Kate Pt. 01

"You're very welcome," I replied smiling, "I'm glad that I could be of help to you...and just so you know...I was never going to give the cocaine to Mike Dodge. I was doing this to bring his evil ass down."

"I already knew that, Senor Mark," he grinned, "Why do you think I trusted you enough to have this conversation with you?"

"How could you possibly know that?" I stupidly asked, "I mean...I thought that no one here knew who I was."

"Knowing these things are the one of the many reasons that I've been in business for as long as I have," he grinned, "One doesn't generate the amount of money that I've made by making mistakes, my friend."

"I guess not," I chuckled, "Damn, I feel like I've been living in a plastic bubble all of my life."

"No, you haven't," he told me, "I want you to be glad that you were ignorant of things like this. You're a much better person for it...trust me when I tell you this."

"I do now," I smiled, "But by trusting you, I've also put a price on my own head, haven't I?"

"No, you haven't," he said, "As far as my cohorts are concerned, you are one of Mike Dodge's agents who came down here to make a deal...nothing more, nothing less."

"Before we go any further, I'm going to need to use your telephone," I told him, "And if your former partners are now your enemies, I'm going to need to use a line that can not be bugged and/or listened to. I hope you understand the reasons why I'm asking this of you, Senor Hidalgo."

"Of course I understand," he smiled, "I have just such a phone so; please come quickly...and I want you to call me Jorge from this moment forward. Only my close friends and family call me by my first name, Senor Powers."

"Thank you, Jorge," I smiled, shaking his hand, "The same goes for you, too. I want you to call me Mark."

~~~~~~

"That's right, Uncle John," I smiled, using a phone line that was in a secret room located one hundred feet directly beneath Jorge's villa, "You heard me correctly. Now how soon can your people be here?"

~~~~~~

Chapter Fifteen

TWENTY FOUR HOURS LATER

The next evening, the D.E.A., the F.B.I., assisted not only by the United States Marines, the United States Navy, but also Colombian Army were all set to make what would look like a raid on the Hidalgo villa. However, that would be used as an excuse to get Jorge Hidalgo and the rest of his family out of South America and into the United States where he would testify before a federal grand jury.

After the go ahead had been given, Federal Agents, United States Marines, United States Navy SEALs and South American Federales began pouring out of the surrounding jungle, and in only a matter of a few short minutes, were all over the compound. To the rest of the world, it looked like the empire of Jorge Hidalgo had come falling down, which in a way, it had. However, what no one else knew, was that many of the Colombian Drug cartels were about to fall down, too.

In a matter of a few short years from the time that the raids began, Pablo Escobar also found himself dead at the hands of a South American Federale named Hugo Aguilar. While Jorge Hidalgo was himself a drug lord, he was nothing like Escobar, due to the fact that the people who were killed in the dealings of Cocaine, very few had died at the hands of his people, and those people died because of reasons of self defense.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking up for him, he was still a dealer of poison who broke the law, but if there was such a thing as the lesser of evils in the drug business, he certainly was that. The Unites States government kept their word to him and placed him into the witness protection program and he now lives somewhere under an assumed name. However, the story doesn't end here so; let's back up a bit...

~~~~~~

The moment I got off of the phone with Uncle John, one of his people was at the compound to extract me later that night. I was taken by helicopter to the USS Nimitz, a nuclear powered aircraft carrier that was floating off shore in the Caribbean Sea. From there I was flown to Pensacola, Florida, and them from there back to Nashville, Tennessee.

~~~~~~

BNA AIRPORT NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

The moment I stepped out of the aircraft and out onto the tarmac in the VIP area, Kate and Sarah were both there to greet me.

"Oh, my God, Mark," Kate sniffled, her eyes filling with tears, "I was so worried, baby. Are you alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine," I grinned returning the hug, "And how are you, Miss Sarah?"

"Worried about you," she quietly sniffled, hugging me, the second that Kate let go of me, "We were scared to death, you big doofus."

