Maldonado had joined the team a year prior and had advanced degrees:
doctorates in both language and archeology. Professor Nate Childers was a
professor of Archeology at Baylor University in Texas. Sara Daniels was
Professor Childers’s intern. And finally, there was Roman Alcazar, who had just
graduated with his degree from Baylor. And while he was known by Professor
Childers – and had been recommended by him even, Alcazar was from Mexico. Alex
studied all the background information carefully. Among these seven people was
the person who could lead him to the missiles.
He was
sitting at the hotel’s bar when a man around fifty, with a shock of snow white
hair, entered and looked around the room. When he noticed Alex, he made his way
to him. Alex didn’t know the man personally, but knew who he was courtesy of
the advance materials. He kept the man’s eye until he reached him and hitched
his body up onto the barstool.
Turning
toward him, the man said, “Are you Allred?”
Alex
held out his hand to the man. “Ben Allred. You must be Taggert Lanier.”
The
older man looked at the extended hand for a second before shaking it with his
own. “It’s just Tag. I want to be clear about something up front, if you don’t
mind,” he said in a tone which said he didn’t really care whether Alex minded
or not.
“All our cards on the table, so to speak?” Alex
answered straightforwardly. “By all means, lets.”
Lanier
waved a finger at the bartender. When the young Hispanic man with the thin
mustache approached, Lanier told him, “Scotch, neat.”
Turning
back to Alex, he said, “Mr. Allred, you are a guest on my team. You will be
expected to pull your own weight as well as help out where needed. I don’t mind
telling you, if it weren’t for the money fronted by your company, I’d never
allow you to go with us.” When Alex started to speak, Lanier raised his hand to
silence him. “Let me finish, please. I personally feel that you and I are at
cross purposes. I want to preserve, and you and your company seek to destroy. I
won’t allow that to happen while you are with me. What you do after we part
company is no business of mine. Are we on the same sheet of music?”
Alex
studied the man intently. Could this be the man who’d stolen the missiles and was
now transporting them into the jungle? No, he didn’t think so. He’d keep a
close eye on him, of course, but he didn’t think he had anything to worry about
with this man.
“Mr. Lanier,” Alex began before he was cut
off.
“Tag, please. We are all very informal in the
jungle.”
“Tag,”
Alex began again patiently, “You have nothing to worry from me or my company.
This is merely a scouting expedition. I am more than happy to help in whatever
way is needed. I do have a request, though.”
Alex waited
until Tag gave him a small nod to proceed. “I have brought with me several
expensive items to help me in my research. I would like to set up a secure
perimeter that encompasses the compound. This is a win-win as it would not only
safeguard my items, but yours as well.”
Tag
studied Alex as he thought over the request. With a slow nod of his head, he
said, “I think that’s doable.”
Alex
lifted a finger to the older man. “I do have another small request to make. I
would like it if you’d not tell the others about the security. If everyone
knows where the cameras are, the area becomes… less secure.”
Again,
Tag nodded his head slowly. “Yes, I see what you mean. I have no problem with
that as long as whatever you set up doesn’t harm the environment. No footprints,
Ben, no footprints.”
“I
promise you won’t even know they are there,” Alex promised. “So when do we
leave?”
Tag
took a sip of his scotch before answering. “We are waiting for the last member
of our team. So, our timeline has been bumped by one day. We’ll head out the
day after tomorrow. Does that work for you?”
Alex
groaned to himself at the loss of
doctorates in both language and archeology. Professor Nate Childers was a
professor of Archeology at Baylor University in Texas. Sara Daniels was
Professor Childers’s intern. And finally, there was Roman Alcazar, who had just
graduated with his degree from Baylor. And while he was known by Professor
Childers – and had been recommended by him even, Alcazar was from Mexico. Alex
studied all the background information carefully. Among these seven people was
the person who could lead him to the missiles.
He was
sitting at the hotel’s bar when a man around fifty, with a shock of snow white
hair, entered and looked around the room. When he noticed Alex, he made his way
to him. Alex didn’t know the man personally, but knew who he was courtesy of
the advance materials. He kept the man’s eye until he reached him and hitched
his body up onto the barstool.
Turning
toward him, the man said, “Are you Allred?”
Alex
held out his hand to the man. “Ben Allred. You must be Taggert Lanier.”
The
older man looked at the extended hand for a second before shaking it with his
own. “It’s just Tag. I want to be clear about something up front, if you don’t
mind,” he said in a tone which said he didn’t really care whether Alex minded
or not.
“All our cards on the table, so to speak?” Alex
answered straightforwardly. “By all means, lets.”
Lanier
waved a finger at the bartender. When the young Hispanic man with the thin
mustache approached, Lanier told him, “Scotch, neat.”
Turning
back to Alex, he said, “Mr. Allred, you are a guest on my team. You will be
expected to pull your own weight as well as help out where needed. I don’t mind
telling you, if it weren’t for the money fronted by your company, I’d never
allow you to go with us.” When Alex started to speak, Lanier raised his hand to
silence him. “Let me finish, please. I personally feel that you and I are at
cross purposes. I want to preserve, and you and your company seek to destroy. I
won’t allow that to happen while you are with me. What you do after we part
company is no business of mine. Are we on the same sheet of music?”
Alex
studied the man intently. Could this be the man who’d stolen the missiles and was
now transporting them into the jungle? No, he didn’t think so. He’d keep a
close eye on him, of course, but he didn’t think he had anything to worry about
with this man.
“Mr. Lanier,” Alex began before he was cut
off.
“Tag, please. We are all very informal in the
jungle.”
“Tag,”
Alex began again patiently, “You have nothing to worry from me or my company.
This is merely a scouting expedition. I am more than happy to help in whatever
way is needed. I do have a request, though.”
Alex waited
until Tag gave him a small nod to proceed. “I have brought with me several
expensive items to help me in my research. I would like to set up a secure
perimeter that encompasses the compound. This is a win-win as it would not only
safeguard my items, but yours as well.”
Tag
studied Alex as he thought over the request. With a slow nod of his head, he
said, “I think that’s doable.”
Alex
lifted a finger to the older man. “I do have another small request to make. I
would like it if you’d not tell the others about the security. If everyone
knows where the cameras are, the area becomes… less secure.”
Again,
Tag nodded his head slowly. “Yes, I see what you mean. I have no problem with
that as long as whatever you set up doesn’t harm the environment. No footprints,
Ben, no footprints.”
“I
promise you won’t even know they are there,” Alex promised. “So when do we
leave?”
Tag
took a sip of his scotch before answering. “We are waiting for the last member
of our team. So, our timeline has been bumped by one day. We’ll head out the
day after tomorrow. Does that work for you?”
Alex
groaned to himself at the loss of
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