Once she was alone in the suite, Gabrie pulled out a cell phone and pressed a single digit. After one ring, her boss answered. “This is Commander One, go ahead, Tactica.”
“Sir, two members of the household staff have agreed to bring Colby James to this location. We have planned an escape route and all I need the team to do is meet me at the edge of the Guerra property; the west side. The terroristic plot they were developing has been picked up on your end, correct?”
“Yes, agent. We recorded everything. De Negros is totally oblivious to what is going on. He hasn’t detected the bug you planted on him. Great job. We’re headed to the rendezvous point now. Should be smooth sailing from here.”
“Nothing is ever smooth. These brutes are so rough around the edges.” Gabrie, a.ka. Tactica, explained to her leader as she rechecked her gear. “They have no finesse and are totally unpredictable.”
“You’re right about that. Keep your eyes peeled and your ears open. See you on the west side.” Commander One disconnected.
Ana’s beautiful daughter, Luz, accompanied young Colby. Upon their arrival, Ana took her daughter aside and explained to her who and what Gabrie was. Luzita was scared they would get caught or would be blamed once the boy’s disappearance was discovered, but with her mother’s assurance she agreed to assist them. She was no fan of Guerra and had come to care for the boy. She was happy he’d soon be reunited with his family.
Ana gave Gabrie an old pair of jeans and a tee shirt Luzita had left at the house. They were a bit tight, but were good enough. Ana had also packed a small knapsack with the items she’d requested.
“Senor…um, I mean senora. I want to thank you for what you’re doing,” Luz said as she tentatively touched Gabrie’s hand.
Gabrie firmly pumped the young woman’s hand. “No, thank you. I could not do this without your help.”
“You are a hero. You would have found a way,” she countered with a smile.
The house was finally quiet so Luz went off to get Colby. Ana stayed with Gabrie asking: “Chica, may I see you transform?”
She was touched by the old woman’s awe despite the fact she had the same capability. Gabrie closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Slowly “Carlito’s” countenance shifted to be softer, more porcelain-like. Chestnut hair turned midnight black. His body grew more curvaceous and supple. The borrowed clothes fit better. When she was done, she opened her eyes and smiled at Ana.
“You are truly beautiful,” Ana gushed.
“Thank you, but we need to stay focused, mi amiga.”
“Of course, I…” She was interrupted by Luz and young Colby.
“Please, hurry!” Luz said as she glanced behind her. “The men are still sleeping, but not everyone in this household is trustworthy. If they suspect something isn’t right, they will sound an alarm.”
“She is right. Let’s go.” Ana shuffled everyone out the room and into the bath area. She pressed the button and the tunnel door opened soundlessly.
Colby James looked confused, but seemed to instinctively trust the women. He started to speak, but Luz placed her finger to her lips. He understood and remained silent.
“Ana, take this.” Gabrie placed a small piece of paper into her hand with her cell phone number on it. “Text me to let me know what’s going on after we’ve left.”
“I will, mija. God be with you.”
“He always is,” Gabrie said as she briefly hugged the old woman.
Luz awkwardly embraced the boy. “Be well and forget about this place.”
He hugged her back and then turned to Gabrie. “Can we go now?”
They rushed into the tunnel and once Gabrie lit a small flashlight, they began to move quickly.
“Do you work with my dad?”
“No, but I am with the U.S. government, Colby. Did Maximo Guerra or his men hurt you?”
“No, but they were scary anyway. I just wanted to go home, but it didn’t seem like that was ever going to happen. Luz was nice to me. So were a lot of the house staff, but I still wanted to go home.” He tried not to sniffle.
Gabrie stroked his blond head. “You’ve got your wish. Now let’s high tail it out of here.”
The tunnel seemed to stretch on forever, but finally they came to a panel at the end. Gabrie pressed the code Ana had given her and the door opened wide. They tromped quickly through the trees and brush. Gabrie phoned her commander. “We’ve cleared the estate and the property behind it. We are a couple minutes away from the rendezvous point.”
“Roger that. We’re ready for the boy.”
