Chapter 53

Over the next six hours a lot of events seemed to occur simultaneously. With few problems Hawk and the ‘core’ group were able to end the interviews, sending all the applicants home filled with hope for a better future. When the last applicant left they went to the airport. Andy arrived at the airport while they were loading, and joined them for the flight. Dan Cashman also arrived before Hawk’s plane departed, and the two friends had a brief moment to bring each other up to date. When Andy arrived Dan left with Jason and Admiral Burke. He had a few finishing touches to complete, but most of his part of the operation was complete. Bill used a chartered King Air to fly Hawk and his people back to Phoenix. The plans were for Bill to retrieve the Navajo when he returned the King Air to the charter company sometime next week.

At 4:30 p.m. another chartered aircraft arrived from Phoenix carrying what was supposed to be a rock band and their instruments. In actuality it was a number of Jason’s ‘Apache Warriors’ sent ahead by Mike Running Elk, and the instrument cases carried H & K MP5s, as well as handguns, radios, and ammunition. Over the next three hours additional ‘Warriors’ arrived by commercial flights. They appeared to be young executives traveling as singles or in pairs. Their only luggage was a carry-on bag filled with changes of clothing.

A little after 6:00 p.m. the trucks from Phoenix Brix began to arrive at the massive warehouse in Chula Vista. As each truck backed up to the loading dock their cargoes of bricks were quickly unloaded via forklifts. Once the skids were inside Jason had the newly arrived warriors, now dressed in work clothes, separate the bricks into three groups: the ‘gold bricks, ‘ the hollow bricks, and the normal bricks. By 7:15 p.m. all the bricks had been unloaded and the drivers comfortably settled in a nearby motel. As soon as the commercial drivers left Mike Running Elk and the rest of the ‘Warriors’ assigned to this operation arrived in their rental trucks. Several had commercial Class B driver’s licenses, and these drivers retrieved the container trucks Admiral Burke had secured. The trucks were already marked, and pictures taken by Joel’s security people assigned to watch the customs gate had confirmed the placement, shape, and color of the identifying mark. The men quickly filled the containers with the gold brought from Phoenix, as well as the kegs of gunpowder taken from the cave where Hawk had discovered the gold.

Dan Cashman finished his final tasks and left for his home in Mazatlan. Though not part of the original plan Dan’s last task was to charter a MD-11 to fly to Ensenada and wait for passengers to fly back into the US. This part of the plan was the result of his call to the uncle of the kidnapped girl, the judge who’d signed the warrants in the Tule River Rescue. That conversation led to a telephone meeting between Dan, the judge, and the Los Angeles heads of the FBI, Immigration, and the Border Patrol. These further discussions brought a medical response team into the picture. This team and their equipment would be aboard the aircraft when it left John Wayne Airport at 11:00 p.m.

Some of Joel’s people were also shadowing any of Vasquez’s trucks the watchers spotted, and groups of the Apache Warriors would soon join these ‘shadows.’ These larger combined groups were to look for opportunities to capture the trucks while in transit and free the women inside the containers. If they were unable to free them prior to the trucks reaching their destination the men were to rally at the farm to assist the already in place strike team to capture the farm.

At 10:45 p.m. the last of Jason’s trucks passed through the customs checkpoint and headed south into Baja, Mexico. This was fifteen minutes prior to the shift change, as Jason had decided it was better to get everything through on a shift they knew were ignoring the trucks, rather than take a chance on whether the next shift had also been ‘bought.’ Shortly after they entered Mexico Jason sent a text message to the leaders of the two teams already on site, advising them to call him by midnight with what information they had. The first call received was from the team at the Farm. “Longbow,” Jason answered.

“Team Two, responding to your message.”

“What’s the current status at the farm?”

“There seems to be a heightened sense of anticipation among the enemy’s forces, though it’s not causing an increase in security. Instead, it may be just the opposite. They seemed to have emptied all cages and there are now about eighty to a hundred women inside a security fence. Some of the women seem to be hurt, and other women in the group are helping them. Using the picture you sent of the Admiral’s daughter I’ve verified she’s one of those inside the fence.”

“Her name is Kimberly Burke, and you may need to verify you’re from her father. If that becomes necessary you’re to mention Poppyeye and Spinach-eater, along with a stuffed skunk named ‘Flower.’

“Popeye? As in the cartoon?

“She must have been quite young, but she pronounced it Poppyeye. These were the pet names she called her father when they were playing. Now, is there anything else,” Jason asked.

“The only other thing I can think of is for the past few minutes they’ve been using forklifts to move pallets of something into shipping containers.”

Jason then asked, “How about the guards?”

“There are presently ten of them, and they’re more focused inward than outward. I think we could take over this entire operation in about six minutes.”

“Maybe that would be a good idea. That way you can more easily capture the new trucks as they arrive. But, if you have the slightest doubt of success, then wait for reinforcements.”

“Yes, Sir.”

A few minutes later, the leader of the first team called. “Longbow,” Jason again answered.

“Team One here. Are you ready for my report?”

“Definitely.”

“Longbow, we cannot find any security measures along the base of the cliff. Also, several members of the team have walked the length of the road and back without a response from anyone.”

“That was dangerous,” chided Jason.

“Sir, it was a calculated risk. We’d noted various locals moving in carts along the road and we needed to find out how well they were guarding it while we could make up a plausible excuse. It would’ve been much harder after dark.”

“Then I guess you made the right choice. What about the road itself, as well as traffic?”

“Sir, I guess you could euphemistically call it a road, but in reality it’s little more than a cart path. You might get a small pickup through there, but only if you didn’t meet anything coming the other way.”

“That’s probably why there’s little to no security along it.”

“You might be right about that, Sir.”

“Did you find the cave or mine?”

