Beyond the Cabin

by Dana Ridenour

  “I don’t want to do that, because you and I don’t have enough time to get to know one another. If he starts asking questions about your family, I’m screwed.”

  “I guess that makes sense,” Crystal acknowledged.

  “We need to keep it generic. You and I have a common friend. I’m in the market for a new supplier, and the friend knew that you had a connection. Is it well known what Dave does for a living?”

  “Everyone in town knows that Dave sells drugs. He’s still on paper for his last arrest.”

  Lexie and Crystal worked out a few more details about their relationship. Parker took a photo of Crystal with his cell phone to show the other team members. Lexie did a quick check of herself to make sure that she wasn’t carrying anything on her person or in her purse that had her real name on it. She had her alias driver’s license in her purse, along with a few other items with her alias name. Most undercover agents used their real first name and were assigned a different last name for their alias. This technique made things simpler for undercover agents during stressful situations.

  Crystal took Lexie to meet Dave at his double-wide in the nearby trailer park. Lexie grilled Crystal on their story details as they walked over. Crystal did not seem a bit nervous, but Lexie was still uncomfortable with the scenario. She spotted her surveillance team out of the corner of her eye.

  When Lexie and Crystal reached the trailer, Crystal opened the door and barged in like she owned the place.

  “Hey, sexy. How’s my man?” Crystal said.

  Immediately, Lexie realized that Dave was not alone.

  Shit, I should have asked Crystal how many people would be at the trailer. Mistake number one, Lexie thought.

  “Hey, baby. Who do you have with you?” Dave asked.

  “This is my friend, Lexie.”

  Lexie smiled. “Hi. How are you?”

  Dave did not look happy.

  “Didn’t know you were bringing company.” Dave stared at Lexie with a menacing expression.

  “She’s a friend from the bookstore. I thought she might be able to help you out with something.”

  Lexie watched the other male circle the room and position himself behind her. Breathe, just breathe, she told herself. Lexie tried to look as casual as possible.

  “What could this little girl possibly help me with?” Dave growled.

  “She has some connections, baby. She might be able to move some of your stuff for you.”

  “Crystal, what the fuck have you been telling her?”

  “Hell, Dave, everyone in town knows you’re the man with the powder. I didn’t have to tell her anything.”

  Dave jumped up and grabbed Crystal with both hands and lifted her off the ground.

  “Damn it, Crystal, if you’ve been running your fucking mouth, I swear I’m gonna beat you like a drum.”

  Lexie made a conscious effort to remain calm. Don’t act like a cop. Just let this play out, she told herself.

  Crystal started crying as Dave tossed her down on the couch. Dave paced around the room like a caged panther. He finally stopped and sat down on the couch next to her.

  “I’m sorry, baby. You make me so angry sometimes. I didn’t mean to scare you. Please, baby, stop crying. I ain’t gonna hurt you. Just wait here a minute.”

  Dave left the room and went back to what must have been the bedroom. Lexie began to panic as she thought of the possibilities. He could be after a knife or a gun. Dave returned carrying some toilet tissue and a small bag.

  “Here, baby, clean off your face. You got mascara running down your pretty cheeks.”

  Crystal wiped her face and turned to face Dave.

  Dave pulled a small box out of the bag. He dropped to one knee and opened the box, revealing a diamond ring.

  “Crystal, I know I’m a hard man to love, but will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? I promise I’ll always love you and take care of you.”

  Fuuucck! Lexie thought. I’ve got to get out of here, and now!

  Lexie started backing toward the door. She backed right into the man without a name, who was standing behind her.

  “Where the hell do you think you’re going, bitch?” no-name asked.

  “I figured this was a private moment and that Crystal and Dave would like to be alone. I can come back later. I have some things I need to get done tonight anyway.”

  Crystal tried on the huge, gaudy diamond ring.

  “You don’t have to leave. Come look at my ring.”

