Three the Hard Way: A Play in Two Acts (16 page)

"She the reason you were so desperate to keep me off this island?"

"No. I told you the reason for that," I said and picked up Michelle. "And now that you ladies are best friends," I kissed Michelle on the cheek and looked around for M, "and you’ve met M, that’s not a problem anymore."

When we left the cemetery, M had a little gathering at the house. I mingled around for a while and then I took my doctor’s advice and went inside to rest. A half hour later, Bobby walked in. "Mike, there’s some Bruce Lee lookin’ mutha fucka outside; says he wants to talk to you."

"His name is Wei Jiang. Wanda says he’s connected so show him some respect. Send somebody to get him and have him wait in the living room. Then you come on back here."

When Bobby came back we talked about the deal with the Chinese and the Cubans. Then I told him how I ended up getting shot. "Maybe I’m gettin’ old, careless and shit, but I didn’t see it coming."

"I can’t let you outta my sight for a minute, can I?"

I laughed. "I guess you can’t."

"You remember the last time I let you go off by yourself; you almost got yourself killed then too."

"You know I thought about that night."

"You can’t die on me Mike. I won’t have anybody to talk to. So as soon as you’re feeling better you and I will plan a little trip to Venezuela and cut this crisa-boogie mutha fuckas heart out."

"Go on and tell Jiang to come in," I told Bobby and he came back to the room with him.

"How are you feeling my friend?" Jiang asked as he sat down.

"Much better."

"That is good to hear."

"I am sorry about Chang, Mei Ai Bao and Xiang Yong," I said.

"They will be missed. Chang was like a brother to me. I will feel his loss for many years."

"I hate to ask at a time like this, but how is Chang’s death going to affect our business with the Cubans?"

"I’m sorry to say that without Chang, there is no business with the Cubans. The contacts were his; contacts he spent years developing. With Chang dead, the Cubans will most assuredly turn to Cristóbal to do business with."

"Cristóbal knew that and that’s why he killed Chang."

"I agree."

"Where is Cristóbal now?"

"I know what you are thinking my friend, but Cristóbal has also killed Clemente Eustaquio."

"I know. He told Chang that before he shot him."

"He has consolidated power in a town called El Peronil and has a small army protecting him; which makes him almost impossible to get to."

"Nobody is impossible to get to."

"This is true. However, now is not the time. Now is the time for patience. But I assure you; this act of dishonor will not go unpunished. In time we will have our revenge," Jiang got up and shook my hand. "Rest well my friend." Jiang bowed slightly and left the room.

Bobby followed him to the door and closed it behind him. "Fuck Bruce Lee," he said. "When we going down there?"

"Jiang is right. If he is protected like that, gettin’ his ass is gonna take time and planning. And I know the perfect person to set it in motion." I looked at Bobby and smiled. "Send Monika in."

Chapter Sixteen

For the next two weeks Black remained in Freeport, recovering from his wounds and enjoying being with Michelle and CeCe. When he felt that he was well enough to travel, he and CeCe went to his new house in Nassau. But after a few days they both agreed that they missed being with Michelle. The next morning Black got up early and came back that night with Michelle. Over the next three months, Black took a very active role in Jamaica’s expansion and enjoyed his life with his girls until a visitor arrived at the Yellow Rose.

"Hello, Monika," CeCe said when she answered the door. She led Monika through the house and out to the pool. When they got outside, Black was playing in the pool with Michelle.

While Monika took a seat at poolside and set up her laptop, CeCe got in the water to play with Michelle and Black got out.

"Y’all just one happy family here," Monika mused.

Black looked at her at continued to dry himself. "What you got for me?"

"For last three months I’ve had an operative in El Peronil keeping an eye on your boy Cristóbal. He lives on a three acre compound," Monika said and pointed to the satellite image on the screen. "It’s surrounded by an electrified fence and he’s protected by a militia of at least thirty men."

"Okay, how do we get to him?" Black asked.

Monika zoomed in on the image. "On the back side of the compound there is a heavily wooded area. That’s how we’ll make our approach. The trees will give us enough cover to get to the main house without being detected."

"How close?"

"We’ll clear the trees about two hundred yards from the house." Monika sat back in her chair. "Now, once we clear the trees there is a foot patrol we need to neutralize and two guard towers. Once that’s done we’ll approach the house, go in, and get Cristóbal."

"How many men in the house?" Black asked.

"No way to be sure how many will be in the house at any given time."

"Sounds pretty formative, but you wouldn’t be here unless you had a plan, so let’s hear it."

"My team will fly into Santiago Pérez Airport in Arauca, Colombia. From there we will make our way by car and enter Venezuela and head for El Peronil." Monika took out a map. "This road will take us close to the property here," she said and pointed. "Then we’ll continue ten clicks on foot to the penetration point at the fence. We’ll make camp there, because I plan on taking them at four thirty am."

