by Glenn Ball
Nicolas stretched out his hand. “Good to meet you both. And my actual surname is Aguilar. Martinez is just my cover name, common like Smith.”
“Thank you for the correction. Sorry I had to make you rush out here but based on our intel and what we understand of this new intel of yours, we may only have a few days till the terrorists strike.” The import of that statement hung in the air like an ominous storm cloud.
********
The meeting room was furnished with a conference table and chairs, as well as a dry erase board. There were no photos on the walls, nor decorations of any sort, other than an enormous nationwide topographical roadmap. But it was immaculately clean, and the air conditioning felt spectacular after the scorching heat outside.
General Hague and Captain Valencia sat on one side of the conference table directly across from Nicolas. Looking hard into his eyes the general addressed Nicolas. “Okay Mr. Aguilar, why don’t you tell us briefly what your informant has told you.”
“My informant has escaped a Mexican drug cartel that is heavily involved in human trafficking. I learned yesterday that this cartel has connections with a prominent Middle Eastern terrorist, operates a chemical and biological weapons lab in Mexico, and has been smuggling these weapons into the U.S.”
“Those are very strong claims.” Hague reclined with a studious face. “Have you had any way of confirming this information? How do you even know that the woman is who she claims she is?”
Unruffled by the question Nicolas proceeded with his account. “I have been on the track of this cartel for nearly a year. I have observed the importance of this woman to Ochoa first-hand. Based on the way he treats his women I have every reason to believe her story of escaping him and his attempts on her life.
“As for her assertions about chemical and biological weapons and his connections with a Middle Eastern terrorist, the best answer I can give you is that these were the missing pieces that had been puzzling me about this cartel. I had been struggling with a number of unanswered questions. Why would Ochoa invest in what is rumored to be a state-of-the-art laboratory the size of a major hospital, and yet produce only average amounts of cocaine and heroin in this lab? And why would there be corpses that had suffered gruesome deaths often being carted out of these labs. Why were so many of his prostitutes rumored to carry some kind of virus, making many of his men afraid to have relations with them? And what was he transporting in the secretly welded compartment of his semi-trailers? When I posed as an illegal immigrant, each of us was given a bag of cocaine to smuggle on our person. Why even bother if that were what they were smuggling in the secret compartment. And why was a death squad sent to exterminate all of us illegals when the semi crashed?
“Only two of us escaped the death squad, an immigrant Pedro and me. I had to fake my own death to get them off our trail. And afterwards I doubled back and was able to observe them bring in another trailer to haul off the corpses and the contents of the hidden compartment. Though I could not make out what those contents were, I can assure you they were not narcotics. For one thing, it was a hazmat team that handled them.”
“Can you show us on the map where that accident took place?” The general asked.
“Sure. Right here.” As Nicolas pointed out the location on the map Adam’s eyes widened.
“General that is only ten miles from my house.” The implications triggered a haunting intensity in his eyes. The riddle of the photo was answered; Antonio had seen the photo. Adam’s voice sounded strained. “Ten to one my intruders were Ochoa’s henchmen. And he knows she is my wife.”
Observing this, General Hague jumped at the key moment to capitalize on Adam’s amplified motivation. “Mr. Martinez, this information could not have come to us at a better time. We have only recently made the connection of a major terrorist plot to this very drug lord you mention. We need his location and that of his lab and headquarters before the next phase of their plot unfolds. Is that something you could help us with?”
“I might be the only one qualified to help you. I know the exact location of his headquarters. They call it ‘The Castle’. I have been there and have observed its layout and how they guard it. I will warn you it is exactly the way it sounds…a virtual fortress.
“As for the lab, I have somewhat of an idea how to find it, but it is a well-guarded secret. It might take some doing.
“Ochoa himself is of course a moving target. It will take real-time info to catch him. Perhaps after we take his headquarters something will present itself.”
“General, may I say something.” Adam’s voice trembled slightly.