“Yes, Sir. It’s an old mine. Its entrance is partially sealed by a cave-in and it’s well hidden by shrubs. It was completely sealed, but we removed a few rocks and learned the rest of the mine is intact, though I wouldn’t trust those timbers to last much longer, or to take much activity.”

“Could it be used as an escape tunnel?”

“I don’t see how. I walked to the end myself and saw no signs of activity other than a passel of rats. The only branches to the main tunnel stayed level or turned downward, and I could find no means for anyone above to reach the mine from the inside.”

“Good report and something you said got me thinking. Do you think your group could snare a couple of rats before we arrive?”

“We should be able to, but why would you want a couple of rats?”

“They’re going to get the blame for what is about to happen.”

“I don’t care, as long as I don’t have to hold one. They’re big, and they have wicked teeth.”

“I wouldn’t want you to take the risk, as too many diseases can be passed by those little bastards. Instead, as soon as you have two or three, bash them with some large rocks. I don’t care if they’re dead, but they must’ve been killed by rocks.”

“Longbow, you’re losing me more and more every minute. I’m glad at least one of us understands what is going on.”

Jason chuckled, and asked, “And who might that be?”

“Well, I hope it’ll be you.”

At that moment, their conversation was interrupted by a call from Team Two. “One, that’s Two calling. I’ll see you shortly. Switching over to the incoming call Jason answered, “Longbow.”

“This is Team Two. We’ve held up the assault until the reinforcements get here, as several trucks have just arrived, along with several pickups full of men. I think they’re primarily workers, as none of them seemed to be armed.”

“That was probably a wise decision. Have they unloaded any women from the trucks?”

“Yes. They did put one girl in a cage in the barn, but more than thirty were added to the group inside the fence. From the way they’re acting I’d say the new women have all been drugged. Hold on a moment, here comes another truck.” After a brief moment, the leader of Team Two said, “Longbow, two more trucks have arrived, and our reinforcements have just radioed they’re here. I’ll get back to you shortly. Two out.”

Jason thought for a moment, and called Mike Running Elk. “Mike, take your truck and scout ahead for someplace where we can transfer the gunpowder to the pickups. It looks like we’re going to have to finish moving the kegs via pickup and manpower.”

“Manpower?”

“I’m not crazy about the idea, either, but the path to the powder’s destination is too narrow for a truck, so we’re going to have to carry the kegs by hand.”

“Jason, I thought we might have a need for something like this, so one of the trucks in our group has a surprise. Now, where do we start this ‘journey’?”

“Mike, find us a parking area so we can review the aerial photos and the map.”

“Gotcha.”

It was after one a.m. when Mike called back. “Jason, I’ve found a vacant warehouse about two miles ahead of you. Have the lead trucks follow me back into the area.”

“Will do.”

In response to the call Jason called the drivers of the other trucks on the radio and gave them instructions to follow Mike. A few minutes later the trucks turned off the main road and a quarter of a mile later they turned into a large empty parking area. Jason and Mike quickly gathered over the pictures and the map. Pointing to one of the pictures that had a broader view than the others Mike asked, “Does that look like an old quarry to you?”

“It sure does,” replied Jason.

“If it is, we can take this road here and cut across to it. We’re probably not more than ten minutes away.”

“Yes, but I hate the thought of getting one of these trucks full of gold stuck in that area. How many pickups do we have?”

“Five, but one is full and pulling a horse trailer.”

“Your surprise?”

“Yep, Allen Benson brought the trailer with him and when we went through Tijuana he purchased a donkey and a cart from one of the street vendors. He told the man it was for his daughter.”

“Not a bad move, Mike. It also provides a reason for several of the men to be here.”

“I’m concerned they won’t let him take the donkey back across the border. They may refuse outright or quarantine the animal for several weeks.”

“Does he actually have a daughter?”

“Yes, that’s what started this. She was hurt a couple of years ago, and the leg that was hurt is no longer the same length as the other leg. Because of her limp she refuses to go outside and play. When he saw the donkey cart he remarked, ‘I bet something like that would get her out of the house.’“

“If we pull this off I’ll try to see she gets the donkey and cart.”

“Thanks. I’ll be sure to tell him. Now, how do you want to handle this?”

“Mike, have Allen take a couple of men to the quarry. One can stand guard while the other helps him unload the cart and get the donkey hitched to it. By the time they’re finished the other pickups should have begun to arrive, and they can start carting the kegs toward the mine. As each pickup is unloaded have the men assigned to it to join in the group at the mine, as we’ll probably have to set up a ‘barrel brigade’ to carefully move the powder into the mine.”

“I’ll get things started, but I still don’t understand why we’re going to all this trouble. We could have done a lot more damage with just a couple of bricks of C-four.”

“Yes, but an explosion like this will be investigated, and the chemical traces of C-four would point to the American military operating in Mexican territory. Now, we know that’s not the case, but I’m not about to stand up to the world and tell them that we did it.”

Mike furrowed his eyebrows a moment in concentration, and then smiled, “Oh! This way all they’ll find is the remains of hundred year old gunpowder that was seemingly stored in kegs and placed in an old mine that no one remembers.”

“That about sums it up. I’m trying to make it look like a cross between a freak accident and the force of nature.”

“Then let’s get busy. We need to get this done in a little over an hour.”

While Mike walked away Jason called out to the truckers to prepare for loading the pickups with the gunpowder. In the midst of this Jason’s cell phone began to ring. “Longbow.”

“Team Two is about to take out the outside guards. We want to get the women to safety before we start on the house.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Jason responded.

“Sir, the problem is that we’ve nothing but the big trucks to use to get them to the airport, and if we start one of them then this place will be alerted immediately.”

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The Hawk and the Chipmunk

Mike Lowe aka The Scot

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