The Ghost Ch. 01

Kelsey's eyes were red and swollen from crying, and as she dabbed her eyes, she asked, "What happened to Maria?"

"You really don't know?" Kelsey shook her head no. "Maria and his two children were killed in a home invasion last June. Unspeakable things were done to both Maria and his daughter, while he was out of town doing FBI business. He has blamed himself since." She stood and walked over to a table by the fireplace and opened a drawer. She picked up a stack of letters wrapped in a rubber band, pulling out the top one. "This is the last one he wrote; it's dated the day his family was buried."

The letter was passed to Kelsey, and as she was about to open it, her phone rang. It was Mark letting her know he was done at the station waiting on her. She hung up the phone with Katy telling her to take the letter with her, but not letting him see it. She folded it and put it in her back pocket, hugged the older lady and out the door to the SUV.

She pulled up to the station to an impatient Mark who looked to have made an imprint along the sidewalk where he had been pacing. He climbed into the SUV wiping his brow, "I think we need to invest in another vehicle."

Kelsey looked over at him and back out the windshield. "Sorry, your aunt and I were talking, and I lost track of time."

Sighing, "She's like that sometimes," looking over at her he admired that she took the time to make her acquaintance with Katy. He hated himself for staying away for so long, but always felt it was for the best. Feeling a bit ashamed for not visiting them he asked, "How are they doing Kelsey?"

"They miss you Mark. You are the last of their family, and they hold you dear in their hearts. You really should see them before we leave."

He looked over at her and gave her a half smile, then looked out the passenger window. "Let's go back to the Robinsons' I need to ensure we can bring them back safely." She just looked over at him with the corner of her eye, thinking he was just avoiding the past by avoiding them.

When they arrived back at the Robinsons', Kelsey went around the house to clean up the booby traps while Mark checked on some data that he had been working on. Cleaning the entire area took all afternoon, the sun just going down over the horizon when Kelsey was finished. She stepped into the RV and found Mark staring at the computer screens built in the cupboards. Coming behind him she looked over his shoulder and found him looking at two faces, while another screen was going through what looked to be a thousand a second.

Putting her hands on his shoulders, and lightly rubbing them, Kelsey asked him. "What are you doing?"

He took his left hand and put it on her right hand. Her heart fluttered a bit, but she didn't allow him to know it affected her. "I'm running facial recognition on these two guys. The one on the right seems to be the one who has bailed out our friend Courtney or Makayla, whatever she's going by today. The one on the left has only been with him in Vegas, but looks to be more important."

"Who do you think they are Mark?"

He turned the chair around, still holding her hand in his. "My young apprentice, be patient." Both started laughing hard until Kelsey was crying and fell into his lap. He held her closely to him as she composed herself. Their faces were close together as he began to speak. "In all seriousness, I think this may be what is left of the Tejada cartel."

She looked into his eyes searching for what he was feeling, maybe she was searching for his soul, but only found the pain. "When will we be done Mark? When can our lives just be normal?"

"We could walk away now, but you know and I know that people will still be hurt by these guys. Anyone who came from Tejada's' crew is just as ferocious as him. It's been proven the government isn't willing to stop him, so who will?"

Kelsey put her hand on his cheek, "But why you Mark?" Their faces became closer, their noses touching, his eyes closed. "Because I care for the future of all of my family and friends. Most importantly I care about your future, and want you to live a safe life." He opened his eyes, staring back at him were the greenest eyes he had ever seen. They had small tears in them, but not enough to go down the cheek. He raised his lips and softly kissed her lips, then pulled back as quickly as he kissed her.

Kelsey still had her eyes closed; her lips pursed. With her breathing excelled, she asked him, "What was that for?"

He leaned back further from her, "I care for you, I'm sorry for that, I don't mean to lead you on."

She lifted herself off his lap and in a soft enough voice she thought he didn't hear, "I'm not sorry."

The mood was changed by the computer beeping at them. Mark turned his chair noticing on the screen the man who had been getting their friend out of jail was no other than Alonso Guijosa. He had been a part of the Tejada cartel as a drug trafficker. The Federales and the U.S. Government both had warrants out for his arrest. Both Kelsey and Mark knew that meant a new faction of Tejada's cartel was running and setting up shop in rural America.

