Chapter 177

Sylvia 177 It appeared I was the only one from the swamp not in custody. I could go to the military compound and try to rescue the others, or I could head on over the border. The rule was contact base give them the information, then run like hell. That was standard operating procedure. That's what they expected, but it was in the end our decision to make. I never had a job go wrong enough to require that kind of decision. Since I had never seen Swamp Dog at work in that kind of scenario I found myself trapped with no idea what to expect.

I did get a message to the French diplomat we were to contact, if things went terribly wrong. He was supposed to relay it to the swamp.

The message read, 'The Alamo fell everyone was taken into custody. What you want me to do."

The answer came within ten minutes, it was 'Run'. I read the note and decided not to go back to my hotel room. I could run alright, but there was no guarantee I could get away. I really needed to talk to The Brit. I didn't want to leave him in the jackpot. I was trying to think of something that might help. So far the only thing that made sense was indeed to run. Even so, I wasn't quite ready to do that just then.

My phone rang, "Hello," I said into it while looking all around.

"Miss Porter, this is Gerrard at the French consulate," The government has your people. They are threatening to put them on trial. Even though they were under attack the government wants to call their response to that attack murder." The male voice suggested.

"That's not good," I replied. "You got any idea what the swamp's advice is?"

"Don't get caught," the voice said. "They suggest you hang around, if you can do so safely. They may be able to come up with a plan."

"I think I can do that. Are they going to stay in touch through you?" I asked.

"I have no idea what they have got in mind. Please be careful, you don't need to get caught." The representative of the French Government said.

"That's for sure my plan. Have you got any idea how I can get inside the jail." I asked.

"If it was me. I'd walk through the front door, but then they didn't murderl my ambassador and throw my friends in jail," He said.

"Yes there are some challenges for sure," I said shaking my head. "Sometimes the best thing to do is the most direct, I could do a prisoner exchange," I said.

"Who do you have to trade?" the Frenchman asked.

"The real question is before I grab someone, who would they accept in trade." I said smiling.

"They would trade the commandant of the prison for sure," he said.

"That is a bad choice. He needs to give the order. So is he married?" I asked.

"He is married and has two children," the Frenchman said.

"Then tell me where he lives," I demanded.

"You need some help as well," the Frenchman said. "How do you feel about working with criminals."

"I can work with them as well as anyone else. I guarantee nothing though." I said. I could work with criminals as long as they knew better than to try and fuck me. If that happened there might a be a few less to choose from for the next person in need.

"Go to this location and sit at the bar someone will contact you," the Frenchman said.

"Fair enough," I replied. If this works out you can bill the Swamp for a favor someday. If it doesn't, I will try to get the guys in the prison to make you some prison art."

I went to the club very early in the morning. The place was being cleaned. The man who met me at the door said, "I didn't expect you so early."

"Oh who are you expecting. I might not be the right one." I said.

"Oh you are the right one. You were described in great detail. Are you ready to talk details," he asked.

"Sure, what have you got for me?" I asked.

"Well, I have got the address for the Commandant of the prison." he said.

"So help me get a couple of prisoners, ones I can exchange for my friends," I said.

"You and your friends will leave, but I will be stuck here. I'm not sure you can pay enough to risk that." he said.

"No one will know you are involved it you stay out of sight. Mostly I need information and a couple of hours with a few street thugs. Otherwise I will handle everything." I suggested.

"It's nice that you are confident, but you are going to need more help. You just don't know how much." he said.

"I seem confident, because you don't know what I need either." I said. "You show me where the commandant lives and loan me a couple a guys with balls, We will handle this." I said it with a smile.

"I will get you all the guns and men you need to kidnap the commandant's family. We can arrange for him to meet you at the border with the prisoners." he said.

"Tell me about the man or men you have on the inside," I demanded.

"He will tell you anything you want to know," the criminal said.

"So ask him how many men they arrested in the house. Also see if he knows what happened to the ambassador."

"Get me a line into the USA and I'll get you money," I said.

"Very well first you get me a half million dollars US. and I'll get you all the pertinent information."

"Fair enough," I replied. What he didn't know was the French were verifying it all for me. If he gave me bad intel, I would know and he would die. It was as simple as that, but he didn't know it.

Twenty minutes later I was told there were two full time guards on the Prison Governor's dwelling, Inside the house we would find the wife and two kids of the commandant. I looked over all the drawing of the commandants home and came to the conclusion that we had to grab her and make the trade. I really didn't want the kids, but I needed more bargaining chips, so they became pawns in the chess game.