Page 86 of Bonded

“Yeah, well, maybe he came out to check on his operations? Maybe, he got lax and someone let slip his location? I mean, if he is in deep with some big-time cartel… then maybe he got outta his depth? Maybe has no choice? Hell, after hittin’ that D.E.A unit, he’s run out of places to hide. Something that brings that much heat to a cartel… someone’s gonna be pissed.”

“Oh c’mon Dee, that’s a lot of fuckin’ maybe’s. Hell, the man has a small fuckin’ army at his disposal and you’re tellin’ me he’s just gonna hide it out here in the middle of nowhere—in a stinkin’ jungle? No, no, this is not right. We need to think about callin’ this off.”

“Well, we’re here now, so let’s just check the place out. Maybe there’s something more to it. Maybe… we find out where he’s been going and what it is he’s hiding out here—the reason he’s here? Then perhaps we’ll get some answers. Diggs, we gotta bring that son-of-a-bitch in, man. But… first, we need to find him. If he’s here, then there aren’t many places he can hide. Oz, close up—let’s keep it tight. Alpha 3 this is Alpha 1, copy?”

“Copy Alpha-one. You got a problem there Dee?”

“Zak, make sure you keep your head on a swivel there. Something’s got Diggs spooked. So, stay awake and stay alert.”

“Roger that. I got eyes on Alpha 7… and 5… right now.” He puts his hand up and waves to QT and Bud. “They’re in position East—top left. Twelve o’clock. Copy.”

“All right, copy that. Radio check, in…” Darius looks at his watch, “… fifteen.”

“Copy. Three out.” Zak also checks his watch and sighs as he looks at Kat.

She scowls; the deep lines etched across her forehead. “Something wrong?”

“I don’t know but… Darius sayin’ Digby’s not feelin’ it? Hell, that makes me nervous. Stay close. I don’t like this. None of it seems right to me either.”

“Okay, but I’m sure it’ll be just fine. We just gotta… Oh, oh hey… Zak hold up!” Her frown deepens and she shoulders her weapon ready; Zak, standing behind her, mirrors her moves. “So, where the hell’s this guy goin’ to? Looks like he’s alone… What the fuck?” She swallows nervously as the man hurries towards them.

He’s an older man—local in looks, and as he rushes towards them, he holds his hands in the air. His face panicked as he calls out. “Ayuda! Ayuda!”

“Hey… Hey, wait there! Hey just back the fuck off, man!” Zak steps between Kat and him; shouldering his rifle, he points it directly at the man’s chest as he continues to wail ‘Ayuda’. They assume it’s a Mexican dialect—something neither of them understands.

“What the fuck is he sayin’?” Zak looks at Kat. She steps behind him as the pair slowly walks forward. “Hey, hey… you. Calm down. Yeah, I said be calm. Now get down…” Zak points to the ground, gesturing with his rifle for the man to lie in the dirt.

Finally, the man understands enough to do as he’s told and he lays himself flat on the ground as Zak searches him. The man continues to babble and losing his patience Zak gets aggressive and manhandles him. “Hey, I said to calm the fuck down!”

“Zak… Zak stop.” Kat takes a chance and lowers her rifle. Putting her hand out in front of her, she gestures, trying to reassure him. “Hey…. hey, it’s okay. It’s okay… You need help? You… You need help?” Kat talks slowly, then tries a phrase from the small amount of Spanish she remembers. “Ayuda… Help, yeah? Ayuda. You…” she points. “You ‘necisitas ayuda’?”

“Si… ayuda! Si… Mis hijas teniendo un Bebé! Bebé… Bebé!” he quickly adds.

Most of it makes no sense to Kat, and she frowns, checking with Zak if she’s understood anything correctly. “Baby?” she frowns. “Hell… I think he said he’s having a baby?”

“He is? I mean… well shit, he don’t look like he is.” Zak sneers in disbelief.

“No!” Kat laughs, “No, what I mean his… his wife?Daughter… his daughter. Your daughter is having…. a baby, yeah? Your daughter… Bébé?” She gestures with the curve of her hand over her stomach.

“Si.. si… come, please come.” He nods frantically, grabbing her hand.

“What… this fucker speaks English now?” Zak cocks an eyebrow and annoyed he pushes him back, away from Kat. “Hey, asshole… you speak English?Inglés… Yeah? Shit… where the hell’s that dumbass QT whenever you need him?”

“Wait, QT speaks Spanish?”

“Hell yeah. QT speaks a tonne of languages—it’s actually quite impressive,” he smiles. “Hey, but don’t tell him I said that. Guess it must be all the damn books he reads—makes him kinda a nerd.”

“So, what do we do with this guy?”

“Hell, I don’t know. I thought Darius said all the locals got shipped out a while back? Why the hell would he still be here with his daughter?”

“I don’t know? Maybe they got left behind or… or maybe they kept them here? Look, he’s pointing to that tavern over there. Maybe he runs it—with his daughter? That would make sense, yeah? Maybe they kept him on to keep the place going? I mean, Alvarez probably likes to drink. So… maybe we should take a look-see?”

Kat steps forward and Zak holds her back.

“Hey, wait up. I think we should call this in before we make a move. I don’t want Digby chewin’ my ass off right now.”

“Yeah, you’re right, but if his daughter really is having a baby, then we need to help them. Get them out of here?”

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