by AJ Newman
I wasn’t happy about using kids this young to help fight; however, it was a mean world now and the quicker they learned to protect themselves the better.
“Bobby, Jamey, we can use you to be lookouts at the back of the truck and to signal us if you see anything. Don’t trust anyone. Let us know if you hear or see anything even something about our guards.”
“We will Boss. Thanks for trusting us.”
We pulled out with Mary driving and me riding shotgun. We took the west fork in the road and drove the 50 miles around Medellin on winding dirt roads without any trouble. There were few decent roads in Colombia, and we finally got back on the main road just before the sun rose for the day.
Cali was 165 miles ahead, and we would be there before 10:00 am at the rate we were traveling. I told our little band about traveling around Cali and not stopping, and they were pleased since that would put us a day closer to our destination.
We were about twenty miles north of Buga when I saw the Humvee lose control and almost veer off the road several times then continue on its way.
“Mary, did you see that?”
“Yes, what the hell is going on up there? I don’t like that one bit.”
I picked up the walkie-talkie, keyed the mic, and asked, “Jose is everything okay up there?”
One of the guards answered, “All is well my friend. Jose got stung on the mouth by a bee while he was driving. We almost wrecked as he was killing the bee.”
“Can I talk with him?”
“We will be stopping for a minute to stay here until dark. He will talk with you then.”
“Okay, thanks.”
“But Matt….”
“Wait, I know. Something is wrong. I think they killed or disabled Jose and plan to sell us out to some drug lord. Mary, take the wheel so I can crawl back and alert Bobby and Sister Angela.”
I crawled out the turret ring and over the top of the cab to the hole in the tarp covering the back end. I slid through the hole and filled them in on what we suspected, and I made up a plan quickly to perhaps save our lives.
“Bobby and Jamey, are you both clear on the plan?”
“Yes, sir!”
“May God be with us,” I said as I crawled back into the cab of the truck.”
I filled Mary in on my scheme, and we followed the Humvee for about three miles past our turn off until the Humvee finally pulled off into the jungle. I pulled in behind them, and as I stopped about 50 feet back, Jamey and Bobby slipped out the back and ran into the jungle. They stayed hidden as they worked their way to a position even with the front of the truck.
The guards jumped out of the Humvee, and one waved for us to walk up to them. I laughed and waved for them to come to us.
“Tell Jose to get his butt back here and show us his bee sting,” I yelled as I laughed.
Mary and I jumped down from the truck with our M4s ready for battle as we stood in front of the truck. The guards looked perturbed but walked on back towards us.
“Hey, I really need to speak to Jose. We agreed to go around Cali on the backroads, and I insist we go ahead with that plan.”
One of the men stopped and raised his pistol, as he replied, “I’m in charge now, and you will do what I say. Drop your guns.”
Before we could raise our rifles to shoot, several shots rang out from the jungle nearby. All of the men fell to the ground without firing a shot. Bobby and Jamey came running out of the jungle and went over to the bodies where I joined them.
One was still alive, and I asked, “Why did you sell us out?”
“Lots of money,” was all he said as he died.
Mary and Jamey ran on to the Humvee and found Jose alive but wounded. He had been knifed in the shoulder and then had his hands tied to the Humvee.
“Are you okay? My men betrayed us, and I am ashamed that I have failed Oscar and his friends.”
“Don’t worry about it. We must get out of here and safely get away from whoever was going to meet these traitors.”
Bobby and I stripped the men and Humvee of all money, weapons, and valuables before loading them into the Humvee. I drove it deep into the jungle and walked back to the truck where Mary had finished bandaging Jose’s wounds, and Sister Angela helped me get him into the back of the truck. I looked at Jose’s map and doubled back to the road that we should have taken and headed east around Cali and several other smaller cities.
Even though we needed to get to Quito as soon as possible, I decided to stop and hide for a couple of days in the jungle to let the gang get tired of searching for us.
✼
Chapter 14
Patty
Malmok, Aruba
They left the port and headed for the passage between Aruba and the mainland. Patty was sound asleep when she woke up because the constant droning of the two 500 HP engines had stopped. The silence was disturbing even through the makeshift earplugs she had made out of the lining of her makeup bag.
She raised her head and saw Carlos with the engine cover raised and half his body hanging down into the engine compartment. She also noticed an odd smell as though something was burning.
Carlos had stripped down to his shorts and Patty stared at his tanned, lean body. She had thoughts she hadn’t had in months since she lost Matt. She slapped her face and said to herself, “Behave.”
Carlos finally pulled himself from the engine bay, saw Patty was awake, and said, “I’m sorry the silence woke you up. The water cooling system sucked in one of those plastic grocery bags and blocked the flow of water. The engines overheated and here we are drifting about ten miles from Aruba.”
“Can you fix the problem?”
“No, not out here. We will let the engines cool and then head towards Aruba until they almost overheat again. We will let them cool and repeat until we arrive in Aruba.”
“I guess if you have to be stuck on a South American Island; Aruba is the place to be stranded.”
