AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Stan snorted. “He’s gonna need a manicure and a haircut.”
Chris ignored him. “He’s got a manufactured identity and a verifiable bank account. He’s been processed and approved, and an invitation was extended this morning for tomorrow night’s auction. Once he’s on the inside, the feds suspect he’ll be out of contact. They believe the estate has some type of communication blocking device. He won’t be able to get a message out.”
“Where arewegonna be?” Big Al asked.
“We’ll be on a plane at the airport, disguised as the flight crew. If there’s any problem with getting her on board, we’ll hole up somewhere and exfil by boat.”
“Why would there be a problem getting airborne?” Grady asked.
“Because the feds believe the local officials are in Amorosi’s pocket.”
“Great,” Dusty murmured.
Chris met his eyes. “Once you’re on the inside, we have no idea what happens or how the auction works. You’ll be on your own.”
“What happens if he’s outbid?” Grady asked.
“I’m not leaving without her,” Dusty insisted in a sharp voice.
“Yeah? And how’s that gonna work? You gonna shoot your way out with no weapon, cowboy?” Stan quipped.
“I’ll find a fucking way. There’s no way I’m letting some derelict bastard fly her off to some damn Arab country, never to be seen again.”
“We’ll be monitoring the airstrip. We’ll have eyes on who’s being moved aboard the planes. If we have to, we’ll stop the flight before takeoff,” Chris assured him.
“How are we going to do that?” Stan asked.
“Same way we stopped that plane in Qatar last year.”
“C-4 on the front landing gear. That was epic.” Big Al chuckled.
“Let’s move. We don’t have a lot of time. The plane’s fueled up and waiting at DFW. The helicopter’s waiting to take us there now.”
***
Big Al taxied the jet from the runway past the international terminal to the private hangar, where an unmarked black SUV waited, the driver standing outside. Chris and Dusty peered out the window.
“That should be your ride. You ready?”
Al brought the plane to a stop and Dusty stood, slipping his suit jacket on and adjusting the cuffs over his Rolex watch. “Do I look the part?”
Chris straightened his tie and slapped him on the chest. “Like a million bucks.”
“That’s two billion.”
Chris grinned. “I stand corrected.”
“I’d sure feel better about this if he had a wire or tracking device,” Grady insisted.
“They’d find it. We can’t afford to risk it.”
“If all goes well, I should be back by midnight,” Dusty said. “And if it goes sideways, I’ll find a way to contact you.”
“I imagine if they realize you’re not who you say you are or if you break her out of there, Amorosi will call airport security and they’ll try to board the plane. If that happens, we’re taking off with or without clearance. We’ll get to Puerto Rico and come back with a boat.”
Dusty nodded. He knew if that happened, he’d be on his own.
Al hit the switch and opened the hatch, the stairs descending toward the tarmac. Chris, in his flight uniform, exited the plane and shook his hand at the bottom of the steps.
