Learning to Stand (29 page)

“
That kind of policy only
works where there’s a governing body that will prosecute. Raz took
the criminals to jail,” Matthew said. “There’s no real
international jail to take criminals too.”

“
Well… captors aren’t really
criminals,” Alex said. “Yes, taking a hostage is a very bad thing.
But captors are mostly desperate people trying to make a
point.”

“
Maybe we decide for this
mission,” Joseph said. “We haven’t agreed to do extraction full
time. We haven’t signed these men onto our team. We’ve only
committed to this single mission.”

Alex nodded.

“
Shoot to protect your life
or the life of a hostage or teammate. Do not shoot to kill unless
absolutely necessary,” Alex said. “We’ll review each
shooting.”

“
Agreed,” Raz
said.

“
Agreed,” Joseph
said.

Matthew’s face clouded with anger and worry.
Folding his arms across his chest, he put himself somewhere away
from them. He looked up when Alex touched his arm.

“
What do you need?” Alex
asked Matthew.

“
To know someone has my
back, I guess. If I kill someone, I’m not hung out to
dry.”

“
That’s what it means to be
on a team, Matthew. We’re in it together. Every kill is a team
kill, not a personal kill,” Alex said. “At least that’s how we
worked under Charlie. He used to say, ‘Who had more control over
monitoring the men than the team? Who knew exactly what happened?
We share responsibility.’ It’s one of the things the Boy Scout
hated.”

Matthew nodded.

“
Ok, who goes?” Alex asked.
“We’ll need someone to connect us to base. Joseph can take care of
that.”

“
Why not have Colin connect
to base? The men respect Joseph and I appreciate his
support.”

“
It’s okay, Alex.” Joseph
looked at Matthew. He put his hand on Matthew’s shoulder. “I have
limited vision. It’s worse at night. I had Lasik surgery and got
something called ‘The Sands of the Sahara.’ I’m not supposed to
carry a weapon.”

“
How did you stay in the
field?” Matthew asked.

“
We keep telling you this.
That’s what it means to be on a team,” Joseph said. “We had
marksmen and metal winners in every category. I wasn’t needed in
that capacity.”

Matthew nodded.

“
We’re going speed hike at
least ten miles,” Alex said. “Uphill. Can you do the walk,
Matthew?”

“
Can you?” Matthew
asked.

“
I have to,” she said. To
emphasize the point, she took another drink of Ensure. “He called
me, Matthew. I have to go.”

“
I’ll stay with Joseph.
Trece and White Boy will go with you. We’d have to shoot Troy to
keep him from going. Max?”

“
He can function as our
connection to law enforcement,” Alex said. “We’re going to need
that. If something happens to us, we have you, Joseph and Max, to
kick some ass. That’s good.”

“
What about Colin? Yes, we
need a medic. But he’s still a civilian.”

“
Only sort of,” Alex said.
“The way we were raised? Only Erin is a true civilian. Plus Colin
is wonderful with children. Kids trust him. If any of these boys
are still alive, Colin will know what they need.”

“
Drunk or sober, Colin
Hargreaves is handy in a fight,” Joseph said.

“
Raz?” Matthew asked. “Will
you keep an eye on Alex?”

“
I’m assigned to ass-ist her
in all things,” Raz said. “If I receive a contract for the team,
I’ll request to continue as her partner.”

“
Then we’re set,” Joseph
said. “After you finish your Ensure, Matthew and I will update the
men.”

Grumbling, Alex drank the meal replacement.
She gave Joseph the empty container.

“
We’ll wait for your action
plan,” he said.

“
Half hour,” she
replied.

Joseph and Matthew moved to talk to the
men.

Alex walked toward the cockpit to check in
with Zack. The pilots of the Super Hercules confirmed receipt of
coordinates for the Castolon Visitor’s Center from Military
Intelligence. Blushing and ‘ah shucks’-ing at the Fey’s thanks, the
pilots said they would land in an open parking lot where the Texas
Rangers waited. Zack would stay with the plane in case he needed to
come and get them. When she turned to move to the back of the
plane, she heard Zack request a helicopter from Lackland Air Force
Base.

