Norma and her partners located the white van deep in the cane, on a road overhung with the carrizo stalks and leaves. Norma said, “Who wants to watch the river, spot them crossing?”
The Agent named Sam said, “I’ll do it. I’ll get a head count too, let you know what we’re looking at.”
“The river’s not that far from the van, so it won’t take them long to get here.” Norma said.
Mike, who was teamed with Norma said, “Think I’ll rig this van so it won’t start.” He searched for the van’s keys and found them on the right front tire. He unlocked the van door, and checked inside the cab. “They’re ready for some travelling, got a plastic five-gallon jerry
can held to the back of the passenger’s seat with bungee cords. I bet that gas smells good after an hour of sloshing back and forth on a road.”
“What else is in there?” Norma asked.
“A box with some tools, some greasy rags and a couple of road flares, the red ones. There’s an empty pint of Jose Cuervo, too. Nothing else.”
Mike found the hood release under the dash and flipped it to unlatch the hood. He exited, disconnected the battery cables, and closed the hood gently so there was only a click. “They load up, they can’t move, can’t drive anywhere. All we have to do is hold the doors to keep them inside.”
Sam said, “You mean we’re gonna Hodor them?”
“What?”
“Don’t you watch Game of Thrones, that scene with Hodor? Hold the door! Hold the door!”
Norma laughed, “You guys.” They were loose and relaxed, but ready.
Sam left them and snaked through the green cane toward the river, moving as silent as smoke.
The other three took places around the van and hid. Half an hour passed, and all they heard was the whining of mosquitoes. It was another hour before Sam said over the radio, “Movement across the river.”
The others sat straighter and readied themselves for whatever came.
Sam said, “They’re coming, but slow. Paco has two helpers, young guys, and they’re all carrying kids from somewhere up by the road down to the boat.”
Norma asked, “Are the kids functioning?”
“No, all of them are like they’re asleep, limp as wet noodles.”
“Okay.” Norma thought it was a good thing, because they wouldn’t have to chase any children through the dense greenery.
“They have ten kids, all laid out in the bottom of that old homemade boat. So, ten kids and three adults, all coming across right now.”
Hunter listened and felt herself getting an adrenaline rush, even though she wouldn’t be there for the apprehension.
Sam said, “This is my last transmission for a bit. I’m turning the radio off because they are gonna pass me close enough to see if I shaved this morning. You guys be ready, it’s about five minutes till kickoff.”
Hunter got out of her truck, too excited to sit. She rolled the window down so she could hear the scanner, and stood by the driver’s door, looking beyond the dilapidated shed toward the brush and cane, knowing things were happening there that she couldn’t see.
Norma and the other Agents watched Paco and the two men carrying one child each as they hurried to the van. Paco found the keys on the right front tire and opened it so they could put down the children.
They worked in silence and soon hurried to the river and their boat of children. They finished in three trips, with the larger man carrying two limp children, their heads on his shoulders during the last walk.
As soon as the last child was loaded in the van, the larger man said in English, “I’m taking the boat back, good luck.”
Paco and the other man nodded and watched him disappear into the cane.
The young man opened the van door and slid into the passenger seat as Paco climbed into the driver’s seat. The younger man asked, “How long they gonna be out?”
“Long enough.”
“What if one of them wakes up?”