“That`s your agenda, but it`s not going to be mine.”
“Don`t intend it to be, just need a heads-up, that`s all.”
“Tell you what, Senator, take some good advice and cut your losses on this one. It`s territory you really don`t want to be strolling through, especially with no idea where you`re going.”
Carlucci hesitated. “Minefield or no minefield, Eleanor, I just can`t do that, not with the position I`m now in.”
“Then look at what you think you have. Then turn it around and you`ll see that you can`t win. That`s all I`m going to say.”
As the line went dead, Carlucci now knew things were not as they seemed, and that meant he had this thing figured all wrong. Coming out on the bad side hadn`t crossed his mind, but Eleanor Soltero`s response had told him that`s exactly what was going to happen, and it was a warning he knew to respect.
But time was running out, events now with their own momentum, events that couldn`t be stopped. His strategy of playing both sides was a winner, or so he had thought, but from here on in it was all about consequences. Getting to the other side was now crucial, but that meant taking a huge risk, one that could be his downfall.
CHAPTER 19
Getting the hell out of Honduras and never coming back was all Arnie could think about. What he had been through was not only eating at his confidence, it was making him angry. But under protection of the military base he had a chance to wind down, and today he wanted to offer his thanks to someone he had originally thought to be suspect. It was a meeting Jackson Shawcross felt no need to attend, as it would involve questions about the investigation.
“That`s the second time you`ve stuck your neck out for me, Major,” Arnie said. “And I know how risky that is for you. I also know you don`t want my gratitude, so I`ll keep it to a brief thank you and leave it at that.”
“Just doing my job,” said the Major. “The military exists for the protection of American citizens, so that`s what I did. It`s your taxes that pay our wages and seems to me it all worked out just like it`s supposed to.”
“But we both know that shooting up Hondurans in their own country will have our lily-livered politicians wanting to chew somebody`s ass, and that ass will be yours.”
“No doubt about it but let me worry about that. Those self-serving sons of bitches will sure as hell create some kind of shit storm, but in the end my top brass will tell them to shove it, diplomatically of course.”
“At least you`ll have Senator Carlucci at your back and he`s not short of the right connections.”
“Never met the man and so far there are no red flags, but I`d be careful with him if I were you.”
“Really? That sounds like a warning.”
“You shouldn`t need one, Arnie. You know it`s a shark tank you`re swimming in, just a matter of time before you feel the first bite.”
“You got something I should be worried about?”
“Whole boatload of stuff, starting with Carlucci, but that`s all I`m going to say. I know you and Jessica had me down as the bad guy but I ain`t, so don`t waste your time on that.”
“Ruled you out a while back, Major, but seems to me Carlucci genuinely wants answers on this one. He appears to care about what happened to your Marines. That`s Jessica`s read anyway and she`s a shrewd judge of character.”
“They all start out genuine, but as soon as self interest pushes in, those values start a pretty rapid slide. Don`t figure Carlucci`s any different.”
“Jessica would call that cynicism.”
“Yeah, well in my world we call it realism. Just saying, watch him.”
“If we`re talking realism then I don`t have to tell you that the media back home is still fingering this base as some kind of secret experimentation deal, using some of your men to test things. They think you`re into a program that`s messing with their minds, looking to create some kind of super-soldier. Got to say, that research lab your men are protecting is soon going to be put in the mix and then the speculation could get out of control. So what`s up with that lab, Major?”
“You know I can`t answer that.”
“Then what can you answer? I can see maybe Carlucci`s got this wrong, but I need to get a few things straight if I`m to convince him of that.”
“Tell you what, Arnie, I can only answer by not answering, if you get my drift. In my experience a refusal to confirm or deny can sometimes be just as informative.”
Arnie broke a half smile. “Then it looks like I just ask questions that I know won`t be answered, that about right, Major?”
“Sounds about right.”
