Hunter asked, “Where were you before?”
“Rangers.”
“Is that where Cory Jones was, too?”
“He was with Seal Team Three before coming over.”
“Chris Kyle was Seal Team Three.”
“Yes. They were friends.”
Hunter let this new knowledge sink in. These people worked on matters of national security, and were the ones that if caught in certain operations on foreign soil, the United States government would deny their existence. “All right, Art, tell me what all this is about, and why you would need a Border Patrol Agent from the sticks involved.”
“You’ll hear more tomorrow, but the basic fact is that we’re working in an unfamiliar area, with little outside support available. Urban areas like Juarez and Tijuana, those are easy to work, but in the border area between El Paso and Del Rio is four hundred miles we don’t know much about. We know some or I wouldn’t be here talking to you, but not enough. That’s what got Cory killed.”
Art stopped for a moment as he thought of his friend, “You also know who Pasqual Osorio is and where his main compound is located. We don’t. I believe you’ve been there and seen him in person.”
“It wasn’t under good circumstances. He runs with a lot of bad people.”
“He definitely does that.”
“So what’s he involved in, the usual things like drugs, illegals, and guns?”
“There’s something else going on, too. We picked up some chatter that mentioned him and drones.”
“We already know a few criminals use them to smuggle drugs in small amounts.”
“That may be it, but I don’t think so.”
“You don’t know?”
“It’s a big deal, that’s all they said. We need a Spanish speaker who is familiar with that part of the border on both sides, and who is aware of local criminal elements and smuggling routes, that sort of thing. You knowing Osorio and his location, that’s critical. We also heard you might have a number of keys for locked gates, so if it comes to it, we won’t have to cut fences.”
“How’d you know about the keys?”
“We know you even have some keys for locked gates in Mexico, not that you’re supposed to be doing anything like that.”
“Shit,” She said.
“We’re not telling anyone, so relax. But that might be valuable to us.”
“What are you after, or who are you after?”
“All I know is that Osorio has some connection. I’m hoping we learn more at the meeting after the party.”
Why does Mr. Jones want me at the party? I can understand going to a meeting.”
“That’s above my pay grade.”
“Do all you CIA people have to take courses in keeping every little thing secret? I swear, it’s like someone at Macdonald’s asks you if you want ketchup and you say, ‘I’m not at liberty to say.’ I don’t know how you ever get any cooperation.”
“I can’t talk about it.” He couldn’t hold a straight face after he said it.
“Fine. I’m here in El Paso anyway, so I’ll go along with this. Do you know where the party’s going to be held? Can you tell me that at least?”
“On the base at the commanding officer’s private residence. At seven.”
“So the military is involved, too.”