By the time he got down he was tired. He took off the spurs and lanyard and put both into his small backpack.
Pedro had already climbed down his own tree and hurried to Carlos’ side. At twenty-two, Carlos’ youngest son was short and wiry, his long black hair tied back in a ponytail, a baseball cap on his head. He wore dark clothing too. Carlos had chosen to keep Pedro with him since his son had no experience and his temper made him unpredictable.
“When are we going to kill Steel, Papá?”
“Patience. Steel has a lot of work to do for us before he dies.”
“We should be the ones killing Marita’s murderers.” Pedro sounded disgusted.
Carlos put a hand on his son’s shoulder. “And then we would all die, Mijo. Follow me. Quietly now.”
When they passed the dead guard, Carlos pulled a silenced Glock from his waist belt. He would have preferred his Córdova pistol, but that would tie him too easily to Colombia since it was manufactured there and few were in the United States.
Decades in the Colombian military, along with his instructor position at the internationally famous military School of Lanceros, had given him superb tactical skills at all levels. But he needed few of those now. As a businessman in Mexico he needed fewer still.
Ironically he had moved his family out of Colombia to get away from the cartel, but the cartel had followed him north. Mexico was now more dangerous than Colombia. He wanted the Alvarez cartel to pay for that too.
Quietly he approached the back door, entered, and was led up the stairs by the bullet trail in the ground floor and second floor hallway. He found Garcia’s body first. Staring at him, he saw the ankle, shoulder, and chest wounds. And the small cut on the man’s face.
“He didn’t suffer enough.” Pedro used the toe of his boot to shove the man’s face.
“Sí.” Carlos wanted to unload his gun into the filth, but reason prevailed. The bullets in the wall at the foot of the bed led him to Hernando. He had died quickly too. Too quickly.
They hurried back to ground level and looked out the front door. Another dead guard was hanging half off the porch. It was easy to assume the fourth guard was dead too. Steel and Christie had performed well, as expected.
Retracing their steps out of the house, Carlos paused outside, staring at the tracks leading east.
“Do we follow them, Papá?”
“Too dangerous and too many unknowns.” He would press Steel later for details. He walked east, to rejoin the road and their pickup truck.
Pedro walked beside him. “We need to make Marita’s murderers suffer more, Papá.”
“I agree, Pedro.” It still pained his heart to think of Marita raped, tortured, and then thrown on the street like trash. Dead and disfigured.
Pedro spoke earnestly. “Why not have Steel cut up their faces like they cut up Marita? It would make them all pay a higher price.”
“Good idea, Mijo.” He was playing a very dangerous game in forcing Steel to take out senior cartel members. The one thing he could not do was place his own children in danger.
His wife had died and his three boys and daughter were grown. He originally wanted to do this alone. This was his vendetta. But his children loved Marita like a sister, and when they had seen her disfigured body in the morgue they had been outraged. They wanted Steel and the Alvarez cartel to suffer, along with the U.S. military that had betrayed Marita.
“I worry about Juan and Isabella,” said Pedro.
“So do I.” His daughter and second eldest son tended to argue. And Isabella had a temper. Neither of them had training for this type of thing, but Juan had experience with guns.
He had instructed them on how to proceed with Harry—the easiest task he could give them—and he talked to them on the phone often. Still a risk.
When Carlos thought about Marita, how much pain she had endured all her life, anger filled his throat. First the Alvarez cartel had killed Marita’s lawyer parents—his sister and brother-in-law. Then Marita had sacrificed her life by becoming a DEA informant. She had allowed that pig Alvarez to touch her and use her. Lastly she had been betrayed by the very people she had served—the U.S. government. Left behind by Steel to suffer and die. He hoped she was at peace now.
As her uncle, he had taken her in like a daughter after her parents were murdered. Thus it was his responsibility to bring justice to her family by making all those responsible pay for the crimes against her and her parents.
He had taken risks to find the names of Marita’s killers, and Steel’s name, buying off DEA agents and cartel lackeys. It had cost a lot of money, but everyone had a price.
He had used third-party intermediaries so nothing could be traced back to him. A few times when he believed his sources would put him or his family at risk, he had killed them. They were scum anyway, rotten men that helped the cartel murder and control others by giving them information. He had also killed Marita’s DEA handler for not helping her escape the cartel.
Then he had waited for Marita’s killers to travel north. The killers’ presence in the United States gave him the ability to force Steel to kill them. It also ensured his family would not be traced as easily as they would have been had he murdered the killers in Mexico or Colombia.
“I won’t feel good until all of the Alvarez barbarians are dead, Papá.”
“We’ll destroy the cartel,” said Carlos. “And then we’ll kill Christie and Harry Thorton. Steel will know the pain of losing someone you love.”
Pedro grabbed his arm, and Carlos stopped to face his son.
“Promise me, Papá. I want to put a bullet into Steel’s head at the end.”
He rested a hand on his son’s shoulder. “We all will, Mijo.”
They continued walking and Carlos heard an owl hooting. Mexican spotted owl. Beautiful. What are you doing this far north, mi amigo?
