by Doug Ball
“Thank you for not letting me down. I have never had to talk so hard as I did the day I begged the Academy to take you, and, honestly, I figured I’d hear ‘I told ya so’a million times when you bombed out. You are the man of the hour.” Everyone applauded.
“By the way, I saw the graduation ended in a sticky situation.” More laughter. “Well done and I look forward to you being a part of my team in the Special Investigator’s office.”
Again lots of applause and laughs.
“Tan, I need to see you in my office Monday morning. We have a situation.”
“Yes, Governor. Monday it is.”
“Say ‘hi’ to Joan for me.” The phone went dead.
Tan retrieved his phone from the table and put it back in the belt holster. “Okay, folks, I don’t know about you, but I got work to do. See ya all in the office Monday morning as soon as I finish with the Governor.
“Rachel – Check with the State Attorney on the status of the warrant we asked for.
“Chuck – See if they have my parking spot assigned, yet.
“Tank – Civvies.
“All of you – enjoy the rest of your weekend. Let’s go home.”
#
Pastor Walt finished his sermon with a prayer and asked everyone to rise for the benediction. “May you all be blessed with health and safety this week. May you all be placed in dangerous situations for your faith. May the Lord carry you each and every step of the way. Be blessed. Amen.” He walked down the center aisle as he spoke and was ready to greet folks at the door when he finished.
Joan moved toward the toddler room to gather Robert and was met by the two older boys in the hall. The usual exuberant conversion took place as each showed off their art work and told the Bible story they had just been taught. “You boys amaze me sometimes. You can’t remember where the toothbrush goes, but you remember the details of Daniel and his trip to the lion’s den.”
Robert said, “Lion, I want lion.”
“Not this week, Little Man. All we get is kitties.”
“Kitty. I like Kitty.” He had found the kitten in the back yard one morning and claimed it for his own. Joan had asked around the neighborhood, but no one fessed up to a lost kitten. So, they had Kitty, or should it be, Robert had Kitty. They were inseparable.
Tan was talking with a couple of men when she returned to the Worship Center. She headed for the car with the boys. Tan saw her and excused himself to follow.
Pastor Walt called, “Tan, could I have a word with you.”
“Sure, Pastor. What’s up?”
“Had some vandalism this past week. Someone threw dung all over the front of the building. I’m sure it’s the neighborhood kids just playing a prank. Is there any way you could look into this quietly. I don’t want any of those kids in trouble, I just want it stopped. Two weeks ago they put tumble weeds in the kiddy playground, quite a bunch of them.”
“Walt, I’d love to, but I have a feeling I’m gonna get real busy starting tomorrow. The Governor wants me in her office first thing tomorrow and that usually means trouble. We still have a problem at the border.”
“I heard about the chopper incident.”
“That’s just the tip of the berg. I’ll see what’s what tomorrow and give ya a call. How’s that?”
“Fine. I’ll be here about nine. You have my number?”
“Got it. Good sermon this morning. Not sure I wanted to hear it. Gotta make a few changes in my attitudes toward some folks.”
“Glad the Word challenged you.”
“I wish it didn’t sometimes.”
“So do I.”
“Take care, Walt. I might be in touch.”
“Thanks, Tan.” Walt turned to talk with dear Sister Mary. She always had a comment or two.
#
The chopper reached a thousand feet and crossed the border moving north. Air traffic radars caught the intrusion and triangulated a position. AzBP received the message and could do nothing. It would take a jet to catch the chopper or even trail it.
A new unit of the Arizona Department of Public Safety rolled down the runway fifteen minutes later. The A-10 Warthog lifted from the ground loaded with missiles and a 30 mm cannon. The two missiles were supposed to be for self-protection, but could be used against targets with any level of heat signature. The cannon was designed to take out tanks and armored positions. It fired depleted uranium slugs that would punch through almost anything.
