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Chapter 14
Honolulu International Airport
The Goodwin Brother’s team remained in their corporate jet, parked on a tarmac behind a storage hanger. They had been able to rest for the last five hours while waiting for Continental Flight 956.
Tosh remained on a high stage of alert with a twelve-man team positioned in various locations around and inside the airport. Each man carried a cell phone specifically linked to the same frequency. Those on the team who were stationed outside the airport properties also carried various types of armament, which included a helicopter in the air and a Piper Cub on an adjacent private landing strip. His team was also waiting for Flight 956.
Tosh had positioned his reinforced SUV thirty feet ahead of a white Lincoln stretch limousine that was parked directly outside the door to the baggage carousel. From that vantage point, he and his partner could watch the terminal exit. The Japanese chauffeur of the limousine caught his attention. Normally this would have gone unnoticed in Hawaii; because many drivers were Japanese; but today, Tosh had Yakz on his mind.
Both teams snapped to attention at the announcement of the arrival of Flight 956. Hatchet Jack’s auxiliary two-way speaker radio was tuned to Tosh’s radio frequency; so Jack could follow the team’s activities. The report that the passengers were disembarking came from Tosh’s men inside the airport. Three blondes and an American man were spotted entering the terminal. Yes, three Japanese men were right behind them.
Two of Tosh’s men watched them as they walked toward the baggage reclaim area, and proceeded at a safe distance behind the three Japanese men. They saw one of the men follow the blondes to the baggage carousel, while the other two left the terminal. One of Tosh’s team members stayed near the girls; while the other one went outside, where he observed the Japanese men walk directly to the white limousine. Assuming a position in the shadows behind a concrete pillar, he called Tosh. “We need to watch these jokers in the white limo.”
Tosh responded, “Be on standby for action. If they make a move towards the girls, your first objective will be to isolate and protect the girls. I’ll be right behind you.” Tosh then instructed his partner in the SUV, “If there is any indication that the girls might be coerced or forced into that limousine, I will disable the limousine, and we will forcibly secure the girls. You remain nearby the SUV and back me up with firepower. All hell could break loose.”
Steve Blush and the girls stepped through the doorway and looked both directions for a taxi. Their sudden stopping allowed Tosh’s man to walk past them and stand on the curb behind the limousine, acting like a tourist waiting for a ride.
One of the Japanese men standing by the side door of the limousine spoke to Carla, “Which hotel are you going to?”
Speaking in a sophisticated voice, Carla answered like a seasoned traveler, “We always stay at the Hilton.”
The man responded, “Very good, we are going to the Hilton. Would you like a ride?”
Carla turned to look at her partners who had tuned into the conversation, “What do you think?”
“Sounds good to me,” Audrey answered, and Kim showed her approval with a little jump and a squeal, “Let’s do it. It’ll be fun.”
Steve Blush was indifferent and began to walk away.
Tosh watched the scene unfolding, and listened to the entire conversation being picked up through a cell phone held by his man behind the limousine. He started the SUV engine and shifted into reverse—the girls were being led like innocent lambs to the slaughter. He signaled his men with three beeps on their phones, meaning to prepare to go for the girls. He timed his move to coincide with the girls turning back toward the building to retrieve their luggage. Punching the gas pedal of his powerful Sports Utility Vehicle, he crashed into the front of the limousine.
The impact was so powerful that the force threw the girls against the side of the terminal building, and Steve hit the sidewalk. Tosh and two of his men rushed to the girls and formed a security protection around them.
The Japanese men reacted in a defensive way, being seasoned warriors themselves. They surrounded Steve, hiding him from view, and dragged him inside the limousine. The chauffeur jumped behind the steering wheel and started the engine. Ordinarily, a limousine would be out of commission from a front-end crash of that magnitude, but this limousine had been constructed to withstand high impact forces. Throwing the gear into reverse, the limousine spun around facing the opposite direction and sped off, traveling in the wrong direction of a one-way street.
The screaming girls were then physically carried and pushed inside the SUV, with their luggage thrown into the SUV storage area. Tosh ran for the driver’s seat, and his backup man leaped into the front passenger’s seat
Once inside the SUV, and while driving away, Tosh quickly began trying to explain that he had been hired by Doug Goodwin to protect them, and the Japanese men were trying to kidnap them. At the same time that he was talking, he flipped a U-turn and sped toward the airport exit.
The girls didn’t know who or what to believe. They couldn’t quit sobbing.
By the time the SUV reached the exit, pandemonium had struck the airport. Security guards ran through crowds of people as they followed their regular procedures designed to protect the terminal and the passengers from harm. Passengers were rushing in every direction. Frantic people ran with children and luggage locked in their arms; while police sirens came screaming from all directions. They failed to follow the SUV, thinking the airport terminal was in danger, and their primary concern was to evacuate the terminal.
Tosh couldn’t explain much to the girls. He had his hands full. He watched the white limousine leave the airport and saw it crash through an exit, throwing the restraining bar in all directions. He maneuvered his powerful SUV through traffic as if it were a sports car, and burst through the same exit gate. By then, the white limousine was out of sight.
Knowing the girls were secure, he relaxed and turned toward the safe house.
