Tanner, Alexa, and Spenser had a short drive to make to a local airfield, where they would board the private plane that belonged to one of Spenser’s former clients.
The former client would fly them into Texas, and then they would drive into Brownsville for their meeting with Sandoval.
Spenser and Amy shared a long kiss goodbye, as Abrasion stared at them with eyes full of envy.
When the kiss ended, Amy opened the door to get in the rear seat of the pickup, but Spenser reached past her to offer Abrasion his hand.
Abrasion stared at Spenser’s hand in surprise, but then shook it.
“Take care of Amy for me, all right?”
“Yeah,” Abrasion said. “I’ll make sure she stays safe.”
“Good man,” Spenser said. He then stood beside Tanner and Alexa, and waved goodbye.
When Alexa returned inside the home to finish packing, Tanner remained outside with Spenser.
“Hey Cody,” Spenser said, as he watched the pickup carrying Amy grow smaller as it gained distance.
“What is it, Spenser?”
“I’m going to ask Amy to marry me when this is over.”
Tanner laid a comforting hand on his mentor’s shoulder.
“She’ll be fine, Spenser.”
“I know she will, and she’ll keep Alexa’s father safe too.”
Less than an hour later, they were ready to leave, and after checking the house before locking it up, Spenser joined Tanner and Alexa inside the van.
“Cody.”
“Yeah?”
“Let’s go show ‘em how it’s done, boy.”
“Yes sir,” Tanner said, and after placing the van in gear, they went off to slay.
CHAPTER 14 – You can almost feel it
The Alvarado compound was alive with activity, as Alvarado prepared to thwart Tanner’s plans to invade his fortress.
He stood by the entrance as he balanced himself atop his crutches, while watching as a work crew added even more fortification to the front gates.
Dan Matthews had betrayed Tanner and the others. He was two million dollars richer for the act, with the promise of a million more to follow once Tanner was dead.
After he played the rest of the conversation he had with Tanner—while leaving out the section concerning Martinez’ familial connection to Burke—Spenser’s plan was revealed.
Alvarado had sent money to Matthews’ offshore account, while supplying him false information to pass along to Tanner the next time he spoke with him.
When the trailer arrived with the hollow wrapped skid of goods that Amy had fashioned, Alvarado would be ready.
Specialized equipment was being gathered that would detect heat signatures, along with another device that would pick-up heartbeats.
Once in place, every large vehicle would be searched using the equipment, and when Tanner, Spenser, and Alexa were detected, Alvarado planned to take all three of them alive, so that they could be tortured.
Earlier, he sat at his desk imagining the things he would inflict upon Spenser, and simply imagining it brought him so much pleasure that he nearly climaxed.
Tanner was a major problem, Alexa, an impudent bitch that needed to die, but Spenser, Spenser was special.
The man had come into Alvarado’s home and damn near killed him, while also giving Damián Sandoval the opportunity he needed to take over their former cartel and oust Alvarado from power.
Over the years, finding Spenser and paying him back for the agony he inflicted had nearly become a raison dêtre for Alvarado. Repaying Spenser in kind for the physical pain and mental anguish he had inflicted upon him was Alvarado’s driving force.
He had regained power years ago, yet still felt unfulfilled because he had yet to achieve the retribution he so desired.
That would change, because Spenser would place himself within arm’s reach, and once Alvarado had the man in his grasp, he would take the art of torture to new heights, and Spenser’s agony would last for months, even long after his mind had been destroyed.
***
Alvarado had just lowered himself into a golf cart to be ferried back to the house by a guard, when he saw Martinez running towards him smiling.
When Martinez reached him, he took a moment to catch his breath, and then he relayed the good news.
“We got a nibble on that flyer with the sketch of the woman who is helping Tanner. A guy at a Pemex station in Mexico City says she used to buy gas there every week for a van, unfortunately she paid cash, but at least we now know that we’re looking for her in the right area.”
“Yes, and if she lived or worked in the city my people will find out who she is; it’s just a matter of time.”
“I’ve got a man at the gas station looking through old surveillance video, so there’s also a chance that we’ll see her on film, and if we can read her license plate, we can track her that way and learn her name.”
“Excellent, at last things are going my way. Once we know who that bitch is, I’ll send men to find her family.”
“All right,” Martinez said. “Although it seems anti-climactic now that we know Tanner’s plan to infiltrate the compound.”
“One can never have too much leverage, Martinez, remember that, and the best way to make an enemy suffer is to kill their loved ones.”
Alvarado held a hand out in front of him and rubbed his fingers together, as a look of bliss came over him.
“Oh, I can almost feel their blood.”
CHAPTER 15 – Welcome to Mexico
Boca Chica State Park, Brownsville, Texas
Alexa drove their rented SUV off Highway 4 and onto Boca Chica beach, as Tanner and Spenser scanned their surroundings with a pair of binoculars. It was a weekday and post vacation season, and so the beach crowd was sparse.
When they approached the north end of the beach across from South Padre Island, Spenser and Tanner lowered their binoculars and pointed out to Alexa the four men standing by a limo, which was parked near the shoreline.
