Page 24 of Operation: Silent Angel
“Good question,” Mac answered. “We’re going to want to follow him at the end of the night.”
“The lights just went off in our target’s room,” Yvette reported.
Four minutes later, Ruiz appeared at the bottom of the building and fell in step with the muscle who’d been waiting forhim. “Target’s heading towards you, MP and Crash,” Mother reported. Roth and Woods watched the two men pass by as they discussed where to have dinner. Neither man appeared to pay any attention to them. When they were past them, Mother spoke again. “Heading your direction, Coop and Xena.”
From the barstool in the Preferred Club, Madison saw the two men approach. The sun had nearly set, and the resort lighting softly illuminated the grounds. “He’s dressed quite nicely this evening,” Madison said, admiring his black suit atop a crisp white shirt. After he passed through the club, continuing towards the middle restaurant area of the resort, Madison and Cooper slid off their barstools and followed.
Ruiz and his man proceeded to the Italian restaurant. Watching them cross in front of them, and seeing their intended direction, Lambchop and Saxton casually rose from their seats and strolled across the walkway, falling in behind the two men. Ruiz gave his name and room number to the host and indicated he’d like a table for four outside. The host brought them to one of the tables immediately. When she returned to the stand, Lambchop did the same. They were seated at a table that would allow them to watch Ruiz’s table but not hear anything that was said.
“Target’s been seated at the Italian restaurant, outside,” Lambchop transmitted.
“MP and Crash, get seated and order your dinner quickly. We’ll need you ready if the target moves.”
“Roger that, Control,” Roth replied. Then, he and Briana quickly crossed to the poolside grill. They were sat at a table that gavethem a great view of the walkway. If Ruiz came back towards his room, they’d see him.
“Razor is entering his room now,” Yvette then reported. “Mac has taken up a position outside of our room doors.”
Garcia used a device Michaela had invented to unlock the door, a universal electric door key. He entered the darkened room, leaving Mac standing outside in the alcove to the room. The curtains to the balcony were left open by Ruiz. Upon inspection of the balcony door, Garcia found it unlocked.
There was a large floor lamp in the corner near the balcony, across from the small dining room table and chairs set. He got to work installing the first micro camera on the fancy shade of the floor lamp, tapping into the electric of the lamp to power it through one thin strand wire. He pointed the camera at the table and chairs. He also installed the tiny microphone in the lamp again, tapping into the power.
“Control, camera one and the mic should be online,” Garcia transmitted.
“Affirm, Razor, got a good signal on both,” Yvette confirmed.
Then Garcia moved to the bed. The headboard was backlit, with an ornate macrame display rising from it. He could tap into a power there and hide the camera in the macrame sculpture. He got the power connected and ran the thin wire of the device up, wrapping it around the sculpture.
In the alcove outside of the room, Mac scoped out the best place for the final camera to be installed. They wanted it to pick up the face of anyone approaching the door. The top of the doorframe was optimal, but there was no power source to tap into. The dim lighting in the alcove made it hard to decide on the best spot. Perhaps doing this during daylight would be better, he decided.
Mac heard the elevator chime as the doors just down the hall slid open. He heard two women’s voices speaking in Spanish. He heard high heels clicking on the hallway’s tile floor, approaching him in concert with their voices.
“What are you doing by that door?” a woman’s voice demanded.
As he swung around to face them, he pulled his room key from his pocket. “Trying to get my damn door open,” he said, slurring his words. He let himself fall off balance to appear drunk.
“That’s not your room,” the woman said.
“Who are you, housekeeping?” he returned with as much attitude as she was giving him.
“Do I look like I’m a fucking housekeeper?”
Still with the attitude, Mac thought. He gave her an up and down glance. No, she most certainly didn’t look like a housekeeper, more like a high-priced call-girl. “Look, sweetheart, it’s been a long day in the sun, and I’m beat, just trying to get my fucking door open.”
“More like a long day at the bar, asshole,” she replied. “Go find your room; this isn’t it.” She held up a room key and pushed him aside.
Inside the room, Garcia tucked the camera the best he could inside the macrame, but with the commotion outside the door, and the impending entry of the two women, he didn’t have time to transmit to Yvette to check its installation. He went to the sliding glass door and out onto the balcony, closing it behind himself. There, he mounted the railing and slid around the privacy barrier and onto the balcony of Mac’s room, his feet dropping onto it just as the room lights came on in Ruiz’s room.
Garcia slid the balcony door open, slipped between the curtains and entered the room just as Mac came in through the room door.
“Damn, that was close,” Yvette said.
“Are you getting a signal from camera number two in the room?” Garcia asked.
“Yes, but it’s partially covered. Maybe we can get back in to adjust it later. It’s giving a good enough view of the door into the room.”
“I think we’re going to have to plant the camera outside of the room door when it’s light. It’s really hard to see anything with the low lighting they have by the doors.”
“We could probably skip it altogether,” Yvette said. “Camera number two inside the room is going to pick up faces as anyone enters the room.”
