Forensics Camp

by Kate Banco

  “That sounds like a good idea, but they are such nice people. I hate to have to keep taking time off. They need the help,” Dana says.

  “Sandra and Junior are there on weekends. They can get up early if they need extra help. If you tell them today they can plan to do that tomorrow and Sunday. They don’t want to lose you so they won’t get mad. I’m going to call them first and let them know our plans, I can say you are with us and want to take tomorrow and Sunday off. Will that make it easier?”

  “Yes, thanks. I really hate to disappoint your Papá. He is so nice to me,” Dana answers.

  “Why don’t you stop at our apartment and we make the call, grab our stuff and the driver can wait. Then we can drive by your apartment and wait while you get your things. Does that work?”

  The driver hears the conversation and nods that it’s okay with him to do that. They always listen to our conversations and they are employees as well so they know whatever Sam asks us to do, as a driver he needs to help make it happen.

  We pull up to our apartment and we all get out. Marcos signals Dana to follow us in to the apartment. He then goes to start gathering our stuff while Dana and I call my parents.

  “Are you sure they won’t get mad?” Dana asks once more.

  “I’m sure. I’m calling now,” I smile.

  “Mamá, soy yo. Hola, muy bien, y Ustedes? Muy bien. Something I want to let you know Mamá. Marilyn, Dana and I are planning a short weekend getaway.”

  “How nice, where?” My mom asks.

  “Nigarara Falls. Marilyn is really eager to see the falls before spring. She wants to see the ice. We’ve heard it’s very beautiful.”

  “Yes, I’m sure it is. When are you going?”

  “Short notice mom, we want to leave today. We should be back by early Monday morning for classes. You probably won’t see us until Monday night, but we’ll check in with you when we get back. Dana wants to ask for time off for this weekend. I hope Sandra and Junior can help out.”

  “No worries, let me talk to Dana,” my mom says.

  “Dana, go and enjoy the weekend with Marilyn. You work hard and you need a break. We’ll see you Tuesday morning. You probably will be tired on Monday morning. Don’t worry we will be okay here.”

  “Thanks so much, I appreciate it. I really like working for you and don’t want to lose this job. I will be in bright and early on Tuesday morning,” Dana says as he hands me back my phone.

  “That wasn’t so bad was it?” I ask.

  “No, your parents are awesome,” he smiles.

  Marcos returns with a back pack and asks if I need to grab anything else. I run to the bathroom and grab some aspirin. Who knows what we will need? I return to the family room and see he is packing some granola bars and bottles of water in the backpack.

  “Just in case,” he says.

  “Good idea. I think I’m ready. Let’s go get Dana’s stuff.”

  At times I wonder if our neighbors are suspicious of why we have a driver drop us off or pick us up. No one has asked, but I bet they are curious as to why two young college students have a driver. Maybe that is why Sam doesn’t use flashy cars. Most of the vehicles are suburbans, then I remember that’s what the FBI uses too. Is that a coincidence?

  Dana quickly runs in to his apartment to pack a backpack. We wait in the car to save time. It’s almost ten-thirty and we need to get back before eleven. Dana gives us a thumbs up as he jumps back in to the front seat of the vehicle. He shows us he grabbed some peanut butter and jelly and a loaf of bread. It seems we are all worried we might not have time to eat or buy food.

  Our driver pulls away and merges into traffic. He comments that we will make it back before eleven and not to worry. He must also be able to read our minds.

  We drive toward Fair Haven State Park, a route we all know so well by now. He turns on to a different road that doesn’t lead to the house. Marcos and I look at each other, we both notice the name of the road is French Creek Road. Will we need to remember this? Is this a possible kidnapping?

  “Why aren’t we going to Home Base?” Dana asks.

  “Sam asked me to deliver you to the airstrip out of town, don’t worry. You can call Joy and ask if you feel more comfortable,” The driver answers.

