by Kurt Winans
On the other side of the equation the thought process of number thirty-one was actually not far from those in Washington D.C., as he could easily visualize the El Paso area as being a challenge. In much the same fashion as the republic had already done along the Rio Grande, it seemed logical for the Americans to establish a front line along the border as a measurable deterrent. From his perspective it appeared that the United States had little faith in the ability of Texas to maintain proper vigilance along the nearby border with Mexico. The posture of the American forces seemed to validate his theory, as it implied they would be ready and able to push back any potential incursion of illegals from spreading northward. However for number thirty-one, that was where his common thoughts with those of the United States unfortunately ended. There was a gap in his comprehension and foresight with regard to the American intentions, as he didn’t have a clue that their forces would soon complete a massive buildup in southern New Mexico.
As for the republic, they could and would respond. With the help of number seven and his quickly expanding military forces, number thirty-one and Mason were prepared to initiate a countermove along the border with the United States. Poised to do so for many weeks from several locations within the most western region of the republic, multiple units from the former Texas National Guard could be called upon at a moment’s notice. With that in mind, number thirty-one made an executive decision and contacted number seven to put the plan in motion. The general had agreed with the assessment of number thirty-one and acted quickly by initiating a redeployment of those National Guard units which had recently been reclassified as a portion of the Texas military forces. If the United States understood the need to beef up a small segment of her border, then surely they would comprehend why the Republic of Texas would wish to do the same.
Sweeping up from positions southeast of El Paso to that of Van Horn and beyond to Pecos, Convoys of trucks began what had been labeled as the western thrust. Those units would soon fortify the straight-line border with the United States from Red Bluff Reservoir westward through the Guadalupe Mountains National Park and onward toward Interstate 10. Then in conjunction with those units, others would monitor the short stretch of the Rio Grande River which flowed south toward the Mexican border and Ciudad Juarez.
In a separate operation, forces from the republic would ignore the most recent of false reports given to Ambassador Pearson from the Secretary of State. A sizable contingent of Texas military personnel would enter Fort Bliss in El Paso as they had been prepared to do for several weeks. The reason that troops from the initial occupation wave had waited so long was because they had been ordered by the Legislature in Austin to do so. There had still been the need for the well-established cover, so those in Austin didn’t want to tip off the Americans as to being aware that the reports were fictitious. As a secondary reason for the delay, the republic needed to observe another topic of vital importance. Although it was true that the military forces could have easily moved forward with no resistance as of the twenty-ninth of March or even a few days sooner, their action could have jeopardized the pending transfer of gold to Texas from the United States Federal Reserve.
As all of the action involved with the western thrust was either beginning or about to unfold, Courtney was receiving a final mission briefing from Samuel as they drove from the mansion toward the airport in Crockett Texas. She as number thirty-seven had a western thrust of her own to accomplish, and the family jet was waiting to fly her to the Minden-Tahoe Airport in Carson Valley Nevada so that she could proceed. From that small airport she would be a mere thirty minute drive from the location of her hotel at South Lake Tahoe, so arrangements had been made for a rental suburban to be waiting for her at the airport. The vehicle would be at Courtney’s disposal for the entire length of her stay, but as that specific number of days was unknown, Samuel had left the rental contract open-ended. As for the Gulfstream G280, the jet would remain in Carson Valley until Courtney contacted the flight crew and informed them when she would be ready to depart. While assuming her role of number thirty-seven, there would be nothing for Courtney to be concerned with other than the surveillance of her target and fulfilling the ordered sanction.
As they pulled onto the tarmac mere yards from the Tillman jet, Samuel’s burn phone rang. After listening for a few moments, he thanked number seven for the update and then shifted his conversation toward Courtney. Samuel informed her of the events which would transpire near El Paso, and that she might hear of them on the news in the upcoming days. He assured her that by the time she arrived at her destination of Lake Tahoe, much of the inevitable posturing from both sides would have already played out. It would have no impact upon her mission, as he knew that neither nation would be prepared to act foolishly. Then he continued by stating that with the exception of herself and Ashley, the entire contingent of those who had participated in Colorado, Maryland, and New York the previous November were now involved with number thirty-one and Mason in the action near El Paso. Although Courtney understood the extreme level of planning which Samuel put into the majority of his endeavors, she wasn’t happy with his most recent statement. Courtney still needed to address her belief that one of the three female drivers from the Colorado faction had become involved with Mason, but at the current moment she couldn’t positively identify which of the three it was. Regardless of that unsolved piece of the puzzle, she didn’t like the fact that Samuel had provided the woman in question with an opportunity to be in the vicinity of Mason for an extended period of time.
As Courtney reached to open the car door, Samuel stopped her for a moment by clasping her left forearm. Then he said to her, “Everything is moving along splendidly for the republic number thirty-seven. As had been the hope for our long term plan, the lone star of Texas is rising toward its rightful place in history. I want you to know how important you are to the family, the organization, and our republic. You have in the past, are currently, and will continue to be in the future, an integral part in the evolutionary process of all three.”
