The Clause (12 page)

Twenty-six

DCSNet 6000 Warrant Database

Transcript Cell Phone Track and Trace

Peerless IP Network / Redhook Translation

Target: Dragan Spikic

Date: Monday, August 9, 2010

Time: 938–941 EDT

SPIKIC: TALK TO ME.

VUGOVIC: THE CHINESE HAVE A DEAL WITH UNDERWOOD FOR THE GEMS, AND IT GOES DOWN TODAY SOMETIME. WE WILL BE THERE.

SPIKIC: OUT OF MY MOTHER’S PUSSY! THE CHINESE!

VUGOVIC: FROM HONG KONG, THE ONES WE STOLE GEMS FROM, THEY ARE SETTLING THAT SCORE. WE WILL HAVE THE GEMS BY THE END OF THE DAY. YOU CAN TELL THE ISRAELIS WE WILL BE READY TO MAKE THE EXCHANGE WITH THEM TOMORROW MORNING.

SPIKIC: YOU SEEM PRETTY SURE OF YOURSELF, VUGO.

VUGOVIC: WE CAME VERY CLOSE TO CORNERING HIM AT THE PLAZA LAST NIGHT, WE WERE THERE BEFORE THE CHINESE, AND TOMORROW MORNING WE WILL HAVE A MAN ON THE INSIDE WITH THE CHINESE. UNDERWOOD WENT THERE IN A CAB. WE INTERROGATED THE CAB DRIVER. UNDERWOOD HAS COLORED HIS HAIR WHITE AND NO LONGER DRIVES THE MOTORCYCLE—THE POLICE AND THE CHINESE GAVE CHASE SO HE HAD TO ABANDON IT. SO HE TOOK A CAB TO THE PLAZA AND WAS IN A ROOM ON THE THIRTEENTH FLOOR, SHOWERED AND CHANGED. FROM HIS SMELL I CAN TELL HE IS WEAKENING, HE IS NOT EATING ENOUGH PROTEIN.

SPIKIC: WHO IS THIS CHINESE INSIDER YOU SAY YOU WILL HAVE TOMORROW MORNING?

VUGOVIC: A PUNK NAMED SHUI FU WING WHO CHASED AND SHOT AT UNDERWOOD. THE CHINESE ARE LETTING HIM COOL OFF IN JAIL. WE WILL BAIL HIM OUT, MAKE HIM OUR FRIEND.

SPIKIC: WHAT ABOUT THE WOMAN?

VUGOVIC: I THINK SHE MAY HAVE DIED. I DO NOT SMELL THAT HE IS PROTECTING HER ANY LONGER.

SPIKIC: WOULD HE HAVE SO EASILY ALLOWED HER TO EXPIRE?

VUGOVIC: I SPOKE WITH THE CUBAN, HE SAYS HE WOULD.

SPIKIC: ROBERTO?

VUGOVIC: YES.

SPIKIC: HE AGREED TO SPEAK WITH YOU?

VUGOVIC: HE WAS NOT HAPPY WE CHIMPED HIS MAN, THOUGH CLAIMED WE DID HIM A FAVOR.

SPIKIC: [LAUGHTER] THOSE SLEAZY CUBANS, THEY THINK THEY ARE SO CLEVER WHEN THEY ARE JUST WEAK AND USELESS SPICS.

VUGOVIC: HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT HE KNEW YOU WERE WANTED BY THE HAGUE.

SPIKIC: AND WHAT DID YOU SAY?

VUGOVIC: I ASKED HIM WHO TOLD HIM THAT AND HE SAID HE WAS JUST GUESSING.

SPIKIC: YOU DON’T SUPPOSE HE IS PASSING INFORMATION TO THE CIA? I HEAR THAT THE CORPORATION STILL HAS CONNECTIONS.

VUGOVIC: I ASKED ABOUT THAT ALSO, BUT HE DENIED IT. TO GET ROBERTO’S COOPERATION I OF COURSE MADE EMPTY PROMISES IN EXCHANGE FOR INFORMATION.

SPIKIC: RELIABLE INFORMATION? CAN YOU BE SURE?