“Have you been there before?”
“No, my husband wouldn’t travel outside of Wyoming. I searched for vacation destinations on the internet and loved the islands. Aruba was my favorite. Can we stay there for a few days and explore the island?”
“Yes, but remember it’s not the same island that you remember. I have been here several times since the shit hit the fan. All of the tourists fled during The Flare and a few unsavory characters have set up their criminal enterprises on the island. One of them may try to steal our boat.”
“But a big strong man like you won’t let them steal our boat that we stole fair and square.”
“I’ll do my best, but we only have an old rifle, your carbine, and a pistol. They are heavily armed.”
Patty picked up the larger duffel bag, unzipped it, and pulled out two M4s, three Glock 17 9mm pistols and two dozen magazines full of ammo.
“Will this help the strong man fend off the bad guys,” Patty said as she acted like a helpless little girl.
“Well, you are full of surprises. What’s in the other bag an army tank or attack helicopter?”
“Nope, just food, makeup, and my undies.”
“The rifles certainly give us a fighting chance. Do you know how to use the rifles?”
Patty slammed a magazine into the closest rifle and squeezed off a couple of shots out over the ocean, and then said, “I have been in numerous firefights, killed many men and women, and will do it again if someone fucks with me.”
“Remind me not to piss you off my beautiful little tiger.”
The flattery worked, and she found herself liking a man who wasn’t really, what he said he was. She wondered if he was a criminal or a drug lord. She surprised herself when she answered to herself that she didn’t care what he was as long as he treated her right.
It took five attempts to get them to the north end of Aruba to Malmok Bay. Carlos got his bearings and headed north where he picked out a house and drove the nose of the boat up and onto the beach.
“Let’s check out these houses and pick one to stay
in while we are here. The blue one with all of the glass looks promising, come on let’s go explore.”
They walked up the sandy beach and Patty couldn’t help notice that the area around this stretch of the house was neat and orderly while the ones they had passed further south were littered and a few had trees down. She tightened her grip on her M4 and raised it to a ready position as she followed Carlos up to the back door of the house.
Carlos tried the doorknob, and it worked, so he pushed the door open and walked in as though he owned the place.
“Carlos, we need to sweep this house and the ones around it before we get too comfortable. There could well be thugs and criminals around. This group of houses looks too neat to have been abandoned.”
“Patty, they have not been abandoned. These five houses belong to my boss. Oscar Ramos. He is in the shipping and retail business. I would have stopped by his business in Pueto Rey, but I was supposed to be in Caracas on business when I was captured by Gentleman Jack’s nasty bunch. I don’t want my boss to know I was stupid enough to be caught.”
“So this was your plan all along to get me all alone with you at your home.”
“No, not at all. I needed to be in Caracas tomorrow and won’t make it now. When the engine overheated, I knew we could find shelter here while my men fix the boat. I will call Oscar, tell him what happened, and beg forgiveness. I thought I had a chance of making my meeting after you showed up with a knife.”
“Wait, why don’t you invite the man you were supposed to meet over here to Aruba? You do have food and alcohol, don’t you? Find me the appropriate clothes, and I’ll play hostess. Send the cigarette boat over to fetch them. That should impress them more than any meeting at a hotel.”
“That’s a great idea. It’s two men and one’s wife. I’m setting up shipping and trading with their company. I’ll tell him to bring his wife and kids. Could you do me a big favor and be my girlfriend for his visit. I promise I won’t get out of line or anything.”
“As long as you mind your Ps and Qs, I’ll play girlfriend hostess.”
Great, I’ll get the crew working on the boat and call Mr. Ivanovich. Then I’ll show you around, and we can hit the beach before I grill some steaks.”
***
Meg, would you like to go with the Captain and me over to Aruba to spend a couple of days at our business contact’s beach house? There will be fun, great food and plenty of alcohol.”
“You had me at fun and sealed the deal with alcohol.”
“Why the change?”
“Our future business partner was heading here when his girlfriend thought to invite us out to their home in Aruba. She told him that since the shit hit the fan that most people were too busy just surviving and needed a vacation.”
“I like that girl.”
“Me too. Manuel will take good care of the ship, and the repair to our radios should be completed by the time we return with a big fat shipping contract and most of our cargo sold. I think they can even repair or replace the navigation equipment.”
“I’m looking forward to this mini vacation. My ass has been dragging for a while.”
“Mine also dear. I’ll tell the Captain that both of us are in on the trip.”
“Darn, how long is the trip?”
“Crap, I don’t know. I assumed it would be by a fast speedboat. About four hours.”
***
“I’m sorry that you had to go through that crap. Never worry about telling me news like that. You couldn’t stop that asshole and his army with one boat and three men. Hey, the good news is that Jack is no more. The town’s people got tired of his shit and asked me to help them overthrow his sorry ass. We killed him and most of his men. I now have all of his territories.”
“That’s great news boss. I have good news also. I am salvaging the meeting with The IS Shipping and Trading Company. I took the liberty of inviting them to my home in Aruba, and they accepted. I’ve sent a boat over to get them.”
