Played: Chapter Three - Jackie

It took another couple of days before I was brought in on the secret.

Mike poked his head out of Jake’s office. “Jackie, will you come in here for a moment? Send the calls to voicemail and place the out of office sign on the door.”

“Sure thing, Mike.” I did as instructed and crossed to Jake’s office. It was almost quitting time. Our business hours were eight to five, but clients rarely came into the firm after four-thirty. We wouldn’t hurt anything by closing early.

Jake’s workstation was sleek and modern in design, the black going well with the blue-gray carpet and powder blue walls. A docking station containing his laptop and dual monitors sat on the small end of the rounded L-shaped desk. Two masculine leather armchairs, also in black, sat facing his desk. Mike sat in one. I took the other and crossed my legs as I settled.

“You two finally ready to tell me why you’ve been acting so weird these last two weeks?” I asked.

Mike shot a grin at Jake. “Told you she was sharp.”

Jake’s serious demeanor never changed. “Her intelligence was never in question.”

“We need your help with a client,” Mike said, coming straight to the point.

“I’m listening,” I said, my tone cautious.

While I didn’t know the specifics of what J & M Consulting did, I knew a lot of the work was confidential and/or classified. In addition to regular business clients, we had plenty of government contracts. Jake and Mike traveled frequently to many of the world’s hotspots. I also found it telling that the majority of their hired contractors were military veterans. The one exception was Richard, our computer specialist. Every firm needed a computer geek.

“We’ve been offered a lucrative contract, if we can complete the assignment. It’s not dangerous but requires we go undercover. The job means traveling to a luxury resort in the Caribbean. Our client would very much like to get photos of what’s happening on that island, but none of their operatives can get close,” Mike said.

“Why? What’s so important about the island?” I asked.

“It’s not the island itself but who owns it. El Mayo is the leader of an international organized crime syndicate involved in drugs, weapons, human trafficking, contract murders, and more. He’s one of the ten most wanted criminals in the world. As a result, he’s also very selective, very private, and difficult to get near. Every reservation is screened and vetted,” Jake said. He reclined in his chair and leaned to the side on one arm.

I glanced at them both. “I thought you said it wasn’t dangerous. He doesn’t exactly sound like Mr. Nice Guy.” Even as I spoke, the words “human trafficking” echoed in my head.

My niece had been the victim of human traffickers. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been one of the lucky ones who escaped or was rescued. Her ‘handlers’ had used her, killed her, and tossed her body aside like so much rubbish when she’d no longer been useful to them.

Mike leaned forward in his chair. “Relax. The guy’s rarely there. Like I said, this is a basic reconnaissance mission. Our client wants pictures of the layout of the place. If we can get eyes and ears inside, even better. The resort is very private and ultra-exclusive. The only way onto the island is by boat or helicopter.”

“What worries our client are rumors that El Mayo is considering branching out. Operatives in that part of the Caribbean have noticed a sudden influx of terrorists and criminals on the FBI’s watch list in the area,” Jake added.

“What about satellite images?” I was no spy, but I watched a lot of television. They can do amazing things with satellites these days. It was enough to spook me if I thought about it too hard.

“Satellites are good, but due to national security laws, they haven’t evolved to the point of allowing us to identify individuals. Plus, the island has a lot of trees. It’s not as simple as they make it seem in the movies,” Mike said with a smile.

Grinning sheepishly, I said, “Noted. So what’s the assignment and how does it involve me?”

I glanced back and forth at both of my bosses as they communicated silently. Again, Mike took the lead. “As I said, several operatives have tried and failed to get reservations at this resort. It didn’t matter what ruse they used, somehow they never passed muster. You know how the Feds are. Something about them just screams government, no matter the agency, if you know what to look for.”

By this statement, I assumed my bosses did.

“Reservations have to be requested six weeks in advance to give them time to vet the applications. I intend to apply to use the resort as a honeymoon destination,” Mike said.

“Honeymooners. Me and you?” I asked, wondering how this was any different from what the other operatives had tried. Surely, they’d thought of it.

Mike flicked another glance at Jake, who watched us silently. “No, the three of us.”

“The three...” My voice trailed off as words failed me.