“Of course,” General Hague signaled with his hand that the floor was the captain’s.
“Special Agent Aguilar, in addition to heading up Operation Border, I have great personal interest in this “Castle” and capturing Ochoa Machado. I now have reason to believe that he has kidnapped my wife, and the most likely destination he would have taken her is this ‘Castle’.
“I would like to invite you to be part of the Task Force, and to join me in capturing this “Castle’. Should you agree, you will be part of the Coordination Team planning the mission. What do you say?”
Nicolas looked to the general. “Captain Valencia has full authority in who is appointed to the Task Force.”
Turning back to Adam, he affirmed, “I would be honored to be a part of it.
CHAPTER 42
Ninjas in the Night
Nicolas’ face hovered over the map in the glow of a penlight, like a moon overseeing its old haunt after a month of absence. Adam consulted with him, two spooks whispering in the dark. From their vantage point at the bottom of the hill the Castle loomed, a twisted tower of terror. Comparing what he saw to the map before them Agent Aguilar studied the guard posts.
Aguilar had reason to believe the local police and the Federales over Ochoa’s jurisdiction were bought and paid for by Antonio. They could not risk their involvement nor their discovery of the mission. Therefore, Adam only took five of his best men, plus Nicolas.
Agent Aguilar had a contact at the border who had been able to get the seven of them across with no questions asked. Once across he had provided Captain Valencia’s crew with fake CFE (Comisión Federál de Electricidad) uniforms, id’s and a CFE truck. Under the cover story of surveying in order to lay underground electrical lines they had been able to avoid suspicion while moving at will.
Having scouted the immediate area during the daylight, they now returned under the cover of darkness to make their assault.
Aguilar pointed carefully to where he suspected guards would be posted. “Here is the guard station. It covers the entrance from the main road. They will have minimally three well-armed guards posted there. Here at the back is a private entrance with a smaller guard station. There are always two guards posted there. Sixteen guards are posted around the circumference, each twenty meters apart, patrolling their designated areas just inside the exterior wall. On the roof they also post watchmen, here, here and here. All the guards carry a radio affixed to their private channel. All of them are military-trained and carry hi-caliber weapons.
“The entire property is surrounded by a ten-foot electric fence. With our equipment it should be no problem cutting the electric lines to the fence, and then to cut holes in the fence where needed for entry.
“Ten meters inside the electric fence runs the exterior wall. It is a fifteen-centimeter-thick stone wall and has broken glass glued along its entire top. The hole I mentioned is located right here near the back corner. All we need to do is remove the five large stones to gain entry.”
“Perfect. That should be no problem,” Valencia interjected.
“In addition to his exterior guards Ochoa Machado has forty interior guards. Two guards are posted at every turret on each floor. As you can see there is a turret at each of the corners of the Castle. Those turrets have gun holes. If they suspect an attack before we get inside, we can kiss the mission goodbye.
Onc
e inside, we will want to go where prisoners are most often held. That’s where we will most likely find Susanna and Pedro. We will have to pass all forty guards to get there. It is below the bottom floor. It’s the ‘Dungeon’.
“You still have not told me how you plan to take the Castle with only the seven of us. You do understand that Antonio Ochoa’s men are well-trained assassins. Three different syndicates have come against the Castle, and all have failed.”
“Stealth is everything when taking an army like this. The plan is straightforward. Have you ever seen how ninjas operate?”
Nicolas’ eyes widened as he listened to the plan of attack.
********
Adam’s sniper, Sergeant John Becker, codenamed Eagle, was sent up the hill to the backside of the Castle. From there he had a view of the entire roof and could set up his sniper rifle in obscurity.
Like black panthers the rest of the soldiers prowled in the shadows, reaching the electric fence in dead silence. In a few short minutes they had dug a hole, found and cut the power lines to the fence, then cut an opening wide enough to pass through.
