by J E Higgins
“Do you think there will be problems?” she inquired, unsure of what to make of the little man’s statement.
Hinser shook his head, “No, no, nothing of the sort. I don’t mean to give you that impression. It’s just that this has happened so rapidly the diplomatic wheels are spinning. The man who would usually handle these arrangements and ensure smooth cooperation is inconveniently out of the country. I find myself in somewhat alien waters handling what is turning out to be a very big issue, and I am hoping I don’t screw this up.”
“I appreciate your explanation,” she said, unsure how else to respond to the fat man’s confession.
He nodded back nervously as he began leading her up the walkway toward the airport building. By now, the rest of her team had also disembarked from the plane and were following closely behind her. Just outside the airport entry stood two uniformed men. One, an older man, was wearing a dark green dress uniform and standing in a way meant to make him look more official. The other, a younger man, in his early thirties was decked out in a pair of black military fatigues and dark beret holding his hands loosely behind his back as he continuously shifted his body weight from one foot to the other looking very impatient.
Joining the two men Hinser excitedly began to introduce them, “Agent Darson, this is Colonel Raul Mendoza, head of the DINANDRO, of the counter narcotics unit.” The prideful diplomat beamed as he made introductions to the older of the two men. Mendoza extended his hand to the task force leader, his movements slow and dignified, all meant to maintain the image of importance. The two shook hands while Hinser went on to explain her to the colonel.
The colonel briefly shook her hand before going into the rehearsed political monologue of how it was important their two nations worked together to combat this criminal menace and how she could count on the full support of his office and the Policia Nacional del Peru (the Peruvian National Police). From the smooth and well-prepared manner with which he made his speech, it was clear that Colonel Mendoza was the consummate politician.
Being the veteran diplomat that he was, Hinser directed his attention toward Mendoza, seeming to think his responsibilities ended there. Darson was caught up in the political posturing of the two men for a long time before she was able to find a chance to acknowledge the younger man standing off to the side.
“Forgive me, and you are?” she turned to the younger man, who looked and acted like a man dragged reluctantly to this ordeal and couldn’t wait for it to end. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hinser looking exasperated at her reference to the less important man of the group.
“Ahh, this is Major Lin Kang,” Mendoza said as if suddenly remembering someone else was there. “He is in charge of the detail we have established to apprehend this gangster.”
Major Kang maintained a deadpan expression that looked even more uninviting with the help of dark sunglasses. He nodded at her but made no real attempt at any form of courtesy. It was evident he was not happy to be there.
“Major Kang, I look forward to working with you,” Darson said pleasantly as she extended her hand trying to be diplomatic.
The major held back for an instant, his dark glasses making it hard to tell if he was staring at her. Regardless, the time went by with an uncomfortable silence until he took her hand and shook it with, at best, token enthusiasm.
“Major Kang is a veteran of anti-narcotics operations,” Mendoza quickly explained, in an effort to quell the tension. “He’s logged a considerable amount of time on tactical operations.” He shot a glare at his subordinate, which seemed to have no effect on the major’s stiff presence.
“They brought me in specifically to work with you,” Kang added coldly.
“As I stated before,” Mendoza continued, “We are very committed to working with your government and are giving you our full support.”
“Mr. Hinser,” Darson turned back to the diplomat. “This mission is being pushed at the very highest level and stands to garner a great deal of international attention once it is completed. I assume you have a strategy on how we plan to address the media upon its completion. After all, once we’re finished, it will be big news and a statement to the press will be expected. Since both our governments will have been involved, we should work out the particulars now.”
Hinser suddenly beamed, as did the colonel. The DEA agent had brought up a very good point. Realizing the publicity involved with this mission, both men waved Darson and Kang off to deal with each other on the operational issues while they eagerly retreated to discuss the finer points of how they would deal with the inevitable press coverage.
“That was very efficient,” Kang commented. “You’re pretty good at getting rid of troublesome bureaucrats.”
Darson smiled, “I learned fairly early that nothing is more important to politicians than news coverage.”
The Major responded with a slight grunt.
Darson shook her head as she smirked, “Alright, I get it. It’s clear you don’t exactly like the idea of being here or being put on this assignment.”
“I don’t appreciate kowtowing to Americans,” he snapped. “I was pulled off of an operation I had been working on for months against criminal groups and guerrillas terrorizing the northern border. All of a sudden, this becomes the top priority for my department. On top of that, it’s not even my mission. I’m here to support foreign police operating in my country and in my jurisdiction. I don’t enjoy being reminded that the powers up north still dictate my country’s security priorities.”
“We’re just here to help,” Darson replied, in a vain effort at diplomacy. “We’re not in overall command.”
The major scoffed at her comment, “Not here to be in charge?” He shook his head. “You arrive here carrying weapons onto our soil with official police authority already. My commanders are worried about ensuring you’re happy with our cooperation in support of your mission. A mission that is not a serious concern for our country and yet now it has become our chief priority all because the United States says it has to be.”
