Ch.1: The Snakes Bite pt.1

November 12, 2019

0130 hrs

US41 Florida

15 miles west of Miami

A tired utility truck rumbles down the dark stretch of road, while its driver searches for its final resting place.

"Just hang in there. Not much farther now." The driver says to himself, hoping that the truck wouldn't die before he made it to their destination. Up ahead, several utility vehicles line a small clearing on the opposite side of the road. As the truck nears the convoy, a man in a reflective vest steps into the road, signaling the driver to park near the telephone pole. As the driver does so, he rolls the window down and activates the trucks overhead beacon as the man approaches the driver's door. Through the dull orange strobes of the light, he couldn't immediately tell who the man was, but he knew through the mans accent that it was his contact, Luigi Moretti.

"Vinny really gave you the best truck in the fleet eh, Donnie?" the man says sarcastically with a watered down Italian dialect as he brings his fist up to the window.

"The best truck for a one way trip." Driver says as he returns the fist bump.

"What took you so long, Tyler? We expected you ten minutes ago."

"Your boss had me pick up a few extra things on the way up."

"I figured." Lou said as he looks up and down the road to check for any incoming vehicles.

"Well, they're not here yet, so it's not the end of the world.You got everything we asked for?"

"It's all in the back." Tyler replies as he directs Lous attention towards the back of the truck where a blue tarp covered everything that was in the back.

Lou nods as he turns his back to Tyler and signals for the rest of the crew to start unloading the truck. Hidden under the bundles of extension cords and other beaten up equipment, the crew uncover several wooden crates marked with a symbol of a compass branded onto the lids and move them across the road behind their fleet of vehicles to crack them open. Upon opening the crates, they were happy to find that the crates contained several standard AK-47's and two RPK's complete with drum magazines and bipods along with enough bulletproof vests for the team that was present. It wasn't much, but it was everything they requested. Taking a moment before going to work, Tyler steps out of the truck and stretchches his back. The truck rode like shit and the roads weren't much better. He couldn't wait to get rid of the damn thing and was satisfied with knowing the vehicle wouldn't be his problem for much longer. Getting to work, he moves to the side of the truck as he opens one of the long side doors to collect the materials stored within to begin assembling the makeshift explosive. While doing so, Luigi approaches him from his right, still in the reflective vest.

"Didn't expect y'all to be playing dress up this late at night. Was that Diamondbacks call?" Tyler asks as he focuses on his work.

"It was mine." Lou replied. "Figured we were gonna be out here for awhile, so I decided on something low profile."

"So you went with looking like road crew?"

"It's a good way to hide in plain sight." Lou proclaimed as he took the hardhat and leaned against the truck."Wear a fancy vest, carry a ladder, tell the first guy that walks up to you that you're there to fix a leaky pipe and nobody will bat an eye. Besides, this roads been without lights for a few days. Saying some bullshit that we're with FPL and we came out to deal with it after a holiday isn't too far out there to believe."

"Whatever works for you, I guess." Tyler says with a confirming nod as he continues to work on the mixture.

"So what's the story here? Diamondback said you're on the hunt for someone."

taking a quick pause to reach into his pocket, Tyler pulls out a folded photograph of an older male, bald, dark in complexion. Though not the best of pictures in terms of physical features one detail stood out among the various ink designs covering his neck and arms. A tattoo of a shield on his shoulder with the letters "S" and "B" within it divided by a scythe.

"Alejandro Ojeda." He says as he hands the photo to Ronnie. "He used to run with the Santa Blanca Cartel down in Bolivia."

"Used to?" Lou said out of curiousity. "Who's he running with now?"

"Los Hijos del Sueño." Tyler explained. "Apparently, when the OG Santa Blanca operation fell apart, he dipped out and started his own thing in Cuba, doing the exact same shit he was a part of in Bolivia."

Taking a mental note of the name, Lou continues to study the picture, slightly disheartened by the lack of useful facial details. Self identifying marks were one thing, but they could be easily covered if they needed to be.

"You couldn't get a better picture of the guy?"

"It was the best my source could do on short notice. Hell, it took almost 4 years just to find the fucker."

"I take it you want him dead?"

"Alive unfortunately, but if he dies in the crossfire, it is what it is. I'll take a dead bounty over one that gets away."

"And you think he's in the convoy?"