With a nod of comprehension she smiled at her mentor and replied, “I know that number two, and thank you. Now please rest assured that I shall do my best to see that the family and the organization shall prosper into the future, and that our lone star never disappears from view.”
Upon the insistence of President Harwell, Agent Heath Bishop finally, yet reluctantly, took his well-earned and overdue vacation. Although the location of the trip may not have been Heath’s first choice for a break from his duties, everything had been arranged for him to visit Lake Tahoe Nevada. Heath was in no position to debate his destination, or refuse the time off for it, as beyond the order to go on vacation, the President had graciously provided both the airfare and lodging. The explanation for his gift had been that it was a reward for exceptional service which the President deemed to be above and beyond the call of duty.
Although the President was aware that his favorite protectorate had no real desire for a return to the mountainous lake region of his early years, he also felt that it was necessary for Heath to do so. Understanding the reasoning behind that forceful decision was simple for those who knew Jordan Harwell, as he was a man who firmly believed in never forgetting or suppressing the roots of where one came from. As a result, Agent Bishop stood alone at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport during the midday of Wednesday April seventh while renting a car for the drive of slightly over an hour to the south shore of Lake Tahoe.
After skirting the Nevada capitol of Carson City via a freeway which had not yet been completed when he moved away roughly twenty-five years prior, Heath drove up the mountain along Highway 50 before cresting at Spooner Pass and descending towards the lake. He had almost forgotten the awe inspiring majesty of Tahoe, but was then instantly reminded of the grandeur as the view of the large deep blue lake continued to open up in front of him. At that moment Heath’s memory of both fond and troublesome times from years long ago began to resurface, so he selected a few of the
more pleasant to dwell upon. For several miles the highway took him south while following the eastern shore before he arrived at the area known as Stateline. Heath stepped into Harrah’s Casino Resort, whose complex literally came within a few feet of where Nevada met California, and moved toward the hotel registration desk. Then unlike what most other guests would do upon their arrival, his first inquiry was that of where the fitness center was located.
Later that evening after a vigorous workout and a hot shower, Heath took the advice, or perhaps more accurately the orders, of President Harwell by searching for a place to relax. He walked a few hundred yards into California and located an establishment that looked pleasant enough, so he stepped inside. A short time later while sipping on a cold beer and overhearing some flamboyantly told stories of those who had been skiing earlier that day, he saw her. The woman who had just entered with another through the same door which he had used was stunning to the eye. She looked to be in her early to mid-thirties with long brown hair, a subtle yet seductive smile, and a well-toned body. Heath had been trained extensively to be observant of his surroundings while showing minimal emotion, and beyond her casual attire of jeans and a ski sweater, he quickly noticed that her left hand had no ring upon it.
For the better part of an hour Heath watched the woman’s actions from the opposite side of the restaurant, while she remained either unaware or uncaring of his gaze. Perhaps it was due to the relaxed atmosphere of the large room, or the fact that he couldn’t seem to look away from her for more than a moment or two, but his normally acute skills of observation had become blurred. Heath never noticed that another woman had also entered the restaurant less than a minute behind the original pair, or that she had been keeping a close watch on the same woman which he was admiring.
Near the completion of his second beer, Heath asked for his check and prepared to leave. As he stood, the woman of his fascination walked toward him. She smiled in his direction and said hello while moving past. Unfortunately, all he could muster was a gentlemanly reply of, “Good evening.”
Upon his return to the Nevada side of the line, Heath entered Harrah’s and asked one of the security guards if he knew of a good restaurant. Pointing in the direction of a nearby escalator, the man said, “Go down that to pass under the street, and at the other end of the hallway you will see a restaurant and bar. The food is pretty good, and on some nights they have a live band in the bar area.”
Heath knew of the location to which the man spoke, as the underground hallway and accompanying restaurant area had existed for many years before he had moved away. Following the advice, Heath headed in that direction so that he could enjoy a meal. Then upon realizing that sitting alone at a table would be both awkward and dull, he decided to sit at the bar instead. At least there, he had a chance for occasional conversation with one of the bartenders. Roughly thirty minutes later he asked for a cold beer to sip on after dinner, and then turned toward the stage in order to view the band which was just beginning to play. Heath was in the midst of a relaxing evening as the security guard had been correct. His meal was nice, and the band sounded pretty good. Then it happened. It was her again, and she was walking from the entrance of the restaurant directly towards him.
Heath couldn’t believe his eyes as she moved to a vacant spot at the bar directly beside him and ordered two drinks for herself and a friend. Then while waiting for the beverages she turned slightly with a quizzical look, and said, “Hey, you look familiar. Haven’t I met you before?”
Heath replied, “Well we didn’t exactly meet, but yes, you have seen me before.”
