Aztec Treasure
Any Ideas?

Chase Nygaard’s POV

Arrowhead Pack, Alpha’s Conference Room

One Week Later

“Let’s get this meeting started; we have a plane to catch,” I said. The room was at capacity with the senior leaders of Arrowhead plus a few guests. Mom and Frank Grimes were to my left, and Frank Donovan was sitting at the other end of the table. Vic, start us off with a summary of Pack security.”

“We are still operating at an elevated threat level, supplementing our guard force with warriors loaned from allied Packs and the FBI. We are doing continuous border patrols plus drone flights, plus staffing the entry checkpoints at the main road and the rear. We have three snipers covering the main complex 24/7. We allowed people to return to their homes when our guests arrived for the party, and I don’t see a need to change that. The FBI does not believe Arrowhead is under a significant threat.”

“That’s because they think Julio Salazar went back to Washington after the President returned,” Frank Grimes said. “I’m not so sure that’s the case. I’ve told them so; the President’s security is at a maximum, and traveling during the largest manhunt in US history is too much of a risk. I believe he’s gone to ground in the area, and Chase and Rori are his targets.”

Frank Donovan agreed. “Julio caught the Secret Service at a disadvantage, but that won’t happen again. President Kettering is only leaving the White House for the funeral service and burial, and both of those will be under heavy security.”

“I know it sucks that everyone has to stay inside with the increased security, but Julio and his buddy could be out there with a rifle or an RPG right now. If he can get ahold of a pair of Stinger missiles, he can get anything.” The FBI found two FIN-92 Stinger missile launchers near the substation. These portable anti-aircraft missiles are heat-seeking and fly at up to Mach 2.5. Air Force One had less than three seconds between launch and impact.

The serial numbers matched a sale to the Colombia in 2016. The pair were among a dozen reported stolen from a Colombian Army arsenal in 2018. There were no witnesses to the launch, and the two or more individuals who did it were long gone by the time police arrived. One of our trackers verified that Julio fired one of the missiles. “Spider Monkey, how are we doing on replaceing Julio’s support?”

“The FBI isn’t letting us in on their investigation. My team is digging through the information we grabbed from the computers at the Sons of Tezcatlipoca clubhouses and the Task Force. So far, we’ve got nothing. The patched members of the Denver chapter are dead or in prison; we’re looking at the prospects and the WAGs now.”

“Wags?” Was this a cat reference?

“Wives and girlfriends. Maria is helping me put together a database. Claire Bennington is digging through the financials, looking for anyone who might be a Club associate. We don’t have anything yet, Alpha.”

“Keep working on it, and don’t forget the other chapters. They were all related at the top,” I said. When we found out Julio had one or more accomplices, it made the kidnapping, travel, and attacks easier to understand. Whoever it was, they had connections and money. Those missiles weren’t cheap on the black market. My first thought was the Cartels, but their Cartel guys killed all the Presidents, so maybe not. “Vic, make sure she’s not overdoing it. Her pregnancy won’t get any easier.”

Vic lifted his wife into his lap, his fingers moving around her rounded belly. “We’ve had that discussion.”

I could imagine how well THAT went. Spider Monkey was like a dog with a bone when she was after information, and she wasn’t the only one. She could go for weeks on junk food and coffee, sleeping a few hours a night. “You too, Frank. I don’t want Claire’s recovery hampered because she’s spending too much time staring at bank statements.”

“I’ll keep her on track,” Frank Donovan promised. Claire’s hip was a mess, and I doubted she’d ever return to active duty in the FBI. The good news was that Claire liked it here. She fit right in with Spider Monkey’s group of hackers and geeks. I had worried about her moral flexibility, but I didn’t need to. Claire knew that if she found Julio for us, there would be a bullet, not a trial. For the first time, she could dig around for information without rules or warrants. She told Spider what she needed, and Spider found it for her. Frank was working on the training program I’d mentioned, and then he would retire. Both would make fine additions to our Pack if we could keep them here.

I looked over at my parents. “Mom, any changes to our itinerary?”

“No. Frank and I will fly to Reagan National Airport. The Secret Service will bring us to the White House. We will travel with the Presidential Motorcade as Andrew Kettering’s body gets taken from the Capitol Rotunda to the National Cathedral for the funeral service. You will fly into Hyde Field, where an armored limousine will pick you up and drop you off at the security checkpoint. After the service and the wake, you and Frank return home. I will fly with the President to North Carolina for the private burial before returning to Washington. I suspect I may be needed out there for a few days after that, though.”

“Why?”

“Laura is planning to notify the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tem of the Senate of her intent to resume Presidential duties when she returns to Washington. Four days later, unless they declare her unfit, she’s back in charge. I want to make sure Julio doesn’t do anything to her until that happens.”

“The funeral service is at 2 pm our time, so we should be back around midnight,” I said. “Michael is sending Oxbow Lake warriors to bring me here, but stay alert. Julio might think this is a good time to hurt my family.” None of us would forget how the Sons went after the family first.

“Alpha and the babies will be safe,” Vic promised.

“Sounds like we are ready. Other business?”

“Maria asked what would be involved in becoming a formal part of our Pack,” Spider Monkey said. “She likes it here.”

That made me smile. “Maria can’t get a Pack Bond, but we could do the Trusted Associate thing. I’d have to file paperwork with the Council and get it approved.”

“That’s a formality now that we’re out in the open,” Colletta said. “Even the Packs that fought the changes are coming around now.”

“I’ll talk to her tomorrow about it,” I promised. “Anything else?”

“I have an idea,” Roadkill said. “Remember when Coffey was loose in Duluth?” I nodded. “We sent Pack members out on the search for him, driving around with the windows down.”

“You want a street search of Duluth? Driving around with our heads out the window?” I got a few chuckles from that. Hey, the best way was to have the wolf’s head out the window as our noses were most sensitive that way.

“It’s not like law enforcement is having any luck their way. There hasn’t been a Julio sighting since he dumped Andrew up on the hill. We set up a command post, keep track of the search areas, and hope we get lucky. I doubt Julio is moving around, so the scent should be pretty strong around his hideout.”

“Frank, do you think we could get the police and FBI to cooperate?”

“Hell yes,” my stepfather said. “The FBI is under a lot of pressure to replace him, and the Duluth Police Chief is a friend. He’d let us ride around with his patrol guys. We could track our people’s cellphones and monitor the search from up here. We clear the Duluth area, then Two Harbors, and finally the rural sections.” We had enough people patrolling around Lake Arrowhead that I knew they weren’t in our backyard.

“I’m game. I want volunteers only. Sniff and report ONLY. If our people replace him, get the warriors together and take him out. If it’s in concert with law enforcement, the FBI will take him down. Clear?”

“I’ll arrange it and coordinate with Oxbow Lake,” Vic said.

“Mom, send out a message and ask the other Packs for volunteers, preferably trackers, but I’ll take anyone with a wolf nose. Ask for a week. We’ll put them up here, of course.” That would help get the guys here. Even if they didn’t replace their mates, we had a well-deserved reputation as a Party Pack. Mom said she’d take care of it. “Any other ideas?” Silence. “All right, then. I’ll see you tonight.” I said goodbye to Rori and the twins. Ten minutes later, our armored SUV and escorts were on our way to the Two Harbors Airport.

Mom’s flight left before mine, as I didn’t want to spend more time in the DC area than I had to. Tom and Meghan were along for this trip as my security. We went over the itinerary and our plans as we waited to board. The security posture was such that we couldn’t bring any weapons into the service, where we would be seated a few rows behind Mom and Frank.

We had to replace this guy and soon. I was tired of living in fear.