CHAPTER NINETEEN
“We’ve got to find a way to stop this maniac,” said Gator. “Why is that none of us have heard of him or had interactions with him?”
“Maybe we’ve all been out too long,” said Ham shaking his head. “Have we spoken to any of the younger men?”
“Some of them,” nodded Cowboy.
“Hey, you’ve got a call that you need to take,” said AJ. “Cooper is calling in from the field.”
“Cooper? Where is his Ranger team?” asked Gator.
“No clue but let’s find out.” The screen illuminated with a familiar face, although older, harder, and dirtier. They all smiled, calling out his name.
“Coop!”
“Hey, guys,” he grinned. “How are things there?”
“Good. How are you?” asked Ham.
“I’m good. I’ve been given permission to call all of you because it appears we could be helpful to one another. I’m currently sitting somewhere in the lovely jungles of South America.”
“South America,” frowned Cowboy.
“Yes. Good old South America. We’ve been tracking and trying to shut down the trafficking from a cartel run by Marco Rodriguez. Sound familiar?”
“Way too familiar,” frowned Ham. “He’s doing other shit as well.”
“Like the Roman coliseum for gladiator battles?” grinned Coop.
“Damn, you are good. Yes. Like that. We have someone here, someone who was involved in the incidences up in the Dakotas. She’s been here a few days now but we rescued her from a bad situation that was only going to get worse.”
“Okay,” he frowned. “What does that have to do with this?”
“She has a gift,” said Gator. “A gift like Mama Irene, Gaspar, Luke, and Trak. Her stepfather owed Marco money and promised to deliver her to him.”
“Holy fuck. She’s his secret weapon. He kept talking to our sources about a secret weapon that would make him the most powerful and wealthy man in South America. We thought it was an actual weapon.”
“It could have been,” said Ham. “Her stepfather thought she could tell the animals what to do.”
“He’s going to be fucking pissed,” grinned Coop.
“I’m going to send you a couple of phone numbers of men working on the coliseum structure.
Just tell them you have a message for him about his secret weapon.
We’ve got some things we have to get shut down here before you can come in but once we do that, you’re free to bombs away. ”
“I see. So, you need a favor?” smirked Ham. “Uncle Sam doesn’t want anyone to know we’re down there snooping and shutting shit down.”
“Sorry, fellas, no comment. I’ll be home soon. I promise.” The screen went black and they stared at one another.
“Call the number,” said Ham. AJ called the first number and no one answered. On the second, the man picked up.
“Hello?”
“Calling for Marco Rodriguez regarding his secret weapon?” said Ham.
“Who is this?”
“None of your fucking business. Get me your boss.” There was silence, then the sound of someone moving and fabric brushing against the phone.
“My apologies boss. You have a call.”
“Who the fuck is it?” he snapped.
“Someone that says they have information about your secret weapon.” Marco grabbed the phone, stepping away from the other men.
“You’d better have good news for me, or you know what’s going to happen, Josh.”
“Sorry to disappoint you old man but Josh is no longer available to you or anyone else.” There was a deathly silence and then heavy breathing.
“Who is this?” he asked in a low tone.
“Oh, I’m not sure it really matters,” said Ham. “What matters is that Josh is gone, your secret weapon is safe and in hiding, and you’ll never get to her. In fact, I’m going to offer you a great deal because that’s the kind of generous, kind man I am.”
“You’re making me lose patience quickly and I am not generous or kind.”
“Well, that’s a shame,” chuckled Ham. “You stop this coliseum bullshit, pitting animals against men and one another, and I’ll give you a few weeks headstart on the trafficking shit coming into New Orleans.”
They could hear hard footsteps and then the low gravelly voice of Marco Rodriguez.
“Who the fuck are you? You think you can stop me? No one can stop me. I will have the most amazing arena the world has ever seen. Men and women will beg me to rid them of their trash and I will accommodate. And the drugs? Do you honestly believe you can stop me?
“I am ruling this part of the world right now. You’re so pathetic you won’t even give me a name.”
“Oh, right. Sorry, that was rude of me. My name is Hamish and I’m with the Shadow Warriors.”
It was so quiet on the other end of the line, they could actually hear the construction equipment and talking in the background. They patiently waited a few moments and then Ham spoke again.
“I don’t have all day, Marco. What do you say to our deal?”
“Others may fear you but I do not. Your country won’t allow you to come down here, I know this. You will not stop me. You cannot.”
“Watch us.”