by Robin Mahle
“You heard him, let’s go.” Fisher gestured for the team to move ahead toward the black Ford SUV. He stepped into the passenger seat of the large, bullet-proof vehicle.
The driver kept his eyes ahead while the rest of the team stepped into the car. It was Perez who walked over to the driver and leaned in the open window. He spoke in Spanish. “Take them to the FBI office. They’re expected. I’ll have Lopez driving the lead car and Castillo in the rear. Stick to the main roads and do not veer off course.” He pulled upright and tapped the edge of the door twice. “Move out.”
On their arrival into the large city, the U.S. Embassy that housed the Bureau’s international office appeared in the distance.
The motorcade pulled alongside the front of the building. The passenger door of the car in front of the team opened and Perez stepped out, shifting his gaze as if there was a threat of an attack.
The driver of the SUV came to a complete stop and stepped out, making his way toward Perez. Words were exchanged unknown to the team, then Perez made his approach.
He opened the passenger door and looked at Fisher. “It’s time to get your team inside, sir.”
Fisher stepped out and turned to the rear. “I think they want us inside as quickly as possible.”
Without delay, the rest of the team emerged and followed Perez through the double-doored entrance of the embassy. The 6-story building was surrounded by larger high-rises and was heavily secured.
Kate wondered why they were being rushed inside as though a mob might attack them. “What’s going on?” she asked Nick.
“There have been several demonstrations around here lately, so I guess they want to take every precaution.”
“It’s the middle of the night,” Kate replied.
“Since when would the time of day stop anyone from doing something stupid?” he added.
“Point taken.”
Inside the embassy, a raised front desk stretched across several feet. Behind that desk were guards.
When a man approached with a smile, Kate assumed he was their contact.
Fisher spotted him and extended his hand. “Senior Unit Agent Cameron Fisher.”
The man accepted his hand. “SSA Ruiz. Pleased to meet you. I understand you let a killer loose in our city.” He turned away. “Follow me. There are a few people who would like to get a grasp on the situation we have here.”
“Of course.” Fisher pursed his lips and looked back at the team. He followed Ruiz down the hall toward the right rear side of the building.
“In here, if you’d be so kind.” Ruiz opened the door to a large room lined with rectangular tables and computers. “My team is just ahead.”
Fisher led the way again while the others followed.
Kate felt as though they were about to be scolded for letting Bishop slip through their fingers. Maybe they were, but these guys didn’t get their shit together fast enough in her opinion. If Fisher had just let them offer help sooner, they might not be in this situation.
“Here they are, folks. Our friends from BAU Quantico.” Ruiz gestured to the team as though they had been a consolation prize. “Senior Unit Agent Cameron Fisher is going to get everyone up to speed on things and see if we can’t pinpoint where our man has gone to. Agent Fisher?”
“Thank you. I know it’s very late and I’m sure most of you have been here since probably 6am this morning. The man we’re looking for, Theodore Bishop, whose passport shows his name is Eli Parnell, has once again slipped from our crosshairs. We had the address his mother insisted was accurate. As you already know, he wasn’t there. However, we have a very good sense, based on our profile of Bishop, of where he is now.”
“Where might that be, sir?” An agent asked.
“We think he’s headed to, or likely already arrived, at the epicenter of Guadalajara’s earthquake that occurred roughly 48 hours ago.”
“Why the hell would he be there?” Another agent with serious eyes and arms folded aimed his question at Fisher.
“I sent the profile to SSA Ruiz when we discovered Bishop made his way to Mexico. Since then, we’ve had some recent developments take place. We are very certain Bishop will be there because he feels he must be,” Fisher replied.
“He must be?” Ruiz asked.
“Yes, sir.” Fisher turned to Kate. “You want to field this one?”
“Sure. I’m Kate Reid, I put together the profile you all have. Now, I understand your team discovered a binder filled with pictures and news articles relating to several natural disasters over the past decade.”
“That’s right,” another agent replied. “What’s that got to do with anything?”
“There isn’t much time to make my point clear, so I’ll just say that the victims we know of were found to have been rescued from different disaster sites. Hurricane Edward, in Texas, the wildfire in Riverside, California, and most recently, the hurricane that hit the Bahamas.”
Ruiz nodded. “That’s why you believe he went to the site of the earthquake. Makes sense.” He set his sights on Fisher. “Sounds like that’s where we need to be. Let’s go hash out the logistics in my office.”
Fisher followed Ruiz. “With all due respect, I’m not sure it’s a good idea to have your team alongside mine.”
Ruiz sat down. “You know what, Fisher? It really bugs the shit out of me when people say that. ‘With all due respect.’ If you were being respectful, you wouldn’t be standing here in my office, in my city, telling me my people aren’t needed on your little operation.” He leaned back in his chair. “You come here all the way from Quantico for a guy you let loose, what twice now?”
Fisher widened his stance and peered at Ruiz. “In all fairness, we gave you his address. I suppose we could’ve drawn you a map…”
Ruiz held up his hands. “Okay look, maybe we’re getting off on the wrong foot here. Pissing on each other isn’t going to help us capture this asshole.”