  Lexie walked over and looked at the ring. “It’s beautiful. Dave, you have excellent taste.”

  “Now, what do you want to talk about? What’s your name again?” Dave asked.

  “Lexie. My name’s Lexie. But it can wait. You and Crystal need to have some time to celebrate. Business is business, and it can wait till tomorrow.”

  “No, Lexie. I would like to hear how you can help me.”

  Lexie looked over at the door where the large no-name guy was still standing. She could feel a tiny bead of sweat trickling down her back.

  “Am I making you nervous?” Dave asked.

  “No, not at all. I just don’t want to intrude.”

  “You’re not. Let’s talk business.”

  Lexie took a seat on a wobbly wooden chair. “I’ve heard that you have a product and I have a network. My supply recently dried up, and my customers still have a need for product.”

  “What are we talking about, Lexie?”

  “Powder, Dave. I need good quality powder.”

  “Tell me again how you heard of me.”

  “Let’s just say that your reputation precedes you. If you’re interested in doing some business, we can talk numbers.”

  Dave laughed ominously. “Butch, did you hear this little girl? She wants to talk numbers.”

  “I heard her, boss.”

  “Well, what do you think? Should we talk to her?”

  “I don’t know, boss. She strolls in here with your girl and wants to know all your business. Sounds like bullshit to me.”

  Lexie shot Butch a dirty look.

  “I don’t think she likes me, boss.”

  “I need to go,” Lexie said. “I’ll leave you my number, and if you decide you want to talk, give me a call.”

  Dave got up and moved menacingly toward Lexie. “You give up too easily, little bird. Don’t fly away yet. Maybe we can talk a little business.”

  Crystal was still on the couch admiring her new ring.

  “Maybe she should go,” Crystal said. “I think she’s right; you and I should spend some time alone.”

  “Shut up, Crystal. You brought her here.”

  Dave turned his attention back to Lexie. “Before I tell you about what I can supply, you need to tell me about your network, little bird.”

  Lexie tried to sound confident. “I run product all over the Southeast. That’s all I’m going to say about my network.”

  Dave glared at Lexie. “Maybe we can do a little business.”

  The color drained from Crystal’s face. “Honey, can I talk to you a minute?” she asked.

  “Not now; your new best friend and I are talking business.”

  “Baby, can’t you talk business some other time?”

  “Damn it, Crystal. First you bring this bitch here to talk to me, and now you don’t want me to talk to her. What’s your fucking problem?”

  “She’s a cop, Dave! She’s a fed!”

  Oh fuck, Lexie thought. She had to think fast.

  “What? Are you crazy, Crystal? You know me,” Lexie screamed.

  “I know you work for the FBI.”

  Crystal grabbed Dave by the arm and pleaded. “Baby, they made me bring her here. I didn’t want to do it, but they forced me.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lexie said as calm as she could. “I’m just going to leave and forget this conversation ever took place.” Lexie moved toward the door, but Butch blocked the way. He grabbed Lexie’s purse and rummaged through it.<
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  “Hey! Give that back.”

  Butch searched all through the purse and her wallet.

  “There’s nothing in here,” he told Dave.

  “Watch her a minute, Butch. Crystal and I need to have a little discussion in the bedroom.”

  Dave grabbed Crystal by the arm and dragged her to the back room. Lexie could hear him screaming at her. There was a crash that sounded like furniture being thrown.

  Lexie lunged for the door, but Butch grabbed her and threw her onto the couch. They were struggling when Dave came back in the room and grabbed Lexie from behind.

  “Tape her hands and feet, Butch.”

  Lexie knew she had to start talking. The time for negotiating was over.

  “Crystal wasn’t lying. I’m an FBI agent, and if you don’t allow me to walk out of this trailer right now, you’ll all be arrested and charged with assaulting and kidnapping a federal agent. If I walk out of here right now, you have my word that none of you will be arrested. Come on, Dave; don’t be stupid.”

  “Tape her mouth shut, too.”