"To be completely honest, I dont have a fucking clue." Tyler admitted. "All the intel up till now says he should be, but he's been skittish since Sueno fell, and for good reason. For all we know, this is a false lead to test which routes are the least dangerous."

As Tyler answers his question, the ringing of Lous phone is heard. Avoiding Tylers conerned looks, he steps away from the truck and takes the call. Not liking eavesdropping, He held the conversation in Italian.

"(Speak.)"

"(Convoy just passed. Two Tahoes and a Suburban.)"

"(Tail them. We'll be ready)"

"Looks like we're about to find out." Lou says to Tyler as he hangs the phone up and watches him place the finished explosive into the back of the truck, covering it with random gear that was still in the back of the truck before following Ronnie to the rest of the crew.

Approaching the vehicles, Ronnie exchanges his reflective vest for one of the last bulletproof ones and grabs the two final kalashnikovs, passing Tyler the last of the gear as he helps move the empty cases into the back of the trucks. Noticing the emblem on the boxes, Ronnie

"Compass Rose, huh? You really tapped into your own stash for this?"

"Consider it a thank you for giving me a hand with this."

"Perks of being a gunrunner, am I right?"

"Arms Dealer, thank you very much, but yeah. The job has its perks."

"Same difference."

The crew looked far from impressive. Some of them looked like they had just come from the beach while others looked like they just finished a business deal, but having worked with some of them in the past, Tyler was well aware of the damage these men were capable of creating. Appearances were the least of his concerns in this situation at the moment. All that mattered to him right now was that this job goes off without a hitch.

"Alright, boss, how we doing this?" One of the crewmen asks Luigi.

"Talk to him. This is his show." He replies as he directs them to Tyler as he takes a few steps back.

As the crew directs their attention to Tyler, he lights a quick cigarette as he collects his thoughts and scans over the team. Nine people to work with. Including himself makes ten. A bit overkill, but it's what he asked for. He had one shot at this and the last thing he needed was to let his target get away. Auriela trusted him enough to handle the mission through his own means and preferred to stay in her good graces.

"Alright...where are my machine gunners?"

Being called forward, the two men carrying the RPK's step forward as Tyler directs their attention towards the treelines.

"You two, grab a partner, head for the edges of the clearing. Y'all are gonna be the outer flanks and security for this ambush. Once that bomb goes off, I need you two to hit em' hard before they have a chance to react. Being Cartel, their rides are going to have some sort of protection so your magazines are loaded with armor piercing rounds."

The two machine gunners nod in confirmation as they grab a rifleman and move into positions as Tyler leans towards Ronnie.

"How armored are your rides?" Tyler asks Lou

"Run-flats, armored doors, and reinforced windshields."

"Impressive for work trucks."

"The boss doesn't like his guys being shot."

"Fair enough."

Going back on topic, Tyler continues addressing the team as he points to two other members of the team

"You two, take an SUV and keep your back doors open. We're going to be our rolling barricades as we move up."

After Tyler finishes his brief, Ronnie chimes in to address his team before the job officially starts.

"This is a simple fucking job. We're here for Alejandro Ojeda." he says as he holds his picture up.

"Hit the convoy, bag the asshole with Santa Blanca ink, and get the fuck outta here before the cops show up. Any questions? Good. Now let's get this over with."

It didn't take long after the crews got into position before the echoes of roaring V8 engines accompanied by the occasional popping of gunfire coming from the same direction. Despite still being out of sight, it could be told that their target was moving with a purpose and closing in fast.

"You got one shot at this, Donnie. Don't fuck it up." Ronnie says to Tyler as he readies his rifle.

Standing ready with the detonator in hand, Tyler stares at the truck, waiting for his moment to detonate the charge.

"Just smile, and wait for the flash."

The headlights of the convoy shine off of the reflectors of the rigged service truck as they near the vehicle. Paying little attention to it, the now closely grouped vehicles pass the truck as the detonator is pressed.

Boom!

The explosion echoes through the Everglades as the charge goes off. Being point blank in front of what could be considered a vehicle sized claymore, the lead Tahoe takes the brunt of the physical damage from the explosion and is thrown onto its side as it violently rolls into the brush, missing the first Machine gun team by a fair bit as his rifleman goes to handle the vehicle. The Suburban in the middle swerves to avoid the explosion as it loses control in the grass, sliding to a stop near the road as the RPK's open fire on the vehicle that's now dead in the water. The trailing Tahoe manages to avoid wiping out by hitting the brakes, but is immediately rear ended by the vehicle chasing them, a black Cadillac sedan. Though not a devastating collision, the impact gets their attention long enough for the team outside to focus their fire on them.