She looked at him more closely and stated, “Wasn’t it down the street? Didn’t we just say hello a little earlier as I was headed for the ladies room?”
Nodding positively, he replied, “Well I didn’t know until now that you were headed to the ladies room, but yes, we did say hello a short time ago.”
She smiled broadly, and asked, “Should I be worried that you are following me?”
“No you shouldn’t be worried, but perhaps I should be.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well I’m the one who was already at that restaurant when you came in, and the same is true for this place, so perhaps you are the one who is following me!”
With an even larger smile the woman used her left hand to pull back her long brown hair, and by intentionally choosing that hand, had offered up a signal that she was perhaps available. Then she replied, “Well sir, I can promise you that is not the case. But perhaps I should be in the future.”
As with the other establishment, Heath was too consumed with this particular woman to notice the other which had entered the bar mixed in with a crowd of several people. Even though she then sat alone, why would he notice? The woman had an altered look to her style as a result of turning her reversible jacket inside out, and after watching her target move into the bar portion of the restaurant, had quickly tucked all of her hair up under a baseball cap.
A few moments later the two blended drinks which had been ordered arrived, and Heath offered to pay for them. His new acquaintance thanked him for the offer but refused, as she was not alone. While motioning toward a distant table, she confessed to having come in with a friend who was waiting for her. They had been skiing together during the past four days, and planned to continue for another two days before resting on Saturday and returning home the following morning.
With that Heath nodded and said, “Of course, I understand.”
As the woman prepared to walk away, she smiled again and said, “Don’t give up on me though. I’ll make sure to visit a few other places around here tomorrow evening, so perhaps we can do this again.”
Smiling in return Heath replied, “That would be great, but why don’t we just make it a little easier for both of us. You name the place where we can meet for a drink, and I’ll be there. And if you would like, I’ll even arrive a little early so it will appear as if you are following me again.”
Now with a slight laugh, she replied, “Alright, I like that idea. But with one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“We should make it drinks and dinner.”
As she moved away from the smiling Heath, he thought to himself that the President hadn’t actually instructed him to enjoy the pleasures of a diversion while on vacation. Then again, the man had joked with him just after the New Year that such a diversion could be beneficial. Nodding at no one other than himself, Heath came to the realization that this attractive woman had absolutely nothing to do with his life or duty in Washington D.C., and that both she and he were apparently unattached adults on vacation. There was also the obvious presence of a connective spark between them. With each of those factors in mind, Heath turned back toward the bar to order a second beer while softly uttering, “Why not?”
The following morning Heath took a long walk, and then decided to hop in the car and take a drive throughout the surrounding area. In spite of his previous reservations of the past quarter century, there really were a few places around the southern portion of Lake Tahoe that he wanted to visit again. During his return drive from the popular viewing spot which overlooked the beauty of Emerald Bay, Heath turned onto the road which would lead him to the nearby seclusion of Fallen Leaf Lake. During the summer months the much smaller and less well known lake would be rightfully filled with its own level of activity via those who either owned or rented cabins along portions of the shoreline. However in April, the area would be nearly devoid of people. Heath remembered from long ago that such a side trip during the spring months along the unplowed entry road could be challenging, but that was always dependent upon how much snowfall the area had received during any given winter.
After successfully navigating the several miles of road so that he could visit another spot of fond memory, Heath returned to Harrah’s during the midafternoon. Then he made his way to the fitness center for a workout before preparing for his upcoming dinner date. True to his word, Heath arrived
at the restaurant of her choosing a few minutes earlier than the appointed time, and was pleased to see the woman of his admiration smile accordingly when she subsequently entered the establishment.
Rising from his chair in gentlemanly fashion, he reached out a hand and said, “I’m glad that you could make it, how was the skiing?”
“It was great thanks. I have a few favorite spots up on the Nevada side of Heavenly Valley, and for this late in the season, the snow is surprisingly good. But I must admit that at certain times throughout the day I was thinking about you and how we met, so I wouldn’t have missed this evening for anything.”
Throughout the next two hours, they enjoyed a pleasant meal and evening while discussing a myriad of subjects. Beginning with each other’s names, which neither of them in their semi fluttered state of the previous encounter had bothered to inquire of, their knowledge of one another grew. Seated alone and unnoticed in another corner of the restaurant, Courtney watched intently. Based on her altered look via a long blonde wig and clothing of a different style, she was not concerned with being identified as the woman who had witnessed their interactions of the previous night. However she was concerned for a time over the thought of what might transpire in the coming hours. If her target and her new found friend were to carry the evening on into the morning, then it could alter the targets well-established pattern of the previous five mornings. If such an action came to fruition, then it would most probably spoil Courtney’s intended plan. Fortunately she had developed a backup scenario which would carry out the directive of number two, but that plan could be rather dangerous. The sanction would be less clean and could possibly involve collateral damage beyond what was intended, while the resulting lack of stealth would also magnify the difficulty for Courtney to escape the area without being identified as the culprit.
