Chapter 23
NADIA
PRESENT DAY
“When? Where?” Thomas set aside his coffee, suddenly alert.
Cammy came into the kitchen. “My guy didn’t tell me. Only that Kane was brought in for questioning late last night. They’ve been interrogating him since. The Hidalgos kidnapped his family over a week ago.”
“My god.” Nadia set down the spatula and turned off the stove.
Thomas swore under his breath.
“Nobody noticed his wife and kids have been gone that long?” Nadia rubbed her upper arms, overcome with a glacial dread.
“They noticed.” Cammy slipped her phone into her robe pocket. “Kane has been calling his kids in sick and emailing his wife’s work from her laptop.”
“Do they know where his family is?” Thomas asked.
Cammy shook her head. “You know what I know. That’s all I was told, which isn’t public.
I’m retired, and my contact would be up shit creek if their superiors discovered they’d been leaking me information.
Multiple agencies received quite a blow with Kane’s betrayal.
He’s pretty high up now in the DEA, was privy to the details of multiple classified operations.
I’m going to fathom a guess that included Ruiz’s transfer.
Anyway, my contact only told me because they know you’re here with me.
They want you to stay put until your new papers arrive. ”
Thomas looked at the floor, rubbing his forearm, his unease obvious. He didn’t like what he was hearing. Kane had sold them out to keep his family alive. It was a hard blow.
Nadia left the kitchen to turn on the TV. There had to be updates on Ruiz since last night. She surfed the channels, landing on a breaking news report, a ribbon ticking across the bottom of the screen.
“Shocking new developments surrounding Fernando Ruiz’s escape three days ago have just come to our attention,” reported news anchor Maureen Curry.
“Our investigative team has learned Ruiz’s prison transfer was part of a covert collaborative operation between the U.S.
and Mexican governments that went catastrophically wrong. ”
The broadcast drew Thomas and Cammy into the living room, their stares fixed on the screen.
Nadia nervously chewed on her thumb, glancing at Thomas when she felt his palm rest on her lower back.
He caught her gaze and she noticed how dark the circles were below his eyes, the deepening of the lines between his brows.
He’d barely slept last night, and he was desperately trying to process the cascade of information coming at him.
They both were. And they hadn’t even finished their coffees yet.
“According to our sources, Ruiz’s relocation to the Rio Grande Secure Confinement facility was, in fact, a ploy designed to lure Tito Guerrero, the Los Zopilotes Cartel kingpin, out into the open.
“Guerrero is one of the FBI’s most wanted men with a fifteen-million-dollar reward for his capture and has long evaded authorities.
Next to the Hidalgos, the Los Zopilotes are a major supplier of fentanyl into the United States.
Together, the two drug-trafficking organizations control approximately eighty to ninety percent of the fentanyl market.
The Zopilotes are reputed for their brutal tactics, and the two cartels have a long and bloody history of territorial disputes and battles over supply routes.
” The screen flashed to a map of Mexico with shaded areas designating their territories.
“Mexican authorities have long held the belief that Ruiz was personally responsible for the torture and assassination of Guerrero’s oldest son, Jesus, twelve years ago. Intelligence gathered by agencies from both countries indicated Guerrero wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to settle the score.”
Tremors of unease ran through Nadia. “They were using Ruiz as bait.”
A muscle twitched in Thomas’s cheek.
“The collision three days ago that killed both drivers and two prison guards, leaving a third in critical condition, was not part of the operation. While it’s unclear if the setup drew Guerrero out into the open, or if it had been the Zopilotes who caused the accident, our sources report Ruiz had known about the transport well in advance and may have been able to get classified details to his associates. ”
Cammy plunked a fist on her hip. “For crying out loud.” She roughly gestured at the TV. “That’s why we relocate prisoners in the first place, so they don’t corrupt the guards and build networks.”
“At this hour,” Maureen continued in her crisp broadcast voice, “Fernando Ruiz remains at large. A massive, multi-agency manhunt continues across several states with increased border security, ground and aerial searches, and extensive intelligence-gathering operations.” Live footage of Border Patrol operations and helicopters flashed on the screen before cutting back to Maureen.
“This is a developing story and we’ll continue to update you when we know more. I’m Maureen Curry, ABN news.”
The broadcast switched to a financial market report. Thomas muted the TV.
