Chapter 7: Mutiny

“The “CONQUISTADOR” is a nice boat, ship almost, and I’m proud to be her master. However, Cancun is a horrible choice for a home port. The Sargasso weed washing in from the Caribbean and Atlantic stinks up the beach and harbor something fierce. The Gulf side would be better and Merida is on a northern point. Benefits from breezes from almost every direction. In addition, it’s more an industrial port than a tourist destination. Cheaper, less crime, fewer hassles, and fewer scam artists. Has pristine unvisited, undeveloped, uninhabited beaches within easy drives on both sides of the city. A strong current and undertow prohibit swimming, but shallow water wading and beachcombing for shells is good safe fun.”

“You have permission Captain to relocate CONQUISTADOR to Merida. Sailing orders are approved. Any decent restaurants in town you know of?”

“Unknown. Since transportation is instantaneous on a mere whim we can dine in Paris, Honolulu, New York, anywhere imaginable.”

“Excellent point, Tiger. I prefer eating on-board, but the women occasionally expect to dine out. An excuse to dress up I think.”

“Any nibbles for assassination contracts, Warren?”

“A mutiny is developing among the lower ranks of a major drug cartel. No clear leader has emerged, but the discontent is vocal.”

“Can you instigate a crisis so a natural leader will arise from the ranks? Probably an unauthorized attack on a rival gang would infuriate the top dogs enough to choose a likely scapegoat. Quite possibly they’ll zero on the best lay leader candidate that worries them most. If it’s not him, then a more likely leader will ascend using the martyrdom of the scapegoat as a political platform to recruit from.”

“A devious plan, Doc. I’ll begin dropping hints, making suggestions, and starting rumors. Do you want org charts? I have incomplete who’s who lists of bosses and hierarchies.”

“Yes, try to get the entire organization scouted out. We also need dossiers on the individual bosses. Residences, hangouts, mistresses, pals, alliances, and especially any enemies. Dossiers on those enemies, too. Also, assessments who are likely to move into the voids left when these cartels evaporate.”

“The ladies and I will do our best to spy out the terrain, Doc. Investigative reporting is my special talent. Warren Norman spymaster is my game.”

“Try not to get any of the ladies killed, and watch Cruz like a hawk. I don’t trust her, not the least little bit.”

“Do you want to schedule a meet soon?”

“Ideally, the big bosses will contact us to take out their mutineers. That’s the first meeting. Then we meet with the mutineers and inform them their days are numbered and suggest they take out the bosses first in self-defense. Then we meet with any other factions. Of particular interest, is any law enforcement on the take or more actively involved. We will carefully investigate if the officers are corrupt or involved in undercover sting operations. Once we know all the players and all the parts played, we can engineer a mass exodus of the whole messy apparatus simultaneously. The only unnamed aspect is some other group to blame the elimination on. That should be the group the unauthorized attack picked a fight within the opening round. We go after them next.”

“Sounds complicated and dangerous.”

“Correct on both counts.”