dropped low and nasty. “Who came across, Chico? Who was trying to sneak into Texas and ran into our Marines?”
“I don’t know.”
If it weren’t for the fact that she was covering two massive thugs while standing half-naked in a topless bar, Zach’s next move would have caused Sam to burst out in hysterics. Like an old black and white gangster movie, Ranger Bass held up his cell phone with a finger hovering over the “trigger.” The fact that he was threatening the villain with a text as opposed to a hailstorm of bullets from a Tommy gun was just surreal.
“Don’t! Please! I’m telling the truth; I don’t know who came across,” Chico begged, his eyes bulging as Zach’s finger started to descend on the send button.
Ranger Bass relaxed but kept up the pressure. “I don’t think you’re being straight up with me, Chico. Stop fucking around before I lose interest and move on to someone who won’t waste my time.”
“I don’t know who came across. Really, I don’t.”
“Do you know why?”
“I’ve heard stories,” the cartel go-between answered in a quieter, protective voice. “Ever since Texas started letting anyone cross the Rio Grande, the organizations have been losing money. There’s been a rumor going around that new alliances have been formed.”
“So? What’s that got to do with the price of coffee beans in Guadalajara?”
Chico seemed really nervous now, his eyes darting right and left. Zach made another show of preparing to hit the send button and launch the incriminating text message along with the attached picture.
“Okay! Okay! Stop that!” the ambassador snapped. “I heard a few whispers that there’s a coup in the works. The cartels are banding together to overthrow the government.”
Again, Zach was cynical. “Pardon this stupid, old cowboy’s lack of gray matter, Chico. But I still don’t understand what some hair-brained, cockamamie scheme down south has to do with a guy sneaking across the border and killing a bunch of our kids along the way.”
“They need weapons to pull off a coup. Lots of weapons and ammunition. Can you think of a better place than Texas to acquire such firepower?”
Zach now understood, the pieces of the puzzle coming together quickly. With an abrupt pivot, he turned to Sam and announced, “Time to change clothes. We’ve got work to do.”
“Are you going to delete that picture?” Chico called as the two rangers made for the exit.
“Nah,” Zach called over his shoulder. “A man never knows when something like that might come in handy.”
Chapter 4
President Simmons sighed, frowning at the intercom while setting his glasses down on the baroque desk. “Send them in,” he instructed his secretary.
Major Putnam and Colonel Bowmark were shown into the office, both men’s expressions painted with several coats of seriousness as they removed their hats.
“What is so important that it can’t wait for our staff meeting in the morning, gentlemen?” the republic’s chief executive asked.
“Sir, we’ve received information concerning the massacre at Langtry,” the ranger commander began. “While the source is somewhat dubious, the major and I felt the ramifications were serious enough to warrant your immediate attention.”
“Go on,” Simmons replied.
For the next three minutes, Putnam and Bowmark took turns briefing their boss on what Rangers Bass and Temple had uncovered. No mention of the specific methods employed by the officers was included.
Simmons stood, turning to gaze out at the Austin skyline through the large, curved window behind his desk. “Damn,” the politician initially remarked, soon followed by, “The timing of this couldn’t be worse.”
“Sir, the obvious thing to do would be to delay or put a hold on the sale of automatic weapons until this can all be sorted out. I’m no politician, but I can’t imagine it would be good for the republic to be providing arms and ammunition used to
“I don’t know.”
If it weren’t for the fact that she was covering two massive thugs while standing half-naked in a topless bar, Zach’s next move would have caused Sam to burst out in hysterics. Like an old black and white gangster movie, Ranger Bass held up his cell phone with a finger hovering over the “trigger.” The fact that he was threatening the villain with a text as opposed to a hailstorm of bullets from a Tommy gun was just surreal.
“Don’t! Please! I’m telling the truth; I don’t know who came across,” Chico begged, his eyes bulging as Zach’s finger started to descend on the send button.
Ranger Bass relaxed but kept up the pressure. “I don’t think you’re being straight up with me, Chico. Stop fucking around before I lose interest and move on to someone who won’t waste my time.”
“I don’t know who came across. Really, I don’t.”
“Do you know why?”
“I’ve heard stories,” the cartel go-between answered in a quieter, protective voice. “Ever since Texas started letting anyone cross the Rio Grande, the organizations have been losing money. There’s been a rumor going around that new alliances have been formed.”
“So? What’s that got to do with the price of coffee beans in Guadalajara?”
Chico seemed really nervous now, his eyes darting right and left. Zach made another show of preparing to hit the send button and launch the incriminating text message along with the attached picture.
“Okay! Okay! Stop that!” the ambassador snapped. “I heard a few whispers that there’s a coup in the works. The cartels are banding together to overthrow the government.”
Again, Zach was cynical. “Pardon this stupid, old cowboy’s lack of gray matter, Chico. But I still don’t understand what some hair-brained, cockamamie scheme down south has to do with a guy sneaking across the border and killing a bunch of our kids along the way.”
“They need weapons to pull off a coup. Lots of weapons and ammunition. Can you think of a better place than Texas to acquire such firepower?”
Zach now understood, the pieces of the puzzle coming together quickly. With an abrupt pivot, he turned to Sam and announced, “Time to change clothes. We’ve got work to do.”
“Are you going to delete that picture?” Chico called as the two rangers made for the exit.
“Nah,” Zach called over his shoulder. “A man never knows when something like that might come in handy.”
Chapter 4
President Simmons sighed, frowning at the intercom while setting his glasses down on the baroque desk. “Send them in,” he instructed his secretary.
Major Putnam and Colonel Bowmark were shown into the office, both men’s expressions painted with several coats of seriousness as they removed their hats.
“What is so important that it can’t wait for our staff meeting in the morning, gentlemen?” the republic’s chief executive asked.
“Sir, we’ve received information concerning the massacre at Langtry,” the ranger commander began. “While the source is somewhat dubious, the major and I felt the ramifications were serious enough to warrant your immediate attention.”
“Go on,” Simmons replied.
For the next three minutes, Putnam and Bowmark took turns briefing their boss on what Rangers Bass and Temple had uncovered. No mention of the specific methods employed by the officers was included.
Simmons stood, turning to gaze out at the Austin skyline through the large, curved window behind his desk. “Damn,” the politician initially remarked, soon followed by, “The timing of this couldn’t be worse.”
“Sir, the obvious thing to do would be to delay or put a hold on the sale of automatic weapons until this can all be sorted out. I’m no politician, but I can’t imagine it would be good for the republic to be providing arms and ammunition used to
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