"No," she mouthed.

Raisa stood rooted to the spot; as her hands reached out for her a soft cry of pain escaped her lips. "Don't go..."

Carolyn just shook her head as the tears ran down her face. "I can't stay here...try to understand," she sobbed. Carolyn covered her mouth to control her sobbing.

Raisa went to her and took her in her arms roughly. She tried taking Carolyn's mouth with her own. Carolyn shoved her away.

"No!" Carolyn put distance between them. "No! Wanting isn't enough! I can't stay here! Everywhere I look... all around me...all this violence never ends." Carolyn wrapped her arms around her stomach. "I won't bring another child into this country....I can't live like this...." She sobbed.

"We can leave Venezuela together...I'll go wherever you want!" Raisa begged. Her eyes were wild. Carolyn could see the desperation in her eyes.

"No...I can't do this," Carolyn said softly and looked down.

"You can't or you won't!"

Raisa did not try to touch her again. After several minutes Carolyn looked up and as she did was surprised by the woman that now stood before her.

The Raisa that stood in front of her now was cool and in control. She took a step towards the verandah railing and then slowly turned around.

"Copeco has offices in Texas. Matt will do well there. He will get a cushy job that he will accept. Your son will live in a civilized country and you will have your child be an American. You will become one of the many other Copeco wives. Your husband will have a mistress or an affair occasionally and then will go home and fuck you when he was time."

Carolyn stood speechless and in shock at the delivery of this speech. "Raisa..." she began to say.

Raisa raised her hand to silence her. "No need to thank me. One day you will curse me. Because this is your punishment Carolyn...you are going to curse me for this."

Carolyn took a step back as the woman in front of her became a stranger.

"Your blood will burn as mine does. You will dream of my touch and of my mouth. You will want me everyday of your life. I curse you Carolyn! I will never touch you again!" On that note Raisa turned around and walked away from Carolyn.

Within a few days Andreas had arranged it all. Matt, Carolyn and Simon were flown back to Caracas. Matt had accepted the apology and understood the conditions without saying a word. He accepted his new promotion and they were all planning their move back to the US within the next few weeks. Carolyn never saw Raisa again before leaving Hacienda Virago. Matt never requested an explanation.

~~~~~~~~~~

Carolyn had notified the school that Simon would not be returning. She had contacted her parents who were delighted of the news of their return to the US. In two weeks she would be leaving Venezuela.

The city seemed tenser since the last time she had been there. More political graffiti seemed to be everywhere. Public transportation went on strike. Suddenly people took to the street and the army was called out to restore order.

It all happened quickly. Troops took over the radio stations and surrounded the Presidential Residence Casa Rosada. It all exploded. Civil war had erupted. Militia took to the streets. Shots were seen from a distance. Helicopters flew overhead. For hours one could hear tanks and machine guns being fired. The world of fear that Carolyn had foreseen had come to pass. Looting started and the populace took to the streets.

Matt had gone out and had not come back. The servants had left attempting to get home to their loved ones and Carolyn was left with Simon alone. When she heard a few helicopters fly overhead followed soon after by banging on her door she thought her knees would give out. Simon hid his face in fear. Carolyn knew that houses were being looted.

Suddenly, she heard the shattering of wood. She saw three men enter the house. Carolyn held Simon to her tightly. Then she saw Raisa.

"Come on," she called to her. "You can't stay here...now!"

Carolyn followed her out of the house and into the helicopter that was now a few yards away from the house. The shots could be heard even past the noise of the propellers. Raisa put her hand out to her and Carolyn took it. She got into the helicopter as Simon was hoisted up and strapped in by one of the men that had entered the house.

It was all so unreal. Raisa reached over and strapped her in and as she did she signaled the pilot and the helicopter took to the air. Carolyn looked down in time to see men running into the grounds and shooting at them as they flew higher and higher. A bullet came close and she felt Raisa's arms around her.

Within minutes they were landing. She looked up and realized that they were in Maiquetia Airport just outside Caracas. Carolyn was in a daze. She was suddenly being hoisted out of the helicopter again. She could see Simon being carried towards a waiting jet.

Carolyn turned around and felt Raisa's mouth on hers instantly. Raisa suddenly released her and said loud enough in her ear as she held her to her. "Now I don't owe you a thing. Next time I see you stay away from me or I'll kill you."

Raisa pushed her away from her and Carolyn was being pulled towards the waiting airplane, shock and hurt still showing in her face. She went up the stairs of the airplane clumsily and she could see Matt and Simon together inside. Carolyn then turned around and looked towards Raisa once more before the door was closed.

Raisa stood as her hair swirled wildly. She saw when Carolyn turned around and she stood there as the door closed and she still stood in the same place minutes after the plane had already gone.

Someone pulled her arm and she saw them signaling towards the car. She went into the waiting automobile and picked up the phone.

"Ms Andieta we have him," she could hear from the other side of the connection.

"Good, I'll meet you at the Country Club. Do we have the TV Station still under our control?"

"Yes, V-Vision is under our control."

"Good, I'll be there soon."

Raisa signaled the driver and the bulletproof automobile took off at great speed followed by four other vehicles. Raisa put on the sunglasses that she was well known for wearing. In a few hours she would either be on her way to unimaginable power or to sure death. She had made sure she had kept her word. That's what she told herself. She had gotten Carolyn out. Carolyn was safe she had seen to that. Now she only had one thing to focus on. She was playing to win or to die. And at this moment she didn't much care which.