Audrey finally gained enough composure to gasp, “What’s happening?”
Tosh answered the best he could while navigating the speeding SUV, “Those men were from the Japanese Mafia and had orders to kidnap you for a ransom.”
Kim asked, “Why?”
“They want information from you. Your lives were in danger.
Carla joined the conversation, “Who are you?”
“I’m your friend. I work for ‘Big O’ and the Goodwin Brothers..
“Where are they?” Audrey asked.
Tosh told them, “Don’t worry, they are close by. I’m instructed to take you to a safe house until they can come after you.”
“I still don’t know what’s going on,” Audrey cried.
“Don’t worry,” Tosh tried to assure her.
“What about Steve?” Kim shouted.
“Steve, who?” Tosh asked.
“Steve Blush, my agent,” Kim answered between gasps of air.
Tosh hit his brakes, suddenly remembering that an American man was also in his charge, “Where is this Steve?” he shouted.
“They pushed him into that big limousine,” Kim cried.
Tosh realized that he had screwed up royally. Grabbing his cell phone, he quickly dialed the pilot of the helicopter that was circling overhead.
“Yes,” came the response.
Tosh explained the problem to the pilot, “We have the girls, but lost a man. He is in a white stretch limousine speeding away from the airport. Find them as soon as possible and let me know where they are headed.”
Doug and Hatchet Jack were listening to the call, and both men shuddered. Realizing that Tosh was talking about Steve Blush, they both repulsed at the thought of having to deal with him. “Who invited that jerk-water to this party anyway?” Doug thought.
Hatchet Jack said, as a matter-of-fact, concerning Steve Blush, “He dug his own grave—let him go.”
Doug felt a twinge of agreement, but realized that they needed to recover Steve and get him home safely.
The helicopter pilot calmly answered, “I can see the limo already—looks to be heading for Diamond Head.”
“Stay far enough away to be unobserved but don’t lose them,” Tosh instructed in military fashion.
“Roger.”
Tosh told the pilot to inform him of every move the limousine made; then he, knowing ‘Big O’ would be listening, stated that they were approaching the safe house with the girls—phone number 555.1621. Turning off the main highway, he drove through a sugar plantation to an old white two-story house. The girls hung onto one another, on the verge of hysteria, as the SUV stopped by the front porch. Tosh told them to step outside the car and go inside house, but they didn’t move until his loud, demanding shout rocked the vehicle. Tosh had no time for diplomacy. He had an American to save.
As the girls scurried from the SUV, Tosh linked up with the helicopter. “What’s happening, man?”
“They just pulled onto Diamond Head. There’s a speed boat waiting for them.”
Tosh instructed him to back off, and he called the Piper Cub to take over the surveillance. “They’ll be headed down to the next island so get slightly in front of them.
Jumping down from the SUV, Tosh ran around behind the vehicle, threw the luggage onto the ground, and instructed his partner to stay with the girls. Without further explanation, he drove away.
The girls were experiencing an unbelievable scenario. They had never traveled outside the United States, and now they were in danger of being kidnapped. For all they knew, the man leading them into the house was a kidnapper. They did not know what else to do; so they simply followed him inside. The interior of the house was dark and musty with sparse furniture. The man dropped their luggage in the middle of the floor and motioned for them to sit down on a broken down sofa by the large plate-glass window. He opened the drapes a few inches and demanded, “Don’t open the drapes. ‘Big O’ will call soon.” Then he went outside to sit guard.
He was right: the phone rang in less than five minutes. Carla let it ring four times before grabbing the receiver “Hello?” She cautiously said.
A comforting and familiar voice answered, “Carla, is that you?”
“Yes, is this Doug?”
“Yes it is. How are you doing?’ he asked without having to hear the answer.
“Terrible. We’ve been kidnapped.”
“No, no, you are safe. I found out that you were being followed by some Japanese men who intended to take you hostage to demand a ransom from our company. Listen to me carefully. Those guarding you right now are working for me, and they will protect you until Bill and I come to get you.”
“How long will that be?”
“We’re coming right now.”
“Please hurry, we are scared to death.”
“Just stay in the house until we get there. You are okay now; so don’t worry. Can you explain that to the others?”
“I think so, please hurry.”
“I will for sure,” Doug reassured her and said goodbye.
Carla turned and said to her friends, “That was Doug Goodwin. He is coming after us right now.”
Audrey couldn’t help but ask again, “What’s happening?”
“Those men in the limousine were planning to kidnap us for a ransom from Doug Goodwin’s company.”
“They did kidnap Steve,” Kim cried.
“I’m sure they will save him,” Carla assured her, without much conviction.
Steve Blush was bound, gagged with Duct tape, and blindfolded in the back seat of the white limousine, crunched between two strong men. His mind was reeling with thoughts of unbelievable fear. How could this be happening to him? He hadn’t made the connection between these men and the Goodwins. All he knew was that he had been forced into the limousine against his will without any explanation.
The limousine screeched to a sudden stop on the sandy beach of Diamond Head. A rubber lifeboat rested on the beach with four men carrying rifles kneeling beside it. They remained in position until they recognized the men dragging Steve Blush across the sand. Running to meet them, they took the struggling Steve Blush and carried him to the rubber boat, and tossed him inside. The four men pushed the boat into the water and began rowing toward a speedboat that waited in the bay.