The Warthog turned slightly to an intercept bearing on the chopper staying as low as possible, assisted by its onboard terrain mapping radar. Within five minutes the pilot radioed a ‘tallyho’ to the base and began closing on the chopper.
In the chopper two men opened the side door and slid the bound former pilot closer to the door and cut the ropes at his ankles. One man turned him around so his legs hung out of the door and held him there. The second man unlocked the handcuffs and freed the man’s hands. “Handcuffs cost very much money. We do not wish to anger the Patrón with unnecessary expenses.”
The former pilot sat in the door, hands free, but every time he tried to grab something the man behind him would slap or kick his hand. He turned to grab one of the men, and missed. Each of his tormentors were wearing harnesses and safety ropes. He saw a gap between them and crawled toward it hoping to reach the far wall where the M-16’s were clamped in the gun rack. He missed.
The two tormentors grabbed him, turned him, and gave him a push head first out of the doorway. The former pilot did not scream on the fall, being a sky diver he went into the position to give himself some stability and watch the ground rush up to meet him, praying for a miracle that never happened.
The chopper turned and headed back to Mexico.
The Warthog passed the fleeing chopper just off its port side motioning the pilot to pick up the phone. The pilot kept the chopper hot, straight, and headed for home. The Warthog pilot made another pass motioning for the chopper to set down or turn for the airport. The chopper kept going.
“Romeo 1 to Bard - Tango refuses to turn or land. Request instructions.”
“Bard to Romeo 1 - Follow. What do you need for assistance?”
“Hell, Bard, there is no assistance. The other hog is down and our chopper is too far away. Just say weapons hot and I’ll take our southern neighbor outta the sky.”
“Hold Romeo 1, this is no time to start another war. From what the press says, we ain’t paid for the last one yet.”
“Bard, the tango is only a mile from the border. Need a decision here. Description matches the chopper with the shooters. Request weapons hot.”
“No, Romeo, RTB. Return to Base as soon as they cross the border. Make one more check for numbers or something to ID that bird with.”
“Romeo 1.” The Warthog pilot had a nasty tone to his voice as he made two passes at top speed trying to blow the chopper out of the sky with his turbulence, with no visible affect, before turning for home.
“Romeo 1, RTB.”
“RTB, Bard out.”
“Bard, we need some better understanding of the rules of engagement here. This sucks.”
“Bard agrees, Romeo 1. Come home and we’ll get on the horn together.”
“RTB.”
3
Monday Morning
“Rise and shine, lazybones.”
Lana stuck her head out of the sleeping bag and groaned, “Already?”
Betts replied, “Hey, you’re the one that talked me into this dig way out here in the middle of nowhere, hidden from the masses, where the air is clean, and the visitors are mighty few.”
“Few! We haven’t seen another soul since we got here.”
“What’s the plan, old lady?”
“The plan is to sleep til I get up and then eat a marvelously cooked meal which you have prepared before continuing to stake out the site. I think we have plenty of pics from all sides and light angles. Now it’s time to get to the hard work.”
“If it’s hard work, you better get u
p. My hands are too beautiful and soft to do hard work, and I wouldn’t want to spoil them for the man in my life.”
“I thought you dumped Larry.”
“Lyle. I did. He’s gone. A real international playboy, you know, Russian hands and Roman fingers.”
“Oh, yeah. I think I met one or two of them myself. Like my ex. Enough about men.”
“Whatcha want for breakfast, besides coffee?”
“Food. Just food.”
“Food coming up.” The sound of the stove getting pumped and water being poured broke the silence of the camp.
Betts looked at the country around them and wondered again how it was that the two of them got sent to this place when there were so many other, more qualified and experienced people the boss could have called on. “Oh, well, I am not going to complain. I’ve been waiting long enough to get a dig of my own where the name on the report will be ours, Lana. Yours and mine together.”