********

March 8th, 2019

Lucille and Henry Robinson were able to come home and after what seemed like a long flight, they were pulling up the driveway with Mark driving them. Standing in the driveway was Robbie and Kelsey waiting for them. Lucille began to cry as she found her boy alive and well.

She climbed out of the vehicle going as fast as she could toward Robbie giving him a hug.

Henry climbed out and patted Mark on the shoulder. "You are a good man. Thanks for bringing him home."

"Anytime sir."

Henry went to join the other two as Kelsey made her way to Mark. They backed the SUV into the trailer, locking it down and as they closed the rear door, Robbie ran over to them. He stuck out his hand to shake theirs.

"I don't know how to repay you, but I promise I will."

"Take care of them, get off the shit you're putting in your system." Mark said bluntly.

Robbie hung his head, "Mr. Lawson taught me a few lessons while I was there. Life is too short for me to throw it away. I haven't used it in almost a week, and if I have any cravings, I have support in my parents and the Lawsons."

Mark put his hand on the younger man's shoulder, "Try to help this place get off drugs before it's too late. The town over has a great facility that helps addicts, maybe you can check it out too. Call the Sheriff if you see or hear of anything going on, he's a good man. If all else fails, call me."

Robbie nodded his head and turned to go back to his awaiting parents. Both Kelsey and Mark felt exhausted, but couldn't wait to get back to Oklahoma to get some quality rest. Kelsey's thoughts were on Mark and the kiss they shared, as well as the unread letter in her pocket. Marks' mind was on the cartel, and if he wanted Kelsey to be involved at all. She was hard headed and determined to tag along, so he had to think about everything before he spoke to her again about staying behind.

***********

March 10th, 2019

President Conklin stood at the podium giving the eulogy of a life cut short by the man's own hand. Deep down he knew he had caused his friends suicide, but he felt nothing. Before he took the podium, he thought about their friendship and how he became this person that he looked at in the mirror. His wife and kids were no wiser that he had gone down the wrong path. The women, the bribes, the drugs, and the knowledge of what had been going on across the country as he took a blind eye toward it.

As he began to wrap up his speech the huge church door opened allowing a sliver of light to illuminate part of the room with Jeremy O'Brien and his daughter Jenny coming in. They walked slowly down the aisle as Andy kept talking and observing them. Jenny was limping, and had bandages on her wrists. Her face was purple with one eye still closed from the beatings she had been given.

Simmons' wife welcomed O'Brien and his daughter to sit with them, and as the President finished his speech, he walked from the podium to his friends' kids and widow. He shook the two young adults' hands and came upon the widow of Jack Simmons. Her eyes were cold upon Conklin, showing no emotion to the man that was supposed to be her husband's best friend.

Diane Simmons held onto the President's hand, applying as much pressure as she could and brought him in for a hug. She whispered in his ear, "Jack told me everything, I know about you, and I know what you were doing to him you sick son of a bitch."

Conklin pulled back giving her a half smile for appearance sakes, looked down at O'Brien and his daughter and back at Diane. "I'm so sorry for your loss, he served his country well." He let go and walked over to the other side of the aisle next to his wife, never looking at the widow again.

After the service was finalized and the crowd passed by the man lying in his wooden resting spot, Andy Conklin was going out the back door to his limousine. His wife and kids in tow never saying a word to them or anyone else, staying unusually quiet even for him. He noticed the condition Jenny O'Brien had been in, and was not happy that they hadn't kept their word she wouldn't be harmed.

Arriving back at the White House, the President jumped out of the vehicle without saying anything to his family, and walked straight toward the oval office. He passed his personal secretary, telling her to cancel the rest of his meetings for the afternoon. Slamming the door, he went to the phone and dialed out himself to the Colombian President. Upon the phone answering, Andy belted out, "You have a problem Amigo!"

**********

Somewhere in Mexico

Alex Johnson had been in the cell for over two months. Juan Guijosa's new right-hand man caught him snooping at the mansion in San Luis Potosi, the former home of Chavez Tejada. None of his contacts in the U.S. would claim him, but he had some considerable cash on him, so they thought he might be rich. They had tortured him for the first few weeks, then threw him in the cell forgetting about him mostly.