A Piper Cub circled overhead, but drifted away causing the men, now back inside the limousine, to feel secure. They had captured a man whom they thought could possibly lead them to the gold that they sought; and now they would go look for the three American girls who escaped their grasp. Turning northeast on Highway 72, they drove to a turnoff just this side of Kuliouou. Up the rough road about a mile, they pulled into a garage next to a small bamboo hut. Parked out front, was a white Toyota wagon. They left a man with the limousine and transferred into the wagon, and headed for Honolulu.
Doug and Bill had already reached the safe house. They startled the girls upon entering the house, but emotions exploded as soon as they were recognized. The girls couldn’t contain themselves. They hugged Doug and Bill and cried uncontrollably. Doug began to console them by apologizing for all the pain they had suffered. “It’s all over now. Nobody can hurt you. I’m so sorry that your vacation in Hawaii has been messed up.”
“We want to go home,” Audrey cried, and the others joined her in that statement, repeating it over and over.
“Let’s get out of here,” Doug stated. “We’ll get you home and pay you for all your trouble.”
Carla then expressed their feelings, “We don’t care about any of the reasons that this happened. We just want to get back home.”
“What about my agent?” Kim asked with worried concern.
“We have a team of well trained men going after him even as we speak. He’ll be okay.”
With those few comments, Bill and Doug began gathering luggage and moving the girls toward their rented van.
Tosh hadn’t missed a beat in his plans for the recovery of Steve Blush. He would use a four-man team, including himself. He had contacted his two men who were still at the airport and had them drive to a nearby pier. Tosh had previously docked a high-speed patrol boat with a pilot at the pier for this type of emergency. Living on an island required access to land, sea, and air at all times. All four men met at the patrol boat, and Tosh contacted the Piper Cub pilot. “What’s happening?”
“They’re headed for Molokai—arrival time in about one hour. I’m off to their right at high elevation and traveling ahead of them; so I’m sure they haven’t spotted me. There have been other tourist planes coming and going; so I’m sure that they don’t feel threatened.”
“We’re leaving now in the same direction. Keep me informed as to their final location. We’ll be in Molokai in an hour and a half,” Tosh explained
The pilot understood his mission and continued taking all precautions to avoid detection. Tosh and his three men quickly checked their boat for everything needed for nighttime invasion and left within five minutes. This was to be a quick pickup, but they expected a fight and a few lives could be lost—none of their own if they handled everything the way that they had been trained.
Doug and Bill were heroes again, in the sight of the three blondes, as they drove to the familiar corporate jet. It was like returning home as they entered the plush cabin. Capt. Scott and Ken rushed to assist them while Doug and Bill carried their luggage.
“We love you guys!” Audrey exclaimed with uncontrollable emotions.
Ken was gracious a usual and showed them back to their familiar seats. “We’re so sorry for all you’ve been through. We tried to avoid it.”
Kim said with a humble heart, “We don’t care about us any more, but I’m still worried about Steve.”
Capt. Scott jumped in on the conversation, “Don’t worry, he’ll be okay. Just relax and I’ll get you something to drink.” He moved to the snack bar and returned with Cokes; and then he placed some sliced turkey sandwiches in the microwave.
Doug rushed to the cockpit to check with Hatchet Jack on Tosh’s activities. “What do you hear from Tosh,” he asked.
“He’s on the way to Molokai in a speed boat with three other men. The men who have Steve are passing by Laau Point with the Piper Cub spotting them from a distance. Tosh is planning a nighttime recovery.”
“Fate certainly has some strange twists,” Doug said, almost talking to himself.
The boat carrying Steve Blush and five men, definitely Yakz, pulled into shore, and two men jumped into the chest-high water and secured the mooring. After wading back to the boat, Steve Blush was lowered over the side and dragged roughly through the water by four men. One man remained on the boat acting as a lookout.
Steve was forced across the beach, up a grassy area, and into the woods. Following an ill-defined trail for nearly two hundred yards, they came to an isolated bamboo hut. Pushing the door open with a swift kick, Steve was thrown inside on the rough planked floor. He remained in a fetal position, afraid to move or breathe deeply. Still blindfolded, he listened intently, hoping to be left alone for a while.
His hopes were not realized. The door suddenly flew open. Several men stormed across the room. Grabbing him with brute force, they hung him on a wall hook from the rope tied around his wrists with his feet barely touching the floor. A metal hook strained at the body weight.
His blindfold was yanked off and the Duct tape ripped from his mouth. A piercing scream escaped his lips, followed by uncontrollable crying. “Who are you guys?” he shouted after gaining a small degree of composure.
“We’ll ask the questions. You give us the answers,” a gruff voice responded.
Steve painfully lifted his head, looked into a pair of stoic oriental eyes, and collapsed his head forward.
“Tell us who you work for.”
Steve could only respond with a groaning shake of the head, which resulted in a swift slap to his face. With blinking eyes, he mumbled that he was simply an actor’s agent. He didn’t work for anyone.
“Who brought you to Saipan?”
“Nobody.”
