Chapter 06: Out of Bounds

Alexa and Curt sat in a lane of thirty cars waiting for Border Patrol to allow them into the country. Less than 24-hours ago, her family had been attacked by unknown thugs. Now here they were, waiting in line to get their revenge. And while it would have been ideal to fly to their destination, which was also Curt’s suggestion, Alexa wanted to be able to get in and out as quickly as possible.

“This is dangerous,” Curt said, watching as a Border Patrol Officer pulled a young family to the side for a closer inspection of their vehicle and personal belongings. “We don’t even have weapons.”

“It’s Mexico,” Alexa replied. “How hard can it be to find weapons?”

“Have you ever been to Mexico, Trouble?”

“Once or twice,” she said without looking at him. A faraway look overcame her features as a memory surfaced of her and members of the Sinaloa Cartel ensnared in a heated standoff. Saying there were parts of the country that she knew well would be an understatement.

Her reverie was interrupted by a light rapping on the window. Alexa smiled at the Customs’ officer and rolled down her window. “Good afternoon, Ma’am. Can I have your passports please?”

“Of course. Here you go,” Alexa replied, handing the officer her and Curt’s identification.

“What is the purpose of your trip?”

“A short getaway. My friend was recently promoted and I wanted to treat him to a nice weekend in Cozumel.”

“How long will you be in the country?”

“Just a few days. We return home on Monday.”

“Do you know where you’ll be staying?” he asked looking at Curt who shook his head no. “You don’t know where you’re going?” the officer asked again.

“I…uh…”

“You see, Officer Loman,” Alexa started, exchanging a glance with Curt as she leaned out the window to whisper to the patrolman. “I planned this trip as sort of a surprise so I didn’t tell my companion where we were going exactly.”

“Uh huh. But you have made reservations I assume?”

“I have, yes.”

“May I see them?”

Alexa smiled and nodded. “Sure thing.” Reaching into the backseat, she pulled an envelope from her purse and handed it to the officer.

Officer Loman looked over the information and his mouth became a thin, invisible line before breaking into a smile. “I hear this is a nice place. You two enjoy yourselves.” He handed the information back to Alexa and motioned them forward.

Curt released a deep breath as they cleared the border, wiping at his brow for effect. “That was tense.”

“Nah. I think everything went smoothly.”

“Yeah, you would. And I can’t believe you actually made reservations?” Curt asked once they’d crossed over into Mexico and away from prying ears.

“One thing you should always remember: when you’re entering a different country to commit possible crimes, it’s best and smart to have a cover story. You never know what might happen. As it stands, we’re just two tourists heading to a tropical resort with hopes of relaxing and getting a little drunk. They need not know why we’re really here.”

“You’re something else, Alexa.”

“Thanks!”

Their actual destination was considerably far removed from the paradise Alexa had spoken of. Instead, she drove them to an out of the way house on an acre of land notoriously owned by La Hermandad in the Valley. Sentries patrolled the outer gates while still more were stationed in the two towers located on each corner of the property. Guard dogs were led by their masters around the inner perimeter and security cameras scanned nearly every sector. It was a veritable fortress.

“This may be a little harder than I thought,” Curt said, watching the men scrutinize every vehicle that drove anywhere near their location.

“Don’t be a Debbie Downer, Curt. We just have to think outside the box.”

“Meaning?”

“We smoke our target out. It’ll be less men to deal with and maybe a better shot at getting to him.”

“‘Maybe?’ How sure are you about this plan?”

“70/30?”

Curt sighed and shook his head. “Well, I suppose it’s better than your last few plans. First thing’s first though, we need to get our hands on some weapons.”

“Oh right, don’t worry about that. I’ve got a guy.”

“You’ve got a guy? In Mexico? Trouble?”

“Relax, Curt. You came to me for a reason remember? Just sit back and watch the master at work,” Alexa smiled and led him back to their car.

Walking purposefully, Alexa entered into Casa Aguilar pawn shop, raising her eyebrows at a few items as she approached the shopkeeper.

“How’s it going, Juan?” Her voice seductively brushed his senses and he instantly turned to greet her. 

Juan Aguilar looked from Alexa to Curt then back and smiled. “Mi dulce amor! Be still my heart. Alexa! It’s going much better since you just arrived.” Juan set the television remote he’d been fumbling with on the counter, giving her his undivided attention. “What brings you to my shop?” (My sweet love.)

