Seal team six extra size.., p.129
SEAL Team Six Extra-Sized Holiday Bundle, page 129
“They made fun of that,” Calvera’s voice was nearly hysterical now. “They said they’d do a television report on it—on a city where cars just ‘blow up.’”
“They won’t get the chance.” The voice was flat and certain. “I’ll take care of them—don’t worry about it.”
“But the shipment…”
“The shipment is safe for now—make sure it stays that way.”
“I will, I promise…”
“I will hold you to that promise,” the voice was sharp now. “And join you tomorrow to make sure the shipment goes out as planned.”
“Tomorrow.”
There was a click and Dana cut the computer playback. “That’s it,” she looked at her two companions. “Whoever that was in the police station will ‘take care’ of us.”
“And the Cobalt is due to be turned over to this Mapache tomorrow.” Flame nodded. “We’re going to have to hurry if we’re going to intercept it.”
“What do you think we should do?” Karin sounded worried. “Should we call for help?”
“Not yet.” Flame turned to Dana. “Got a plan, partner?”
“I do,” she looked into Flame’s face. “But it’s going to be up to you to make sure it doesn’t blow up in our faces.”
“Let’s hear it.”
Dana nodded and leaned closer to her two companions, detailing what she had in mind…
***
Dana and Karin waited until after siesta time, when the sun began to go down, before they headed for the police station. The extra time allowed Flame to make his preparations while forcing the captain to sweat it out a little while longer.
The police station was a modern building—two stories tall with a single-story garage in the back. Various lights went on as the sun dipped below the horizon.
“If this is like stations in the US, there’ll be a sergeant on duty at a desk in the front.” Dana held the door for Karin. “We see him first.” She smiled. “Go easy on him.”
“Got it.”
The interior set-up was pretty much what Dana expected. A sergeant sat at a slightly raised desk, two closed doors behind him.
He looked up as they approached.
“¿Cómo puedo ayudar a ustedes, señoras?”
“Good evening,” Karin smiled at the slightly overweight policeman. “We would like to speak to your captain. Is he here?”
“¿Qué es esto?” He hesitated. “Excuse me—my English is not good.” He shrugged. “What is…what is it about?”
“My name is Karin Hachtel. My uncle was Dr. Axel Farber—administrator of the Doctor’s Hospital.” She nodded in the appropriate direction. “He was killed recently and I have questions about what happened.”
“Si,” the sergeant nodded. “I knew Dr. Farber—he was a good man. He fixed my son’s broken leg.” He shook his head. “His death—it was a terrible thing.”
“It was.” Karin nodded in turn. “Can we see the captain to talk about it?”
“Of course!” The man picked up a phone on his desk, muttered a few words into it, then smiled and stepped down from his desk and opened one of the two doors behind it. “He is in his office—he says he has been waiting for you.” The man pointed. “Just go to the end of this hall.”
“Thank you, sergeant.” Karin smiled and touched his hand. “You have been most helpful.”
She held the smile while he closed the door. “Okay,” she nodded. “He’s back at his desk.”
“Flame?” Dana activated the ear bug she had inserted before going into the station. “The captain’s office is at the left—back of the building.”
There was a blip as Flame tapped on his own earbud.
“Okay, he’s on the move.” Dana gestured down the hall. “It’s time for us to see the captain.”
***
It took Flame a few minutes to find the main power line for the police station. I wonder who writes their building code, he asked himself when he discovered the line he was looking for was actually shared by several buildings, the transformer and circuit boxes for all of them in a single location—underground—right next to the gas line. I mean, one short circuit and…
He remembered a case some years back where a Mexican City had built a subway line and, in the process, screwed up a feeder and filled their sewers with gasoline. Whole town blew up. He shook his head. National Geographic did a whole TV thing about it.
The electrical system he was looking at could do much the same thing. I was gonna blow the box for the police station and go from there, Flame thought.Now I guess I’m just gonna have to settle for a single cable. He traced the lines from the transformer. This one here.
He pulled a bit of C-4 off the brick he had in his backpack, rolled it into wormlike shape, than carefully wrapped it around the line he’d chosen—as far from the gas line as he could manage.
Now to insert the detonator… He set the frequency carefully—don’t want a stray signal to set it off—and closed the access panel. Now I just have to wait for Dana’s signal.
It came seconds later: “The captain’s office is at the left—back of the building.”
Flame tapped his earbud to inform Dana he’d gotten her signal and headed for the rear of the police station.
***
“Ladies,” said Captain Enrique Jesus Monasterio, the fifth of his line to hold the rank but the first to actually make any money out of it.
“What can I do to help you?” He smiled and gestured to the chairs placed in front of his desk.
“My uncle,” Karin leaned forward. “Dr. Farber…”
“A wonderful man!” Monasterio nodded in admiration. “Such a shame that he died in such a way.”
“Yes, in an ‘accidental’ explosion.” Karin glared at him. “I understand such things are common around here.”