“Give me the names.”
“I don’t remember,” was Steve’s answer; which brought sudden excruciating pain to his right ear. Blood spurted and ran down his neck, drenching his shirt in the crimson liquid. His interrogator held a straight edge razor in his hand; while the upper half of Steve’s ear lay on the floor.
Steve emitted a curdling scream and his head fell forward, allowing blood to splatter on the planked floor. His normally excessive vanity vanished in the extreme of the moment. His head was yanked upwardly by his hair, and a voice two inches from his face shouted, “Give me some names, or you will lose your body one part at a time, and I promise you it will be painful.”
Steve shook his head violently and the words exploded from his mouth, “The Goodwin Brothers.”
“Where do they reside?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where are they now?”
“I don’t know.”
“What is your Name?”
“Steve Blush”
“Where to you reside?”
“California.”
“What do you know about gold in Saipan?”
“Nothing, I am only an actor’s agent.”
The interrogator stepped back and ordered Steve to be removed from the hook and tossed in a corner of the room. A huge rag was thrown next to him, which he quickly compressed to his ear. He curled up and lay very still. The men spoke to one another in the Japanese language; so he had no idea of their plans. A rifle chambered, sending chills down his spine, but he felt relief when someone left the room. It sounded like the man with the rifle.
At about that same time, Tosh had passed the boat used in Steve’s abduction and continued on, turning back toward open sea. Deciding to bide his time until the right time for attack he reduced his engine speed and cruised slowly back and forth, watching the sun set behind his back.
As the sun approached the skyline in the west, Tosh inched his way toward the enemy’s boat. He kept the sun directly at his back to screen his approach. Suddenly with his throttle full speed ahead, he charged the boat; his men positioned themselves on the starboard side—rifles ready for war.
The man on the boat caught the full impact of the surprise attack. He and the boat were filled with holes from automatic rifle fire, and an explosion inside the engine’s fuel tank ended the usefulness of the boat. Tosh turned left as the explosion occurred, feeling the air compression, but avoiding any boat damage.
Tosh guided his patrol boat toward shore, stopping at the edge of a sandbar. One man stayed with the boat while Tosh and the others left the boat and waded to shore. The boat pilot returned the boat to open sea.
They adjusted their gear, checked their rifles, and positioned their night goggles. Proceeding eastward along the beach, they eventually came to the trail where Steve had been dragged along the beach. They laid in the underbrush until darkness settled over the island. The trail leading into the brush was evident, even in the twilight. They moved forward along the trail. The elements of surprise and expertise in jungle fighting were definitely in their favor. Tosh, being well aware of the evil force that the Yakz represented, thought as he walked along, “This war continues as long as wicked men promote their bazaar agendas. I dislike the thoughts of killing anyone, but these men set their own fate. It is a matter of right and wrong. It is wrong for anyone to force their will on another person and hold him captive against his will, and it is right to rescue him.” These thoughts justified Tosh’s resolve to impede, in his small way, the progress of the Japanese Mafia.
Just as they approached a bamboo hut, they smelled cigarette smoke and saw a guard standing on the porch with a rifle. Tosh and his team silently moved behind the heavy brush. With a few hand signals, Tosh dispersed his men to blend into the foliage. They did so with agility and total silence.
Tosh crept through the woods to a boarded up window at the back of the hut and peered through the cracks of the boards. He could make out the figures of three men moving around the room and one lying on the floor. While studying the layout of the room, he watched one of the men move to the corner of the room and kick the individual laying there. He could make out a man holding a cloth to his head, and recognized his tourist clothing. He was unquestionably the American he sought.
Quietly going to each of his men, Tosh explained his plan. A slight distraction sound would be made in the front yard of the hut to entice the guard on the porch to walk away from the hut. He would hide in the bushes to the side of the trail and take him out from behind. He would then go to the porch and, speaking Japanese, tell those inside to come outside to see a problem. At the instant the front door opened, all three of Tosh’s men would storm the hut with Tosh moving directly to protect the man on the floor. If possible, take prisoners, but shoot to kill if threatened with gunfire.
Everyone nodded in agreement and moved into position. At the signal, a small rock was tossed into the open yard. The slight sound in the quiet of the night caught the guard’s attention, and he stepped down from the porch. Lowering his rifle to a ready position, he walked forward across the yard. Tosh crouched behind a tall bush set to attack. The guard stood quietly at the edge of the yard, looking into the darkness for any sign of movement. One of Tosh’s men, opposite from Tosh, broke a small twig, causing the guard to turn.
At that precise instant, Tosh was up and behind the guard in three large steps. Tosh caught his head with a hand over his mouth and plunged a dagger into his heart, dropping him without a sound.
With hand signals, Tosh led his men to the porch and positioned them on both sides of the hut. Shouting in the Japanese language, Tosh exclaimed that he had a problem and needed their help. Instantly the three men burst through the doorway, automatic rifles in hand.
Hearing a sound to their right, all three men fired several rounds in that direction. Tosh, now positioned behind them sprayed them with bullets. Two of them went down at the first burst, but one man dove off the porch, rolled, and came to a kneeling position firing at random. One of Tosh’s men had followed his movement and caught him with a burst of fire before he could target his shots.
