ENCOUNTER

by Hep Aldridge

  “A family member?” I asked, nodding to the painting.

  “Yes,” Mendez replied with pride, “my father, Alejandro Mendez. He inherited this estate from his father and started the vineyards. I have carried on the family business and tradition.”

  We spent over an hour admiring the library and its contents and also discussing his family’s history, which was extensive, and learning about their place in the historical development of this region. There was no mention of the Brotherhood, which did not surprise me.

  I finally said, “Senor Mendez, we do thank you for this lovely evening, but we must take our leave. We have many preparations to make for our upcoming expedition.”

  “I am sorry that you have to leave, but I understand; it has been delightful having you visit. Do come again.”

  As we left the library and he was escorting us down the hall, I turned, and as offhandedly as I could, said, “By any chance, have you heard of a group called the Brotherhood?”

  It caught him completely off-guard as he almost stumbled before replying.

  “Why do you ask?” he replied after regaining his composure.

  “Oh, no particular reason—we have heard some rumors and what I would consider old wives’ tales about a strange group that protected the golden library from discovery. You know how people talk about things that go bump in the night,” I said with a chuckle. “With the history of your family in the area, I thought you might have heard something or be able to shed some light on those stories.”

  We had reached the front doors and stopped for a moment. His nervousness had increased, and I thought I saw a trickle of sweat appearing on his brow.

  “Well, now that you mention it, I do recall hearing stories as I was growing up about something like that, but attributed it to, as you say, old wive’s tales.”

  I nodded, “I’m sure you’re right. I know how these kinds of stories get fabricated and take on a life of their own over time. But it did make me wonder if there was any truth to it, and could these men who seem to be interested in us be involved in some way?”

  Now, the old Mendez was back. “I hardly believe that would be the case, but as I said, I will look into it and let you know what I find out.”

  The front doors opened, and the Mercedes limo was sitting out front. I turned, thanked him again for the evening and his offer of help, as did the others, and walked to the car. The drive to the hotel was filled with conversation, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the wonderful evening, the beauty of the Mendez estate, and our gracious host. No one could see our conspiratorial grins as we spoke.

  Chapter Nine

  Arriving at the hotel, we stopped in the bar for a quick nightcap. Sitting there, we agreed that we had accomplished our mission for the evening, and Mendez seemed to fall for our little ruse. If he turned out to be as predictable as we thought, he would involve his men in some way with the mercs from Rome, which is exactly what we wanted. Now, we stay vigilant and go about business as usual—whatever that might entail.

  The next morning after breakfast, we went back to our rooms and started the final prep of personal gear. The boxes had arrived from Fitz with our new batch of MREs to augment the local foodstuffs we were taking with us. There were some additional medical supplies to add to our kit, spare batteries, and a small, quick-charge solar panel with adapters for all our electronic devices. As a bonus, he sent us a dozen of his newly developed mini remote-controlled trail cams, like hunters and animal researchers use to spot and record animals in the wild. But these were way cooler, HD real-time picture transmission and recording w/sound, six-month battery life, and the size of a box of paperclips. They would transmit to all our mobile devices with a 75-mile transmission range and could be turned on/off remotely or set for motion sensing activation. Another surprise was a small drone with an HD camera and all the bells and whistles you could ask for, including his newly developed generation of LIDAR sensing. Physically, it was the size of a laptop computer, no more than 15 inches square, and had ten hours of flight and recording time. All controllable from the new Toughbook laptop he included and our tablets’ touch screen controls, and rechargeable with our new solar charger. Fitz’s team had been working on new battery technology for some time, and the battery-powered devices were his latest creations. He and his Acme Inc. had really come through for us, and unlike Wile E. Coyote’s provider, all our stuff worked.

  By the time we had gotten everything packed and loaded, the rear storage area of the Beast was full, and we had started strapping bundles on the roof rack. I got a call from Uncle Harold early that afternoon saying he had Dimitri’s package and we could come by the bar and pick it up. He would be there in an hour. I let the team know, and an hour later, Dimitri and I rolled up to the bar. It was four o’clock on a Monday afternoon, so there wasn’t much of a crowd around. He and Rita were sitting at his usual table, and I thought I recognized some of the faces around the bar from our last visit; Uncle Harold’s boys, I thought. We walked up to his table, and he slid a medium-sized canvas duffel bag across the floor to Dimitri and said, “Here you go, as ordered.”

  Dimitri said, “Everything?”

  “Yep, everything, hope you don’t need it, but…” he let the sentence trail off.

  I stood there, not sure of what was transpiring, but knowing Dimitri as I did, I knew it was important, so I just kept quiet.

  Dimitri nodded, and without opening the bag, picked it up and turned for the door. I turned to follow when Uncle Harold spoke again, “I got no intel on your new friends, so be careful. You’ve got my number.”

  “Thanks, will do,” I said, and we left the building. Dimitri put the bag in the back seat and climbed behind the wheel. I sat there and looked at him as he started the Beast.

  “You want to tell me what that was all about?”

  He looked at me with a slight smile and said, “There might be zombies.”

  Oh, brother, I thought, not zombies again, but said nothing more.

