Into the Beautiful North: Chapter 16 Summary & Analysis

Nayeli knows she has to take charge; she declares that they should travel east towards San Diego. The group climbs up to the road and soon, Atómiko joins them. As they walk, they loudly argue about attractive American actors. They hide from helicopters, but after less than a mile, the group suddenly finds themselves illuminated by headlights. Nayeli hears a voice telling them that they're under arrest.

Agent Anderson shines his light in Tacho's face as Agent Smith drives up. They hear yelling and cursing from the south. The entire group looks to see the light of the helicopter illuminating Atómiko, who appears to want to fight the helicopter. In Spanish, Anderson asks Tacho what's up with Atómiko. Tacho explains he's crazy, and Anderson decides to not handcuff Tacho. Atómiko waves his staff around, yells that Nayeli rules, and then pole vaults over the wall. The agents are impressed. They turn their attention back to their "clients" and usher them into the back of their car.

Agent Smith helps Candelaria into the car and suggests she try to cross on Sunday, his day off. They apparently know each other, and this seems a common exchange. The agents drive off but soon stop when they see two agents beating a Mexican boy. Smith seems embarrassed, and Vampi and Yolo cry. Smith gets out to help the agents, and when he returns, he asks why they don't all just stay home. Tacho laughs that he wishes he stayed home, and Nayeli offers that her group isn't bad.

Finally, the agents reach a school bus and drop off their clients. Agent Anderson and Candelaria acknowledge each other, and Nayeli's group loses track of Candelaria on the bus. Nayeli is shocked to see that some men on the bus are asleep. A guard with a huge gun boards the bus and explains what will happen: they'll conduct interviews and send them home. Tacho thinks the US is disappointing, while Yolo shakes with anger and Vampi cries.

A number of government officials, from ICE agents to a San Diego city cop, usher the Mexican detainees into a holding pen. Nayeli feels a hand grab her buttocks and another touch her breast. This distracts her, and when she turns her attention back to Tacho, Yolo, and Vampi, she can't find them. She looks around at the others in the pen and is shocked to see mothers with children.

When Nayeli looks at the agents on the other side, she thinks they look big and crisp. As she watches them move, she wonders what makes them different from her. A female agent catches Nayeli's attention, and then she sees a black agent. She's never seen a black man in the flesh, and when he notices her staring, she shyly tells him his skin is beautiful. Agent Smith walks by and calls the black man Arnie. Arnie ushers Nayeli out of the pen to process her.