Missions of the Retrieval Team - Kilts in a Cage

[Arlen]

Hmm... there's something dodgy about that Manuel, blokey.

If only there were a real Kilted Kruise.

[davedove]

Scene 13

Roadway on the Mayan Riviera

We traveled for about a half hour when the bus started to slow down. I looked ahead and saw a group of uniformed men blocking the roadway ahead. One of them was signaling the driver to take a small side road.

Ruiz stood and addressed us. “Ladies and gentlemen, it appears there is something happening on the road ahead of us. Those men outside are Mexican Army and they are signaling for us to take the side road, probably to detour us around whatever is happening. Unfortunately, the side roads are very primitive and it will take us much longer to reach the resort. I apologize for any inconvenience, but there is nothing I can do.”

Panache walked up to my seat from his own seat further back in the bus. “What do you make of this?” he asked.

“Having traveled in Latin America many times,” I told him, “it’s not at all uncommon for there to be detours. It does concern me that it happened right after the bomb threat, but that may be mere coincidence. Or, it’s possible that there is some terrorist group targeting places where tourists gather, namely cruise ships and resorts.”

“You don’t think it’s directed at us?”

“I’m not ruling out that possibility. But I can’t imagine who would be targeting us, or why.”

“Okay, but keep an eye out for trouble.”

“Will do,” I told him.

Jaime returned to his seat.

I turned to Ms. Stork. “Get the satellite phone ready. We may need to make a quick call.”

The bus made very slow progress down the road, which was indeed very primitive. It wasn’t quite a dirt road, but many ruts had formed in the gravel and dirt from rain. We almost could have walked faster than the bus was traveling.

I estimated we were approximately two miles away from the main road when we came to a stop. Outside in the road were two trucks and more Army troops signaling for the busses to stop. A Sergeant opened the door and called out in Spanish for the driver and guide to step outside for some questions. I turned around and noticed the same thing had happened with the other two busses.

The Sergeants led the drivers and guides into a small clearing off to the side, where a Lieutenant was waiting.

“Something’s not right here,” I said to Ms. Stork. I stood to get a better view out the window of the Lieutenant and his group.

Just at that moment, the Lieutenant barked an order and the Sergeants raised their rifles and shot the drivers and guides. Simultaneously, more soldiers stepped out of the trees with their rifles pointed at the busses.

I spun around to Ms. Stork. “Make the call,” I ordered.

Ms. Stork quickly punched a number into the phone. At that moment, two soldiers climbed onto the bus with their rifles and pointed them at us. “Everyone in seats!” they demanded. I gently took my seat again.

One saw Ms. Stork using her phone and pointed his rifle directly at her. “No phones!” he yelled at her. Ms. Stork lowered the phone.

One of the Sergeants boarded the bus and addressed us. “Stay in seats and you no get hurt! Give phones to front now!”

We all passed our phones forward. “Stay in seats, no talk and we no shoot,” the Sergeant told us. He collected the phones in a bag he held and passed it to a soldier outside.

Another soldier boarded the bus and took the driver’s seat. He started the bus and started to drive it forward. The soldiers outside, along with the Lieutenant, had gotten aboard the two trucks. The truck with the officer moved forward while the other truck pulled off the side of the road.

The driver of the bus followed the lead truck. As the bus passed the clearing, I saw the bodies of the guides and drivers lying in the grass.

[davedove]

Hmm... there's something dodgy about that Manuel, blokey.

Aren't you sorry you doubted poor Manuel now?

[Arlen]

Aren't you sorry you doubted poor Manuel now?

Hmm... I'm not convinced he's dead...