“Santos Guzman’s organization produces thousands of tons of cocaine every year,” Darson defended. “Cocaine that the Black Crow traffics in. It’s a problem that affects us all.”
Major Kang smirked incredulously, “Santos Guzman’s organization wasn’t even a serious priority for my government. Not over the more contentious situation on the border. Yet with a little finger waving from your State Department, we suddenly decide to re-prioritize our focus away from an immediate threat for a problem in North America and Europe. Our northern border is racked with violence and lawlessness with criminal trafficking of weapons, drugs, and marauders. But it seems the threat to the US take priority.”
Kang’s bitter attitude was common amongst Latin and South American security forces. Many of whom felt that the North American big-brother tended to treat their southern neighbors like unofficial colonies. She couldn’t exactly blame him. He had a point. Her team’s authority to operate in Peru had been swiftly expedited. The second they touched the ground they had authority to activate in full operational capacity. It was not a courtesy the Peruvians could expect from the US if the roles were reversed.
Still, she needed to have a good working relationship with this man. And, the fact that he felt he had been relegated as her subordinate was not going to help in her cause. “I’m not gonna patronize you,” she suddenly said sharply. The friendliness in her voice was gone and had been replaced with sternness.
“I appreciate the situation we’ve created for you, Major. I understand how irritating it is to be suddenly pulled from an operation you’ve been invested in. I certainly have experienced the irritation of being made subordinate to a foreign agency that’s operating my backyard. I apologize now if that’s what the assholes directing this has led you and your people to believe. It’s not what I was told, and it’s not how I look at it.
“I’ve got a dangerous crime-lord who runs half of Mexico trying to sneak into your country an
d take over his old supplier’s operation. I’m here to take him down. I know how the game is played. Regardless of what your superiors told you, you’re only going to get as involved in this as much as you want. I’m here with my people in your territory, and I need your help. My cards are on the table. Fuck politics. Just you and me talking, I’m asking for your help.”
For the first time since they had met, the Major removed his dark sunglasses revealing his sharp slanted eyes. Despite his name, she had not realized he was ethnically Asian. He studied her for what felt like a long while deciding whether or not he believed her. She stood looking back at him, stone-faced and serious.
“Alright,” he said, finally placing his sunglasses back over his eyes. “Let’s get you squared away, and then we’ll plan how we’ll deal with this.” His tone and mannerism were slightly more relaxed. However, Darson figured he was still somewhat suspicious of her. She would have to work toward earning his trust. At least it appeared she had won a small victory.
Loading her team into two dark Suburbans, they were soon on the road. Kang drove the lead vehicle with Darson in the passenger seat, Salvaras and Kenner were in the back. Seizing the opportunity to get down to business and test her relationship with her new counterpart, Darson began to discuss the matter of Gutiérrez and his suspected means of getting into the country.
“As it stands now, we have Gutiérrez moving on a cargo ship called the Juan Carlo. It’s slated to dock in Chile, so we think it will try to move toward the port and drop him and his people off in passing. What do you think, Major?”
Sucking in a deep breath, Kang let out a sigh before answering. “It’s unlikely. There’s a good degree of security and tracking around all major cargo ports specifically to ensure smugglers can’t sneak in. We have port authorities that track every ship that comes in to make sure they’re scheduled and authorized, plus we have sonar to alert us to any suspicious ships that are within close proximity of the port. It would be difficult for a ship to dock or even come close to port without attracting attention. A more practical consideration would be if your man arranged to transfer to a ship in international waters that was headed for Peru.”
Darson looked back at the Major puzzled, “What do you mean?”
Kang shrugged, “It means this man you are after, he’s ex-Special Forces and so are many of his people including many who have worked with your own military and intelligence organizations. One, he has to know that it would be easier to sneak into our country on a ship that was scheduled to be in our waters and would be easily dismissed. Second, if he is aware of your aerial and satellite tracking abilities, he would consider that you could track the ship he left Mexico on. It would make sense then for him to have a plan to move to another ship in order to lose you.
“And in a vast ocean over such a long distance, it would be easy to make a quick transfer to a ship that came within close proximity and continued to be unnoticed. It would then make the ship you’re currently tracking a good decoy to throw you off his trail. I would look to see if at any time during his journey the ship came within launch boat distance of another ship that was on its way to a port in Peru.”
Darson’s eyes widened. She looked back at her two comrades and saw equally bewildered looks on their faces. This revelation had caught them all entirely off guard.
The convoy pulled onto the main road and took off across a dirt field that looked like its chief purpose was as a parking lot. A few minutes later, the Suburbans were coasting through the opening in a high chain-link fence, then continuing on open ground that was bordered by rusted sheet metal and wood structures. The whole place looked like some makeshift compound that should have been torn down years ago except people kept finding a use for it.
