Operation Caribe by Mack Maloney Read Free Book Online Page A

why we’re reluctant to even call them ‘pirates.’ Even though that’s what they are.”
    There was murmured agreement around the table.
    “Plus, technically, there are some sticky questions about the jurisdiction of these matters. Bahamian waters. International waters. U.S. waters. Who knows? And with no bodies, there’s no way anyone can really take the lead in going after these killers, again not without making headlines. So, along with our friends in the Organization of American States, we’ve managed to assure a lot of the parties concerned that we will take care of the problem for them. That we will provide the solution. And that solution, gentlemen, is you .”
    She took a plain white envelope from her breast pocket. “We are prepared to pay you five million dollars to find these pirate people and eliminate them, quickly and quietly.”
    Jennessa motioned to the older black man sitting nearby.
    “Our friend, Mr. Jobo here, is a member of the Organization of American States’s law enforcement division. He has special arrest powers in the Bahamas and as a formality he will make you his deputies. But again, the only thing we ask is that you do this job quickly and quietly, as one of our biggest times of year—college Spring Break—is coming up.”
    Mr. Jobo stood up.
    “I would never suggest to you how to do your job,” he began in a thick Caribbean accent. “But be aware these Muy Capaz people are brutal murderers that the world would be better off without. So, if you find yourself up against them, take the steps necessary to protect yourselves at all costs, and I mean preemptively if you have to. Your rule of thumb should be: ‘gloves off.’ ”
    Then Mr. Jobo read a prepared statement, swearing in Team Whiskey as deputies of the OAS. It was more than a little awkward.
    When he was done, he passed them a small leather case. Nolan opened it to find five police badges.
    “These are for you,” Jobo said. “Just to make it legal. We also have uniforms.”
    He passed them a duffle bag. Batman reached inside and took out the shirt and pants of an OAS deputy—they were ugly brown, with red piping. The bag also contained five nightsticks.
    “Wear all that in good health and with good luck,” the OAS man concluded. Then he sat down again.
    Jennessa walked around to the team’s side of the table and gave Nolan an envelope containing a bundle of documents and a half dozen DVDs.
    “You will find a lot of information on the Muy Capaz in there,” she told him directly, brushing up against him on purpose. “Some of it comes from Bahamian law enforcement sources, which won’t be much help, and some of it we generated on our own. The gang’s leader is a man named Charles Black. He’s a descendant of authentic Bahamian pirates and he displays a lot of the same characteristics. Ruthless, bloodthirsty, perverted. We believe he’s also involved in moving large quantities of drugs. In fact, we believe these pirate attacks are simply ways to get money to finance his drug operations.
    “The Muy Capaz are also heavily armed, thanks to Cuban weapons dealers. They have a hideout somewhere in the islands that no Bahamian law enforcement agency has been able or willing to find. I think your main goal should be to find this hideout and nip the problem in the bud.”
    Jennessa smiled sweetly.
    “Any questions?” she asked the team.
    Twitch raised his hand. He was usually the least talkative member of Whiskey.
    “Can you repeat those slides that were marked ‘ES?’ ” he asked her.
    Jennessa did as requested.
    “They seem different from the rest,” Twitch said. “The others show disarray—obvious signs of a struggle. If not blood, then at least evidence that the boat’s occupants met with a bad end. Yet, these three vessels don’t have any of that. They’re neat as pins. Any idea why?”
    Jennessa shook her head no. “Actually, those slides show the most recent attacks, the ones from Easter Sunday, thus