VUGOVIC: OF COURSE I CANNOT BE SURE, BUT I HAVE MET THE CHINESE SO KNOW THAT THEY ARE AFTER UNDERWOOD JUST AS ROBERTO SAID, SO DO NOT NEED TO KNOW ANY MORE THAN THAT.

SPIKIC: YOU MET THE CHINESE?

VUGOVIC: AT THE PLAZA, THEY SHOWED UP AFTER US AND DID NOT INSPECT THE ROOM.

SPIKIC: I WANT YOU TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES, VUGO. ANYBODY GETS IN THE WAY, MOW THEM DOWN, EVEN IF IT IS OUR OWN MEN. TAKE THE GEMS BACK AND DON’T LET THEM OUT OF YOUR SIGHT. I WILL CALL THE ISRAELIS ABOUT TOMORROW AND SET IT UP

VUGOVIC: CONSIDER IT ACCOMPLISHED.

SPIKIC: FOR THE SAKE OF ALL MOTHERS AND THE RATS THAT INFEST THEIR PANTRY, IT HAD BETTER BE SO.

*END*

Twenty-seven

EUROPEAN ORGANIZED CRIME TASK FORCE

MEETING MINUTES

1100 EDT MONDAY AUGUST 9, 2010

ATTENDANCE: LOG ATTACHED

Re: Kurac gem theft conspiracy—recent developments re: G. Underwood

1. EOCTF Agents Brown and Acosta apprised superiors on tracing G. Underwood credit card in use to Plaza Hotel, 59th
& 5th, Manhattan. Attempted intercept on 13th floor in advance of Kurac learning G. Underwood’s whereabouts. Underwood had vacated the room just prior to arrival. Room contained evidence of clothes change, discarded Jets hat, and shirt in garbage. Shower wet from bathing. Data collection device (DCD) planted in room behind television in anticipation of Kurac invasion of room. Observed Kurac enter lobby, followed shortly by members of Chinese Nee Fat Tong. Observed both groups leave premises shortly after. Returned to room to retrieve DCD. See transcript. Conversation between Kurac and Nee Fat Tong not collected, out of range.

2. Agents Kim and Bola of Intel Surveillance section reported tactical database intel. Nee Fat Tong, Hong Kong to intercept G. Underwood for Kurac gems. Details as yet unavailable, surveillance subsystems targeting, technical complications may indicate use of Taiwanese track-scrambled cell phones. Also report signal intercept from Weehawken Police with ID of expired license plate registered to Phillip Greene engaged in high-speed chase with SUV/Hummer registered to Ping Wong Grocery Distributors, Flushing, Queens—legal enterprise of Nee Fat Tong. Conclusion: Nee Fat Tong located G. Underwood, high-speed chase was result, local police attempted to intercede and detain. Shopping center security guard crashed into SUV/Hummer and ended up in river, driver swam to safety. G. Underwood on motorcycle slipped police gauntlet through Weehawken train tunnel. SUV/Hummer intercepted attempting to pursue. G. Underwood drove motorcycle into tunnel. Occupants: Shui Fu Wing, 26, male, Chinese national, U.S. legal resident; Pat Fong, 22, male, Chinese national, U.S. work permit; Tse Mo Shin, 22, male, Chinese national, illegal alien. All linked to Nee Fat Tong. Dispatch to EOCTF Agents Brown and Acosta for field interrogation.

3. EOCTF Agents Brown and Acosta deployed to Weehawken PD with assist from interpreter from intel surveillance. Weehawken PD assisted with interrogation of detainees Shui Fu Wing, Pat Fong, and Tse Mo Shin in separate interviews. Wing and Fong nonresponsive. Shin—fearful of deportation—became cooperative, see transcript. Summary: Nee Fat Tong arranged to purchase Britany-Swindol gems from G. Underwood, arranged for drop of passports and tickets in advance, at which time Nee Fat Tong attempted to abduct G. Underwood, resulting in high-speed chase through pedestrian areas at riverfront. Exchange for gems scheduled to occur August 9th, status currently uncertain. Shin released on bond, currently implanted as informer within Nee Fat Tong, reporting to intel surveillance. Object: To learn of Nee Fat Tong possible exchange of gems with G. Underwood.