As the gunfire settles down and the dust lightens up, the team makes their move and closes in on the remaining vehicles. No signs of life were instantly, just the constant sound of a horn as a body laid over the steering wheel of one of the SUV's as Tyler and the rest of the team began their search for survivors. Impressed by the carnage done by the bomb, Ronnie lets out a small whistle.

"Jesus, Donnie, how big was that batch of yours?"

"Five, ten pounds maybe? Somewhere around there."

"You didn't measure it beforehand?"

"You watched me build that bitch on the back of a pickup truck in like, five minutes! You tell me!"

"Fucking micks, I swear to god…" Ronnie says with a slight chuckle as he pulls a corpse out of the driver's seat, ending the annoyance of the horn.

"Leave it to the Irish to make the best bombs under the sketchiest of circumstances."

"Fuck you."

Continuing the hasty search of the vehicles on the road lead to nothing but relative disappointment. The intel was somewhat correct. They were definitely Cartel, with their tattoos leading back to Alejandro was nowhere to be seen.

"Any luck?" Lou called out as he raised the head and checked one of the Cartel members in the vehicle he was inspecting.

"Negative." Tyler replied. "What about the one that rolled?"

"I'll have to go and look, but don't get your hopes up."

Being out of time, Tyler had no choice but to cut his losses and take one of the cartel trucks for his departure while Ronny checked on the Tahoe in the brush. Seeing as the Suburban was both in the best shape and still running, he did what he had to do. With the help of a few of the other team mates on scene, they started moving the bodies from the bloodied suburban to the back of the Tahoe still sitting in the grass. As they move the last of the corpses, Lou, along with the two members from the machine gun team emerge from the brush with a survivor being held by the scruff of his neck with his hands behind his head.

"You're in luck, amigo. We found you a live one!"

Closing his rifle into the passenger seat of the Tahoe, Tyler meets them halfway as he looks over the defeated soldato covered in bruises and blood from the crash. He was pretty roughed up, but alive.

"Looks like you went for a hell of a ride there. Would've given you at least an 8 out of 10 if you stuck the landing." Tyler joked as the captured man avoids eye contact. Catching a glimpse of a tattoo on his chest, Tyler rips his shirt to Reveal the tattoo and what it says.

Los Hijos del Sueño.

"Huh…I Guess your source was good." Lou says as he holds a picture of Alejandro in front of the captured individual.

"Where's your boss?"

Saying nothing to either of them, he keeps his hangs hung low until Tyler holds his head up, directing his previously holstered 1911 into his face.

"¿Dónde diablos está Alejandro?"

"No se…No se…" the soldato mumbles in a strained voice.

"Ho-ly shit!" Lou says with morbid excitement. "The mute finds his voice!"

"Works for me… Bag him." Tyler says as he re-holsters his sidearm

Not wasting any more time, Lou and several of his team mates hogtie the man as everyone starts to get back into their vehicles. Throwing the captive into the floor of the backseat, Lou lights another cigarette to calm him down as Tyler dons his blazer and gets back into the driver seat.

"So much for an easy night." Ronnie says as he offers a cigarette. Accepting the offer, Tyler continues the conversation as he lights his cigarette.

"It is what it is. At least I get to take my frustrations out on this guy."

"Have fun with that. I'll let Diamondback know the jobs good, just let me know what you find out about your narco."

From the back seat, the gang member could be heard squirming around, along with the occasional grunt of him attempting to get out of the ties made out of extension cord. Pounding on the back door, Ronnie gets his attention, making him stop.

"Probably best if you stay off the main road for now. Cops are gonna be out in full force once the calls start coming in." Ronnie says as he points his lit cigarette towards the bridge crossing the waterway as he continues.

"Take the dirt road here, and stick to it for a while. It should spit you out somewhere along 818."

"Will do. Watch yourself out there."

"You too, and don't forget. If you need him dumped, let me know. He already knows too much." Ronnie says as he slaps the hood and makes his way to his fleet, prepared to leave a different direction. Putting the SUV into gear, Tyler kills the headlights and begins down the dirt road, hitting the occasional water filled hole as he goes along.