“Agreed,” Fisher replied. “And the longer we sit here, the better the odds he’ll take off again. If he does, he’ll be lost to us forever.”
“That might be a bit of an exaggeration,” Ruiz replied.
“I don’t think so. There’s still a chance Bishop’s mother alerted him after she told us where he was. Guilt or whatever you want to call it. If she did, there are no guarantees he’s even in Guadalajara. He might be in Guatemala for all we know.”
“Then why come down here if you and your team aren’t even sure where this dude is?”
Fisher gripped the back of the chair across from Ruiz’s desk. “All I can tell you is that Agent Reid is right about Bishop. He’s at the site of the earthquake. The draw for him is too much to resist. So, what I would propose is that you let us go there, maybe take one of your guys…”
“Oh, don’t think the Guard won’t want one of their own with you too. That, my friend, will be non-negotiable.”
“Okay. A member of the National Guard, one of your team, whoever you want to send, and my people. We will find him. I promise you that.”
Ruiz seemed to consider the proposal. “Well, I reckon if you’d rather put your team at risk than mine, no skin off my nose, right?”
“No, sir,” Fisher replied.
Ruiz inhaled a deep breath. “I’ll help you arrange it with the Mexicans, but you’ll want to move fast, so I’ll have my guy arrange for a car and communications. I’ll expect you and your people to keep us informed. The secretary will also want briefings. You’re talking a site where we have Red Cross and whoever else volunteering. And now you say there’s a killer looking to finish off victims?” He shook his head. “That will be a top concern for the officials.”
“Then we agree?” Fisher asked.
“We do, so let’s roll.”
26
Dawn had broken through the clouds and the sky was a watercolor painting in hues of orange and purple. The city was waking up and the team was about to begin their hunt for a killer.
SSA Ruiz had arranged for o
ne of the Mexican Guardsmen, the man who had escorted the team from the airport, to assist in the effort. Alejandro Perez now waited in the room that had been dubbed the Ops Room inside the American Embassy.
Fisher and his team prepared to depart on the flight organized by Ruiz. Several charter jets were at the embassy’s disposal and it would take an otherwise 6-hour drive and turn it into an hour’s flight. Given the time constraints, it was the best plan.
“It’s time,” Fisher began. “We have communications set up. Perez and Brewer will be accompanying us. We need to get him, and we need to get him now.” Fisher started out of the room and toward Ruiz’s office. “We’re ready.”
Ruiz joined him. “I’ll take you to the airstrip.” He snatched his keys and waited for the others to meet up in the lobby. “You’re riding with me, folks. Time’s wasting.” When everyone arrived at the meeting point, he started outside. “I would suggest you try to close your eyes for the duration of the flight. I know you all have been up the entire night. I’m sure your teammates would feel better knowing you weren’t making life and death decisions going on no sleep.”
Ruiz jumped in his SUV and fired up the engine. When the rest piled inside, he pulled away from the curb. “Aside from Agent Brewer, the rest of you should know that Guadalajara is a lot like Mexico City. You got your really rich folks and your really poor folks. The earthquake’s epicenter was in El Centro. That, my friends, is where a lot of the poor folks live. And what I mean by that is, the surrounding structures will probably be in rough condition. The damage there, I haven’t seen it myself, but I did get word from the Red Cross that it is substantial because the existing infrastructure was in bad shape to begin with. All’s I’m saying is watch your back. You start tracking down your boy and find yourself in some abandoned building, you best count your blessings it don’t collapse on you.”
“What are the hospitals in the area like?” Kate asked. “Bishop is smart enough to get a name badge and a doctor’s coat and make his rounds. If security is lax, we should be aware of that.”
“Security?” Ruiz glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “You come across any security, you let me know.”
Perez was in the far back row. “I’d like to say something, here, Agent Ruiz. The people in that neighborhood, they are good people. They don’t have much, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t human.”
“My apologies, Perez. I meant no disrespect. I’m just trying to give these people a sense for what awaits them. Hey, Mexico City is my home. It’s a good, safe place to live.” He turned right. “We’re here.”
The door flew open and Walsh jumped out. He waited until everyone stepped out and closed the door. “Where to now?” He asked Perez.
“Through this building and to the back. We’ll board immediately.” Perez looked to Ruiz. “I’ll take care of them from here, sir.”
Nick took Kate by the arm and fell behind the others. “I know how much you want Bishop, but it would be best that if he’s spotted, you don’t approach him. We don’t know if he’s armed. We don’t know anything.”
“Are you going to mention that to the rest of the team?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I don’t want you to single me out, Nick. I know how to approach a suspect. I risked my life in Rio with Quinn. I’ve risked my life plenty of times. We all have. I know you mean well, but I need you to give me some breathing room here.”
“You’re right. I just keep replaying the events in Rio. For God’s sake, here we are again in another country.”
The small 15-seater jet sat alone on the runway with a set of stairs pushed against the door. Perez was the first to board and summoned the captain’s attention while the others walked onto the plane. Moments later, the engines started, and the staircase was pulled away from the aircraft. Perez returned to the front of the cabin. “We’ve received clearance. Prepare for takeoff.”
