his own children get kidnaped while they're swimming on the beach. Is that the kind of man who should be leading Trinidad? I think not. I suspect his government won't last another week."
Kevin looked Malcolm straight in the eye and replied. "Why don't we quit the bullshit and be honest for a minute? I'm not as stupid as Ray and the other goons you've got surrounding you."
Ray lunged at Kevin again, grabbed his shirt and hit him across the face knocking him to the ground. Deviane jumped on Ray's back, trying to keep him from hitting Kevin again. Ray slung her to the ground, next to Kevin. Malcolm grabbed Ray's shoulder and ordered him to stop. Kevin sat up and wiped the blood off his lip.
"You're going to kill me whether the government falls or not. You can't afford to have me alive." Kevin looked over at Deviane and said, "You can't afford to have either one of us alive now that we’ve heard your plan to commit treason."
"You're very perceptive Mr. Wells. That's too bad. I was trying to give you some hope so your last few hours on earth wouldn't be so painful."
"Since you're being so thoughtful, how about some food, or is it your plan to starve us to death?"
"No, I told you I was going to break your neck, remember? I'll send down some food in a little while. You'll just have to be patient. This isn't the Hilton, you know?"
Malcolm and his men left the room. Deviane walked over to Kevin and put her arms around him. Kevin didn't respond, but only stared at the door, replaying Malcolm's words over and over in his mind.
He had put up a brave facade, but he had been shaking inside all along. Suddenly, he felt sick to his stomach and had to struggle to keep from throwing up.
"You okay, Kevin?" Deviane asked. "I can't believe how you stood up to him."
"I can't either. It just came out, like someone else was saying it."
"It was you, and I loved it. I'm so proud of you."
"What are we going to do, Deviane? He can’t wait to kill us."
"We've got to get out of here somehow."
"How? I've inspected every inch of this room and I don't see any way out!"
"There’s got to be a way!"
“But there isn't. Look around, it's solid concrete everywhere. The only thing that's not concrete is the ceiling. Unless you can fly, that's out of the question."
"What about the door? Have you checked the lock?"
"No."
Deviane went over to the door and examined the lock.
"This doesn't look too promising."
"I guess we'll just have to relax and wait for your father to rescue us."
"I hate just waiting around and not knowing what's going to happen. I wish I had a book to read or something to keep my mind occupied."
"Maybe they have a prison library," Kevin laughed.
"It’s not funny. . . . What if they do kill us? What if this is the last day of our life?"
Kevin pondered Deviane’s words. Finally he said, "Well, I guess we should ask for a priest.”
“Yes, but they would never send us one,” Deviane replied.
“Well, I guess we could confess our sins to each other. I think God would let us do that under the circumstances.”
“Since we may die, it would be good for us to get any guilt we've been feeling off our chests.”
Kevin nodded. “Yes, I suppose so.”
"So how shall we do it?"
"Just pretend I'm a priest. Tell me your sins and ask for God’s forgiveness. I’ll do the same with you. We’ll take turns."
"Oh, I don't know, Kevin. I don't know if I could do that. You’re not really a priest."
"You don't trust me? I thought you were in love with me."
"I am, but you’re not in love with me. The last I heard you were going to marry Kiran."
"Well, fine. It was your idea."
"Do you promise, if I confess to you all my sins and somehow we get out of here, that you'll never tell anyone what I told you?"
"Absolutely."
"Even Kiran, if you marry her?"
"Even Kiran. I promise, but you've got to make the same promise to me."
"Of course."
"Okay, you want me to go first?"
"Yes."
Kevin took Deviane's hand and pulled her up from the floor. Then they walked over to the mattress and sat down.
"All right. I've never told anyone this before, but when I was in the second grade, I wasn't too good in math class. One day the teacher pulled a pop quiz. I knew I was going to flunk it, since I hadn't been doing my homework. The kid that sat next to me was a brain and I knew he would ace the test. So, when the teacher wasn't looking, I copied all of the kid's answers. Later, when the teacher confronted me with the fact that all my answers were identical to the boy next to me, I lied to her and swore that I had studied my homework really hard, and the answers were my own."
"Kevin, you little devil!"
"I don’t think in this game we should assess blame or ridicule anyone. We’re priests, remember? You need to be solemn and tell me if God will forgive me."
"Okay, yes, he will forgive you."
"Really?"
"Yes, silly, that's nothing. Wait until you hear mine. Lets see, when I was about thirteen, my mom was still an airline stewardess. She used to take us girls to exotic places. This particular year, we went to Barbados. We loved Barbados, because the beaches are so pretty and the water is so blue. Well, Kiran and I met this boy from Argentina. He was so cute and fun to be with. I was very jealous, because Kiran was older than I was and always ended up winning the boys we met. I wasn't going to let her do it again. So that night, at dinner, when no one was looking, I put dish washing liquid in her enchiladas. Needless to say, she threw up all night and had to stay home. Since she was sick, I had no choice but to go out with the cute Argentine boy."
"Deviane! I can't–"
"Hey, I thought–"
"I'm sorry. Hmm. I guess God will forgive you."
"You guess?"
"He'll forgive you, relax. Okay it's my turn. Hmmm. Back home, there is this really gorgeous girl that I know. She's a cheerleader and she's very nice, not real smart, but a really sweet girl. Unfortunately, her parents are too busy for her, so she's pretty lonely. Consequently, she doesn't mind going to bed with any guy who's got the time."
"Kevin! You didn't."
"Hang on, let me finish my confession. One day I was on my way home and I stopped to pick up some stuff from my locker. I was feeling kind of depressed. As I turned to leave, there was Stacy. She was so excited to see me, I couldn't be rude to her. She invited me home for dinner. I didn't want to go, but I felt sorry for her. She was so lonely."
Deviane stood up, walked a few steps away and stared at the wall.
Kevin continued.
