Page 73 of Volt
Chapter Thirty-Three
Volt
“And you’re sure he’s in there?”
“Of course, I’m sure,” I say. “I’ve been sittin’ on this house for the last two days.”
“All right,” Doc replies.
Dressed in desert camo, we hunker down in the dry scrubland brush on a rise above the villa in the shallow depression below. The sun is slipping toward the horizon, setting fire to the Pacific Ocean that forms the rear barrier of Zavala’s villa. The water glitters like a pool of liquid gold in the dying light of the day, making it difficult to see. I pull out a pair of nonreflective binoculars and hand them to Doc. He takes them and scans the house.
After Zavala escaped our trap at the compound, we put out feelers everywhere looking for him. It took about a month, but Tarantula, the President of Montezuma’s Warriors—a friend and ally—got word that Zavala was regrouping at his villa on the coast just outside of Tijuana. He’d apparently been injured in the blasts at the compound and was healing here.
Doc had sent me ahead alone a few days ago—after getting permission from other MCs for me to pass through their territory—to scout things out. He wanted eyes and ears on the place and absolute confirmation before the rest of the MC rolled down here. I got what he needed and sent word last night. They arrived this afternoon and now we’re getting set for the final showdown with this prick.
Up until Tarantula told us where to find him though, he’d been a ghost. He quietly got his wife and child out the same night as the blast and stashed them God knows where. They’re not at the villa with him but we’ve heard rumors that he sent them elsewhere in Mexico. Other rumors said he sent them to Europe. Frankly, we don’t care about the wife and kid. Unlike these fucking animals, we don’t target families. All we want is Zavala.
“That’s him,” Doc says.
I follow his line of sight and see the silhouette of a man on the back deck of the villa. He appears to be looking out at the ocean, and I can’t help but wonder if he’s thinking about his family. Missing them. I hope he is. I want that fucker to feel nothing but misery in what remains of his life.
“You got a plan?” he asks.
I nod. “I do.”
“Let’s hear it.”
I detail the plan I’ve been formulating for the last day and a half—ever since I confirmed it was Zavala. Doc listens, nodding along, but doesn’t offer any suggestions. And when I finish, he nods again.
“Sounds clean. Simple,” he says. “I like it.”
“You want to change anything?”
He shakes his head. “Not a thing. I’m learning that you’re damn good at situational tactics,” he says. “Why didn’t you ever look into officer candidate school when you served?”
“I’m not a leader, Doc. I can come up with plans and I’m great with electronics, but I’m not a leader.”
He looks me dead in the eye for a minute, a small grin on his face. But then he shakes his head.
“That’s bullshit, kid. I’ve seen you in action and you’re a leader through and through.”
“Appreciate it, Doc. But I know my limitations.”
“The only limitations you have are the ones you put on yourself,” he says. “Now, let’s get the guys and hash this out instead of standin’ around out here jerkin’ each other off.”
“Sounds good to me.”
***
“All right. You all know your assignments,” Doc says. “Let’s get this shit done. I want this prick’s head on a spike. You got me?”
The rest of the men nodded and grunted. The anticipation and energy was off the charts as we waited for full dark to fall. Everybody was pissed that Zavala escaped the first time, and they were as ready as I was to end this fucker.
“Remember, Alpha Team,” I call out. “It has to look good. Be convincing. We’re going to need the time and for you to pull away as many of Zavala’s men as possible. Beta Team, keep your eyes peeled. This fucker is slippery. Do not let him get past you. We aren’t going to let him slip through our fingers again.”
“Okay, ladies, that’s it. Take up your posts and wait for the signal,” Doc announces.
The plan is simple. Alpha Team is going to launch an attack on the front gate. I need it to be vicious and convincing. Zavala has a small army behind the walls of his villa, and I want as many of them as possible having to defend the front gate for as long as possible. Beta Team is acting as overwatch and they’ll be keeping an eye on the villa, making sure nobody slips out unexpectedly and escapes.
