Chapter 21 Fire Bomb #3
Nicki thought about her words for a moment, and remembered about all the times she witnessed anyone of the Dorien crew commanding respect anywhere they went.
They were guided by their unwritten but very real communal guidelines of authority, order, and…
power. They were untouchable in the entire Washington state and the borders that they ran for over a decade.
And the truth was, if any one of the crew would have walked into that cigar shop, they would be waited on like kings.
“I think you’re right. I hate that kindness is regarded as weakness, but it’s something I need to accept and work on. Thanks,” Nicki said to Christina with a wink. Her eyes drifted to the charming French bistro-style patio under a green and white striped awning.
“OK, this place has the best matcha! I’m just going to pop into the bathroom quickly,” Nicki said, and headed toward the bathrooms of the sky-lit boutique shopping mall with Christina dutifully by her side.
Sasha and Mac were not far behind.
The August heat made waves in the air over the stand-still congested border traffic. Sticky. Dirty. Exhaust fumes filled the truck. All lanes to the US-Canadian Border Crossing were jam packed.
Vinnie in Truck-1 led the convoy. He had just passed the American check point and was waiting at the second check point booth, on the Canadian side.
Tyler was behind him and inching up slowly with his windows down, waiting for the border agent.
“K-9’s,” Cedar murmured.
Two large German Shepherds on short leashes sniffed around a sedan in the neighbouring lane, with their border guard handlers.
“Fuck, man,” the other Leeman added.
“Relax, just keep it cool,” Tyler suggested, discreetly looking at Kane’s SUV behind them through his side view mirror.
“How am I supposed to keep it cool, man, it’s a hundred degrees outside!”
Truck-1 moved up but was directed by the Canadian Customs Agent to the side lane for an inspection.
“Fuck!” Cedar yelled.
“Relax, stay calm,” Tyler quipped. “Don’t let them see we are nervous too. It’s reasons like this why you need Trevor to correct your shit packing. They’ll be fine. Chill.”
Both trucks were now on the Canadian end of the border check point, almost out. Truck-2 inched up closer. So did Tyler’s pulse.
He closed his eyes briefly to try to keep calm. He had the itching urge to throw off Jake’s ball cap he was wearing. A first. Tyler took a quiet deep breath and braved the rimmed, sweaty hat.
“Oh, there’s a good one, there!” the Leeman beside Tyler shouted, interrupting the heat. He passed his phone over to Tyler to show him what he was looking at. It was a picture of Nicki, leaning against a planter, tying her shoe in her yoga pants.
“Damn, is her pussy as tight as her ass looks? I can’t wait to find out! I almost wish you would try to pull something, Dorien!” he said to Tyler blatantly.
Tyler turned to him. “I swear on my life, by the end of this day, or maybe even sooner than that, I will fucking blow your fucking brains out, and you will burn in hell.” The black in his eyes darkened.
The Leeman’s joker face faded and he put away the phone.
Tyler’s silent meditation and filtering out the homicidal thoughts of his truck mates was interrupted by a Canadian customs agent, tapping on the side of the truck, at the driver’s window.
“How are ya doin’ today? What are you transporting?” the agent asked from below.
“Auto parts,” Tyler replied.
“Are you with the truck up ahead?”
“Yeah, we’re with them.”
“Where is your final delivery destination? Can I see the work order?” the agent asked, keeping his head down.
“Vancouver. Here you go, bud,” Tyler said, and handed him the delivery form, containing their detailed auto inventory list.
Sweat beaded down Tyler’s forehead.
The Leeman in the far passenger seat kept his eye on the K-9 dog just a few feet away.
“Good boy, good boy, you don’t smell anything over here,” he whispered nervously.
“You’re all Americans?” the agent asked.
“Yup.”
The agent handed back the two passports of the Leemans to Tyler.
“I’m just gonna check on yours for a minute, sit tight,” the agent said.
An unsettling air filled the truck.
“It’s fine, relax,” Tyler said, looking straight ahead. Truck-1 was still ahead of them, still pulled over.
A voice note from Tommy came in. Tyler played it out loud.
“Yo, where are you guys? We’re on the other side already. What’s the hold up?”
Tyler pressed the record button.
“Bro, we’re still stuck at the border, they’re checking my fucking passport. Lisa’s not working today.”
Over on the Canadian side, in a Tim Hortons vacant parking lot where their SUV was waiting safely, the rest of the crew were observing the surveillance camera feed. They were surrounded by antennas, monitors and laptops.
Jake burst out laughing at Tyler’s Oscar-worthy voice note performance.
“Jake, focus, guy!” Tommy scolded, oddly stern for him. “Do you have any idea what Tyler and Vinnie are sitting on?”
The crew returned to serious and focused on the task at hand.
Tyler and the Leemans in truck-2 waited a few more excruciating minutes. Tyler kept stoic in the driver’s seat although his heart was pounding.
The two Leemans beside him didn’t exercise that much patience. One crunched his empty water bottle onto the floor at his feet.
The agent finally returned.
“Mr. Dorien, could you come with me please? Just you for now.”
Tyler opened the door hesitantly and climbed down the steps of the truck.
He followed the agent, trying his best to remain composed. But the oversized uniform hanging dishevelled off of Luca made his efforts exceptionally challenging.
Luca led Tyler into the Canadian Border Services inspection office, and then into an empty interrogation room.
The camera feed from the dome in the corner of the ceiling had already been intercepted by Vinnie earlier, reproducing the same feed of the empty room on loop to their security office.
Jake and Tommy were now observing the real live feed on his laptop, along with the cameras pointed to the two trucks.
Luca closed the door to the office quietly.
Tyler grabbed Luca and pulled him in for the biggest bro hug he’s ever given him.
“You got this, brother, you got this!” Tyler said quietly.
“Thanks, Alpha. OK, let me go get Vinnie. Stay here at the table as if you’re waiting to be interviewed if anyone asks,” Luca instructed, adjusting his uniform hat.
Luca walked back outside and around the further column, across the neighboring lane in order not to be recognized by the Leemans in Tyler’s truck. He went straight to truck-1, where Vinnie was in the middle of a rant to his Leeman companions about how making them wait was bullshit.