Adams was pulling out onto the highway when he slammed on the brakes. Off in the distance, a telltale cloud of dust told of a vehicle racing toward the area of the fruit stand.

“That looks like it is coming from the same road they took Jack down,” said Adams. “I’m going to drive past and take a look.”

Adams drove slowly and was rewarded when they passed the fruit stand and saw Big Al’s SUV approaching the highway.

“Maybe he is still alive,” said Adams, excitedly. “Big Al might be returning him. What do you think?”

“I don’t know,” replied Rubalcava. “Perhaps everything is okay. Maybe the ambush is only a precaution because they brought Jack to Casa Blanca.”

“You would have thought they would have had it set up to begin with,” noted Adams.

“Perhaps it was an afterthought.”

“Jack mentioned a delivery was to be made this afternoon. Maybe they do it to make sure nobody is following whoever does the delivery. It might have nothing to do with Jack.”

“Possible. That makes more sense. Let’s hope you’re right.”

“I’ll drive slow. If Jack is in Big Al’s SUV, they should be passing us on the way back to Juarez any minute.”

A short time later, both Adams and Rubalcava breathed a partial sigh of relief as Big Al’s silver SUV went racing past them.

Damien and Lance Morgan sat beside each other at a picnic bench in Vancouver’s Kitsilano Beach Park overlooking English Bay. Across from them sat Miguel and Ramiro, who had requested they meet again in the afternoon after their first initial encounter that morning.

Both Miguel and Ramiro were each sipping on a bottle of cola, after assuring Damien they would be receiving an important message any minute in regard to Jack Taggart.

That there were numerous members of Satans Wrath in the area providing security did little to impress Miguel and Ramiro. Where they came from, such security was common to protect the top drug lords. What they did find amusing were the counter-surveillance teams put in place to ensure they were not being followed by the police. In Mexico, they used the police as their own bodyguards.

Damien, along with other members of Satans Wrath, were frequently watched and photographed by the police. For Damien it did not particularly bother him much, but with the advice he had given to murder Jack Taggart, he did not want to risk that his potentially new business partners might say something that could be picked up by the police through parabolic microphones or any other listening devices.

Damien was also curious as to whether the police knew about Miguel and Ramiro. The fact they were not being followed did not necessarily indicate the police didn’t know them. He had correctly theorized the police might not be conducting surveillance for fear of jeopardizing Taggart’s undercover role. If the police surveillance was discovered by Miguel and Ramiro, the timing of the sudden police interest with the arrival of Taggart into their midst would be too coincidental.

Miguel excused himself to look at a message he received on his BlackBerry. When he did, he smiled and held the device out for Damien and Lance to see a picture.

“I have been told to ask you if you think this man is still dangerous,” said Miguel.

Damien and Lance looked at Jack’s naked body lying on a floor and scrutinized his face.

“Is it him?” asked Lance. “With all that blood and shit, it’s —”

“It’s Taggart,” said Damien. “I saw him in court last month. There’s no doubt.”

“Looks like they did a real number on him first,” added Lance.

“Yeah, he doesn’t exactly look his best, that’s for sure.” Damien looked at Miguel and smiled. “You can let Big Al know that I no longer think he is dangerous.”

“Good,” replied Miguel, looking pleased. “I am also to find out if you would like any questions asked of him?”

“What do you mean,” asked Damien, glancing at the picture again. “Isn’t he dead?”

“No, not yet. We will torture him for a few days to find out everything he knows before we allow him to die.”

“How can you be sure he will tell you the truth?” asked Lance.

“We can be very persuasive.” Miguel gave a smug smile. “Besides, he is not that strong. I was told when my boss touched him with a cattle prod only once, he passed out.”

“Big Al nailed him with a cattle prod?” replied Damien, now understanding why Jack was naked in the picture.

“Actually it was my boss,” replied Miguel. “He is called El Pero and works for Big Al, who is the one who asks the questions.”

“It looks like they beat his head in,” noted Lance.

“Yes, but he will survive to tell us what we wish to know. I am told he will receive a doctor’s care to keep him alive for as long as we want. Very few men die without telling us what we wish to know.”

“I know this guy,” said Damien. “He won’t break easily. If he does talk, I am sure it will be a combination of lies to distort the truth. Something to disrupt our organizations and send us on wild goose chases. I think you should kill him immediately. Same for the girl you told me about. What if they are rescued? I am sure someone knows he was picked up by Big Al or El Pero or whoever.”

“We are certain nobody knows where he is. Even if they did, Taggart and the girl would be killed immediately if there was any sign of a rescue attempt. He is handcuffed to a pipe and being guarded in a house in the middle of a desert with many armed men, including trained commandos. Outside of the house are more professional soldiers hired for security. There is no chance he could be rescued. Also, Big Al and El Pero are well-protected in Mexico. They would never be arrested for killing anyone,” said Miguel.

“That’s good to hear, but as far as questioning him about my club, like I said, I am sure he will simply tell a pack of lies.”

“You may be right, but it is not only questions about what he knows about us we will be asking. We wish to make an example of him to prevent other police officers from interfering,”

“By killing him I can guarantee there will be a lot of police attention,” said Damien. “Although, under the circumstances, I can see you have no choice.”

“The police will not be so eager when we kill a few people who are close to them,” said Miguel.

“People close to them?” asked Damien.

“Yes. We do it in my country all the time. Killing policemen is nothing significant, but killing their families is. Those are the type of questions we will be asking him.”

“Questions about his family?” said Lance.

“Yes. We will also be asking him the names of wives and children belonging to the people he works with. Big Al has already asked him if he has a wife or children. He has told Big Al he does not, but we will find out. Perhaps you know if —”

“Messing with a cop’s family is a bad idea,” said Damien. “Asking questions in that regard is like digging your own grave.”

“What do you mean?” asked Miguel.

“Have you ever been to a bullfight?” asked Damien.

“Yes, many times,” replied Miguel. “In Mexico it —”

“Then you should know if you play with the bull, you get the horns. All it takes is one rogue cop to seek revenge … and I am not talking about legal revenge.”

“Our people are well-protected in Mexico,” interjected Ramiro. “We have done this many times. It is not a problem.”

“You do not think it will be a problem?” replied Damien, looking at Lance and raising his eyebrows.

“Not at all,” said Miguel. “So with that in mind, do you know if this man is married or if he has children?”

“I only know that he works for the RCMP Intelligence Section in Vancouver,” replied Damien.

“I see. Well, perhaps we should meet again tomorrow. Then I will tell you what we have learned so far and perhaps you will think of something you would like us to find out from him.”