"Anyway she took me home and we drank too much wine."
Deviane began to cry, "Kevin I can't bear this. Tell me this didn't happen."
"Will you let me finish! Jesus!"
"Okay, go on."
"Anyway, after dinner we started kissing and making out. Pretty soon, my hand was on her breast, things were getting out of control. Then she said something that made me realize I’d been set up. My so-called friends, who were so anxious to corrupt me, had asked Stacy to seduce me. Thank God I had the strength to get up and leave right then, before they had accomplished their objective."
"You touched her breasts?"
"Just for an instant. I curse myself for falling into their trap, but I can't deny that I did. Do you think God will forgive me? . . . Do you think Kiran will forgive me?"
Deviane was silent for a moment. Then she took a deep breath and turned and looked Kevin in the eyes.
"Yes, God will forgive, maybe even Kiran will forgive you but you’re on thin ice with me."
Kevin burst into laughter.
"Come on! Me on thin ice? After you laid number 11 on me back in the forest. I think you’re the one on thin ice?”
Deviane turned away. “Do you promise you won’t laugh at me?”
“Laugh, why would I laugh?”
“Since we’re about to die, I suppose I should tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“You know how you’ve been looking for the perfect woman to marry?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I’ve been on a similar quest for the perfect man. I’ve been looking for my soul mate just like you. I've never been with a man and now I’ll probably die a virgin.”
“Don’t give up, Deviane. We’ll be rescued. I’m sure we will. You’ll find your soul mate.”
“I know, I already have.”
Kevin frowned. “Huh?”
Deviane shook her head. “You are such a typical male, blind and stupid. . . . Jesus! Don’t you know I’m your soul mate? You’re the man I’ve been searching for all my life.”
Kevin raised his eyebrows. “You’re serious?”
“Yes, and if you marry Kiran I’ll just die. I suppose I’ll have to become a nun and give myself to God. You’re the only man I could ever marry.”
Kevin gazed into Deviane's beautiful angry eyes in shock. Feelings for her were welling up inside him quickly, but he felt an incredible guilt at the mere thought of betraying Kiran. Confused, he became angry.
“You haven’t really known me that long. You don’t know anything about me.”
“That’s not true. I know everything about you. I’ve read every news story, I’ve seen you on TV and now I’ve lived in the same house with you. I’ve known from the very beginning you were the one.”
“My God, if that is true, why didn’t I know it?”
“You were so infatuated with Kiran you didn’t give me a second thought. I knew I had to stop your marriage or we would both be miserable for the rest of our lives. That’s why I’ve been trying to seduce you.”
Kevin walked away to ponder the situation. How can I marry Kiran now when I know how Deviane feels about me? It would haunt me every moment of our marriage. Every time I held Kiran, I would think of Deviane. When we made love, I'd see Deviane's face. And if she became a nun it would be twice as bad. And what if she is my soul mate and I am too blind to recognize it?
Damn it! I love Kiran, . . . but she doesn’t love me, she’s admitted it. But she’ll grow to love me just like her mother grew to love Ahmad. . . . Deviane loves me but I don’t love her. How ironic? Everything is so complicated and impossible. . . . But, one thing is clear–I promised Kiran I’d marry her and I can’t betray her. . . . But she doesn’t love me. . . . Oh, hell! It doesn’t even matter–I’ll soon be dead anyway, if Malcolm has his way.
***
Ambassador Rawlins walked into his office and sat down. Sharad and General Pelton were seated in front of the Ambassador's desk. The United States Emissary walked in a minute later carrying a handful of large photographs. He hung one up on an easel and then turned to address the group.
"These satellite photographs were taken early this morning. The area you're looking at is just northwest of Port of Spain, near the city of Carenage."
He pointed to a spot on the photograph and continued.
"This area, right here, is an old abandoned warehouse. Actually, many years ago it was part of a U.S. Naval base. After the base was closed, it was turned into a warehouse. Ten years or so ago, it was abandoned and no one has been using it since. If you look closely though, you will see a strange sight."
"What?" Sharad asked.
The Emissary pointed to the west end of the building.
"Right here. There is actually a helicopter on the ground."
After everyone had studied the photo, he replaced it with another one.
"If you look at this blow-up, it's really quite clear."
He pointed to the helicopter. It was clearly discernible in the second photograph. After a minute, he changed photographs again.
"Now, if we look at the next photograph, taken fifteen minutes later, the helicopter is gone."
"So what are you saying?"
"Well, if you study these photographs closely, you'll also see trucks coming and going from the warehouse. In one of the photographs, there’s a boat at a nearby dock, unloading supplies. It looks to me like this could be an NDC installation. It could even be the place the Prime Minister's daughter and Kevin Wells are being held hostage."
"Thank you. We appreciate this information very much. We’ll check out this facility immediately."
"Be careful, Sharad. If you storm the place, they may kill them."
"I know. We’ll plan our assault carefully."
"Good luck."
"Thank you."
Twenty minutes later, Sharad and General Pelton were in a meeting with the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. The mood was somber since everyone knew how perilous this operation would be. One miscalculation could lead to the death of the Prime Minister's daughter and the one witness who could take down the NDC. Military officers were coming and going as the group went over and over every detail of the operation.
"Ladies and gentlemen," General Pelton said. "let's go over the plan one last time, to make sure everyone has it down cold. At eighteen hundred hours, a half dozen men will enter the facility disguised as NDC recruits. They will gain access with the help of a former NDC soldier who was captured earlier today. He's agreed to help get our men inside in exchange for his life and his freedom. Once inside, the sole function of this advance unit is to secure the prisoners and protect them during the assault on the facility, which will begin at nineteen hundred hours."
General Pelton went over to a map of the warehouse and began describing how the operation would be handled.