Moments later they were at the exterior wall removing the five large stones. Not a grunt was heard as the stones were moved with the stealth of a diamond burglar, though these stones weighed an average of a hundred pounds each.
The first soldier, codenamed Cobra, slithered through the hole, then stalked the nearest guard as he was pacing his section. His strike was quick and deadly, slicing the throat of the guard before his presence was even known.
The next soldier, codenamed Shadow, covertly entered the grounds and shadowed the first. Simultaneous to Cobra’s attack on the first guard, Shadow approached the second guard matching the guard’s pace as he crept up from behind. Shadow’s knife moved with the breeze, taking the guard out instantly.
Cobra moved on to the next guard. In this way they continued on toward the front of the Castle where they would take out the front guard station, after taking all the pacing guards on this side.
Lone Wolf entered third, sneaking off in the opposite direction from the first two. He headed toward the guard station in the back, taking the guards out one by one en route.
Adam headed straight toward the Castle, leaving Nicolas and the final soldier to be his rearguard. Aguilar kept watch toward the outside of the wall and fence, while ‘Robinhood’ positioned himself in a low branch of a tree and vigilantly scanned the darkness between the hole and the Castle. He was a marksman with a crossbow, the only one that could give Captain Valencia a run for his money in a crossbow contest. They both carried a crossbow with cyanide tipped arrows. Robinhood would take care of any stragglers that might happen into Valencia’s vicinity.
Adam moved like a wraith in the night, vigilant for any tripwires, mines or boobytraps. The fact that Nicolas had never detected any guard dogs in his observations of the property made Adam suspicious of more devious devices. Treading delicately through a grassy area he stopped dead in his tracks. A dark form was approaching.
He considered hitting the deck, but something shiny in the grass just in front of him caught his eye. He was already in the open, some twenty meters from the Castle wall. There was nothing to offer cover, neither from the approaching guard, nor from the watchmen on the roof should they look his way.
Something hissed. The man instantly dropped like a sack of jelly. Robinhood had hit his mark.
Bending slowly, Adam inspected the device that had caught his eye. Pulling apart some blades of grass he discovered it was a mine. These guys played for keeps. He quickly marked the spot for Robinhood and Nicolas. They would follow his footsteps, minimizing the search for mines.
He found three more mines in what remained of his trek to the Castle wall. All was eerily quiet as he stepped up to the monstrosity lying in wait like a dragon prepared to swallow its prey. Gazing upward between two protrusions he studied the wall that he would scale.
Having carefully examined photos that Agent Aguilar had taken of the Castle he had predetermined several things: first, the best way into the Castle would be through the roof; second, a freestyle climb of the walls would be the only way to avoid detection from the watchmen on the roof; third, that though most would never consider attempting a freestyle climb of its walls, including his best men, he would have no difficulty with the challenge; lastly, the ideal portion of the wall to scale would be where he was now standing. The protrusions offered some concealment and more hand and footholds.
Adam had done numerous free solos in his time, but always kept these victories private. Only a few closest to him -- Susanna, Sky, the general and those in his unit -- knew of his abilities.
Shadows of trees crept along the walls like phantoms awaiting in ambush. Everything about the Castle was creepy; the rumors of Ochoa Machado torturing people, the spooky guards, and the gothic appearance of the Castle itself. There were even rumors of a witch living in the Castle. “That would be about right,” Adam muttered to himself.
Pushing all other thoughts from his mind, Valencia started up the wall. He maintained his focus on the next handhold, the next foothold. Before he knew it, he was three floors up. Securing his feet and right arm he glanced at his watch. He was three minutes early. He would have to wait before moving on.
The trees now seemed small. Though only three floors up he had reached a height of almost fourteen meters, or forty-five feet. A fall from this height would probably result in death. As the seconds ticked by his back felt unnervingly exposed. He was a sitting duck for any guard to shoot down.
Sweat was dripping down his back, causing a chill to run down his spine, as if the bony finger of Death was rubbing his skin. He had the strange sensation that someone was watching him.
