Wilco- Lone Wolf 22

by Geoff Wolak

  ‘We are not killing men, we are saving men from the cartel murderers, we are saving the families of men slaughtered by the cartel. I am not a religious man, but this – for me – is missionary work.’

  I pointed at the new manager assigned to this. ‘You recruit a team you can trust, all men with families, and you draw a map of this region and you list all the cartels and gangs, all the dangerous areas, and you research each gang and cartel till you know their names and can recognise their faces if you met them.

  ‘Use the men we got from the cartels, and a month from now I want you to be the world’s greatest expert on the cartels of Central America.’

  ‘We can help with that,’ the Minister offered as he turned to the manager. ‘I know a man that wrote a book on them. He is in hiding. I bring him to you.’

  ‘And we will pay him well,’ I put in. I told the manager, ‘And you will get emails and faxes from the Americans, they will send you what they know, and the British are excellent at hacking phones and tracking sat phones.

  ‘If you have a man’s phone number, send it to a man I will put you in touch with, and he will tell you where that cartel man eats lunch each day. And never forget, always get the information before we act, always think and plan first, the cartels may try and trick us.’

  I faced Tomsk. ‘Our friend in France will also work on this, and he will take American money. Any cartel money invested in Europe and he will try and get it, any cartel men in Spain and we get them quick.’

  He nodded.

  I handed the manager the phone number at GCHQ, a special line that was always to be answered in Spanish, suitable taverna music playing in the background. ‘Get to know the man who answers the phone like your brother, but he is four hours ahead of you in Spain. Call and chat, share information, but don’t tell him about those we kill, always say that the target met with an accident or was shot by a rival cartel.

  ‘He can be trusted to share information, he is paid to do that, but don’t admit to crimes to him.’

  The manager nodded.

  ‘So, first we need information, lots of information, then we make maps, then we add to them, then we act. In the meantime we find men in prison, we train them, ready to be sent out. And for those who saw the video, Mad Dog Rizzo will be here soon.’

  Cheeks creased into smiles.

  ‘He was kicked out the British Army,’ Tiny cut in. ‘His boss is an arsehole.’

  As Suzy put a hand over her mouth I hid my annoyance, but someone would get a good spanking later. ‘Yes, he was kicked out, soon to be training men here.’ I pointed at her. ‘Keep recruiting men from prison, find suitable men with families, when you are not busy shopping or doing your hair.’

  Her mouth dropped open but she said nothing.

  I faced Tomsk as he hid his grin. ‘If our Russian men go out and get the target, do they get bonuses?’

  He glanced at No.1 and No.2. ‘Yes, they can, but I don’t want them all going off someplace,’ he complained. ‘A few at a time.’

  ‘And on the Colombia border they can get bonuses for FARC and others killed,’ I nudged.

  ‘There, yes, closer to here,’ he agreed. ‘Small bonuses.’

  I had to wonder if he was related to David Finch. I took questions for ten minutes and we broke up, stood talking in small groups for half an hour, the Minister thanked – talk of the new APC order.

  I finally led Tomsk outside, and we sat with cold beers.

  He asked, ‘The Americans, they give you hundreds of millions?’

  ‘Not sure how much, but a lot of money to hit the cartels, and it’s not much money to them considering the harm they almost suffered.’

  ‘They get desperate, no.’

  ‘They almost had to close all their airports, so yes – desperate and angered. And they will have a new amnesty for their undercover agents, so that an agent can rape and kill and look like a real mad dog to the cartel, but then when he goes home he declares what he did and gets an amnesty. Americans will work from their side, we work from our side.’

  ‘You trust them?’

  ‘I sat in the White House with the President and had a chat.’

  ‘My god, so public.’

  ‘I have a batman mask,’ I teased. ‘And they’re desperate for some arrests or people to shoot - the American people want blood and the politicians don’t know what to do, and the CIA ask me.’

  ‘People at the club, they see you on the TV and ask questions. Some people suspect I think.’

  ‘Let them suspect, I’m not worried these days.’

