by Hep Aldridge
Sean was literally beaming as he turned to the huge work area and said, “It has, and it’s great. I received a grant just after you guys left to support my training program. I’ve been able to buy equipment, hire new staff, and really get things going.”
I said, “And it looks like the neighborhood has taken off as well.”
“That started recently and is way cool. The city kicked in some renovation dollars, and I was able to get them matched, and boom. We got a “new” industrial section being set up right on this block. And we have been able to create a lot of good-paying jobs because of it. I mean, this is too cool.” Sean was happy.
“It looks like your training center is doing quite well for itself.”
“It is, and we’re turning out some excellent mechanics, male and female, and they’re getting jobs.”
“Then you really are doing well and making a difference,” I said as I slapped him on the back. I turned to look at the Suburban, “And our beast?”
“All is well,” Eduardo spoke up. “I went over her carefully when we found out you were coming back down. I have changed all her fluids, filled the gas tanks, checked her out mechanically, and she is in top shape, ready to go.”
“Excellent,” I said.
“How long will you be here this time?” Sean asked.
“Not sure,” I replied, “maybe a couple of months or more. We’ll see.”
“Well, I hope you’re not planning on taking my service manager away from me. I wouldn’t know what to do without him,” Sean said.
Eduardo looked both elated and downcast at the compliment and then the realization that his new position may preclude him from galivanting off into the mountains with us.
“Well, we certainly wouldn’t want to disrupt your business here, but…”
Sean spoke up, “But he does have some time off coming to him, and I suppose we could get by for a while, right, Anita?” Sean said, looking at the girl behind the counter who had been following our discussion closely.
Anita beamed, “I think we could for a little while,” she said as she looked at Eduardo. That’s when I realized he was blushing as he turned to her and slowly smiled. I looked at Dimitri, who was grinning, and he nodded slightly. So, there was a little more than a working relationship going on here.
“Well, if he does come along, I can assure you we will take good care of him,” I said. We said our good-byes, fired up the Beast, and headed back to the hotel. When we got back, the gate was open to our private parking area, and two familiar faces greeted us. Our two guards from our previous visits were back on duty.
“Hola, Senor Burnett, Senor Dimitri,” they said as we slowly pulled in. I got out of the vehicle and greeted them with a smile and a wave. I told Dimitri to check the compartments to make sure nothing had been tampered with as I walked to the guards and made small talk. Dimitri joined me in a few minutes, gave me a slight nod, and did his greetings as we headed inside.
We met the rest of the team in the patio bar; they had already staked out our corner table away from prying ears. We placed our drink order and then updated them on the scene at Sean’s and the changes in the neighborhood.
Doc said, “What great news—sounds like the contribution from our last visit has had the desired outcome.”
“Yes, it did,” I said, “and I hope things are going just as well at Diego’s place. We’ll swing by there tomorrow and check-in. Right now, I just want to decompress for a bit. With the circus in Florida, the flight down, and God knows what in our future, I think we all deserve that. Besides, isn’t that what multi-millionaires do, relax?” That got a laugh from around the table. We were still coming to grips with that fact, and although we had been dispersing funds to the team regularly, we were all playing it close to the cuff, as the saying goes. We all maintained modest bank accounts in keeping with a treasure hunter’s income and had no flashy lifestyle changes. This was a good group and smart, and I wanted it to stay that way.
“Did you call Reggie, Doc?” I asked.
“Yep, and Uncle Harold too. Reggie will meet us tomorrow; we just need to let her know where. Uncle Harold said when we get settled, he would like to meet. No major problems—just a few things we needed to be aware of. He said to give him a call when you’re ready.”
“Great, then let’s get down to business and figure out what’s next.”
O’Reilly said, “I think we need to decide what we’re going to do about Mendez, now that we know he’s one of the bad guys.”
“Remember, we still have a standing dinner engagement we accepted with him,” Dimitri added.
“Yeah, but that was before we found out about his ties to the Brotherhood,” Joe added.
“True,” I said, “but the last thing we want is for him to get any hint that we know his secret. So, we need to go along as if we know nothing and keep our ears and eyes open.”
“Then we need to let him know we’re back and set the dinner date. O’Reilly, can you get in touch with Tex and let him know we’re back in town and would like to take Mendez up on his offer?” Doc said.
O’Reilly looked at me, and I nodded, and she said she would take care of it tomorrow. The large platter of appetizers we had ordered appeared, and fresh drink orders were placed. After they arrived, Joe said, “Okay, Colt, we’ve got the wheels rolling here in town; what about our lost city?”
Chapter Five
We had spent the better part of the afternoon and early evening hashing out plans for our next moves in the search for the lost city. I awoke with a head full of details that needed attending to before we left for the mountains. We had made lists yesterday of required provisions, and today, the team split up to acquire the items. By the time I got downstairs for breakfast, they had already left. The message left for me at the front desk was both funny and thoughtful. It read, “Colt, we’re out picking up the necessities, so why don’t you just kick back and relax a bit before we head to Diego’s later? You looked stressed last night—like you needed a break. Signed, your caring, compassionate, and highly skilled team. HUGS AND KISSES.” I chuckled as I read it and thought maybe they were right. The legal wrangling in Florida and worrying about this trip did have me wound a little tight. I decided that a leisurely breakfast on the veranda would be a good thing and headed that way. Taking a walk after breakfast and taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of my surroundings did have a calming effect, and as I entered the hotel lobby around noon, I thought it’s good to be back in Ecuador.
