dumbass.” The crewman grinned behind his mask.
The customs man was angling for the front of the plane where a small pop-out window was used by the pilots. He silently took the forms the pilot offered, and with barely a glance copied down some numbers before quickly handing his own form back. With the noise on the apron as loud as it was, he would have had to get close to the window to converse with the pilot. Obviously that was not going to happen tonight.
The customs man finished their silent transaction, and with a salute of his clipboard waved them on, heading back to the office to find a bottle of hand sanitizer. The crewman wasted no time in closing the door to the aircraft as the pilot slipped the brakes and headed for the fuel point. They all shed their masks as soon as they were clear of the customs ramp.
Another load of drugs and organs had just entered the United States.
• • •
“That’s him.”
Jimmy took a good look at the man crossing the street toward the parking ramp and compared it to the picture in his hand.
“I think you’re right. Say hello to Lenny.”
Jimmy squirmed in his seat to get the blood flowing back into his sore ass. After the long drive up from Florida, he and Manuel had found a decent hotel for the night and caught up on their sleep. The envelope with the picture and a short file on the man had been waiting for them at the front desk when they had checked out. He didn’t know who had sent it, or where it had come from, and he really didn’t wish to. The information had always been accurate in the past and that was all he needed to know. Manuel had filled him in on the rest in the car on the way here. His ass was still complaining about the drive, but they’d really had no choice. It was not like they could get on a plane with the items they had in the trunk.
Jimmy looked up at the hospital as Manuel started the car. If they moved, they would be out of the dead space between the security cameras, and he wished to delay that for as long as possible. They had spent the morning both walking and driving around the hospital and its surrounding neighborhood. They made notes of exits and fire escapes, loading docks and parking ramps, security guards, and cameras. Only after they had compared notes and made a detailed map over the one conveniently offered by the hospital’s website, did they pick their spot to wait.
Jimmy went over the printout again while they waited for the man to emerge. Oscar was on the fourth floor, and he had already ruled out any chance of springing him. Besides, that wasn’t the mission he had been tasked with. He just knew he would be asked sooner or later.
“We follow for no more than a mile or two, depending on where he goes.”
“I got it,” Manuel replied, his eyes never leaving the entrance of the ramp.
Jimmy set down the printout and palmed the digital camera in his lap. It was already on and ready to go. The picture was necessary, after that they could go to work.
The first and second cars were driven by an elderly woman and a hospital employee still wearing his scrubs. The third car was new but very plain. It screamed government ownership.
“There he is.”
“Give him a few.”
They watched Lenny turn toward them and pull up to the corner light. After a slight pause, he turned again and drove away from them toward the highway. Manuel let a car pass before pulling out to follow. The Mercedes didn’t fit the neighborhood they were in, but coming from the hospital they weren’t too out of place.
Jimmy reviewed the pictures he had snapped as the car pulled away. He had managed four as the car turned the corner.
“Pictures are good. Let’s see where he goes.”
They followed from a distance until traffic picked up, forcing them to move in closer. They almost lost him at a red light, but skinned through just as it turned. Manuel braced for the rebuke, but Jimmy held his tongue. Soon they were in moderate
The customs man was angling for the front of the plane where a small pop-out window was used by the pilots. He silently took the forms the pilot offered, and with barely a glance copied down some numbers before quickly handing his own form back. With the noise on the apron as loud as it was, he would have had to get close to the window to converse with the pilot. Obviously that was not going to happen tonight.
The customs man finished their silent transaction, and with a salute of his clipboard waved them on, heading back to the office to find a bottle of hand sanitizer. The crewman wasted no time in closing the door to the aircraft as the pilot slipped the brakes and headed for the fuel point. They all shed their masks as soon as they were clear of the customs ramp.
Another load of drugs and organs had just entered the United States.
• • •
“That’s him.”
Jimmy took a good look at the man crossing the street toward the parking ramp and compared it to the picture in his hand.
“I think you’re right. Say hello to Lenny.”
Jimmy squirmed in his seat to get the blood flowing back into his sore ass. After the long drive up from Florida, he and Manuel had found a decent hotel for the night and caught up on their sleep. The envelope with the picture and a short file on the man had been waiting for them at the front desk when they had checked out. He didn’t know who had sent it, or where it had come from, and he really didn’t wish to. The information had always been accurate in the past and that was all he needed to know. Manuel had filled him in on the rest in the car on the way here. His ass was still complaining about the drive, but they’d really had no choice. It was not like they could get on a plane with the items they had in the trunk.
Jimmy looked up at the hospital as Manuel started the car. If they moved, they would be out of the dead space between the security cameras, and he wished to delay that for as long as possible. They had spent the morning both walking and driving around the hospital and its surrounding neighborhood. They made notes of exits and fire escapes, loading docks and parking ramps, security guards, and cameras. Only after they had compared notes and made a detailed map over the one conveniently offered by the hospital’s website, did they pick their spot to wait.
Jimmy went over the printout again while they waited for the man to emerge. Oscar was on the fourth floor, and he had already ruled out any chance of springing him. Besides, that wasn’t the mission he had been tasked with. He just knew he would be asked sooner or later.
“We follow for no more than a mile or two, depending on where he goes.”
“I got it,” Manuel replied, his eyes never leaving the entrance of the ramp.
Jimmy set down the printout and palmed the digital camera in his lap. It was already on and ready to go. The picture was necessary, after that they could go to work.
The first and second cars were driven by an elderly woman and a hospital employee still wearing his scrubs. The third car was new but very plain. It screamed government ownership.
“There he is.”
“Give him a few.”
They watched Lenny turn toward them and pull up to the corner light. After a slight pause, he turned again and drove away from them toward the highway. Manuel let a car pass before pulling out to follow. The Mercedes didn’t fit the neighborhood they were in, but coming from the hospital they weren’t too out of place.
Jimmy reviewed the pictures he had snapped as the car pulled away. He had managed four as the car turned the corner.
“Pictures are good. Let’s see where he goes.”
They followed from a distance until traffic picked up, forcing them to move in closer. They almost lost him at a red light, but skinned through just as it turned. Manuel braced for the rebuke, but Jimmy held his tongue. Soon they were in moderate
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