Tosh moved into the hut prepared for more battle, but he only saw one man, the man on the floor with fear radiating from his face. Tosh rushed to his bedside and told him that he had come to rescue him. Grabbing his arm, he led a bewildered Steve Blush from the hut and across the yard, nearly tripping over the first victim of their attack.
Tosh shouted orders to his men. “Drag those men into the hut and torch it.” He watched his men respond and noticed Yakz tattoos on a couple of the men being dragged when their shirts moved up their arms and chests. That verified the Yakz involvement of the kidnapping, easing Tosh’s mind. He regretted killing men of his heritage, but the Yakz were a different bred of men. The organization had changed through the centuries from defenders of the people to controllers and dealers of all manner of evil.
The hut burst into flames, to cremate the dead who lay sprawled on the wooden planks. Two men picked up the bewildered Steve Blush and carried him to the beach.
They could see their patrol boat maneuvering outside the breakers, which turned toward the shore at their signal. They waited for the boat to come to rest about thirty feet away, and then they carried Steve to the boat, pushing him over the side. What a pathetic sight he was. His clothes were covered with blood. Only one eyeball was visible from under huge cloth being held tightly against his right ear. They laid him on a pad and covered him with several blankets, fearing that he might go into shock.
“Move it out. Get this poor man to a doctor as fast as you can,” Tosh ordered the pilot.
The patrol boat lurched forward and sped toward Maunalua Bay. Tosh had to wait until they approached the main island before he could use his cell phone; but as soon as possible, he called Doug Goodwin.
Doug’s expression brought relief to all those in the jet with him. “You have him with you now?” Doug said for the benefit of those listening. All three girls clapped their hands with joy at the news, and Kim began to cry, as her emotions boiled over. It was good that she had the others to comfort her.
Doug then heard the bad news that Steve Blush had been injured, and would require medical help. Not disclosing the problem to those watching him, he said, “Take him to the safe house, and I will contact you there.”
Tosh confirmed his request and ended the conversation just as they approached the bay. He telephoned a driver at the safe house, and instructed him to meet them two miles west of Aina Haina. The safe house was nearby; so their arrivals should coincide.
Doug moved to the cockpit for privacy and telephoned Tosh back to discuss Steve’s situation. “I can’t allow him to become acquainted with me or any of my team. He can’t be trusted. I’ll have to rely on you to take care of him. It is imperative that he does not know any more about us than he already knows. Do you have a medic who can treat him?”
Tosh answered, “Yes I’ll take care of that. I have a medic who is well qualified.”
“By the way, what happened to him?”
“He was tortured—looks like he was hung by his arms. He is covered with blood, maybe lost an ear.”
“Lost an ear?” Doug blurted loudly without thinking.
“They do that in torture sometimes. Cut off an ear to get information.”
“It’s a good thing for us that he didn’t have any valid information. We’ll have to get him on a private plane out of here. Get him patched up and full of antibodies; then get back to me.”
“Okay, do you have the girls?” Tosh hopefully inquired.
“Yes, they are here safe with me. Thank you for your help. We still can use your help. Someone needs to be with them for protection until they are back safe on the mainland. Are you still available?”
“I’m free for a few more days.”
“Well, we’ve decided to put them on a commercial airliner to San Francisco and drive them to Los Angeles in a rented car. If you can be with them in flight, and drive them down the coast, it would solve a major problem for us. You can be sure that they are not followed. The flight to San Francisco will act as a smoke screen, hiding their place of residence, and the drive from one city to another will break the chain of their identity.”
“I’ll do that,” Tosh responded, without hesitation.
“We’ll pay you well for your trouble,” Doug reassured him.
“I’m not worried about that. ‘Big O’ and I go way back.”
Doug breathed a sigh of relief at his cooperation. “Call me when you reach the safe house and know more about Steve’s condition.”
Tosh answered, “Roger.”
Doug lowered his head and rested it in his hands. “We sure messed this up. Using hindsight is always easy, but I wish that we had never tried the movie charade. It was a loose program from the start, but, at least, we have the Orphans and Infants safely stashed and off the island of Saipan.”
He was startled out of his reverie by the sudden opening of the cockpit door. Hatchet Jack entered with an apology, but wanted to know if everything was all right.
“It’s under control, but we need a quick brain session to make some crucial decisions. Could you ask Bill, Ken and ‘Big O’ to come here for a few minutes? You can stay with Capt. Scott, and I’ll cue you in later.”
Hatchet Jack understood his thinking and did as suggested.
Ken, Bill, and ‘Big O’ joined Doug immediately. It was crowded in the cockpit for four men, but confidentiality was more important than comfort. They anxiously listened as Doug explained Steve Blush’s situation, including the loss of an ear; to which they all secretly felt he deserved. Doug then offered his plan, “I think we have to get Steve Blush off the island as soon as possible. He needs to return to the States quickly and safely. He is the type of man who will keep digging until he knows more about us; so we need a plan to keep him out of our life.”
Bill spoke up with a viable suggestion, “Money always talks; so let’s pay him off.”
Doug turned to Ken, “How can we do that with the assurance that he will go away.”
