29 Good Intentions. Bad Intentions.

The next day the girls made the three-hour drive to Cuzco. Dr. Sam had taught the youths how to drive, but it was mostly on dirt roads and through the neighboring towns of Misión. None of them had ever driven in a city as big as Cuzco, and despite what Dante had told Dr. Sam, she was nervous as she got into the town. “There are a lot of cars here.”

“Just don’t crash. I don’t want to be in an accident,” Rand told her.

“No one wants to be in an accident. That’s why it’s called an accident.”

“But if we did, we could buy Dr. Sam a new truck,” Spinny said.

“We should buy Doc a new truck anyway,” Rand said. “A nice one with a cover over the back.”

“That comes later,” Dante said.

“Do you know where you’re going?” Spinny asked.

“It’s on that paper. It’s near the Plaza de Armas, in the center of town.”

“Look right there,” Rand said. “There’s a sign pointing to it. Plaza de Armas, tres kilómetros.”

“Where did all these people come from?”

“They’re tourists from other countries.” They drove another five minutes. Then Dante said, “That’s it right there. See that sign, oficina del ensayador.”

“What’s that?” Spinny asked.

“It’s where we exchange our gold,” Dante said.

“Why would they exchange our gold?” Spinny asked.

“They buy it from us, then sell it for more.”

“And what if someone tries to steal it from us?”

Dante exhaled. “We’ll kill them.”

Rand looked at her. “You’re kidding, right?”

“We’ll just make them wish they were dead.” Dante turned to Spinny. “First sign of trouble, you let out the loudest, most painful screech ever.”

“It’s not a screech,” she said. “It’s an acoustic tone.”

“It’s a screech,” Dante said. “And it feels like someone put a nail into your ear.”

“That makes me sound like an old witch or something.”

“I agree with Spinny,” Rand said. “It’s a tone.”

“I don’t care what you call it. If we’re in trouble, just use it.”

“You know we’re not allowed to use our powers in public,” Rand said.

“Except in emergencies. If they’re stealing our gold, that’s an emergency.”

“What should I do?” Rand asked.

“You can scream too. It won’t help much, but it will make you feel useful.”

“Don’t forget whose power found the gold,” Rand said. “Who’s useful?”

“You are.”

Dante parked the truck at the curb, hitting it as she did.

“Nice landing.”

“Shut up or I’ll make you drive.”

“Please don’t,” Rand said.

“Come on. Let’s go.”

The three climbed out of the truck. Rand opened the assayer’s office door, and Dante carried the bag of gold inside. The office was small, painted coral pink, with a single glass-topped counter that separated the proprietor from the clients. There were certificates on the wall verifying that the man was licensed and accredited.

A man sat behind the counter reading a magazine. He was older, with long sideburns and a potbelly. He wore a collared shirt with no tie, and suspenders. He also wore a gun holstered at his chest. He looked up from the magazine.

“May I help you?”

“Sí,” Dante said. “We need to exchange some gold.”

“It’s in the bag?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Just put it on the counter.”

“Okay.” Dante struggled to lift the bag up. It landed on the counter with a thud, which caught the man’s attention.

“That’s your gold?”

“Yes, sir.”

He opened the bag and looked inside. He took out a large nugget. “Beautiful,” he said. He looked up at the girls. “Where did you get this much gold?”

“It’s our father’s.”

“He trusts you with this much gold?”

“Of course. We’re his children.”

“He spends it on us anyway,” Spinny said.

“You have a very generous father,” the man said. “We need to weigh it.” He poured the contents of the bag into a plastic tray, then set the tray on his scale. “That is thirty-seven ounces even, minus point-eight ounces for the tray, so thirty-six-point-two ounces.”

“That’s what I got too,” Dante said. She had washed and weighed the gold the night before.