  “No, it’s just Sam didn’t mention we would be going there. He said to get back to Home Base by eleven. He didn’t say meet me at the airstrip.”

  “Give Joy a call, she will confirm,” he repeats.

  Dana looks at us with a questioning look.

  “I’ll text her. It’ll only take a minute. How far are we from the airstrip?” I ask.

  “Another ten minutes. It isn’t close to Home Base for security reasons.”

  I send Joy a quick text and ask if we are meeting at Home Base. Her quick response is, “No, the driver knows where to take you. We are at the airstrip.”

  “It’s all good, Joy said they are at the airstrip waiting.”

  Dana looks at the driver and says, “Sorry we doubted you man, but this is all new to us. Can’t be too careful.”

  “No worries. I’d be careful too.”

  After a few more miles on the secluded one lane road we end up at a field surrounded by a fence-like structure. It didn’t really look like a fence but you couldn’t see what was on the other side. It was half trees half stone, but it was built to keep the airstrip secret. We had already passed two checkpoints on the way here. Sam sure runs tight security.

  As we pass through the final security gate we see a small passenger jet sitting on the runway. I wonder if Sam owns the plane.

  The driver takes us right up to the plane. Joy is standing next to the stairway waiting for us. She is dressed in her usual gear but she is holding new shirts for us along with our uniforms from our lockers. She has packed what we needed. In front of her is a folding table. She places each one of our bags on the table and tells us to take out the shirts we received last week and exchange them for new shirts. We look at the new shirts and realize we are no longer trainees. We aren’t Forensic Camp Employees either. Across the pocket of the new shirt is a different logo and it says BIC. We also have new jackets with the same logo. Why does it say BIC? Why are we traveling with different uniforms?

  Then Joy pulls out a large black case and starts to unsnap it. She then places four handguns on the table with clips for each one. There is a 9mm Smith and Wesson. I can tell because our target practice also included identification of weapons, ammo and how to clean and load each one. The second gun is a Sig P-365, then two Glocks, Glock 43’s. Marcos and I look at each other and he can see the worry in my eyes. He grabs my hand and whispers, “It will be okay, I’m here with you.”

  Joy notices our interaction and says, “Margarita, come on. Don’t worry! You are the best shot here. Chances are we won’t need them. I’d let you pick your weapon of choice but I know which one is best for each one of you. Dana, the SIG P 365 is for you. Marilyn and Margarita the two Glocks are for you. Marcos, that leaves the Shield M&P for you. I also carry that same gun. Stow it in your belly band or in your special carry pocket. I’ve shown you how they work. We will carry unloaded on first part of flight. We’ll load as we get closer to our destination.”

  “Hold it, before you start asking questions Sam will fill you in on the details. I am in charge of the assignment. You will follow my lead on this operation once it begins. Sam, of course is the boss, but he stays behind for security reasons. Mary Ellen will travel with us and she is on the plane already. Get your gear ready and stow anything you don’t need back with the driver. He will make sure it gets back to Home Base.” As we are doing that Sam descends the stairway, behind him is Mary Ellen. She is dressed in the same uniform as we are. I wonder if she also carries a gun.

  “Good morning everyone. You are all punctual and that is important for an exercise like today’s. I say exercise but it isn’t re
ally because it involves real people and real victims. Today you are going to help rescue some people. You’ll fly to an undisclosed location near the Texas Mexico border. Once you arrive there your job is to secure fifty identified subjects and bring them back with you. You won’t be flying directly back here. Those subjects will be taken to a facility we have built on an island in the North Atlantic. You will be escorting your subjects to Bear Island off the coast of Nova Scotia. We have built a landing strip and facility there. Your job is to pick them up, accompany them and make sure they arrive safely on Bear Island. Your flight today will be on this Gulf Stream G280. It will be a nice flight of about six hours give or take. You’ll be able to sleep, watch movies and eat on board. Enjoy the flight but please make sure you rest up for the task at hand tonight. Any questions? Oh, before I forget obviously you will be flying back in a much bigger jet since you are picking up the subjects.”