“First, we’ll cover all his medical expenses with a prepaid health plan,” Ken stated in his banker’s voice. “And then, I’ll set up a Trust account at the Bank of America under confidential donor that will give him a certain amount of money for a period of time, as long as he will ‘cease and desist’. The donor will be a fictitious name that will block any investigation that he might make in the future. A bank director whom I know will handle all the details with total confidentiality and act as executor of the Trust.”
Doug smiled, “That’s a quick thinking lawyer for you. How much does this creep deserve?”
Ken continued, “Well, he doesn’t deserve anything, but it becomes a business expense for us to get him out of our hair.”
“If I had my way, he’d disappear forever,” ‘Big O’ added without really meaning it. “They should have cut something else off while they were at it.”
Bill agreed with ‘Big O’ for a few seconds; but quickly reversed his thinking, “I’ll go along with Ken.”
Ken was busy calculating in his head and disregarded the conversation around him, “It will take at least fifteen grand to cover medical, and he can only be trusted with a fifty thousand dollar bribe.”
Bill shuddered and said, “That’s outrageous, but I think he can be scared into hiding.”
Doug thought a few minutes about Bill’s comment, then added his idea, “After this harrowing experience, I believe that Steve will want to stay as far away from us as possible. Let’s lease a private jet out of Honolulu, and stick him on it with a one-way ticket.”
“There goes another twenty grand,” ‘Big O’ stated. “We also have to pay for the return flight of an empty jet.”
“Yes but its goodbye Mr. Blush,” Doug added. “I’ll have Hatchet Jack locate a private jet; and you, Ken, can work out the financial details. Is that okay with everyone, or does anyone have a better idea?”
They all agreed and returned to their seats in the passenger cabin.
‘Big O’ sent Hatchet Jack forward to the pilot’s cabin, and Bill quietly summarized the situation to Capt. Scott.
Doug brought Hatchet Jack up to date on the situation, and Jack anxiously began making telephone calls to line up a private jet. “Shall I request a medical gurney?”
“That’s a good idea,” Doug agreed. “I’ll see if Tosh can send a medic along who can return to Hawaii with the jet.”
Both men realized that it would be safer for Steve Blush to have a medical person with him; so the details of the lease were made accordingly. Ken had no problem putting the expenses of this unexpected project on his secured debit card.
The private jet was scheduled to leave at noon; so Doug telephoned Tosh to explain their plan.
A medic was treating Steve Blush at the very moment that Doug called. His report indicated that the upper half of the right ear was missing. The bleeding had been stopped, and the incision was surgically clean. An antibiotic and tetanus shot had been administered as a precautionary measure. Clean bandages and clothes helped make Steve look presentable, but his vanity had been permanently violated. He would live, but how he would accept the loss of half an ear was the big question.
Doug asked Tosh if the medic could travel with Steve to Los Angeles that afternoon; then return with the jet to Hawaii on the following morning. Tosh turned to the medic and made the request. “The answer is affirmative,” Tosh reported.
Doug emphasized the need for Steve to be frightened into believing that his life would be in danger if he ever attempted to get involved with them again.
Tosh didn’t hesitate in suggesting that the medic be given that assignment. “This man has been with me is some of the most dangerous missions possible. He can frighten the inner soul of anyone.”
“That sounds good to me. Have him pick the time to drive the concept deep into Steve’s mind.” Doug then gave Tosh instructions on the location and departure time of the private jet, and explained that he should take Steve and the medic to the jet as soon as possible, and deliver him by ambulance to the Long Beach Memorial Hospital as soon as they reached the States. “I appreciate you taking care of these details, and we all congratulate you on your successful retrieval of Steve.”
“I apologize for allowing his capture. It should never have happened,” Tosh stated humbly.
“Don’t give it another thought. You know as well as I do that crap happens. The end result is what matters. Tell the medic to contact you by cell phone as soon as Steve is checked into the hospital; then I would appreciate a confirmation from you. Do you have my satellite telephone number?”
“Yes, 'Big O' gave that number to me. I’ll let you know when Mr. Steve arrives and when I deliver my package to southern California. Thanks for your understanding. Give ‘Big O’ my regards.”
“That’s a Roger. I’ll be in touch when the girls are ready. Be sure your bags are packed. You might want to take some earplugs along too—just a friendly suggestion.”
“I copy,” Tosh responded with a laugh.
Hatchet Jack stated the obvious, “Then we’re holed up here until those girls leave.”
“That’s right; so you might as well accept your fate for a few more hours,” Doug answered, laughingly, while climbing out of the copilot’s seat and moving to the passenger’s cabin.
“Everything is under control,” he reported in a confident voice to the anxious passengers.
“How is Mr. Blush?” Kim asked right away.
“He is okay. His captives held him for a while, but our men retrieved him before anything too serious could happen,” Doug answered.
Kim mental pictured the worst. Tears welled up and rolled down her cheeks, while her two companions embraced her. It was good that Doug didn’t mention the ear.
Doug continued explaining to the girls, “We are sending you home on a commercial airliner this afternoon with a private guard to protect you. We need to take a couple of extra steps to be sure you are not followed this time; so your flight will take you to San Francisco, and your protector will drive you from San Francisco to Los Angeles in a rented car. We don’t want any villains knowing where you live.”
