THE INSURGENCE of CHAN SANTA CRUZ

BOOK SIX: THE FIRST of the BOOKS of CHANGE

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

The last utterance of Rivera fell to the earth like a corpse and then, as if infected by tiny scavengers within, voices arose… small and questioning at the first, but growing more numerous and more angry. “What bonus? What bonus?”

"That money was not intended as a bonus," Bravo explained, "but to be used as a special fund for ammunition. Plenty of ammunition," he added in a lower, more menacing voice.

"What bonus, General?" someone to Bravo's right called loudly.

"It was no good," Bravo spoke up. "These Federals sent a bunch of useless currency. A mistake, nothing to get alarmed over..."

"Down with Bravo!" came the reply from the crowd.

The General's knees began to sag as if a pistol shot had found his heart.

"Down with Bravo!" came more cries. "Viva Madero! Viva Rivera! Long live the Constitution!"

"Call your men off," Bravo warned "or you'll regret this."

"They are not my men," Rivera said, "but yours, most of them. Although not, it would seem, for long."

"What has happened to our bonuses?" demanded a soldado, elbowing his way through the crowd towards Bravo, who drew his pistol and fired. As the man sank to one knee, a dozen others swarmed over the General and pinned his arms... each one of these from Santa Cruz, for the delegation from the capital and those from Tabi and other villages remained mounted. No other rallied to Bravo's aid.

"It was you, Rodriguez," Bravo snarled, giving a defiant laugh. "I should have known better... a mention of Macbeth would have you thinking of Caesar. What were you offered, Colonel? Second in command of the military forces? Civilian Governor? Whatever it was, you'll never get it. These Federals never keep their word..."

"Set him against a wall," someone suggested.

"No, hang him. Bring a rope!"

"Burn the old bastard alive!"

General Rivera sheathed his sword and removed his pistol. "Go ahead," challenged Bravo, "I shall have died upon the field like a man."

But Rivera fired three times in the air. "Citizens, patriots, Mexicans," he declared, "I take possession of this Territory by the authority of President Madero and of the Constitution!"

"Long live the Constitution!" came the reply.

"Viva Miranda y Zuniga," cried one of the soldados... whose recovery from Bravo's victory celebration clearly was incomplete, nor by the mention of the distillers of his choice, did he desire such outcome. "Viva aguardiente!"

The laughter which followed afforded Rivera leverage to defuse a dangerous situation. His orders were to transport a living General to Mexico City, and not the bowl of ashes which the men of Santa Cruz saw fit to reduce him to.

"As Jefe Militar of this Territory, I further order all soldiers to surrender their arms until such time as they will be returned... I trust it shall be a matter of no more than a few days. General Bravo is under my protection. The matter of your bonuses shall be investigated at once, and I shall notify the capital by telegraph."

"The telegraph here is no good and Bravo shot the operator," someone called out but Rivera did not hear him.

"Colonel Rodriguez will supervise collection of your arms and provide receipts to those whose property is personal. With the exception of this expeditionary force and the garrison of Tabi, any man possessing a weapon as of noon, tomorrow, shall be held in violation of these orders, subject to arrest and, if resistance should be made, to summary judgment."

"Pendejo!" a Cabo whispered. "This one isn't wasting any time!"

Rivera had leaned towards Rodriguez. "Is there anyone whom I can trust here?"

"That depends," the Colonel said, "on what you intend to do. For the moment, you might try Captain Otilio," and he pointed out a short, round officer. Rivera called him forward, finding little confidence in his deferential manner save the promise of obedience, if not initiative.

"You are to escort this man to his quarters and protect him there until I have given you other instructions. His life is yours," Rivera added. "You and six of your men may keep your weapons."

"Certainly, my General," the Captain bowed, taking possession of General Bravo with only a glance that denied Bravo the opportunity to even attempt to intimidate him.

"You are dismissed," Rivera said, "until six this evening when there shall be an assembly at this place. During this interval, Colonel Rodriguez and his men shall be here in the Plaza to receive your weapons."

The crowd remained. "Go on," said a Captain of Rivera's party, waving his arms at the soldiers as if they were so many goats to be driven from a hut. "You heard what the General said... away with you."

"Do you think they will turn in their weapons?" Rivera asked of the commander of Tabi.

"Some of them, General, but do not be surprised if most keep a pistol or at least a machete about. After all, if they were to surrender everything, what means would they have to protect themselves from one another? In this city, General, nearly everyone holds a grudge, and Bravo played one off against the other, else they would have united and arranged for an accident years ago. Some dogs who have been kicked and beaten into submission are loyal that way but, at least, the bonus issue has shaken their faith. At such times, men are apt to turn on those who have betrayed them, and I should not like to be Ignacio Bravo."

"What of the prisoners then? I had heard that there were so many of them, not only bandits but enemies of Diaz shipped here for their beliefs. Where are they? Has Bravo killed them all?"

Rodriguez pointed towards the church. "Listen! That is where you will find them, General, if any are still alive... perhaps such noise is only demons, at their repast of souls. We must be careful, however, for although undoubtedly weakened, many dangerous men will be found there."

Rivera shook his head. "All must be freed, and at once. Such men, whatever their past, define the difference between our success and failure... not only of this mission, Colonel, but for the President as well. The American President Lincoln waited for his Generals to win a victory before he freed the colored slaves. There are few times when such can safely be accomplished and this... our anniversary of independence... is one.

"It has been over a year since President Madero announced that he would not permit debt slavery. These are among the last victims of Porfirio Diaz... Colonel, let us do this duty."

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