  After lunch, we drove into town and met a former Tijuana cartel man and his family, the man having arrived here after Tinker at GCHQ had gotten him out, airline tickets paid for. The man spoke a little English, so we had managers translate for us as we made small talk about family, local schools and hospitals.

  The man finally stopped staring at me. ‘Sir, we have met in Tijuana, I know your face.’

  I smiled. ‘They found a man that looked like me, and he was to be used to discredit me. Do you know where he is now?’

  ‘I have not seen him for … three weeks at least, no.’

  ‘Do you know who was controlling him?’

  ‘That was Hector, Hector Evangalista. Big fat man, scar down his face. He likes small boys.’ He shrugged.

  I stepped out and called Tinker. ‘Listen, look for a man, Hector Evangalista -’

  ‘We know him. Why?’

  ‘He’s in control of my lookalike there. Find him for me.’

  ‘I’ll update them now.’

  Back inside, I said, ‘We will find Hector, and my lookalike. There is another body double here as well.’

  ‘You bring a third one?’ Tomsk protested.

  ‘No, we shoot him.’

  ‘Ah, better.’

  I asked our new friend, ‘Did you see any gringos?’

  ‘Some mules, but there was one, about two weeks ago. They said he was German.’

  ‘German?’

  ‘But he spoke prefect Spanish, Mexican accent. Tall and thin.’

  I stepped out again, and called Tinker again. ‘Tijuana Cartel had a visit from a tall German who spoke perfect Spanish, Mexican accent. Any clues?’

  ‘Nothing listed, so I’ll have them drop a hint today and tonight.’

  I called Carlos. ‘Is that the master of all he surveys?’

  ‘Sounds like a poem.’

  ‘Might have been. Listen, have your people look for Hector Evangalista, and a tall German man who speaks good Spanish, in the Tijuana Cartel areas.’

  ‘I send a message now. You want more trouble on the border?’

  ‘No, not at the moment. Anyone asking awkward questions?’

  ‘No, no evidence, we were very careful – and the men were all killed, some blown to pieces.’

  ‘Oh, your young soldiers, the ones I met, I’ll be sending instructors for more training, a lot more training for them, we want to make good snipers out of them.’

  ‘They are loyal, family here, large families.’

  ‘Expect a helicopter to land at the hilltop, some instructors. Same men who landed before. We will meet soon and talk, many things happening.’

  ‘Tijuana, they lost their money,’ he noted.

  ‘We may have borrowed it, the cash, and let the Americans know about the rest of it.’

  ‘They are fucked, Tijuana, producers to pay and they cannot.’

  ‘We will soon speak of a new pipeline, to move my men back and forth across the border, and the Americans will allow it and assist.’

  ‘They assist?’

  ‘They want the cartels dealt with, but not you dealt with.’

  ‘And how do they know me?’

  ‘They ask me.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘Relax, or you’ll get ulcers. Expect some men.’

  I called the Deputy Chief and requested that Running Bear and his team join Carlos for a few weeks.

  ‘White House wants action,
so this appeases them, kind of.’

  ‘Let me know when they fly, I’ll warn Carlos. Oh, and hand them a shit load of ammo, good night sights; we’ll send them hunting towards Mexicali City. And just so that you know, we have a few former Tijuana Cartel men in Panama, new passports issued, tales being told.’

  ‘Could we chat to them?’

  ‘After we do. Or, you send Franks and Dick down here and they do the interviews.’

  ‘I’ll chase that up today and talk to them. If we get the transcripts then we can at least make it look like the new narco unit is pulling its weight.’

  ‘Assign them to it maybe, take some credit.’

  He was back on an hour later. ‘Just had a nudge from the White House, and they mentioned the Lone Wolves, as in the Wolves pull their weight and get involved south of the border.’

  ‘They worded it like that?’ I puzzled, a little annoyed.

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Oh. Well, the Wolves are ready for Kosovo, your Wolves, and can’t be in two places at once.’

  ‘A few weeks at the border won’t make a difference,’ he suggested.