#
Tan parked his car in the handicap spot closest to the door of the Governor’s Office. He reached into the backseat of his unmarked car and pulled out a large, black bag, exited the car, dropped the bag over the ‘Handicapped Only’ sign, and tied off the bottom of the bag. Joan had thought of this answer to his parking problem after watching an old Starsky and Hutch rerun on TV the night before.
He checked out his handy work before walking into the building and up to the Governor’s Office. “Mrs. Hilliard, would you announce me to the Governor, please. I do believe she is expecting me.”
“Oh, quite right, Mr. Brown. May I ask how you got here on time for a change.”
“You may ask, but I will not give away my secrets to a mere receptionist.”
“I’ll mere receptionist you, big boy.” She grinned, sipped her coffee, and said, “She’s awaiting your presence, Tan. Grab a cup of coffee, it could be a long one.”
“Oh, goody.” He fixed a cup of tea and walked in.
“Morning, Governor.”
“Good morning, Mr. Brown. What do you know about helicopters and their uses on our borders?”
He knew it would not be a short meeting when the Governor started out the chat with a wide open question like that. Tan knew a little and surmised a lot about helicopters and their uses on the border.
#
Tank walked into the team meeting room with four dozen donuts for seven people, sat them next to the coffee pot on the table, grabbed two along with a cup of coffee, and sat down. “What’s on the agenda for this week?”
Rachel looked over the assortment of donuts, “Are you sure you brought enough?”
“What? Think I outta go get some more before Tan gets here?”
All of them cracked up.
Chuck finally got through laughing and said, “We will probably be called in to work on Saturday’s chopper incident near the southern border. Those two Border Patrol guys really did a number on the bad guys, or we suppose they were bad guys.”
The phone rang.
Being the closest one to it, Chuck picked it up only to have Rachel grab it out of his hand, “My job. Go sit.” Only Rachel could get away with that. They had a thing going on, lunch at the Chinese restaurant down the block once a week. Chuck was getting serious and Rachel worked hard to keep it cool. Not that she didn’t like him, she did, too much. No more burnouts for her.
“Office of the Special Investigator, Rachel speaking. How may I direct your call?”
“Rachel, its Josie. Tan asked me to have you get all the team together. Not only do we have five dead Mexicans, they just found the body of another splattered all over the countryside. Somebody shoved him out of an aircraft at considerable height.”
“We’re here and waiting. Thanks for the heads up. Come over for a donut. Tank brought four dozen for us.”
“I’d love to, but the Governor has plans for us this morning. You sure that’s enough donuts for your team?”
“That’s what Tank asked me.”
“Gotta run. You’re gonna get fat you keep hanging with that crowd.”
“Chuck says he likes a Rueben’s woman.”
“Oh, no. Never get fat for a man.”
“I’ll deal with it somehow. Bye.”
“Bye.”
“Well, guys, it looks like we get the border situation. Should I requisition a couple of tanks and lots of ammo?” Rachel asked, pouring a cup of coffee.
Lenny grabbed a donut, stuck his cup out for a refill, and said, “Nah. I have claustrophobia and would never last in a tank.”
Tank said, “I’d like a tank. We could name it Tank’s Tank.”
Abdul grabbed two donuts before chiming in, “What was that about another body?”
#
The Segundo left the room after reporting the successful human bombing mission to the north. Armado turned to the map on the wall. He traced a route through the mountains and wondered if it would work. The new tunnel would be complete soon. Product was available at a great price after Texas closed their border. He prayed New Mexico would leave theirs alone, but doubted if they would for more than another month or so.
The two men still in the room with him were occupied with cleaning their backup weapons while their primary weapons laid within easy reach on the table in the back corner. Armado turned to them, “Diego, what do you think has been wrong with our routing?”
“I don’t know, Patrón. It baffles me that los mulos could not make it with so few guards on the border. Los Americanos must have a secret spy of some kind. Maybe a person in our group.”
“We have looked for that. Even the mulos that I allowed to go with no route assigned were taken. I have a route that might work. I want you to do it. You will go wired with a radio. I will provide four batteries for the wire which will give you 48 hours to get through. Be ready in two hours.”
