Chapter 5
“Juan Carlos Reynoso,” Matt said.
Dane’s head hung low. His eyes were glossy marbles of fear.
“He is the top boss for the Mexican
Mafia in Tijuana,” Matt continued. “Every
business in the city pays a monthly fee to Reynoso for protection. A tax really.
To stay alive.”
Dane didn’t raise his head but it
was obvious he was hearing Matt’s description because his lips began to
tremble.
“And so we need you to bring us to
him,” Matt said, “so we can find the source of the Uranium.”
Dane was shaking his head without
real conviction, a toddler trying to disagree with his parents and yet knowing
he couldn’t win the argument.
“Yes,” Matt said, bending low to judge
Dane’s expression better, “this Uranium is extremely troublesome. We don’t know if this is the first batch
Reynoso has tried to smuggle into the border, or the tenth. So it’s very important we stop it before it
becomes a real threat to our nation.”
Dane rubbed a hand over his
face. “Man, I just can’t do it. Can’t you put me into like a witness
protection deal?”
“Sorry pal. That’s only if you testify against someone
and we don’t even have Reynoso in custody.”
Matt’s face brightened. “Hey, but
you can help us put him there. And
that’s one step closer to witness protection.”
Dane didn’t appear convinced. Matt could tell the kid wasn’t about to risk
his life over a stupid decision that he regretted the moment he’d made it.
Matt pointed to a remote control
sitting on shelf just below a small TV hanging in the corner of the room. Nick swiped the remote from the shelf and
tossed it to Matt.
“Would you like to watch a little
TV?” Matt asked.
Dane sat motionless, staring at the
black screen. “What?”
“TV,” Matt said. “We have security cameras around the
perimeter of the facility and sometimes it’s interesting to see what’s going on
outside. Gives one a little
perspective.”
Matt held out his arm and pointed
the remote at the TV. A moment later the
screen came to life. Matt could tell by
the confused look on Dane’s face, he wasn’t getting it just yet.
The first camera image showed cars
going up and down a busy two lane road.
A light sprinkle made the street glisten. A few seconds later the screen flashed to a
view of the parking lot. There were
twenty or thirty cars randomly parked across the stretch of asphalt according
to the shift someone may have started and how busy it was at the time.
Dane looked at Matt. “Is there a reason we’re doing this?”
Matt put a finger to his lips. “Just watch.”
The next image displayed an empty
street along the side of the complex.
There was a deep expanse of woods on the far side of the street and
nothing but the cyclone fence of the compound on the near side. It was completely vacant but for one solitary
vehicle sitting along the shoulder with the windows down. There were two men inside the dark green
sedan. It was obvious these men were of
Latin descent. Two Hispanic men stared
at the correctional facility. The driver
wore sunglasses even in the drizzle. He
wore the tediously wicked expression of an assassin who was bored with such an easy
target.
“Wha . . . what . . . who are they?”
Matt pushed a button, then placed
the remote down on the table. The screen
remained focused on the sedan. “I think
you have an idea who they are,” Matt said quietly.
Dane’s eyes widened as the realization
hit him. “They’re waiting for me?”
Matt said nothing.
Nick sipped his coffee and kept
quiet.
Matt watched the kid stare at his
future assassins with a complete sense of his mortality sinking in. Dane was plummeting to his death and Matt was
right there to offer him a parachute.
“Now,” Matt said, clasping his hands
together on the table like a friendly schoolteacher. “Let’s talk about your future.”
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