Code Name Tequila Ch. 23

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Ria and Chambers confront the Aguila Roja.
10.5k words
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Part 23 of the 23 part series

Updated 09/22/2022
Created 04/29/2009
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Chambers and Ria stood, their hands on their heads, as the two henchmen approached them with their pistols drawn.

Chambers and Ria looked at each other. Chambers motioned with his eyes down towards his feet. When Gomez fell to the floor after being shot by Tabernas, the rifle he was holding slid part way across the floor. It now rested just beside Chambers foot. Chambers made a slight kicking motion, and then traced an arc through the air with his eyes. Ria nodded and smiled.

In a single, swift motion, Chambers jammed his foot under the rifle and kicked it upward. The rifle flew through the air. The two henchmen, surprised by the sudden move, stood frozen, watching. They watched as Ria caught the rifle, flipped off the safety and pulled the trigger. Three short bursts of gunfire caught the two henchmen in their torsos. They both fell to the floor of the engine room before they could get a shot off with their pistols.

Chambers whistled. "Damn, nice shooting, Ria," he said. "I was expecting I would have to duck at least a couple of shots from those goons."

"Enough chit-chat," Ria said. "Let's go after Tabernas."

"No, wait. We have to disarm the explosives," Chambers said, moving towards the bomb.

Chambers walked around the bomb unit, examining it.

"Jesus," Ria said. "Is this one of those things where you have to figure out which wire to cut? Red wire or blue wire?"

Chambers shook his head, and pulled a mobile phone off the C4 explosive. He held the phone up, and Ria could see that the back was removed, exposing the battery of the phone, which had addition wire attached to it that ran to a metal pin buried in the C4 explosive. Chambers pulled the wires off the back of the phone. "No red or blue wires on this bomb. The trigger mechanism on this device is via a mobile phone. You call the phone, it creates a charge, which fire the firing mechanism. No phone, no trigger, no power, no boom," Chambers said, holding up the mobile phone. Chambers took the mobile phone's battery out of the phone and stashed it in his pocket. He then threw the phone against the wall, smashing it. "With that done, let's go and find Tabernas."

* *

April stumbled on the uneven jungle floor, falling to the ground. With her hands tied behind her back, she was unable to stop herself, and landed hard on her side. April looked ahead of her, where Marisa and May were being marched along a jungle path along a valley floor, hands bound, rifles jammed in their backs.

"Up," the guard behind April said, grabbing her by the ropes that bound her hands and pulling her roughly up. The ropes bit into her wrists, and April yelped with pain.

Ahead of April, Marisa walked behind the leader of the rebels. Marisa got up close to the leader, and started to speak to him. "You need to know that you are being used. The Aguila Roja isn't interested in your welfare, or the fate of Venezuela. The generals that command you are only interested in taking the Aguila Roja's money to line their own pockets. They sent you against the army to die, while they drive around in limousines and fly in private jets."

"No worse than are current leadership," the rebel said. "Once we seize control of the oil fields, we'll all be kings - unlimited wealth from the ground."

Marisa laughed. "You won't see a penny of that wealth. The generals in charge have already made a deal with the Aguila Roja. The Aguila Roja gets the oil fields, the generals get a palace in Caracas and you end up with nothing."

The rebel simply shook his head. "This is not true," he said.

"It is true," Marisa said. "I know you find it hard to believe, but I have heard and seen it with my own eyes. The generals aren't men driven by a desire to make this a better country, or some abstract ideology. They have one motivation only, and that is greed."

The rebel turned and slapped Marisa across the face. "You would do well to learn to keep your mouth shut and know your place, traitor," he snarled. "Now, stop your mouth from moving and keep your feet moving. We have much ground to cover before darkness comes."

The rebel leader turned, took one step forward and paused. He raised a hand.

"What is it," one of the guards asked.

The rebel leader, still staring forward said nothing. His hand went to his throat.

"Do you hear or see something," the guard asked, scanning the jungle.

The rebel leader gurgled.

"What," the guard said, walking up to the leader. He put his hand on the leader's shoulder, and the leader crumpled to the ground. The guard looked down and saw blood spurting out of a hole in the leader's throat. The guard turned about to warn the others, but before he could get out a word, the back of his head exploded.

"Take cover," one of the other guards yelled. They scattered, looking for safe firing positions. April, May and Marisa fell to the ground, trying to get as low as possible and out of any lines of fire.