  Butch bound Lexie’s feet and hands with duct tape. He put a piece of tape across her mouth and took a pillowcase from a pillow on the couch. He put the nasty, stained pillowcase over Lexie’s head.

  Lexie was trying to hear Dave’s voice over the sound of her thumping heart.

  “Throw her in the trunk of your car. Drive her out to that place in the country and put a bullet in her fucking head,” Dave ordered.

  “Sure thing, boss.”

  “Can’t we just let her go?” Crystal asked.

  “No, we can’t just let her go. If we let her go, then we all end up in prison. Do you want to spend the rest of your life in prison?”

  “No, but I don’t want to kill an FBI agent either,” she said.

  Lexie decided that since they had to take her out to the car, she wouldn’t struggle anymore. She would wait until they walked out the door and then fight and hope like hell her backup team had eyes on the trailer. Saving the undercover agent rarely happened in training scenarios.

  Dave grabbed Lexie’s left arm, Butch grabbed her right arm, and the men dragged her out the door. As soon as they were down the steps heading to the car, Lexie started fighting. She gave it all she had, but Dave and Butch were large men.

  “Stop fighting, bitch, or I’ll put a bullet in your brain right here in the parking lot,” Dave snarled.

  Lexie continued to fight. She hoped that they were not stupid enough to shoot her in the trailer park. She heard the trunk latch open, and without any notice, one of the men picked her up and flung her into the trunk. A searing pain shot up Lexie’s leg, but she kept her mind in the game. She wasn’t going down without a fight. She tried to keep the trunk from closing by forcing her feet up in the air.

  “Damn it, girl, put your feet down,” she heard Butch say.

  As Lexie continued to fight to keep the trunk from closing, she heard the sound of sirens and screeching tires. She heard Parker’s voice screaming orders over the car PA system.

  “FBI. Move away from the car.”

  She heard numerous voices screaming commands.

  “FBI. Hands up! Get your hands up now!”

  Butch was unsuccessful at closing the trunk, so Lexie hoisted herself up and flopped out, hitting the ground with a thump. Despite bound hands, Lexie managed to pull the pillowcase off her head, but she found herself sitting squarely in the middle of a crossfire situation. On one side of her was Parker and her other two team members with guns drawn. On the other side, trying to hide behind the car, were Butch and Dave, both brandishing firearms. Lexie rolled out of the way and tried to get behind the car as much as possible, but her hands and feet were still bound.

  Finally, she heard the instructor yell, “Code Red. Everyone stop.”

  “Lexie. Lexie,” Adam said.

  Lexie shook her head and came back to the reality of the FBI Boardroom and Adam Harper.

  “What were you thinking about?”

  Lexie sighed. “One of my experiences during undercover school.”

  “It must’ve been an intense experience. You were lost in thought.”

  She picked up the Diet Coke sitting in front of her. “So, tell me about this undercover opportunity,” Lexie said.

  “Since my transfer to USOU, part of my job is to assist case agents in the field with finding qualified undercover agents who fit specific cases. The other day, I got a call from the Columbia Division. They’re having some serious issues and the agents assigned to the Myrtle Beach Resident Agency are in desperate need of an undercover agent who can fit in with people in the deep south.”

  Lexie’s right eyebrow arched. “A Southern case?”

  “Yes. I figured with your cultural knowledge, you’d be a good fit. Plus, it’s a domestic extremist case.”

  “What kind of extremist?”

  “Earth Liberation Front.”

  “ELF in South Carolina? That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “I know, but hear me out.”

  Lexie nodded.

  “Have you ever heard of Global Resources Inc., they go by GRI?”

  “No. Who are they?”

  “GRI is a billion-dollar property development conglomeration. About a year ago, the company managed to acquire a couple thousand acres on Spirit Island, one of the pristine barrier islands near Pawleys Island, South Carolina. There are approximately one hundred residents on the island, all of whom are direct descendants of African slaves. The people who live on the island take private boats to and from the mainland. Their children ride a school boat to the mainland to attend public school. Until now, they have been undisturbed. GRI purchased the property under false pretenses.”