“The man on the far right is Dante Cardoso,” Alexa said.
“The other three look like cops,” Tanner said. “And I’m a wanted fugitive in Mexico.”
“They might be cops,” Alexa said. “Damián Sandoval owns many Federales, and they will do as he tells them to do.”
Alexa brought the vehicle to a stop and Dante approached them with his arms held out from his side to show that he wasn’t holding a weapon, although the bulge of a holster was clearly visible beneath the blue denim jacket he wore.
When Tanner stepped out of the van, Dante and the other men stared at him for long moments, and when Tanner gazed back at them, he saw a mixture of respect and caution in their eyes.
“Hello Anna... or should I call you Alexa?”
Alexa let out a gasp, and then asked a question.
“Are you telling me that Alvarado knows my name?”
“If he doesn’t, he soon will, I just thought it was time that the two of us stopped playing games. There must be trust if we’re to continue to help each other, no?”
Dante moved closer and offered Tanner his hand.
“You are Tanner, and if even a fraction of what I’ve heard about you is true, Alvarado will soon be having a very bad day.”
Tanner shook the offered hand and then introduced Spenser as Tucker Coe.
Tucker Coe was the phony name that Spenser had used years ago, when he and Tanner had first met in Stark, Texas.
After the greetings were finished, Dante pointed at the men he had with him.
“As you’ve probably guessed, those men are Federales, and they’ll be taking us across the border to meet Sandoval.”
“He’s agreed to help us?” Alexa said.
“He has, but he’ll only offer information and materials, no troops.”
“We’re our own troops,” Tanner said. “What we need are weapons and supplies. We’re going to cut a path through Alvarado’s organization on our way to him, to give him a taste of what to exp
ect.”
Dante laughed.
“Just the three of you?”
“Just the three of us.”
Dante studied Tanner, and the smile left his face.
“As requested, we retrieved the crate you had flown to Dallas, and it’s riding a drug transport plane to Mexico City. I’m going to guess that whatever is in that crate is part of your plan to breach the compound, but unless it’s the world’s smallest tank, I fear you will be unsuccessful.”
“We’ll see,” Tanner said.
Dante smiled at Alexa.
“You said that you would find Tanner and you did.”
“Yes, I did, and together we will kill Alvarado.”
Dante turned to walk back to the limo, and as he did so, he gave instructions.
“Follow behind the limousine and I’ll take you to see Sandoval.”
They did as instructed, and within minutes, they were entering Mexico.
PART TWO
THE EVE OF DESTRUCTION
CHAPTER 16 – Machinations
On the edge of the city of Matamoros, Mexico, Tanner, Alexa, and Spenser met with Damián Sandoval.
The meeting took place in an alleyway between two storefronts, where several men with rifles overlooked the scene from the rooftops.
Damián Sandoval stepped out from the rear of a bulletproof limo and smiled at Alexa.
“I see that you are someone who does what she says she’ll do. That is a rare trait, particularly among your sex.”
Alexa knew that she should let Sandoval’s sexist comment pass, but she couldn’t help but respond to it.
“You believe that women are less honorable than men?”
Sandoval gave his head a small shake.
“No, but they do possess far less fortitude. You however are an exception, and you continue to surprise me.”
Sandoval then turned his gaze on Tanner.
“I’ve learned the details of what you did to Alvarado’s men in New York State, and your reputation is well earned, but do you truly believe that you’ll be able to kill Alonso Alvarado?”
“Yes.”
“Then you are either a fool or the best assassin who has ever lived.”
Sandoval tossed his chin at Spenser.
“This man, is he as good at killing as you are?”
“No,” Tanner said. “He’s better.”
Damián Sandoval stepped closer to Spenser.
“Why do you want to kill Alonso Alvarado?”
“I need to finish what I started.”
“Meaning?”
“I’m the man who attacked him at his villa years ago and left him for dead. Up until about a week ago, I believed he was dead.”
Sandoval broke into a wide grin and then offered Spenser his hand.
“I owe you a debt of gratitude. If not for your attack on that villa my rise to power might have been delayed for years.”
Spenser took the offered hand and shook it.
“It was my pleasure, and soon we’ll finish the job, but tell me, just how did that bastard make it out of that house? The place was an inferno and he couldn’t sit up, much less walk.”
Sandoval relayed to them the story of how Carlos Ayala saved Alvarado, and Spenser grew angrier at himself for having failed.
“Dante,” Sandoval said, and Dante walked over to stand beside his boss.
“Yes sir?”
“Give these three what they need. Sadly, they won’t succeed, but they will cause Alonso grief before they die, and that is worth much to me.”
“We will kill Alvarado,” Alexa said. “And if you’re as smart as they claim you are, you’ll be ready to take over that compound of his when we do.”
Sandoval stepped closer to Alexa, and being a small man, he stood an inch shorter than she did.
“You are a beautiful woman and you have the heart of a warrior. Your companions are extremely capable men, and while this plan of yours has merits, you will still be vastly outnumbered.”
Alexa stared at Sandoval with defiance.
“We will not fail.”