CHAPTER 13
Diego Alvarez gazed across the hotel room at Antonio Perez, knowing what was coming. He was tired, but Antonio had invited him to his room after they had gambled late in the night together. Music was on in the background.
Diego didn’t like Antonio. However it would have been rude to have refused. Like himself, they all wore suits: Antonio, Antonio’s two bodyguards at the door, and even Angel, who sat stoically in an armchair, not saying a word.
Angel’s name had always amused Diego. At six feet, one-hundred-eighty pounds, his head of security was lean and tough for his forty-five years. But his face appeared friendly. His smile easily disarmed people. Only his eyes held a glint of menace. Diego wondered if Antonio saw it.
“Diego.” Antonio turned to him, holding a glass of brandy.
A little portly, Antonio had been an old friend of Gustavo Alvarez, but he was not family. He was a competitor to the Alvarez cartel. The two cartels were the largest operating in Mexico, and this was a neutral meeting in Las Vegas. And a warning. Diego waited for it.
“When your nephew Gustavo died, Diego, I wondered who would replace him.” Antonio nodded to him. “You have erased all doubts. As leader of the Alvarez cartel you have shown wisdom and intelligence.” he smiled. “You have much of both. More than I do, I believe.”
“Gracias, Antonio.” Diego gave a perfunctory nod.
“I’m glad you wanted my advice on your planned vengeance.” Antonio’s expression turned serious. “I have given it much thought.”
“And?”
“You cannot put time and resources into vengeance.” Antonio stepped closer. “The Americans will punish all of us if you do.”
Diego kept his voice calm. “I want Gustavo’s killer and the U.S. military to pay, and the U.S. citizens to pay for the crimes of their leaders.”
Antonio wagged his finger. “It’s not wise, nor profitable. I’m asking you, as a favor, to step away from all of this. Give up this alliance with ISIS. Pull the plug on it while y
ou still can.”
“And if I don’t want to?” Diego said softly, already knowing the answer.
“I hope it won’t come to that.” Antonio frowned. “We have Mexico now. Colombia. All of Central America. We are successful, powerful, and we don’t need to create enemies. The Americans don’t want to fight us in the streets of Mexico, but they might if they find out you attacked them here through ISIS.”
“They will never know it was me.”
“You asked for my advice and I have given it.” Anger finally showed in Antonio’s eyes. “Please, stop this madness. Now!”
Diego said earnestly, “We have always punished our enemies. Tell me why this is different.”
Antonio’s eyes softened. “In our countries we can bribe justice, even destroy it. We can’t do that in America. Some individuals, yes, but not the system itself.”
“You’re right. In America the corporations and politicians are doing all of that. They are as ruthless as the cartels.” Diego smiled.
Antonio said quietly, “I will go to the other cartels if you can’t let this go, Diego. Walk away from ISIS.”
Diego lifted a hand. “All right, Antonio. I think you are right. Ending this is a good idea.”
Antonio’s smile returned. “Perfect!”
Diego turned and nodded to Angel.
Angel got up, fluidly turning and facing Antonio’s bodyguards at the door, his silenced Glocks in hand, but pointed down. His reputation was well-deserved and the two guards paled and kept their hands at their sides.
Diego drew his silenced gun from beneath his suit.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Antonio backed up. “You know my son will come after you.”
“I’m not worried about that fool.” Diego fired two shots into Antonio’s heart.
Before the man hit the floor, Diego turned away and stepped up beside Angel. He eyed Antonio’s guards and put his gun away. “You two, do you want to work for me?”
The two guards looked at each other, and then nodded to him.
Diego gestured to Antonio. “Then take out that piece of trash.”
The two guards walked past them.
Angel turned and shot them both simultaneously in the back of the head, using one gun for each. They collapsed to the floor next to Antonio.
From his coat pocket, Diego pulled out an envelope. “We both loved Gustavo. Me as his uncle, you as his longtime friend. Avenge him, Angel. Here are photographs, names, and addresses of Steel’s family, his girlfriend Christie, and her brothers and family. Kill everyone in their families first. Make them suffer before they die. Then Steel’s girlfriend. Lastly kill the murderer Jack Steel.”
Diego grimaced. Before she had died, Marita had described the cowardly way in which Steel had killed his nephew, Gustavo. He wanted Steel to suffer the most.
Angel put away his guns and took the envelope. “It will be a pleasure.”
“This vendetta stays between me and you, Angel, so it can never be traced back to us. Antonio was right about one thing, we don’t want the Americans to fight us in Mexico.”
A slight smile creased Angel’s face. “I might enjoy that fight.”
“Start with Garcia. He should have checked in by now. Something is wrong. He was in Vail and hasn’t answered my calls. It seems too much of a coincidence that Steel and Garcia are both in Colorado.”
Angel nodded and left quietly.
Diego felt satisfaction seeing him go. Steel and his family were as good as dead. Angel’s other nickname was El Lobo. The Wolf. Once he had the scent of a target, he never stopped until he found it. Diego had often asked himself if the man had an angel helping him, because he never failed. His skills were legendary. However Diego felt he could match Angel in a fight with knives.
