Lisa felt her mouth go dry and she glanced to Bridger’s retreating form. “Why won’t he call for backup?”
“He says it’s not their fight.” Gregg sighed and felt his shoulders slump. “This is personal for him. And apparently for Mario.”
“I’m still not convinced that it’s him.”
“I know you’re not, but he is.” He nodded towards Bridger. “Do those two have some kind of beef that I’m not aware of?”
Lisa shook her head. “Not that I know about.”
“Then why is he being like this?” Gregg huffed then bent over and picked up the plastic case. “It’s like he wants to knock the props out from under us before we even start.”
Lisa stared at Bridger’s back a moment longer. “No.” She crossed her arms and studied the man. “This is our past coming back to haunt us. He thinks that we should be the ones to deal with it.”
“You know that Mario…er…‘Murillo’s ghost’ is going to pull out all the stops. He’s going to come at us with everything he’s got.”
Lisa shrugged. “Maybe.”
Gregg shook his head. “There’s no maybe to it. He sent kill squads after you and DJ. He took out Rob and made it look like an accident,” he scoffed. “He’s going to throw everything but the kitchen sink at us.”
“Then we need to make ready.”
Gregg stared at her open mouthed. “I’m okay with preparing for this. I just think it would be smart to bring in a few hired guns, that’s all.”
She grinned as she patted his shoulder. “Then convince the big guy.”
“I’d have a better chance of strapping a propeller to my ass and flying to China.” He growled in his throat as he stepped around her. “Maybe you could talk some sense into him?”
She shook her head. “He knows what he’s doing.”
Gregg stared at her a moment. “You willing to bet your life on that?”
She seemed to ponder the thought then nodded. “Yes.”
Langley Virginia
“I could have told you that,” Ingram scoffed as he stared at the map. “If Bridger knows somebody is coming for him, he’ll want to be on familiar ground.”
Jameson nodded slowly. “His place is rather…fortified.” He rocked slightly side to side as he studied the overhead satellite view. “Were you able to track down any previous operators that Bridger might be beholden to?”
Ingram sighed as he fell into the chair opposite. “No luck. You?”
Jameson continued to study the overhead view and nodded slightly. “One possibility.”
“Possibility?”
He nodded then turned to face him. “Their working relationship was tenuous at best, but Bridger had reportedly saved his life, so…there’s a certain life debt that is owed.”
Ingram raised a brow. “And do you think that your boy will allow him to repay that debt during this exercise?”
Jameson shook his head slightly. “We’ve been monitoring their communications and he hasn’t even alerted his coworkers to this impending threat.” He sighed animatedly and shrugged. “Who can tell how this man’s mind works.”
Ingram sat forward and gave him a knowing look. “What’s your play? Are you going to attempt the contact?”
Jameson sighed again and looked back at the satellite views of both targets. “At this point, I’m not sure. If they are digging in and preparing for a fight, Bridger may not allow the contact. He might see it as a division of focus.”
“Then again, he might be willing to accept the assist if he thinks the odds are against him.”
Jameson scoffed. “I doubt that Mr. Bridger ever truly thinks the odds are against him.” He smiled as he pulled up Bridger’s dossier. “He either has the luck of the Irish on his side or…”
“Or what?”
Jameson’s smile widened. “Or he truly is as formidable as we hoped.”
Houston, TX
Mario Gomez stepped off of the plane and adjusted his white linen coat. Fernando stood by, his hand extended. “Your car waits.”
Mario nodded and stepped toward the blacked-out Range Rover. “Tell me, are our people ready?”
“They are collecting the weapons and recruiting others.” He held the door open like an oversized chauffeur. Once el jefe was safely inside he scrambled to climb behind the wheel of the SUV. “They are meeting us at the plaza in an hour.”
Mario nodded and pulled a cigar from his jacket pocket. “Who are they recruiting?”
Fernando glanced in the rear view mirror as he spoke, “Enforcers from our business partners here in the States. There are many organizations spread throughout the Southwest, and most are willing to fight to find favor with you, señor.”
Mario nodded as he lit the cigar. “How many are we looking at?”
Fernando gave a slight shake of the head. “I am expecting a hundred or more.” He glanced to the rear view again. “If we have time to wait, perhaps twice that.”
Mario raised a brow at him. “Of all of our business partners here, they can only supply a hundred men?”
“On quick notice, señor, si. They have their territories to protect while the enforcers are away. That’s why I said if we could give them time to rearrange their people, we could double the manpower.”
Mario sighed and leaned back in the car’s seat. “I would think they would send all of their people immediately. Our product is their livelihood.”
“Si, señor, but even they have competition. And if they will be going south to face Esmerelda and her cartel…”
Mario held a hand up to stop him. “Say no more.” He puffed on the cigar and stared out the window. “How long will it take them to double the men?”
“A day, señor? Maybe two?”
“The longer we wait, the more the gringos also reinforce their defenses. They can increase their numbers and...” He tapped nervously at the armrest. “But if we go in unprepared…”
Fernando pulled the SUV into a garage complex and began the drive to the roof. “As always, it is your call, Jefe. Your people will do as you say.”
“Do we know where they went?”
Fernando nodded