The flight was short and allowed for a few members of the team to get in a power nap, but Kate couldn’t shut down her thoughts of Theo Bishop and the people with money and power who had protected him.
Perez had arranged for another member of the Guard to pick them up from the airport in Guadalajara and drive them to the community of El Centro. The team was divided into two vehicles and as they neared the site of the earthquake’s epicenter, the more severe the damage had been. The community clearly struggled but now appeared to be utterly devastated. It hadn’t made major news in the US because it hadn’t affected enough people. The collateral damage wasn’t nearly enough to make the headlines.
But Kate knew that Bishop would be there. He had nowhere else to go that could feed his desire to be seen as a hero and a god. It would have taken him time to produce the type of documents he would’ve needed in order to get a job as a paramedic or EMT, or whatever the equivalent was in Mexico. Not only that, but it seemed highly likely Carol Whitman, Theo’s mother, would’ve warned him they were coming.
She looked on with the others at the devastation. Rubble in the streets. Piles of broken concrete, bricks, wood framing scattered around. People in tears wandering aimlessly, presumably in search of their missing loved ones. First responders wearing masks and carrying shovels as they hand-dug specific locations such as the busy market they had just approached.
“Oh my God.” Duncan placed her fingertips over her lips. “I didn’t think it would be this bad. It looks like a war zone.”
“It’s not as bad as other quakes we’ve had in the region,” Perez began. “It’s just that the infrastructure here is incredibly poor.”
“Where are we planning to stop?” Nick asked.
“A first-aid unit has been deployed about half a kilometer from here,” Perez continued. “That’s where we’ll organize our resources and track down your killer.”
The driver continued on with caution through the broken streets, maneuvering his way around victims, rescuers and the rest of the fallen community. A white tent with a red cross appeared ahead.
“This is it,” Fisher said. “This is where we’ll find Theodore Bishop.” He looked at Perez. “We should stop here. Any closer and we’ll have too many eyes on us. We don’t exactly look like rescue workers. I don’t want to tip him off if he’s in close proximity.”
“I agree.” Perez turned to the driver. “Détente aquí.” (Pull over here.)
He rolled to a stop and the second car followed his lead. The doors opened and the team, along with Perez and another member of the Guard stepped out into the bright sunlight as late morning had arrived.
Dust had settled except where digging had commenced. The tent was several feet away with doctors, nurses, and other aides flowing in and out.
“Are they still bringing in people?” Kate asked.
“I couldn’t say, Agent Reid.” Perez started ahead. “Please, this way.” He led the team to a nearby alleyway where the buildings on either side revealed severe cracks, broken windows, but otherwise still had four walls standing. Perez pulled out a map and laid it on top of crates he had picked up and stacked for use as a table. “Officer Gutierrez will guide us through the map. He is native to this area and has assisted the cleanup crews. His knowledge will guide you in your efforts to divide and conquer, as you say.”
Gutierrez pointed on the map and began to speak Spanish. Perez listened and translated. “He says the worst damage is across these streets here and here. The workers are digging out this area here where the marketplace was heavily occupied at the time of the quake. This means there could be substantial victims that have yet to be discovered.”
Fisher nodded and glanced at Nick. “If Bishop is looking to take advantage of an injured victim, I’d say there is the most likely place.”
“I’m not sure he would risk going inside the tent,” Nick replied. “It seemed heavily populated with volunteers. It’s probably too risky.”
“Then we split up and surround that area there?” Walsh asked. “Seems the most logical place to
start.”
“It is in my opinion,” Fisher said. “There’s one thing we don’t know about Bishop and that is whether he’s armed.”
“We have no reason to believe he would be,” Kate began. “Though I imagine we can’t ignore the possibility.”
“It is extremely difficult to obtain a weapon here—legally,” Perez began. “Most certainly, he would not have been allowed to cross into the country with a firearm. And carrying a gun in public is a crime.”
“What are the odds he’s made friends with people who could provide him with a weapon?” Duncan asked.
“Hard to say. We should stay vigilant, as always, in the event we have him in our sights,” Walsh replied. “If he gets spooked, who knows what sort of behavior he’ll exhibit in the face of capture.”
“Walsh, you and Reid will take this block.” Fisher pointed to a street on the map. “Perez, can I ask you to assist Agent Duncan and search this block here? Scarborough and I will take Gutierrez and hit these two blocks here. Walsh speaks enough Spanish to get by if a civilian approaches but having you and Gutierrez will give the rest of us a way to communicate if necessary. We have radio communications ready to go, so use them. I want to know where everyone is at all times. You get eyes on Bishop, you call it in. Is that clear?”
“Crystal,” Walsh replied.
“Yes, sir,” Kate answered.
“Then it’s time to move.” Fisher checked his weapon and turned to Perez. “Bishop is still an American citizen. We will do our best to take him in peacefully, but if he resists, I am authorizing deadly force. Will that be a problem for you?”
“Not even a little bit.”
The team headed in the direction of their respective quadrants. Kate caught up to Walsh who had a small lead on her. “If it was up to me, I think we should head toward the location where they’re still searching for victims.”
“It’s outside our designated parameters,” Walsh replied. “Then again, no one’s watching. Lead the way, my friend.”
