“Hardy, this is Jameson. What’s the word on Cruz? How’s she doing?”
“She’s in surgery. The doctors were unsure of her injuries and said it could take up to three hours before the surgery is complete. They’ll let us know as soon as they know more.” Hardy put his hand to his forehead before running his fingers through his hair. He sat straight in the chair and put his hand on the armrest.
The line was quiet for a few seconds before Jameson spoke. “She’s tough. She’ll pull through.”
Hardy squeezed the armrest tighter. The veins in his arm stuck out. “You smug, arrogant jackass—you don’t give a damn about her. You only want to know when you can have her back in the field. It’s your fault she’s here in the first place.” That was what Hardy wanted to say. His reply came in a monotone voice. “Yes, she will.”
“Hardy, I’ve got bad news. I’ve been informed by the Attorney General that the government has decided not to pursue the case against Gutierrez.”
“What,” said Hardy, rising from the chair? “They can’t do that.”
“I’m afraid Gutierrez has already been released from federal custody. He got on a plane headed for Mexico.”
Hardy could not believe what he was hearing. He made a fist with his left hand and reared back to punch the wall. He caught himself. “What about those agents who lost their lives at the safe house? They were your agents.”
“Hardy—”
“What about Cruz,” continued Hardy, glimpsing his hand, still stained with her blood? “She took a bullet to protect your freaking witness?” His mind had queued up the word freaking; however, the word that slipped past his lips was something else. “She was following your orders and now you’re giving up. You put her in harm’s way and now you are abandoning her.”
“Agent Hardy,” shot back Jameson, “You need to calm down and—”
“Don’t tell me to calm down. I’m the one who’s here. I’m the one who’s dodging bullets. I’m the one having to carry Cruz to a helicopter and watch her being wheeled away for surgery. I’m not the one playing politics in Washington, however, while good agents are losing their lives.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Hardy knew he had crossed the line. His temper had taken over and he could not take back what he had said. He bordered on insubordination.
“Damn it, Hardy, that’s enough,” shouted Jameson. His voice came through so loudly that Hardy removed the sat phone from his ear. “Now, I order you to shut your mouth and listen to me. I give the orders and you listen. Is that clear, Agent Hardy?”
Hardy opened his mouth to tell Jameson what he could do with his orders, but remained silent.
“I said is that clear?”
“Perfectly,” replied Hardy through clenched teeth.
“Good.” Jameson took a few moments to get his anger under control. “This matter with Gutierrez is complicated and I don’t have the time to explain it to you. The decision to let him go was not my call to make. I don’t agree with it, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“You could have used—”
“Hardy,” said Jameson, his voice rising. “Just because I don’t agree with the decision to let him go, doesn’t mean my hands are tied in the matter.”
Hardy felt a glimmer of hope. “I’m not following you.”
“We’ve been tracking Gutierrez’s plane since it took off. It landed in Mexico. We have an asset in the country who has confirmed that Gutierrez is currently at a small villa just over the U.S. border. Our asset believes Gutierrez will be at the villa for another two hours, maybe three. We only have a small window of opportunity.”
Hardy switched the phone to his other ear. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I have a jet waiting on the tarmac at Dallas/Fort Worth all gassed up and ready to go. Once you’re aboard, I’ll send you the details. You’ll have free reign to do whatever is necessary to bring Gutierrez to justice. Take Henderson and his team along for support.”
Hardy stood still, thinking. He wanted justice for Cruz, but how could he leave her? He wanted to be the first one to know when she was out of surgery. He wanted a familiar face there when she opened her eyes. In any other circumstance, his decision would have been certain and immediate. His thoughts scattered when he heard Jameson’s voice.
“The clock’s ticking, Hardy. What’s it going to be?”