“So, you know the Congressional committee will soon be all over this incident but I can see that doesn`t worry you. That leaves me with two other suspects, drug cartels or the people behind the research lab you`re protecting. Does that strike you as an irresponsible piece of speculation?”
CHAPTER 20
The lines at Laredo immigration were long, which was not unusual. Six busloads disembarking at one time were a regular occurrence. But as Arnie turned the corner into the central hall it was clear there was tension in the air. Too many people were engaged in nervous chatter, while a group of armed Mexican officers lingered to the side, obviously on edge. Shawcross also picked up on the atmosphere and threw Arnie a look that suggested they be ready for the unexpected. Both men knew that their position in the line had closed off the option of a cautious retreat. Something was about to go down, of that they were sure, and if they were the targets then that was that.
The heat of mid-day was feeding the agitation as people dabbed at their brows and shuffled along in obvious discomfort. Arnie could feel his shirt begin to stick to him as the line began to slow even more, the reason an incident at the head of one of the lines. With his six foot height and on his toes, he could see that Mexican officials had set up a spot check on those leaving the country. This was not normal procedure and it confirmed his suspicion that all was not as it should be.
Shawcross`s nudged Arnie. “The hell is this? I thought Carlucci had our entry under control. Why the passport check on this side?”
Arnie knew they were vulnerable as long as they were on Mexican soil and he nervously scanned the U.S. zone. “If the Mexicans are looking for us we`re toast and our guys on the other side will be no help. We`ll just have to ride it out.”
By now Carmen had caught the men`s anxious looks and was showing signs of alarm, shifting from one foot to the other, eyes darting left then right. “What`s happening, why is everybody so nervous? Why are we being checked as we leave, they`re looking for us aren`t they!”
“Take it easy, Carmen,” Shawcross said, taking hold of her arm. “Those are our guys over there, on the other side of the booths. We`ll be fine.” He knew it was said as much in hope as in expectation, the U.S. officials unable to intervene even if they wanted to.
With Shawcross still holding her arm, Carmen looked far from convinced as her breathing quickened. “Something`s wrong. I thought you said we would have priority clearance so why are they not coming over to us?”
Shawcross turned to Arnie. “She`s got a point.”
Arnie thought for a moment. “Reckon if someone on this side is after us we would have been dragged out of the line by now, so we wait, keep cool.”
“Don`t like it,” said Shawcross, “something`s up, I can feel it.”
At that moment all hell broke loose. Further up the line a scuffle was fast developing into a crazed fight, the armed Mexican officials tearing into the crowd, their gun-butts aimed at three men and a woman. Shouting and screaming added to a sense of panic as people scattered in all directions.
Mayhem had broken out, with everyone crashing through the side barriers. Shawcross, seeing his opportunity, grabbed Carmen by the waist, lifted her off her feet and charged for the gap left by more than a dozen border police who were now pin
ning their targets to the floor.
As Shawcross bulldozed his way to within a few feet of the Mexican desk, Arnie right behind him, he took out his U.S. passport, held it aloft and tried to catch the attention of the American officials now moving forward. Within seconds, four dark suited men with badges on their lapels came out of the pack and rushed towards him. Taking hold of the two Americans and Carmen, the officials rushed them to a side door and marched everyone along a narrow passageway to an office marked U.S. Immigration.
“Quite a commotion,” said one of the officials, “wasn`t expecting that. Our Mexican friends don`t warn us of any operations they have planned. Thought for a minute it was you guys they were after and that would have been game over as you were still on Mexican soil.”
“You mean you wouldn`t have jumped across ten feet of Mexican territory to grab us?” Shawcross said with all seriousness.
“Sure we would, but not the Honduran girl.”
“I thought this was all cleared at the highest level, with your senator Angela Thorne in charge,” Arnie said, angrily.
“Don`t know who`s pulling the strings,” the official said, “but it wouldn`t matter. A border is a sovereign demarcation line that is sacrosanct. Even dragging a U.S. citizen across is dicey, and foreign personnel like this young lady, well that`s a big no-no. Thank God it wasn`t you two they were after.”