“The current asking spot price is 7,460 soles per troy ounce.” He lifted a calculator to the top of the counter and started pushing buttons. “Seven thousand four hundred and sixty soles. Times that by thirty-six-point-two. Is 270,052 soles.” He rubbed his hand across his mouth. “Okay, would you like a money order, or do you want cash?”

“What’s a money order?” Spinny asked.

“We’ll take cash,” Dante said.

The man’s brow furrowed. “Señoritas, are you certain you want to be walking around this town with that much cash? There are pickpockets and robbers in this town.”

“We’re okay,” Dante said.

The man shook his head. “I don’t keep that much cash in my office. I will have to go to the bank. It’s across the street on the next block.”

“Just leave the gold here,” Dante said.

“Sí.” He walked out around the counter. “Lock the door after me,” he said. “It will only take a few minutes.”

About fifteen minutes later they could hear the man’s keys in the door. He opened the door and walked in carrying a gray cloth money bag with a zipper. He laid it on the counter. “I will weigh the gold again.” He put the tray back onto the scale. “Okay, it is all here. Now I’ll count out your money.” He laid the bills out in stacks of ten thousand.

When he’d finished counting, he put the money back into the bag and slid it to them, along with a paper. “Here’s your receipt of our exchange. Thank you for coming in.”

Dante took the money bag and put it into her purse along with the receipt. “Thank you.”

“We’ll be back soon,” Spinny said. “With a lot more.”

As they walked out the door, Rand said, “I don’t think you should say that.”

“Who cares?” Spinny said. “We’re freaking rich.”

“Rand’s right. It’s like Doc said, gold makes people act different. Did you see how that guy looked at us? He looked jealous.”

“I didn’t know gold was worth so much,” Spinny said.

“We know. That’s why you paid over seven hundred and fifty soles for a Coke.”

“I know. I’m stupid. But we could buy two X-ray machines.”

“Let’s walk around,” Dante said.

“I think we should go someplace really nice to eat,” Rand said. “Like, a fancy restaurant with cloth napkins.”

“After we shop,” Dante said.

A few moments later they were passing a boutique when Dante said, “Stop everything,” her voice rising with excitement. “We’re not going anywhere until I buy that jacket!”

In the store’s window was a mannequin wearing a woman’s short-waisted, red leather biker jacket with a buckled waist and wide lapels.

“That is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Rand examined the price tag. “Guys, it’s six hundred dollars.”

“An hour’s work,” Dante said, “and a lifetime of enjoyment.”

“You can’t wear it around the colony. Everyone will want to know how you bought it. Especially the doc.”

“I know. I won’t wear it until after we surprise him with the machine.”

“If you’re getting one, I’m getting one too,” Rand said. “I found the gold.”

“We know,” Dante said.

“Wait, we should get matching ones,” Spinny said.

“We’re not getting matching jackets,” Dante said. “That would be lame. No one else gets red.”

“I don’t even like red,” Rand said.

The young women walked into the store, where they were greeted by a young, well-dressed saleslady.

“Buenas tardes,” she said, looking them up and down. “May I help you?”

“I’d like to try on that red jacket in the window,” Dante said.

“The Neiman Marcus,” she said. “Of course.” She looked them over in their country attire. “It is rather expensive.”

“We know,” Spinny said. “We have lots of money. In fact, we all want jackets.”

The woman smiled. “Very well. My name is Valentina.”

“Her name is Dante,” Spinny said. “I’m Spinny, which is short for ‘Spinoza,’ and she’s Rand.”

“You have very interesting names,” Valentina said as she took the jacket off the mannequin. She checked the jacket’s label. “This is a size small; I think it will fit.” She handed the jacket to Dante. “There are mirrors over there.”

“Hold this,” Dante said, handing the purse to Rand. She walked over to the mirrors, slipped on the jacket, and slowly turned around, to examine herself from different angles.

“It’s beautiful,” Valentina said.

“It really is,” Rand said. “Stunning.”

