Page 60 of Echoes and Oaths
“Thank you.” Jinx crossed his arms and stared out over the pasture where Eira’s milk cows were lying down and chewing their cud. “Tell me about him.”
“All right, here’s the rundown. Esteban Ortega grew up hurting animals. Then killing them. He has no empathy. No remorse. By sixteen, he’d already killed at least two people. All of this was documented while he was in a local prison before he was transferred to Torcorón and became involved with Tren de Aragua. Once the police transferred him to that hellhole, he flourished. Most people would have been crushed, but he learned the system. He used it. Built contacts and learned the mechanics of fear. I’m reading several different files to glean that information. The people who remained at the prison after the Venezuelan government retook it were thoroughly debriefed. Everyone knew of Esteban. He was mentioned in at least twenty different files. This guy didn’t survive hell; he flourished in it.” Dr. Wheeler sighed.
Jinx grunted. “Sounds charming.”
“I speculate he’s worse now. If what Brando briefed me is correct, and I have no reason to assume it isn’t, you believe he’s El Fantasma, the Ghost. I’ve done several workups on what we know about him and his work. If I meld what I know about Esteban into those workups, we have a pretty full picture of what this man is. He’s moving between Venezuelan cartels as an assassin, and inhis capacity with the organization he’s building, he’s brokered deals across Mexico and Central America. What we’ve learned is he has the logistics, drugs, arms, and trafficking tools in place. He doesn’t have connections to the organizations in Europe.”
“That’s where I come in,” Jinx said.
“Your cover has those connections?” Dr. Wheeler asked.
“Yes, and then some.”
“Be careful. This guy is a primary psychopath. High-functioning. No conscience. No loyalty and absolutely no fear. He doesn’t react emotionally. Threats bounce off him. Fear makes him sharper and more interested. If you try to talk him down, he’ll eat you alive. No speeches, no hesitation with this one, Jinx. Fast and final. I cannot stress that enough. So, the quick version of all of this. His murders are never random. Everybody he drops is a step up. He has no loyalty. None. Family, friends, blood ties, none of that matters. If they’re useful, they live. If not, you’re disposable. The only thing a man like this would respect is raw power. Period. Esteban doesn’t get handled.”
“No, he gets ended,” Jinx said casually.
“Exactly, and if he even sniffs you’re onto him,he’ll hit first. He’ll use anyone, innocents included, to do what he thinks he needs to do.”
“Noted.”
“Be careful, Jinx. Don’t let this mission make you forget where the edges are.”
“I know where they are, Doc. I have a firm grip on them.”
“Good,” Dr. Wheeler said, and Jinx could hear the relief in his voice.
“Hey, Doc, one more thing. Tomás Ortega is Esteban’s little brother. He’s using Tomás to control the cartel here. What is the dynamics between the two of them?”
“Ah. Family dynamics. Esteban would treat Tomás like an asset. Not a brother. He’d think of Tomás as a disposable chess piece. He’s useful if he’s obedient but expendable if he’s weak.”
“He is weak. Very weak. Why is Esteban keeping him around?”
“Two reasons I can think of. First, blood is useful. It makes the cartel look like a family business when Esteban finally makes those contacts he’s looking for in Europe, a consolidation of power. He’ll look stronger. The second is loyalty. Not his, but Tomás’s. The kid grew up under Esteban’s shadow. He’s beenconditioned by the past trauma of growing up around Esteban already. Tomás obeys because he knows if he doesn’t, Esteban will eliminate him.”
Jinx narrowed his eyes and stared at the toe of his boot as he asked, “So, how tight of a leash do you think Esteban has on Tomás?”
“Well …” Dr. Wheeler hesitated. “Speculating here, but I’d say not as tight as Esteban thinks. Tomás has to know he’s being used. I’d say Tomás would resent the hell out of Esteban, telling him what to do and when to do it. Why?”
“I want to work Tomás against Esteban. The idea started before I knew Esteban was controlling Tomás. Would it still work?”
Dr. Wheeler made a sound deep in his throat. “You’d need to give him what Esteban never will, your respect. Feed the man’s resentment. But don’t push it. Make him think any loyalty to his brother is suicide. Make him think loyalty to you is the way to survival. Tomás is weak. He won’t move away from his brother unless there’s a safe exit. My gut is telling me if you build that bridge, he’ll run like hell to get away from his brother.”
“How would I do that?” Jinx wanted as much information as the doc could give him.
“Speak to Tomás like an equal. Ask his opinion, even if you already know the answer. Casually mention how people are replaceable to someone like Esteban.”
“He doesn’t know I know Esteban is controlling him.”
“Then make up a story, some type of string to pull him along, where he could easily swap his brother for the person in your story.”
“Got it.”
“Suggest a better future if things were different, but this is important. Tomás needs to think all this is his idea. If he thinks he’s being played, you’ve lost. Throw the board and pieces away and punt because he’ll run to Esteban with what he suspects.”
“Well, thanks for the tightrope act,” Jinx said with a humorless laugh.
“I’ll send my report, and Brando can load it. Be careful, Jinx. I’ve dealt with someone like Esteban before. Don’t hesitate, and I say that from experience.”