A short time later, Gabrie and Colby came to a wide open space. They turned to the right and saw the EAB’s helicopter waiting to depart. She nudged the boy ahead of her as they braced themselves against the wind created by the propellers. She was about to climb in behind him when she felt her phone vibrate. It was a message from Ana. Her heart rate quickened as she read the text.
“Commander One, there’s trouble back at the house. The woman who helped me and her daughter are being harassed by Guerra’s men. They’ve discovered Colby is missing and don’t believe they know nothing about it. The men are on their way to get Guerra to try and make them talk. I have to go back.”
“We will take the child to safety and then double back to get you.”
Gabrie nodded and took off running. This time she used her strength and reptilian agility to the max. Without Colby to slow her down, she was able to get back to the mansion quickly. She entered the house through a side door, hearing raised voices to the left. She slid across the wall without making a sound.
Maximo Guerra had Luz by her hair and was about the strike her when Gabrie pounced.
The dictator was knocked off balance. Luz broke away from his grip and ran to her mother’s side. Cursing as he fell, Guerra ordered his men to attack.
Gabrie stunned the first man with a roundhouse kick. The others overcame their shock quickly and sprang into action. One rather stout thug tried to attack her low, but she jumped high in the air and dodged contact. Another man came at her with a club. She ducked and grabbed his weapon in one smooth motion. With one blow, the man fell unconscious at her feet. The others hesitated.
“What are you waiting for? She’s just a woman!”
Guerra’s barking urged the men on. Two tried to double-team her, but paid dearly for it with multiple slaps and punches to their faces. They moaned as they fell to their knees.
“Enough of this nonsense.” Guerra shot his gun into the air. “I don’t know who you are, but you are a dead puta.”
Unfazed, Gabrie charged at Guerra before he could lower his piece. He struggled against her, but she beat the tyrant down until he was a bloody mess. The others were still woozy so Gabrie took the opportunity to rush the women out of harm’s way.
They fled through the living room and out the front door. EAB agents moved in as soon as the trio cleared the front patio.
“Are you ladies, okay?” Gabrie asked as she checked them for injuries.
“We are fine thanks to you, mi amor. Muchas gracias!”
“My pleasure.”
Commander One approached them. “If you ladies will follow me, I will take you into town where you can get yourselves together. No one will bother you again.”
“Sir, Ana was kind enough to give me all kinds of information regarding Guerra’s operation. He has more hidden in this monstrosity he calls a house than we thought. Let me show you.”
Ana and Luz bid Gabrie goodbye before climbing into the jeep that awaited them.
“Brainstorm will be very proud of his wife,” the leader said as he patted his agent on the back.
Gabrie smiled when she heard her husband’s code name. She couldn’t wait to get back to Rakota. However, first things first. “Thank you, sir. Now follow me into the lion’s den so we can get what we came here for.”
Gabrie shook the excess water off her hands as she finished the dishes. She glanced around for a dish towel and caught the sight of he
r husband bent over a book. She dried her hands and cranked up the stereo. As Miles Davis blasted out “Tutu”, Gabrie sauntered over to Rakota’s work station.
She grasped his head in her hands and kissed his bald scalp. “Baby, how is your research coming along?”
Rakota couldn’t help but smile as his topless wife caressed his brow. He hooked his finger into a loop of her low rider jeans and pulled her closer. “Sometimes the mystery of how we came to be chameleons seems destined to remain just that: a mystery. But no secret can stay hidden forever, my love. I will eventually get to the bottom of it. We have some time before we have to report to HQ. What would you like to do this morning?”
“We’ve been so occupied with work, why don’t we just have a tourist day? Maybe go down to The Village or up to Spanish Harlem. I’m feeling a little nostalgic. I miss the days we used to bounce all over Manhattan when we weren’t busy studying at Columbia.”
“I miss them, too. Not too many students hailed from Madagascar and none were chameleons. That naturally attracted us to one another, but it didn’t take me long to fall hard for you.”
Gabrie laughed. “It may not have taken you long, but you fought it tooth and nail!”
