by Chris Tucker
***
Navarro was lying in his bed still struggling with the day’s events. He knew nothing of the two men he was supposed to trail or even why he was ordered to follow them in the first place. All he was told was they were extremely dangerous and that he was not to lose sight of them. Now they were being held prisoner on the same compound he himself was restricted to.
Even though the cartel and the way it was run went against everything he believed in, he would not normally question any order he was given. He had come to understand that following orders in the regime was the difference between life and death under the command of Vallejos.
Seeing the two men brought in with their hands tied behind their backs left him with a sense of guilt. The men had been reasonably fair by allowing him to leave unscathed, and they seemed harmless in nature compared to how they had been described. He wondered how bad their crime could really have been to be held captive by the cartel.
It didn’t sit well with him and he felt he had to do something to help them. He thought at the very least, he could find out what they were being held for in order to make his judgment a little clearer on the situation. Unable to shake his restlessness, he got up to take a walk through the compound to clear his head.
On his jaunt, he strolled by the building that housed the cartel’s headquarters and thought about going in to find where the Americans were being held. The presence of armed guards standing watch at the front entrance was enough to deter him from his excursion. He decided this wasn’t the time to start snooping around and headed back to his tent. Within ten minutes of arriving back to his bed, he was sound asleep.
***
After meeting with the cartel leader, Mercer felt a smug satisfaction knowing he had rattled the vicious dictator. Vallejos' trepidation showed a weakness, small as it may be, and it stood to reason that he could be rattled even more if the right amount of pressure was applied. He knew he and his partner were just the ones to apply that pressure.
Walking through the building, the NESA operatives were guided down the stairs from Vallejos’ office and led through a long hallway. The carpet was a burgundy color that seemed to go well with the faded dark brown walls, and there were paintings tacked to the walls displaying various images from boats to tanks. The lighting was too dim for Mercer’s liking and the corridor reeked of mildew and other foul smells lurking in the air which gave him an uneasy feeling
When they reached the end of the hallway, Esperanza ordered them to stop while a guard unlocked a door to the next room. As they moved through the doorway, a staircase was revealed.
Vigil whispered to the guard, “Do you think I could get a spare key to that door?”
Esperanza overheard him and wasn’t amused. “Keep quiet and do not speak to any of my men.”
Vigil snidely smirked as the door closed behind them. As they were escorted down the stairwell, Mercer took note of the surroundings which would be their place of captivity for the time being. Esperanza escorted them, along with an armed guard who kept his rifle steadily pointed at the prisoners. Making the two story flight down to the holding cell area, they were then led down a hall to an empty cell at the end of the corridor.
Assured they were securely locked in, Esperanza turned to walk away. Vigil’s smart mouth once again got the better of him.
“What time is dinner served? I can’t eat too late or I’ll never be able to sleep.”
The giant enforcer looked at Mercer. “It would be wise of your friend to learn to keep quiet.”
Mercer looked back through the bars. “I’ve been trying to get him to be quiet for over ten years. You’re on your own with that one.”
13
Dallas Marks had made the trip from Bainbridge Island to the NESA office this morning. He was mesmerized by the item he had received overnight, and could tell it was a priceless artifact from another time period just by studying the exterior of the watch. He also knew that with the help of Colonel Hunt, they were sure to find out exactly where it came from.
The picture inside was quite faded, but was still in good enough condition to show the face of a woman. He wondered who she was and if she could be a relative of someone possibly lost on the Alyssa Marie. It was a long shot, but long shots had paid off for him before and he was excited about the possibilities of uncovering the history of the relic. After waiting for a return call for most of the morning, the phone finally rang. Reading the caller ID in his office, he picked up the phone.
“Hello, Colonel.”
The voice on the other end got straight to the point. “Well, it turns out your hunch was right. The picture we sent through the database found one result. Her name is Elizabeth Mackie. My contact at the historical society said the picture was just clear enough to hit on a match. It was a one in a million chance, but we hit it.”
“More like one in a billion,” replied Dallas. “What are the odds there would be a record of this particular woman anywhere in the database?”
“It turns out the picture was from a stock photo image taken from a naval fleet wedding album. The only reason she even appeared was because of who she was in the picture with.”
“And who might that be?” Dallas anxiously asked.
Hunt spoke only a name when he answered. “Captain Thomas Mackie.”
In a subdued tone, Dallas remarked, “The Captain of the Alyssa Marie. So, the ship never made it out of the jungle.”
“And neither did the gold, apparently,” stated Hunt. “It’s still down there buried under a pile of ash and rock. I’ve been trying to get ahold of Sean and Pat since yesterday, but haven’t heard back from them yet. They may be much closer to discovering the lost ship than they even know.”
Dallas could hardly contain himself. “Well, please let me know as soon as you hear from them. This could be the find of the century. I’ll be in touch soon. Goodbye.”