  Joy looks at me and waits for my first question.

  “Why do you need Marcos and I to speak Spanish?” I ask.

  “Your subjects may not speak English,” he answers.

  “I’m still not sure what this operation is, can we find out? Or do we have to wait until we arrive on site?” I ask

  Marcos says, “I really would like to know who our subjects are. Is that too much to ask?”

  “No, I thought it would be easier if Joy explained it on the flight but we might as well get this over with. Over three thousand families have been separated from their children at the border. When ICE detains a family with children, they put them in facilities. Before they do that they separate the families. They have separated over three thousand children from their families.“

  “This is going to be a sad operation, isn’t it?” Dana states.

  “Well, you can look at it two different ways. One way is that these children have already been separated from their parents, the parents have been deported or imprisoned. These children don’t have parents who are coming back to get them, not because they don’t want to, but they have no idea where their children are and they don’t have the means or the knowledge to be able to find them. Some of these children are infants and won’t remember their parents. The system has failed them already. Many are sick, and some have been abused while in the facilities. We are hearing more and more about abuse every day. Our plan today is to remove fifty of the children who are about to be sold to sex traffickers. As you know, it won’t be an easy road for them without a lot of support. The facilities they are in aren’t equipped to provide the care and therapy they need.”

  “What is the other way to look at it?” Dana asks.

  “These kids will continue to be abused and at some point be absorbed into gangs, crime families or even worse dumped in the streets to fend for themselves. This is a rescue operation. It is our first rescue operation of many. We are trying to save these kids. They haven’t been dealt a good hand since they were born. Their parents were trying to do the best they could, but when they got detained they could no longer protect them. Someone has to do something. We’ve decided we are that someone today,” Sam explains.

  “Will they release the children without a fight?” Marcos asks.

  “No, probably not. But that’s why Joy is with you. She will use her gun if she needs to, and will lead you, but she also carries a suitcase with fifty-thousand dollars. Probably the same price they would get from sex traffickers. It’s very sad, but we know it’s true and we know it exists in all levels of our social framework. These children will continue to be abused their whole lives unless someone saves them.”

  “Okay well let’s go and get them,” I say with tears in my eyes.

  All of this brings back all of my memories of attempted kidnapping, Yasmene’s short time with the sex traffickers and Miguel’s and Marco’s experiences when they crossed the border. None of our experiences were positive before Fish Camp. If it hadn’t been for Fish Camp and Mr. G. I wouldn’t have met Marcos or helped get Yasmene and Miguel together. Mr. G. helped save us all. We need to think of him while we are bringing these children back.

  “Why Bear Island? Why Nova Scotia?” Dana asks.

  “Simple, we want them out of the jurisdiction of our country. We were able to buy Bear Island It will be private and we’ll be able to bring in the best doctors, therapists and teachers money can buy. One of the major things about Bear Island is it is rustic, it is beautiful and the children can learn to be children again. They will be able to run and play and learn to grow in a community that doesn’t consider them throw-away children. They will have a home. Our long-term goal isn’t completed yet, but we have some ideas. It is a remarkable place, you are going to love it.”

  I turn to Marcos and say, “Let’s go help those kids. We need to do something positive for them like when Mr. G. helped us out.”

  “I agree, we were lucky. Those kids will never get out without some help,” Marcos says.

  Sam turns to Joy and whispers in her ear. She looks like she doesn’t know what to say. Finally she shakes her head yes, and runs up the stairs of the airplane. Sam turns around and calls Marcos and I over to stand next to him.

  “You two may be in for a surprise but I want you to know everything is going to be okay.”

  “What is it?” I ask as Marcos takes my hand.

  I can’t imagine what more Sam is going to tell us that will surprise us, because everything he says is always a surprise so we’ve come to expect it.