Rakota smiled. “My parents scraped and saved to get me to go to school in the U.S. I couldn’t let myself be distracted right off the bat by a gorgeous woman. I would have followed you to another galaxy if that’s where you wanted to spend the day. But it worked out well. Your love of justice and my love of science kept us well grounded in our studies. Oh, but the time we made for love…”
“Beautiful love, cherie. It’s only gotten better with time.” Gabrie kissed Rakota deeply. She sighed as he stroked her bare back. “I despise the people we take down. They work to destroy the beauty of life. Just sitting here listening to jazz while you cradle me is heaven. I hate that they pervert the simple things in life.”
“So do I. But we’re not going to let them invade our space right now. Let’s shower while we plan our day.”
Gabrie hopped off his lap and grabbed his hand. “There won’t be much talking once we get to the shower, but I did want to remind you that Luz will be at the EAB today. She has more information about Maximo Guerra, but she also asked could she talk to you about her mother’s chameleon abilities.”
“I’d be happy to talk to her. She has helped the EAB tremendously. I’m sure she is curious as to why she does not have the same trait. I have all kinds of theories and some conclusions, but I’m okay with giving her a brief run down.”
Robin Thicke’s “Lost Without You” piped through their state of the art stereo system. “Ahhh; one of my favorites. Come, my darling. I need you. Right now!”
After a lovely morning at the South Street Seaport, Rakota and Gabrie met Luz Villareal in the lobby of the EAB building. “Hello, Luzita. Welcome. This is my husband, Rakota Toyin.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Luz.”
“The pleasure is mine. My mother sent her best wishes to you, Gabrie. She wanted to make the trip with me, but I persuaded her to stay in Bolivia. She is visiting family on the other side of the country we’ve not seen in ages. Maximo acted like he couldn’t spare us for a single day. I told her to enjoy herself. She can come to the States another time.”
“I would have liked to have seen Ana, but come let’s show you to the commander’s office.”
The EAB’s building was beautifully unique; much like the agents that made up the bureau itself. Back in the 60’s when it was established, the agency kept a pretty low profile. In the era of social media, it is much harder to keep their operation under wraps.
Gabrie and Rakota entered the conference room with Luz in tow. Commander Hugh Gillette stood up and extended his hand to their visitor. “Thank you again for helping us, Ms. Villareal. I know you are not a fan of Guerra’s, but it still can’t be easy to come forward this way.”
“It is not difficult, Commander. I have no loyalty to a man who bullies and terrorizes his own people. Any people. I created a document to bring you. Here; let me know if you have any questions.”
“I will go over this with some of my staff. Dr. Toyin will show you to the lab now. I’ll come find you if I need any clarification. Again, thank you.”
Luz smiled and gave a little bow. The three turned and wandered their way to the elevators.
“Have you always known your mother is a chameleon, Luz?” Rakota asked as he held open the elevator door for the women.
“Yes. Throughout our family there were many with the trait. My mother appears to be the last one, but since I was a very small child I’ve known. Of course people fear what they cannot understand, so it was not exactly common knowledge outside the family.”
“Does Maximo Guerra know?”
“He doesn’t. But his father was well aware. It intrigued him. Claudio Guerra would demand my mother transform for him. She had little choice in the matter and knew he would drag her off to his suite to have his fun with her. A despicable beast.”
Gabrie caressed her shoulder. “I’m sorry Ana had such a hard time.”
“She’s a remarkable woman. She was very close to Maximo’s mother. They often dreamt of getting out from underneath the Guerras, but times were different then. Now he sees he has messed with the wrong Villareal.”
They stepped off the elevator and made their way down the hall to the laboratory. Rakota’s passion was uncovering the mystery of the chameleon, but he was also top in his field in developing medications, antidotes and chemicals for warfare. Some of the personnel at the EAB were medical puzzles to the medical community and his work had helped them recover quickly from illness and injury.
“Hey, Rakota. Those test results are in. Do you have time to look at them?” An extremely tall young man approached them with a folder in one hand and a stack of books in the other. “Where are my manners? Hello; I’m Jasper Marks. Dr. Toyin’s assistant.”
