Chapter 4

Thursday at lunch in José María Chetumal

“Jesus, how many red lanyards have you promoted?” Gloria asked in Spanish then shared in English.

Brad asked a question in Spanish, “When you asked, ‘Have you promoted?’ that seems to be different than when I have heard other questions.”

“There are some shortcuts in our language.” Maria smiled, “Gloria left out the “you”. It was implied. Do not concern yourself, it will come to you.”

“Si, señora,” Brad answered then looked at Jesus. He had a big smile on his face as he and his friends worked to learn his language.

“We have 1,329 red lanyards including five in this family.” Jesus did his best to say in English while he was laughing.” Jesus looked to his baby brother Junior, “Junior loved the energy and as their mom moved about he would laugh so much that everyone around him would laugh too.”

“Your family has done the impossible!” Brad had been coached by the other three, “Your entire town has also accomplished much, and I believe it is nothing short of a miracle. We will remember this time here forever.” Gloria started clapping, Willa and Tony joined in as they smiled in agreement with Brad’s statement.

“BANG!” A shot was fired in the square.

“Poncho looked to Maria, “Stay here, protect the girls and Junior. We will be back. Promise.”

Lorenzo stood in the square away from all others. The leader of the riders made for him.

Poncho had Tony and Brad on either side of him. Willa and Gloria were next to their husbands. Jesus was next to Willa and his brother Diego was next to Gloria, “That is the man that killed Lorenzo’s father long ago.” Poncho shared.

There were hundreds of citizens lining the edge of the square. Tony looked at the show of lanyards. These were proud people. They had drawn a line in the sand. These riders were dead men by their own hand as soon as they mounted their horse’s many miles away. One of the riders pulled his gun and fired at Lorenzo. The round was returned to the man’s chest. Others also pulled their weapons shooting into the crowd with the same results. In a minute and a half, the 32 men were laying on the ground. “Diego, go tell your mother everybody is okay.”

“I’m here Poncho.” Maria was standing about ten feet away, “Did we really do that?”

Poncho moved to his wife, the two hugged, “We really did that.” Poncho whispered in Maria’s ear.

“Then we can win this war!” Maria whispered in Poncho’s ear.

“Yes, we can without losing anybody.” Poncho shared.

Poncho pulled Maria over, so he was where he could be seen, “Citizens of José María Chetumal, “We can do this, we can do this, WE CAN DO THIS!” The crowd joined in with the third round.

Lorenzo had gathered his pony crew and was pulling the rifles and saddlebags off each horse. Within minutes the horses had been lead away.

Poncho asked for volunteers and with twenty others along with his sons, they took the dead men to God. As others had found, they were sidetracked to the west side of the sun. They stood and watched as the 32 riders went into the sun. Poncho took his twenty or so volunteers to God. They kneeled and prayed for the souls of the men. Poncho said hi to Gaia and Gerry. They then thanked God, said goodbyes and returned to the town square. When they got there, they found the excitement level sky high. People were transporting groups of up to twenty all over the square. Poncho realized he had just transported twenty-three live boys and men along with thirty-two dead men. He nodded his head and turned to see Brad with a black lanyard in his hand. His wife and family were all there.

“I have much to learn.” Poncho shared.

A yell went up. A familiar couple with one hundred Minutemen and women had just transported into the town square. After things settled, there was a loud shout, “Is there a promotion?” John Taylor asked in Spanish.

Brad and Gloria stepped forward. Brad speaking in English with Gloria translating in Spanish, “Mr. President, we would like to promote Mr. Poncho Bautista to the black lanyard.”

“As John placed the black lanyard around Poncho’s neck, “We all have much to learn, this is just one more step. I look forward to the day when you and your family can come visit with me and my family.”

“THANK YOU, SAINT JOHN!” Poncho screamed as John held up his hand to the roar of the crowd.

John bent to speak into Poncho’s ear, “Dear Friend, I don’t feel qualified to be a Saint! I think one of the requirements is I would need to be dead.” Both men laughed as the excitement and yelling were continuing around them.

“Maria, come to join us.” John motioned for Poncho’s wife to join them, “These are my friends and someday I would like to you and your wife to join them in the Senate of the New United States.” John introduced Jim and Rose Canton, Ben and Jean Stanton, and Dr. Robert & Cathy Paulson to Poncho and Maria Bautista.

A few minutes before, Jesus and his brother approached the Minutemen and women. Jesus liked the dress of the one hundred. Black shoes, black pants, black belt with a big gold buckle, black shirt and a black cap that read US MARSHAL. Jesus also noticed the black lanyard with a seven-pointed star for a pendant, “I want to be one of you.” Jesus asked the man standing there. “How do I do that? I’m Jesus Bautista and this is my brother Diego.” Jesus shared.

“How close are you to your black lanyard?” Pete Mason asked looking at the two red lanyards on the brother’s necks.

“We both have moved twenty. My baseball team and my brother and a few others have all completed moving twenty across this town square.” Jesus shared.