  “Turn around and look who is coming down the stairs with Joy,” Sam instructs us.

  We both turn to look and at first I don’t recognize who it is coming down the stairs. Marcos wraps his arms around me and says, “It’s going to be all right now. We know those kids will get help.”

  The man walks toward us and pulls us into a hug.

  “I’m so glad you two are safe. Let’s help those kids, okay?” He says.

  We all laugh and I answer, “Yes, Mr. G. Let’s go help those kids.”

  It’s ironic that the man who saved us now will help us save more kids. In a few years we have become helpers. We are no longer the victims.

  Chapter 19

  El Infierno

  Texas Border

  We all wait standing up for food and water. We watch as they slowly bring around paper bags and give one to each occupant of the cage. When they get to our section, they open the door and start counting. They count six, but only give us four sacks of food. They close the door and walk away.

  “Hey, we need six lunches, not four. We are six people here, we don’t have enough!” Another boy yells.

  “Quiet down in there. You’re lucky we gave you that much. Eat your food and shut up,” one of the guard answers.

  When I open the paper bag I see a sandwich with the same lunch meat and cheese. I know now they call it baloney. It tastes terrible and they put mustard on it. I’ve never had that before. The cheese isn’t the white Mexican cheese I’m used to, it’s an orangish-yellow slice that looks like plastic. I don’t like it, and I try to wipe off the yellow stuff on the paper bag. But it’s useless, it is smothered all over the bread and the meat. I look over and see many of the others trying to do the same. The smaller boy didn’t get a bag and no one is sharing. I call him over and give him half of my sandwich. I don’t like it but at least it’s something. At the bottom of the bag is an apple and pieces of carrot cut up into long strips. I don’t understand why anyone would want to eat raw carrot and why they cut them like that. I give the smaller boy half of the carrots and apples. He’s thankful but asks me why do they give us this food. I just answer that I don’t know and ask him his name.

  “Soy Pepe. Soy de Michoacan.”

  “Hola, Pepe, soy Ricardo. Next time let’s you and I get the lunch bags first, Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  We haven’t had a bathroom break since we’ve been in here. I hope we get to use
the bathroom soon. I don’t know how much longer I can wait. I’m too old to wet my pants. Some of the boys have already urinated against the outside edge of the cage, but it runs back in under our feet. In no time we are standing in urine and our slippers absorb the pee. How are we going to lie down and sleep tonight if the floor is wet? Will they come in and clean? I never in my life have slept in conditions like this. Some of the others have started to bully Pepe and push him over in to the wet area.

  They blame him for the mess when I know almost all of them peed on the wall.

  The guards start making the rounds and letting us out to use the restroom and into an enclosed play area. They tell us to pick up our garbage and put it in the big bins. They watch over us until everything is picked up. They tell us to put our personal items on a metal shelf on the wall. There are no locks or doors on the shelf. I hope no one touches my things, but I need to pee so bad I don’t have time to worry about it.

  I run out of the cage and down the hall only to find there is a line waiting. There are two lines with at least ten boys in front of me. There are only two toilets for so many of us? How can that be?

  I barely make it to the toilet. Finally, it’s my turn. I see a flush toilet with a sink and water fountain on the back. What? Pee in the toilet and then wash your hands and get a drink of water from the tank on the back? I’ve never seen anything like this, but I am relieved to be able to pee, but everything is without privacy, and we are all humiliated every chance they get. I rush and try to wash my hands but the few boys left behind me are yelling for me to hurry up.

  We are given ten minutes to walk around and exercise. Someone has thrown a soccer ball in and the boys have started to play a game. It’s the first time I see any of them relax. They take off their slippers and run barefoot, which is how many spend their summers in Mexico. Playing fútbol on the local field any chance they get. I stand back and watch. I want to look over to the other side to see if I can see Memo and Rosa. I see some of the smaller children playing on swings, but I don’t see Memo or Rosa. I wonder where they can be.