"It's the army," one of the guards yelled. The jungle erupted with the sound of gunfire as army soldiers started firing from raised positions up the forested sides of the valley. The rebels, unable to see the army positions, fired aimlessly into the forest. It was no match. The army, with good sight lines to the rebels, picked them off one by one, until the last man lay dead on the floor of the jungle.

"Clear," came a voice from out of the jungle. Venezuelan army soldiers came out of the jungle, guns drawn and pointed at Marisa, April and May, still lying on the jungle floor. The commander of the army unit stepped forward.

"What have we here? A few hostages of the rebels," he bent down, inspecting the ropes around May's hands. "There is an old saying, any enemy of my enemy is my friend," he said.

"Does that mean you'll let us go, friend," Marisa asked.

The commander stood up. "I don't put too much stock in old sayings, actually. Instead, I think I'll leave you bound and take you back to our base. From there, we can figure out what to do with you." The commander turned to his soldiers. "Get the women up and let's return to camp with our prisoners."

* *

Ria and Chambers crouched down outside the freighter's bridge. Inside they could hear voices. Ria recognized one of the voices as Tabernas. She motioned to Chambers, mouthing "That's Tabernas." Chambers nodded.

They listened some more. Chambers held up three fingers, mouthing "three men," indicating that he heard three distinct voices. Ria nodded her agreement.

It would be two against three, but Chambers and Ria had the element of surprise. Chambers motioned directions to Ria. Chambers would go in and sweep the room from the centre to the right. Ria should sweep the room from the centre to the left. Chambers would come in low, while Ria would come in high.

Ria nodded, and she and Chambers lined up on opposite sides of the door to the bridge. Chambers quietly counted down, "three... two... one..."

Chambers pushed the door open, and pivoted into the room, crouched on one knee. Ria, standing, peered around the corner of the door. Inside the room was Tabernas and two guards with semi-automatic rifles. Their weapons were lowered, obviously not expecting any trouble.

Ria aimed her rifle on to the guard to the left of Tabernas. The guard slowly turned and raised his rifle, but Ria was able to get off two bursts before the man could get his rifle in position. The guard slumped to the ground.

Chambers lined up his sights on the second guard, squeezing off a couple of bursts before the guard even had time to react. The guard fell to the ground.

Ria and Chambers swept their eyes and weapons over the rest of the room, and seeing no more threats, both aimed at Tabernas. Tabernas was reaching behind him, but stopped as the two weapons aimed upon him and Chambers called for him to freeze.

"Keep your weapon on him," Chambers said to Ria. Chambers walked over, gun still aimed at Tabernas, and moved slowly behind him. Chambers slung his rifle over his shoulder, and then reached out to Tabernas. Chambers pulled a pistol out that Tabernas hand shoved the back of his trousers. Chambers then quickly padded Tabernas down, making sure he had no more weapons on him. Tossing the pistol over to Ria's feet, Chambers than ensured that the two guards were dead, and slid their rifles over towards Ria as well.

Chambers grabbed his weapon again, and stuck it in Tabernas' back. "Quickly, Ria, close and lock the doors," Chambers said. There were three doors to the bridge, the one that Chambers and Ria had entered from the deck, another out to the deck of the ship on the other side, and a third to a group of cabins behind the bridge.

Ria slung her weapon, and first shut the door behind her that they had entered, locking it tight. She quickly moved across the room, and shut and locked the other door to the outside deck. Finally, she moved over to door to the crew cabins. She was about to shut it, when the barrel of a pistol jutted out from beside the door, moving in a flash up to poke under her chin.

From behind the door jamb, a feminine voice called out. "Drop your weapons and release Tabernas, or the tranny dies," it said.

Ria recognised the voice. "Isabella," Ria asked, startled to hear the voice of the woman responsible for the Cabo Blanco ambassador team.

In response, the pistol barrel just dug deeper into her flesh. Ria yelped with pain.

"Okay, okay, wait," Chambers said, holding his rifle steady against Tabernas' back. "Let's talk this out."

"There is no talking," Tabernas said. "You may think you have an advantage, Mr. Chambers, but you have none."

"I have you," Chambers said, pressing the barrel of his gun deeper into Tabernas' back and using his free hand to grip Tabernas by the neck.

Suddenly behind the two men, the main window of the bridge smashed, causing Tabernas and Chambers to hunch over to protect themselves from the shards of glass raining into the room. Tabernas lunged forward, wrenching himself from Chambers grip. Chambers lunged after Tabernas, but heard a shout behind him. Standing slowly, Chambers turned to see two guards pointing automatic rifles at him.