“Start your own group. Talk to Tony and Brad. They will put you in touch with Peter.” Pete and Jesus had been using words from both English and Spanish. Pete had decided early on to be a police officer in a big city. He had two years of Spanish in high school and another two years in college.

“Your name sir?” Jesus asked.

“Pete Mason. Ask Tony about the tennis ball in the coffee cup.” Pete laughed.

“We got to go. That’s dad who just got a black lanyard.” Diego pulled on Jesus’s arm.

“We are really doing this,” Pete announced in a loud voice. All around him the hundred of the Minutemen and women agreed.

The Next Day!

The people of José María Chetumal worked hard and the next day when another group of riders came into town with two jeeps with machine guns mounted on top of each, they had the same result with one exception. One man got hit with one of the machine guns. Many of the ten rounds that were fired from the machine gun when reflected back took the head off of the gunner. That sparked the twenty-six riders and the second jeep into action. The battle was over within a handful of seconds. Jesus had the AR-15. He killed the second machine gunner and when the drivers dismounted their jeeps, drawing their revolvers they only got one round off each.

At this battle, there were thousands of more people watching. This was indeed a miracle. One round fired by Jesus and the result was 30 of the dead riders on the ground unmoving. Lorenzo called for his team to take care of the horses and jeeps. The fruit bins were getting full of rifles, pistols, and ammunition. Poncho, Brad, and Tony had a quick talk.

Poncho was concerned about his son regarding how the killing might affect him. He went to his son, “Jesus can you take us and the dead riders to God?”

“Sure Papa.” Jesus answered, “Everyone takes a deep breath.” In a second they were on the railing on the west side of the sun. Poncho stood behind his son and wrapped him up in a hug as they watched the riders go toward the sun and explode.

“I am very proud of you.” Poncho shared.

“Thanks, papa,” Jesus responded.

“You did good shooting that man. If you had not, he may have hurt one or more of our friends and neighbors.” Poncho shared.

“Those machine guns scared me, papa.” Jesus shared.

“Tony, Brad, Gloria and Willa faced sixty machine guns.” Poncho shared, “We have the tools and now they have been tested. Why did you kill that man?”

“I saw our man yell and fall. I looked at the jeep with the machine gun and that man did not have a head. That’s more bothersome than me shooting the second man. I did not want another man’s head blown up and another of our friends hurt.” Jesus shared.

“You are becoming a good man Jesus!” Poncho hugged his son. After the prayer with God, Jesus took them home to the town square.

Everybody was there. Gloria had informed the town that Jesus was to receive the black lanyard. Maria got the honors for placing it around Jesus’s neck. Afterward, the consensus was let’s play baseball.

While the young men were off playing baseball, many of the men including Poncho and Lorenzo asked Brad and Tony to sit with them.

Tony asked, “Gentlemen, could our wives join us?” Everyone had a bucket to sit on. Two more buckets were brought into the circle. There were hundreds of other men standing around the circle of buckets. Willa and Gloria joined their husbands.

Poncho and Lorenzo looked at each other, “Tony and Brad, you tell me there are 30 of you all over Mexico. When we went to see God on Wednesday there were many tens of thousands of other Mexicans there.” Poncho was speaking in Spanish and Gloria was translating in English, “If we do not rid all of Mexico of these Drug Lords. Like cancer, they will grow back.” Poncho looked around, “How do we do this? How do we clean our land of Drug Lords?”

Tony was looking up getting an earful from Gaia, “Please give me a minute!” He started “OMing!” Gloria, Willa, and Brad joined him.

There in the center of the circle, Gerry appeared. He looked like a real little boy. “Our friends from Omak allow me to be seen by raising the energies with their OMing. I am Geraldo Bautista, the first son of the first son of the first son of the first son of General Bautista of long ago. We want a free country, a true democracy where men and women have a choice of who their leaders are. In two weeks the southern half of Mexico can be totally free from your actions. In another two weeks, the whole county can be free. Out there you will find much support for the actions you take. I have seen some of the future. It is time for Mexico, to rise and tell the world, “No more drugs!” Poncho and Cousin Lorenzo, you two must do this. Ask the men here, if they will follow you?”

Poncho and Lorenzo looked around at the smiling nodding faces. Everyone agreed.

“Diego, get my map of Mexico, the big one.” Poncho continued to see a lot of smiling faces and nodding of heads. All the men in the inner circle had either blue or red lanyards around their neck.

“When Diego returned, “Why are you not watching or playing baseball?” Poncho asked.

“Jesus and I felt this was going to be important.” Diego shared.

“Then I name this operation ‘San Diego’.” As Poncho unfolded the large National Geographic map. He had one more fold and he realized that he had the southern half on one side and the northern half on the other side, “Diego if anybody asks why you are called San Diego, you be sure to tell one of us ASAP. Okay?

“Yes, papa!”

Poncho laid the map on the ground.

One of the men in the circle asked, “Who is going with you Poncho?”

