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The next morning, Jake went down to check on Kat early, but found that she was still fast asleep. He asked the doctor if he could bring her down some breakfast.
“Since she handled dinner so well last night, she can eat whatever she wants now, as far as I’m concerned,” the doctor answered. Jake excitedly took off up the stairs, silently kicking himself for acting like a giddy, love-sick puppy. Janie was just entering the dining room when Jake jet passed her with a plate full of food. When Jake returned to Kat’s room, she was awake and sitting up in bed. She stopped brushing her hair for a second as she noticed the tray of food. Then, a huge smile played across her lips.
“Is all that for me?” Jake just returned her smile and swung the bedside table around in front of her. Her eyes bulged when he lifted the lid. “Oh my god, are you guys trying to fatten me up!”
“Don’t worry, I thought we could share,” he laughed. “What would you like?”
“All of it!” They ate together laughing and talking about the fun they’d had at dinner the previous night. “I can’t believe the difference in my energy level since I’m able to eat real food now.”
“Do you want to go out to the gardens for a little while?”
“Absolutely.” Just then the doctor came in and said that he would have to run some tests. Jake picked up her tray and promised to be back later. The rest of the team was just finishing up their breakfast when Ryan came in and asked them all to join him in the command center.
“We’ve just received word about another heist being planned. Taking the freighter and Carl’s disappearance has greatly angered two of the largest pirate parties in the world. I’m positive that they have already recruited a new mole in the CIA, most likely Homeland and the FBI as well. This could very well be a setup, so it is imperative that you remain in deep Black Ops. Reese, I need you, Sarah, Janie, Jake, and BJ to spend a few days in town. Sarah, see if you can make contact with Jenna. Shawn, Bill, and Thomas, I need you three to go back to Guantanamo and see if you can get anything out of Carl. Tell him that we were able to get his family out alive. Also, I want you to lean on Cadiid.”
“Yes sir!”
The team arrived in the city later that afternoon and set out to be seen in all the right places. Hopefully, Mendoza would make contact first. Reese and Sarah slowly made their way down Bourbon Street, stopping at several shops along the way. Janie and Jake played ‘bodyguard’ behind them.
In Cuba, Bill, Shawn, and Thomas had landed and were making their way to the special holding cells. They checked in on Carl first. The man looked like he had aged ten years in the few days he had been there. Bill let him know that his family was safe, so now he owed them a written statement of his activity with Absame and whether or not he had any involvement with Mendoza as well. Carl insisted that the only ones he had ever dealt with were Absame and Cadiid. Next, they made their way to Cadiid’s cell. Bill and Thomas spent several hours trying to crack Cadiid, but he wasn’t talking. Shawn told the guard not to let up on Cadiid until he was ready to start talking. The men returned to Carl’s cell to retrieve his official statement. They thanked him and made their way back to the plane. They had just boarded when they suddenly realized that the pen was missing. They ran at top speed back to Carl’s cell, but they were too late. Carl had stabbed himself in the jugular with the pen and the bleeding couldn’t be stopped.
At that same moment, the guard from Cadiid’s cell came running over. Apparently, Cadiid had bashed his own head in against the cell wall. Bill ordered that both men be buried at dusk, then called Ryan. Ryan ordered them back to the compound as soon as possible because he needed to get to Washington. He put Jako in charge of command in the meantime.
A short while later, Jake and Reese called to let command know that Mendoza had just made contact. He wanted to welcome them back into town by inviting them to dinner at his mansion that evening.
Promptly at eight o’clock, Reese, Sarah, Janie, and Jake arrived at Mendoza’s residence. Mendoza greeted them at the door personally, greeting them as if they were the best of friends. His men did their usual pat down.
“My friends, I would like to introduce you to my business partner, Absame.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize this was a business dinner,” Reese said taking Absame’s hand, but looking at Mendoza.
“Nonsense, there will be no business at dinner,” Mendoza replied, waving off Reese’s comment as if it were an annoying nat. They had finished their first course when Jenna joined them. Sarah immediately noticed the fading bruises all over her body. She meekly apologized for being late. Reese held out her chair for her. Mendoza didn’t seem pleased by the gesture, but made no comment. Absame hadn’t taken his eyes off of Sarah since the second she walked through the door. Jake and Janie were both highly aware of the man’s acute attention to their friend. Reese sat back down and the meal continued with small talk around the table. After the last course, Mendoza told Jenna to show the women to the patio. The all stood as she led them out of the room.
Mendoza requested that his servants bring bourbon and cigars to the men. “Reese,” Mendoza began, “my good friend Absame and I have a business proposal that we feel you might be interested in.”
“I’m listening,” Reese replied.
“I’ve decided to take you up on another shipment of rifles and ammo, if you can get me twice the amount.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem...for double the money.”
“Of course, my friend,” Mendoza answered.
“May I ask what your interest in this deal is?” Reese asked Absame.
“I just want to make sure my partner is not making a mistake by trusting an American,” Absame answered honestly.
“Well we’ve already been doing business together so I don’t think he gives a damn whether or not you think he’s making a mistake,” Reese said standing up. Absame shot to his feet as well.
“Gentleman,” Mendoza interrupted. “Please, have a seat.” With the distraction in place, Jake planted a bug in the room. “We are all business men here. There is no need for bad blood my friends. Let us drink and enjoy these fine cigars.” Reese and Absame sat back down, but refused to break eye contact. Mendoza ordered one of his men to retrieve the women. The men stood as the ladies reentered the room. The conversation lightened, and Mendoza invited them to another gala he was throwing in two weeks’ time.
“Would it be alright if I took Jenna shopping for the occasion?” Sarah asked sweetly. Mendoza looked from one woman to the other for a moment.
“No problem,” he finally agreed. Reese laughed out loud.
“Classic mistake my friend,” Reese chuckled. “You did not ask where they will do this shopping.”
“Paris of course,” Sarah smiled and looped her arm through Jenna’s. Jenna stared at Mendoza in shock as he answered.
“Sure, why not.”
“But, I will only be able to spare a few days my love,” Reese told Sarah.
“Let them go, my friend,” Mendoza said, “They will have the bodyguards.”
“Very well. I will make the necessary arrangements.”
“Nonsense, I will be sure that everything is taken care of,” Mendoza insisted. The remainder of the evening was actually pleasant. When it was finally time to leave, Jake motioned for everyone to keep quiet until they made it back to the townhouse. Jako continued listening through the bug that Jake had planted in Mendoza’s dining room.
“I came here to talk about our missing shipments, my missing people, not to socialize with American pigs!” Absame spat.
“Calm down. The money we will make off of those weapons will take away from of the loss from those shipments. The quality of his product is hard to come by.”
“Why not just kill him and his filthy wife and take the product?”
“Because this man is an asset, and I like him.”
“Mendoza, you don’t like anyone. You just want his wife.”
“Maybe you should think about getting yourself a new woman It’s been months.” Absame didn’t reply to his comment, but if looks could kill, Mendoza would be dead ten times over.
“What are we going to do about this unknown enemy?”
“My men are looking into it. Still no sign of Cadiid?”
“No, he’s been with me since childhood. If it weren’t for him bringing in Carl Redford, I would have never known about Kaitlyn.”
“Your mistake was not killing her when you had the chance,” Mendoza said. “Trying to sell her was stupid and risky.”
“You worry about your affairs, and I’ll worry about mine.”
“I would, but your affairs have brought us trouble, and I don’t like trouble. Find these people and kill them.”
“Don’t threaten me Mendoza,” Absame growled before storming out of the house.