“Nice to meet you,” Luz said as she shook his hand. “Rakota, please tend to your work. I’m not here to disturb anyone or get in the way. I’ll chat with Gabrie while you’re gone.”
“I will only be a minute or two. Show me what you got, Jasper.” The two men went off to another room in the lab.”
“I need to go to the ladies room, Gabrie.”
“Sure, follow me.”
They walked down to the opposite end of the hall to the restrooms. Luz took a brush from her bag and ran it through her long light brown hair. A very attractive woman. She was dressed casually in black slacks and a black blouse. Gabrie was admiring her pretty checkered trench coat when she noticed movement in her peripheral vision. A flash of silver.
“Luz…” Before she could issue a warning, a cord was wrapped around Gabrie’s neck.
A moment later, the two women were surrounded by a group of six men. Gabrie struggled against the thug who’d grabbed her, but the cord cut into her throat, halting her movement.
Two men practically lifted Luz off the floor and carried her out the restroom. Silver hands; cold as ice were gripping Gabrie tightly. Her captor would not ease the tension of the cord.
“Silas, what are you doing?” Gabrie asked her old colleague. She could hardly believe it was him.
“Just earning my keep, Gabrie. It’s a rough economy we’re in. A guy’s got to do what he’s got to do to make it these days, mate.”
“We knew you weren’t happy at EAB, but I didn’t expect you to go this route.”
“What do you know about me, Gabrie Jordane? Do you know how frustrated I felt after saving the world just for them to go muck it up again? Do you know how hypocritical I find it that this world will accept help from creatures like us, but you’d better not try to walk around in your natural state because we must be aliens. What I do now is more lucrative and more satisfying. Maybe you and your bloody husband should try it. Let’s go pay him a visit.”
Silas Strong dragged Gabrie down the hall. Luz looked petrified and did not fight against the men who still held her by
each arm. Just as they entered the lab, Rakota and Jasper were ambushed by the rest of Silas’ posse.
“What are you doing? What do you want?” Rakota demanded to know. Before he could get an answer, Jasper had been tazed and rendered unconscious.
“Rakota, old pal. I need you to come along quietly. I really don’t want to break Gabrie’s neck so please don’t try to brainstorm you’re way out of this. Brainstorm; is that still your code name?” Silas laughed. “Stupid. Let’s go.”
Not every worker in the lab had phenomenal abilities, but they were highly trained operatives nonetheless. Rakota could feel them trying to make their way to one of the several panic buttons in the laboratory, but Silas Strong knew they’d go for them, too. He quickly threw a black hood over Gabrie’s head.
“Don’t even think about it. Grab the good doc and let’s get out of here!”
Three men grabbed Rakota and covered his head, as well. They threw tear gas bombs in the directions of the lab attendants before rushing out the door. They hustled up to the roof where their helicopter was waiting for them. There’s no way their ride would have gone undetected by the EAB, so they scrambled to get their hostages out of there before the whole plan was a bust.
Gabrie’s pulse was racing. Not from fear, but from anger. Silas Strong had been an excellent agent with a bad attitude. He was not a “company man”. He did not like following rules nor did he like being turned down. Silas had tried to get a little too chummy with Gabrie a couple years ago. She told him that she was dedicated to her husband and her vows. He pretended to have respect for their marriage, but he just saw Gabrie as a challenge he’d eventually conquer. Rakota caught him in the act of coming on to her and put a quick stop to the advances. Silas mistook Rakota’s calm cerebral demeanor for weakness. Wrong move. He had had the bumps and bruises to prove it!
Silas’ body from the neck down was pure silver. And his heart was just as hard as metal. He was actually quite a handsome man. An Aboriginal Australian, he was a beautiful milky coffee complexion with coarse dark curly hair. He was intelligent and charismatic. However, Gabrie knew of a few Extraordinary Beings who didn’t quite know how to handle who and what they were. They joined the agency to have a sense of purpose, but couldn’t always come to grips with their differences from mainstream society. Gabrie couldn’t imagine not being a chameleon, but not everyone found their abilities to be a gift.
Camylyon: Episode 1 Page 2