Darson exited the vehicle and watched as a uniformed guard, armed with a compacted Kalashnikov AKS-74 slung over the front of his body, slowly pulled close to the sliding gate, sealing off the entrance and cutting them off from the outside world. The rest of the team got out of their vehicles. They were met by several men and women dressed in black police uniforms identical to the one Kang was wearing. The group of Peruvians gathered in front of the main building and eyed the American agents with suspicion. Darson figured they all shared the same attitude as their commander’s.
Kang rounded the suburban to join his gathered troops and proceeded to speak to them in Spanish. Darson and her team were too far away to hear exactly what was being discussed, but from the irritable looks being thrown back in her team’s direction, it wasn’t being taken well.
They had just finished offloading their gear when Kang walked over to them. He directed their attention to the large building directly in front of them. “The main building is where we have set up our operations center. I imagine you will not like us having any access to your more sensitive equipment, we have an empty room that you can set up and work out of.”
“I appreciate that,” Darson replied, relieved that she didn’t have to broach the issue herself and risk offending Kang even more.
“As for your lodgings,” he continued, “They will be in the building over there.” Like waving a signpost, he swung his body, arms extended, in a clockwise direction to a smaller tin shack on the far end of the compound. “It has a shower and lavatory to accommodate your hygiene needs. My officers have laid out cots for your people.”
“Major,” Darson began, “in light of your revelation, I would first like to see if we can set up our communications. I need to get in touch with my superiors and check your theory.”
“I understand,” Kang replied. “Let me take you to your operations center.” Leading the way, Major Kang led the American agents, who trailed in a loose string, into the building. Through the main doors, they found themselves in a room filled with sophisticated computer equipment being manned by diligent technicians who took no notice of the foreigners as they walked past.
“All this equipment was being used at the northern border in our efforts to combat the violent lawlessness that is turning it into a war zone and terrorizing the locals. Still, the agenda of the Americans must always come first,” Kang explained, not wanting to miss another opportunity to remind the Americans of the complications they had created for him.
The journey ended when they were led to a room in the back protected by a thick steel door that was slightly ajar. It could have been a dungeon or an interrogation room out of the old Soviet Union. There were no windows and the only light came from a single bulb in the center of the ceiling. From the grumbling, Darson could tell the rest of the team shared her sentiments.
“Not the accommodations you were expecting?” Kang commented indignantly. “This was a place used for a chop shop ring a year ago. Police units now use this place as an occasional base of operations. I’m sorry if it does not meet your high standards, but it is isolated and has a strong door that you can lock.”
“It will be fine” Darson replied. “We can work with what we’re given.” She appreciated that her team’s initial reaction was probably off-putting to the Peruvian, and she wasn’t inclined to provoke him further.
“I’ll leave you to set up,” the Major turned on his heels and started out the door.
“Major Kang,” she stopped him just before he exited the room. “I do appreciate what our being here has done to your other mission, and I’m sorry we’ve caused this trouble. I also appreciate what you’ve done for us. If our gratitude hasn’t come across that way, I’m sorry about that, too.”
Kang nodded his head, “You’re welcome.” He continued out the door leaving the Americans alone in their new office.
“A little overly gracious wouldn’t you say?” Joseph Pierce said with a snarky tone looking back at the door.
Darson sighed. “We’re in their country and, apparently, this red carpet they’ve thrown out for us has our counter-parts feeling like we’re the ones calling the shots. And now, our acting pissed at our accommodations didn’t help matters. So, Pierce, I’ll say this once. Whatever
your opinions are right now; just shut the fuck up.” She looked back at him to make sure he got the message.
Recognizing he had definitely overplayed his hand, Pierce lifted his hands and backed up a couple of steps to signify he was done fighting. Darson looked at the rest of the team; they all had sheepish looks. She had made her point.
With nothing more to say, the team commenced unloading their equipment. Darson quickly retrieved her satellite phone and started out the door. It wasn’t proper procedure to phone EPIC directly for information. However, it would be hours until the secure internet system could be set up, and Kang’s theory about changing vessels before landing concerned her greatly.
She wandered outside into the parking area to get as far away from any obstructions as possible. It was difficult to find a place with absolutely no obstructions. However, she was desperate to secure a means of communication. Dialing, she waited through two rings when she heard the click and nasally voice of a young man respond, “Tactical Intelligence Unit, this is Dave Ketchum.”
Ketchum was the team’s intelligence coordinator at EPIC. He was responsible for meeting the team’s intelligence requirements by compiling the information they needed. A gifted analyst, Ketchum was excellent at piecing together intelligence and forging it into an analytical report that made for a quick and beneficial read.
“This is agent Rainn Darson,” she began. “I have something I need to discuss with you.”
There was a pause that lasted for a few seconds before the analyst replied, “This is somewhat irregular. Normally, we communicate through the SIPR net system.”
“The circumstances are irregular,” she replied. “We just arrived and have had no time to set up our new operation center to include our secure internet uplink. But I’ve got a concern, and I don’t think I can wait to discuss it through normal channels.”
“Well, if I can help,” he said, sounding somewhat confused.