Turning back to the passenger compartment,
Alex saw Troy waiting for her in the hallway. Troy nodded to a
corner of the plane. Before updating her on his conversation with
Steve Pershing, he reached into his backpack and pulled out a
thermos of hot coffee with milk. Like a young child, Alex squealed
when he poured her a cup. When she had enough coffee, and enough
news, they shared a Snickers bar. Restored by the coffee and candy,
she went back to her seat to work out the mission strategy.

F

CHAPTER TWENTY-four

A half hour later

Saturday early-morning
March 29 – 12:07 A.M. CDT

Rio Grande
River

Alex looked out across the water. Mexico and
the Santa Elena Canyon Protected Area stretched to her right. They
passed small dwellings tucked among the reeds and bushes along the
bank of the Rio Grande. On her left, Bend National Park hillside
rose in a sage and cactus encrusted hillside.

They crept along the Rio Grande in six
canoes. Each canoe held three people: a Texas Ranger, one of her
men and either a guide, a United States Border Patrol officer or a
Mexican Grupa Beta. Trece sat behind the guide in the first canoe.
White Boy rode in the last canoe.

They put in at Castolon Visitor’s Center.
Using small outboard motors, they made great time along the Rio
Grande. Shortly after passing Woodsons Campground, they shut off
the motors to paddle.

Alex wouldn’t begin the mission until every
man could recite each boy’s name, his mother’s name, his age, and
approximately what he looked like. White Boy and Trece carried
backpacks full of supplies. They were prepared for seven missing
boys.

Their silenced weapons were prepared for the
captors.

They would complete this mission in silence.
No one spoke since entering the water. They had complete radio
blackout. To avoid temptation, no one brought a radio or walkie
talkie. They left Vince’s cell phone with Max at the Visitor’s
Center. Even Alex’s pocket computer was off.

They inched their way along the river. The
only sound was the soft slap of the paddles in the Rio Grande.

Raising his arm, the guide indicated they
were nearing Tally Campground. They would leave the Border Patrol,
and guides, at Tally Campground and move forward with the Texas
Rangers. Alex and the men would enter the mine while the Texas
Rangers subdued the men in the trailer.

At least that was the plan.

Standing at the Tally Campground landing,
Alex looked up at the ten mile hike in front of her. Less than two
days ago, she’d fought with the Boy Scout and lost her Simon. Her
pain ranged from the deep loss in her heart to the dull ache of her
broken left arm. She dreaded the hike.

Yet, when Colin and Trece took off jogging
up the hill, she fell in place behind them. Raz jogged beside her.
Troy and White Boy closed rank. The Texas Rangers followed the
soldiers. They ran straight up the hill until they were in sight of
the mine complex. They slowed to a quiet walk.

The soldiers crept toward the entrance of
the mine. The mine was sealed by a plywood barrier with a padlocked
wooden door near the center. Taking a pair of bolt cutters from his
pack, Trece watched for Alex’s signal to cut the lock. With weapons
drawn, the Texas Rangers moved to cover the trailer’s door and
windows.

On her right hand, Alex counted down: Five –
Four – Three – Two – One.

On one, Trece clipped the padlock and White
Boy bashed the wood at the entrance of the mine.

The soldiers ran into the mine.

Flipping on their headlamps, the men moved
at a rapid but silent pace through the tunnel. A half mile into the
mine, Trece and White Boy fell back to make sure no one entered or
exited the behind them. Alex and Raz took the lead.

The sound of the Texas Rangers gunfire
reached them and Alex started running. Troy – a faster more
accomplished runner – passed Alex and Raz. Colin ran a foot behind
Troy until he turned to investigate a side tunnel.

Alex reached the side tunnel when Colin gave
a low whistle.

He’d found a child.

White Boy gave two low whistles indicating
he would assist Colin.

With Troy ahead, and Raz at her side, Alex
continued forward. Reaching the mine office, Troy skid to a stop
and spun in place. Tipping his head to the side, he listened.

The mineshaft was silent. Only the drip from
a distant water leak broke the tomb-like stillness. When Alex and
Raz reached the mine office, Troy held his fingers to his lips. He
shook his head then pointed to his ears.

