It will draw attention away from your face. We don’t have enough time to give you a fake driver’s license and passport. However, you look enough like a Caucasian woman in her sixties to fool most border inspectors.”
“Just choose one who is not Caucasian. Get an Asian, a brown, Hispanic... they think all whites look the same,” advised Bobby.
Four hours later, Fatima crossed into the United States over Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls in Reverend Geraldine Swanson’s new car, an older silver Prius. She pointed at her throat to indicate how sore it was to the stern Hispanic man who was the border guard. When the guard asked her why she was going to the United States, Fatima replied hoarsely, “Conduct funeral. Need to save voice. Sorry.”
Realizing this senior citizen was an active person of the cloth, the guard waved her in and said, “God bless and get well soon.”
Five minutes after she crossed into the United States, Fatima pulled to the side of the road, got out a cell phone and made a call.
“Hello,” answered Ahmed.
“Good afternoon, sir. This is a courtesy call to let you know that your package has cleared customs and is scheduled for delivery in two days at its destination.”
“Thank you very much.” Ahmed hung up and looked to Casey sitting at the computer. “She’s in the States. Time to rock and roll.”
“Yes!” said Casey, pumping his fists.
Fatima made another call.
“Hello,” answered Hank.
“Darling, I miss you,” purred Fatima. “Please come soon. I need you to spank this naughty Aida girl and make her behave. She is just sooo bad.”
Hank panted lasciviously. “I’ll join you tomorrow. I’ll go directly to your uncle’s.”
“Okay, but please make sure you tell your wife you’ll be four hours late. And I hope you won’t mind...”
“Mind what?”
“I went to Victoria’s Secret and bought some things for you to rip off my body.”
He tried to hide it, but his heavy breathing prevented Hank from saying another word.
“I’ll see you soon... Superman.” Fatima closed the phone, stepped out of the car and threw it into a trashcan.
An hour and a half later, Reverend Geraldine Swanson was on a flight from Buffalo to Los Angeles.
Chapter 8
For the next half hour, Julio gave Rayna a guided tour of the hidden wilderness resort for the possibly infamous but most definitely rich. For those who wanted to arrive by air, there was a helipad. For those of nautical persuasion, there was a private dock where Rayna noticed two very high-powered speedboats moored.
She had a funny, confused feeling during this time. On one hand, she heard everything the bearded man said. On the other, she was trying to process this organization that she was now part of: dedicated to ridding the world of a greater evil by killing or murdering on a moment’s notice, but compassionate enough to save an abandoned baby from the Colombian jungle and from heaven knew where else.
She liked it.
There was a private organic garden where she saw Helena picking weeds with her gaggle of toddlers. They had a great time, giggling as they rolled in the dirt with their mom.
The next part of the tour was inside the main lodge. Rayna noted that it was built from wood, as were much of the Resort’s furnishings. She turned to Julio for an explanation.
“Most of the wood you see has been harvested from the forest around us. The building structure, the bed frames, desks, tables, wooden artifacts—all of it made to our specifications.” Julio took a tablet computer from the receptionist. “Place your hand on this please.”
Rayna complied.
Julio smiled. “Good, Rayna. You now have access to all public places at the Resort. Your room is private. The hand and fingerprint reader is part of your room’s doorknob and doesn’t need the whole print to recognize who you are. It will then automatically unlock the door. Want to see it?”
Rayna shrugged. “One hotel room is the same as
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