by Mark Graham
“Take their cuffs off detective,” the captain ordered. “The feds will use their own.”
They all watched while the cuffs were removed and the guys who had FBI printed on the back of their jackets came out with leather, padded cuffs, attached closely together. When they were done with the cuffs they watched as the feds got out two sets of what would have been considered ankle cuffs, but they too were leather and padded. One of the feds fastened them at a length where the arrestee could walk rather well, but impossible to walk fast or run.
The tallest of the agents told the captain, “These two will take the prisoners and insure safe travel for them to a federal prison where they more then likely will spend the rest of their lives counting bricks.”
“I am going to stay, and I want you to have any and all evidence put back in that van. I will drive it from here,” the federal agent said more in the line of an order than a request.
The captain looked at his two detectives and said, “okay you guys, you did very well and will be given credit for catching two federal escapees. I’ll make sure it gets into your personnel folder.”
Both of them got up and nodded at the captain, then the remaining FBI agent.
Once they walked out the door the captain asked, “Come on, what’s the story on those two, truthfully?”
The agent gave the captain a friendly smile. “You know about as much as we do. We were ordered from Washington to do this. I’ll leave you my card and if you have any further questions, I will answer them if I know. But with my experience neither of us will ever know probably.
The agent waited a half hour when the phone rang. The captain answered it.
He hung up, “stating to the agent. They have everything loaded up in the van, and had a lot of questions about it. They will not get any answers. I’ll walk you down to the back gate, you can check it, then drive it off.”
The FBI agents drove the two agents to Hobby Airport that was the closest of the two Houston had. They drove them down to a separate gate, were carded, and allowed to proceed to what appeared to be a mid sized jet. Both the two in handcuffs wondered why they were getting in such a large aircraft.
At the bottom of the steps going up to the aircraft the FBI agents were met by two men who claimed to be Department of Defense agents and showed their identification.
One of them told one of the agents, “Let us get them on board where we have restraints built into the seats. I’ll come back and return this stuff to you.”
The FBI agent nodded his head, knowing he was lucky to get anything back from the two very imposing men that were already herding their two captives up the steps.
Once they were inside and sat down in a long seat that faced the middle of the plane, the two supposedly Defense Department agents took off the cuffs and foot cuffs, one of them returning them down the steps and to the waiting FBI agents. They left and drove off, and out of the gate.
“Wish I knew what was going on,” the shorter of the two stated.
The only thing the other said was, “yeah, and I have a feeling all this will be swept under the rug by morning.” He knew, and was actually right.
But Joyce and Talon stood and hugged each other, laughing. Talon felt his side stretch some so let Joyce go, then checked his shirt to see if it was bleeding. He saw blood, but it was dark so he knew there wasn’t anything new leaking out.
“Oops,” Joyce said remembering Talon’s wound to his side. Both sat in captain style seats the could turn and face each other. There were two others on the other side just like them. The rest of the plane had seats like one would see on a commercial flight in first class.
A slender young man wearing dark trousers and a white shirt with a logo on his chest pocket walked back to them and asked if they would like something to drink. They knew neither was on the job presently so Talon ordered a whiskey double, and Joyce ordered a double White Russian.
About five minutes later they watched as four men walked in and took the forward seats. Then in a little while they watched as one woman and one man came up. The two men who had escorted the rest of them came back and said it would be about fifteen minutes because they were waiting for one more person who had called and was on their way. A few minutes later Talon saw a car pull through the gate and up to the plane. After dropping off their passenger they drove the car to the other side of the plane and both Joyce and he could see two guys open the baggage door and load a bunch of stuff in to it. They then drove off. When they looked to the front they saw a man walk toward them and were surprised when it turned out to be Ice. Looking exactly like he did a few hour before except for the dirty shirt and face. He still had some small items in his hair. Joyce turned into a mom and got up and whisked his hair, getting the stuff out of it.
The slim man returned with the two drinks and asked Ice what he would like. His reply was “Ginger Ale for now and a damp cloth I can wipe my face and hands off with.
“Certainly Sir,” the young man said and returned almost immediately with a round metal bowl filled with warm water and a cloth for washing and a second for drying. Ice was done by the time his drink came. The bowl with water and towels were taken by the man and brought toward the front. He returned and asked the folks at the front of the plane what they would like to drink. They must be on duty Joyce thought because they all ordered either a Cold or a Pepsi. Ice later told her when asked why those people never came back, near them. His reply was a little slight but she took it that they were under orders not to go, or even look back at them.
The plane took off and wasn’t in the air too long when over the loudspeakers they heard they would be landing in Dallas in ten minutes.
The three of them kind of shrugged, and leaned back into their seats.
After landing, the plane was driven over to a separate terminal and all the passengers in the front got off,. Within minutes their plane was in a row with others waiting to take off.
Ice said, “we still have our mission in Larado.”
Both Talon and Joyce made some whiny sounds then smiled. “There is no rest for the wicked,” Talon said.