“I’m hearing to take 4,000 with me. Lorenzo, please stay here and protect our homes?” Poncho pleaded with his adopted brother.

“Yes, we will be attacked from the west. Gaia has told me to watch out for fires. We will have many guards posted around the town, day and night.” Lorenzo answered, “Maybe we could have two uniforms. One for the home guard and one for Poncho’s forces.”

“Jungle fatigues, shades of tan and brown for those that go off to fight. Shades of green for those that stay to protect the homes.” Diego looked as if he was focused on something.

Poncho looked around to see total agreement in the faces of the men in the circle.

A voice in the group, “Who is going to decide?”

Tony and the others from Omak looked at each other. It was hard to keep the smiles off their faces.

“Let’s let God choose who goes and who stays.” Poncho suggested to more nodding of heads and smiles.

When the baseball was over, everyone in town transported to God. The word had gone through the town to touch God and find out who was going and who was staying to protect the homes.

Everyone got a new uniform. The hats had a round brim. The brim could be snapped up making almost a triangle. They looked sharp. Each person got a backpack with another uniform, their clothes they had on were also in the backpack. The men and women also found two tee shirts, four pairs of socks and underwear along with two one-liter water bottle, and a quick set of tools to clean any gun. There was also two sets of cargo shorts and a heavy duty set of tennis shoes. On their feet were a nice set of jungle boots.

When the four from Omak looked at each other, it was apparent Tony and Willa were going with Poncho. Brad and Gloria were staying with Lorenzo.

Friday morning

Diego was outside the tent, “Senor Brad, hundreds of the riders come.”

“Diego, give us a minute.” Brad sat up, “Tony, Willa, we have company.”

“We’re moving.” Tony shared.

The four all exited their tents strapping on their side arms. The night before Willa had them work on shields that were like Papa John’s. A round tank shield that protected all sides instead of a flat front covering shield. Tony and Brad did not like the almost total reduction in aiming with the tank shield. Gloria and Willa argued that better safe than sorry. Willa caught on easy. She was able to hold a round shield for over an hour. The other three had a hard time. They hoped they had another day.

“Papa says to transport to the gun boxes. He is making breakfast. My brother and his teammates are bringing in information. There seems to be a lot of them. The man with the camera is back to the church again.” Diego shared in Spanish. Gloria repeated in English. The four were wearing cargo shorts. They had four extra pockets that were each big enough for one forty round magazine for the M-16’s. They carried their M-16’s low hoping to not alert the riders. Gloria and Willa handed out two protein bars to their partners, also giving two to Diego. They transported to the gun boxes.

“Good morning!” Poncho shared, “I see you are ready for a little action.” Poncho passed out four plates with a nice burrito on each.

“Yes, we are Poncho. We stand with you, our friend.” Tony shared, “Thank you for the Burrito.”

One of Jesus’ teammates showed up, “Senor Poncho, we count a hundred men ten times on the road.”

“Thank you.” Poncho shared. The young man disappeared. He had a revolver strapped to his side and had a red lanyard around his neck.

“What are we looking at?” Brad was eating his burrito.

“A thousand coming down the road, a hundred on the west side of the houses and maybe another hundred behind the church.” Poncho shared quietly.

Tony got onto the phone with his dad John Taylor, “Dad, we are about to have a major battle. Can we call in the Minutemen?” Tony asked.

“Tony, what we are hearing is, we have to let the Mexicans win this battle. If they do, then they have enough belief in themselves to clean up Mexico. If we do it for them, the problems will simply continue.” John was not happy when he shared this.

“We actually have the odds in our favor. About ten to one. That’s a whole lot better than what we had at the bridge.” Tony sounded upbeat.

“Tony, last week I put a black lanyard around the neck of Sally, your sister. A man came in over the weekend before, his foot and lower leg had been run over by a tractor. Jenny and Sally got him back as good as new. Jenny said Sally did most of the work. Steven and Ben can transport fifty now. They too wear the black lanyards. They are not Minutemen Tony.” John hinted, “I see Demetri there too.”

“Good. We will make it work dad.” Tony smiled.

“Tony, can you use some guns?” The Minutemen and a Marine Battalion at the US/Mexican border took 900 men to God and they all went into the west side of the sun. The Minute Men put the guns in big fruit boxes just on the US side of the Mexican border.

“Yeah, dad.” Tony smiled, “I’ll send you coordinates.” After a few seconds.

“Got them, I’ll send a message to get them on the way.” John shared, “Last I heard 900 revolvers and 900 rifles, and lots of ammunition.”

“Love you, dad,” Tony said goodbye.

“Watch your back son.” John also signed off.

Tony sent a text to his fisherman team, “Need help, and bring your guns.” These kids grew up with guns and most of them were at the annual county fair in the shooting events. Tony stopped for a second thinking about his fifteen-year-old sister Sally. He decided “Yes” she deserved to be included.

When Tony rejoined Poncho and the others, Jesus was there also. “We have 900 revolvers and 900 rifles on the way. We also got another thirty people coming, many with black lanyards.”