Sandoval turned from her, while shaking his head sadly.
“Such a sad waste of a fine woman.”
Afterwards, he climbed back inside the limo and disappeared behind tinted glass.
Dante walked over to a door at the side of the building on their left and asked that Tanner, Alexa, and Spenser follow him inside, as the limo roared to life.
The old building was a long narrow warehouse that held only empty shelves. Overhead lights dangled from the ceiling, and they walked from one circle of light into another, as they moved atop a concrete floor that here and there showed stains and displayed cracks.
Dante soon entered a glass-enclosed office, where he stepped behind a desk.
When Tanner and his companions stood before him, Dante pointed at a blank pad that had a pen laying atop it.
“Write down any supplies you need, but in Spanish. I can speak English, but I can’t read or write it for shit.”
“The thing that would help us most is transportation,” Tanner said.
Dante nodded.
“We’ll fly you to Mexico City and give you a place to stay.”
Spenser rubbed a hand over his beard.
“A plane is risky, but it would speed up our timetable.”
“We’ll be using Sandoval’s private jet. Trust me, it’s safe, and I’ll be flying with you.”
“Fine,” Tanner said. “And it’ll likely be the least risk we’ll be facing.”
Alexa grabbed the pen and looked at Tanner. He named a few items, mostly weapons, and then added one that made Dante smile, while also causing Alexa to give Tanner a quizzical look. Tanner had told her to get a dress, and the sexier the better.
“It will be used as a weapon,” he said.
Alexa gave him a doubtful, yet knowing look, and Spenser laughed at her expression.
Before leaving the warehouse, they solidified their plans concerning the phony pallet of goods that they hoped to smuggle inside the compound, and Dante told them that he would handle getting it onto the truck that made the deliveries.
“What about the driver?” Alexa asked. “Will he cooperate?”
“He will once we kidnap his wife,” Dante said.
“Couldn’t you just bribe him?” Alexa asked.
“If we used only greed he might betray us, but he is a young man who recently married. He will do anything to protect his bride. Fear usually works better than greed.”
“Do not harm her in any way,” Alexa said. “Killing and using the relatives of an enemy is Alvarado’s way, not ours.”
Dante smiled at her.
“Don’t worry, the men I’ll be using are professionals, but understand something, if you fail to kill Alvarado, he will kill the driver and his wife for helping you.”
“He won’t get the opportunity,” Tanner said.
Dante smiled at the three of them.
“Ah, if I had a touch more madness in me I would join you, but as I’ve grown older I’ve grown wiser. Still, I’m betting that you’ll be successful.”
“We’ll need a place to stay tonight once we reach Mexico City,” Spenser said. “And tomorrow we start handing grief to Alvarado.”
There was a brown envelope atop the desk. Dante picked it up and handed it to Spenser.
“That’s a partial list of Alvarado’s drug couriers in the Mexico City area, but I warn you, do not attempt to kill any of these men near one of the meth labs, their security is tight.”
Spenser took the envelope, but gestured towards Alexa.
“She has her own list of targets.”
Dante grinned.
“That’s right; you were busy killing Alvarado’s people even before you breached the compound.”
“Yes, and with the help I have now, what I did before will be nothing in comparison.”
When they left the warehouse, Tanner took note that the snipers were gone from the rooftops, and supposed that
they were a part of Sandoval’s private guard.
Dante stared at the three of them in turn, before locking eyes with Spenser.
“The last time you attacked Alvarado, it gave Sandoval the opportunity he needed to rise to power.”
“Yes, and?” Spenser said.
Dante looked around to make sure that none of the other men were in hearing range, and then spoke again.
“My boss believes that you will fail. However, it occurs to me that if you were to succeed, someone would have to step in to fill the power vacuum left behind.”
Tanner, Alexa, and Spenser all traded looks, and then turned their attention back to Dante.
“For a man to make such a bold move,” Tanner said. “He would still need help controlling Alvarado’s troops, but yes, it will be a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Dante took out a phone, fiddled with it, and held it up. On the screen was a close-up photo of a young man with curly brown hair, and there was a tattoo of a cross on the man’s neck.
Dante looked at Alexa.
“You do remember Joaquin, yes?”
“Of course.”
“When the trouble begins, he will help you, and if you are successful, he will signal me. Do you understand?”
“Understood,” Tanner said. “But you’ll need your own men if you’re going to take over that compound.”
Dante smiled.
“I have them. They’re the men from the villages surrounding the compound. Alvarado crossed the line when he killed those prostitutes. They were worthless whores to him, but to the men from the villages, they were their daughters. I also have the police around the area of the compound in my pocket, although they weren’t cheap.”
Tanner looked at Dante with a new appreciation.
“It would seem that Sandoval isn’t the only one who knows when to take advantage of a situation.”
Dante gave a single nod.
“In this world, you either rule or serve, and I’ve grown tired of serving.”
“You’ll get that signal,” Tanner said, and Dante laughed with pleasure.
CHAPTER 17 – Hurry up and wait
Amy arrived in Mexico with the Tin Horsemen and was unable to contact Rodrigo by phone.
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