"Three helicopter assault teams will be dropped in front of the main entrance to the warehouse. Two teams will blow access holes from each side and another will come in from the roof. The entire operation should take less than fifteen minutes, assuming we catch them by surprise. We'll use the helicopter on the roof to transport Kevin and Deviane back to the Prime Minister's residence."
"What if the advance team doesn't get in?" one of the officers asked.
"Then we'll have to move fast and get to the hostages before they have a chance to harm them."
"Do we know where the hostages are being kept?"
"We're pretty sure they’re in the basement. That would be the logical place to keep them, since it would be the most secure location in the facility. You'll need to instruct your men not to be too trigger happy, since it's possible they could be anywhere. The last thing we want to happen is to have one of the hostages killed by our own men."
"Before you leave, ladies and gentlemen," the Prime Minister interjected, "I just want to say to you that the future of Trinidad may well rest on the success of this mission. We're facing the greatest constitutional threat to this nation since it was founded in 1962. If we fail, the government may well fall, and the invidious Malcolm Mann could seize power. Go now, ready yourselves for the operation."
****
"Okay, it's your turn, Deviane."
"Hmm. I can't think of anything else."
"Come on, there must be something else you need to confess. Think back."
"Well–"
Deviane stopped and looked toward the door. The sound of footsteps could be heard in the distance. The door flew open and Ray Mohammed stood in the doorway with another soldier. Ray was carrying a revolver in his belt and the soldier had a rifle. Ray approached Kevin.
The sight of Ray Mohammed angered Kevin. The horror of the assassination attempt came roaring back into his mind. He wished he had some kind of a weapon so he could exact a little revenge. He was frustrated and bitter as the man who had nearly ended his life stood before him.
"I've come back to finish what I started earlier," Ray said.
"What's that?" Kevin asked.
"To teach you a little respect."
"You're wasting your time. I could never respect a cowardly low-life like you."
"Oh, yeah?" he said as he proceeded to smack Kevin across the face and then hit him in the stomach. Kevin doubled over in pain and gasped for air. Ray punched him in the mouth again, knocking him to the floor. Then Ray turned toward Deviane and started unbuckling his belt.
"Now I'm going to show this little virgin what it's like to have a man!"
"No," Kevin screamed as he tried to struggle to his feet. "You can't do that! I'll kill you if you touch her!"
Ray nodded to the guard. The soldier grabbed Kevin and threw him against the concrete wall. Kevin fell on the floor and began coughing up blood. Deviane tried to run over to him, but Ray intercepted her. Holding her by the neck with one hand, he ripped off her T-shirt and threw her onto the mattress. Then he tried to hold her down, while pulling off her jeans. She struggled violently and managed to bite his arm. He cursed at her and slapped her hard across the face. Kevin lunged forward to help her, but the guard hit him in the mouth with the butt of his rifle.
Kevin fell limp onto the concrete and didn't move. Ray fell on top of Deviane and thrust himself inside her. She screamed in pain. Her screams stirred Kevin. He lifted his body, shook his head and then rushed the soldier who was watching the rape with great amusement. Kevin caught the soldier off guard, grabbing his rifle and hitting him hard across the face. The soldier fell to the ground, reeling from the assault. Kevin rushed Ray, hitting him hard across the back of the head. As Ray struggled to his feet, Kevin pointed the rifle at him. Ray went for his revolver, but Kevin pulled the trigger before Ray could take aim.
Ray slumped to one knee and looked at Kevin, moaning with pain. He started to lift his revolver one more time. Kevin fired again and again until Ray Mohammed was dead. Then the guard, who had recovered somewhat from the blow to his head, got up and started charging Kevin. Seeing him in his peripheral vision, Kevin turned, aimed and pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the man in the stomach. He screamed in pain as he grabbed his wound.
By this time, soldiers were rushing down the hallway toward the prison cell. Kevin dropped his gun and put up his hands. Several soldiers entered the room and surrounded him. Malcolm Mann rushed in. He looked at Deviane, who was curled up on the mattress sobbing. He looked at Kevin, knelt down next to Ray and shook his head.
"Ray, you imbecile, look what you've done now! The people will think we're a bunch of pirates. Jesus! I can't believe this! Get them out of here! Send one of the medics down here to take care of these prisoners!"
The soldiers took Ray and the guard away. Malcolm followed them out of the cell and closed the door. Kevin rushed over to Deviane and helped her get dressed.
"Kevin, he raped me! I've been raped!" Deviane cried out. "What am I going to do?"
"Nothing right now, just lie down. The medic will be here in a minute."
"He's ruined my life. Why did he do that? What did I ever do to him?"
Deviane began to wail and moan as she rocked back and forth in utter agony.
"Your life isn't ruined. You'll heal, I promise you."
"Kevin, I've been raped. I’m spoiled. Why did he do it? Damn him! . . . I'm glad you killed him!"
"Deviane, come here," Kevin said as he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "You haven't been spoiled. You're a victim of a senseless crime. That's it. It hasn’t changed the person you are. You can get through this."
"But, how can I. I've been raped! It’s worse than a bullet to the head. I never thought it would happen to me, oh God, Kevin” she sobbed. “How could he have been so cruel? Damn him! My life is over, I just want to die!"
Kevin held Deviane for a long time, trying to console her. She was so distraught, nothing he could do or say helped. Finally, he laid her down. She curled up in the fetal position and stared at the concrete wall.
As Kevin got up, pain shot through his stomach. His head pounded from the blow he had taken. He felt dizzy and nearly fell down. He put one hand against the wall to steady himself. When he regained his balance, he turned and leaned against the wall. The medic came a few minutes later, with food and water. He looked at Deviane. He remarked that there wasn't anything he could do for her and left.
Kevin sat down next to Deviane, who refused to eat, and gently stroked her jet-black hair.
She didn't move, but continued to stare at the blank wall, her eyes wide opened.

Chapter 19

General Pelton went to the microphones that had been hastily set up by the media for the news conference. He opened his notebook and began reading to the crowd of reporters.