  We finished our packing and decided to head to Diego’s for dinner and told Reggie to meet us there. I hoped to talk with Paco and find out if he had any new information for us. The table that we usually sat at was available, so we settled in and ordered drinks. I didn’t see Doug, Paco, or Theresa. Lots of new faces were working, and the place was over half full. Reggie joined us, and we brought her up to speed on our evening at Mendez’s.

  “Wow, it sounds like he bought your whole story. Wonder where it goes from here?” she said.

  “I’m not sure, but I think we were convincing. I’m hoping this doesn’t snowball into something we can’t handle,” I said. I saw Paco come out of the back room and head to the bar, carrying a case of liquor. Once he deposited it, the barback started putting it on the shelves. I waited until Paco looked in our direction and raised my hand. He saw me, gave me a nod, and then, with a head gesture to the back, headed that way. I met him in the back hallway and was greeted with a handshake and a concerned look.

  “Looks like you may have some bad news for me, my friend.”

  “No, Senor Burnett, not bad, just concerning. I am sorry for the delay; I was about to call you. The men I was telling you about came in yesterday, except this time there were six or seven of them. They came in in two separate groups and sat apart from each other. Two Latinos that I had not seen before had joined the group.”

  “So, maybe some additional local help?”

  “Possibly, but I do not recall ever having seen them in here before. I think they may be from out of town. I’m not sure.”

  “Were they asking questions again?”

  “Yes, but very cautiously. It was obvious they knew you were going back into the mountains because they were asking if anyone knew what route you took. I do not believe they got an answer.”

  “Okay, we’re heading out in a day or so. If anything comes up that I should know about, give me a call, and thanks for the information.”

  “No problem, Senor Burnett. I will keep you informed.�
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  With that, we went our separate ways. When I got back to the table, I filled everyone in on what Paco had told me.

  “Cripes,” Reggie said, “they got more guys now. What the hell?”

  “Well, it wouldn’t be a party without guests,” Dimitri quipped, grinning from ear to ear.

  “We’ll deal with it,” I said, “we have no choice. Just be glad we know about it; that gives us an edge. So, nothing to lose sleep over,” wishful thinking, I unconvincingly hoped.

  “Well, I’ve got something we do need to worry about,” Joe said. “What are we going to do about Eduardo?”

  Crap, I hadn’t even thought about that. So much had been happening these last few days, and I said as much.

  “I know,” Joe said, “but we need to make a decision. You know he’s chomping at the bit to go with us.”

  “Yeah, I know, but now I’m afraid it’s too dangerous—what with all these new developments.”

  Dimitri chimed in, “You try and tell him that.”

  “I know; I know, he’s been with us through some dicey moments and done well, but this could be a whole different story.”

  “I kind of agree with you, Colt, but how are we going to explain that to him?”

  “You won’t be able to,” O’Reilly said very evenly, “he’s been right there with us from the beginning, and he’s older now, so I don’t think he’ll buy the danger thing. At his age, that will just make it more exciting.”

  I looked around the table and said, “So, what are we going to do…?”

  There was a prolonged silence as everyone sought an answer to the problem. It was one hell of a problem, and I didn’t like the way I was leaning. Finally, Joe said, “I say he goes. He’s a sharp kid who has grown up on the streets and has proven himself in practically every situation he’s been in with us. He’s smart, handles himself well under pressure, and can think on his feet. We need to brief him and then let him decide to go or not.”

  Damn it; I couldn’t argue with anything Joe said. I ran numerous objections through my head, and none of them stuck.

  “You know, Joe’s right, he’s a resourceful kid; well, I guess he’s not really a kid anymore, but you know what I mean. So, I say he goes,” Doc said.

  Dimitri said, “I agree.”

  O’Reilly, grinning, nodded in assent.

  “Well, I guess that’s it then; he goes,” I said, somehow feeling better about it but still concerned.

  Joe said, “Don’t worry, Colt; I’ll take care of him. It’ll be fine.”

  And with that, the deal was sealed; Eduardo was back on the team.

  “We’ll go by Sean’s in the morning and talk with him and see what he says. So, let’s plan on getting out of here on Thursday. An extra day won’t matter one way or another.”

  With that settled, we ordered our meal and proceeded to enjoy the rest of the evening. Reggie left early and said she would meet us at the farm where we parked the Beast on our last trip. I agreed and told her to stay in touch via the SAT phone.

  The next morning, Joe, Dimitri, and I were to drive to Sean’s and talk with both him and Eduardo. I was getting ready when my room phone rang. It was the front desk notifying me a message had been dropped off during the night at the front desk. They wanted to know if I wanted it delivered to my room. I told them I would be down shortly and get it then. As I hung up, I thought, another message, what now? I called the guys and told them I would meet them in the restaurant and headed down.

  I went to the desk and was handed a sealed envelope. The message inside was short and to the point. “Senor Burnett, do not trust Mendez. He is a dangerous man.” No signature. Now, where in the hell did this come from? I thought as I headed into the dining area and was seated by the waiter. Five minutes later, Joe and Dimitri arrived and sat down. The carafe of steaming coffee was waiting for them as I sipped my first cup. When they had filled their cups, I laid the message on the table in front of them and said, “This came during the night.” They both read it at the same time.

