Page 14 of Invincible
“So, anyway, I’m not agreeing to help, but I did ask around a little this morning.”Tyler pushed her plate back, laying her forearms on the table.“I don’t think it’s possible for us to find this container by just looking around, but everything is tracked using shipping software.If we can get a name or container number, we can try to find it by accessing one of the port computer systems.”
“How do we access the systems?Is there a way to get a warrant?”Knox asked between bites of his double cheeseburger.
“Not based on what we know so far,” Dex responded.“We can’t just go to a judge and explain how we got the information.”
“Besides, if the smugglers find out one of the men in black is sniffing around, they’ll pull up operations in a hurry and move to another terminal,” Tyler added, laughing when she caught Dex looking down at the light-gray suit he was wearing.“We’ll need to find another way in.”They sat in silence as they all grappled to come up with a plan.
“How about we see what new information we can find out this afternoon?”Memphis looked around the table before his eyes landed on Tyler.“I’m sure you have to get back to work.We can meet back later this evening to see what we can put together.That will give me a chance to check on Mia and see if I can get any more information.”
“That sounds like the best idea so far.If you bring tacos, we can meet at my apartment.”Pushing Knox out of the booth, Tyler stood, tossing a couple of bills on the table.
“Oh, Knox.”She grinned when he looked down at her.“Be sure to bring enough for Greer also, she has off tonight.”With a laugh at his scowl, she patted his chest before walking out the door.
Andreas felt the plane touching down at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston right on time.He folded his paper, setting it on the empty seat next to him.
The first time Andreas had flown in a plane, he had been jammed into a middle seat in the back of a plane heading for New York City.Now, he only flew first class.There was more legroom, the drinks were complementary, and the flight attendants were not only more accommodating but also easier on the eyes.
“Thank you for flying with us today, Mr.Tirich.Let me help you with your jacket.”Andreas smiled as the flight attendant slid his suit jacket over his shoulders.It wouldn’t be long until he had enough money amassed to afford his own private plane, but until then, this suited him fine.
“Thank you, Celeste.”With his briefcase in hand, he walked into the terminal.He knew by the time he arrived at the outer doors, his driver would be waiting with his bag.How the man managed to get his suitcase before they had even been loaded on the carousel was beyond him.It’s why he always employed Turner when he was in Houston.The man was a bastion of service.
“How was your flight, Mr.Tirich?”his driver asked when he met him at the car.
“It was fine,” he answered, sliding past the door Turner held open into the back seat.“You can take me to the hotel.”
Andreas always changed at the plush downtown hotel before Turner drove him to the facility holding the merchandise.The truck had arrived last night, and it had been reported to him that all of the inventory had arrived alive.He had gotten into the habit of overseeing this side of the operation himself after an incident with one of the girls had resulted in his only receiving full pay for eleven instead of twelve.
When the car pulled up in front of the hotel, a kid with guest services opened the back door before Turner could do so.Andreas knew his driver was too professional to say anything at that moment, but he knew the moment he entered the lobby, the poor kid was in for a tongue lashing.Turner had a hard, fast rule that he was the only one allowed to open Andreas’s door after checking the surroundings.
“Welcome back, Mr.Tirich,” a young blonde receptionist greeted him in the foyer with the key to his room.“Toby, take Mr.Tirich’s bags to the VIP suite please,” she said, addressing another kid behind him.
“Please enjoy your stay and if you need anything, please do not hesitate to call me.”Hum, he might just have to do that later tonight.She looked to be about twenty years old, with reddish-brown hair.Just his type.
“Thank you,” he answered, taking the key, his hand lingering for just a moment too long.With a small gasp, she jerked her hand away.Yes, he would definitely need more from her tonight.Prison had also taught him how to get what he wanted—by any means necessary.
Changing into a khaki pair of slacks and a polo shirt, Andreas fitted his Dan Wesson DWX in a shoulder holster before pulling on his jacket.He knew he would be hot in the jacket, but he couldn’t exactly walk through the lobby with a gun and not get noticed for the wrong reasons.
He had a silver Springfield 1911 at home, but mostly just for show.No, he needed a gun that would get the job done in a fight.Renting the VIP suite on a permanent basis allowed him to keep several guns locked up in his personal safe that he could access while in Houston.He knew better than to conduct any kind of business without one.
Andreas checked his appearance in the mirror.He had learned to embrace the scar that ran down his forehead to his cheek.What had been the result of a drunken brawl in a dive bar in his early twenties had turned into just one more weapon in his arsenal of intimidation.With one last sneer, he headed downstairs to meet Turner.
The sun had just crossed its zenith when the car pulled up in front of one of hundreds of storage facilities surrounding the Port of Houston.Andreas stepped out of the car, feeling the sweat immediately adhere his shirt to his skin.
Walking quickly, he reached the door to the warehouse, jerking it open to step inside.Immediately a group of men sitting around a table playing cards jumped to their feet.The largest rushed toward him.
“Mr.Tirich, we weren’t expecting you until tomorrow.”
“Obviously.”Ignoring the man, Andreas stalked over to where the girls were being held inside of a fenced cage.It was similar to one of the kennels his friend kept his fighting dogs in back home.
Looking over his inventory carefully, he mentally noted which girls needed what to bring the best price.He always sold the lot to one buyer, but the man always wanted to haggle over the price if he saw anything that gave him leverage.
When his eyes finally lit on the young girl he had come up against last time, he smiled.“Do you have anything to say to me today, coño?”He waited as the girl raised her chin, debating if she wanted to speak.When she finally looked back at the floor, he laughed.“No?Too bad.”He turned, motioning his man over.
“Yes, Mr.Tirich.”
“See that they have plenty of water, Christiano.There are several that need to be fattened a little and take them outside, blindfolded, one at a time, for some sun.I don’t want to give our client any reason to not pay top price for them,” Andreas said.He didn’t particularly like his man in charge here, but he was some distant cousin of Reyes, so he had hired him for that reason alone.
“Yes, Mr.Tirich.”
As Andreas turned to head back out to the car, he heard the man barking out orders to the others.He would give them the rest of the week to get the girls back in shape before contacting his client.Then the negotiating would begin.Andreas relished the challenge.