"Well, I'm alright," I smiled, taking both of their hands, "Come on, you two, let's get home...I'm dying for a hot shower."

~~~~~~

So, what about Mike Dodge?" Kate worriedly asked as we rode home in the limo that Uncle John provided, "Is he going to be prosecuted?"

"Of course he is," I smiled, "What about your Aunt Linda? What is she going to do when he gets arrested?"

"I haven't had the chance to talk to her about it yet," Kate uneasily replied, "I only hope that she doesn't get caught up in Mike's bullshit when he gets arrested."

"She won't," I assured her, "Uncle John told me that a team of agents are going to go in and pull her out of there right before his house gets raided so; I wouldn't worry about it too much if I were you. Speaking of which...I need to call Mike and tell him that I made it back and that we need to meet up."

However, right before I went to pick up the phone, it rang, making me wait until the second ring to answer it.

"Hello," I answered, "This is Mark Powers, how can I help you?"

"This is your Uncle John, Mark," he smiled, "We need to get with you before you meet with Mike Dodge so that we can supply you with the cocaine you're supposed to deliver to him, okay?"

"That's fine," I replied, "When and where?"

~~~~~~

Taking the Ford, Taurus that I'd rented before leaving the country, I met Uncle John at the address he gave me to pick up the one hundred kilos of cocaine, which was in four large trash bags, and then got the assistance of the other DEA agents who were there to help me load it into the trunk and back seat of the car.

"Mike Dodge is to make the final deposit into the numbered account into the Grand Cayman account before you give him this shit," Uncle John told me, "And make damn sure that you keep this car parked somewhere safe, away from your house. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir," I told him, "But when am I supposed to give him all of this crap?"

"In twenty four hours," he replied, "And that's only after I give you the location to make the transfer, okay?"

"Good," he said, "Now I want you to go call him from a pay phone somewhere and let him know that you're back in town, and that you'll call him back after you've received verification that the deposit has been made."

"I'm on my way," I told him, "I'll see you when you get back to the house..."

~~~~~~

I parked the car in a big parking lot near the airport where there would be cameras to watch over the car. The windows had been tinted so that anyone walking by it would not be able to look inside of it and see that there was something covered up in the back floorboard and seat of the car. Once that was done, I hailed a cab and had him take me downtown to a payphone near Centennial Park, where he would wait while I called Mike Dodge, and then he would take me home after I'd finished the call.

~~~~~~

"I'm back," I told Mike, the moment he answered the phone, "And I've got something you want."

"I'm glad to hear it," he cheerfully replied, "When do I get it, and where?"

"Not so fast," I cooly said, "You need to transfer the rest of what you owe me into the numbered account that I've already given you. Once I receive verification of deposit, I'll call you back with the location and time. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes we do," he jovially answered, "Did you have any trouble coming back into the states?"

"If I remember correctly, you said that it was my problem how I got it back here," I quietly replied, "So, any problem that I might, or might not have had is neither here nor there where you're concerned. Just give me my money, and I'll give you what's yours, alright?"

"Look, Mark, I'm trying to be nice about this," he calmly told me, "I just don't want any bad blood between us, that's all."

"You're right, and neither do I," I softly replied, trying to make him think I was dropping my guard, "And as long as you hold up your end of this deal, there won't be any either, okay man?"

"Good enough," he chuckled, "It'll take some time for that amount of money to transfer, just like it did the last time so; I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Okay, buddy," I chuckled," Tomorrow it is," and after I hung the phone up, I got back into the cab, and then headed home.

~~~~~~

"Hi, baby," Kate smiled, greeting me with a giant hug the moment I walked through my front door, "I'm glad to see you back."

"You, too, my love," I smiled, returning the hug, "I'm glad to be back."

"Hi, Mark," Sarah smiled, also hugging me, "Welcome back, Big Brother."

"Hi, sweetie," I smiled, returning her hug as well, "I guess you guys really missed me, huh?"

"Duh," Sarah teased, giggling like only she can, "I've only got one Big Brother, you knucklehead."

"Hush up, girlie," I grinned, making her squeal by pinching her on the butt, "You're getting a little too big for your britches these days."

"I'll show you just how much, too," she strongly replied, rubbing her ass, "Just pinch my ass again, fucker."

Of course Kate hadn't said anything, other than to laugh at the banter going on between Sarah and me, the she grinned and told us, "You two act just like brother and sister, too ya know."

"You hush up, Missy," I grinned, watching Kate quickly move away from me to avoid getting pinched on her ass as well, "You're not too big for me to take you across me knee young lady."

"You do it and I'll kick you in the nuts," she frowned, "And stop calling me Missy, dammit."

"Oh yeah, I almost forget," I teased, "Excuse me Miss Kathryn Nicole Meyers, soon to be Powers."

"Has anyone ever told you what an asshole you can be sometimes," she giggled, catching me off guard and pinching me very hard on my ass, "Because you certainly can, Marky Boy?"

"Ouch," I loudly yelled, "That hurt, you mean little shit."

"It serves you right, fucker," Sarah laughed, "Turnabout is fair play."

I was about to start tickling her when I heard a knock on the front door.

That can only be Uncle John," I smiled, swiftly moving to answer it.

