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.“Please, your name,” he said.“Nicholas Lowe,” he said.“He’s expecting me,” he added and gazed up to see an oscillating security camera.He looked away casually.The last thing he needed was a video clip of his visit to a major drug trafficker.The guard picked up the phone.After a few seconds, he spoke, nodded, and hung up.He turned to Nicholas and pointed toward the elevators.“Penthouse,” he instructed.Nicholas pressed the button for the penthouse.His heartbeat surged with the progressing LCD numbers for the floors.Anxiety about the mission, hatred for what Cesar had done to Tyler and Helena, his own future—they all clumped together in his throat.He felt relieved when the gravitational force reversed and the elevator stopped.Cesar was waiting for him when the door opened.“Welcome to my humble home,” Cesar said.“Gracias,” Nicholas said and admired the plush palace: polished marble floors, leather furniture, a colorful display of Inca artwork, and a wall-to-wall window providing a panoramic view of the city and the Pacific Ocean.Wealth, it appeared, civilized even the vilest of men.“I spoke to my pilot.The plane is on the ground and your men are loading the goods.” He removed the satellite phone from his coat pocket.“If you’re ready, I’ll wire the money.”“Eddy,” Cesar said and snapped.A frail, wiry man rushed over.“Confirm the wire transfer,” Cesar instructed Eddy, then turned to Nicholas and gestured to a man who walked in from the patio holding a drink.“Allow me to introduce my associate.”“Good evening,” Manuel said.Nicholas shook his hand and observed him carefully.“Mucho gusto.”“Mucho gusto.I recommend your plane not wait on the airstrip for too long,” Manuel said and extracted a cigarette from a pack in his shirt pocket.Nicholas removed a lighter from his pocket and lit it.Cesar shouldn’t have introduced a new person, but at least no one was using names.“Gracias.” Manuel exhaled a cloud of gray smoke into the spinning ceiling fan.The smoke dispersed.“The Colombians will launch their A-37s if the Americans track it on radar.”Cesar lifted a finger.“My men can prep a plane in twenty minutes at the new airstrip,” he said calmly.“The pilot shouldn’t have any problems.”“They should be airborne soon,” Nicholas said, noticing a dramatic change in Cesar.He seemed a different animal away from cocaine and whores, very businesslike.“Do you have any information about U.S.air assets tonight?” he asked Manuel.Manuel nodded.“Good news.There are no airborne early-warning aircraft tonight, only two Citations and a Navy P-3.Your men should be in good shape if they take off undetected.”Manuel’s knowledge of U.S.detection and monitoring assets was frightening proof the drug dealers had a competitive advantage in the war on drugs.Cesar slapped Manuel on the shoulder.“As you see, I have my own spy agency.”Nicholas had been trained to appear oblivious each time he heard the word spy.“Any recommendations for the next shipment?” Nicholas asked.“I’ll look into it,” Manuel said and checked his watch.“Hate to spoil the party, boss, but I have to take care of some business.Pleasure to meet you.” He waited for Cesar’s nod of approval and strolled to the elevator with a cautious glance at Nicholas.Nicholas leaned closer to Cesar.“I’m going to have to check that guy out.”Cesar laughed and shrugged.“His name is Manuel Espinosa.Knock yourself out.He knows I’ll kill him if he betrays me…and trust me, I’ll find out.”Nicholas dialed his phone and looked at Cesar.“I’ll send the money.” An electronic voice answered and led him through a sequence of steps to process the transaction.He entered the numbers, confirmed his options, and then just like that, $1.5 million transferred from one account to the next.“Done.”“You can wait on the patio while I verify receipt,” Cesar said.Nicholas nodded as two bikini-clad beauties walked past.The topless blonde wore a leopard skin g-string, the brunette a mauve bikini.The brunette touched her chin inquisitively.“Who’s your new friend, Cesar?”Cesar cleared his throat nervously.“Ladies, this is a friend.” He turned to Nicholas.“Allow me to introduce Adriana and Maria, the loves of my life.”Nicholas kissed their cheeks.“Show him to the patio,” Cesar said.“And keep your hands off the ladies,” he added with a nervous chuckle.“That could be difficult,” Nicholas said, seeing through Cesar’s forced laughter.He offered each an arm.“Ladies, I hope you didn’t get dressed up for little old me.”The ladies led Nicholas to a poolside table.Maria poured him a scotch on the rocks.He admired the swimming pool, the stocked bar, and, well, Adriana and Maria.Their flirtatious smiles, however expensive or phony, were nonetheless flattering.“How long have you been the loves of Cesar’s life?” he asked.“Please,” Maria groaned as Adriana rolled her eyes.“I don’t know how much longer I can put up with his shit.”“Ladies,” Cesar said from behind with a loud clap, “put on some clothes!”The ladies said good-bye with seductive winks.Nicholas waved to the ladies and admired the setting sun as Cesar arrived.“I verified the wire transfer,” Cesar said, all businesslike.He gestured to the skyline [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]