Carla asked, “Do you really think all that is necessary?”
All Doug had to say to convince her was, “Look what happened to Steve Blush.”
The girls, feeling it could be a matter of life or death, accepted Doug’s advice.
“Your plane leaves at one o’clock. I’ll confirm the reservations and have ‘Big O’ take you personally to the terminal. You’d better try to get some rest,” Doug stated, leaving them slouched in their seats.
Kim murmured that they had been resting for the last twenty-four hours, but said nothing aloud.
Steve Blush was transported to the private jet on a gurney. The medic did not trust Steve’s temperament; so he kept him sedated. Steve could possibly go into shock with the thoughts of losing an ear. Being medicated, he vaguely realized that he was going home.
Ken made the necessary arrangements for hospital care at the Long Beach Memorial Hospital. His banking connections allowed him to set up a paper trail with total anonymity that would keep Steve out of their hair forever. As he explained the amount of money to his contacts, he shuddered, but controlled himself by mental picturing the value of the Infants. The Infants were like a gigantic bonus to their program, and removed any concern about unexpected expenses.
Tosh reported in to ‘Big O’ just before the jet prepared for a takeoff. “Mr. Blush is on his way home, and I’m going to the airport now. I’ll case the terminal thoroughly, but I feel it is safe. Have the girls stay in the car outside the terminal until the last minute; then I’ll usher them to the boarding gate. I can get their boarding passes ahead of time with my special clearance.”
‘Big O’ gave him the green-light and had Doug move the girls into a waiting taxi. ‘Big O’ positioned himself next to the driver while Bill and Capt. Scott loaded the girls’ luggage into the trunk of the taxi.
Doug, Bill, Ken, and Capt. Scott stood on the tarmac watching the taxi drive away. Bill breathed a large sigh of relief and turned toward Doug. “Is this the end of the movie fiasco?” he asked.
All Doug could do was shake his head and return to the jet, while repeating the words in his mind, “I certainly hope so.”
They had an hour before the girls would be in the air; so they took advantage of the time by discussing their plans. It seemed good to be alone and not have to watch their conversation.
Doug spoke the words to Ken that each of them had in mind, “Tell us again how we are going to turn these beautiful Orphans and Infants into usable cash.”
“That’s easy but will take from three to six months to accomplish, Ken began explaining. “Here’s a list of our obligations.” Ken opened his zipper bound notebook and produced a yellow pad that was filled with numerical figures.
Pointing to the top figure on the page and sliding his pointer finger down the list, then to the top again, he started his presentation. “It is entirely plausible that we have close to ten billion dollars in Infants.”
An audible gasp was heard. “I thought we were talking about one billion,” Bill commented.
Ken continued explaining, “I thought the same thing until the gem experts at the Bank of America got so excited with that red diamond. I checked the chest when we returned to Saipan and spotted many colored diamonds and even a few black ones.”
“I’ve never heard of black diamonds,” Bill commented. “That tells you how much experience I’ve had with diamonds.”
Everyone in the group was in about the same position, except Ken. He had handled a few transactions with jewels and gold bullion before, but nothing on this scale. “You’ll be glad that you have heard of them now. Each one could be worth more than one million dollars.”
While everyone was discussing the value of their booty, Doug scribbled a few notes on his own pad. Paul would come first in the capital outlay. He deserved twenty percent of the net profits. Every charitable project that was on the Goodwin Brother’s list would receive an anonymous donation, which would be calculated as an expense. The balance would be considered net profit. Capt. Scott needed a new yacht, paid in full, and capital to operate. Ken was nearly an equal partner, but maybe we could give him all the Orphans as his share. That way, he could spend the rest of his life shuffling certificates and bullion—a nice way to occupy the next twenty plus years. He’ll give it all away in the end anyway, probably to a university. The Goodwin brothers had discussed possible ways of using a large portion of the money by returning it to the people of Manchuria—the place from which it originally came. Of course, the Chinese probably confiscated it from other nations through plundering. “I’d like to set up a perpetual scholarship fund for the Chinese and Pilipino children,” he thought. “We could probably work through a church organization to set it up.”
“What do you think about that?” Bill asked Doug, bringing out of his thoughts.
“About what? I wasn’t listening,” Doug answered.
“Ken just mentioned a connection that he has with the High Diamond Council in Antwerp Belgium.”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Doug responded.
Ken began explaining his idea. “In Antwerp’s Diamond Center, the High Diamond Council handles billions in traded diamonds; sorting and distributing around eighty percent of the world’s production of uncut gems. I know Mr. Stevlynck quite well. His reputation is historic.”
‘Big O’ interrupted the conversation with a comment, “I’ve never trusted companies that deal in this type of commodity; but now that we are one, I propose that we give Ken the authority to send out feelers and test the water so-to-speak—everyone agreed.
.
Audrey, Carla, and Kim sat in a taxi near the entrance to the terminal. They had been told that Tosh would meet them at the airport and would be the person guarding them on the plane. They didn’t care for his personality, but felt safe with him as their bodyguard.
In a burst of energy, Tosh rushed though the doorway and ran to the taxi, opening the passenger door. ‘Big O’ had seen him coming, but the girls were caught off guard.