“At eighteen hundred hours, six men and an NDC defector drove up to a warehouse that had been identified as NDC headquarters. The defector told the guards that he had some new recruits and needed to bring them down to be processed. The guards did a search and then allowed them to pass. Once inside, the men were led to the armory, where the defector had been assigned. He outfitted them with NDC uniforms, rifles and ammunition. He led them toward the makeshift brig. Unnoticed, they passed by many soldiers and NDC officials, until they reached the corridor leading to the prison cell that held Kevin Wells and Deviane Shah. There, they waited.
“At nineteen hundred hours, six attack helicopters converged on the warehouse. The first two helicopters dropped their squads at the front entrance, where they were met with heavy resistance. While the NDC soldiers were occupied at the front of the building, two attack helicopters fired rockets, ripping gaping holes in both sides of the warehouse. The helicopters landed and government troops poured into the building, meeting little resistance.
“A fifth helicopter landed on the roof. Eight soldiers jumped out to secure it. As they were scrambling into position, an NDC helicopter suddenly appeared and attacked the government troops who were sitting ducks. The pilot of the government helicopter made a desperate attempt to leave, but before he got a hundred yards from the building, he was hit by a missile. The chopper exploded and fell to the ground. The NDC helicopter immediately landed. Several men emerged from the building and climbed into the helicopter.
“The sixth government helicopter, which had been doing surveillance, made a pass and the pilot opened fire with its machine gun. The chopper was hit but not disabled. As soon as it was off the roof, it turned and headed across the Caribbean Sea toward Casper Grande, a small island off the coast of Trinidad. As the government helicopter started to pursue it, another NDC helicopter appeared from the north. After a short chase, it locked on its target and launched a missile that hit the government helicopter dead-on. It burst into flames and fell into the sea. Both NDC helicopters headed out across the Caribbean Sea and disappeared into a blazing sunset.
“Inside the warehouse, a battle was raging. The government defense team had secured the prison cell. A half dozen NDC soldiers came to retrieve the prisoners and take them to the roof. They were surprised by the intense gunfire that greeted them as they made their way down the hall. Three soldiers were immediately hit and fell to the ground. The others laid low, using their fallen comrades as shields and returned the fire. In less than fifteen minutes, the warehouse was secured. The soldiers, pinned down in the hall, surrendered and two government soldiers escorted Kevin and Deviane to a waiting helicopter. Twenty minutes later, they landed at Port of Spain General Hospital and were rushed into the casualty department.
“That’s all I have for now,” he said as he closed his notebook. “I’ll be back when I get more information. Thank you.”

The Prime Minister was waiting in the casualty department of Port of Spain General Hospital when Kevin and Deviane arrived. He immediately went to Deviane.
"Deviane, are you all right?" he asked. There was no response. "What did they do to you, my darling?"
Deviane's eyes were open, but she didn’t react to him at all.
"Kevin, what did those swine do my Deviane? She won't talk to me."
"I'm so sorry, I tried to protect her. She's in shock, I think. After they beat her up, they raped her.”
"Oh, God, no! I'll kill the bastard who did this! Who was it?"
"Ray Mohammed."
"Damn him! I'm going to track him down and kill him with my bare hands!"
"He's already dead. . . . I killed him."
"How did you manage that?"
"It's a long story."
"Tell me, I want to know!"
"They thought I was unconscious, but I was just dazed. When I heard Deviane scream, I jumped up, surprised the guard and took his gun. Then I shot Ray. I'm not sure how many times. I just kept shooting until I knew he was dead."
"Thank God! I hope by now he's half way to hell!”
"After it happened, Deviane went crazy. I tried to calm her down and console her, but she just lost it. She's been staring into space for hours."
Anila came rushing into the waiting room. Seeing Ahmad's tear filled eyes, she knew something was wrong. She immediately began to cry.
"What is it? What has happened? Is my baby all right?"
"She's alive," Ahmad said. "She's not seriously hurt, but she's been raped and beaten."
"Oh Ahmad, no, no!"
Two orderlies took Kevin and wheeled him into a treatment room. Ahmad put his arms around Anila and took her down the hall to their private waiting room. Reporters were everywhere, wanting more details of the raid on the NDC headquarters, but Anamica told them they would have to wait until morning, when General Pelton would brief them further on the operation.
Watching Ahmad and Anila reminded Kevin of his own parents. A surge of guilt came over him as he recalled his promise to call them everyday. He found the nearest phone and called home. His mother wanted him to come home.
“I can’t come home right now.”
“Then we’ll come there,” Mrs. Wells said.
“No, its too chaotic here. It would just complicate things. I’ll be all right, I promise.”
“Oh, Kevin. I’m so worried. I can’t lose you too.”
“You won’t. I’m safe now. I’d like to come home, but I’ve got to stay and figure things out.”
After much reassurance Kevin convinced his mother to stay home. He hung up the phone and laid back in his bed. His mind was still on Deviane. His body ached, he was depressed and he felt terribly guilty over Deviane’s rape. Why did I have to be such a macho smart-ass? Why didn't I just keep my damn mouth shut? Ray might have left us alone, if I hadn’t provoked him. Damn it! I was so selfish. It never even occurred to me that Ray would take out his anger on Deviane. Oh God, I am so sorry. Please help Deviane recover. Please Lord, I beg you.
As he was lamenting over the situation, Kiran was wheeled into the room in a wheel chair. She wore a green hospital gown and no makeup. She looked a little weary too, not the princess he’d first met, but still as beautiful as ever. Kevin felt a warmth radiate through him just being in her presence, but it wasn’t the same surge of excitement he had felt before.
"Kiran, I was hoping you'd come to see me. How are you? I’ve been so worried about you. It was such a relief to find out you were alive and doing well."
"I'm getting better. How are you feeling? You look terrible."