  ‘Then assemble them near Tucson, and I’ll have some of my men meet them there with me. Would take too long to recall the Wolves on ship, but do an inventory of where they are anyhow.’

  I called David Finch. ‘White House wants the American Wolves involved south of the border, against the cartels. I thought I’d send the two with me, plus a few Echo lads or some British Wolves. It’s not a British campaign, but … do you see any benefits?’

  ‘Experience is a benefit, provided they’re not caught or killed of course.’

  ‘Of course,’ I mocked.

  ‘I’ll chat to the PM and the MOD, get an opinion. But you can at least have their men recalled.’

  ‘I have two American officers with me, they can attend, and – if I was a nasty bastard – I could take the new batch of American Wolf officers and scare the crap out of them.’

  ‘That might be a conversation to have with the Pentagon,’ he cautioned.

  ‘I told the Pentagon I’d take the officers to Liberia and on patrol. They left it up to me.’

  ‘Then you could christen them the hard way I suppose,’ he agreed. ‘As you did at Camel Toe.’

  ‘I’ll chat to the Pentagon anyhow, but get me an opinion. What about your four spies?’

  ‘They’ve been doing well, yes. I’ll discuss them with the Director, see if we want them sharpened up even more.’

  I called GL4 after checking my watch. Major Harris was teaching the Wolf officers. ‘I want Murphy and his buddy, Mitch and Greenie, on a flight from Fairford, to Tucson, so send Fairford the request, mention my name and the Pentagon. I’ll chat to the Pentagon. First flight tomorrow, full kit, plenty of ammo, they’ll be in Mexico – so lightweight browns and greens.

  ‘And, just to be mean, mention to the officers that we have a live job and that they may go to Mexico as well.’

  ‘Will they?’

  ‘The idiot in the White House suggested that they earn their keep.’

  ‘They hardly seem ready,’ he complained.

  ‘Then work them hard, I may call for them in a week. Plenty of sniper practice, day and night conditions.’

  I called Colonel Mathews next. ‘It’s Wilco, sir. I need a plane from Fairford, four men - your men embedded with me, they’ll go south of the border, so drop them in Tucson. And you’ll see the movement orders today I guess, but the White House has suggested that the Wolves earn their keep south of the border.’

  ‘They worded it like that?’

  ‘Yes, the idiot in the big chair.’

  ‘Well, we can’t argue with him, and it is their kind of work. I’ll talk to their manager and see where they are.’

  ‘Sort that flight for me, please.’

  ‘On it now.’

  I called back the Deputy Chief. ‘It’s me. Can you find a commercial Huey or two, and some reckless pilots. We’ll pay them cash.’

  ‘I know just the men. But, will the helos be shot full of holes?’

  ‘No, just used for inserts, radiating out from Carlos the Jackal.’

  ‘I’ll put it through the narco unit, no one will complain if the paint is scratched.’

  ‘We’ll pay, don’t worry.’

  ‘You flush with cash these days?’

  ‘Let’s just say that a cartel lost some money our way.’

  I went and found Tomsk. ‘Let Carlos know, a large group of soldiers will use his hilltop position, some helicopters.’

  ‘What soldiers?’

  ‘The American Wolves I trained, some CIA mercenaries. We’ll radiate outwards - and kill any armed men that are not working for Carlos.’

  ‘I call him now.’

  ‘Send him ten million, for this campaign, beans and sauce. But tell me, you think he could expand and be happy with it? He doesn’t seem that ambitious.’

  Tomsk pulled a face as he considered that. ‘No one wants gangs nearby, and he needs many security men. If there are less gangs – yes – a good thing, he needs less security.’ He shrugged. ‘I talk to him, see what he wants to do.’

  ‘What about a shit hole like Mexicali City?’

  ‘Tijuana had influence there, less now.’

  ‘And if they’re all killed…’

  ‘Well, there are many small factions, no leader I think. I don’t think Carlos wants to be there.’

  ‘Not to live there or visit, no, but … is it of use to him?’