“That’s great news; however, I will send my personal helicopter over to pick them up and ferry them back later. This isn’t a large company, but they have a ton of items on that ship that we can sell for a fortune.”
“Thanks, boss, that will help seal the deal.”
“Carlos, you didn’t ask who is going to run the expanded territory.”
“Boss, I know that you will choose a good person.”
“I have, it’s you. I will add that you will only be over the legit part of the business. I have decided to wind down the, ugh, let’s say less legit business and concentrate on expanding a totally legal empire.”
“I think that is a good decision.”
“I am also expanding over to Ecuador and have offered a management position to a man who has recently impressed me a great deal. His name is Matt Jones, and I think he will take the job.”
“Great, we have great leaders, but we don’t have the polished and educated people that you need to manage large legal businesses.”
“Unfortunately, I agree. Your and Mat’s job will be to develop those people for our future.”
“Thanks.”
“I did notice that you said you invited the clients to your house.”
“Oh crap, boss I’m sorry. I know it’s your house.”
“No, it’s now your house for being my most loyal and productive manager.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Now Carlos, you need to find a wife to make a home and have some children.”
“I may have just found her.”
The house and grounds were beyond description and obviously had been owned by very wealthy people. Carlos showed her the self-contained power plant, garage full of cars and trucks, and the stocked wine cellar. He then took her on a tour of the neighborhood of similar houses and finally to a large subdivision of very nice but smaller home inland.
This is where my crew lives. We take very good care of them and they are very loyal to us. Come with me, I want you to meet my number two and his wife. They walked up to a nice house, and Carlos knocked on the front door.
A minute later, a man and woman came around from the back yard, and the man said, “Boss, I’m glad to see you, but sorry you had the issues with Jack and the boat breaking down. Joe fixed it and is on the way to Caracas.”
“Thanks for reminding me. Call Joe back. Mr. Ramos sent his chopper to pick our clients up and will take them back later. Pardon me. This is my friend Patty Gale. Patty, this is Pedro and Marge. Pedro is my right hand and best friend. We have been together since before we were in school.”
They both hugged Patty and welcomed her to Aruba.
“I’m entertaining the clients from IS Shipping and Trading later today as you know. I planned to serve snacks and drinks today when they were arriving around 10:00 pm now I plan to grill steaks and have a full dinner. Could you get a couple of the crew’s wives to help Patty with serving and food preparation?”
“I’ll get Joan and Willie to help me. We’ll be right over as soon as we get cleaned up and dressed properly.”
“Marge, I hate to ask a manager’s wife to serve food,” replied Carlos.
“We all must help our company grow and do what it takes to serve Mr. Ramos.”
“Thanks, Marge. I owe you.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Pedro, can I talk to you for a minute,” Carlos said, as he pulled Pedro off to the side.
“Mr. Ramos had just promoted me to take responsibility for all of our old territory before we obtained Jack’s region.”
“Congratulations; we must throw you a party.”
“No. I am going to throw you and your team a party because I am promoting you to my old job.”
Pedro was speechless for a minute, and then replied, “Thanks and I will not fail you.”
“You will be charged with phasing out our pirate business and then manage my new legal business for the eastern half of my region.”
Carlos then finished showing Patty the beach in
front of his house as they shared their life’s story.
“Patty, I wouldn’t share too much with our business guests. They appear to be good people and Oscar told me he knows one of them from his Army days, but you never know who to trust in this business now that the world has been turned upside down.”
“I will introduce you as my wife, but don’t worry; I won’t take advantage of that.”
“I’ve only known you for two days, and now you have me married to you. Boy, do you move fast.”
***
The Captain, Brett, and Meg were very surprised by the helicopter’s arrival. They wanted to go to Aruba; however, they all dreaded the long boat ride. This cut the trip down by two-thirds.
Carlos and Patty saw the helicopter land on the beach and walked out to greet their guests. They stood back at a safe distance as they watched their guests duck below the spinning blades and walk towards them. The helicopter took off once they were at a safe distance and left in a cloud of sand.
“Thanks for coming to join us at our humble house. I’m so sorry for the sand from the helicopter.”
“Thanks for inviting us out to Aruba. None of us have ever been here before.”
“Pardon my manners, this is my wife, Patricia, and I’m Carlos Ortiz.”
“I’m Joeseph Ivanovich; this is my partner Brett Starnes and his lovely wife, Meg.”
“Follow Patricia, and she will show you to your rooms so you can freshen up before drinks and dinner by the pool.”
Patty showed them to their rooms and returned to assist Carlos by the pool. Marge and her ladies already had a serving cart full of assorted liquor, wine, and beer. There was also a table covered in several kinds of cheese, finger food, and nuts.
“Carlos, these people think I’m your wife. Where are we sleeping tonight?”
“Crap, I didn’t think about that. We will sleep in the master bedroom. I will sleep on the couch, and you can have the bed. I swear I wasn’t planning anything.”