and career of Joseph DeMarco, gunplay was common. Having a firearm pointed at him was something that had happened multiple times in his existence. With each occurrence he would evaluate the situation at hand. He never simply assumed if the perpetrator was dangerous or not. He read the person’s speech, behavior, and body language to determine the threat level. He was always good at reading people. That’s what he did best. When he read the man on the other side of the pistol in Matamoros, he sensed that his life was indeed in danger. He yelled “vaya” at Goat, instructing him to run. The boy did as he was told. Joey calmly brought his hands up to expose his open palms. The man commanded him to get into the back seat of the Buick. Joey did as he was told, and the car sped off into the town of Matamoros.
Seven digested the story as Goat slowed his speech in order to fully relay the event. Seven did his best to retrieve as much information as he could from the boy. He had spent some time watching Joey extract details from people over the past few weeks and he tried to take all that he had seen and apply it.
Goat was unfamiliar with the pistol-toting man or the older American-made car. He had no idea who took Joey, why, or where to. Fear surged through Seven. This was nothing he had been trained for or expected. He found himself breathing and speaking rapidly just as the boy had. He knew well that he was unprepared to handle the situation and he knew that he required assistance. He picked up his phone and found the number he had stored for Colt.
Four hours after Seven made the call, Colt was knocking on the door to the motel room. Seven checked the peephole and the window to ensure that the source of the knock was friendly. His stomach was in knots but no longer from the effects of the taco truck dinner. Colt told him over the phone to sit tight until he arrived. Seven’s left foot had been tapping violently all morning. Joey had warned him of the risks in Mexico, including kidnapping. Seven never imagined that Joey would fall victim to such an