Brown, Dale - Independent 02 (111 page)

 
          
Gachez
could no longer stand it. “You are on
my
payroll. All of you are on my payroll. I give the orders here.”

 
          
Escalante
now slowly rose to his feet, and the police chief moved beside him. Gachez
understood without believing.
“You?
You, Pablo? You think they will follow you? You don’t have the guts or brains
to run this organization. It takes strength, the willingness and ability to use
it . . .”

 
          
As
if in reply, Escalante reached into a coat pocket and withdrew a small
semi-automatic pistol. “You make too many threats, Gonzales. You are history,
the past. You are a failure. You hired failures like Salazar, who was also a
traitor and a thief.”

 
          
Escalante
slid the pistol across the table to Gachez, who did not look at it. He raised
his hands and smiled. “You want to take over, Pablo? Fine. We shall see how
well you do. I predict you all will come begging me to return—”

 
          
“I
don’t think so, Gonzales.”

 
          
The
police chief raised his pistol at Gachez. “Put down the gun, senor, or I will
be forced to shoot.”

 
          
Gachez
stumbled back away from the table, his hands still raised as three shots rang
out. Gachez was tossed backward and landed back against the wall, blood running
from his wounds for several long moments.

 
          
“Gonzales
Rodriguez Gachez was wanted for questioning,” the police chief intoned. He
withdrew a warrant from a tunic pocket. “Here is the warrant. He resisted
arrest, tried to flee, and fired at officers of the law, who had no choice but
to return fire.”

 
          
Pablo
Escalante nodded. The police chief saluted and left the office, closing the two
solid oak doors behind him. Escalante returned to his seat, settled back. “Now,
gentlemen, let us get down to the business at hand. A cooperative agreement has
been proposed between ourselves and the government to control the violence and
. . . the excesses of our past activity, including foolish and self- defeating
challenges to the American Border Security Force. At least for the time being.
In return, the government will suspend its prosecutions and oppose further extraditions
of our officers.” He motioned to the body on the floor. “Gonzales Rodriguez
Gachez votes in favor of the proposal. What say you, gentlemen?”