What is and What Should Never Be
Chapter Ten -- Shakedown, Breakdown, Takedown.
Donovan crouched down behind a stack of oil drums located at the rear of the Reconditioning garage. The car carrier was due within thirty minutes. His team, along with a full FBI SWAT team, was strategically placed around the dealership.
"Check in," he commanded, speaking covertly into his ear mic. He listened as each team member radioed their position and status before he spoke again. "Cody? The entrance?"
"Got it covered, Boss," Cody's voice spilled into his ear. "Surveillance is set and I'm monitoring the entrance for activity."
Sighing inwardly, he steeled himself for the inevitable roar of the carrier's engine. His eyes scanned the area all around him for any movement while his mind clamped down on the sudden wave of anxiety that rose from the pit of his stomach.
At the present, they knew several men waited inside the garage playing cards, killing time until the vehicles arrived. Donovan did not recognize them as any of the dealership's regular mechanics or recon techs, although they wore Creswell's uniforms.
Without realizing it, his thoughts turned to Taylor and the few hours he had managed to spend with her in the last day. She was working crazy hours doing the month end accounting close, and he had made sure she had left for the evening before his team had arrived and taken up position. It had been easy for Cody to hack into the security system so their arrival had been undetected and they entered by way of the back lot only after Taylor's departure.
He realized that once this evening was over, he and the team would be returning to Chicago. The time to tell Taylor the truth was fast approaching. Once the case busted open, the Federal District Attorney would question her thoroughly. Cody had done a methodical background check on her. Nothing was out of line in regards to her finances. On paper, she appeared to be clean. In his heart he knew that was the truth. Still, it would not stop the DA from interrogating her. The only allowance he could get the DA to make was that he would be present for her interrogation.
He heard the faint noise from the loud engines in the distance. The carrier was not far from the dealership. He forced thoughts of Taylor from his mind and focused on the task at hand.
~*~
Yawning tiredly, Taylor rubbed her eyes and then reached for the cup of coffee that rested in the dashboard's drink holder. After taking a sip, she started the engine and headed back to the dealership for what she hoped was the final round in her attempt to close the books for the month. All she lacked was the payroll accrual posted and then the financial statements could be run and transmitted to the manufacturer.
She silently thanked Devon for allowing her to use his car to return to the dealership that evening. If she could finish the close, she was planning on taking a couple days off. She could not remember a time when she was so exhausted. Between work, Bubo's illness, and the recent activity with Ettore [and what activity it was!], Taylor needed some down time.
~*~
"Hold your positions," Donovan commanded. He watched the carrier pull up to the gates and one of the men jump down from the cab to punch in the security code to enter the complex. Within moments they made their way to the back of the property and halted the carrier alongside the Recon building. Four men exited the cab and made their way to the back of the carrier. One of those men was Jake.
Seconds later, those men who had been waiting within the building hurried to the carrier to help unload the vehicles. Not long after that did the Feds discover just how the drugs had been smuggled within or on the cars.
After driving them into the Recon bays, air wrenches were pulled out and the tires removed. Long, thick magnetic strips were removed from the wheel wells before new tires were reattached. The wheels that were removed, along with the ominous magnetic strips, were loaded onto a large hauler. This process was repeated with the cars' batteries and headrests and the removed items were loaded onto the hauler as well.
"Sneaky," Cody commented through the receiver.
"Very. Contact HQ," Donovan spoke softly. "The drugs contained in the parts removed were on these cars when they arrived at the docks. Someone's on the take."
"Relaying message now," Cody confirmed. "Tell me I am not seeing this!"
"What is it?"
"A dark sedan has pulled up to the gate. Whoever it is is punching in a security code now…" Cody paused as the code displayed on his monitor. "It's Taylor's access code."
"Damn it," Donovan cursed under his breath.
"Should I send someone…she's headed into the main building."
"To her office. She'll be fine there as long as she doesn't get curious. Keep an eye on her, Cody. Alert me if she moves."
"Yes, sir."
~*~
Unaware of the activity taking place across the lot, Taylor made her way to her office and dived into the remainder of the work she had. If all went smoothly, she figured to be finished within a couple hours.
She couldn't say how long she had been buried in figures when noises from outside drew her attention to the security monitors. She flipped through the various cameras until one scene caught her eye; activity in the Recon department long after the close of the dealership. She pressed on the zoom button and focused the camera on two men who had just exited two separate cars and moved toward each other. She didn't recognize the Hispanic man, but was more than certain the other was Nelson Creswell. What's happening out there? Without giving thought to the danger, Taylor slipped out of the building through the back entrance.