“Yeah, but we’re guys in white hats,” Joyce stated with a smile, feeling a lot more with the group. She knew that what they went through would help them bond in some special ways. Joyce could already tell by Ice’s behavior that he was proud of her, and thankful.
“By the way Joyce,” Ice said. “I think you’ve created a new name for yourself!” he said with a smile and kind of a manly giggle,
“I have no idea why, but you blew the entire side of that building out and up. There was fire everywhere, “he said laughing. I was shocked watching you come down those rear stairs. I thought for sure that you were history and they had gotten to you.”
Joyce laughed and said, “I had my .44 in my hand and didn’t even think of the big bang of a bullet I had. When I saw, well, guess I didn’t actually see it, but I was very surprised to find myself thrown back into the room and hearing the flames and trying to get through all the smoke and carnage.
All three felt comfortable to laugh because it was only them, and the young guy who was someplace up front.
“Well Fire, hope you like your new name,” Talon said with his terrible smile flashing, “You definitely earned it.
Joyce’s face turned red, a little embarrassed from all the attention she was getting from two very well experienced agents.
“Yeah,” Ice said, “Now you have definitely made your bones and part of us. Fire . . that is a damn good name.” he smiled and kind of slugged her in the arm, more of a tap then a slug, but it made Joyce feel very good.
~~~~~
A couple hours later they landed at a small airport outside of Laredo. There was a car there to pick them up, but decided they needed some hardware and ammunition from the bags under the plane in the luggage compartment.
A man, who they thought had been their pilot, walked around the plane and up to them, showing them his credentials. “The Director gave me in
structions for you. Don’t take or touch anything He has already made it possible that you can pick up what you need at a location he will tell you about when he calls.
All of them thanked the man and walked over to the car and got in. It took a little while but they were put out at a motel that the driver said was a safe house and only a block from the border.
The three of them walked in and Ice said, “Hi.”
Evidently the man must know who they were. “Si Senor,” he said, giving each a key. “Your rooms are down half way, next to each other. We will have one more visitor and that person will be put in the room to the far right. You not bother him and he no bother you.” the man smiled.
“Also, the room just to the other side of the last room you are occupying I will make sure there is a great meal delivered there in about forty minutes.”
“Thanks,” both Ice and Joyce said at the same time.
All of them went to their rooms and showered and changed clothes before meeting in the room they were to eat. Ice and Talon went in first, being quicker that Joyce. They laughed about it and sat in two easy chairs.
“She did a great job didn’t she?” Talon the Eagle said and asked of Ice.
“She most certainly did do that,” Ice responded with a smile. “She also showed she knew how to think on her own. And really, I thought she’d been blown up!”
“I heard it but didn’t see it,” Talon said. “the first I was able to see was through the smoke as she eased around the corner of her building.
“How’d she do at the cop shop?” Ice asked.
“I don’t know, but evidently she didn’t say anything. I heard one of the detectives tell the other that “that bitch won’t even give her name.”
They both got a laugh about that, and as they continued to laugh Joyce walked it. “What’s so funny?” she asked.
“Oh, we were actually talking about you and how well you were doing.”
Before she could answer, a woman and a teenage boy walked in pushing a cart. They went to the table and sat three places.
“We not know what you might like,” the woman said in broken English, “so we bring everything.”
They put hot tortillas out, grated cheese, lettuce, and unions, with tomatoes. Then they took out a big box of chicken from Colonel Sanders, and another plate with three good sized steaks on it. In a separate container was potato salad, cole slaw in another, and beans in still another. Then she put down two plates, one being filled with sliced chicken and one with sliced steak. “Just in case you want this for your tortillas. She and the boy pulled out a few more things then laid two pie plates down. One was a pecan pie, with the other being a cherry pie. The three agents couldn’t believe their eyes. The two Mexicans told them thank you and left, taking the cart with them.
“Damn!” Joyce said. “This is enough to feed an army.” She sat down ready to eat.
Talon added, “Well Joyce, with our left overs there will be a bunch of dogs filled, but more than likely they’ll bring our left overs home and feed their entire families with left overs!”
The first thing Joyce attacked was a tortilla and filled it full, with it looking like a bulging taco. Talon grabbed a steak, and Ice went for the bucket of chicken. They seemed to taste everything at least once and though Joyce’s taco looked so good they made their own, putting half their steak into it instead of the sliced stuff, then dumped a bunch of what was there to fill it.
Before the lady and boy showed up Talon saw there was a frig off to the side, and when looking saw it was filled with beer and cokes. All of them had decided on the beer.
When they had devoured about a fourth of what was there they all pushed back, loosening their belts and un-snapping or un-buttoning their pants.
“Hope all goes well in the next several hours,” Talon said. “If something does happen, just point me to angle of attack. If I can’t get them twelve rounds out, then I guess I’m on my way out of here.”
They all laughed and agreed. There was only a twelve pack in the frig, but they thought they would probably stay and drink it.
