J. Edgar Hoover Building, Washington D.C. – 20:56
“Sir,” said someone barging in the FBI Director's office, “The Pentagon wants to talk to you.”
“Patch them in,” the director picks up his phone, “Yes?”
“Director Smith,” said someone over the phone, “I hate to call you this late but I can’t wait to share some good news.”
“Don’t worry,” Smith said, “What do they call you there? 'Overlord'? Well, we badly need some good news right now.”
“My men just secured Suarez’s family and they’re going back with them as we speak,” said Overlord, “What’s the progress on your search?”
Smith holds his forehead, “How do I say this?” Smith sighed, “Four hours ago the Miami Police found someone zip tied in a black Ford Transit. This matched the description of a vehicle our resources saw leaving an inn in Saint George, North Carolina at around six in the morning. We only knew that some few hours ago after using all our resources to find the girl. So we decided to contact the Miami Police, which at that moment cannot ID this person.”
"Athena?” asked Overlord.
“No, but our guy,” said Smith, “Daniel Suarez. I sent my guy there to pick him up and they’re on their way back here with him. He won’t talk.”
“This isn’t good,” said Overlord, “Well then, I think it’s time to have a family reunion. I just hope we’re not too late.”
Belle Glade, Florida – 130 kilometers from Downtown Miami – 21:00
“Nathan,” said Jeff, “Eat your food. We’re going in a minute.”
Nathan angrily stares at him and doesn’t budge sitting on the bed, “I won’t go with you brother!” Nathan yelled as he throws his food off the bed.
Jeff sighed. He heads towards the door, “You’re going with us no matter what. I’m the only one you have, brother.” He left the room slamming the door.
Pedro is eating on a couch when Jeff left Nathan’s room. He stares at Jeff, “Check your girlfriend outside,” Pedro tossed a car key to Jeff, “Make sure she also eat before we go. They’re almost here.”
Without a word, Jeff picks up a packed meal from the table and leaves the inn. He walks to the parking lot and approach a gray SUV. He opened the rear hatch and sat beside Samantha who’s sitting there zip tied at both hands and feet.
Jeff removes the piece of cloth wrapped around her mouth used to muffle her voice, “You should eat,” he opens the packed meal.
Samantha looks at him with resentment, “What are you up to?”
“I told you that this is for us,” said Jeff.
Samantha tries not to cry by closing her eyes, “You’re crazy. You’re unbelievably crazy, Jeff, you know that?”
“We’ll be,” Jeff looks far away smiling, “we’ll be away from the problems you’ve been running away this whole time.”
“They’ll come for me,” Samantha nods trying to be optimistic. She looks at Jeff, “They’ll come for me and you’ll regret all of this.”
“Here,” said Jeff as he tries to feed Samantha. Samantha keeps her mouth closed and turns her head away. “Look, Sam, I don’t want you to get hungry.”
Samantha keeps quiet.
“That’s because I care, Sam,” said Jeff.
“You’re crazy,” she said in a faint voice.
“Does he care?” asked Jeff. Samantha looks at him, “You went in all of this trouble to meet a guy you barely know. How sure are you that this guy would treat you better than me, huh?”
Samantha shakes her head, “Yes I barely knew him. But he sure isn’t an asshole like you!”
Jeff immediately muffled her mouth with his hands, “You’ll love me.” He picks up the piece of cloth and wraps it again around her mouth. “You know, I won’t hurt you Samantha. But don’t try me.” Jeff stands up and slams the hatch close.
Back at the inn Pedro is talking on his phone. Muffled voice can be heard inside Nathan’s room.
Pedro nods while listening, “Si, si,” he looks at his watch, "Nosotras iremos por el lago entonces. Viente minutos.” He hangs up.
Pedro walks into Nathan’s room. Nathan stops yelling. Pedro shows up his gun. He uses it’s muzzle to lower down the cloth muffling Nathan.
“If you’re nice enough like your brother, you won’t be needing this again,” Pedro said. Nathan didn’t respond, “You’re going to be nice?”
Nathan nods. Jeff enters their unit. Pedro immediately hides his gun back as he approaches Jeff.
“We're going now, they’re already here,” Pedro said to Jeff, “Pick up your brother. Make sure he won’t do anything stupid, claro?”
Day Two of Task Force Athena – Arlington, Virginia – 10:15
Overlord meets the Hunters in a closed door meeting in The Pentagon.
“I know what you think,” said Overlord, “Why aren’t we in Capitol Skyline?”
“Actually,” said Happy, “We’re thinking about who the hell has the girl now if our guy’s in jail.”
“I miss that cozy bed,” said Rojas.
“It’s because we’re with the Seals,” said Lead, “Anyway, does our guy tell something?”
“Please don’t say we’re too late,” said Alex.
“I know I said this kind of scenario would mean bad things are gonna happen,” said Overlord, “Well, bad things did happen. But we always want to think that we have the situation under control.”
“Do we? Sir?” asked Alex.
Overlord sighed, “Well, before anything I want to remind you that Al Bashir is still wreaking havoc in the Europe. And the DHS and CIA are busy hunting this bastard down. As soon as we’re done with this you’re gonna resume your day off, at least what’s left of it, before we help them on Al Bashir.”
