Trapped in the Mayan Tattoo (38 page)

The ambassador indicated
that he wanted Big Sam to follow also. They went through a hallway and down the
back set of stairs where Big Sam met them.

Using his pass
card at an exit, he said, “This is our tunnel. It connects this building with
various governmental office buildings.”

The tunnel,
rectangular in shape and well-lit, was wide enough to drive golf carts through
but the four of them were alone in the tunnel at this time. It looked similar
to any hallway in a government office building, with restrooms, telephones, and
surveillance cameras strategically placed. This one was off-limits to the
general public.

“I had planned to
make an announcement today about Operation Shoe-In. We thought, until we
received the message a few minutes ago, that Miss Shoe was in Mexico and that
we would need to arrange an extraction with the Mexican Government. Your
arrival proves timely indeed. It appears that the name of the operation has changed
to Operation Shoe Drop. I can make my announcement in a press conference later,
after its success.”

“No press
conference, please,” Big Sam said. “We’re going to try to keep this under
wraps, hoping for a successful sting operation if we can get all pieces to come
together. Just last night, there was a murder attempt made on Miss Kowalski
here. We have the suspect in hand and have reason to tie her in with a king-pin
for NM2 and a previous murder.”

Ambassador Marquez
said. “Yes, well, I’m so sorry to hear about the danger you’ve been in, Miss
Kowalski, but unfortunately there is still this missing shoe. That is your
mother, I presume? I will talk quietly, so gather near.”

They talked in the
privacy of the tunnel, but the ambassador still used a hushed tone.

“We are preparing
now to assist Senorita Sobori and a multi-agency taskforce. They will be on
their way to Texas and then possibly into Mexico, where we have full
cooperation with the Mexican Government and their local officials. Things are
moving very fast. We understand and give our consent that arrests will be made today
and that the perpetrators of the crimes we have discussed will be brought to
justice in the United States and tried as part of a transnational crime ring,”
the ambassador said.

“Thank you! At the
same time, the FBI is resuming negotiations with NM2 even as we speak, so
timing is of the utmost importance,” Big Sam said. “What would be most helpful
for us and the safe return of Miss Shoe would be for you to also avail
yourself, Mr. Ambassador, to the negotiations staff. We believe information you
have might help them see the significance of cooperating on this very important
exchange.”

“Absolutely! That
would be my pleasure,” he said. “As information regarding the illicit
activities of NM2 has come to light, I feel strongly that we need to forego
some of the slower diplomatic ways to bring their activities to an end and
proceed with the utmost haste.”

Big Sam left the
ambassador with the hotline for negotiations. They shook hands.

In a heavy
Hispanic accent, the ambassador smiled and wished Abbi well.

“As for the
perpetrators of these crimes,” the ambassador said, “there is no place but
prison for them. They threaten the lives of men, women and children. Our office
and the Mexican Government will assist in every possible way.”

When they left the
tunnel, the ambassador quickly departed.

 Big Sam told Abbi
and Louise that the next person they would meet was a high-ranking official of
the FBI.

A drive of just a
few minutes brought them to the FBI building on Pennsylvania Avenue, standing cubicle,
designed of huge granite blocks. Big Sam said this building served as the hub
for information and intelligence for the fight against terrorism in the United
States of America.

“Security will be
tighter here, very much tighter,” Big Sam said. Again, he left the rappelling
bag with Scott. “Watch this for us, please. We should be back within a half
hour. If not, I will call.”

Just inside the
building, Abbi, Louise, and Big Sam were carefully scrutinized, scanned, and
ID’d. The security guard took their phones, examined them, put the phones in a
box and warned that there was to be no photography, video or sound recording.

Big Sam informed a
young woman at the information desk that they had arrived early for a special
meeting and asked her to notify the proper authority of their arrival.

An aide took Abbi,
Louise, and Big Sam into a small but comfortable room where coffee, tea, and
doughnuts were offered. Here they would wait until called.

Today looked like
a day for more answers but she wondered at what might lay ahead. With her
second doughnut of the day in hand, Abbi sat comfortably in a tall plush
leather chair and looked around.