Dante smiled. She had never worn anything that nice before. “It’s perfect. It’s softer than I thought it would be.”

“It’s lambskin,” Valentina said. “It’s as soft as leather gets. It’s also very smooth and flattering. Not as bulky as the cowhide.”

“I want lambskin too,” Spinny said. Then she glanced at Dante. “But not red.”

“We’ll find you something beautiful too,” Valentina said. “Would you like to pay for that now?”

Dante sensed that she was testing to see if they really had the money. “Sure.” Dante took the jacket off and handed it to the clerk.

Valentina carried it over to the counter. “Will you be paying cash or credit card?”

“Cash,” Dante said. “Rand, bring the purse.”

Rand brought her the purse. Dante set it on the counter, took out the money bag, and unzipped it. Valentina was noticeably surprised at how much money was in it.

“How much is it?” Dante asked.

“Six hundred thirteen dollars,” Valentina said.

Dante counted out the bills, then set them on the counter. “Six hundred and thirteen.”

“Very good.” Valentina rang it up in the cash register and handed her a receipt. “There you go. Would you like me to wrap it for you?”

“No, thank you. But I’d like a sack to carry it in.”

“It comes in a very nice box,” Valentina said. “Let me go in back and get it.” She disappeared through a door behind the counter.

“I like her,” Spinny said.

“She thinks we’re dumb country folk,” Dante said.

“What’s wrong with being from the country?” Rand asked.

“There’s nothing wrong with being from the country,” Dante said. “City people just think they’re smarter. It’s stupid.”

---

In the back room Valentina dialed a number on her cell phone.

“Marcos, it’s me. There are three girls here with a bag of money you could choke on. They’re Peruvian. From the country. And take their purchases, too. They’re buying very expensive jackets.

“They look eighteen-ish. The money is in the tall girl’s purse. There’s a bank bag filled with cash. I’m talking thousands of dollars…. No, they’re not with a cartel. Okay. I’ll send them out the back into the alley. Hurry. I’ll delay them as long as I can.”

She hung up, then walked back out to the front. “Did you ladies find something else you like?”

“You were getting me a box,” Dante said, noticing her empty hands.

“Oh my, soy tan estupida! I’ll grab that.” She ran back, grabbed a Neiman Marcus box, and returned. “There you go. Sorry, I had a phone call. I get distracted so easy.” She opened the box and splayed open a sheet of tissue. Then she folded the jacket and put it inside. “Trust me, you are going to turn heads with that.”

“What do you guys think of this one?” Spinny asked.

“It’s pretty,” Rand said.

“Pretty or cool?”

“Choose one,” Dante said.

“Hmm. Maybe not.” Spinny turned to Rand. “Are you getting a jacket?”

“I think I’m going to look around some more.”

“You’re right,” Spinny said. “It’s kind of like marrying the first boy you date.”

“Not me,” Dante said. “I’ve been stalking this boy for a long time.” She turned to Valentina. “Do you know of any good restaurants in town?”

“I know several. What are you in the mood for?”

“Just something good.”

“And fancy,” Rand added.

“Good and fancy. I know a place if you don’t mind paying a little more.”

“Not at all,” Spinny said. “We’ve got plenty.”

Dante nudged her.

“My favorite place is Ofrenda’s. It’s very popular. And their presentation is beautiful.”

“Do they have cloth napkins?” Rand asked.

Valentina thought a moment. “Yes. They do.”

Dante shook her head. “Does the food taste good?”

“Oh, it’s delicious.”

“How do we get there?”

“It’s in walking distance. It’s in the plaza. I’ll write it down for you—359 Calle Plateros. Let me find a pen.” She took her time looking around.

“There’s one right there,” Dante said, pointing to the pen on the counter.