“So there`s no co-operation between our side and theirs?” Shawcross asked.
“Nope. Too much corruption.”
“Now why would the Mexicans think that?” said Arnie getting a laugh from the officials. “So now we wait for the U.S. Marshals, right?”
“Not our instruction, Mr.Krench. Got to put you in a hotel overnight, Marshals will get to you in the morning. Relax, you`re in the U.S. now.”
Arnie and Shawcross looked at each other, the official picking up on it and responding. “Don`t worry, two patrol cars will escort you downtown to your hotel and two deputies will be in the hallway outside your room, another two at reception. No visitors allowed and room service checked out. We`ve got you covered.”
“Had been expecting Senator Thorne or at least one of her representative`s to meet us,” Arnie said, “so what`s the deal there, will someone be at the hotel?”
“Don`t know, Mr.Krench, not privy to that, this is on a need to know basis, real tight.”
“No disrespect, but who`s in charge of this operation?”
“Me, until I get you to the hotel. Then the Feds take over.”
Arnie knew it made sense but something was bothering him. Moving to the other side of the room he pressed the numbers on his cell phone. “Senator Carlucci,” he said to the receptionist who answered his call.
Within seconds he put the cell phone back in his pocket and threw Shawcross a look of concern.
Crossing to where Arnie stood and out of earshot of the head official who was in conversation with one of his men, Shawcross dropped his voice. “What`s up?”
“Carlucci`s unavailable.”
“Unavailable my ass, what the hell`s going on here?”
“A development I don`t like the look of. No Senator Thorne and now no Carlucci.”
“We get an escort to the hotel, Feds on guard when we arrive, so as long as that plays out then we can relax. Call me paranoid, Arnie but let`s stay off the phone from now on, that`s a rule we never broke when on special ops.”
As the government official approached he smiled. “Okay, we`re good to go, let`s get you guys to the hotel. You seem pretty beat up, in need of a good night`s sleep by the looks of it.”
The black limo had two sets of double seats in the back. An official sat on one side, next to Carmen, while Arnie and Shawcross sat together. In the front the driver was armed, as was the man to his right. With a patrol car at the back and one up ahead, the procession was drawing looks from the sidewalk as heavy traffic slowed progress to a crawl.
“Most important I`ve ever felt,” said Shawcross, grinning at Arnie.
Arnie returned the smile. “Enjoy it while it lasts, because tomorrow we`re both back to business as usual, no more V.I.P. travel.”
Carmen hadn`t uttered a word since leaving the immigration centre and stared out the window as if in awe at finally being in America. “We are safe now?” she said quietly.
“New life ahead of you,” Arnie replied. “Maybe one day your parents can join you.”
“Can`t believe I`m here,” she said, her eyes welling up. “I only have my father, and I fear for what might have happened to him. When will we be able to talk to each other?”
Arnie knew the fate of her father could go either way in a country like Honduras, his position as Chief of Police in Cartagena conceivably an advantage but just as likely to be the opposite. “The Federal officials who take over tomorrow will help you with that,” he said.
Looking at his watch and recognising they had hit downtown, Shawcross turned in his seat. “So far so good, looks like we`ve made it.”
“Then I need to make a call,” Arnie said, “find out what Jessica`s up to and if she has any idea why Carlucci`s suddenly unavailable at this stage of the operation.”
“Okay, I guess we`re safe now,” Shawcross said. “But just this one call.”
Jessica had been crossing Lincoln Park, not far from the Capitol building, and answered instantly before finding a bench to sit on. “Arnie, you okay, you through immigration?”
“Half an hour ago and all`s clear, but Carlucci`s out of touch, any idea why?”
“No, spoke to him yesterday. Janice Hoag`s been back in touch and he`s linked me up with her. You sound suspicious. Did Greenmire signal anything?”