"What about the fence?"

"My operative will deactivate that section of fence so it looks to anybody that’s monitoring like it’s still active. We cut the fence and go in. Like I said, once we clear the trees we’ll neutralize the foot patrol and two guard towers and go in and get your boy."

"What about the militia? How are you gonna handle them?"

"They’re housed in this building here. At the time we plan on hittin’ them they should be asleep. I want to be in and out without them knowing. But I got a plan for them if it becomes necessary."

"I know you’re not planning on hiking ten miles in the dark when you’re done, so how we getting outta there?"

"Of course I have an exit strategy. We got a thirty minute window to complete the operation. At five o’clock my operative will pick us up at the main gate and take us to an airfield where he’ll have a plane ready."

"Who’s your team?"

"Me, Nick, and Travis."

Black shook his head. "I’m going with you. And so is Bobby."

Monika laughed. "Some reason I knew you were gonna say that. You sure you two, Bobby especially, are up to it?"

"He’ll complain the whole way but he’ll be all right."

"But it a ten kilometer hike through heavy brush in one hundred degree heat."

"We’re going. Make it happen," Black said and got back in the pool with his girls.

"Yes, sir."

Two weeks later the team arrived at Santiago Pérez Airport in Arauca, Colombia and were met by one of Wei Jiang’s men. He provided them with a van and weapons. From that point they headed for the border.

When they got to the woods at the rear of the compound, they broke out weapons and machetes and proceeded to the objective. Along the way, as expected, Bobby complained the whole way. If it wasn’t "It’s hotter than a mutha fucka out here." It was "Are we there yet?" until Monika had had enough.

She turned around and held up her machete. "Bobby, if you say one more fuckin’ thing, I swear to God I’ll cut your fuckin’ head off."

"Lighten up, Monika. Take some deep breaths," Bobby said and kept walking. As the sun began to set, they made it to the fence.

"Okay," Monika said. "We camp here until it’s time to make our move."

"I’m gonna check out the area and setup a defensive perimeter," Nick said and walked off.

"The rest of you get some rest. We go at O four thirty," Monika said.

Bobby looked at Black and then to Monika. "Yes, sir," he said and saluted.

"Fuck you, Bobby."

"Anytime you’re ready."

At O four thirty the team put on night vision goggles, put silencers on their weapons and approached the fence. "How do we know if your man did his job?" Bobby asked. Nick picked up a small piece of wood and threw it at the fence. When nothing happened Travis cut the fence and they went through.

Once they reached the clearing they got ready to make their move. "Nick," Monika said and got out her binoculars.

Nick broke out a Barrett 82A1 50BMG semi auto rifle and took aim at the guard tower. With one shot he took out the guard manning the tower. "Good shot," Monika said.

"Thanks," he said and took aim at the other tower.

Now that the towers were neutralized, they separated into two teams. "Nick, you and Travis head for the barracks and rendezvous with us at the main house," Monika ordered. "Black, Bobby, you’re with me."

Nick looked at his watch. "Give us five minutes before you move," he said and Travis followed Nick to the barracks.

When they reached the barracks, Travis stood guard while Nick planted C-4 charges and remote detonators around the building. Then Travis saw the motor pool. "How much more C-4 you got?"

"Enough; why?"

Travis pointed. "Motor pool."

"Good look. Come on," Nick said.

Once the charges were set, Nick and Travis made their way to the rendezvous point.

Meanwhile, Monika, Black, and Bobby approached the main house and were surprised that they didn’t encounter any foot patrols. Shortly thereafter they were joined by Nick and Travis and the team entered the house. After walking through the first floor, they met at the staircase. Black and Monika were about to check the second level.

"Nick, watch the back. Bobby, you take the front of the house. Travis you stay here," Monika said.

As Bobby made his way toward the front of the house, he heard a noise. "Somebody’s coming in," he said. Monika moved quickly to the door, while the others took cover. Bobby positioned himself on the other side of the door and waited.

One woman came in the house. Bobby grabbed her and covered her mouth. Monika shoved a gun in her face. "¿Yo no le doleré. Comprenderá?" Monika said quietly, telling the woman that she wasn’t going to hurt her in Spanish.

"Sí," the frightened woman said quickly.

"¿Dónde está, Cristóbal?"

"Arriba," the woman said and pointed up the steps.

"Nos Muestra," Monika ordered and pushed her toward the steps.

The woman led Monika and Black up the stairs to a bedroom at the end of the hall. The woman pointed to a door. "Ahí adentro." Monika opened the door and then followed Black inside with their guns pointed.