Island of the Sun by Matthew J. Kirby Page B

swimming pools, and more modest and orderly lanes of the kind of middle-class housing development where Eleanor was lucky enough to live. Soon, the suburbs gave way to larger offices and shopping centers, and then glass and metal-skinned skyscrapers that rose up into the smog.
    â€œMexico City is really two cities,” Luke said. “The one you’re lucky enough to live in depends on who you are.” He nodded back over his shoulder. “We’ll be landing soon. On the rich side. Why don’t you head back and buckle in.”
    Eleanor nodded and climbed out of the pilot’s chair, then ducked out of the cockpit back into the passenger cabin. Everyone was awake, blinking out the windows, but utterly silent, and Eleanor could guess they were all feeling something similar to what she had just experienced.
    She took the seat next to her mom. “Have you ever been to Mexico City before?” she asked.
    Her mother shook her head. “It’s even worse than I’ve heard.”
    â€œWith no relief in sight,” Betty said from across the aisle.
    â€œUnless Mexico alters its policies,” Eleanor’s mom said. “They could make things better for the refugees.”
    â€œThey’ve already given us many times what the US ever gave to them,” Dr. Powers said. “And it’s hard to forget our own immigration stance just a few decades ago. A very different wall some wanted to build.”
    Eleanor’s mom directed her gaze back out the window, while Luke could be heard on the radio with a flight tower, getting set to land
Consuelo
.
    Behind her, Finn said, “Mexico isn’t doing anything different from what we would do in their place.”
    Eleanor agreed with that. To her, this city was simply a smaller version of the world Skinner imagined, one with limited resources devoted to a select few, and the rest left on the outside to survive, for now, on what little was given to them or what they could scrounge for themselves.
    The plane’s landing gear groaned under Eleanor’s feet, and the mounting pressure squeezed her ears until she plugged her nose and blinked hard and popped them. She wondered which of the six different airports and landing strips Luke had chosen as the plane descended sharply and her stomach jumped.When they bellied hard into the ground, the view from Eleanor’s window was of a busy commercial airport, with dozens of passenger airliners nosed up to a wide terminal like feeding animals.
    â€œThis appears to be the international airport,” Dr. Powers said. “Won’t this be more conspicuous? Risky?”
    â€œClosest airport to Felipe’s family,” Luke said from the cockpit. “They’re in the Tepito barrio, about three miles west of here.”
    Consuelo
taxied to the side of the tarmac opposite the passenger terminal. It was just after five, and evening was approaching. After bringing them to rest and shutting down the plane, Luke emerged from the cockpit frowning.
    â€œListen up,” he said. “Tepito used to be a pretty rough place.
Barrio bravo
, they called it. The fierce neighborhood. It’s better now than it was, but it’s still one of the largest black markets in the world.”
    â€œShould you be going by yourself?” Betty asked.
    â€œWell, that’s what we need to decide,” Luke said. “I think the plane is safe here. For a little while.”
    â€œHow can you be sure?” Dr. Powers asked.
    â€œI doubt even the G.E.T. would go behind the back of the Mexican government. It’ll take time to get clearance for an operation at their international airport. But just in case, I’d rather not leave anyone on board.”
    â€œYou’re suggesting we go with you?” Eleanor’s mom asked. “To Tepito?”
    â€œIt should be safe enough if we all stick together,” Luke said.
    Her mom sat back farther in her seat. “That’s not