It took just over 53 hours to make it to Gibraltar, with a stop over in London overnight. Everyone was exhausted and the mood was very sombre, but as the Gibraltar airport came into sight, the energy level surged and adrenalin started to pump through their veins. For the first time in 5 weeks, they were close to finding Jake. Preparing for the sudden altitude drop as they landed, Leslie held her breath and tried to keep her stomach. Trying to be conspicuous, they departed the plane in three distinct groups. First Boyd and Jimmy, then Leslie, Mal and Rose followed by Wolf close behind. Each group headed for the arrivals terminal to grab their luggage then took a seat in the airport café and waited.
"I hate this." Leslie complained. "I feel so close and yet so far."
"Try and take it easy." Mal settled her, "Boyd promised his man would be here."
"I hope his all right."
"It's Jake we're talking about here. If anyone can make it through this he can." Mal didn't know if he was trying to convince Leslie or himself as he watched the table at the rear by the window. Wolf sat reading the morning paper and drinking a coffee, while at the bar Jimmy and Boyd stood having a post flight drink. The exchange happened so fast, it would have been easy to miss. The waitress topped up Wolf's coffee then packing up his newspaper he took one last sip and left, followed close by Boyd and jimmy.
"What? Where are they going?" Leslie was sure they were leaving them behind.
"Don't cause a scene. Just grab your bags and follow me."
"Where do you think he's heading?"
"I'm not sure." As Mal payed for the meals, the waitress passed him his change, and a key. Stunned by what she was seeing, Leslie sharpened her senses to keep up with the rest of them. Without question Mal took the key and walked calmly out to the foyer where the others had gone.
The car lot was full of cars and there was nothing on the key to identify the owner except for a number B37. Walking through the car lot, Mal pushed the central alarm and the car 5 down and one row over to their left beeped twice and flashed its lights. Lucky, she thought to herself, as the car was parked in row D48. Piling into the car, Leslie took the passenger seat as Rose sat in the back. Mal pulled down the visor to see a note with a single address on it. He started the car and followed the signs out of the airport towards their hotel. Watching the mirrors, Leslie noted the black car following behind, with Wolf at the driver's seat. Ahead of them a silver Toyota driven by Boyd and Jimmy. Suddenly she realised how safe her badge made her feel, especially now she was out of her jurisdiction and in a foreign country. Here she had no "police" rights or protection. Jake played in this world everyday, but he had her and Hood to dig him out of trouble, here there was no one.
The hotel was off of the main strip, not very high class but it would afford them the privacy they required. They parked their cars and headed inside. In addition to the address, a key had been left in each car. Bypassing the front desk, they made their way to the third floor and checked into their rooms.
"Mal I…"
"Shh." Mal stopped her from talking as he surveyed the room for any bugs. "We're clear."
"What is all of this cloak and dagger stuff?"
"It's how we stay concealed. Sends us home alive." Boyd answered as he entered to make sure everything was all right.
"Do you know where Jake is or not?" Leslie asked impatiently.
"No." Boyd replied honestly, "But my associate does. He'll be here within the hour. In the meantime I suggest we freshen up."
"Thank you." Mal tried to smooth things over.
"Just don't get too comfortable. This is a strictly in and out operation."
"What aren't you telling us?" Leslie asked.
"Listen, I'm here to help. How about you stop questioning us and start playing along. One mistake and none of us might make it home."
"Ease up ok." Mal knew Leslie could be pushy but he was used to it, and he couldn't abide Boyd talking to her like that.
"Look. I get your hurting and I also get that you have more to lose than any of us but if we aren't a tight unit then this whole thing is going to fall apart."
"I get it." Leslie yielded.
"Good."
"Please forgive Boyd." Wolf chimed in as he joined the conversation. "We are all a little tense. Things here aren't as stable as they seem and since we aren't here officially…."
"I know, I'm sorry I don't mean to be so pushy it's just…"
"Just promise me one thing."
"Anything." She found herself saying.
"When the dirt starts to fly, you keep your head down. No heroics. Got it."
"I'm not just going to sit back…"
"There you go again. Are we going to have a problem here?"
"No."
"Hmm." Boyd looked at Mal, "Just as stubborn as your son. I can see why they are a perfect match. Arguments at your place must be very passionate."
"Don't you know it." Mal smiled as Leslie and Rose glared disapprovingly at him.
"Harassing the women again Boss?"
"Squires!" Mal greeted him. "Good to see you again. I assume you set this all up?"
"Had to get a man in ahead of time, keep an eye out."
"Well thank you."
"Have you seen Jake?" Leslie asked again, unable to help herself.
"Leslie." Mal warned her."
"That's ok." Squires moved over to the window and looked out. "I'm not sure if Jake is there exactly, we won't know until we get inside. However, if you take a look down there to you left," He pointed, opening up the curtains for a better view, "Three blocks back from the shoreline." Everyone looked to get a lay of the land, "There has been a lot of traffic in and out of the second warehouse. Trucks day and night, deliveries at all hours. Carlos has made it his new base of operations. My bet is Jake is being kept in there."
"How certain are you?"
"Like I said.. I can't be sure…"
"God." Leslie placed a hand over her mouth, she felt feint so she sat down on the end of the bed.
"Here" Rose gave her a glass of water. If they were wrong, Carlos would know they were onto him and he would be dead for sure.
"Is she ok?" Squires asked.
"Meet Leslie Bennett, Jake's partner." Boyd introduced them.
"Oh. I'm sorry I should have realised."
"That's ok." Leslie regained her composure and stood back up. "What's our next move?"
"It's going to have to be a seek and destroy mission. We are heavily outnumbered and we would never win an outright assault."
"So we sneak in, take a look around, grab Jake and get the hell out of there." Mal simplified things.
"Exactly."
"All right." Mal was ready to go.
"We'll wait until dark to cover our tracks. Boyd and Jimmy will take the front. Mal you and I will take up the right and Wolf and Leslie can take the rear. "
"And me?" Rose asked, noting her omitance.
"Rose you can keep the truck going, we are going to need a fast get away and you can keep an eye out and let us know if something isn't going right."
"Sounds great, there's just one problem." Mal told them.
"What?" Squires asked confused.
"Leslie's not going."
"What? Why?" Leslie protested.
"Not in your condition."
"She's pregnant." Boyd answered.
"Go Jake. Well that's ok. Wolf can take up the rear on his own."
"I'm not going to sit here and do nothing."
"Well what can you do?" Squires asked. He knew better than anyone the need to avenge a loved one.
"I can stand outside, I'm a fine marksman, best in my class."
"A sniper." Squires liked the idea, "That actually suits us nicely."
"Then it's agreed. I won't sit on the sidelines and do nothing. Get me a high powered rifle. I can take up a position outside, take down anyone who tries to get away."
"Fine. But if anything goes wrong, you get out of there as fast as you can."
"Agreed."
"And no kill shots. We have no jurisdiction here so if anyone dies it will be classed as murder."
The sense of usefulness filled the air again as they prepared for each of their roles. Squires left to scout the area one last time before night fell and their mission began.