I awakened to the phone ringing. “Colt,” Doc’s voice said. “We’re downstairs, ready to head to Diego’s when you are.”
I shook the cobwebs from my head and looked at my watch. 4:30. Damn, I must have been tired. “I’ll be down in ten,” I said as I hung up and headed for the bathroom and some cold water on my face to revive me. It was closer to 15 minutes when I met everyone in the lobby, and we headed to the parking lot.
Diego’s Place was hopping; it was after 5:00, and it was Friday. Our regular table was taken, so we had to find one closer to the bar. We sat down and looked toward the packed bar. Doug was back there along with Paco and another person we didn’t recognize. I was staring at Paco when he looked up, and I threw my hand in the air. He immediately lit up like a Christmas tree with his gleaming white smile. He punched Doug on the arm, and when he turned, Paco pointed to us. Doug also flashed a huge grin and threw a wave with a “just a minute” hand gesture. He must have corralled Theresa. As he approached with two pitchers of beer, she followed with five mugs, setting them on the table, and proceeded to hug us all with delight.
“So great to see you all again,” she said, “When did you get back?”
“We just got in yesterday and have been taking care of some business.”
She laughed, “I’m sure famous treasure hunters have much business to take care of.”
“Oh, you heard,” I said.
Doug said, “Hell, yeah, we heard; it’s been on the news and in the newspapers. They’ve even come by h
ere to interview us since we are your official watering hole, according to the media, and were wanting to know when you would return. Like I said, after that bus rescue in the mountains—what was that, well over a year ago, you guys have been great for business ever since.”
Now, we all laughed, and Dimitri said, “Well, at least we’re good for something.” More laughing and welcome backs were spread around. We had just finished our first mugs of beer when I saw Reggie come in the front door. It only took her a second to spot us and head over. She looked tanned and fit as ever in her cut-off BDU shorts, safari shirt, hiking boots, and a red bandana tied around her neck. She almost ran to the table, and as I stood to greet her, she grabbed me in a bear hug and said, “Welcome back, Colt; I’ve missed you guys.” Everyone got a hug, including O’Reilly, as greetings were shared.
Doc pulled up another chair between him and O’Reilly for her. Within minutes, another mug appeared, and two more pitchers of beer as Doug hugged Reggie and said, “Welcome back, haven’t seen you in a while.”
“Yeah, I know; I’ve been kinda busy and out of town quite a bit. But I’m back now,” she said with a grin and hoisted mug.
Doug stood back and surveyed the table with smiling faces, spread his arms, and said in a somewhat theatrical voice, “Hot damn, we got the band back together.” Now, we really laughed and saluted with raised mugs and some hell yeah’s.
I suddenly realized that I was genuinely relaxed and having a good time, laughing and joking with my friends. What a great feeling. I sat there, surveying the scene of the smiling and laughing faces, and thought, this is what it’s all about. All the trials and tribulations, the tough times, and even the bad times were melting away. Not forgotten but behind us, and the bond that had grown between us kept growing stronger. Comradery, respect, trust, and dare I say, even love had forged one hell of a team. I soaked it in for a few more minutes before joining in the festivities again.
Doug and Theresa had gone back to work, and we continued to enjoy ourselves. When things had settled down at the bar, Paco came over and greeted everyone. After he had a chance to say hello to everyone, he looked at me and gave his head a slight tilt toward the back of the room. With a wave, he turned and walked in that direction. I got the hint, excused myself, and followed him. I met him in the hallway to the kitchen.
We were alone, and it was quieter. I said, “What’s up, Paco?” His reply brought back a flood of memories from a previous conversation with Doug.
“Senor Colt, I think you need to know that some men have been asking about you and your whereabouts.”
Ah, hell, I thought, I’ve heard that before… “Okay, Paco, fill me in.”
He started his story, and this one had a different twist than the one that culminated in our bar fight with the thugs from the Brotherhood.
“These men, Senor Colt, they are not like the others. They are more subtle in their questioning of the patrons. They sit at the bar and make small talk and buy locals drinks before asking their questions. And they come in at different times. I have seen four, maybe five; they move around the room, getting into conversations with different groups of people. When I deliver drinks to the tables, I often hear parts of the conversations, and the American treasure hunters are always part of the discussions. They have been coming in for the last two weeks—at different times and on different days.”
That sounded methodical to me, and I asked him to describe them. He said they were dressed as outdoorsmen, hikers, or adventurers. But their clothing was new, not worn, and some of them had an accent, European, possibly Italian.
“So, not locals,” I said.
“No, no, Senor, no way, they are from nowhere around here. They carried themselves differently; they tried to seem relaxed, but they were professionals, always looking around, and they seemed on edge. I would guess that some of them were military if not all of them.”
Holy crap, I thought. “Have they been in today?” I asked.