"I'm okay. It's nothing serious, just a few broken ribs. I'm a little sore. . . . How's Deviane?"
"There's no change. She's still just lying there, staring off into space. The doctors finally got her to sleep. They're hoping she'll start to come out of it when she wakes up. I can't imagine being raped like that. I think I would just die. At least you killed the asshole. I'm glad of that."
"You know what's horrible?"
"What?"
"I've just killed a human being, but I feel no remorse. I'm glad he's dead."
"You'll be feeling lots of remorse when you have to tell your friend you killed his brother."
"Oh God! You're right. What will I say to Obatala?"
"I don't know."
"He'll never forgive me. How can two brothers be so different? It's just incredible."
"When you explain what happened, he'll understand."
"Maybe he’ll understand, but that won’t lessen the pain."
"It must of been terrible watching Deviane being raped. I couldn't imagine it."
"I felt a rage you wouldn't believe. When I saw Ray pull off Deviane's jeans and heard her scream, I just wanted to choke him to death!"
"I'm glad you took the gun instead."
"I don't even know how I got the gun. It all happened so fast. It almost seems now like it was nothing but a bad dream."
"So now what are you going to do?"
"What do you mean?"
"A lot has happened, you may have had enough of Trinidad. I wouldn’t blame you if you just packed your bags and got the hell out of this dismal country."
Kevin suddenly realized he had been less than excited to see his bride to be. He gave her a gentle smile.
“Come here,” he said. She struggled out of her wheel chair and sat next to him in his bed. “I’m so sorry all this has spoiled such a happy moment in our lives. I love you.”
“I was so worried about you,” Kiran said, tears streaming from her eyes. “I thought for sure they would kill you.”
“And I had no idea whether you were alive or dead. After taking that bullet in the jungle I was sick that I had lost you forever.”
“Oh, Kevin! I’m so glad you’re safe,” she said as she bent over and looked him in the eyes. He smiled and pulled her lips to his.
After a few seconds she lifted her head and said, “So whose kiss was better mine or Deviane’s?”
"Huh?" Kevin said as he was blasted with a rush of guilt.
"Kevin, I saw you and Deviane out there in the forest. I wasn't asleep. I know Deviane loves you, and it sure looked like you were enjoying her advances."
"Why didn't you say something?"
"I wanted to see what you would do. You didn't put up much of a struggle for me."
"I didn't want to offend Deviane, or wake you up by causing a commotion."
"It's all right, I know it wasn’t your fault. She’s been jealous of every boy I’ve ever dated. I should have warned you.”
"She’s got some crazy idea that I’m her soul mate.”
"Is that so crazy? I know about your search for a virgin."
"What search? What are you talking about?"
"I heard it on Jay Leno. He said you were here in Trinidad because you thought I was a virgin. You wanted the perfect relationship, remember?"
“Virginity is just part of it. Obviously I don’t want to marry a girl who has slept with every jock on the football team. How could there be any trust in such a relationship?”
“True, but what if it wasn’t every jock on the football team, but just one jock?. . . . I mean what if a girl thought she loved a man so she gave up her virginity only to find out she had been mistaken?”
“That might be different, it depends on the circumstances.”
“So, being a virgin isn’t a hard and fast rule.”
“No, I never said it was. Everybody just jumps to conclusions. I just want a relationship that’s based on love and not sex. Love first, then sex.”
“Good, I wouldn’t want to marry a man who couldn’t forgive. Forgiveness is such a great virtue.”
“Yeah. . . . I suppose it is.”
Kiran continued, "So, do you remember when we were in the Natural History Museum? Remember the boy I talked to while Deviane tried to charm you?"
"Right."
“He’s the one.”
“What one?”
"He's the one, you know, that I thought I loved.”
Kevin’s face dropped. “You were talking about yourself?”
“Why of course. What do think was the point of the conversation? I thought I loved him. We talked of marriage. One afternoon on the beach, where I told you the lovers go, well, we made love there. It was wonderful. . . . Then he dumped me like I was a two dollar whore.”
Kevin felt weak. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He closed his eyes, hoping when he opened them again Kiran would be gone and he’d know he had been dreaming. He opened them. Kiran was weeping.
“I’m sorry, Kevin. I should have told you before we talked of marriage, but I never dreamed virginity would be a concern to a boy from America. If you want to forget our marriage, I’ll understand.”
“No, no,” Kevin said. “If it was just an isolated incident I can understand. It’s almost happened to me a couple times.”
“Good,” Kiran said. “I was starting to get excited about planning the wedding.” She smiled, laid her head on Kevin’s shoulder and closed her eyes.
“But, there is one thing,” Kevin said. “There must be love.”
Kiran’s eyes opened. She sat up and looked at Kevin. “There will be, it will come, I’m sure.”
Kevin took a deep breath. His eyes showed his disappointment.
Kiran got up. “I’ve got to go. I’ll come visit you later.”
Kevin didn't respond. Instead, he stared into space.
Kiran motioned for the orderly to take her away.

That night Kevin couldn't sleep. He was worried sick about Deviane. He wondered what was going on in her mind.
Was she thinking about what had happened to her? Was she aware of what was going on around her? Was she thinking of him? Was she really his soul mate?
He tossed and turned and tried to fall asleep, but to no avail. Finally, he could stand it no more. He got up, put on a robe and headed toward Deviane's room. He had been told that he couldn't see her until morning, but he couldn't wait. When he got to her room, Anila was beside her bed. The room was dark, illuminated only by one small lamp in the corner. When she saw him, she opened up her arms and embraced him.
"Oh, Kevin, she didn't move all day."
"Was she awake?"
"Yes, but she's sleeping now."
"I had to come see her. I'm so worried about her."
"Come here. You can sit with her. I need a break anyway."
"Thank you."
Anila smiled at Kevin and started to leave the room. Then she turned and spoke.
