It's War You Want? I Accept (Muerte Series Book 3)

Book summary

Angela Guzman, now head of a feared Columbian drug cartel and dubbed "La Llorona," embarks on a perilous mission in the treacherous Darien Gap. Seeking vengeance for her brother's disappearance, she lays a trap for Rico Garcia, the notorious "Muerte." Amidst dense jungles and lurking dangers, a tense showdown looms, raising the question: who will emerge victorious in this high-stakes game of survival and retribution?

Excerpt from It's War You Want? I Accept (Muerte Series Book 3)

Chang drove the speeding Toyota Tacoma hard, throwing up twin dust tornados behind them. Chang, of Chinese-Mexican descent, wore a battered Marine Boonie hat.

Brody, a wiry cowboy-looking man, sat in the passenger seat, his booted feet on the dash. Brody pushed his straw cowboy hat back, saying, "We ain't been nowhere for a while. We ought to go someplace; a vacation like.”

“Where do you think we should go?”

“Oh, hell, I don’t know. Maybe we get all duded up and go to Monte Carlo. Or the French Riviera, but someplace exciting.”

Suddenly, Chang slowed the truck and stopped. "We've got company. Someone is on the porch, looking in the windows."

Chang twisted in his seat, reached behind, and retrieved a pair of binoculars. He removed the dust caps and brought the binoculars to his eyes. Through the glasses, he could see their cabin. Behind the house, on a concrete pad, sat their tarp-covered helicopter.

While Chang checked the house, Brody opened the glove compartment and removed two Glock pistols. Brody placed one on the seat next to Chang, and then dropped the magazine from his. He confirmed that it was fully loaded. Brody reinserted the magazine and pulled back the slide, letting it snap back, chambering a round.

"What do you see, Chang?"

"I don't recognize the guy on the porch, but I think I might like to meet the woman by the car."

Chang handed the binoculars to Brody.

Brody brought the glasses to his eyes, while Chang made ready his pistol. A dusty, black Mercedes Benz came into focus with a slight adjustment of the binoculars. A voluptuous woman with raven-black, shoulder-length hair, stood next to the car's open passenger door. She wore a bright red coat, with a matching pair of red Prada four-inch high-heels.

"Damn, she certainly brightens the place up."

"Do you see anyone else?"

Brody scanned the area with the binoculars. "Just the woman, and the man on the porch."

Chang put the truck in gear, and started driving slowly toward the house.

The man and woman turned, and looked toward them, as they got closer. The man said something to the woman as he stepped off the porch. The woman got back into the car, as the man opened the driver's side door, and reached into the vehicle.

Chang picked up the pistol next to him on the seat, and placed it on his lap.

Chang stopped the truck within pistol range of the Mercedes. Chang and Brody stepped out of the vehicle, using the doors as shields.

Chang shouted, "Something we can do for you?"

The man stood, looked over the top of his car, and called out, "My name is Hugo Galan. I was sent here by Señor Ethen Wade. I am looking for Señor Tomás Chang and Brody McAfee."

At the mention of Wade’s name, Brody and Chang pushed their pistols into the back of their trousers' waistbands and got back into the truck. As they drove up, the woman got out of the Mercedes. It was now apparent she was older than they first thought. The man approached the truck.

"I apologize. I tried calling earlier, but there was no answer. I hoped that you would return by the time we got here."

The woman walked over, and stood next to Galan. "This is my wife, Señora Angela Galan."

"I'm Chang, and this is Brody. Come on in. As you can see, we have been in the field for a few days."

Making an obvious inspection of the empty truck bed, Angela asked mockingly, "You were hunting?"

Brody immediately disliked the woman, thinking, ‘She smells like a puta. She must bathe in that perfume.’ But he was polite, "Yes, Ma'am, but as you can see, we're not much good at it."

Chang felt the negative vibes between Angela and Brody, as he led the way up the porch steps. Chang punched a number code on the front door lock and opened the door.

As they stepped across the threshold, both Angela and Hugo were surprised by the size of the interior, and how modern the furnishings were.

