Chapter 227 - :

Once it was done, Nathaniel took his time to walk back to his chair and sit back down. While he was walking, the screen turned back to Jorge Perez's picture along with his criminal record to the right of the screen. After sitting back, Nataniel kept silent, looking at the screen in deep thought. Around the table, Lucie, Scott and Jon were doing the same while the rest were looking at him with curious expression.

"What are you doing? Shouldn't we run outside and start getting over there instead of staying here?" Camilla asked.

"No. We have the 'Who' and 'Where', we still miss some important part of the puzzle. Like 'How' and 'Why'. Moreover, we also need more information about where they are on the island and how many people he has with him. Considering that it is he's home turf, it's highly probable that he has people loyal to him in law enforcement and legislature. That's not a thing like we get the girl and we go to the nearest embassy, we need an in and out strategy if we hope to come back alive. That island could turn into a death trap really fast if we are not well prepared." Nathaniel explain.

"You all need to look past the obvious and search for the truth, no matter how unlikely or farfetch it seems." Nathaniel adds, looking at Camilla, Na-Yung, Hans and Lina with a strict expression. "Na-Yung, look at he's rapshit, what do you see?"

"Well, I see assault, stealing property, attempt murder, murder, murder, murder. He's violent, brutal and doesn't hesitate to kill when it benefits him." Na-Yung answers with uncertainty.

"That's correct but what isn't in there?" Scott asked. "Think about the degree of preparation and organisation that needed to be done before even taking the girls, that man doesn't have the brain or the patience to pull that off, what does that mean?"

"Maybe his time in jail made him smarter?" Na-Yung guess doubtfully.

"I don't think so, I believe he got help. Didn't you hear what Lina said? He was scheduled for fifteen years jail sentences and got out without any explanation after doing barely half of what he should have." Nathaniel add.

"The only reason why someone like him would be released before his time would be if he threw some other people under the bus." Camilla said.

"That could be it but considering our security clearance, we would know about it if that was the case. There are also other questions we need answers for. Were the daughters of the Senator the target all along or was it just happenstance? And in that case, how does he recognize them? Although he was serving his sentence in New York, he was coming from Texas originally and was incarcerated in another state to protect jail workers. The two girls even if they participate in campaign events with their father, they don't have social networks and they aren't well known from the public. We are still missing too much information to make an informed decision at this point." Nathaniel said.

"I believe you are looking too much into this Nathaniel." Jon said.

"You may be right Jon." Nathaniel nodded. "But still, I want more information about this. Lucie takes Jon with you and go ask some questions to the Senator and his wife. I'm trusting you to know what to ask. Jon asked if one of the girl need medication, that could prove useful to narrow their position."

"What? You want us to go now? It's past one in the morning!" Jon shout.

"Yeah and you expect with their daughters away that they will be sleeping right now?" Lucie said, raising to her feet and looking at Nathaniel. "How do you want us to identify ourselves?"

"Stay vague, you can give first name but no last name. Say we are independent contractors and the President sends you. Be wary of the brother of the Senator, he's going to try to squeeze you for any information he can about who you are and what we do. They are staying at room 485, three floors about us" Nathaniel instructed.

"Got it. Jon, let's go." Lucie said.

After they leave the room, Nathaniel looks at the rest of the team.

"Now, we need to come up with a way to enter that island without warning them that we are here. So commercial ways like airplanes and ferries are off, pretty sure that we will be expected there, not even mentioning the fact that we wouldn't be able to take our gear by that means. Of course, we could take weapons on the ground but that would advertise our presence even more. So, ideas?"

"We could use a Coast Guard chopper to get close to International water and then drop from it and finish by swimming?" Scott offer, that was a standard way from Delta to enter country undetected and it was not surprising from Nathaniel to hear it but it's still made him laugh.

"It could be a good way but to be honest, who here is feeling optimistic about jumping from a helicopter hovering a few meters in the water, jump with all your gear and then swim to the coast?" Nathaniel laughed before seeing the look that everyone was giving him. "Yes, this time, we are all going, the whole team."

"Are you sure Nathaniel? We are going to trespass illegally on another country, I don't think they are ready for that. Not mentioning the fact that bringing Lina and Hans could cut a lot of our options." Scott answers while frowning.

"You are right but to be honest, a lot of these options are not available for us. We can't count on anyone to help us leave from the island, we can only count on the eight of us and that's it. So, if one of those options was to parachute from an airplane on the island, that still doesn't provide us an escape strategy so you can forget it."

The silence started stretching after Nathaniel just told them and they were all trying to find a way while Nathaniel just waited patiently for an answer.

"Why are you doing this? I know you already have a plan, you always have one." Na-Yung sighed.

"Because I want you to think on your own. I will not always be here and you need to think on your own feet, it could literally save your life in the future. Think, who despite special forces have huge experience entering and leaving coastal countries undetected?" Nathaniel asked.

"Drug Cartel!" Camilla blurt out.

"Excellent Camilla." Nathaniel nodded in her direction with a smile. "And how do they do that?"

"They used modified powerboats who are not detectable by radar and can clock themselves from infrared vision." Hans answered.

"You want to buy a boat from the Cartel?" Na-Yung asked Nathaniel like he was crazy.

"Me? Are you insane? No, I have something else in mind. Lina, can you check with the DEA and Customs if they have seized a boat like that in their warehouse? We need something stored in the East coast."

Nodding, Lina starts tipping on her laptop, the others waiting patiently for her to do her magic.

"I have six powerboats with the description you mentioned and currently in the East coast, coming on the screen right now."

Like she said, six pictures of boats appear on the screen. Nathaniel looks at Hans.

"Hans, this is your department, it's your call." He nodded in his direction.

"Hum alright. Ok Lina, you can already delete number 2,4 and 5, they are simply too tiny or too old for our purpose. Can you give me some spec on the three others, please? Okay, great. Take the one in the middle away for starters, I don't know who put that boat together but I was doing a better job when I was eight!" Hans mock, Nathaniel hiding an amused smile, especially because he knew he was not boasting.

Hans took his time examining the two remaining boats on screen, he looked like he was not moving but his lips and finger were slightly moving like he was busy making extremely hard hand calculations, which he was probably doing.

"The one on the right, it's not perfect for our purpose but it's still the better of the two." Hans gives his verdict.

"Where is that boat Lina?" Scott asked.

"That particular boat is in Miami, Florida." She answered quickly, Scott and Nathaniel looking at each other.

"We can make it work." Scott said.

"We are going to make it work." Nathaniel nodded. "That's it for tonight, I booked this room and six others on this floor for you to use, the card key is near the door. Just rest everyone, we are leaving for Miami early tomorrow morning and before you ask, I already have my own room in another hotel, we will meet back at the airport tomorrow. Good night guys." Nathaniel said before letting them rest and exiting the room.