Johnson heard footsteps leading from upstairs to the basement. It was too early for the scraps they threw at him for lunch. Three men stood before his cell, looking down at him. One stooped down to look him in the eye. "Senor' it seems we have no use for you anymore. Your country said you are dispensable." All three started laughing, as Johnson just looked at them. They drug him out of his cell and took him upstairs to an empty room furnished with only a chair, a video camera and a flag with the letters 'JAG' on it.

Putting him in the chair, his back to the flag and his face to the camera, each man put a mask on. Another man came in and they started cheering in a dialect he didn't understand. This man was dressed in a suit, his hair cut short, clean shaven, and younger than most of the men he had encounter.

Juan Guijosa looked upon the older beaten man sitting before him with distaste. "It seems your country has forgotten you. How does that make you feel?" Johnson never said anything, just looking at the man wondering what would happen. He could tell the camera was recording, the red light visible from where he sat.

Juan walked closer to Johnson, backhanding him across the face, blood exploded from his lip. Someone on Juan's right side handed him a handkerchief and he wiped his hand of any traces of the red liquid. Getting behind Johnson, he grabbed the back of Johnson's hair and pulled his face upward toward the camera.

"Mr. President, I know who this is. You tried your best to hide his identity, but you failed. I know you sent him along with a few agents to kill my former boss." Juan smiles as he pats the man's face lightly. "Mr. Johnson will be my first order of vengeance for my former boss. Calling your friend, the Columbian President is not going to stop me. I have been quiet for two months for a reason. I am now three times larger than Tejada, and I am about to take over your country. There's nothing you can do about it." He walked away from Johnson, pulling out his .45 and killing the man with one shot above the right eye.

"Refugio!" Juan yelled for his right-hand man.

"Yes, senor Juan."

He took the memory card out of the recorder, and handed it to the man in front of him. "Mail this to the President of the United States, and take that piece of garbage and dump it by the border somewhere."

"Si Senor Juan"

Juan Guijosa went through the building until he came upon a room nicely furnished with a king-sized bed and a sauna. In the sauna were three beautiful ladies waiting for him naked and drinking tequila. Smiling he started to undress as he closed the door.

***************

March 12th, 2019

Mark and Kelsey had been spending time away from each other since they returned to Oklahoma. Mark was working on the trail of Alonso Guijosa hoping to find where he might be camping out. The algorithm Scott made helped in narrowing some cities, but overall, he couldn't make any pattern yet.

Kelsey delayed reading the letter Katy had given her. She had nothing but time on her hands, except when she went to the gym with Lorrie, or the occasional outing to go shopping. Something happened between Mark and her when they kissed. There was a spark on both sides, she knew it. Besides he made the first move, so he had to have wanted it.

She went to the den and locked the door, pulled out the letter and started reading it, almost immediately her eyes filled with tears. It said:

'Dear Aunt and Uncle,

I am writing to you for the last time, as I laid my family to rest. I feel I should be with them; it should be me and not them. The guilt I feel is unbearable, and I don't want to feel anymore. Amanda was right when dad died, it should have been me. I only bring death and misery to the ones I love and care for. I love both of you but can't bear to see something happen to either of you, so I am saying goodbye. I just want to be with my wife and kids again, and I'm hoping it will be soon.

Love Mark

Kelsey's' tear hit the page, and she quickly tried to wipe it off without smearing the ink. She folded the paper and put it back into the envelope not noticing there were pictures also there.

They fell from it as she tried stuffing the envelope. One picture was of a dark skinned, raven haired woman with a smile that she found fascinating. The other was of Mark with the same lady and two kids, both looking to be teenagers.

She took the photo of Mark and his family and placed it on the cushion beside her as she put the other in the envelope next to the letter. Stuffing the letter into her pocket, she stood and walked over to Scott and Lorries wedding picture picking it up. She opened it up and placed the picture of Mark's family inside behind their picture.

There was a knock at the door, so she quickly placed the picture back down and walked over opening the door. Lorrie stood there, "Hey, you ok? I've been looking for you all over the place."