“No. I just can`t figure why Carlucci`s not taking my call.”
“Must be in a meeting.”
“Yeah, maybe, but I have a feeling that`s not it.”
“Anyway, we`ve made it, Arnie. Carmen get`s handed over then we have to wait and see what happens. I`m heading to Memphis tomorrow, meeting with Janice Hoag, see what she`s got that could beef up the story. Looks like we`ve finally got a breakthrough.”
“Guess so. I`ll see you back in D.C. Jess, when we find out where we`re at with Carlucci, what he wants us to do now and if we`re still on the pay-roll. And if not, I`ve only my Harley waiting for me in L.A., so you good with a few days lay over at your place in Seattle?”
“Sure, and I could do with someone to bounce my story off, got a lot of writing to do while we wait for Carmen`s testimony. This is our story, Arnie, not just mine. We share the rewards and I`m pretty sure your skills will be in demand once we gets to print. let`s see what happens.”
“Hanging out in the Seattle area sounds fine to me, though that winter weather up there`s a bummer.”
“Everything has its compensations biker man, reckon you`ll soon find that out.”
“Seattle it is then, Jess.”
CHAPTER 21
Jessica knew what was needed for her story, but the question was how far to push journalistic license in crossing the line between interpretation and speculation. The all too common tendency for investigative journalists to juice up a narrative that was short on hard facts was something she`d always resisted, but on this one the temptation was growing. What Janice Hoag might have for her was an enticing prospect, a contribution that could jack up the human interest aspect and with any luck, link Jeb Hoag more closely to the research lab. It was a wet early morning in D.C. and she was stuck in a trail of slow moving traffic that would add an hour to her arrival time. Janice Hoag had arranged the meeting at her law firm`s office in Knoxville for 3.00pm, a time Jessica would not make. The seven hour drive would end up taking at least eight, plenty of time to think about what to expect from the brainy hill girl. She assumed Janice Hoag would show a physical resemblance to her mother, Nelly, but given her unexpected professional succes
s she figured that Janice`s character might be entirely different. Whether they would hit it off was the crucial question, and the more Jessica thought about it the more intriguing the prospect became, particularly the idea of having someone with legal skills on board.
On entering Janice Hoag`s office she was met by a person with the strong family resemblance she had expected, a lean frame, close to skinny, but a good four or five inches taller than her mother, about six foot she guessed. The hair was different, Janice`s long and straight as opposed to her mother`s short curly locks. But the eyes were her striking feature, determinedly bright and presenting a look that suggested a woman not to be underestimated.
“Nice to meet you,” Jessica said, while being invited to sit. “Sorry I`m late, hit some heavy traffic on leaving.”
“A long journey, can I get you a drink, some coffee?”
“No thanks, I`m hyped enough after all that driving, especially negotiating downtown Knoxville and finding a place to park.”
“Cities, exciting place to live but a pain in the ass to get around.”
“Well, I intended to drive back after our meeting but I`m hanging up that idea. I`ll find a hotel for the night.”
There was a momentary silence as Janice Hoag delayed her response. “I`d invite you to my place but I have friends visiting. My secretary will help you find a room and she`s good at getting corporate discounts.”
Jessica acknowledged with a smile. “That would be good. Thanks.”
“So what`s the latest with your investigation, any progress?”
“There is. We have a vital witness under Federal protection. Jeb`s Honduran girlfriend, Carmen. Presumably Jeb told you about her?”
“Yes, I know about Carmen. Jeb said he was going to marry her.”
“Well, Carmen can connect your brother to a Honduran science lab where she worked.”
Janice now sounded guarded. “Okay, a witness is good news, but a witness to what? Jeb was a Marine, so I don`t see the relevance of this lab. And you must know that Carmen marrying Jeb would mean her getting to the U.S. Now that dream is over, so sounds to me like you and Carlucci are being played.”
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