~~~~~~

"Hey, Marky Boy," uncle John smiled, walking into the house, "Where are those two pretty girls that also live here?"

~~~~~~

"Hi, Uncle John," Kate smiled, giving him a big hug, "It's good to see you."

"Hello there, pretty girl," he smiled, "How is my soon to be niece doing this evening?"

"You're just in time," she teased, "I was about to start roughing Marky up for being a mean ass."

"Give him hell, darlin," Uncle John laughed, "It's about time he met someone that won't put up with his shit."

"Hi, Uncle John," Sarah sweetly smiled, also hugging him, "It's so good to see you."

"Well, hello there little lady," he grinned, returning the hug, "It's good to see you, too, Miss Sarah."

"You are staying for dinner," Kate asked him, "Aren't you?"

"I hadn't planned on it," he lied, as he knowingly grinned at me, "But if you girls are doing the cooking, I might be persuaded to stick around and eat."

"You're not going anywhere," I laughed, "And you damn well know it, you old fart."

"Don't make me shoot you, boy," he grinned, reaching for his gun, "I'd hate to have to explain to your grandmother that I had to kill you for being such a smart ass."

"Bullshit," I teased, "You're just as afraid of Grams' wrath as I am."

"You got that shit right," he laughed, patting me on the shoulder, "I'm glad that you're smart enough to know not to mess with that old woman."

"How are Aunt Lisa, Karen and Tabitha doing?" I asked him, "I haven't talked to them in ages."

"It's funny you should mention Tabitha," Uncle John knowingly grinned again, "When I told her that you were living out here, she told me to tell you that she wants you to call her some time real soon. She lives in Chattanooga now," then he pulled out his wallet, and after removing a card that had some handwriting scrawled on it, he gave it to me smiling and said, "Here's her number...why don't you give her a call right now?"

"Cool," I grinned, "I'll do that."

~~~~~~

"Hello," Tabitha answered.

"Hey Tabs," I grinned, "How're ya doing cuz?"

"Oh, my God," she squealed, immediately recognizing my voice, "It's about damn time you called me, Marky. How the hell are ya, boy?"

"Where are you living these days, girlie?" I asked smiling, "You need to come to Nashville and meet the girl I'm going to marry."

"It's funny you should mention Tennessee," she giggled, "I live in Chattanooga, about an hour and a half from you down Interstate Twenty-Four."

"No kidding," I grinned, "So when are you coming to see me? I've missed you."

"Aw, really?" she sweetly asked, "I've missed you, too. How about if I come tomorrow, then? I'll take some vacation time. Can you give me a place to stay while I'm there?"

"Like you have to ask," I chuckled, "Of course I can; now get your pretty self down here. You're going to love my fiancée. Her name is Kate."

I guess now would be a good time to describe my cousin Tabitha. She and I were born a couple of months apart, her being slightly older. She had, at that time, long, blonde hair that was the color of corn silk with big blue eyes that are the same color as mine. She stands right at five feet, two inches tall, with her measurement being proportionate to her height; and has never weighed more than a hundred and eighteen pounds, even when she was at her heaviest. She and I were very close growing up, and I can still remember when her and her sister Karen, who is four years older, would come and spend the weekends with me and Mom.

After the arrangements had been made and I'd given her directions to my house, Tabitha assured me that she would be here no later than nine o'clock that next morning. We talked for another ten minutes, or so; and then we hung up. I was really looking forward to seeing my cousin again, because of the fact that it seemed like ages had passed since I last saw her. However, I still had something to take care of before she got here, and that was dealing with Mike Dodge's fucking criminal ass.

