Kevin Miller - Declared Hostile

Yes, this mountaintop estate, far from Medellin, far from Caracas, was where Daniel and his cartel had moved in order to stay in business. Why had Colombia turned on him? He and the others had paid off all the senators, the generals, the police. The campesinos loved him. Why did they do it? Colombia was the perfect base to ship product up the isthmus, along the vast Pacific or through the Caribbean islands and wash bushels of money in Panama. Yet, almost overnight, the Ejército Nacional had pushed out the FARC. How? With help from the hated Americans, of course.

Reports from the field were troubling. Not only were shipments not getting through — although a fraction still meant a handsome profit — but the mules operating the vessels and airplanes were missing. None of the seaborne shipments were showing up in the Yucatan distribution centers and just a trickle in the Bahamas through Puerto Rico, overall a net loss. Baja distribution networks using the Pacific routes were down but acceptable, but his main territory was the Caribbean through Yucatan. While mules could be replaced with eager recruits, they were still an asset, and losing all of them was bad for business and recruit training. He knew of the whispers on the waterfront: You move product these days and chances are good you won’t come back. His intel was drying up, as was his reserve cash.

And it wasn’t just Daniel; all the cartels were feeling the pinch.

Who could it be but the Americans? he thought as he sipped his coffee. Learning their tactics, and how to counter them, was his immediate challenge. The sun was up now, bright orange rays signaling that the day was here, reality was here. Sadly, the magical twilight period of tranquil magnificence in this lush tropical paradise had transitioned all too quickly to harsh responsibility.

Soft footsteps from the stairwell indicated he was about to have company. A moment later, Annibel appeared in her nightshirt with fresh cups of coffee for each of them. She placed a cup next to Daniel, kissed his head, and curled up on the sofa next to him. Lost in her own thoughts, she, too, gazed out at the sunrise as she sipped her coffee.

“Where are the girls?” Daniel asked.

“Emma is still asleep, but Juliana is up. She was up most of the night. Maria has her.”

Daniel admired his wife, the former Miss Aragua State , as she gazed at the dawn in silence. Hair tousled, no makeup, she still looked incredible. Her beautiful smile, however, was missing.

“What are you doing today?” she asked.

“Meeting with Marco and Paul at ten, then fishing this afternoon. Why don’t you join us?”

She took another sip and said nothing. She then answered. “No. I won’t have them leer at me, and who’s going to watch the kids?”

“Bring Maria and the kids.”

“No, Maria gets seasick, and I won’t subject the children to your crude language when you men are together. I’ll just stay here in this palatial estate — my prison.”

Here it comes, Daniel thought. He turned away as he shook his head. “Then go to Caracas. See your friends and go shopping. You can be there by lunch.”

Annibel shook her head. “No, I’ve been away from the girls too long, and I think Emma is coming down with something.”

“Fine, then, Maria can watch her, and I’ll send the plane, and your friends will be here after lunch. You’ll have the afternoon to sun yourselves and my ‘leering friends’ will be far away from you. Why do you do this to me?”

Annibel said nothing as she took another sip. Though fifteen years younger than her husband, she was his intellectual equal and took no crap from him. She was careful, though, not to humiliate him in front of the men, a behavior that kept her alive. If she feared his wrath, she didn’t show it, and Daniel respected her ability to spar with him. He liked having at least one member of his train that kept him honest. She then spoke.

“You’ve become distant. You all but ignore the girls, and you do ignore me — unless I come up to your lair before Pepé and the others get to you. You haven’t touched me in days, and you are snapping at everyone.”

“Didn’t I just invite you to go fishing?”

“ Daniel, not with them! ” Annibel shot back, pointing downstairs. “And even if you took me out on the boat alone, they would be following us in the other, keeping ‘security watch’ over the most powerful man in Venezuela. I can’t be myself with you out there, but at least I can understand why. Up here, in our home , I cannot understand why. You tell me I have everything. You have everything, including me and the girls, and yet you are unhappy. Why? Just talk to me!”

The most powerful man in Venezuela assessed her in silence. Her eyes not blinking, Annibel waited for his answer. He put down his cup and opened up to her.

“Shipments are way down. In one area, they are down to zero, completely cut off. People have gone missing on the high seas without a trace. Not one trace , and we don’t know why. We suspect the Americans, but maybe it’s another cartel.”

“Sinking your boats? Who would be so stupid?”

“You never know.”

“Then ask . Ask if they are experiencing losses, too.”

“You know it’s not that easy, and I don’t want them to see me sweat.”

“Fine then,” Annibel shrugged, exasperated. “You are concerned about business, yet plan to go fishing this afternoon.”

“ Something is happening out there! ” Daniel growled, careful to keep his voice down and temper in check. “And, if we don’t figure it out soon, the money is going to dry up fast . When it does, not only are your shopping trips to Caracas over, but we are over. The jackals will be on our doorstep. If I don’t keep the money flowing to the army and the politicians and my network, or if I show weakness for even a moment, then we’ll be surrounded. Fast . So, yes, I’m going fishing, as much to relax as to show that I’m not too concerned. Those jackals are watching.”

Annibel now showed concern. “How do you intend to find out?” she asked him.

“I think it’s the Americans. Pepé thinks it’s a rival cartel, that the yanquis are too inept at keeping secrets and that the American media will expose it for us anyway. But who else has the intelligence and sensors to find a damn skiff on the open and know what it is, destroying it without a trace before anyone can even radio for help.”

“Do your skiffs have radios?”

Daniel said nothing, not knowing the answer to her question. Such details were left to others. Even if they did have radios, the mules were conditioned not to highlight themselves in any way. They would die before they radioed for help.

“Better yet, just send girls to their bars. Men like to talk and boast, don’t they?” Annibel asked.

“ American men. Down here, talking can kill you.”

“Yes, of course, American men,” Annibel snickered as she looked out to sea. “Well, then, you have a strategy.”

“Maybe, but I need more than that,” Daniel responded, lost in his thoughts.

Annibel got up from the sofa and moved toward him. “Then I won’t disturb you as you think about your multinational business.” She stopped in front of him and bent over to whisper in his ear, the lace neckline of her nightshirt hanging low.

“Think about business today, and think about me tonight.”

She walked away carefree and in charge. “I’ll take you up on your offer of Caracas,” she said over her shoulder. “If you call for the plane, I’ll be ready in an hour. Maybe I’ll pick up something for you.” She turned her head to leave him a coy smile as she descended the stairs.