Page 132 of Maddox

“Another we. You don’t trust the FBI, especially Wilshire.”

“Agent Wilshire is the least of our worries.”

I thought about what he was telling me. “If Yuri gets his hands on the documentation, he’ll gain control and take a victory lap in his own private war on drugs.”

“Succinctly put,” Gray admitted. “Whatever you have, we need it, Maddox. You know the reports you and Charmaine provided were the tip of the iceberg. The ship is sinking fast and if we don’t uncover the players in the middle, more lives will be lost.”

“Protect then crucify.”

“Yes. Yuri is ceremoniously cleaning house because he doesn’t have the truth. Eventually, he’ll find Charmaine and he will eliminate her. She is too close.”

“Yeah, she is. I’m going to ask you one last time. Who are you working with?”

“Goddamn it, Maddox.”

I remained quiet.

“This is highly confidential. Do not tell anyone, including Charmaine. I’m involved with a group of former military leaders, politicians, and corporate moguls with the lofty goal of eliminating corruption within various organizations. Not only pharmaceuticals but other billion-dollar trades as well. We’ve been watching Alfaro for years, realizing he was obtaining additional structure while infiltrating several countries, not just the United States. He has close to a thousand soldiers. That’s substantial. He’s found a way into other Latin American countries while setting his sights on the United States and Europe.”

“Alright. What is Raptor’s role other than providing detailed information about explosives and other weaponry?”

“From what we’ve learned, he was instrumental in developing a formula utilizing Mercury Fulminate as I mentioned before. He’s been the reason for at least twenty deaths of prominent businessmen and other mafia leaders. He’s Alfaro’s righthand man and has been for several years. He even went after his own father.”

How could I not laugh? “Maybe it would have been helpful if you’d told me that. I’m surprised he didn’t pay me a visit while I was slogging through the jungle.”

“That’s because he doesn’t live in El Salvador. That much we know. He’s a ghost. In his line of work, he doesn’t need a landing spot. Plus, his father placed a hit on his own son. All very messy.”

“You were hoping my presence would draw him out in the open. Because he knows more than what I might or might not have in my possession.” I’d had my share of fights with a couple of SEALs during my career, most based on bouts of extreme testosterone. Raptor had been a loose cannon from thebeginning, a kid with an itchy trigger finger who’d eventually been tossed out of the Navy altogether.

Something he blamed me for.

“Yes,” Gray admitted. “We weren’t one hundred percent positive, but I’d hoped there was a chance. Raptor has been working with Alfaro for years. First as a loyal soldier. Then his skills were realized and Alfaro quickly promoted him to an enforcer. He was able to use his love of explosives to his advantage. Charmaine opened a can of worms almost a year ago. She also drew Yuri’s attention, which allowed him to realize his own son had betrayed him. From there, things started unraveling.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“We believe the Raptor also betrayed Alfaro, taking the information he gathered from working with the man with him. Names. Transactions. Future transactions. People involved. He had plans on selling it to the highest bidder.”

“Someone discovered his intentions, thwarting his plans by managing to get their hands on the explosive documentation.”

“Very good. The invitation Charmaine received prior to her departure for El Salvador was from someone within the United States who’d spent years attempting to obtain this information, but had no clear and easy way of obtaining it. Charmaine had no clue she was being used as a runner, for lack of a better term.”

“Agent Wilshire is a part of this.”

“If you’re asking if he’s dirty, we don’t believe so. However, he wasn’t the person who spoke to Charmaine. That much we’re certain of.”

“Then who is?”

“Perhaps that’s irrelevant at this point. What is necessary is the discovery of the additional lists. If you have this information in whatever format, I need to know.”

I thought about what he was asking. “How far up the ladder does this go?”

“Far enough people will stop at nothing to get their hands on the data. In the wrong hands, there will be blackmail, extortion, additional deaths, and a possible influx of drugs. Anyone who opposes them will be eliminated and as you’ve already seen, creative methods have and will be used. No one will be safe.”

“What’s your ultimate goal other than obtaining this list?”

“Capture of the Raptor. With his testimony, we can bring down the responsible parties.”

How could I not laugh at this point? “Hunting a ghost. Why not?”

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