Closing her arms against her chest, Alexa stood more erect before replying. “I’d like to see your specials.”

“No sorpresa. How did I know you’d ask? I’ve got just what you need!” Juan replied enthusiastically. With a push of a button beneath the counter, the front doors locked and he led the two up a winding staircase and into a back room. “Just got these in this morning. The next generation bullpup: Tavor X95 Luger; 9 mil. New fire control pack, AR-15 mag release location, interchangeable pistol grips, a smaller, lower profile bolt release button, and relocation of the charging handle closer to your center mass.” Alexa’s disappointed look was not missed by the expert shopkeeper, and he quickly upped the ante. (No surprise.)

“Scorpion Sub-gun, blowback-operated semi-auto; 9 mil with a short 7 ¾ barrel. Open sights ride on an 11” Picatinny rail perfect for mounting optics, QD sling swivel pocket integrated into the rear sling attachment point, interchangeable handles and adjustable trigger reach, and the best part: I’ve got some in brown and green too.” There was a loud ‘thud’ as Juan dropped something on the table, “I call it ‘The Big One,’” he said. “It’s import only, very hard to find.”

“Nice, very nice,” Alexa said, sounding unconvinced while her eyes wandered a bit.

“Si, bien. Okay, fine. I can see you’re a woman of superb taste.” Juan looked around conspiratorially before carefully laying out a new item, buckling the table with an ominous creak. “It’s…” Juan paused for dramatic effect, “The new and improved M107!” (Yes, well.)

Alexa’s eyes widened in surprise. “Is that…is it…the real deal?”

Feeling the advantage, Juan allowed himself to relax a bit. Folding his arms against his chest and swaying on the balls of his feet, he replied with lazily narrowed eyes, “It’s 100% authentic, baby. Flawless design.” 

After a moment of hesitation, Alexa reached out and gingerly stroked the sturdy, metal surface. “I’ll take one!”

“Excelente! You know, if you like that, you might be interested in a hardened QDL suppressor. They are perfect for not only sound, but also signature reduction while maintaining 100% function and reliability. Not to mention easy attachment for a seamless alignment every time.” (Excellent.)

Alexa nodded excitedly and looked behind Juan at something on the wall. “What is that?”

Juan looked over his shoulder. “Oh, those? CRKT Provoke blades are the best in hand-to-hand for making people dead.” 

Alexa was intrigued. “As good a karambit as the Emerson you sold me last year?” 

Never wanting to miss a sale, Juan responded without missing a beat, “Oh sure! Tell you what. You get all this stuff, and I’ll throw in the knife, ammo and a pair of night-vision goggles for half price!”

Alexa pulled out a wad of cash that made Juan drool. “Or, you sell me two Scorpions, the Barrett and suppressor then throw in the knife, ammo and two pairs of goggles for free.” 

“Done!” As Juan quickly tallied the total, he asked, “This must be a serious raid or somethin’?” 

Alexa shrugged, “Nah, I got a blind date with a guy named Julian tonight.”

“Ah,” Juan nodded. “¿Qué pasa con el mecánico que estabas viendo?” (What about that mechanic guy you were seein’?)

Alexa scooped up her purchases with one arm while Curt took control of the larger weapon. “Oh, he put a ring on it. Still, a girl’s gotta have options.” 

Juan smiled and shook his head as he watched her walk out of the shop.

“I gotta say,” Curt started as he helped Alexa load her equipment into the back of their rental, “It’s rather scary watching you work.” Alexa’s smile turned into laughter as she rounded the vehicle toward the passenger side.

The trap was set. Now all Alexa and Curt had to do was wait. Wait for Julian Cruz to inevitably leave his house for his late-night endeavors in Puebla. However, when the gates opened, it wasn’t Julian driving. In fact, the man of the hour was nowhere inside the vehicle. Instead, the two were met with one of his inner circle cronies: Manuel “El Cerdo” Garcia. (The Pig).

An unfortunate nickname which fittingly described his lifestyle pursuits of booze, drugs and women; however, the man was considered a formidable target. Deemed dangerous by all accounts, Garcia was wanted by both the U.S. Government and Interpol for numerous crimes committed across the globe including murder, drug trafficking, terrorism, and illegal arms dealing.

