Chapter 9 Ranger and Ben Join the Pursuit
Bob and several other security men had dressed in camo and were preparing to drive to Walden when Carlos Manoso came through the door.
"Ranger?" Bob asked incredulously.
"Bob, I put Cathy in this mess; I need to be involved in the clean-up. Do you have extra equipment?"
"Cathy is more than competent, Ranger. You don't have to come save the day."
Ranger looked at the two Suburbans being loaded up with men and equipment, "So, you aren't worried?"
Bob shook his head, "Hell, you can join us."
Once the vehicles were packed with weapons, ammunition, food, satellite phones, batteries, clothing and other materials, the eight men began the long ride to North Park via Ft. Collins and Chambers Pass.
"How did you get here so quickly?" Bob asked Ranger.
"I was in Kansas City. Private jet. Thank you for keeping me up to date."
Bob looked at Manoso's clothes. It wasn't a business meeting in Kansas City or else he kept camo and boots on board the jet.
"What's Marc's status?" Bob inquired.
"He's safe in Miami. We are in the process of getting a non-bond on Harper, the FTA. It will be tricky unless we find something at the cabin. Stinson still in charge?"
"Thankfully somebody in Washington has brains. Stinson is out. The idiot ordered the two guys in the cabin released. One grabbed an IED disguised as a lighter and blew himself and his companion up and critically wounding an HLS.
"Stupid," Ranger muttered, "but helpful." Ranger texted Miami with news on the IEDs, deaths and injured HLS.
"Stinson is below stupid. More HLS plus FBI, ATFE on are site now plus state and local cops. Stinson was taken away, returned to Denver. Army is on its way with bomb techs. Hazardous materials people are moving in now though they have no idea what they may find. As to who is actually in charge, that's a good question; probably a pissing contest right now."
"What about the two other hostages in the trees Cathy and Ben secured?"
"They are with State Police for now. FBI will probably take them. Homeland will have to beg for their return."
"Finally, the two guys with the car?"
"The vehicle quit before it got to the main road, Carson was moving in fast when he heard gun fire. The guy in the SUV killed himself rather than be captured. Guess he won't be going to Paradise. Cathy is trailing the second. He took off west into the forest."
Ranger spoke, "We ran a check on Ben Carson. He has an impressive record. He was part of the investigation in the arms case in Iraq."
"Yeah, Cathy gave him all her research before she left with you. She was afraid somebody would destroy her work. They did. Carson had the backups hidden away. He looks solid."
It was nearing dusk when Ranger, Bob and six other Simon men were cleared through the road blocks and allowed to near the cabin area. Bob was well known in the alphabet agencies; ATFE, FBI, HLS and such, but was only lukewarmly received. The Feds weren't interested in civilians getting in the way.
"You Bob?" A larger man built like an NFL player asked. "I'm Ben Carson, initial HLS team. Major Castillo said you'd be here. HLS is being wedged out, and the other agencies are getting facts mixed. They are now wondering if Castillo isn't part of this. My position is being questioned as well."
"That's ridiculous." Bob Simon shook his head.
Carson continued, "FBI wants to form a squad to go after her and arrest her."
Bob and Ranger were near ballistic. "Who's the idiot who came up with that?" Bob demanded.
Bob cornered the FBI agent who had assumed command, "Damnit Gene, Castillo is not part of this."
"Then why did he run?"
"First of all, he is a she, former US Army Major Catherine Castillo. She worked for me in the US Marshals and is now with me in Denver.
"A woman?"
"Yeah, a US Army, West Point graduate woman." Bob introduced Manoso. "This is Carlos Manoso, former Special Forces Ranger who served with her in Iraq. He owns Rangeman Security, the initial contact on this…fiasco. The cabin owner is an FTA out of their Miami office, we just helped."
Ranger spoke, "Gene, as Bob said, I served with her on the ground in Iraq. I know how she thinks, how she moves. Send me out with one other and we'll bring her and the fugitive back."
Ben approached the FBI man, "Sir, I'm Ben Carson, HLS initial team. I served with Castillo in Army Intel. It was her work that brought down a major arms smuggling operation. She won't give up until she brings back the fugitive. I was with her up there, in the rocks, when she took down the drone and disabled the vehicle. She could have killed both men but spared them to interview them. It's the way she was trained. I'd like to go with Mr. Manoso.
"So, she's not running?" Gene asked.
"Hell no Gene, she's pursuing. It's how she was trained," Bob replied forcibly.
All three looked at FBI Gene, "It's your ass on the line, Bob. Get rest, gear, supplies and head out first light. Not much you can do in the dark now. Keep in contact; take extra batteries for your cells. Do you have a satellite phone? Not many cell towers around out there."
While Gene was talking, Bob received a text. It was Cathy reporting in. "She's about 5 miles in, west, settling down for the night. You still think she's a threat?"
"May I have your phone Bob," Ranger asked. Taking the phone Ranger sent her the number in Trenton for check-ins and positioning. He finished by telling her he and Ben were coming. He received a 10-4/1 bar. She was nearly out of range.
Ranger returned Bob's phone, after first getting Cathy's number. "We have advanced tracking and GPS. If she can send a message, we'll know where she is instantly."
FBI Gene grunted, "Probably some super-secret spy stuff..." and walked off to join the official pissing contest with the alphabet agencies.
Bob turned to Ranger, "Is it super-secret spy stuff?"
Ranger nodded. Doing covert missions for the government gave Rangeman access to items not available to civilian or most government agencies. Ben smiled, he was right.
For as long as Cathy could get a signal out, Rangeman Trenton would locate immediately and relay info to Ranger and Bob. Otherwise Ranger would track and relay his position out via satellite phone. For the time, the alphabet agencies were more interested on the site in Walden and not the pursuit.