the House of the Scorpion entry three

There are many great hooks in the House of the Scorpion it just keeps threading you along bit by bit. You never know whats going to happen next. To me one of the best hooks in the book is when the great El Patron, the opium king has just died and Tam Lin, Matts long time friend and bodyguard is sent to dispose of him. ( Ouch, am I right? ) Tam Lin is all business ready to kill matt no second thoughts, tells Matt he is a mercenary, gives out his services to the highest bidder. Said bidder is Mr. Alacran, says its Matts fault El Patron died, its time for him to be put to sleep. ( El Patron was going to kill Matt for his heart, he didn't get it in time. ) Tam Lin and his bodyguard buddy Daft Donald tied him up and got ready to dispose of him. Tam Lin straps him to the back of a horse telling him he is going to take him out to the eejit pens, with their toxic gas and yellow ooze. They are off on the horse surly headed for the eejit pens, when they stop Matt is ready to make one last struggle. He headbutts Tam Lin then realizes  they are not at the eejit pens they are at the oasis, Matts home away from home, a place where he feels safe. I was glued to the book during this entire sequence of events, I thought Matt was a goner, I thought Tam Lin really had betrayed him. Man, was I wrong, I should have never doubted Tam Lin. He gave Matt a chance to get  away and start over, way better than drowning in the eejit pens or giving your heart to a man that should of died long ago. One of my favorite parts in the book, very memorable.