connection.
“Their man with that group you tangled with this morning sent them some interesting news. ‘Colonel Locsin is dead,’ was all
the contact could pass on.”
“The Filipino government’s playing it too damn close to the vest,” the general grumbled. “They don’t know who to trust. They
don’t even think we know as much as we do.”
Cody said, “Locsin was hooked in with Javier and Valera, but he was working the Jeffers thing on his own. When that blew up
in his face and brought down the heat, Javier decided Locsin was a liability and canceled him out of the picture.”
“A liability regarding
what
?” Caine asked the group rhetorically.
“We have to put the heat on,” said Cody. “General Simmons, what were you able to get on Lopez?”
The general set a briefcase on the table before him, unsnapped it open, and withdrew a thick file folder, which he slid across
the table in Cody’s direction.
“I’ll save you some reading time. The Party thinks Valera is too radical, too noisy for these delicate times. He’s been practically
shunted out of the picture. Whatever he was doing at Locsin’s camp, it was not in any official capacity.”
“What’s he do besides own a nightclub?”
“He’s said to be a power in the black market,” Simmons said, “but he’s been too slick there to get tabbed for anything, either.”
“That’s the tie-in with Javier,” said Cody. “Javier has his own force lined up behind him, his goons, and he’s got the hinterlands
in his pocket if the NPA is sleeping with him. Valera holds the reins of the Manila underworld, and if
he’s
in this with Javier, too, yeah, we are talking a real big picture.”
“Sounds like this Valera bird is the handle we’re looking for,” Caine said. “The most readily available, at any rate.”
Cody looked at General Simmons.
“Where’s this club he owns?”
“A joint called the Gilded Peacock, on Pilar Street,” said Simmons. “Valera owns controlling interest in it. A woman named
Mara Zobel runs it for him and she’s almost as bad news as Valera. They’re two of a kind.
“There’s gambling, and a floor with private rooms. Open at full tilt, around the clock. Has a reputation as a rough place.”
Hawkeye grinned. “Sounds like this boy’s kind of place.”
Simmons cleared his throat, then snapped shut his briefcase and stood.
“As instructed, gentlemen, I will have at your disposal whatever vehicles and armament you may need for the remainder of your
mission. You’re going after Valera, then, I take it?”
“We are.” Cody nodded. “And I don’t think camou fatigues are going to cut it at the Gilded Peacock.”
“We’ll get you appropriate civilian attire, Simmons assured him. “I’ll see to it immediately. But I, uh, just let me make
sure I’ve got one thing straight in my mind.”
“What’s that, General?”
“My orders, and your orders, state that you are here, and I am to provide full backup, specifically in the matter of rescuing
the Jeffers family.”
“You read the orders right.”
“Then, uh, what the hell are you doing chasing after Vincente Valera and Arturo Javier and half the goddamn New People’s Army?
I still don’t see how that is going to affect the return of Ann Jeffers, whose safety
is
our concern.”
“Sounds like the general here don’t like being told what to do, Sarge,” Murphy tsk-tsked from where he sat. “And I thought
brass was supposed to shine.”
Caine put in hastily, “Uh, perhaps it should be pointed out to the general that these diverse factions you mention may be
our only lead to the girl.”
“Ann Jeffers broke under the pressure.” Cody cut through the shortening tempers around the table. “After what happened, maybe
she just needs some time to herself to get her head back together.
“Or maybe she’ll try to do something to redeem herself for the betrayal of her parents, for telling about her dad’s time
“Their man with that group you tangled with this morning sent them some interesting news. ‘Colonel Locsin is dead,’ was all
the contact could pass on.”
“The Filipino government’s playing it too damn close to the vest,” the general grumbled. “They don’t know who to trust. They
don’t even think we know as much as we do.”
Cody said, “Locsin was hooked in with Javier and Valera, but he was working the Jeffers thing on his own. When that blew up
in his face and brought down the heat, Javier decided Locsin was a liability and canceled him out of the picture.”
“A liability regarding
what
?” Caine asked the group rhetorically.
“We have to put the heat on,” said Cody. “General Simmons, what were you able to get on Lopez?”
The general set a briefcase on the table before him, unsnapped it open, and withdrew a thick file folder, which he slid across
the table in Cody’s direction.
“I’ll save you some reading time. The Party thinks Valera is too radical, too noisy for these delicate times. He’s been practically
shunted out of the picture. Whatever he was doing at Locsin’s camp, it was not in any official capacity.”
“What’s he do besides own a nightclub?”
“He’s said to be a power in the black market,” Simmons said, “but he’s been too slick there to get tabbed for anything, either.”
“That’s the tie-in with Javier,” said Cody. “Javier has his own force lined up behind him, his goons, and he’s got the hinterlands
in his pocket if the NPA is sleeping with him. Valera holds the reins of the Manila underworld, and if
he’s
in this with Javier, too, yeah, we are talking a real big picture.”
“Sounds like this Valera bird is the handle we’re looking for,” Caine said. “The most readily available, at any rate.”
Cody looked at General Simmons.
“Where’s this club he owns?”
“A joint called the Gilded Peacock, on Pilar Street,” said Simmons. “Valera owns controlling interest in it. A woman named
Mara Zobel runs it for him and she’s almost as bad news as Valera. They’re two of a kind.
“There’s gambling, and a floor with private rooms. Open at full tilt, around the clock. Has a reputation as a rough place.”
Hawkeye grinned. “Sounds like this boy’s kind of place.”
Simmons cleared his throat, then snapped shut his briefcase and stood.
“As instructed, gentlemen, I will have at your disposal whatever vehicles and armament you may need for the remainder of your
mission. You’re going after Valera, then, I take it?”
“We are.” Cody nodded. “And I don’t think camou fatigues are going to cut it at the Gilded Peacock.”
“We’ll get you appropriate civilian attire, Simmons assured him. “I’ll see to it immediately. But I, uh, just let me make
sure I’ve got one thing straight in my mind.”
“What’s that, General?”
“My orders, and your orders, state that you are here, and I am to provide full backup, specifically in the matter of rescuing
the Jeffers family.”
“You read the orders right.”
“Then, uh, what the hell are you doing chasing after Vincente Valera and Arturo Javier and half the goddamn New People’s Army?
I still don’t see how that is going to affect the return of Ann Jeffers, whose safety
is
our concern.”
“Sounds like the general here don’t like being told what to do, Sarge,” Murphy tsk-tsked from where he sat. “And I thought
brass was supposed to shine.”
Caine put in hastily, “Uh, perhaps it should be pointed out to the general that these diverse factions you mention may be
our only lead to the girl.”
“Ann Jeffers broke under the pressure.” Cody cut through the shortening tempers around the table. “After what happened, maybe
she just needs some time to herself to get her head back together.
“Or maybe she’ll try to do something to redeem herself for the betrayal of her parents, for telling about her dad’s time
Similar Books