  Dimitri said, “Well, that’s interesting; wonder who it’s from?”

  Joe was looking at the note and the envelope. “This looks like it has been around for a while, smudges and all,” as he turned both note and envelope in his hands. “The note is hand-printed and looks like it may have been written in a hurry.”

  “Well, aren’t you the Sherlock Holmes,” Dimitri said, chuckling.

  “No, look, the sentences don’t line up, and Colt’s name is written at a slight angle more to the center of the note—not like someone sat at a desk and penned it. I think this was done in a hurry.”

  “I think you’re right, Joe, but the question is, who wrote it?”

  “Well, it’s someone who knows Mendez and knows we visited him. So, maybe it’s someone who works for him.”

  “Maybe,” I said, “whoever it is, they’re worried about our connection with him and worried about our safety.”

  Dimitri finished his coffee and poured himself a second cup as he said, “Just another piece of the jigsaw puzzle that is our trip to Ecuador.”

  “Amen,” Joe said, filling his cup.

  We finished our breakfast, walked to the Beast, and headed for Sean’s.

  Eduardo and the young lady were at their station behind the service center check-in desk. They were discussing some paperwork she was holding when we pulled up. We were greeted with huge smiles as we approached the counter.

  Eduardo spoke first, “Senor Colt, Senor Dimitri, and Senor Joe, so happy to see you. I was beginning to wonder if you had forgotten about me or maybe left for the mountains without me.” He came around and greeted us with bear hugs. I realized then that he had indeed grown since our last visit. He was not the same skinny kid we had met on our first trip here—he was taller and stronger.

  Joe said, “No way would we do that. In fact, that’s why we’re here. Colt needs to talk to you,” and he turned and looked at me.

  “Right, is there somewhere we can talk in private?”

  His face clouded with concern as he said, “Si, follow me.”

  He led me to a small office next to the reception desk and closed the door. There was a small desk and three chairs. I took a seat, and he pulled up a chair next to me.

  “What is it, Senor Burnett; is there a problem?” he asked, his facial expression growing more concerned as he waited.

  I paused for a few seconds and then jumped right in. “Well, yes and no, but you are going to have to make a serious decision, so hear me out before you ask any questions.” He nodded, and I went through the whole story, Brotherhood, Vatican mercs, and the warning about Mendez. I figured the kid deserved to know what we may be in for since his decision could put his life in danger—also, the fact that we may be gone for a month or longer. As I was speaking, his eyes grew wider and wider.

  When I finished, we sat there in silence for a bit. Slowly, a grin began spreading across his face. “So, you are not telling me I can’t go, but that it’s my decision.”

  “Yes, that’s what I’m saying. You need to be aware of the potential risks before you decide, and I’m serious; this could be very dangerous. I’m talking life and death serious.”

  Now, his smile was full-blown as he jumped from his chair and said, “Are you kidding, Senor Burnett? You bet I’m going,” and stuck out his hand to shake mine.

  I said, “Are you sure, really sure?”

  Now, he was a little more subdued but standing tall and looking straight at me.

  “Si, Senor, I understand completely and have never been surer of anything in my life. I am part of the team, and I won’t let you down. Now, I must go let Senor Sean know that I will be accompanying you.”

  His handshake was firm and strong; his face now hardened with a look of resolve that dispelled any notion that I had as to his desire and abilities.

  “Then it’s settled, we leave Thursday morning at 8:00 sharp; don’t be late.”

  “Never, Senor, I will be there.�
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  Chapter Ten

  He was sitting behind the large mahogany desk with the phone to his ear. The call was one-sided as he spoke to the person on the other end of the line.

  “They are leaving for the mountains on Thursday. Follow them; I do not know if they have new leads to follow. Find out what they know, but they must not come back. Do you understand? They must be stopped by any means—eliminated—but it must be done in the mountains.”

  “Si, Senor.”

  “No mistakes this time, or you will answer to me. Also, there may be others following them; they must be eliminated as well. Take all the men and make sure you get the job done this time, and your families will be safe. If not, you will all pay the price for failure, ME ENTIENDE?”

  “Si, Senor, it will be done.”

  He slammed the receiver down, cursing under his breath—one more call to make. He regained his composure and dialed the number. When it was answered, he said, “I would like to leave a message for Dr. Burnett.”

  We walked out to the Beast Thursday morning, and there, sitting on his duffel bag, was Eduardo. As we approached, he jumped to his feet and said, “Senors and Senorita, I am ready to go.” His smile was enormous and catching as we all began smiling. His enthusiasm was unbridled as we shifted our load and tied more on the Beast’s roof rack. Dimitri, O’Reilly, and I sat in front, with Joe, Eduardo, and Doc in the back. We had a full load with supplies, but this is what we had designed and built this vehicle to handle, and handle she did, no problem.

  Based on our last trip, we knew it was going to be a long day, around six hours if we were lucky, so we settled in. Eduardo was wound up, chattering away with the guys in the back. They had been covering a multitude of topics. After an hour, he leaned forward and said, “Senor Colt, were you in the Army?” which surprised me.