The sentry

30

Daniel Daniel said, "If our intel on the Mexican is accurate, I'll know their location before noon."

The Bolivian sounded more excited than Daniel had ever heard the man, which meant all the Bolivians were excited. Daniel pictured them sitting around in their compounds, strokin' their stiffies, thinkin' they were finally gonna get their revenge. Nothing those nasty little fuckers liked better than vengeance, and now they would have it. Thanks to Daniel.

"Stand by, sir-"

Daniel waited for the thunder of a departing Hawker business jet to fade before he continued. Those Hawkers were nice.

"Sorry, sir, I'm at the airport. Were we able to confirm the flight departed this morning?"

Yammer yammer.

"All right, yes, that's perfect. Do we have the aircraft registration number or its make and model?"

Yammer.

Cleo said, "Yammer."

Tobey said, "Yammer."

Daniel shushed them.

"Shh."

Daniel listened carefully while the Bolivian rattled out the latest intel from Mexico. The crush of information from Mexico and New Orleans during the past two days had been invaluable, but there would have been no information without Daniel, and the Bolivians knew it. Daniel had finally found the fuckers, and the dumb fucks had tried to cut a deal instead of running, and now their deal was killing them.

"Yes, sir, I will keep you advised-absolutely."

Daniel wanted to get off the phone, but the Bolivian kept going, saying how pleased they all were with Daniel, his loyalty, his determination, yadayadayada.

"Thank you, sir. No, really-I appreciate your faith in me. Thank you."

Daniel killed the link.

"Asshole."

Cleo snickered. "What an assfart."

Tobey laughed. "Big gapin' assclown, clown."

Daniel squinted across the runway at the control tower, then up into a hazy white sky. He leaned back until he looked straight up, enjoying the morning sky, and this place, and this moment. Daniel had assassinated people at airports like this all over South and Central America. He had also kidnapped people, blown up airplanes, stolen cargo, and pretty much every other damn thing a person could do.

"Been a long hunt, boys."

Tobey said, "Way too long."

Cleo said, "Too damn long."

Santa Monica Airport was a single runway lined by hangars and businesses, along with a very nice viewing area where Daniel now sat. He would be able to see the jet land, and still have plenty of time to get into position. Daniel already knew where the inbound jet would park. A stretch limo, a candy-gold SS396, and a chopped-down Monte Carlo were waiting directly across the tarmac. A moron's idea of a welcoming committee, for sure, but the limo was a fat black roach that would lead him to the promised land.

Daniel checked his watch. If the Bolivian was right, the Mexican would touch down in less than an hour, then be on his way to their meeting.

"You guys ready to kill some people?"

Tobey said, "Fuck yeah."

Cleo said, "Kill'm real good, good."

Daniel chuckled.

"Me, too, boys."

"Kill'm and eat'm?"

"Eat'm?"

"You boys are insane."

"'Sane?"

"'Sane?"

Daniel enjoyed the sun on his face and the pleasant company of their echoing voices.