Louise sat beside
her and whispered, “Another fine mess you’ve gotten us into.”

Abbi laughed and
said, “Yeah! I’m getting real good at that.”

They finished
their doughnuts and coffee, and then did their secret fist bump.

Meanwhile, Big Sam
had gone to another room.

Suddenly, a vision
came to her of a zipline and sliding through thick trees. The mission felt
dangerous. She wanted an ascender and wasn’t sure she had one in her bag. Her
mind’s eye showed ropes and a tricky glide through the air. And it would happen
today!

The vision broke but,
quickly after it dissolved, another one formed, one in which her mother sat bound
with ropes on a floor with her back resting on the bare wall of an unfurnished
room. Before Abbi could glean further details from the image, that vision also
dissolved.

Abbi stared into
her coffee hoping for more pieces to the puzzle, as if she could read the
future from coffee grounds in the bottom of the cup she cradled in her hands.

“Mom is lonely and
scared,” Abbi said.

“You’ll get her
back,” Louise said. “I feel good about this.”

“You do? You
actually feel something?”

“Yes. It’s going
to happen. And you’ll do fine!” Louise said. “I like this. Maybe you’re rubbing
off on me!”

Before they had
finished their coffee, an aide came for Abbi, escorting her up an

elevator to a large and lavishly
furnished office with a huge cherry desk that faced the door. Several leather
chairs had been placed in a semi-circle. The aide directed Abbi to the chair in
the middle, directly in front of the woman sitting at the desk. Again, déjà vu.

Abbi immediately
recognized the large-framed woman, who sat turned with her back to them.

“The young lady is
here,” the aide said.

The woman, dressed
in business clothes, spun her chair around to see.

In spite of
herself, Abbi gasped, “It’s YOU? HERE?”

Miss Sobori
knocked on the door.

            “Tina, are you OK for
company? Mrs. Hightower sent me,” Miss Sobori said.

            “Come in!” Tina said.

            “Good morning! Well, we
do look a lot alike. That’s exciting. I’ll get to play YOU! I’m Special Agent
Sobori.” She showed her badge. “How are you feeling today?”

            “A lot LOT better!”
Tina said. “They won’t let me leave yet though.”

            “You’d better just stay
and let them take care of you. What are you, about 5 foot 1 or 2?”

            “I think I’m 5 foot 1.”

            “OK. I’m just a little
taller. Same skin tone, basically. I’ll see if I can find a longer wig.
Alright, we’ve got the basic body shape covered,” she said.

            “And you’re not very
old!” Tina observed.

            “Nope, not very. I
brought some magazines. You can pick out some styles that show how you like to
dress. Basically, you’ll be my stylist and train me to be you. But first, let’s
just talk and get on the Internet with our target.”

            “Target?”

            “Not the store. I like
your accent. How’s this?” she asked in Tina’s inflection, trying to match the
voice as nearly as she could.

            “I think that might do
it!” Tina said.

            Miss Sobori brought the
laptop over to the bed.

            “Have you been on this
today?”

            “No, Mrs. Hightower
thought I should wait for you.”

            “Perfect! Let’s respond
to Gopher’s last statement where he pleaded his concern for you and his
innocence. How do you think we should we respond to that?”

            “I think I should say
‘that’s bullshit’.”

            “Sure, but we catch
more flies with honey than vinegar. How about ‘I knew they were wrong about you.’
Or however you say it. Just that. See if he takes the bait. OK?”

            “Maybe something like what
they said bout you was wrong. You’re my guy.”

Miss Sobori
agreed. “Let’s go with it. You type it in.”

            “OK. That’s not fuckin’
true though. Just so you know! Oh, sorry about that. I’m just so angry! I hate
him!”

Tina gathered up
her courage, took the laptop and replied to Gopher’s plea.

“You just told me
important things about yourself,” Miss Sobori said. “You don’t mind cussing
once in a while. And your spelling of wrong is r-o-n-g.”

            “That spelling is just
easier, faster. And the F word. I didn’t used to use words like that at all.
Kinda goes with livin’ the life. You have to fit in. You just do what you have
to to survive.”