4. EOCTF Supervisor Palmer initiated discussion of current intentions of Kurac.

5. Agents Kim and Bola of Intel Surveillance section reported intercepts indicate Kurac plan to bail out Shui Fu Wing, in Hudson County jail for the reckless vehicular pursuit, and use him as informer within Nee Fat Tong to track plans for exchange with G. Underwood for Britany-Swindol gems.

6. EOCTF Supervisor Palmer initiated discussion of location of exchange, known or possible. No intel. Suggests that G. Underwood understands his predicament and needs a secure public place to perform the exchange from which he can depart to the airport and leave the country undetected. Possibilities include an airport or train station where police, TSA, and National Guard are frequent and complicating factor to an attempted abduction. Discover which transit hub, scan departure manifests for G. Underwood, or possible aliases he may have used in the past. Press informer Shin for name on passports, flight, time, etc.

7. EOCTF Supervisor Palmer initiated discussion of injured T. Elwell condition, progress of search.

8. EOCTF Agents Brown and Acosta apprised superiors of increasing possibility she may already be dead. G. Underwood’s continued mobility suggests he cannot be tending to an injured party, though it is possible she is not badly injured, or may have already departed the city to seek shelter elsewhere. Kurac intercepts indicate they also believe she may be dead. T. Elwell no longer seems germane to a study of G. Underwood’s whereabouts or possibility of a safe house.

9. Intel Profiler Agent Laurenta provided input on G. Underwood M.O. based on previous observations and recent activity. Anticipated multilayered subterfuge not yet apparent but should not be discounted. Essential he does not discover FBI is a factor in blocking his escape and using him to draw the other parties together for the exchange. Based on his military applications of Sun Tzu text “Art of War” it should be anticipated that G. Underwood will use the Kurac and the Nee Fat Tong at cross purposes to help effect his escape. If it is suspected that G. Underwood is aware of the Justice Department involvement he will likely attempt to enact a “cascade” in which each pursuer eliminates or paralyzes the other until there is only one pursuer. If this exchange takes place in a public arena such as an airport the situation could turn explosive, resulting in civilian casualties.

10. EOCTF Agents Brown and Acosta apprised superiors of G. Underwood “Screen Man” van impoundment and inventory—see attached for full inventory. Contents of van primarily related to making and repairing screens. Late-model Dell laptop computer discovered in compartment under driver’s seat. Electronics forensic unit to report today on contents of hard drive, browser history, etc.

11. EOCTF Supervisor Palmer scheduled reconvene Monday 9th @ 1500 EDT.

******************MEETING ADJOURNED******************

Twenty-eight

I parked on a
Manhattan side street in the Twenties and made my way through busy sidewalks to the elevator bank in an old factory building on Broadway.

Removing my trilby, I exited the elevator directly into the fly shop. To my right by the windows: all kinds of specialty clothing and fly rods. Straight ahead: books and an island of cubbies filled with feathers tied on small hooks. Left: outerwear, boots, waders, fly-tying tools, and supplies. Farther left: “May I help you?”

It was a young guy in a purple Patagonia pullover, ponytail, and sandals. Stray feathers dotted his clothing.

“I’m going to take a trip to the Bahamas and learn how to fly fish.”

His eyes widened, his head bobbing. “We can help you with that! When were you thinking of going?”

“Pretty much now. See, I just got laid off and got a nice settlement package, thought this was as good a time as ever to take a few months off and do something just for me.”

“Stupendous! Good time to go, off season. Let’s go look at the catalog, and then I’ll make some calls, how’s that?”

“I already have a lodge that I want to go to. Bernard’s Cay Bonefish Lodge. An old friend operates it. I sent Tim an email last night saying I was coming—can you contact her and confirm?”

“I think Bernard’s Cay would be perfect. And you know Tim: she’s a certified casting instructor. I’ll shoot her an email and confirm.”

“Let’s go with that. Two weeks. Then we’ll see where I should head next, how’s that?”

“Dude, I am
so
jealous, you’re going to have an awesome trip.” He eagerly jabbed a finger at the laptop.

I wandered off into the store. If you’ve never been to a fly shop—I hadn’t—it’s sort of like a golf, climbing, or ski emporium. There was a lot of designer outdoorsy clothing that was like it was from an L.L. Bean catalog. It ranged from tropical wear for Ecuador to parkas for Tierra del Fuego. I flipped a few price tags and rolled my eyes—they were about four times what I would ever pay for clothes. My idea of a shirt is one that costs under forty dollars. Under twenty even better.