In the yard below another guard was pacing the same chosen path of the one now lying dead in the grass. It was inevitable he would see the body, look around, then espy Adam on the wall above him.
Above Adam one of the watchmen poked his head over the edge looking down into the darkness.
The bony chill was streaking down Adam’s back in numerous places now. Looking up he could actually see the chin of the roof watchman. He pulled himself in tight against the wall. His fingers were straining to hold him steady. It was an awkward position.
The guard on the grounds below was two steps from the body.
********
Adam hugged the wall, holding fiercely onto patience.
Robinhood had been watching through the trees, waiting for a shot to present itself when he saw the roof watchman lean over the side. He could not afford to take the grounds man out while the watchman was looking.
The roof watchman was turning his head this way and that. It appeared to Robinhood that he had not seen the guard on the ground, nor the dead body. Was he looking at Adam?
Adam was straining with all his strength to remain flat against the wall. The tension was beginning to make his right foot vibrate. He was counting the seconds. There it was. The three minutes were up. He would no longer wait helplessly for Death to find him.
The watchman above dropped out of sight. He was the first of the three roof watchmen to go down. Eagle took all three watchmen down in rapid succession.
The guard below had at that moment laid eyes on the body when a swoosh was the last thing he heard. Robinhood’s arrow had gone straight through his throat.
Captain Valencia was again on the move, swiftly covering the last ten meters to the roof. Carefully he moved past each window. Upon reaching the top he came to the overhang. The wall of the roof jutted out about thirty centimeters. He had been thankful for that ledge when the guard had been peering over the it. But now it was his final obstacle of the climb.
Stretching his leg out to a foothold in the wall on his left he used the corner as leverage to position himself beyond the ledge. Using his long arm, he grasped the upper edge of the ledge with his right hand. With his feet still firmly planted on the two perpendicular walls he reached over the ledge with his left hand.
With the two handholds now established he used the push from his feet to swing his lower body around and over the ledge like an Olympic gymnast.
From below Robinhood had been watching with bated breath. “How does he do that!” he marveled.
As he landed on the floor of the roof, Adam nearly stumbled over the body of the watchmen. Glancing around he quickly spotted the other two guards lying dead. “Eagle never misses.”
Having fastened the rope from his pack around a nearby pole, he dropped it over the edge. He could see Robinhood and Nicolas already picking their way through the grass to the Castle wall. Their climb would be easier than his.
Once again scanning the rooftop he affirmed all clear. Then he moved to the opposite side of the roof. He was impressed with how far it was. Once there he spotted the border guards in the central posts. Taking aim, he felt the sliver of death slide off his fingertips. Down went one guard. Down went the next.
Eagle would have taken out the one closest to the guard station in back. Lone Wolf would be coming up from that side. Cobra and Shadow would be taking out the guards on the edge toward the front after doing in the guard station.
Returning to the wall where he’d come up, he held the rope steady as Nicolas was pulling himself up. An uneasy feeling crept over him, as if he’d seen movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning to see what it was he noticed the door to the interior was now open. It had been closed when he first scanned the roof.
Rapidly he glanced around. All three bodies were still laid out where they’d been shot.
The rope jerked in his hand as something bumped him from behind. Instinctively his hands let go of the rope as they scraped on rock, barely preventing him from falling over the edge headfirst.
Strong arms locked around his midsection like a wrestler about to throw his opponent. Valencia reached backward over his head, grabbing the attacker by his neck. Squeezing the neck with his iron hands, digging his thumbs under the jaw, Adam pulled the head toward his right shoulder. He then reached further with his right arm, putting the head in a chokehold. The man’s grip on Adam’s midsection had been loosening as he struggled to breath. Adam then bent his knees slightly into a squat as he pulled the head forward hard and fast over his right shoulder. The attacker went flying into the night air, falling to the death he’d meant for Adam.