He had a grin on his face that stretched from ear to ear. He picked up the phone again and called the hotel in Nicaragua where his co-workers were staying, but was unable to contact them. After hearing what they had encountered in previous days, he hoped his friends were out of harm’s way. He would call again later when he returned home.
***
The cell was larger than Mercer thought it would be. It was the size of a small living room and allowed him and his partner ample space to move about. He had been up for about an hour now, sitting on the make shift bed and plotting an escape. There were no windows in the cell and only one other door lined the hallway. Vigil was still sound asleep and snoring, so he was of no help at the current moment.
The guard at the end of the hall was the only line of resistance he could see posing a problem. Having heard enough of the loud snorts resonating from the corner of the cell, he threw a pillow at his friend’s head, which surprisingly woke him.
“Did I miss breakfast?” asked Vigil.
“Nah, room service isn’t taking calls right now, but I did notice the guard change at seven this morning. It might be the same every day, so let’s keep an eye on it to see if the shift change routine fluctuates.”
Vigil sat up on his mattress. “I like the way you think, partner…in here for twelve hours and already planning an escape.”
“Well, the route out of here is pretty simple. We just have to make sure we cover all of our bases.”
Mercer had created a mental image inside his head detailing every aspect of the walk down to their cell. He knew the way out of the building. Now he just had to wait for the right opportunity to present itself.
As the morning progressed, the two prisoners passed the time by playing twenty questions and reliving some of the memories from their military days. There was a nonchalant attitude among them considering their circumstances, and sharing stories from their days in Iraq helped to alleviate some of the uncertainty hanging over their heads.
The time spent in the cell was long and arduous. Being stuck in a cage gave Mercer a sense of restlessness, but it also gave him t
ime to reflect on what had led him and his partner to this point in time. He found himself constantly thinking about the ship and the gold. If it was out there and could be found, then he would be the envy of all treasure hunters throughout the world, not that envy suited his particular taste, however.
Sitting and reflecting on past events, he was reminded of what an old friend once told him. “You do what your heart tells you to do and not what others expect you to do.” It was a bit of advice that was offered not to be taken as a selfish act, but as a way of living life the way he thought it should be lived, without trepidation of what others expected from him. This single piece of advice is what had landed him in this current mess, he thought, and if he had just followed the Colonel’s orders, they would be back in Seattle instead of in a dingy cell in the middle of the jungle. His mind wandered back to the person who told him those memorable words, his lifelong friend and mentor, Tim.
Tim was more than just a person to be called on for sound advice. He was someone that was as near to his heart as any other individual. As a young man trying to find his way in life, Mercer went the way of a typical teenager and fell in with the wrong crowd looking for acceptance. He was in and out of juvenile detention centers for the early part of his teen years and would most likely have kept on that path if not for a chance encounter on a basketball court at the age of thirteen, where he met Tim.
It was a relationship that would flourish over the next few years and as they became closer, he was able to lean on his friend for the advice and guidance he sought. At fifteen, his father died of cancer and over time, he looked to Tim to fill the void of a strong male influence. Lacking the guidance and positive role model that a young boy needed to keep him on the straight and narrow, he made his share of mistakes, but Tim was the one person who saw him as more than just another punk teenager and steered him down the right path.
Still, to this day, he would pick up the phone to chat with his lifelong friend and ask for advice when he needed it, and as it had been for over twenty years, Tim was always there to offer his support. He wished he could talk to him now and hear what advice would be given regarding the current predicament he found himself in.
Just before noon, a soldier emerged from the door at the end of the hallway. He walked towards the cell holding a tray. As he drew closer, Mercer and Vigil could see that it was a meal for the both of them. When the soldier put the tray down next to the bars, they saw only two sandwiches and two mugs of water.
Vigil was the first to comment. “Well, it’s not a Vegas buffet, but it’ll do.”
As unappealing as the meal looked, they knew they needed to take advantage of every opportunity to get food and water into their bodies. Keeping up their stamina would come in handy when it was time to make an escape, so they ate and drank everything they were given.
The soldier stood by the cell until the men were done eating, then took away the tray and empty mugs. As he walked back down the hall, Mercer called out to him.
“Tell your boss he can’t keep us stashed down here forever.”
The soldier never turned to acknowledge the statement. Instead, he kept walking until he was through the door. Once again, it was just the two prisoners and the armed guard watching over them that occupied the long empty corridor.
***
Geovany Rojas was sitting in his employer’s office awaiting the return of the cartel leader. The portly gentleman seemed to engulf the chair he was sitting in as he sipped on a glass of iced tea. He was wearing an off-white colored suit with a red handkerchief drooping out of the breast pocket, presenting himself as a man of elegance. That stature was in fact the exact opposite of appearances.
Rojas was not from a sophisticated family, but came from a struggling upbringing. It was only after years of hard work and diligence, that he was able to make a better life for himself. A self-educated man, he always took pride in learning something new every day to further his knowledge even more. Having been known for the ability to think on his feet and rationalize any situation for the most logical outcome, Vallejos brought him on as a personal consultant. It was his ability to work around the law, however, that made him most appealing.