“Of course not,” Monasterio waved the concept away. “He was assassinated by a criminal gang—perhaps one of the Cartels.” He nodded. “I am not such a fool that I cannot see that.” He leaned forward conspiratorially. “But we cannot let the people of Monterrey know that such things happen in their own community—there would be unrest…”
“So you are investigating his death?”
“Of course!” The captain smiled a glaringly white smile. “Even as we speak…”
Before Karin could say another word, the room shook to a thunderous explosion.
***
Flame was thrown off balance as something large blew up. He’d been about to set off his own explosion—one that would have cut the power to the police station. He would then have seized the captain so they could squeeze the information they needed out of him.
Not gonna work now, Flame decided and turned toward the growing fire caused by the explosion. Looks like the hospital, a thought struck him. I wonder if another administrator just “accidentally” died in an exploding car.
He headed back to the hotel—it wouldn’t do to be caught in the street with a brick of C-4 now.
***
Dana saw the very real surprise in the captain’s face at the sound of the explosion. He didn’t know that was coming, she realized. It was a shock to him.
She turned to Karin, afraid that the German reporter would think that the blast was part of their plan—but the other girl had immediately realized what had really happened.
“Another exploding car?” Karin raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps my network should do a documentary about this place.”
“You will excuse me, ladies.” Monasterio headed for the door, grabbing his hat as he went. “I must investigate this!”
The two watched as he exited, then Dana slipped a tiny bit of metal from her bag, removed a paper backing, and stuck it to the base of the captain’s phone.
“Never waste an opportunity,” she told Karin as the two of them headed back down the hall. “You never know what you might find out.”
***
“I think Mapache beat us to the punch.” Flame was already in their hotel suite, tossing gear into a backpack. “Check your bug.”
Dana opened her laptop, punched in a code. “There was a call.” She pulled up the file. “Incoming.” She opened the file: “I have a truck on the way.” The voice was low-pitched and very, very sure of itself. “Make sure the shipment is ready for pick-up.” There was a long pause before Calvera’s voice, shaky with nerves, answered: “It will be ready.”
“Good,” the low-pitched voice seemed pleased. “Once you are sure of that, go to your car and drive home.” There was a hint of a laugh. “You have to have an alibi—stay above suspicion.” This time there was a laugh. “Far above suspicion!”
The call cut out.
“The Cobalt-60’s gone by now,” Flame shook his head. “And we don’t have a clue in which direction.”
“We’ll get one.” Dana looked thoughtful. “If they took out the doctor, they’re eliminating loose ends.”
“And?”
“There’s one left.”
“Captain Monasterio,” Karin nodded. “Of course! The explosion surprised him—I could see that in his face.”
“Does he have a car?” Flame put in.
Dana stood. “Let’s go and ask him.”
“Not us,” Karin stood. “Me—I think I know just how to handle it…”
***
Captain Monasterio was staring at a hole in the hospital parking lot. Flaming debris was all around, some of which had broken one of the hospital windows and started another fire inside.
The local fire department was doing its best to deal with both blazes although the bulk of their attention was directed at the interior blaze, which was threatening to spread.
“Another exploding car, eh Captain?” In all the chaos and confusion, Monasterio had failed to see Karin as she approached him. “Perhaps this is a special kind of city,” she smiled at him. “Or perhaps someone is just tying up loose ends.”
“What do you mean?” That last remark had come a bit too close to home for the captain.
“You know what I mean,” the German shook her head slowly. “The killing of a beloved doctor, the theft of a quantity of Cobalt-60, all with the aid of another doctor and…” She stared at Monasterio. “The Captain of the city’s police force.”
“Are you accusing me of something, Senorita? Because if you are…”
“Captain, I do not care who you take money from—I really don’t, but...” Karin’s voice turned hard as steel. “If you had anything to do with the murder of my uncle, I will see you dead and in the ground.”
“Senorita…”
“Do not deny knowing what I’m talking about, Captain. We’re aware of your relationship with the late Doctor Calvera…” She nodded at the burning crater that had been the administrator’s car. “We just want to know who you were working for,” Her eyes burned into his. “And where the Cobalt-60 is headed.”
“It’s gone?”
“What do you think?”
Monasterio looked into the fire and thought about his next move. He could kill this annoying reporter. But what would I gain from that? He knew that she had a colleague with her and, for all he knew, that other woman might be watching this exchange even now. It would just bring down more trouble—trouble I might not be able to handle. He could contact Mapache, press the criminal for a bigger payoff now that the doctor was dead. But I have no leverage—especially if the Cobalt really is gone.
What did that leave him? What could he do?
Then the reporter gave him something else to worry about.
“What sort of car do you have, Captain?” She smiled sweetly. “I wonder if it too might suddenly explode.” Her eyes caught his. “With you inside.”
He wouldn’t! Monasterio stared at what was left of Doctor Calvera and considered his position as the last remaining loose end…
***
“They’re heading west,” Karin told Dana upon her return to the room. “Mapache is taking the Cobalt to a farm just south of Ensenada—the rest of it is already there.” She looked around. “Where is Flame?”