As the car passed them by, Alexa started the engine of their rental and closely tailed him. “So, what’s the plan? I thought we were waiting for Julian.”

“We were but, one scumbag, criminal lowlife is just as good as another. The plan remains the same. Grab him, beat him and get him to talk.”

It happened in a matter of moments. Alexa struck Garcia’s bumper and as expected, the cartel hothead hopped out of his car to check the damage. “What are you fucking blind, puta?” he yelled in a heavy accent, surveying the rear of his vehicle while Alexa apologized profusely. “You hit my car!”

“I know and I’m so sorry. I thought you were going to push that yellow. I’m super sorry. I will pay for any damage!” she said, putting her hands up to show she wasn’t a threat. As Garcia neared, she sprang into action, placing the man into a chokehold before thrusting the needle into his neck. He was out in seconds.

A leaky pipe above him dripped water onto his face, Garcia surmised this was done purposefully to wake him. When he came to, he was in a cement basement with no windows or visible entry points. Water, possibly from the same busted pipe, had damaged much of the floor and mold had begun to grow in many of its corners. Plaster peeled from the walls in most places. In fact, the room looked very old and unused everything, that is, except the adjoining area.

Gurneys were evenly spaced in four sections of the room. Each had its own movable carrier of surgical implements. Everything in the room had been shielded in removable plastic. Death was the intended purpose of this space.

Movement near the back wall drew Garcia’s gaze. Alexa slowly emerged from the shadow with a focused look on her face. “You’re awake. Good. Let’s get started, shall we?” Forty minutes into his torture, Garcia started talking. Another twenty minutes, they had a name; one they’d already suspected.

“We can’t kill her,” Curt said, watching the wheels spin in Alexa’s head.

“I wasn’t…”

“Bullshit,” he quickly interrupted. “Damage control, exposure—that’s all you’re ever thinking about. We. Can’t. Kill. Her,” he repeated between controlled breaths.

“Curt, she’s the fucking Mayor. There is no way you can honestly believe I’d try and off the woman.”

“Good. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”

“Why does Mayor McLintock have a relationship with your cartel? What purpose do you serve for her?” Almost as soon as the question left her lips, Alexa realized the answer. “You’re her cleanup crew. You handle her opposition and dirty work all while she helps you stay out of prison.”

“What exactly does she do for the Brotherhood?” Curt chimed in.

“Why do you care, gringo? It’s not like you can prove anything anyway. I know I’m a dead man. Whether you do it or mi hermano I’m dead. What good does that information do you?”

“You’ve got a point. Though, I’d like to see how long you’d last with your ‘hermano,’” Curt replied, taking a menacing step toward Garcia. “Maybe we let you go. Let your friends know you’ve been supplying our side with information. And from what I hear about Julian Cruz, whew,” he laughed, “he’ll make our little session here feel like a day at the spa.”

“Tell us what we want to know and we’ll make it quick,” Alexa said. “What exactly do you and the mayor provide one another?”

“Odd jobs,” Garcia exhaled, sucking on his teeth as he lowered his eyes to the floor. “Turf wars, setting fires to some buildings here and there, threaten a few rivals. It’s pretty cut and dry.”

“I’m sure that’s not all you did. Have you killed for her?” Curt asked. “I want names.”

“FUCK YOU!” he shouted, “That’s all you’re getting from me.”

“Fine by me,” Curt said. “Alexa.” She needed no further encouragement. Retrieving a blade from her bag of goodies, she moved forward prepared to shut Garcia up for good.

“She has help!” he shouted, not quite ready to meet his maker. “Let me go and I’ll tell you who.”

“No, you’ll tell us now and maybe we can arrange something. Otherwise, you die and we’ll figure out what we need to know in due time.” Garcia scoffed and rolled his eyes at her. “We got to you, didn’t we?” His eyes widened in surprise and Alexa made a taunting gesture with her blade. “Who?” Garcia hesitated and felt the cool metal edge of the knife dig into his carotid enough to draw blood. “ANSWER ME!”

“STARK!” Garcia shouted reluctantly. “Governor Stark knows all about the mayor’s dirty deeds.” Alexa looked up at Curt whose expression mirrored her own. If Garcia was telling the truth, things were about to get very uncomfortable at home.