  ‘To me, yes, because there are many men with secure routes across the border. We sell to them, up to them what they do.’

  ‘And Lobos?’

  ‘No good talking to those idiots, just shoot them all.’

  ‘Got the phone number for Los Vetas?’

  ‘An old one.’

  ‘Let me try it.’

  I updated Tomsk’s new manager for the campaign against the cartel via Carlos and he took notes about what we were planning. He told me, accented, ‘We have spies in Mexicali and around Carlos.’ He shrugged. ‘Everyone is an informant.’

  ‘Find me a man in Mexicali you want to sell to, and we remove some of the others.’

  ‘There is a man, Thomas.’

  ‘American?’

  ‘No, but his name is Thomas after some priest. He is the biggest dealer, but he bows down to the Tijuana Cartel.’

  ‘I want his phone number. Does he speak English?’

  ‘He went to school in Los Angeles before they deported his family.’

  ‘What’s your own background?

  ‘I was Narco Police here, Intelligence Unit, but was shot in the hip and sent home. Pension … not so good. My wife seeing me sat at home … not so good.’

  I nodded with a grin, soon sat outside and calling Los Vetas.

  ‘Si?’

  ‘You speak English or Russian or German?’

  ‘Moment.’

  ‘Hello?’

  ‘This is Petrov in Panama.’

  ‘Petrov?’

  ‘Yes. I want to speak to the boss of Los Vetas.’

  ‘What about?’

  ‘Where do you sit in the chain of command, and do you speak for him, because I have no patience?’

  After a pause came, ‘Wait.’

  After a long pause came, ‘I am translator for Senor Alveraz.’

  ‘This is Petrov, Panama, calling with the knowledge of Mister Tomsk.’

  I heard the translation given.

  ‘How can we help you?’

  ‘The Americans have declared war on the cartels, and have offered us money for information, and to kill cartel members.’

  I waited as it was translated. I continued, ‘We are friends with Carlos the Jackal, and Tomsk wishes to be friends with you. The others … we declare war on.’

  I again waited as it was translated.

  ‘This benefits us, if you kill our rivals, but you will not find that easy.’

  ‘Let us worry about easy or not, and you w
atch what we do. Do you wish to have a friendly working relationship with Mister Tomsk?’ I waited.

  ‘Yes we do.’

  ‘Will you supply us with information about your rivals?’

  I waited. ‘Yes, of course.’

  ‘Will you take our money to attack those rivals?’

  I heard the translations and a muffled debate.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘If I give you money, will you attack your rivals?’

  I again heard the debate.

  ‘It costs around $500 to kill a street vendor, $2,000 to kill a jeep full of men, around $10,000 to pay men to attack a compound.’

  ‘Fine. Will you accept money in return to numbers of men killed?

  ‘We don’t do the killing, we simply pay the shooter and supply the detail. We are happy that you pay direct.’

  ‘Have the man in charge of that fly here and meet me, or he can meet me with Carlos the Jackal soon.’

  ‘We will talk with him.’

  ‘Call Mister Tomsk when you have something for us, we will pay for good information.’

  ‘You offer money to all hired men in Mexico?’

  ‘No, we are … selective.’

  ‘We have heard strange things about you and the Americans.’

  ‘I do their bidding, they leave Tomsk alone. He will never be arrested.’

  ‘We understand,’ finally came.

  ‘Send a representative here, a senior man, we sit and talk. Soon.’

  Next call was Thomas.

  ‘Si?’

  ‘You speak English I understand.’

  ‘Yes. Who is this?’

  ‘This is Petrov.’

  ‘Petrov? Are you … mad at me for some reason?’

  ‘No, and if I was contracted to kill you I would not call first to check the weather.’

  ‘Then how can I help you?

  ‘First, how is the Tijuana influence since I took their money?’

  ‘You took it?’

  ‘Most of it, yes, the rest handed to the Americans. So, how is their influence?’

  ‘They lose respect day by day, many killings. Soon, they will not be here.’

  ‘Do you wish to be top dog, Thomas?’

  ‘What do you mean?’