As he viewed the bodies, excitement rose in his chest. He had planned to kill Antonio on this trip and had used the ISIS meeting as a reason to coax Antonio to meet him here. Now the Alvarez cartel could take control of Mexico. Antonio’s only heir was his son, a fool who would run their business into the ground.
He had also planned on killing Garcia on this trip. Thus if Steel had managed to do it for him, all the better. Now only he and his brother Vincente would rule the Alvarez cartel. The trip north was already a success.
He walked out, eagerly anticipating his meeting with Vincente tomorrow, and then ISIS the following day. Once the ISIS operatives carried out their assignments, he planned on killing any that survived. Any links to him would disappear.
Finally he would have his vengeance against the U.S. government and the citizens of the United States. He would make them all pay for murdering his nephew.
PART 3
OP: VINCENTE
CHAPTER 14
Steel let Christie drive. Despite her wound, she insisted. They planned to travel west to Glenwood Springs and get a hotel. He didn’t want to stay in Vail, and they both needed rest.
He was too tired to talk but needed to anyway. “What happened with the first guard at Garcia’s place? And please don’t leave anything out.”
She glanced at him, her eyes betraying concern. “I got sloppy and was grabbed by the guard. He alerted the others so after I escaped I moved up to help you.”
He frowned. “Tell me everything from the moment I left you.”
After she finished he looked at her for a few seconds. It had been worse than he thought. He couldn’t keep the gruffness out of his voice. “You didn’t wait like I asked.”
She glanced at him again, her eyes calm. “It wouldn’t have mattered. He was hidden in the woods halfway up the driveway.”
“He could have killed you.” His voice was sharper.
“Your training ensured he didn’t.”
“If I can’t trust you to listen to me, then I can’t let you help me.”
“Then don’t treat me like a child, Steel. I’m your partner and you needed my help. I have great analytical skills, and I’m applying those to field work now. Strategy. I get it. Remember Hawaii? Who saved who there?”
“Good point.” Despite his concerns, he was impressed. She had escaped a very bad situation, and then climbed up to the balcony with an injury. She was tough. And she was right. He had to adjust and not only trust her but trust his training of her.
He cleared his throat. “Okay. Partners. But next time you’re injured, tell me.”
“Agreed.”
There can’t be a next time, he told himself. She was right, he needed her help, but not for the price of her risking further injuries or death. He studied her heart-shaped face, her green eyes, and her hair trailing over her shoulders. “I can’t afford to lose you.”
“I know. Lesson learned.” She reached over and squeezed his hand. “How did you know Garcia would come through the door with a gun?”
“Experience, and his voice and words. He also seemed to believe that this Antonio had sent us and probably figured he was as good as dead if he gave himself up.”
“You’re good enough for both of us.” She flashed a quick smile, but then became somber. “I’ve never killed anyone premeditated before, Jack.”
He winced, instantly feeling guilty. “I’m sorry. I—”
“No, you don’t understand. The first guy that grabbed me talked about having fun with me, killing me…” His eyes narrowed and she hastily continued. “Anyway, it didn’t bother me at all to kill those men. They deserved it for what they did to Marita.”
Steel considered that for a few moments.
“Were you going to cut Garcia’s face if he didn’t answer?” she asked.
“Yes.” He paused. “If what we did today bothers you later on, we can talk.”
“I feel better killing these men now that we’re sanctioned by Jeffries and we’re stopping terrorists.”
“I agree.”
“I’m star
ved.” She smiled. “You know, I just thought of something. This is our first road trip together. Not very romantic though.”
He returned her smile briefly.
The phone rang and she lost her smile.
He answered on speaker, waiting.
“Good job on Garcia,” said the Colombian. “I have your next assignment.”
Steel kept his voice calm. “I want to hear Harry’s voice.”
“You’ll have to wait.”
Steel hung up.
Christie’s voice was strained. “Jack?”
“If he can’t put Harry on that means either Harry is dead or he isn’t with Harry. Either way, we need to find out.”
The phone rang.
Steel answered.
“Do that again, gringo, and you get Harry back in bits and pieces, one at a time.”
Steel kept his voice neutral. “I want to talk to him or we don’t do anything else for you.”
“You’re not in a position to barter.”
“Otherwise we’ll assume you killed him.” He avoided Christie’s eyes.
“We haven’t.”
“Prove it,” he said.
Christie’s knuckles tightened on the steering wheel.
“I can end this anytime I wish, gringo, and send your photos to the cartel, and you both will have very short lives.”
Steel remained calm. “You might do that anyway. And as a return favor we’ll make sure to tell them that someone who loved Marita was Harry’s kidnapper, who blackmailed us to kill senior cartel members. Do you have children? People you love? People you don’t want the cartel to know about?”
“Be very careful in threatening me. I am not joking when I say I am prepared to die if you do not deliver.” There was a pause on the other end of the phone. “You will talk to Harry before you reach the target.”
Steel lifted his chin to Christie. “How many more targets are there?”
“One more destination, then we are finished. Now I’ve made some concessions. I expect something in return. Tell me about your new friends. And if you lie, Harry is dead.”
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