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“I absolutely fucking can find out about that, Brady. Sergio told you this? And what’s his source?”
“The radio, and soon to be TV, as I understand it.”
“Okay, so then that changes things a little bit. In a way, it makes it easier. Let me find out. I have one more question for you, Brady. If this is a paramilitary operation, like one of the factions down there taking over the airport and not necessarily governor-sponsored action, can you get together a team?”
“I’ll get together whatever you want me to do. I’ll turn over heaven and earth. You just tell me how high to jump and I’ll jump.”
Riley was cranky as hell when he called back and sported lots of attitude. Brady cut him off before he could get too wound up.
“Situation’s changed, sport. I need to ask you another favor.”
“Something tells me you’re going to ask me something I can’t refuse. Is something wrong with Maggie? Is she injured or—”
“I’ve promised not to say anything, but if it’s necessary, I may have to assemble a team. Are you in or do you have to stay back?”
“Now you’re asking me if I can leave my kids, your kid, and my wife all alone and go down with you to Mexico? Is that what you’re asking? Really, Brady?”
“Might be. I’ll know in a little bit. Not a word to anybody. I’m just asking you, is it feasible?”
“Well, I wasn’t going to have to get a divorce over moving into your place, but now I don’t know with this new ask. But you sure do like to put things right up to the edge, don’t you?”
“I can’t think of anyone else I would rather go over the cliff with than you, Riley. I need you. I need your skills, your training, and your brainpower. I don’t want you to say anything, but be thinking about who you’d want on this team.”
“How many people are we talking?”
“I don’t know yet. But can we get five or six?”
“We’ve got the guys who worked on Maggie’s rescue the first time. They certainly know the stakes. I think they’d be in for some extra cash. Otherwise, I don’t know. I mean, I haven’t even talked to those guys since we got back. But sure, I’ll make a list. And then I’m going to let you talk to my wife and ask her, if it comes to that.”
“Fair enough.”
Several minutes later, Charlie returned the call. It was horrible news.
“We’re going to need seven or eight guys. I can arrange transport, but you got to get down to San Diego, to Coronado ASAP. I want only guys you vetted. I don’t know how much you’ll be paid, but it’ll be worth your while. We can get your weapons and ammo in on a midnight flight tonight, and you’ll have to do a HALO with all your equipment. I only want guys you’ve worked with and know to be completely solid. No newbies.”
“Seven or eight then, huh? It’s a tall order, ma’am.”
“No less than six. That’s my bottom line. It’s a no-go if we can’t have six or more. Seven or eight is the right number. Tell me you can do this.”
“I can do it. I got to make some calls, but just so I have a point of reference, Charlie, what exactly are we going to be walking into?”
“The new governor for the state of Baja was assassinated yesterday afternoon. They shut down the airport and everybody in it, including anyone who came to pick up passengers. I think it’s likely your wife is caught in the middle of this. However, it’s a militia faction composed of leftist revolutionaries and hired assassins controlled by the cartels in Sinaloa. It’s not Rojas’s people. I have no history with these folks. But our State Department needs to authorize a rescue for the American citizens there before they start using them as bait to get some prisoners in our jails released—drug dealers, predators, and child sex traffickers. State wants it quiet. They don’t want any Mexican nationals or other nationalities harmed, and they want Americans returned home, regardless of their injuries. We probably only have about a twenty-four-hour window, because there is a huge flotilla headed for San Felipe, probably arriving tomorrow morning. After that, all bets are off. You get working. Let me know when you’ve got it arranged and who is going. Okay?”
“I’ll get right on it.”
Brady hung up.
Suddenly, whether or not his chickens lived, the baby chicks survived, or Tate was properly cared for was secondary. There was no way his wife and a Catholic priest could stand up to all of that firepower and control. They were as helpless as Emma would be in the same situation.
They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Brady and his team of former SEALs were their only chance at survival.
