Page 54 of Jacqueline's Quest

“You’d be correct,” Noah said. “We’ll do everything like we would at home. We go straight on. Luca, you’ll be inside with one of your women along with Thomas and AJ and Jaqueline and Murray.”

The doors to the library opened and a man stepped inside. "Sorry, I'm late." He stepped forward with three envelopes. "It took a little longer than we anticipated." The guy stood a little over six feet and had a medium build. His brown eyes matched the color of his hair and his skin was a warm shade of copper.

“Everyone, this is Miguel,” Noah said. “One of our inside people.”

“I’ll be damned,” AJ muttered. “It’s good to finally meet you in person.”

Miguel glanced at AJ. “Likewise. You must be one of Tex’s people.”

She nodded. “I am.” She held out her hand. “I’m AJ.”

He shook her hand. “You’re the hacker Tex talks about along with your partner, Scotty.”

“Yeah. How...how is he?”

The emotions in her voice tugged at Murray. The only upside to all of it was the fact they were almost done. Soon the ordeal would be behind them and then... What? What happened? Nothing went back to the way it was, obviously, but what did happen?

"He's good. A bit banged up but healing. Santiago has been keeping tabs on Scotty and since I was bringing the invitations to you, Santiago also sent this along with me." He pulled his phone from his pocket and unlocked it before pressing a couple of buttons on the screen. "Don't ask how he was able to do this, but he did." Miguel turned the phone, so they could see it.

AJ gasped.

Jaqueline sucked in a breath.

Murray choked.

There on the screen were Christian, Scotty, and Hannah. They were in a swimming pool and they were all smiling. Murray stared at his sister’s face. She looked like their mother when she was young. Her sweet, soft smile reminded him of a time when he’d been a little boy and she’d picked him up from pre-school. Her brown wavy hair was pinned back in such of way, it gave his sister another layer of maturity. This woman wasn’t a wide-eyed little girl anymore. “Hannah.” Murray stepped forward taking the phone from Miguel and stared at it.

Jaqueline came to Murray's side and he handed the phone to her. The play of emotions across her face told him everything and reflected how he felt as well. Her brother wasn't what he'd expected. He was broader than Scotty, muscular. His eyes were filled with a sadness Murray experienced too many times. He wore a white ribbed tank top like the man strategically cropped out of the photo, except for the corner of his shirt and shorts. Christian's hair had been shaved close to the scalp and he had several tattoos, or maybe he'd always had them. He never thought to ask Jaqueline about it, due to her protectiveness over her brother.

Murray pointed to Christian’s arm. “Are those new or has he had them?”

She shook her head and swallowed hard. “No. They’re new. He’s afraid of needles. He’d never do it.”

“Shit...” Murray wrapped his arm around her. “He appears healthy though, and he’s smiling, that’s good, right?”

Jaqueline stared up at him. “Maybe. I don’t know. He’s non-verbal.”

"Then, for now, we have to believe he is happy. It will make the next part easier for us."

She nodded. “You’re right.”

“No,” he said, “I’m not right. Unfortunately, it’s the only way I can concentrate on the mission though.”

Jaqueline handed the phone back to Miguel. “Thank you.”

“Not a problem.” He slipped the phone into his back pocket. “Sorry for the interruption.”

“No need in apologizing. I’m glad Santiago could facility that for them.” Noah pointed at the map. “Now, if we can continue.”

Murray nodded.

"All right, there will be four armed guards on the entrance from the tunnel. They will have metal detectors, so if you think you're getting any firearm into the building, you're wrong. If you think you'll be able to bring any types of devices into the building you're wrong. They also can't be bought off. Raul has a strict policy at the club. Anyone seen hurting the merchandise is given a chance to redeem themselves—through mutual combat. Since Santiago has come to the cartel, he has been Raul's, right-hand man. He has also been the one to take down anyone who breaks the rules. The second biggest rule of Raul’s cartel, don’t accept bribes.”

“What’s the punishment for bribery?” Thomas asked.

“A slow painful death,” Miguel said. “Raul cuts out their tongue and buries them in the desert for the birds.”

Murray frowned. “Damn, that’s fucked up. Talk about painful death.”

---