Forensics Camp

by Kate Banco

  Forensics Camp Copyright © 2019 Kate Banco

  Second edition

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission by the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Designed by RMGraphX

  ISBN:978-1-7334681-3-8

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Spanish English Glossary

  About The Author

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to the children. You give us hope for the future. I also dedicate this to my granddaughter, Clara. You are my light.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I’d like to acknowledge all immigrants and their daily struggles. The journey of an immigrant doesn’t end the minute they cross a border. Finding a place to fit in and call home is a struggle that continues their whole lifetime, as well as the next few generations. Their children and grandchildren may not cross a border, but there are borders they cross every day when they enter our classrooms and neighborhoods. This author acknowledges the struggle they experience every day and invites anyone who doesn’t consider themselves an immigrant to look back a couple of generations in their family tree.

  “Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero.”

  -Mr. Rogers

  Chapter 1

  Oswego, New York

  We aren’t who we say we are. Ours is the perfect example of a family that grew out of tragedy. I look at Teodoro, Miguel and Yasmene and I can’t believe it’s been almost three years since we met. Little did we know when we met at Fish Camp three summers ago that we would find our life partners and become family.

  I can write many stories about my family, our journey to get here and how we became a bigger family. I am learning there is a story in everything. Some of us come from Baja, others from other parts of Mexico, but we are now one family hiding from our previous life. I’m not seventeen any more. Our lives have changed so much since we first met at Fish Camp. Teodoro and I barely knew each other when we married, but I can’t imagine my life without him.

  Teodoro, Miguel and I met for the first time when my Tío Enrique sent me away to work at what I thought would be a camp on the Oregon Coast. Where I thought I would clean fish. I soon found out Fish Camp was a job working on a fish processing plant aboard a ship on the Pacific Ocean.

  My Tío Enrique dropped me off to meet up with my co-workers at a gas station near Woodburn. That is when I met Teodoro and Miguel. They helped me survive a panic attack in the van. They also watched over me when we took the four-hour trip on a fish trawler out to meet the bigger ship. At the time I was unaware they had been asked to watch out for me.

  Both Teodoro and Miguel were so friendly and helpful, it helped me relax enough to make it to the Sea Breeze, the container ship. That’s where I met Yasmene, now my best friend and a person I consider my sister-in-law. Teodoro and Miguel are cousins but are like brothers because they have been through so much together.

  My new name is Margarita and Teodoro is Marcos. We needed to change our names when we were relocated by WITSEC from Orcas Island.

  Before Orcas Island my Tía Elena had asked me to move north from San Felipe to help her with expenses after thinking my family had been killed in a car accident. Thankfully, it all worked out. My family had been picked up by the federales and taken to a safe house in Tecate. The feds were hoping to catch Tío Enrique and his cartel connections. Tío Enrique and his associates played a significant role in the I-5 sex-trafficking pipeline that runs from southern California to Canada along the I-5 corridor. Along with drugs, traffickers also were moving victims of the sex trade. Women and children were being picked up at the border and sold to traffickers. Tío Enrique was a major player in that ring in Oregon.

  The FBI, the Federales, Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement were all aware and formed a task force to capture some of the key players. When they planned the operation they planned to pick up my whole family. Unfortunately, I had stayed behind with my Tía Elena in San Felipe. The Federales picked up my family and had to fabricate the false story of their death that led to my nightmarish trip to live with my Tío Enrique. He never wanted me there except to earn money and help in his home as a servant. He quickly sent me away to Fish Camp to get me out of his house. He wasn’t comfortable with me there. He said I was too nosey and could cause them problems. Within a short time he shuffled me off to Fish Camp. My goal the day I started Fish Camp was to escape from my Tío Enrique and find a new life.

  During the time I traveled alone on a Greyhound bus to Oregon, worked on the Sea Breeze and made plans to move to Alaska with my friends Teodoro, Miguel and Yasmene, I never knew my family was alive and well and waiting to be reunited with me.

  Those days were horrible. I was filled with grief, sorrow and anger. I was only seventeen years old and had to grow up fast. I was almost kidnapped in the Calexico bus station and could have ended up as a victim of the smugglers. FBI agents were strategically placed along my route to Oregon and helped me stay safe until I reached Tío Enrique’s house. I was unaware Patty, John and others who accompanied me on my journey were protecting me. I thought I kept meeting nice, helpful people. Since I was in shock and grief along the way, it was easy for them to befriend me. I was an easy target. I needed angels like them to guide my way.

  Once again I was shocked when Teodoro and Mr. G, our boss, helped me escape the possibility of returning to live with Tío Enrique. They both helped me leave the Sea Breeze and catch a supply ship to work on another fish processing ship headed to Alaska.