Unsure of how long he would be waiting, he got up and walked over to the window. Peering out across the courtyard, he saw Esperanza walking towards the main building. The giant man scared him. He knew the occupational hazards that came along with doing work for the cartel, but the brutish enforcer was as ruthless as anybody he had ever met. He knew firsthand about some of the deeds Esperanza had carried out over the years, and he had always felt uncomfortable in the presence of the merciless giant.
As Esperanza now approached, he felt the sudden urge to leave the office and return at a later time. He turned to make his departure, and just as he was through the door, he heard a voice call out to him.
“Geovany, where are you off to?”
Rojas instantly recognized the voice and turned around to greet his employer.
“I didn’t know when you would be arriving, so I thought I would come back a time that better suited you.”
“Don’t be foolish. Please, come back in.”
The persuasive tone was enough to convince him to step back into the office. Retaking his seat, he waited for Vallejos to speak, but before the cartel leader could get a word out, Esperanza made an appearance.
“Andres, forgive me. I got here as quickly as I could.”
Vallejos didn’t respond to the apology. Instead, he spoke to his consultant. “Geovany, I hope you don’t mind, but I invited Kervin to join us.”
There was a subtle gulp in his throat before he responded to the statement. “Not at all. It’s always a pleasure to see you, Kervin.”
He reached out his hand and Esperanza shook it with a lackadaisical grip. The two exchanged brief pleasantries before turning their attention back to Vallejos.
Rojas spoke first. “So, I have it on good account that the two NESA operatives were in an area just north of Tamarindo. This would confirm what the port log Kervin came in possession of mentioned. I also heard they stumbled upon another one of the gravesites. This is a problem, Andres. These men are becoming a real thorn in your side. They were seen taking the remains of a man into the local funeral parlor. I’ve confirmed that it was the body of the USGS scientist from earlier in the week. Before they returned to the hotel, one of them sent an overnight package to Seattle, Washington. That’s where we stand.”
Vallejos was satisfied with what his consultant had told him. “What do you know of the package that was sent?”
Rojas answered, “Our man at customs was able to get a look at the item. It appeared to be a simple pocket watch, nothing else. It was sent to NESA headquarters.”
“A pocket watch?” asked Esperanza. “Seems like an odd thing to send overnight delivery, don’t you think?”
Rojas attempted to respond. “Well, I didn’t see any reason…..”
Vallejos interrupted him before he could finish his sentence. “What you didn’t see was that anything sent by these men should be construed as important to the whereabouts of this supposed lost ship.”
Rojas understood where his employer was leading the conversation. “Forgive me, Andres. It was an unfortunate oversight I did not take into consideration. But you must understand that at the time, I wasn’t aware the location of the ship was known.”
“I don’t need excuses about what you did or did not know. I need competence. I need you to be two steps ahead of everyone else. You have served me well for many years, Geovany. Don’t start letting me down now.”
“Understood. It will not happen again.” There was defeat in Rojas’ voice knowing he failed to do exactly what he was paid for.
Vallejos directed his attention to his head of security. “Kervin, I want you to take a team out to the site and start looking around. Dig up the entire countryside if you must, but find me that ship.”
Esperanza nodded in acknowledgement. Vallejos dismissed them both
and as they were walking out the door, he said one more thing.
“Kervin, I will not tolerate failure of any sort.”
Esperanza looked back with a blank expression on his face. He had let the two NESA vigilantes make a fool of him one too many times in recent days. There was no misunderstanding of what Vallejos was implying and there was no need to respond. He turned and walked through the door, all while formulating a plan of his own.
14
It had been an hour since Dallas last tried to call the hotel. Upon arriving back home, he tried to get in touch with Mercer again, but to no avail. Sitting in his study, he stared out the window across the bay, trying to keep his thoughts from wondering where his friends could be. Instead, he tried to pass the time by reading one of his many scientific research reference books.
Only the Library of Congress had a more extensive collection on the subject of environmental geosciences. Hundreds of books lined the walls in no particular order, but he knew where every single one was and could locate any particular book at the drop of a hat. It was his life’s work, and his second true love only to his long time live-in girlfriend, Catherine.
Dallas earned his degree in the field while at the University of Washington. After graduation, he took a job with the State Department as a junior researcher and prominently rose to a leadership role before being assigned his own division. Over the next few years, he became the foremost leader in the field of geosciences.
Through an old colleague, he heard about a new agency looking for an environmental research leader. With a strong reference from his former superior, and even a recommendation from the President of the United States, he decided to apply due to his multifaceted work experience in the field of geological and hydro-geological resources.
Colonel Hunt went through a very short list of applicants and decided Dallas was his man. He proved to be the right hire, and it had paid off in many ways over the past five years with him as the head of all research for NESA. Up to this point, he had yet to be stumped when it came to finding the right answer or solution to any problem.