Chapter 161

"Hello Mrs Dixon we are from Swamp Dog, The university hired us to be sure nothing happens to you," Karl explained to her.

"So they sent three of you?" she asked. I couldn't tell whether is she thought there was too many or too few of us.

"This is what we have for this part of the trip. Are you going to be alright with it?" he asked.

"I am going along with this mostly for the university, and some for my daughter, if it were up to me I would send you home," she explained

Suddenly the job got much harder. She was going to need convincing, and the only way that would come about was, if someone tried to kill her or her daughter. Which might mean one of us was going to have to die to convince her there was a need for us to be there. Wonderful. I thought.

"Then we will try to be as inconspicuous as possible," Karl added.

"I rather doubt that will be possible," she said.

I saw the red hair well in advance of the 15year old actually reaching our little group. It was no color I had ever seen on a person. It was more the shade of red one might find on a cheep piece of polyester cloth.

"This is my daughter Wendy. Wendy this is our security detachment provided by the university," her mother explained. "You and I are going to try to get along with these people."

"Wendy my name is Sylvia," I said holding out my hand to her.

She just looked bored as she said, "Whatever," She ignored my outstretched hand.

"Yeah whatever," I said. Yes I knew I was supposed to ignore her and act all friendly. If Swamp Dog thought I was a diplomat, they really didn't know me.

"I can see you two are going to get along famously," Karl said. Wendy gave him a look that said more than words could have. I smiled, but said nothing.

We all boarded the plane headed for Mexico City. It was too short a trip to serve food. so I had no weapons whatsoever. I hated the feeling of helplessness. I knew The Brit could kill with his bare hands, as could Karl, I was the only one who was useless without a weapon. The first thing I was taught about combat was no you own limitations, and work within them. I the case of a being on a plane, there was no way I could do anything. The government had made sure we were helpless sheep.

I was in a seat two rows behind the Professor and her daughter. My companion was Karl. I would have preferred The Brit. Life was like that. I had to listen to Karl discuss Professor Dixon's importance to the war on drugs. According to the university she had developed something that would eradicate pot. It sounded like a pipe dream to me. I had a strong opinion about it. The opinion was that no one would care what I thought.

When the Plane landed. the Professor and her daughter were met by their interpreter and two Mexican Uniformed policemen. The cops would escort them to the hotel. The cops went with them to pick up their luggage. We tagged along to get our clothes and tooth brushes.

A Mexican dress in casual clothes walked up to our little group. "Karl?" he asked. He didn't single anyone out. I was more than a little surprised when the operative I had nicknamed Karl the Killer answered him.

The Brit whispered, "For some reason Colonel Martin liked your nick names. He adopted them as operational names for this operation."

"Damn, I had no idea I was so well liked," I said.

"You aren't universally liked. Just like everyone else, you have admirers and detractors," he added.

"I guess the trick is to screw more of the higher ups," I said with a laugh.

The Brit just smiled and shook his head.

"The man who met us?" I said to Karl.

"What about him?" Karl asked.

"He didn't know any of us. I assume you didn't know him either. So that is not a good sign," I said. "Who vetted him?"

"He is just here to deliver some equipment and a car. He doesn't know anything about us." Karl said.

"Bullshit, we arrive on a plane with a woman and girl escorted off by the Police. You think he can't sell that to somebody, who wants her dead." I said. "We just started and this operation is compromised."

"That's why people don't like to work with you. You see fucking conspiracies everywhere. You are a hell of an operative, but you over think everything." Karl said.

"Like I over thought your assault on the building. You didn't leave anyone to guard the stairs. If I hadn't come in when I did, that asshole would have been behind you." I said.

"I would have handled it," Karl said.

"Bullshit," I replied and turned away before it turn violent.

"Look Sylvia this guy was vetted, and we need a driver who knows the city. He was a Mexican National Policeman till he lost an eye. Now he drives for a lot of people. He hates the Narco Terrorist as much as anyone. If we are after them, he is on our side. Now you know, but I want have you questioning my decisions or those of the Colonel again. If you can't follow orders, leave now." Karl explained.

"If you want me to blindly follow orders, then you need to send me home. As long as I'm here, I do the job and I don't walk away ever." I said.

"Fair enough," Karl said.

"For what it's worth Karl. She hasn't been on that many jobs, so cut her some slack. Her instincts are good and you know it." The Brit said before he left me and Karl alone.