~~~~~~~~~~

The military coup in Venezuela had failed, reported all news agencies. At the last minute the president had been flown out by helicopter. Said helicopter had landed at the Country Club close the Colinas Residences and then the President had somehow managed to get to the V-Vision television station. He had barricaded himself in the television station with loyal troops surrounding it.

The president had appealed to the people. Support that he did not seem to have previously from the military suddenly appeared and within a few weeks the city was once again under his control. The military had brought back order. Those responsible had been captured. Soon after it became quite obvious that the balance of power had changed. It became apparent to those that understood how things really worked that Copeco was now the major player.

Within a few months things began to stabilize. Elections came and went but that was just expected. Within a few years Raisa's control over almost everything that moved, transpired, lived and breathed was absolute. Her power was all encompassing and Copeco was the most powerful conglomerate that Latin America had ever known. Copeco and its subsidiaries grew and multiplied.

~~~~~~~~~~

A woman screamed in the night. All knew better then to try and assist. The servants had learned to not hear and not see anything. They were well paid for. Women came and went. All left better or the worse for wear but none complained. Their hands were always full of money. And if truth be told given the chance they would keep coming back for more.

It was dark and the two figures on the bed were finally still. Raisa got up and walked naked to the French doors. She flung them open and let the wind rush in. A storm was coming. One could smell the earth and the charge in the air. It was a big storm.

Raisa walked out on the verandah and let the wind caress her body. The moonlight caressed her body as her face looked up and she allowed herself to feel its caress. All she could hear was the wind swirling around her. She fed off the storm. Raisa drew deep within herself and suddenly she could hear music playing. Lighting flashed and thunder could be heard crashing loudly against the earth. She was once again surrounded in darkness.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a shadow. She turned and stared not believing and yet yearning to touch. She heard the thunder once more. All the elements were playing a trick on her. The shadow reached out for her.

"Carolyn!" Raisa took the woman into her arms and her mouth sought lips that burned with passion and promise.

The body in her arms did not fit. The mouth that she kissed was not as warm and did not beckon. She shut her eyes tightly and pushed the body she held away. The lighting illuminated the balcony and Raisa could she the girl on the floor. As usual they all looked at her in fear in the end..

"Go back inside!" Raisa shouted. The girl got up and went back into the bedroom. Raisa looked around and felt foolish and all the anger filled her once more.