“No, Senor, I have not seen them in two days. As I said, they are very careful in their actions, trying to fit in and not setting a pattern in their visits. But I see the people that come in here day in and day out; they were different. For me, it was easy to spot. They were trying too hard to blend in if you know what I mean.”
“I do, and thanks, Paco; this is helpful. Doug has our hotel number and our SAT phone number; call me immediately if they come in again, alright?”
“Si, Senor, do you think these men mean you harm?”
“Not sure, my friend, but I don’t think they’re on my Christmas card list.” We shook hands and left the hallway, me first, and a few minutes later, Paco followed with some fresh bar towels in his hands and went back behind the bar smiling. Dang, the kid has got the hang of this covert meeting stuff down.
I sat back down at the table and immediately got the “Hairy Eyeball” from Doc, Dimitri, and O’Reilly. I looked at them and said, “Let the games begin.” After more questioning looks, I said, “Looks like we have some new folks interested in our business.”
“New folks?” Dimitri asked.
“Yep, Paco says a group of guys has been asking questions about us.”
“Not the Brotherhood again,” Doc said.
“No,” I replied, “these guys seem a little more professional than the thugs we had the run-in with last time. And Paco said they were not from around here; in fact, he was pretty sure they were European. He had taken drinks to their table and was sure he heard one of them speaking to the other in Italian.
There were wide eyes around the table, and Doc said in a low tone, “Italian… you don’t think… the Vatican?”
I shrugged and said, “I don’t know, but I don’t think we can rule it out. He also said they carried themselves like pros, maybe military or ex-military.”
“Ah, jeez,” Dimitri said. “Not only do we have the Brotherhood to contend with, now the Vatican’s mercs.”
I looked around the table at the concerned faces until I got to O’Reilly and Reggie. They were both grinning, and I swear there was a twinkle in O’Reilly’s eye as she turned to Reggie. “Well, this should prove interesting.”
“Indeed,” Reggie replied as she turned to me smiling and said, “Dr. Burnett, you sure know how to show a girl a good time.”
Dimitri, eyes wide and staring at them, said, “You two are crazy.”
Both ladies laughed, and O’Reilly said, “I had someone else tell me that not too long ago, and I’ll tell you what I told him. You haven’t seen crazy yet… but you will.”
Reggie looked at me more seriously and said, “So, what’s this about Vatican mercs… I mean, it sounds like it could be fun, but when did they get involved?”
I thought for a minute and realized we hadn’t connected the dots for her. I quickly filled her in on what we thought the connection might be and the fact that the Vatican might have knowledge of the library and what it holds or at least an idea that something significant is hidden away in the mountains that could be very important to them.
“I get it,” she said. “So, they want to know what we know and beat us to the library.”
“Right, “Doc said, “and, if our information is correct, they may have no compunction about eliminating the competition.”
She leaned back in her chair and looked at me with a sardonic smile, “As I said, you sure know how to show a girl a good time.” She raised her mug in a salute and finished her beer.
“So, what’s the plan?” Dimitri asked.
I was thoughtful for a moment and said, “We need to follow through with our meeting/dinner with Mendez and see what we can find out there. Also, we need to give Uncle Harold a call and let him know about the new players, and we need to finish up our plan to get back into the mountains. We’ll have to wait on our new friends to show their hand and then respond accordingly. Paco is going to keep his eyes open and let us know the next time they come around.”
“So, then business as usual till the shit hits the fan and th
en Boom,” Dimitri said, smiling.
“Boom,” I repeated, “yeah, probably… Boom!”
“Works for me,” he responded as he poured himself another beer.
We ate, had a few more drinks, and then headed back to the hotel. We removed our handguns from the compartments in the Beast and armed ourselves. I thought it would be a good idea if we stuck together and told Reggie she could stay at the hotel with us, which she declined, saying it might be better to have someone on the periphery of the group as another set of eyes and ears. She would be around, just not showing up with us wherever we went. I saw the logic in her statement and agreed. We parted company with the plan of staying in touch via SAT phone.
On our drive back to the hotel, I said to the group, “I’ve been thinking about our meeting with Mendez and our new friends.”
“What about them?” Doc asked.
“What if we let Mendez know about this new group that has been snooping around and showing an interest in our activities?”
“Why would we do that?” Doc replied.
“Think about this for a minute; if we feed this information to him, then he may see this other group interested in us as rivals, which could put their motives at odds with those of the Brotherhood.”
“Especially if we let him know they’re Europeans,” O’Reilly said, “planting a seed of doubt and fueling his paranoia.”
“Right, that way,” I continued, “if the Brotherhood does pursue us, they will have to be looking over their shoulders too.”
“So, we can pit one set of bad guys against another, and that way, we may only have to deal with the winners,” Dimitri said with a chuckle.
“Now, that’s devious, Colt, downright devious,” Joe added.
“Unless they decide to join forces, and then we’re really screwed,” Doc added.
“I think that’s highly unlikely,” I said.
“I agree,” O’Reilly said, “I’d be willing to bet these two groups do not have the same end goal in mind. And even if they did, say, both wanted the information for themselves, I don’t see either willing to share with the other.”