"Kevin, I know if it hadn't been for you, I would have lost Kiran. I know you did your best to protect Deviane. I just want you to know that I will always be in your debt and I will always love you, as I would my own son."
"Thank you, Anila. Your daughters have told me what a wonderful mother you are. I hope I will have the opportunity to get to know you very well."
"Yes, I hope so too. Okay, I'll be back in a little while."
When Anila had left the room, Kevin took Deviane's hand and squeezed it gently. He bent over her and kissed her softly on the lips. Even in her comatose state, the feel of her sweet lips sent shivers through his body. He stood up and gazed at her, wondering if she would ever regain the joyful, confident spirit that he had grown to love. After awhile, he sat down on the bed beside her and began stroking her long black hair. He ran through his mind every moment they had been together.
Why hadn’t I seen it? From the instant we first met, she wanted me. She loved me, the kind of love I’ve always wanted. How could I have been so blind? I can’t marry Kiran, she doesn’t love me. She just wants a ticket to America. But how will I get out of my commitment to marry her without angering her father and mother? I can’t do anything that might jeopardize my future with Deviane. She was right, we are soul mates and I love her so.
After a while Anila came into the room. Kevin had his back to her so he didn’t see her. He began to talk to Deviane out loud.
"Deviane, I don't know if you can hear me, but just in case you can, I want you to know some things. First of all, I'm not going to marry Kiran. She doesn’t love me and I can’t live a life without love. I don’t know how I’ll tell her, but somehow I’ll figure out a way. I know now that I love you. Once I tell her the wedding is off, there’ll be nothing stopping us from being together. We can have that perfect relationship that we've both wanted so badly. All you have to do is wake up and get better. Please Deviane, you have to wake up. I love you. I need you."
Deviane coughed and twitched slightly in her bed. Kevin grabbed both her hands and squeezed them, hoping they would suddenly come alive and embrace him. Nothing happened, her body remained limp and lifeless. Kevin turned as he sensed someone behind him. But by the time he looked Anila was gone.
Kevin laid her hands back down and sat in the chair next to her. After awhile, he laid his head on the bed and fell asleep. An hour later, Anila woke him up and sent him back to his room, where he slept on and off until morning.

Chapter 20

When Kevin woke up the next morning, he was excruciatingly sore. Noticing his discomfort, the nurse brought him a pain pill. He ate his breakfast and then took a hot shower. Ordinarily, he would have been anxious to be discharged since he didn't like hospitals much. However, today he had no such wish because he wanted to be close to Deviane. He was about to go to her room when the Attorney General walked in.
"Mr. Wells, how are you feeling today?" Sharad asked.
"A little sore, but I think I'm going to live."
"Good. I'm glad to hear it. Listen, I need to ask a favor of you."
"Oh really? What's that?"
"We've arrested some NDC leaders and I need you to come down to the courthouse to see if you can identify any of them. You might have seen them when you were kidnaped, or at the NDC headquarters."
"Sure, no problem. How long will it take?"
"Just a couple hours."
"Okay. Can I go see Deviane for a minute before we go?"
"Sure, how is she doing?"
"There wasn't any change yesterday. I haven't seen her yet today, so I just want to check on her."
"Okay, I'll wait here."
"Thanks," Kevin said as he hurried out of the room and went down the hall.
When he walked in, the Prime Minister was standing over his daughter, looking at her tranquil face.
"Oh, hi, Mr. Prime Minister."
"You can call me Ahmad, Kevin. After all you're damn near part of the family. Although I wish you'd make up your mind which one of my daughters you love."
Kevin froze. “What do you mean?”
“Anila overheard you last night talking to Deviane. Have you told Kiran how you feel?
“No, Sir. . . . Oh God, I’m so sorry. I had no idea I’d fall in love with Deviane. I really thought I loved Kiran, but as I got to know them both better and I found out Deviane loved me, everything changed.”
“It’s not your fault. I just thought it would be such a wonderful match, you and Kiran. An American hero and my daughter. I thought it might bring Trinidad and America closer together. You know, soften some of the anti-American feeling that has been so rampant lately. But, it doesn’t matter which daughter you marry.”
“So, you don’t object to me marrying Deviane?” Kevin asked.
“No, I just pray she wakes up soon so she can start planning her wedding."
"Oh God, so do I. She has to wake up. She just has to be my bride."
“So, how do you plan to tell Kiran of your decision?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t figured that out yet.”
“Well, I can have Anila tell her if you wish.”
“No, that wouldn’t be right. I’ll tell her. I’ll tell her tonight.”
"Good. I’ve got a cabinet meeting tonight. I don’t want to be home when you tell her.”
Kevin smiled. “I don’t blame you.”
“So, Sharad is going to take you to identify some of the NDC pigs, huh?"
"That's what he says."
"Listen, Kevin. We know for a fact that everyone we picked up was in on the assassination attempt and the kidnaping. I know you might not recognize them all, but so what. Who could challenge you if you did identify them all? We need to rid Trinidad of all these evil men, who would destroy democracy."
"I can't falsely accuse someone, Ahmad. I told you that."
"No, of course not, but don't hesitate to identify anyone who looks the least bit like one of the traitors. We have been carefully watching these people and have put together files on their sinister activities. Ask Sharad to show you the files. You will see that they all belong behind bars or at the end of a rope."
"I'll identify anyone I recognize, don't worry."
"Even if you don't identify them, we have enough on them to put them away for many years. It would just be a lot easier, you know, if you did recognize them. You know what a tough burden the State has to convict someone. This is why so many criminals are let go each year. We can’t let these traitors back on the street. Help us out here, Kevin.”
"Like I said, I’ll identify anyone I recognize."
The Prime Minister nodded and turned to go.
"Here, I’ll leave you with Deviane for a moment, but don't linger, you have important work to do."
"Yes, sir. I'll be brief."
