"Of course I am home for Ms. Andieta. I'll take the call in here" Matt walked over to the small table picked up the receiver. "Hello Ms Andieta."

Carolyn's arms went around her body protectively. She had managed to stop thinking of Raisa. And now when she had thought that she had gotten her out of her system she would just enter her mind again. Carolyn turned her back to Matt. She had to think on how to get Simon out of Venezuela. She kept telling herself they were all blind. The unrest could be felt on the street. No matter how hard Padron would try to control the students, they still protested and sooner or later bolder ones would pull the first trigger. She had to get her son out of this violent land. She would do it whether Matt liked it or not. She would find a way.

She was deep in thought so when two arms pulled her back into an embrace she jumped in fear. She turned quickly and was now staring at an angered face.

"What has gotten into you?" Matt tried grabbing her again. "I just wanted to hold you."

"Don't," Carolyn said as she put some distance between them.

"How long is this going to go on Carolyn? You are my wife; I have tried to be patient with you," he said as he started to approach her.

"I don't feel well Matt," she said softly averting his eyes.

"You haven't felt well in a long time Carolyn. If you think that I am going become a monk, you are very much mistaken. You better be feeling better by tonight!" He ranted as he slammed the door on his way out.

Matt called her later from the office. Apparently some of the directors had been invited for a week to the Hacienda Virago deep in the interior of the country. Ms Andieta rarely invited people out to the hacienda and this was not an invitation that was to be turned down. As soon as Carolyn hung up the phone she closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall. They were both coming in for the kill; Matt and Raisa were takers. She would be damned if she were to become the meat to feed them.

She hated this land. She understood it less and less each day. The violence somehow permeated everything with its raw sensuality. Everything was too exposed. She was too exposed.

She had not slept with Matt since that first time she had been with Raisa. The thought of hands, any hands, touching her made her stomach turn after that first time with Raisa. She had not been able to stand even the thought of being touched. Until it became all she thought about. She would wake up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat as she dreamt of hands touching her body and just at the moment when she would surrender the face that would fill her dreams was that of Raisa Andieta. It got to the point where she avoided being in the same building with her.

And then of course it happened. That night at the Copeco Ball she had told herself over and over again that she could handle it. She had looked around and had actually managed to act the way that Matt had always wanted her to. In other words act the part. She was talking to Consuelo Betancourt one of the very few female executives at Copeco when quite suddenly she heard a voice call to her look at me Her eyes almost knew instinctively and she looked straight into the eyes of Raisa Andieta.

Her body heard the call and she was unable to stop herself. She walked up to Raisa; nothing else mattered but the fact that her blood was rumbling through her veins and the pounding in her ears was threatening to deafen her. She saw her hand reach out for Raisa and was surprised when the words I need to talk to you came out of her mouth. Raisa had simply said, Yes, come with me and she followed.

Both knew what the other one wanted. For the first time in her life Carolyn had acted out of pure instinct. Now it seemed to would pay for that mistake for the rest of her life.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Andreas, I want you there. Tell Nonna that I will be arriving in a day or two." Raisa's voice was melodic as she spoke to her brother. "I know that things are questionable right now but our position is solid. Don't worry about tha.t"

She are being interrupted by a knock on the door and the knock was followed by Gloria her secretary.

"Andreas, wait a moment will you?" Raisa then covered the phone and addressed Gloria. "Why are you interrupting me Gloria?"

"Ms. Andieta it's Carolyn Stenbeck on line two. I thought that.... I can tell her you will call her back." Gloria was unsure and afraid of her boss's temper. She remembered how Raisa had despaired over this woman the last time and she also knew that she was still employed because she knew the meaning of discretion.

"No, no... I'll take the call thank you Gloria" Raisa removed her hand from the telephone. "Andreas, I will have to call you back later. Asta pronto." She then pressed the button of the number two line before taking a deep breath.

"Carolyn..." her voice had come out huskier than she had intended. She only heard silence but she knew that Carolyn was listening.

"Raisa.... I am going to ask you for something and I want you to say yes."

Raisa laughed out loud, taken off guard. This she had not expected.

