Sean looked hopefully as Luis tried the number again. Jane had given Sean an update, three flights would be arriving between 5.15 and 5.45 at Quetzalcoatl International Airport, the airport that served the Mexican side Nuevo Laredo. He had taken Luis back across to the empty house, the CIA equipment was still in the loft and he did not want to risk Katie overhearing anything.
Luis nodded, Juan had answered. Finally. It had been over an hour.
Luis spoke quickly in Spanish and from his demeanor, Sean knew it was not good before he ended the call.
“Five pm!” Luis shook his head despondently as he said it. He knew Juan would not change the time. Once Juan had said 5pm, no matter what, he would never back down. In his eyes it would show weakness.
“Did you tell him I’ll turn the planes around?”
“Yes, he said that would be a mistake!”
“A mistake how? He has nothing else!” said Sean, a knot forming in his stomach. “Fuck!”
With more than thirty years service in the force, Sergeant Hector Martinez was looking forward to his retirement. He had already found a small home by the beach near his ancestral Mexican home. His American pension would go much further South of the border and allow him a far better standard of living. With only a week and counting, he was not going to be rushing towards any dangerous calls.
A few calls had come in throughout the day from the Lakeside area. Each time a car had been dispatched but it had quickly been recalled by the senior despatcher. Martinez had a fair idea the despatcher was working for somebody that wanted something covered up which, around these parts, was the cartel. The power of the cartels had grown exponentially over the last few years and Martinez was delighted he was getting out. He had had enough and seen enough for a lifetime. Ten years ago, he would have been marching into the dispatcher’s office and arresting the son of a bitch but not anymore. With a week to go, he was keeping his head down.
The call that diverted himself to Lakeside was not a welcome one but one that he could not refuse. He was still on the payroll and had to obey. He took it easy as he drove down the street. A few people were around but there were no obvious signs of a disturbance. Whatever the calls had been for earlier that day had obviously been resolved. After a few tours of the area, he spotted his opportunity. The two men had come out of the address and walked across the street. He drove to the end of the block and watched; one week was all he could think. Don’t get yourself shot Hector, he told himself.
He gave it another five minutes but he was delaying the inevitable. He selected 'Drive’ on the gearshift and drove towards the house. The new hybrid cruisers allowed for almost silent driving at speeds less than twenty, the tiniest of hums announced his arrival at Katie’s house. As he exited his cruiser, he kept his eyes peeled on the house across the street. As he stepped up to the front door, his hand reached automatically for his gun. The door was riddled with bullet holes. He eyed the door across the street, still no movement. He knocked on the bullet-ridden door, careful to avoid the splinters. The footsteps announced the arrival of the lady of the house, the sharp crack on the floor was a heel no man would wear.
“Mrs Fox?” inquired Sergeant Martinez.
“Yes,” she offered tentatively, conscious of exactly how the door must have looked.
“Would you mind coming with me, Ma’am?”
“Why?”
“Your son!’ said Sergeant Martinez.
Katie Fox’s face fell, fearing the worst.
“No, no, he’s fine. I’m going to take you to him!”
Katie rushed from the house and jumped into the open door of the cruiser. “We just need to pick up Sean, he’s over there,” she said, beaming from ear to ear.
“No problem,” he smiled, shutting the door and hitting the send button on the text message he had already drafted. The smile was a very warm smile, a smile that had just received a cash boost of $50,000 dollars into its pension fund, courtesy of Juan Cortes of the Los Zetas cartel. Sergeant Hector Martinez had survived the last ten years because he knew who had the power and the money. The small house by the beach was listed at $4.5 million, Cancun wasn’t the cheapest place to live but with the money he had made over the last ten years and stashed offshore, it was a steal.
He sprinted out of the empty house just in time to see the taillights of the police cruiser. He rushed across the road, bursting into Katie’s house, almost removing the door from its hinges.
“Katie!” he shouted, over and over. Nothing, the house was empty.
Luis caught up. “What? What’s happened?” he asked panting.
“The reason Juan didn’t answer! He was waiting to hear his guys had snatched Katie!” Sean punched the wall in frustration. “Fuck!” he screamed.
It was almost 3pm, just over two hours until James would be killed. His mother would survive as long as Sean delivered the contacts, not that she’d want to. Sean wasn’t certain but the loss of James might tip her over the edge. He had failed, allowing Juan the extra leverage had put him in the driving seat. He could show how serious he was by carrying out his threat knowing Sean would still deliver in order to save Katie. Otherwise, he may have had to back down and agree to a change of timeline. Katie changed everything. Luis was right, Juan was smart. There was however one thing that Juan hadn’t factored into his little masterplan. Sean!