"Would you care for something to drink?" asked Brody.

"Perhaps some water?" responded Angela.

"Nothing for me, thank you," replied Hugo.

"Bring me a Cerveza,” said Chang. “I'll take them to the living room."

"Cerveza?" Asked Hugo with raised eyebrows.

"Sure, coming right up."

When everyone settled in the living room, Chang asked in Spanish, "What can we do for you, Señor Galan?"

"Our son, Francisco, is a medical doctor. He and fifteen missionaries traveled to The Darien Gap to provide medical aid to one of the Indigenous tribes. He planned to be there for only a month. That was six weeks ago. I received an email that he and the missionaries are being held for ransom, by a group calling themselves, The CPA or The Columbian People's Army."

"How do you know Colonel Wade?"

"I have known Colonel Wade for many years. I was a medical doctor in the Mexican military. It was when Ethen was wounded during a combined US and Mexican operation to eradicate marijuana fields. The wound was life-threatening, but I was able to save his life. We became friends and have remained so for all these years. I contacted the Columbian and Panamanian governments when my son was taken captive. Both claimed they could do nothing because the crime occurred in another country. In desperation, I called my friend Ethen. He said he knew of some men, you, who might help."

Brody spoke, "The Darien Gap is considered some of the world's most dangerous jungle real estate. If the bad guys don’t get you, the wildlife or the vegetation will."

Chang said, "This kind of operation will be costly. We're talking thousands per day."

"I have my own money, and I’m sure the church will help because of the missionaries."

The phone in the kitchen began ringing. Brody stood, excused himself, and went to answer it.

Angela asked, "Have you worked in South America before?"

Chang replied, "Brody and I have operated in several South American countries but not The Gap. The only one who has worked The Gap lives in Spain." Chang looked up expectantly when Brody came back into the room.

"Guess who that was? Ramona. She says Rico is on his way here. She told me Rico tried to call, but no one answered. It must have been while we were hunting."

Galan said, "Colonel Wade mentioned a man named Rico, Rico Garcia."

Chang again picked up negative vibes from Angela at the mention of Rico’s name. "Rico is our team leader. We were in the Marines together. He is the one I mentioned who has worked The Gap."

"Ramona said Rico would arrive in New York at 1900 hours Eastern Time, then catch a flight here. Rico will call us when he arrives in New York."

Leaning forward, Angela asked, "So, you will take the Job? You will get our son and bring him home?"

Chang noted her eagerness as he stood and faced Galan, "There's no contract yet. But, it looks likely, if Rico is flying here from Spain. Have you checked into a hotel?"

“We have not,” replied Señor Galan.

"You are welcome to stay here if you like. We have plenty of room, and Brody is an excellent cook."

"Gracious," replied Hugo, "we are tired from our trip. If it is not an imposition, we accept your invitation."

"Let's go out to your car and get your luggage."

The phone rang again at 5:15 PM Mountain Time, and Chang answered it.

"Chang, this is Rico. I just arrived in New York."

"Hey, amigo, do you know what's going on?"

"I do. I have been in contact with Wade. He has asked a favor of us."

"The Galans are here and have given us some background. I told Galan we would have to wait for you."

"Good, I have to run to catch my connecting flight."

"What's your flight number?"

"AA347."

"I'll make arrangements with the airport, and pick you up in Grinder."

"Sounds great. See you in a few. I gotta go."

Brody came into the kitchen, followed by Galan, "Was that Rico?"

"Yeah, we'll pick him up at the airport at 1930 hours. I told him we'd use Grinder."

“Grinder?” asked Galan.

“Grinder is a Blackhawk helicopter we bought at auction from the US Government,” replied Chang. “We use it for some of our projects. Sometimes the Forestry Department and Law Enforcement hire us for search and rescue.”

"I’ll go out and get the covers off, and start the preflight,” said Brody, heading for the door.

“While you’re doing that, I’ll get the Galans settled upstairs.”

“Better check and see if they’re hungry. We’ll be gone for a while.”