The Prime Minister left and Kevin went over to Deviane. She was awake, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. Kevin waved his hand over her face, but there was no response. He bent down, pressed his lips next to hers, gently caressing them with his tongue, but she didn't move. He stood up, smiled and took her hand.
"Deviane, while I'm gone I want you to forget about all the horrible things that have happened to you in the past few days and concentrate on what a wonderful life we’re going to have together, okay? We can’t change the past, but the future will be what we make of it. Now that I’ve found you, I can’t live without you. I'll be back soon. I love you."

Sharad took Kevin downtown to the courthouse where the prisoners were being detained. The building was crowded with spectators and members of the press. Sharad ordered the driver to take them into a private entrance underneath the courthouse. They got out of the car and went inside. The building was spacious and ornately decorated. It reminded Kevin of the Texas State Capitol building. They walked down the hall and through a private entrance, guarded by two security police.
"Okay, Kevin, you've seen these two-way mirrors before, right?"
"Sure."
"Well, we're going to bring in five groups of eight men. Take your time. If you see anybody you recognize, let us know."
"Okay."
Kevin sat down and waited for the guards to bring in the first group. As they filed in, he looked them over very carefully.
"The third man on the right, he was a guard I saw when they took off my blindfold at the prison."
"Excellent. Anyone else?"
"No, none of them look familiar."
"All right, bring in the next group," Sharad yelled.
The guards brought in the next group and Kevin scrutinized them as carefully as he had the first.
"I've never seen any of these men before."
"Are you sure, Kevin? I've got the files on these men. Would you like to see them?"
"No, what good would that do? If I don't recognize them, nothing in that file is going to help."
"Didn't the Prime Minister have a talk with you, Kevin?"
"Yes, but I'm not going to lie, it wouldn't be right. I couldn't live with myself."
"Kevin, these men are traitors. We know they were instrumental in the plot to assassinate the Prime Minister. Do your duty here."
"Let me see the others. Maybe I'll recognize some of them."
"Okay, bring in the next group."
The third group walked in the room. Kevin hoped he would see someone he recognized but none of the men were at all familiar.
"I'm sorry. I've never seen any of them."
"Damn it, Kevin. We've gone to a lot of trouble to find the bastards who were responsible for your kidnaping. Don't you want to punish the men who caused Deviane to be raped?"
"Of course, but Deviane wouldn't want an innocent man dying either. She believes in justice, just as I do."
"And Ahmad and I believe in justice too, but sometimes to obtain justice you have to do some things that are not pleasant. These men, they are all guilty! That's what I've been trying to tell you."
"They have a right to a trial, don't they?"
"Of course, and that’s why we need your help. With your testimony they will surely be convicted. Without it they will more than likely go free."
"I won't do it. I'm sorry, it's not right. Would you please take me back to the hospital?"
"You're very naive, Kevin. I hope you understand what you've just done."
"I've done the right thing, that's all that is important."
"We shall see."

Kiran was waiting for Kevin in his bed when he got back to his room at the hospital. Kevin was surprised to see her. He hadn’t had time to plan out how he would break the bad news to her.
“Kiran, hi. How do you feel?”
“Horrible, how come you didn’t come say goodbye before you left the hospital?”
“I’m sorry, Sharad came to get me and he was in a big hurry.”
“But you managed to see Deviane before you left?”
“Right. . . . Listen, Kiran, something has happened to me these last few days. I don’t know how to explain it . . . but, well . . . you know, Deviane and I spent some time together while the NDC had us. We talked a lot and got to know each other very well. Deviane loves me. I don’t know why, but she does and I’ve fallen in love with her too.”
“You said you loved me.”
“I do love you, but I’ve come to realize that you’ll never love me the way I need you to.”
Kiran began to weep. “How do you know that?! You can’t just turn love on and off. It takes time. You never gave me a chance.”
“You’re right, I didn’t but–”
“How could you do this to me?! How could Deviane do this to me?! How am I supposed to feel when I see you together? Did you ever think of that?”
“Kiran, I’m sorry. I hope someday you’ll forgive me.”
Kiran turned over in the bed and began crying hard. Kevin came over to her and put his hand on her shoulder.
“It would have never worked for us,” Kevin said. “We weren’t right for each other. I think deep down you know that. You need to find someone you love and who loves you.”
Kiran turned over and wiped the tears from her eyes with a tissue. “I know, but I’m so scared I’ll never find that person. I thought you were handsome and such a good person that surely I would fall in love with you. That’s why I agreed to marry you.”
“I know. But, you’ve just got to be patient. The right man will come, don’t worry.”

They embraced and then Kevin left to be with Deviane. He spent the rest of the evening at her side. He held her hand, talked to her, told her stories, whispered in her ear and played with her hair. Finally, at eleven, he decided to turn on the TV. The Tonight Show was just starting.
"Ladies and gentlemen, America's king of late night television, Jaaay Lennno!"
Jay stepped out and took a bow.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight we have three great guests, Gina Davis, Whoopi Goldberg and the music of the Plain White Sand."
The crowd roared their approval and Jay continued.
"Well, by now you've probably heard that Kevin Wells has been rescued."
The crowd applauded and roared with delight.
"It seems the government launched an all out attack on the National Defense Coalition hideout where they were holding Kevin and the Prime Minister's daughter, Deviane Shah. Fortunately, they were both rescued. However, apparently they were both severely beaten."
"Ohhh. . . . ," The crowd wailed.
"Yes, and poor Deviane is still in shock from the incident. Anyway, I just want to say, we're all praying that both Kevin and Deviane fully recover. Later on, we'll have an NBC News Special where you can see a full report on the raid, together with some actual footage of the assault."
"Can you believe that, Deviane? We're on national, I mean, international television. Damn. Everybody in the world knows about us. You heard Jay, didn't you? The whole world is praying for you to recover. Please wake up, honey. I love you so much. I need you."