            “OK. I can so fuckin’
do that!” Miss Sobori said the way Maria would, complete with lisping the s
sound. “We’ll make that bastard pay, we will!”

            Tina laughed but then
looked worried.          

“Will you be OK?”
Tina asked. “You shouldn’t be alone. Don’t get kidnapped.”

“I’ll be golden.
For one thing, I won’t be travelling alone. I’ll have some very talented
bodyguards watching every move. We’ve already started setting the stage.”

“Ooh.”

“Our people will
keep the upper hand on that. While we’re waiting to see if Gopher answers,
style me. If you were going to the mall, what would you wear? How would you do
your hair and make up? Show me in pictures.” Miss Sobori pulled a marker and some
magazines out of her bag.

“This is the most
fun I’ve had for awhile!” Tina said and flipped through the pages.

“So glad you’re
enjoying it! I think it’ll be fun for me too.”

Miss Sobori
watched carefully to see Tina’s basic style.

“Wait!” she said.
“You’ve dyed your hair, haven’t you?”

“Oh, that’s right!
I forgot,” Tina said. “And this is a different cut.”

“The cut won’t
matter so much, maybe. But, yeah, the color. Was your haircolor close to mine?”

“Very close. Like,
exactly!” Tina said.

“We have a reply!”
Miss Sobori said. They both looked at the screen.

Gopher responded
by saying he had bought a ring for her. Then he was afraid she left him for
another guy because she wouldn’t talk to him or see him.

“What a liar!”
Tina said.

“Can we say that?”
Miss Sobori asked.

“It ain’t freakin’
honey,” Tina said with a laugh, “so no.”

“OK. From this
point on, I’m taking over your Maria account. You are never, ever to use it
again. No contacting old friends. If that got around, someone would find you.
The people you were dealing with are very dangerous. They would hurt you if
they found you. They would hurt your friends. This is extremely important. Do
you understand?”

“Yes. And thank
you,” Tina said. “Please don’t get hurt. Just find the little low-life. Do you
know what he looks like?”

“I believe you
posted a picture of him on your page. Right? Show me.”

Tina went to her
picture file. She had several pictures.

“Perfect! And
pictures of you at the mall with him. That’s even better! Any of these outfits
would work for me. So we are in agreement that I have access to all this?”

“Sure!”

At that moment,
Tina’s father walked in.

“Hello, Officer
Benson. I spoke on the phone with you. I’m Special Agent Sobori. Thanks for
coming!”

“Thank you!” he
said.

“We’ve pretty much
wrapped this up. Your daughter’s been styling me, and I’m ready to go pull this
off. I can almost talk like her.” She gave it her best effort.

Officer Benson
laughed.

“By the time I’m
dressed, I’ll be a twin to your daughter.”

“Cover your back!
I’ve learned a lot about those people. It’s not a group you want to associate
with.”

“We’re lucky. This
boy has already swallowed the bait. Then he turned around with bait of his own,
so I’m hoping to fly out today and meet up with him. At a distance of course
and with lots of cover.”

“A ring! He said
he had a ring for me. Do you believe that bullshitter?” Tina asked. “Oh, sorry,
Dad.”

Posing as Maria,
Miss Sobori typed a reply back to Gopher.

“I wouldn’t mind
being a part of that cover,” Officer Benson said.

“I’m sure, but no
way! We want him alive!” Miss Sobori said and smiled.

“I speak for all
of us at the Bureau. Abeni, you have been through so very much and you have
shed light on so many missing pieces of information. I don’t know that anyone
else could have managed what you have done. We are honored that you are willing
to lay your life on the line to bring the safe return of your mother. This drop
you will do is going to be highly strenuous, and we know you haven’t had a lot
of sleep lately. I believe you have everything you need, so just catch a nap on
the way out there, and take some energy bars and good drinks with you.”

“I’ll try. Thank
you!” Abbi said.

“Last night’s
event shed light on some answers we needed. Calista’s face matched a profile of
a suspect we had and her tattoos were a dead give-away. We suspected Calista
was after you, so we gave her a controlled environment. This will seal her
coffin. Her lawyers will argue that it was a set-up, but we have documentation
all the way, thanks to you!”