  As my dad always said, “Las aparencias engañan.” Appearances are deceiving. I was once again tricked and I felt like they were kidnapping me. When we were safely on the supply ship I was reunited with my family. It wasn’t a trick, they had a reason to get me on that supply ship. My family wasn’t killed in an accident, they were now under protection of the FBI.

  Here is where the rest of the story begins. I was reunited with my family on the supply ship. Not only was Teodoro there but also Miguel, Yasmene and Mr. G. The plan included getting as many people as possible to testify against the sex traffickers. Yasmene, Miguel and Teodoro all had terrible experiences and their testimony added to the case.

  After our initial placement in Orcas Island, we were evacuated to a safe house in Staten Island when Tío Enrique and his associates were pardoned by the president and released from prison. The WITSEC agents assigned to us were kidnapped and possibly tortured. New agents were sent in to relocate us. We left Orcas Island the same day we were notified.

  Our original agents O’Malley and Jackson were found unharmed after we left Orcas Island. Tío Enrique’s associates tried to intimidate them but
realized the WITSEC Agents were trained to protect their clients and would not give up our location. They threatened to take a finger or two from each agent, but miraculously they didn’t carry out that plan.

  After their rescue both agents were put on administrative leave and transferred to an office in another state. Agent Jackson is reconsidering her choice of career, but O’Malley says he will stay with WITSEC. We heard all of this from our new agents. They weren’t supposed to tell us, but to stop the questions they told us they both were safe. The thought that they could have been killed because of us still bothers us. Of course, we have no idea if that is true or a fabricated story. We do notice that our security detail has increased in size.

  It bothers Teodoro and me to think they could possibly be dead and there is a cover-up. There is no way for us to check out that information. We can only hope they are safe and unharmed. It bothers me the most because I know my Tío Enrique and know what he is capable of doing. He is an assassin and kidnapper, and who knows what else. The sex trafficking he was involved in could lead to some very evil things. I’m amazed he is related to my Papá.

  Our good friends from Fish Camp, Miguel and Yasmene are here with us in Oswego with their son Victor. When Miguel and Yasmene joined our family they weren’t even a couple yet. They married to be able to stay with our family when we were all relocated by WITSEC. Miguel and Yasmene are as vital to me as the rest of my family. I wouldn’t have made it without them. Victor now is a much-loved nephew and grandchild. My parents love Victor as their first born grandchild. Even though he isn’t related by blood he is their pride and joy. Their next grandchild will be born soon. Yasmene and Miguel expect their first child together in a few weeks. There is so much excitement about the arrival of a new family member.

  We all loved our first location when WITSEC placed us on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands. Everyone enjoyed the beautiful weather and the small-town atmosphere in the Pacific Northwest.

  Since our most recent move Tío Enrique ended up in prison again. He couldn’t get away from his dependence on the quick money he earned from the cartels. His wife Karina was deported to Mexico when they investigated her paperwork. It was true she had false papers. They detained her in Tacoma for a few days then sent her back to the border. ICE put her children in custody until one of Karina’s cousins took them in. I imagine their circumstances aren’t good, but Papá says it’s best if we don’t dwell on other people’s problems. I feel bad for my two cousins José and Natalia because they were victims. They had no involvement with Tío Enrique’s criminal activity, but their family has been torn apart and they suffer because of his actions.

  When we left Orcas Island we didn’t get a chance to say good-bye to any of our friends and neighbors. The director of WITSEC sent two new agents and made sure we were safe. When Agents O’Malley and Jackson went missing the director’s only assumption was they were either kidnapped or dead. Before he could wait for a ransom request or find out their whereabouts he had to get us to a secure spot. If they were kidnapped and tortured the cartel could find out our location. We are relieved to now know they are safe.

  After the call from the director we were told to stay in one place together, not to open our businesses, and put up signs saying there had been a death in the family. That way no one would ask questions when we disappeared. We waited together in the restaurant. It took a couple of hours until two new agents arrived on the island.

  Mr. G., our boss from Fish Camp, didn’t follow us when we were placed at Orcas Island. We aren’t allowed to know information about him and don’t receive any updates about him.Teodoro and I have our theories. When I found out Mr. G. was my Papá’s uncle I couldn’t believe it. I had been with family the whole time while on the ship.

  We both think Mr. G. is working with authorities. Fish Camp may be a project to protect undocumented young people. He gives opportunities for them to be placed on his ship when they are in dangerous situations. His contacts in the Portland area send him referrals and he reaches out to family members when they discover someone is in danger.

  Yasmene and I were both in dangerous situations and both were given the opportunity to work at Fish camp. Yasmene was identified by her group home mother as a person in danger, then provided the list of jobs open at Fish Camp. The job offers are given out sparingly. The only way I figure Mr. G. got me invited to Fish Camp is he was informed by the FBI, knew I was with Tío Enrique and decided to get me out of there. It also fit in his plan to try to get evidence against Tío Enrique for his crimes.