“He’ll meet us at the car.” Dana packed a last few items into her bag. “I arranged a rental—it’s downstairs.” Karin retrieved her own bag and, a few minutes later, the two girls were out of the hotel and looking at a bright red Dodge Charger parked in the ‘Rental’ slot. Dana hit the appropriate button on the key and the trunk ‘clicked’ open. It was already more than half-filled by the gear Flame had received from Bremby.
“He’s got a lot of stuff.” Karin stared into the trunk as Dana pushed her bag into a gap.
“Not enough.” The German girl jumped as Flame appeared out of the darkness. “Mapache is bound to have a lot of gunmen around him.”
“Where were you?” Karin watched as the tall SEAL carefully stowed a rifle and combat vest in the remaining trunk space. “And why the rifle?”
“I was keeping an eye on you.” He slammed the lid shut, made sure it was secure. “If Monasterio thought that it was to his advantage to shut you up…” He shrugged. “Well, it would have been a very bad—and very final—decision for him to make.”
“You were protecting me!” Karin jumped forward and wrapped Flame in a full-body hug. “That is so nice!”
Dana, watching from one side, shook her head and smiled at the surprised and bemused look on Flame’s face. “Tick tock!” She called out. “We’re wasting time.”
“We can explore this later,” Flame disengaged from the German girl’s embrace. “When we have more time.” He kissed her nose. He pushed her into the back seat, waited while Dana got in and booted up her laptop, then shut the door and moved around to the driver’s seat. “Right now, we’ve got a truck to catch.” He slid the seat all the way back, turned the key, and burned rubber as he left the hotel driveway and headed for Highway 40.
***
Nearly two hours ahead of them, as Mapache’s truck passed Saltillo, the boss’s cell phone rang. “Si.” He spat out—then sneered as he recognized the voice at the other end. “What could you possibly do to help me?” He almost hung up but something the other man said made him stop. “How many of them?” He nodded slowly. “What kind of car did they rent?” Another nod. “Very good, we will be ready.” A cruel smile creased his face. “And this time, you will be properly rewarded.” He touched the off button.
“What was that all about?” Sautero was his most trusted associate—trusted enough to be allowed to drive the truck.
“There is a German reporter-bitch on our tail,” Mapache spat the words out. “The original hospital administrator was her uncle and she wants answers.” Mapache looked at his henchman. “Let us make sure that we give them to her, eh Sautero?”
“I will make sure of it, jefe.”
“Good,” Mapache settled back in his seat. “Wake me when we reach Chihuahua—I know a nice place to have breakfast there.”
“Won’t that give this reporter time to catch up?”
“Perhaps,” Mapache closed his eyes. “It would be good to meet this woman.” The smile returned to his face. “We might have some fun…”
Seconds later, he was sound asleep.
***
“You were right, Flame.” Dana looked up from her laptop. “The captain sold us out, he called Mapache to warn him that we were on his trail.”
“How did you know…” Karin was leaning on the back of Flame’s seat. “Oh,” she nodded. “The bug you left in the captain’s office…”
“He figures telling Mapache about us will buy him immunity.” Flame shook his head. “I think he’s dreaming. Blanco will insist that there be no backtrail on this one—the captain had better get someone else to start his car every time he uses it.”
“And taste his food,” Karin shook her head angrily. “Bastard.”
“He did us a favor.” Dana was tapping away at her console. “I was able to use his call to find out Mapache’s cell number,” she leaned forward. “I can trace his location as his phone pings the closest cell phone tower.”
“Where is he right now?”
“West of us,” Dana leaned closer. “Moving…”
“He’s in the truck with the Cobalt-60.” Flame nodded. “Maybe we’ll be able to intercept, stop him from reaching his destination.” He pushed down on the gas, watched the speedometer inch up toward 50 KPH.
-28-
A stern chase is a long chase, Flame knew that quite well. Now he was thinking about what he would do if he actually caught up with his quarry. I can’t get into a shootout while Karin and Dana are with me. He knew that Dana had done a fine job in the Statue of Liberty. He also knew that her hands had still been shaking two days later. Even so, he thought. She kept her cool in Monterrey, he glanced at her as she worked her computer. But I can’t expect her to watch my back in a real shootout.
Karin was a bigger issue. The German girl had a lot of courage—and even more nerve. She’d insist on fighting alongside me, he knew. And she’d probably get herself killed in the process. He shook his head. I’ve gotta find a better way…
Moments later, by pure chance, he had it.
“Mapache’s on the phone again,” Dana had used NSA software to monitor the gang chief’s calls. “This time he’s talking to someone with a very deep voice and an odd accent.” She glanced at Flame. “I’ll bet it’s Blanco!”
“What are they talking about?”
“It seems that Mapache had planned to stop for breakfast somewhere just outside Chihuahua,” she smiled. “Breakfast with Karin and me as a side dish.”
“Dumb.” Flame spat the word out. “They’re making assumptions with no data.”
“They are Mexican thugs,” Karin shook her head. “What do you expect?”
“Blanco is no mere thug.” Dana had gone through his dossier back in New York. “He’s a smart guy—well trained and thoughtful.” She grinned. “And he has forbidden Mapache stopping for any reason.”