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. What's up?" Kelsey asked.

"Scott and I are going out tonight and we thought you and Mark might want to go with us."

Kelsey thought for a second, "What did Mark say?"

"He told me he was up for it, but said he wouldn't go if you didn't."

"Why did he say that."

Lorrie chuckled, "He doesn't want to be a third wheel silly. C'mon we can go shopping for a dress." Kelsey smiled and nodded and both were off to the mall nearby to get ready for the evening.

************

Washington D.C.

President Conklin watched the video for the second time with his advisors and his secretary of State. "My God, who is that Mr. President? What did he mean about the Columbian President?"

Andy looked over at his Secretary of State then back at the still picture on the screen of the new cartel leader.

"Get me Director Davis on the phone, tell him to be here pronto." he ordered his secretary. Looking at the others in his office he bellowed, "Any ideas fellas? Instead of scratching your heads, does anyone have any ideas about this problem?"

One of his advisors spoke up. "Mr. President, we need to bring in some independent operators to take care of this issue."

Another of his advisors looked at the first one, "Mercenaries? You're joking right?"

The President started to smirk, "I need the office cleared, Pam," which was his secretary, "when the director gets here send him straight in."

***********

Dallas Tx.

Morris held the Latina woman by her hips as she raised herself up and down his shaft. They never had done anything like this in the office, but today they couldn't help it. She was moaning loudly into Morris' mouth as he tried to drown out her throes of passion through the kiss. He felt himself about to burst as well and moved his pelvis upward to meet her hips. Together they reached the pinnacle of their orgasm with her digging into his shoulders with her nails. She shuddered as he filled her with his creamy seed.

Morris and Maria held onto one another catching their breath, with her head on his sweat soaked chest. They both felt their combined juices dripping from her. "Ma'am you have a call on line one." The intercom broke both out of their post orgasmic delight.

"Take a message Jess, I am predisposed at the moment."

"The woman says it's urgent, and says she's from the Department of Defense."

Maria looked at Morris as she lifted herself off his shrinking shaft. Juices now rolling down her thigh. "Give me two minutes Jess." She looked at the man who just made love to her and smiled and started to get dressed. "Sorry Morris, I need to take this."

He leaned down and started to dress as well. "Hey, I'm not arguing boss."

"Stop it! You know I hate it when you call me boss. Makes me feel like I'm taking advantage of you." Her blouse now on as she buttons the last few.

He chuckles as he tucks in his shirt, "I might need to file a sexual misconduct case with human resources. I think I was violated."

The look he received from Maria showed she was not amused by his comment. She pointed at the door and tried to give him the angriest face she possibly could, only to smile at him. She then picked up the phone, "Maria Downey speaking."

Meanwhile Reynolds walked back to his office, stopping at the mailboxes to pick up his mail. Noticing a manila envelope with no return address and a Washington D.C. post mark interested him. As he sat in his office, he opened it and pulled out a letter along with a handful of documents. He read the letter and in shock found it was from Jack Simmons. The letter went into detail about the things he had done while he was stationed in Texas with the FBI. He named the agents who were working with the cartel, along with acknowledgement of the persons in other agencies in the Southwest area.

The names that popped out the most were the ones in Washington. They were politicians that nobody would suspect were involved with the cartel or any kind of conspiracy. Putting the letter aside, he thumbed through the documents, noticing that pictures were attached to some of them, depicting important figures doing heinous things that would not only ruin their lives but put them in prison for a long time. Morris' hand was shaking by the time he was done thumbing through them. He understood why Simmons' last act was so hasty and drastic. He couldn't hold onto the truth any longer.

Buzz, the intercom making the familiar noise announcing someone was paging his phone. He picked up the receiver, hearing Maria on the other end. "We have a job; I need you in here pronto. Get Bobby on the way, tell him to come here as well."

**********

Oklahoma City, later that evening

Scott and Mark were downstairs having a drink while the ladies were upstairs getting ready for the evening. Mark was fine with going out with Scott, Lorrie and Kelsey. He hadn't relaxed since the death of his family, and knew if he obsessed as much as he had over Chavez, he would lose himself completely.