I wasn't the least bit worried though, because I knew that I had the government standing by to back me up; and Mike didn't have shit, or at least that's what I thought. Time would tell, plus there were things that I hadn't considered where my dealings with Mike were concerned. But...I'm getting ahead of myself again...

~~~~~~

That evening after a delicious dinner that Kate and Sarah had cooked, Uncle John and I were sitting on my back patio having a cup of coffee and talking.

"I want you to call Mike Dodge at seven o'clock tomorrow morning," he told me, "Tell him to meet you in Murfreesboro at the Stone River Battlefield right off the Old Nashville Highway. That is where the transaction will take place. We've already verified that the money is in the numbered account in The Bank of The Grand Caymans."

"What about any people or innocent bystanders that might be looking?" I asked, "Won't they think something suspicious is going on?"

"No, not at all," he knowingly grinned, "Besides, the only people that are going to be there at that particular hour of the morning will be both DEA and FBI so; don't worry, okay?"

"Whoa, wait a minute," I said, "You're not going to bust him while I'm there are you?"

"Of course not," he laughed, "He'll already have a tail on him when he gets there; and then we're going to wait until you're long gone and he's back out on the highway before we pull him over."

"Good," I said, feeling very relieved, "Because I sure as hell don't want him to think that I had anything to do with this shit."

"He won't," Uncle John knowingly chuckled, "The people that are watching him are also going to use a BB rifle, believe it or not, to knock out his tail light so that we'll have a reason to pull him over to start with."

"Damn," I laughed, "Talk about being chicken-shit, that beats anything I've ever seen."

"It gets better," he grinned, "After Dodge leaves his home to go meet you, we're going to go in and extract his wife from the house."

"I need to tell you something," I suddenly remembered, "Kate still hasn't heard back from her Aunt yet as to whether or not she is going to want to stay in her home once the bust goes down."

"We've already taken care of that for her," Uncle John said, "We're fairly sure that Linda knows nothing about her husband's propensities so, with that said, tell Kate not to worry, and that she should be hearing from her Aunt within the next forty-eight hours."

"Okay," I smiled, "She'll be glad to know that."

"Not to change the subject, Mark," he suddenly smiled, "But I need to ask you something that has nothing to do with Mike Dodge, okay?"

"Sure, Uncle John," I said, "You know that you can ask me anything you want so; what's on your mind?"

"He gave me a strange look for a moment, and then after taking a deep breath, began, "I wanted to ask you if you and Kate have set a wedding date yet?"

"No, we haven't," I smiled, "At least not yet anyway, why do you ask?"

"No reason in particular," he grinned, "Well, maybe just one, and that would be to make sure that your Grams, your Aunt Lisa, and your cousin, Karen, will all have plenty of time to get here," and then he began to laugh at his own silly joke.

"That's too funny," I chuckled, "I'm just glad that none of them are here to hear you say that."

"You've got that right," he laughed, "Man; they would, all three, have my ass for dinner over that remark, huh?"

"No kidding," I laughed a little harder, "You're secret is safe with me though."

~~~~~~

After Uncle John had given me directions to the place, as well as what time I was to meet Mike Dodge, he then left to go back to his hotel room. I tried to make him spend the night at my house, but he wouldn't hear of it so; I walked back into the house to find that Sarah had already gone to bed.

This afforded Kate and I a little time to ourselves since I'd been home. And after I put David Sanborn's first album in the tape player, we changed into some comfortable clothing and lay down on the bed together and talked.

"I'm so glad you're home, baby," Kate softly told me, gently rubbing her palm against my bare chest as she lay snuggled beside me, wearing only one of my tee shirts and her panties, "I was really worried about you, Mark."

"I know, my love; and I'm really sorry about that," I gently replied, "But after tomorrow, all of our troubles will be over, I swear."

"I can hardly wait," she said, holding me tightly, "I still haven't been able to get a hold of Aunt Linda and I'm beginning to get a little worried about her."

"Oh, I almost forgot," I replied, "Uncle John told me to tell you that you'd be hearing from her within the next forty-eight hours."

"You don't think she's mixed up in Mike's shit, do you?

"No," I smiled, gently caressing her cheek with the back of my hand, "And neither does Uncle John."

"God, I hope not," she frowned, "She's been so kind to me all of my life and I sure would hate to think otherwise."

"Uncle John and Grams were both the same way with me after my Mom died," I told her.

"You never told me that she died, too," Mark," Kate sadly replied, "I thought she was still alive."

"No, she passed away right after I turned eighteen and graduated high school," I sadly replied, "I think she died of a broken heart, because she was never the same after Dad was killed."