~*~
"Creswell has arrived…followed by… Joaquin Portocarrero," Cody announced as both men exited their vehicles. The database brought up pertinent information on Portocarrero instantaneously. "Diplomat from Spain...he's on the DEA watch list, but to this point, nothing has been connected to him."
"His diplomatic credentials will be useless when we're through with him," Donovan spat. He shifted his position and readied to give the order to move in.
~*~
Creswell stopped a few feet away from Portocarrero. As much as he wanted to end this, he knew the man who stood in front of him could destroy his life. Much more than his own life, he would take the life of his only daughter. Specifically, his daughter, Cecilia, who had mistakenly fallen prey to the charms of Portocarrero.
Since Creswell no longer had a say in his daughter's life, he walked a precarious line with her husband. Portocarrero used Cecilia as a pawn in a dirty game of chess. Creswell only had to say "No" once to Portocarrero to find out that his threats against Cecilia were real. That one time had caused his daughter to wind up in the hospital, beaten within an inch of her life. Portocarrero had staged it to look like a mugging gone bad, but had made sure Creswell knew who was behind it. Participate in the drug trafficking, or bury his daughter. Those were his choices. In reality, he had no choice.
"Is everything in order?" Creswell asked with little emotion. The sooner they were off his property, the sooner he could get on with his life…until the next call.
Portocarrero turned and spoke to the man standing next to him. With a nod, he turned his attention to Creswell. "Everything is going according to plan, dear Father-in-law."
"How long until you and these men are out of my sight?"
"Not long. Have patience," Portocarrero sneered.
Before Creswell could respond, he heard a shout from behind him. Turning, he saw Taylor running toward him. "Jesus, no."
~*~
If keeping a low profile were not a priority, Donovan would have shouted loud enough to send Cody through the roof of the surveillance van. "You were supposed to be watching her," he bit out in a low voice.
"She must have slipped out while I was watching Creswell and Portocarrero's arrival," Cody explained worriedly.
"It's your call, Donovan," Alex's voice was heard through the receiver.
"Move in!" he growled, jumping up from his hiding place. Dozens of Federal agents swarmed the area, moving in on the unsuspecting criminals.
~*~
Portocarrero drew his gun with lightning reflex. His aim was just as quick and centered on Taylor who stopped just short of Creswell.
"No!" Creswell shouted. "She's just an employee…she's not a threat."
"Mister Creswell," Taylor stammered, visibly shaken by the sight of the gun. "What…"
"She is a threat now, you idiot," Portocarrero shouted angrily.
"Federal agents! Drop your weapons! Face down on the ground!"
Portocarrero drew a second gun, aiming it in the direction of the voice. His gaze, however, did not waver from the female that had unexpectedly arrived. She would be his ticket out. "Come here, bitch."
Taylor had been frozen to the spot, her eyes moving from the man who held the gun to Nelson. She felt as though she were trapped in a nightmare and prayed for someone to wake her up. And when she heard a deep, commanding voice call out "Federal agents" she thought she had been mistaken to whom it belonged. But why would Ettore be…
"Don't move…anyone," Donovan ordered. Agents blanketed the area, apprehending those that had already surrendered. Donovan was joined by Alex and then Jake. Each of their weapons trained on Portocarrero.
"You've got nowhere to go. Give it up," Donovan demanded, inching forward slightly.
Portocarrero firmed his grip on both guns. "Take one more step and she's dead." Again he motioned to Taylor. "I told you to come to me. Don't make me ask again."
"Don't move!" Donovan yelled. When Taylor's gaze finally moved from Portocarrero to him, he could literally feel her surprise at seeing him. Her eyes widened with the added shock and she reflexively took a step toward him.
"Drop your weapon, Portocarrero!" Donovan again demanded. "There's nowhere to go."
Portocarrero stepped toward the woman, his intention clear. The sound of many guns cocking reached his ears and his steps halted. "You may shoot me, but at least one innocent will go with me," he boasted. "Do you want that on your conscience?"
"Ettore," Creswell spat. He recognized the agent immediately. "Back off. If anything happens to him, he'll kill my daughter."
"He'll be in no position…"
"Enough!" Portocarrero screamed. His patience was lost along with his sanity. Even if he could get to the woman, there was no way the agents would let him leave alive. A distraction may give him the chance to escape. The woman would serve a purpose after all.
Donovan made out the subtle movement of Portocarrero's finger squeezing the trigger. His aim was dead on to shoot Taylor between the eyes. His hesitation was non existent, but it was still too late. He heard the simultaneous report of two guns...the sound echoing in the stillness of the night air.
...to be continued.