Nadia held herself tightly, still feeling that frost of apprehension. “Ruiz would have had to know the tactical specifics of that operation for his people to know exactly where to hit.”
Cammy nodded. “Which wouldn’t have been anywhere near where the feds anticipated the Zopilotes to attack.
It had to have been the Hidalgos. They broke out Ruiz before Guerrero had the chance because they knew Guerrero was coming, and the feds would have sacrificed Ruiz if it meant capturing Guerrero. ”
Thomas dragged a hand down his face in obvious frustration. “It was Kane.”
“It could have been anyone inside the agency,” Cammy said. “More likely any few someones.”
“No, it was him.”
“We don’t know that, Tom.” Nadia tried to reassure him. She knew he was blaming himself for trusting Kane.
“She’s right. OPSEC.”
“Op what?” Nadia asked.
“Operational security. Our agencies divide information into isolated compartments where intel is only shared with individuals who absolutely need that specific info to carry out their duties.”
“I know about need-to-know,” Thomas said with impatience.
Cammy glared at him. “Then you’d know only a few at the top would be privy to all the coordinating parts. It’s more likely than not multiple agents have been compromised.”
“All Ruiz had to know was the route, date, and time. Enough for his sons to plot his escape. The idea alone of making Ruiz expendable to capture Guerrero was motivation enough for the brothers to strike back.”
“That would mean the semi-truck intentionally T-boned the transport van,” Nadia said.
“Yes.” Thomas passed her a look she took as a sign she understood where he was going with this.
“The Hidalgos most likely forced the truck driver’s cooperation.
The FBI is probably looking into his family and history already.
And I doubt Ruiz escaped on foot. He was shackled.
There was a ride waiting for him. Hell, they probably even had a key to remove the chains.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there was satellite imagery proving just that and that the FBI, DEA, HSI, U.S.
Marshals Service, and every other goddamn agency involved in this massive fuckup doesn’t want it to go public.
That’s why we haven’t seen it yet on the news.
“The Zopilotes were probably there, right where our government’s test models projected they’d be. But the transport never got to them because the Hidalgos broke Ruiz out first. He’s long gone, Cammy. They’re never going to recapture him.”
“We’re speculating,” Cammy said, shifting with unease. “We don’t know this for sure. But I agree we’re dealing with something far bigger than we envisioned. Kane wasn’t the only leak.”
Hands on hips, Thomas walked a tight circle. “A semi T-bones a van carrying a very valuable prisoner. It happens in the middle of nowhere with no cell service.” He stopped and faced Cammy. “I know, I looked at the map. Ruiz is the only one who wasn’t killed or injured.”
“As far as we know,” Cammy pointed out.
“He was prepared. He knew the accident was coming and that his people were waiting for him. They struck when least expected, taking everyone by surprise, because our guys were focused on what was supposed to happen farther down the road.
“Ruiz’s guys drive him to an undisclosed location where his plans for revenge—plans I would bet my life on he plotted from inside prison and had his sons ready to implement on a moment’s notice—are put into motion.
Kidnapping Kane’s family to force his cooperation wasn’t just a part of their overall strategy.
It was a huge component. Kane’s one of the only ones left with access to the full list of everyone involved with or connected to Operation Eclipse. ”
Nadia frowned. “What’s that?”
“Operation Eclipse? The sting op ten years back that targeted Donato and a bunch of other businesses the Hidalgos were using to launder money.”
“So, they’re just checking you off the list,” Nadia said, going back to that list Kane had access to. A list she was now on by association.
She inhaled deeply, breathing through the queasiness swirling in her stomach.
“Ruiz isn’t in Mexico. He’s still here in the States. He isn’t leaving until his cartel has killed off everyone.”
Cammy slowly nodded. “I think you’re right on that point. The border is locked down tight. Nobody’s crossing it.”
Nadia was hit with a sudden realization. “This isn’t just about revenge.”
Thomas frowned at her. “Explain.”
“These attacks on your family—and I assume there have been attacks on other families we just haven’t heard about yet. They’re distractions.”
Cammy was nodding. “It pulls resources away from the manhunt.”
“That’s how he’s going to cross, if the border is locked down as tight as you say it is. Once all the attacks and killings start hitting the media, the public will be whipped into a frenzy. People will demand we let Ruiz cross and go into hiding out of fear their loved one will be next.”
“Speculation,” Cammy said.