“In daylight, Patrón?”
“Only to position you for starting. You will carry no product, just the radio, water, and food. I will give you the only map when I drop you off. You may pick your time to start.”
Diego looked at the other man in the room and shook his head. ‘He will not betray me, he is my brother,’ he thought.
Armado said, “Do not worry about your brother. I have guards to make sure he will not speak to anyone. I do not think he would do that, but I take no chances. We must find a way to open up Arizona to the trade again. Diego, you are my best chance. Prepare.”
Diego left the room after grabbing his back up weapon. He was third in the organization under the Segundo and deep in his heart he wanted to be numero uno, number one. He would make it or die.
Two hours later he stood in a patch of cat claw not two miles from the border high on a ridge line. The map in his hands showed the route as following this ridge across the border and over twelve miles into Arizona. ‘This will be easy,’ he thought and started the trip while the dust from Armado’s jeep leaving was still settling less than a mile behind him.
#
“Tank, how’s your Spanish?”
“Fair to middlin’.”
Tan had everybody’s attention. “Chuck, Lenny, you speak Spanish?”
Both shook their head.
Rachel said, “I speak Spanish fluently.”
“Won’t use you for this job. Chuck would kill me.”
“I am not Chuck’s to kill for.”
‘Damn,’ Chuck thought, ‘I need to do the asking and ring giving shortly. That hurt.’
Abdul said, “I speak Spanish like a native.”
“Native Arizonan?”
“Native Mexican. You don’t spend time in the slam without learning the language of half the inmates and survive on a tough yard. When you do not understand, they can stand right next to you and discuss killing you in open argument. Had that happen to me twice. First time I saw the shiv pulled. Second time I cold cocked them suckers before they could start. Cost me 30 days in the hole and all my good time. Whatchu want?”
Tan looked around the room. “Thinkin’ on put
ting somebody out undercover on the street to see what can be found.”
Tank looked around as he grabbed another donut. He looked at Abdul. Where Tank looked like a cream puff, Abdul looked like a killer. Tank’s tats were soft and generic. Abdul’s were war cries. “How about Abdul and I out lookin’? He can teach me the big city streets and I’ll teach him the country trails.”
“That might give us better odds, boss.” Bruce had vowed to never go undercover again. He’d rather die with his badge on doing nothing than off in some God forsaken warehouse solving the problems of the world. It wasn’t about the dying, it was the stress. Once was enough. He’d almost bought the farm just because of his sweat in a Winslow whorehouse while the bad guys were making plans that included him in on the buy.
“Let me think on it.” Tan grabbed a donut and refilled his coffee cup. “Rachel, I will never allow you to be undercover without it being the last resort. I have attended the funerals of two women cops with all the training available, who died horribly undercover. The second one was ID’d by DNA only.”
“Tank, Abdul. The two of you go someplace and report back to me in two hours how you think you can find out what’s going on that warrants six lives and the use of a chopper. Roles, places, needs, wants, the whole shebang.”
The two of them left after they grabbed donuts and filled cups.
“Okay gang, get out there and find something. For now, stay away from the southern border. Whatever’s going on is connected to Phoenix and/or Tucson and that’s where the upper level bosses will be. Three hours is 1300. Call in and give a report on plans to Rachel.
#
Hawk sat on a bench in the shade. It was his spot. It was his through nothing more than power, legislative power. As Senate Majority Leader he had more power than most, including the governor. He brokered more deals than an auctioneer handling an estate sale for a hoarder, most of which were sealed on this bench. Merle Hopkins was from an old Arizona family and swore he remembered riding in an old wagon drawn by four horses from the family ranch in the Verde Valley to Phoenix for his Great Grandmother’s funeral. She died in 1912. But, no one had ever accused this man of never stretching things a mite. He was in his 80’s and couldn’t imagine doing anything but what he was doing.