  Lexie took a swig of her Diet Coke and leaned closer to Adam.

  “A few months ago, GRI began construction on a bridge from the mainland to the island. The corporation planned to construct a high-dollar resort on Spirit Island. Before any construction of the resort began, the company received threats from a group claiming to be part of the Earth Liberation Front.”

  “I’ve never heard of any ELF actions in the South. They mostly run on the West Coast or in the Pacific Northwest.”

  “That’s what Dwight Jacobson, the CEO of GRI, thought, too,” Adam said. “He dismissed the claims as some crazy college students trying to battle the evil corporate empire. That was until someone blew up their worksite office.”

  “Oh no. Was anyone injured?”

  “No, they hit the place in the middle of the night. But they left their calling card.” Adam grabbed his briefcase from under the table. He opened it and produced a set of color photographs depicting a burned-out, double-wide mobile home. Lexie flipped through the photos. One of the photos showed ELF spray-painted in green on the side of the backhoe. One of the construction site signs had been torn down and the words ELF was here and will return were scrawled in green paint on the back.

  “Well, I guess that answers my question of how the FBI got involved,” Lexie said.

  “Yep, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division conducted the initial investigation. SLED called in the Bureau to assist with the domestic terrorism aspect. Lexie, I was thinking that your previous experience investigating the extremist groups in California could be helpful. Plus, you’re a Southerner, so the accent will help with the locals.”

  Lexie smiled. “I must admit, I’m interested. I never thought I’d be working an extremist case in the South, but it sounds interesting. Do the Myrtle Beach agents have any informants in the area?”

  “From what I understand, they don’t have much. You might have to snoop and poop on your own. That is, if you decide to give us a hand with this one.”

  “I’ll have to run it past my management, but if they’re amenable to it, I’d like to give it a shot. I have a connection to the area, so I might be able to find a source before I hit the ground.”

  “Do you know anyone in that area?” Adam asked.

  “Oh,
how soon we forget. You get your big promotion and forget about us little people. Do you remember Savannah Riley, from Operation Blind Fury?”

  “Of course, the young girl who cooperated. I forgot she was from South Carolina.”

  “Not just South Carolina, but Pawleys Island, South Carolina. I kept in contact with her. In fact, I visited her last year in Pawleys Island.”

  Adam grinned. “This is perfect. I had no idea you remained in contact with Savannah. How’s she doing?”

  “She’s doing great. Going to school at the College of Charleston and trying to make good on the second chance that she received.”

  “You saved that girl, Lexie. If it weren’t for you, she would be rotting in prison like her friends.”

  “Savannah wasn’t like those others. She got caught up in something that spiraled out of control. She’s a nice girl with a good head on her shoulders. She was young and impressionable when she fell in love with that animal rights lunatic. She’s back on track and I have no doubt that she’ll do great things. She just needed a second chance.”

  “Well, because of you, she has that second chance. You were right about her. I should’ve listened to you from the start.”

  “You should always listen to me, Adam.” Lexie couldn’t resist a little poke.

  “Point taken. Just remember, if you get involved in this case, Savannah knows your real identity.”

  “I’ll remember.”

  “Would it be okay with you if I have the Deputy Assistant Director call your Special Agent in Charge to see if he would allow you to assist the Columbia Division? I think it would be better if the request came from the DAD. It’s hard to tell a Deputy Assistant Director no.”

  “I don’t have a problem with it. I’ll talk to my supervisor and give him a heads up. He may want to grease the skids with the SAC instead of him getting a cold call.”

  “Whatever you think is best. I’ll tell the DAD that you are an expert in the area of domestic terrorism dealing with extremist groups.”

  “How did I get to be an expert? I’ve only worked one case.”

  “One more than any other FBI undercover agent, which makes you an expert.”

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