No sound.

Alex pointed to Raz and Troy. The men moved
forward with bright flashlights. Searching in every dark corner
outside of the mine office, they shook their heads.

Nothing.

Uneasy, the men retreated to her side. They
had expected to meet the captors here.

So far, they saw only dust and silence. Alex
crept to the mine office. Pressing herself against the wall, she
counted down.

Three – Two – One.

Troy kicked open the office door. The door
swung back and forth on its hinges.

Squeak. The door swung into the office.

Squawk. The door swung toward them.

Nothing.

Hearing movement inside the office, Troy and
Raz dropped to their stomachs.

Nothing.

Alex pulled her handguns to firing position.
In one quick movement, she caught the door with her knee. Troy
flipped to standing and drew his weapon to stand behind her. Raz
belly crawled forward to cover them from the behind. She waited
until the men were in place before stepping into the doorway.

Sensing movement to her right, she turned to
fire.

Two-year-old Cory Joiner ran straight toward
them. Alex stepped to the side. Troy caught the toddler before he
ran into the mine. Alex swept to her left.

Nothing.

Where were the captors?

The child in Troy’s arms screeched in
terror. Too young for real words, he flailed at Troy. As if he had
done it every day of his life, Troy holstered his weapons, found a
Snicker’s bar in his back pocket, unwrapped the candy and held it
out all while holding the writhing child. Still screaming, the boy
grabbed the candy with both hands.

Raz flicked on the office lights.

They were standing in a makeshift bedroom.
Three boys were tucked into fouled blankets toward the edges of the
room. Raz bent to the child closest to him then shook his head.

Five-year-old Marvin Joiner was dead.

Kneeling next to a boy, whose face was
pressed into the wall, Alex pressed her fingers into his neck. The
boy was alive! When she rolled him onto his back, he groaned.

Tristan Joiner’s eyes fluttered. Slits of
blue showed through purple, swollen eyes. Dropping to her knees,
Alex held her water bottle near his mouth. His broken and bruised
lips opened and she poured a tiny amount of water in his mouth.

“
I knew you’d come,” Tristan
whispered.

He slipped back into unconsciousness.

With care, Alex set his head back onto the
ground. Looking up, she saw Raz pull a filthy blanket over
ten-year-old Daniel Joiner’s face. They found four boys. Two dead.
Two alive.

No captors.

Alex looked up at the sound of a low
whistle. Colin and White Boy were close. When White Boy appeared in
the door, Alex pointed to Cory. White Boy took Cory from Troy and
ran from the mine.

“
What did you find?” Using
American Sign Language, Alex asked to Colin.

“
David Joiner.” Colin signed
back. His face was lined with sorrow. “He’s been dead for at least
a week, maybe two.”

Alex held up two fingers. They were missing
two boys: Kyle and Cody. Colin and Troy nodded.

Raz stood with his hands on his hips in
front of what looked like a solid wall. Raz shook his head. He
pointed toward the wall. Troy pressed his head against the wall.
They had expected a small room there. But there was no sign of a
door.

There were quick footfalls moving toward
them in the mine. Nudging the door closed, Colin switched off the
overhead light. They shut off their headlamps and drew their
weapons.

Crouching in the dark of the putrid office,
Alex vowed to find the men responsible for this horror. Her rage
for Cee Cee Joiner burned in her belly.

The footsteps slowed to walking. The men
braced to respond.

The door creaked open.

A flapping white cowboy hat appeared in the
doorway. The Texas Rangers moved into the office. Their bright
faces broadcast their success. The men in the trailer were
neutralized.

Alex pointed to Tristan. The leader of the
Rangers nodded his head and pointed his directions to his men. The
four men, two on each side, thread their forearms under Tristan.
With gentle care, they lifted the boy from the ground and carried
him from the office.

While the Rangers worked, Raz ran his hands
over the wood panel until he found the edges of a door. Stepping to
the side, Raz signaled for Alex, Troy and Colin to move away from
the door. He gave swift press and the latch of the door opened. The
door swung about half open. Troy, Colin and Alex held their
positions.