  All of the others in our group on the ship probably had some possibilities of dangerous situations and also were given a chance to apply. We don’t know if any of the people who made the list to work in Alaska got there or not, could it be a smoke screen for those who go into the Witness Protection Agency? An undercover operation to help as many people as possible? Right now nothing surprises me.

  Our transition in a safe house this time is short. We spent a few days living in a house on Staten Island. Soon after arriving at our safe house, we got a call from Agent Thomas. He didn’t want to say over the phone where our new location was, but he hinted that a Great Lake was nearby. I realized he was talking about Oswego. That was one of the college towns we were given as a choice. I got my wish! Everyone was excited but no one more than me. I’m not sure why I was so excited but I couldn’t wait to get to our new town and start school.

  Agent Thomas also told us we needed to enroll in English as Second Language classes until we passed an entrance exam. Teodoro and I weren’t happy about that, we both wanted to start our studies to become FBI Investigators as soon as possible. Our life as students in Oswego started then and we now are called Marcos and Margarita.

  Chapter 2

  Oswego, New York

  Two Months Later

  The teacher in our ESL classes tells us if we work hard we can pass the entrance exam to SUNY Oswego and start our forensics classes next semester. It seems like an eternity to us but we decide to study hard and pass the test as soon as possible. We spend days in the lab listening and speaking, trying to perfect our English. We both can read English well and understand most things. It’s incredible that we can learn enough English to study science and forensics at this level. We learned a lot of English living on Orcas Island. Most of the customers who came in to our restaurant spoke English and we were forced to use it. Because of that our language skills improved a lot.

  After class I walk down Main Street and I see the flashing neon sign for Francesca’s Tacos. It feels unreal to be able to walk down the street and imagine my parents are here in Oswego safe and sound. They own a taco shop and have settled into a new life here. My brother and sister also have adapted to a new school, new friends and a whole new future. Soon neither one will struggle with English and they will become acclimated to an entirely new culture. Our hope is we can stay here in Oswego and not be moved again by WITSEC.

  I look in the window of the taco shop and see my mom at the front counter. The steamed-up windows make it hard to see everything, but I can see she is helping two young people at the register. She has learned the basics of what English she needs to know to be able to work at the front counter of the taco shop. I open the door and walk in to the smells of chicken, beef and corn tortillas. My parents make their own tortillas both corn and flour, at first they made them handmade and my mother would stand at the counter in the kitchen rolling and patting the tortillas twice a day. She would make enough to get through morning rush and lunch, then mid-afternoon start on the next batch for dinner. My hermanita Diana would help when she got home from school. My hermanito Diego comes in to help wash dishes and clean up. They also have new names. Diana is Sandy, and Diego is Luis Jr. His friends at school call him Junior.

  Business has been picking up so my Papá purchased a tortilla making machine. His plan is to have it in the front window so people can see the machine make t
he tortillas as they walk by. He hopes it will increase business and at the same time cut my mother’s work load in half. They have it set up in the kitchen right now to test it out. They still use the same recipe, but the machine is able to crank out many more tortillas per hour. They can also make some ahead and sell them in packets to customers who want to take fresh tortillas home. The small Hispanic population in Oswego increases during summer months. Local fruit farmers hire immigrants to pick the apples, pears and berries in the area. In summer months there is a higher demand for homemade tortillas.

  My mom sees me walk in to the shop and a huge smile spreads across her face.

  “Hija, qué alegría verte. ¿Cómo estás?” She comes from behind the counter and gives me a hug and a kiss. “Tienes hambre? ¿Quieres comer algo?. Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?” She asks.

  “No, gracias.” I am so happy to see her, I know it terrified her while I was traveling alone before Fish Camp.

  “I’m going to get some food to take home to Marcos. I’m passing by and wanted to stop in and say hello.”

  “No es problema, hija.”

  “You don’t need to worry,” I say.”

  “Sí, hija. Pero las madres nunca dejan de preocuparse por los hijos,” my mom responds in a whisper as well. Mom’s never stop worrying about their children.

  “Where is Papá? ¿Está en la cocina?” I ask.

  “No, when Sandy and Junior come home he goes upstairs for a short siesta. He gets up very early to open. I take a break later when he comes back downstairs. It works out well except for days when Sandy has after school activities. He doesn’t like to leave Junior and me alone.”

  “You can always call one of us, we can come over. Please let us know when you need help. You both need your rest,” I say.

  “No, you both need to study. We’ll work it out.”

  “Promise me if Sandy or Junior need to go to something after school you’ll call me. I’d be happy to help. They both need to spend time with their friends too.”