At the fishing rod rack, the price tags were equally eye-rolling. They were all six hundred dollars and up. So were the reels. Just the line that went on the reels was pushing a hundred. Walk into a ski or golf shop and I guess you’d find pretty much the same level of pricey merchandising.

The lures they sold—flies—could either be fuzzy specks or fluffy pink birds that fit in your hand, all with a single hook to match. Many were tied with feathers, while others were constructed from plastic foam, wire, and hair. Some looked like something you’d stomp on if you saw it in your bathroom, or swat with a newspaper on the kitchen counter. Others looked like cat toys. They had eyes and looked like frogs and fish and mice and maybe even squid; I couldn’t be sure what they were all supposed to be. Most were tucked neatly into about a jillion cup-sized cubbies built into the top of a wooden desk. Below, the desk drawers held dozens of plastic boxes with more flies. A wall rack of plastic drawers held still more. The sheer volume of flies suggested a huge knowledge base and was a little intimidating. There were thousands of different kinds. How could you possibly know which fly you were supposed to use? In golf, all the balls are the same size, and aside from color, very much the same. Were fish really this choosy? I guessed people were pretty particular with what they eat, so why not fish?

There was an entire wall of the components used to tie flies should a guy want to make them himself. I guess some people have a lot of time on their hands.

Farther along, I found racks of rubber pants and boots for walking around in rivers and staying dry. I was hoping I wouldn’t need any of those, and from the pictures I’d seen I didn’t think I would. In the tropics, I’d roast like a pork shoulder in those things. Confirming my suspicion was a rack of neoprene hi-tops for walking in the ocean, which from a display I could see were worn with flimsy, quick-drying pants. Very expensive flimsy, quick-drying pants.

The luggage section of the store displayed an array of special padded cases for fishing rods of every dimension, some that were tubes, and others that were more like briefcases. It seemed the rods themselves came apart into two or four sections. One of the cases drew my attention. It was perfect not only to transport fly fishing equipment but also sparks. It was a soft-sided duffel on wheels that had room for rods and numerous nooks for reels and other equipment, definitely the deluxe travel case for the hardcore angler who planned to check his equipment. While I would have preferred to keep my valuables close, I didn’t dare subject my carry-on baggage to close scrutiny. If for any reason they went through the bag, they would be sure to find that I was transporting a substantial sum of cash and jewelry. That would not be good. In this piece of luggage I could layer the cash behind the padding and intermingle the sparks with the reels so that the scanners wouldn’t notice them as being separate from the metal of the equipment.

“Okay, Bernard’s Cay is expecting you day after tomorrow!”

“I need to book the flights. Through Nassau?”

“Yup, you’d have to fly into Nassau tomorrow, then catch the morning flight to Bernard’s the following day. Can’t do it all in one day, have to stay over in Nassau for a night.”

“No flights out tonight?”

“No way. No flights to the Bahamas after, like, noon.”

“Can I arrange the flight through your shop?”

“We can recommend a travel agent we work with for our group trips.”

“Let me put it this way
…
what’s your name?”

“Josh.”

“Josh, I need you to be my full-service fly-fishing guy, and help me out with the travel agent to get my tickets. Since I’m new to this, I also need you to help me out because I have none of the stuff.” I waved my hand around the shop. “Tell me what I need, I’ll buy it.”

The kid practically wet himself with excitement. “Whoa! You have nothing? Not even a rod?”

I set my trilby on the counter and pulled a thick wad of hundreds from my pocket. “So you’ll book me the tickets, too? I need to pay for all this in cash, if that’s okay. I just sold my car and would rather use up that cash than deposit it only to spend it, if you know what I mean.”

He gulped. “Let me call my boss, but I’m sure that’ll be fine, dude.”

What businessman doesn’t like large influxes of cash?

I dropped ten grand and change in that store. When I left two hours later, a miniature fly shop was all packed into that rolling duffel and a shoulder bag. That was the good news.

The bad news was that the soonest flight I could book to Nassau was early Tuesday morning. I needed to stay one more night without my pursuers knowing about it.