Kevin got up and went to the window. He looked out at the beautiful lights of the city and prayed to God to have his Deviane back. Tears ran down his face. He turned and walked back to the bed, picked up Deviane's hand and held it against his cheek.
"If you don't wake up, I'm going to have to become a priest, I guess. If I can't give my life to you, then I'll have to give it to God."
Kevin looked down at Deviane's face and saw a tear slowing running down her cheek. Her head turned. She looked at Kevin and tried to smile.
"You wouldn't be happy as a priest. You love women too much."
Kevin smiled and replied, "I love one woman too much."
Deviane took Kevin’s face in her hands and gave him a loving look. “Oh, Kevin, are you all right? I couldn’t bear it when they were beating you up.”
“I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, the doctors say I’ll be as good as new in a few weeks.”
“What about Kiran, is she okay?”
“Yes. She was very lucky.”
“Good, I’m so relieved. . . . Have you told her how you feel?"
"Yes, she wasn’t pleased but I think she knew deep down we weren’t right for each other."
"So, will she ever talk to me again?"
"She loves you, Deviane. She’ll get over it."
"Do you really want to marry me, even after what happened? I'm not a virgin anymore. How can you even consider marrying me?"
Kevin sighed. “I’ve never told anyone about this, but there is something you should know about me before you commit to marrying me.”
Deviane frowned. “What?”
“It’s something that has haunted me for many years. It is so painful there are few nights that I’m free of the horror.”
“What is it?”
“I never told you about my sister, Diana.”
“No, I didn’t know you had one.”
“She was very pretty, too pretty. When she was young Dad and Mom protected and sheltered her. I remember going to her ballet recitals and watching her dance. She was like a butterfly, so vibrant and happy. She was a dream sister, so thoughtful and loving. We used to talk for hours and hours, just she and I, about life, our dreams and how we were going to conquer the world. I loved her so.”
“What happened, Kevin?”
“She was so naive, so vulnerable and so unprepared for the evil in the world. It all started when she went to junior high school. She was very popular. The boys fought over her and she loved the attention she was drawing. Unfortunately she was too trusting. She assumed everyone, like herself, was pure and honest.
“She went to a lot of parties. Parties where there were older guys, high school jocks and spoiled rich kids. Mom and Dad tried to stop it, but the more they came down on her, the more she tried to defy them.
“I was too young to understand what was happening. I knew it was something bad, really bad, but I didn’t know how to deal with it. Diana suddenly got distant and didn’t have time for me anymore. When she was home, she’d go to her room and lock the door. She’d spend hours and hours on the phone and would only come out to make a hasty exit or grab something out of the refrigerator.
“Then one weekend my parents went to San Antonio for their anniversary. Diana was supposed to watch me. After my parents were gone she arranged for me to stay overnight with one of my friends. I didn’t think anything about it until the police called late that night.
“Diana had gotten rid of me because she was planning a party at the house, a big party. I was told there were over fifty teenagers there. Apparently the party went okay for a while. The kids were drinking, smoking grass, doing a little cocaine but nothing really nasty was happening. Then a couple guys showed up with some ruffies. They were looking to get laid and didn’t want any resistance. Diana was an obvious target. She was so beautiful and sexy.
“She immediately took a liking to one of the guys and started talking to him. He spiked her drink when she wasn’t looking. When she went numb he took her to her bedroom and three of them raped her over and over. Apparently they did the same to two other girls. About midnight the party got a little noisy and some neighbors called the police.
“The police came and searched the house for drugs. When they came to Diana’s room they questioned the boys but when they tried to question Diana she wasn’t responsive. One of them checked and realized she didn’t have a pulse so they called for an ambulance, but it was too late. She was D.O.A. A fatal combination of drugs and alcohol.
“I got a call to come home immediately. When I got there the police and news reporters were swarming all over the yard. I was only eleven years old. It was pretty scary. The reporters kept asking me questions but I didn’t understand what they were talking about. Finally a cop took me by the arm and escorted me into the house. He told me to wait but I knew something was wrong upstairs. I ran up the stairs to my sister’s room. The room was a shambles, then I saw a white sheet covering a body. I was shaking badly when I pulled down the sheet to see who it was. It was Diana, cold and blue, her eyes wide open. I fainted.”
“Oh my God, Kevin. I’m so sorry.”
Kevin began to cry. “So you see, I have good reason to feel the way I do about casual sex, I’ve seen how destructive it can be. How a life can be destroyed. It’s not just a joke like most people think.”
“I know, Kevin. I know. I’m so sorry.”
Kevin wiped the tears from his eyes. "So I don’t care about what happened to you. Anyone can take but only you can give. And you’re going to give yourself to me, and only me, and that’s what’s important. Nothing has happened to change what exists between us. I love you. I will always love you, no matter what happens to either of us."
Deviane smiled. "See, I told you we were soul mates."
"Yeah, it took me awhile to figure that out. I'm not as smart as you are, but I can live with that."
"Good, because I won't ever let you forget it."
Kevin smiled. "I need a kiss. I've been dying to kiss you."
"Haven't you kissed me a hundred times the past two days?"
"Yeah, maybe, but I think it will be more satisfying if we both participate."
"Oh, all right. Come here, I'll give you a kiss you'll never forget."
"You sure you have the strength?"
She smiled. "Oh, I can probably manage."
Kevin leaned down and Deviane gave him a long, delicate kiss. Then she slid her face down and bit his shoulder just below his neck.
"Ehhh! Ahhh! Ohhh. . . . God! What was that?"
“That was the number two of Twenty-four Ways to Drive Your Man Wild."
“Oh, man. So I’ve got twenty-two more of your little maneuvers to look forward to?”
“Uh huh. . . . But that will have to wait. You better go find my mother and tell her I’ve regained my sanity. I know she's been worried."
"Right. . . . I'm so happy, Deviane. I love you so much!"
"Me too."