“Oh, of course there is. I swear I must be blind.” She slowly wrote down the address and handed it to Dante. “It’s 359 Calle Plateros.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” As Dante picked up her jacket, Valentina said, “Wait, Spinny, before you go, can I show you one more jacket? It’s really cute, and I don’t want you to buy another jacket, then think, ‘Oh, I could have had that one.’ ”

“Sure,” Spinny said.

“I’ll be right back.” She went back to the office and called her cohorts. “Are you here?”

“We just blocked off one end of the alley. We’re walking around now.”

“Hurry, they’re ready to leave.” She hung up, waited a minute, then walked back out. “Well, like I said, it was really cute. They sold it last night.”

“That makes me want it,” Spinny said. “And I haven’t even seen it.”

“Isn’t it funny that way?”

“Thank you,” Dante said, holding up the paper with the address.

“Oh, there’s a shortcut to the restaurant. I’ll let you come out the back. That way you don’t have to walk through the crowds.”

“Thank you,” Rand said.

“Just this way,” Valentina said.

They followed her through the store’s back room, where she opened the exterior door. “Employees entrance.”

“Thank you,” Dante said again. They all stepped out into a narrow alley.

“Good luck,” Valentina said, then shut the door. They heard the door lock.

“Hmm. She didn’t say which way to go,” Rand said.

“The plaza is that way,” Dante said. “But there’s a car blocking the end of the alley. We’ll have to go around the other way.”

As they started toward the other end, two men entered the alley. One was tall for a Peruvian, the other normal-sized and losing his hair. They both wore sunglasses and jackets, even though it was summer.

“They don’t look ethical,” Spinny said.

“Just pretend you don’t see them,” Dante said.

When the men were a few yards from the girls, the two men moved to the center of the alley, blocking their path. One of the men said, “Excuse me, we’re not from here. Can I ask you directions?”

“We’re not from here either,” Dante said.

“I know,” he said, pulling a gun from his waist. “Give us your purse and your box.”

Dante was as frozen with fear as the others.

“Just take it,” the tall guy said to his friend.

The shorter guy grabbed Dante’s purse and tossed it to the other. Then he grabbed the box. He kept the gun on them as they backed up. “Don’t make a sound, or we’ll hurt you.”

It was as if he had reminded them of their power. Dante took the gum out of her mouth and tore it into two pieces. “Rand, your ears.”

“What?”

“Your ears. Spinny, now would be good,” Dante said, shoving her chewing gum into her ears.

Spinny let out an ultra-decibel, high-pitched scream that could be heard for more than a mile.

The two men dropped everything as they instinctively cupped their hands over their ears, which already had blood coming from them.

Dante picked up her purse and jacket, then shouted at them, “You are evil, unethical men.” Then she took in a deep breath and breathed out a powerful blast of ozone. The men began choking and gasping for air. The tall man fell unconscious.

“You can stop now!” Dante shouted at Spinny.

Spinny stopped. “That worked.”

“Did you kill him?” Rand asked.

Dante looked at the man lying motionless on the ground. “I don’t know. Does it really matter?”

“It might to them,” Rand said, glancing at the police running toward the alley.

“Oh,” Dante said. “We’d better go.” They walked to the end of the alley, then onto the crowded sidewalk, blending in with the hundreds of tourists.

“We should go home now,” Dante said.

“We didn’t even eat,” Rand said.

“We’ll stop at a grocery store. We still need to get the things Doc asked for.”

“I wanted to try that place, Ofrenda’s,” Spinny said.

“You know that Valentina woman was in on that, right?”

Spinny looked shocked. “What?”

“Don’t be dumb. That’s why she was taking her time and kept going into the back. She saw our money and went and called her friends. You don’t think that was a coincidence that we went out into the alley at the same time those guys showed up? She probably has people at the restaurant, too.”

“Oh, I hate her,” Spinny said.

“We need to get out of this town,” Dante said.

“What about the X-ray machine?” Rand asked.

“We can give the doctor a picture of it with the money. He might want to buy a different one anyway.”

“So much for cloth napkins,” Rand said.