"What do you want?" Raisa asked still in good spirits.

"I want to leave Venezuela and I need your help to take my son with me."

There was silence for a minute before Raisa spoke. "I gather Matt doesn't see things your way." It was a statement not a question.

"No, he does not." Raisa could hear the slight twinge of stress in her voice. This call had cost her dearly to make.

"Are you leaving him?" She was brutally direct.

"No, I am taking Simon home. I'm afraid for his safety here."

"Liar."

"Is that your answer?"

"No, it's not."

Again the silence stood between them.

"I will do anything," Carolyn said suddenly.

"Cara, I haven't asked for anything," she answered sarcastically.

"Are you going to help me or not?" Carolyn demanded.

"I have invited a few families to the country..." Raisa spoke as if she had not heard the question until she was quickly interrupted in mid sentence.

"Raisa, I can't wait that long," Carolyn said sharply.

"It's only a few days Carolyn," Raisa bit back.

"I know you can do this if you want...it has to be right away." The stress was beginning to show in Carolyn's voice again.

"Alright, when you come to the Hacienda in two days I will..."

"I want to go today, now!" Raisa could now hear the touch of hysteria in Carolyn's voice now.

"What's wrong Carolyn? What's going on?" Raisa demanded. The line went dead. Carolyn had hung up. She tried calling her back several times but the phone was not being picked up. She called down for her car to be brought around and she left the office.

~~~~~~~~~~

Clara ran to the door as quickly as she could. The knocking was persistent. She opened the door and was pushed aside.

"Where is Mrs. Stenbeck?" Raisa demanded.

Clara was about to speak when she saw two men enter the house dressed in dark suits and the question she was about to ask died in her throat.

"Where is she?" Raisa demanded.

Clara was terrified and pointed to the staircase.

Raisa looked at the two men as if a message was given and understood. She then turned and went up the flight of stairs. She opened door upon door.

Until she was faced with Carolyn. There were two suitcases on the bed and clothes thrown everywhere. Something had happened.

"Why the rush?" Raisa tried to sound unconcerned.

"How did you get in...." The question died in her mouth. "Like everything else you just ram in don't you?"

"I've had no complaints Cara," Raisa answered with a smile.

"Just get out! I don't need your help. I will pay off whomever. After all, everything is for sale isn't?" Carolyn finished saying in frustration and began to throw clothes in the suitcases again.

Raisa was about to give her smart assed remark when she noticed Carolyn's eyes were about to overflow with tears. She took a few steps away and looked around the room. When she spoke again her voice held no sarcasm. "Why the rush?"

"This is not new. I have wanted to leave for a long time." Carolyn answered as she continued to pack.

"Why right now? I told you in two days..."

"I can't wait two days!" Carolyn faced her again.

"I swear you Americans are insane. I don't know why I bother with Americanas like you!" Raisa said in disdain.

At that statement she barely had enough time to move before Carolyn had thrown something at her.

"You almost hit my face, you bitch!"

Again Carolyn grabbed another shoe and was about to throw it before Raisa tackled her to the bed.

A loud roar was heard in the distance. At the sound Carolyn began to whimper. Raisa just looked down at the woman beneath her in surprise. The thunder was heard even closer this time and Carolyn hid her face in Raisa's embrace.

"It's all right Cara," Raisa began to say softly and her mouth placed light kisses on her forehead. Raisa' mouth began its search.

"Get off me!" Demanded Carolyn suddenly very erratically.

"Calm down."

"This is his bed. Get off me!"

Raisa got up and Carolyn got off as if the sheets had burned her. Raisa stared. All of a sudden reality hit hard. This was Carolyn's bed. She stared at it unable to look away.

Both Raisa and Carolyn heard as the winds began to pick up and the rain started coming down hard.

The next crash of thunder hid the primal scream that came out of Raisa as she started pulling everything off the bed. The electricity went out and Carolyn stared unable to stop her or aid her. Raisa had thrown everything on the floor and torn at the sheets until the bed lay bare. She was breathing hard like it had not been enough. She then turned her eyes towards Carolyn.