"Drop the guns," the guards called out. Chambers hesitated for a moment, but then seeing no escape, relented. He dropped his weapon to the floor, and then kicked it aside when he was instructed to by the guards.

Tabernas walked over to Ria and pulled the rifle off her shoulder, using it to point at Chambers. Isabella stepped out from behind the bulkhead of the cabin door, her pistol still sticking into Ria's neck.

"Now it seems I have you, Mr. Chambers," Tabernas said. "But not for long. Soon the angels will have you," Tabernas said, raising the rifle to aim at Chambers' head and putting his finger on the trigger.

"Mr. Tabernas," a guard called out, stopping Tabernas from squeezing the trigger. "The negotiator is here. He has asked for a cessation of all killing until the negotiations are complete."

Tabernas held his aim for a moment, and then lowered the weapon. "Fine," Tabernas said, walking over to the port side bridge door and unlocking. Pointing to the first guard, Tabernas said, "Get in here and put this prisoners in one of the rooms, and guard them until the negotiations can be complete." To the second guard, Tabernas said, "go get the negotiator."

"Don't bother, I'm already here," a voice said from behind the port side bridge door. Then the negotiator stepped through the door. Isabella, Ria, Chambers and Tabernas all gasped.

"You are the negotiator?" Tabernas said.

Jorge Ortiz, Colombian presidential hopeful and Latin American expert for the Pan American Racing Series nodded. "Yes, I am here to negotiate for a peaceful end to this strife," Ortiz said to Tabernas, and then turning to Ria and Chambers said, "and for the successful release of any hostages without the further loss of life."

Tabernas scowled at Ortiz, and then waved his hand. "Take the prisoners to one of the cabins, and keep an eye on them. It seems Mr. Ortiz and I need to speak."

* *

Marisa, April and May, hands tied behind their backs, walked through the forest, guns of the Venezuelan army trained on their backs.

"My name is Marisa Beltran," Marisa said. "I am an agent with the Dirección de los Servicios de Inteligencia y Prevención. My identification is in wallet."

The commander shrugged. "You have already said that three times, Ms. Beltran. I really don't care. Once we get back to the base, I'll let military command decided what to do with you and your American friends." The commander spoke to his soldiers. "Keep an eye open for the rebels. They could be anywhere in these trees."

The soldiers scanned the trees, visibly on edge.

"Your soldiers looked jumpy, commander," Marisa said.

The commander scanned the tree line without looking at Marisa. "Dangerous people out there," he said. "The fighting has been fierce throughout the country. This unit has already lost three men today."

"My mission... the mission of myself and the Americans, is to contact the rebels and get them to stop the fight, commander," Marisa said. "Let us go. Let us complete that mission. If you do, perhaps we can stop any more killing."

The commander snorted. "Oh, I see. Your plan was get to captured by the rebels. Is that how you were going to get them to stop the fighting?"

"We were in a better place then," Marisa said. "at least then we were talking to the right side. Let us go. Let us complete our mission. It is the best way to protect your men!"

"Frankly, I think my men are better protected with me than with you," the commander said. "You don't seem to..."

A shot rang out, echoing throughout the forest. Birds, startled by the sound, launched from the trees in an explosion of squawking and wing flapping. The commander stopped speaking and slumped to the forest floor.

"Enemy contact," one of the soldiers screamed. Marisa, April and May dropped down onto the ground as the forest erupted in gunfire.

* *

Ria and Chambers sat on a saggy bed in a bland cabin, two rifles trained on them. Isabella and one of the guards stood holding those rifles, blocking the door.

"Isabella, what are you doing?" Ria asked.

"Keep quiet," Isabella responded.

"The Aguila Roja's plan won't work," Ria said. "There is no way that a disparate band of rebels and a few gunboats will be able to overcome the armies of Panama, Colombia and Venezuela. Even if they do manage to, the Americans and the United Nations will soon get involved."

"It won't come to that," Isabella said. "Mr. Tabernas will negotiate an outcome that avoids any more bloodshed than is needed. And then the dream will be close at hand."

"What dream?" Chambers asked.

"It won't matter to you. You won't be around to see it," Isabella said.

"Isabella, what makes you think that Tabernas can negotiate a way out of this?" Ria asked. "Mr. Ortiz won't give up anything to the Aguila Roja."

"A settlement that benefits all will be found," Isabella said.