Before Ice got his second beer his satellite phone went off and he answered it. He listened for five minutes and hung up, with a frown, and then turning it into a smile.
“What’s up fuck-head?” Talon asked.
“That was the Director,” Ice returned, and gave Talon the finger.
“To night the two guys we want will be leaving a warehouse on this side of the border. The Director told me there would be a new mini-van parked right out side here. In the van will be a grenade launcher with three rounds. Also three .45‘s, and three AK-47s, along with binoculars, ammunition, and you know the rest of the drill. The men will be headed to Mexico to either pick up a bunch of wet-backs, or a bunch of drugs. We do not want them to get any place near the border. The higher powers decided it was way too dangerous over on the other side because of the cartel wars. We could be shot just for not being Mexicans.”
“But anyway,” Ice went on, “the Director told me where we need to set ourselves up at, and cause a ambush, killing the men, and perhaps destroying the van. If they have money or drugs in there it will be destroyed too. When we are finished we are to drive to the airport we came in on and get back on the same plane that brought us here, leaving the car wherever it is we park it near the plane. The Director wants us back in time to catch three or four hours of sleep and meet him. I know the place, and it will be easy to find. About twelve miles from the motel we will be staying at. Like here, we will be picked up by a vehicle and taken to that motel.”
“Cool,” Joyce said. “Although tired we will be back in safe territory.”
She was reminded when Talon said, “there is no such place.” All of them knew way to well to be true.
Shortly after that Ice received a message, and told the others. “We leave here at one in the morning and get to our set up spot by one-thirty. The guys are scheduled to leave after that, no later than two in the morning.
When getting to their spot Joyce was amazed at the simple plan. Talon was to be across the street hiding in an alley but able to see the garage door they were told the van would come out of. Joyce was down the street on one way waiting, and Ice was on the other. If the van got past Talon it had to go by one of the two others.
It all went down better than any of them expected. The van pulled out, and the passenger jumped out and ran inside. When coming out he had apparently hit the button on the inside wall, next to the garage door. He no sooner climbed into his seat and Talon pulled the trigger. The grenade hit with a big thump, then they heard the front glass blow in, and in shorter than a second, the grenade went off. Talon had jumped back into the alley because he knew that if he didn’t he might be killed too. Ice and Joyce watched from both opposite directions and could see the van kind of implode, then explode. The entire garage door was blasted in with parts of the wall. Every door and window was blasted out with so many flames they could see that both men were already starting to disintegrate.
Talon ran down the alley in the opposite direction and Joyce ran down the street to where the van was parked. Ice ran to the alley where Talon had been and ran after him. He went to the alley because the corner he was standing on was a well used street. All of them were able to jump in the van, for some reason Joyce in the driver’s seat, and they drove off.
They heard sirens, but didn’t pass any of the emergency vehicles. With the two men giving Joyce directions she got to the airport. To herself she thought she wanted to duct tape both of the men’s mouths shut.
The got to the airport and returned to the plane with no problem. It wasn’t even two-thirty yet. They clapped each other on the back and took the same seats as before. The young guy that waited on them before brought all of them the same drink they had ordered before. Within minutes they were in the sky heading east.
Chapter Seventeen
The director started the meeting with the three of them and reviewed the two missions.
<
br /> “The first thing,” the mission in Houston went well. We learned the entire gang was killed except for two people who were on their way to recruit some other people. I’m real proud of the two of you following directions so well after you were picked up by the cops. The two FBI agents have already reported what they did and were a little upset about not having a clue what was going on. The police department kind of bulked but were satisfied when the Secretary of State called their Chief. When the papers came out the next morning and evening it reported that a thug gang on the north side of down town were all gunned down by an opposing gang.
“The one in Larado went actually better. The fire department showed up and put out the fire with only one car dispatched to the scene. As far as I hear no one is the wiser.”
The four of them talked together for awhile before the Director interrupted them again.
“Ice, I want you to take the next week off, do what you want and end up at your house.
“Talon,” I’ve got a mission for you so sit tight until these two leave. Joyce, you’re going to Quantico for your explosives class. My secretary will bring you down to supply where you will pick up anything you might need while taking the course. A car will pick you up at the side door and take you to Quantico. That’s it!” he said standing up and following the two out the door, closing it behind him.
“Joyce,” he stated, “when you are finished at the school you will be picked up by a car that will take you to a helicopter. Get on the helicopter, and it will take you to Ice’s back door. Ice make sure you’re there. Joyce call Ice just before leaving to fly over there.”
“From there,both of you take a little break. It can be right there at Ice’s place, but I want both of you to talk about what Joyce learned, and Ice, you answer any of her questions.”
Then Ice, you can drive your own car, and the two of you will drive over to West Virginia. We have three houses there for the both of you to look at. Then up to Pennsylvania, where we have two other places quite near the Ohio border. I’m sure out of the five one of the five will pass both of your inspection. Ice taking consideration of security, and you Joyce which house you will want to live in for at least five years.”