“I heard they attacked London while we’re in Rio,” said Lead, “I’d prefer going out there as soon as we get the girl.”
“Airport security is tight and FBI's ears are everywhere,” Overlord continues, “But they seemed to look over this thing until it’s too late.”
“What thing?” asked Lead.
“This is the intel we gathered from FBI, DHS, CIA, and DEA,” said Overlord.
“DEA?” asked Rojas.
“That’s right,” said Overlord, “All of them were informed about the Task Force Athena. They included the DEA in case Suarez decided to sell Athena in the cartels. The FBI squeezed up Suarez. He immediately named our new guy once they let him know we’re in possession of his family. It’s Pedro Cortez, his colleague back at the cartel. They both run the drug smuggling along the east coast.”
“Now we’re going to Mexico,” said Rojas.
“And believe it or not,” said Overlord, “Suarez, upon knowing the girl he’s with is the President’s daughter, he told her to go back home. And not only that. He claims that he didn’t kidnap the girl. He only helped her go to Miami because she wants to see some guy she met there few days ago.”
“No shit,” Alex was shocked but tried to act normal.
Rojas looked at Alex, “You’re still thinking about the kid I shot in Rio? I’m also disappointed in what happened. Especially it’s basically because a girl tried to see a guy by sneaking out the White House.”
“Miami, huh,” said Happy, “If that guy's Alex I’d be sure as hell proud.” He laughs then looks at Alex, “I’m just kidding, I'd definitely punch this guy. Because I can’t punch the President’s daughter, let alone a girl.” Alex tries to smile.
“So,” said Lead, “What did they overlooked?”
“Oh yes, let me continue on that,” said Overlord, “Going back. Suarez said, right from the start of their journey with the girl, Cortez indicated some interest on her. Then he told him they should sell her. Dead or alive.”
“That’s it,” said Rojas, “That’s just the thing that we needed to hear. Tell us where he is and we’ll go get this son of a bitch.”
“We’ll arrive at that,” said Overlord, “Now the FBI is trying to intercept any phonecall from or to Mexico. That’s their best guess cause we’re talking about Cortez. But I guess the Cartel’s smart enough to secure the lines if there’s any. Here’s when the CIA and DEA tried to mobilize their assets inside the cartels all over the Mexico. Meanwhile the Homeland Security reported a Volaris flight that touched down in Miami International Airport at twenty-one hundred hours. There’s no reports on suspicious activity there other than an unexpected private helicopter flight from the airport to Pahokee. Although, the pilot did informed the airport tower that they’d just pick up someone in Pahokee. It returned just before the same plane went back to Mexico.”
“Now that’s suspicious,” said Happy, “But where exactly in Mexico.”
“Aeropuerto Internacional de Culiacán,” said Overlord.
“Sinaloa,” Rojas shakes his head as he speak.
“When they looked at the records, the flight itself could be considered suspicious,” said Overlord, “Volaris did offer flights to America but mostly in LA. But they did overlooked the situation as the passengers from the flight we’re checked cleared by the DHS. The plane wasn’t supposed to be loading up passengers going back in Culiacán. And it didn’t, or so they thought.”
“No,” said Rojas, “The fact that it came from Sinaloa that’d ring a bell on me.”
“Don’t tell me you grew up there too,” Alex sighed.
“They basically let them take Athena to Mexico,” said Happy, “I mean, FBI, what are they doing with their search?”
“This is where the DEA's asset came in,” said Overlord, “Since the capture of the big time drug lord from Sinaloa three years ago, CIA and DEA worked together to embed an agent in one of the biggest cartel family in Mexico. After they mobilize all of their assets in there in response to Task Force Athena, this particular agent in Sinaloa reported something big is happening there. It was six in the morning when he confirmed that Athena is there, and they knew about her identity.”
“This is so bad,” Alex sighed in worry.
“We’re expecting a call to White House for ransom anytime soon,” said Overlord.
“They’d probably want their boss back,” said Rojas.
“The DEA's embedded personnel gave the exact location of Athena,” said Overlord, “The cartel family would go on a meeting this afternoon so they could talk about what they’d do to her.”
“That’s when we come in,” Lead said.
“We’re preparing everything we need as we speak,” said Overlord, “In twenty mike’s you’ll be riding on our C-130 with your Seal comrades. Only the four of you will be jumping off above the target area. The Seals would disembark shortly after with rubber boats to secure the coast for exfil. Two of our CH-47 Chinook will be deployed from Nimitz currently positioned near the west coast of Mexico. After dropping off you’ll be regrouping with the DEA's agent in this location,” Overlord marks a location on the map, “He’ll tell you where the exact building their hiding Athena. This is a hostage situation, Hunters. No alerts until you secured the precious package.”
“We can do it until the exfil,” said Rojas, “The hell, we can do it without firing a gun.”
“Twisting necks and hiding bodies,” said Happy, “Classic us.” He smirked.
“Listen up,” said Overlord, “This is our only chance because they don’t know we’re coming. What they’re thinking as of now is they sneaked out Athena without us knowing. Somehow, the DHS's inaction gave us an advantage. After they call the White House, if they would, they’d be expecting us to do this kind of operation so their security on Athena would be tightened. This is our only window.”
“Let’s do this,” said Lead.
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