"And if a settle isn't found?" Ria asked.

"You were in the engine room. You saw the Aguila Roja's response to saying no to our demands," Isabella said.

Chambers laughed. "The bomb, you mean. The one we deactivated and destroyed the firing mechanism for?"

Isabella blanched. She looked to her left and right, confused. "Uh..." she stammered, appearing like she was going to say something, but then stopping. The rifle she was holding sagged in her hands, the barrel slowly pointing towards the floor.

Ria stood up. "Isabella, you need to give up. Let us get off this boat, and put an end to this fighting."

Isabella steadied herself and raised her rifle higher. "No. No," she screamed. "Stay where you are."

Isabella turned to the guard. "I need to warn Tabernas. Keep them in here," she said, and left the room.

The guard back himself against the door. Chambers stood up, and moved over to the left of the room. Ria started walking towards the right. The guard shifted his aim back and forth between the two. "Stop moving," he said, a quiver in his voice.

"Take it easy," Chambers said.

Ria reached a small table against the wall. She leaned against it, bringing her arms behind her back, hidden from view of the guard. The guard continued to shift his aim back and forth between Ria and Chambers.

Ria felt with her hands around the table. She handed on a large battery powered flashlight. It was long and narrow. She picked it up, feeling the weight in her hands. It was nicely balanced, much like the knives she learned to throw when working in Tijuana.

The guard turned away from Ria, aiming at Chambers. Ria lunged, tossing the flashlight towards the guard. It spun through the air, the aim was true. It smashed the guard in the head, not hitting him hard enough to knock him out, but causing him to stumble and loss his balance. His rifle slipped from one of his hands, the barrel crashing towards the floor.

Chambers leaped forward and grappled the guard to the floor. Chambers wrapped his arms around the guards neck, getting him in a sleeper hold. Chambers wrapped his legs around the guards leg, trapping the barrel of the gun tight against the guards right leg.

The guard, unable to aim his weapon, slowly lost consciousness.

Chambers pried the rifle from the guards unconscious hands. "Let's go find Tabernas," he said. Ria picked up the heavy duty flashlight, for use as a club if needed, and nodded. The two opened the cabin door and headed out into the hall.

Ria and Chambers walked down the narrow hallway of the freighter, and turned a corner. Standing 20 feet away was Tabernas, Ortiz, Isabella and two guards. Startled by seeing the prisoners released, they group froze, allowing Chambers to leverage the element of surprise. Chambers let off a round from the rifle, felling one of the two guards.

Tabernas turned and pushed Ortiz down the hall, screaming, "get him out of here," to Isabella, who quickly turned and followed. Ortiz and Isabella disappeared around a corner and out of sight.

The guard who was still standing rose his weapon to fire. "Duck," Chambers screamed, dropping to the ground. The guard's rifle exploded to life, a burst of bullets came screaming down the hall.

Ria fell backwards, tucking herself into a ball and rolling up onto her shoulders. The guard had been aiming at the Ria and Chambers standing, so the volley of bullets flew harmless over Chambers prone on the ground and Ria, rolling over in a backwards somersault.

Ria rolled over until she was upside down. She thrust out her arms towards the ground, launching herself into the air, and extended her legs. She flipped through the air, and landed soundly standing, facing the guard and Tabernas.

Chambers, lying prone, aimed his weapon at the guard and fired. The guard turned, attempting to get a bead on Chambers, but it was too late. The burst of gunfire from Chambers rifle hit the guard dead centre in his chest. The guard stumbled backwards and fell to the ground, dead.

Tabernas turned to run, but Chambers shouted after him. "Freeze, Tabernas. I've got you in my sites."

Tabernas stopped, and turned slowly, arms outstretched. "Okay, take it easy."

"Your bomb is disarmed, Tabernas, and you won't get hold of the canal," Chambers said. "Your plan is foiled. Why don't you give it up peacefully? Call the rebel groups in Colombia and Venezuela and order them to stop."

"And why would they listen to me?" Tabernas asked.

"Because, you are the Aguila Roja, and they take their orders from you," Chambers said standing.

Tabernas snorted. "You think I'm the Aguila Roja?" he asked, incredulously.

Chambers walked up and poked the barrel of his rifle in his chest. "Of course you are. Now, let's get you to the radio room so you can put an end to all of this."

* *

April crawled into the underbrush, followed by May and Marisa. They stayed low, while above their heads bullets winged through the air in the thousands.