“Come now, girls. We must hurry,” he shouted.
‘Big O’ jumped out first and began unloading the luggage onto a curbside cart. Tosh handed ‘Big O’ the ticket packet to check in the luggage and told him that they would wait just inside the door.
The girls stood huddled together near the taxi until Tosh grabbed Carla’s arm and announced authoritatively, “You girls follow me.” As Tosh dragged Carla toward the terminal door, Audrey and Kim unconsciously joined them.
An attendant pulled their cart to the curbside counter and checked the luggage through, allowing ‘Big O’ to return the tickets to Tosh within a few minutes.
With a quick word of goodbye to ‘Big O’, Tosh hurried the girls toward the boarding gate, arriving at the very moment the doors opened and passengers began loading. He moved the girls into line and watched them disappear through the doorway. He stepped back for a few minutes looking for any suspicious activity, waited until he was the last passenger to board, and walked into the jetway just as the door closed behind him.
Tosh breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the girls comfortably seated and heard the Captain instruct everyone to fasten their seat belts. He felt certain that they had boarded without being followed.
Nobody had noticed a white Toyota wagon carrying three Japanese men pull into the airport-loading zone. They were barely fifteen minutes late, or they would have seen the three American blondes.
Hatchet Jack was first to spot the airliner takeoff and head east. “That’s what we’ve been waiting to see. Now as soon a ‘Big O’ gets back, we’ll get out of here,” he said to Doug, who was sitting comfortably in the copilot seat.
Within fifteen minutes, the screeching of tires outside the jet indicated that ‘Big O’ had arrived. He wasted no time boarding the company jet and shouted, “All aboard, let’s get out of here.”
Upon hearing those sweet words, Hatchet Jack started the engines and contacted the tower. He had previously filed his flight plan to Mexico; so as soon as the tower responded positively and gave permission to taxi to the west-east runway, he throttled his precious machine and moved into position. To his delight, local traffic was minimal; so their wait was minimal, and they were soon in the air climbing to a high altitude. He enjoyed the quiet sensation of mach speed again, as the jet leveled out in the thin atmosphere.
Although Hatchet Jack had filed their flight plan, he had broken the rules by keeping final destination confidential. They would land at the Tijuana International Airport where they could bribe a Mexican customs official to overlook most of the cargo and pay his guards to protect the plane from intruders. From the airport in Mexico, it was only about a 30-minute drive to Ken’s house at San Antonio del Mar. They planned to stay there for at least a few days while Ken made the banking arrangements at Turks and Caicos.
While cruising without any turbulence, Doug continued making notes on his pad, thinking of the final dispersal of the profits of this adventure. The completion of the Gold Buddha adventure was beginning to feel like a near reality. “I need to get alone with Bill for a while to crystallize our thinking,” he thought, and proceeded to climb out of the seat.
“I’ll be in the passenger cabin having a power meeting with Bill,” Doug stated to Hatchet Jack, while preparing to leave the cockpit.
Hatchet Jack did not bother to respond. He was preoccupied.
Just as Doug pushed the cockpit door open, the edge of the door hit Bill on the shoulder. He was coming to get Doug for the same reason that Doug was coming to get him.
“Hey, brother!” Bill exclaimed.
“Hey, yourself, I was coming to get you.”
“I think we need to talk in private,” Bill suggested.
Doug responded, “That’s my thinking exactly. Get 'Big O' to join us.”
The three of them made their way to the back area of the passenger cabin and snapped on overhead spotlights.
“What are you thinking?” Doug asked both men.
“I’d like to wrap this adventure up as soon as possible,” Bill answered without hesitation.
“As soon as we arrive at Turks and Caicos, my job is essentially done,” 'Big O' stated. “I feel that we should cash out around two million for each of us on the front end, and then wait for the balance.”
Doug responded, “I’m in favor of that. It will take quite a while for the most effective disposition of the Infants and we all need immediate money. I was making a few notes on various possibilities. Why don’t we use around two million in gold to take care of Capt. Scott and one million for Hatchet Jack? That would be enough to buy Scott a yacht and get him back into business.”
Bill stared at his notes and expressed his thoughts, “We agreed to divide the profits of this mission at the beginning of this mission—50% to be set aside for humanitarian use, 10% for each of the principles (Pedro, Me, Bill, and ‘Big O’), 5% for Ken, and 5% for expenses. Remember, we agreed to divide the first ten million into five equal units.”
“Now that we have the Infants, our expenses won’t approach 5%,” Doug added, “but we should settle on a figure for the four principles, plus Ken.”
“Do you think Hatchet Jack and Capt. Scott should get equal amounts?” Bill asked.
“What do you think?” Doug asked, directing his attention to 'Big O'.
'Big O' answered, “Hatchet Jack will be overjoyed with one mil, but Capt. Scott needs to replace the yacht that rests at the bottom of the ocean; so that alone might take two million.”
Bill straightened up and leaned forward, “Don’t forget that he probably has a long term mortgage on his sunken yacht with a $4000 monthly payment.”
“That’s true,” Doug said. “And we have to pay off that mortgage. We’ll have get the payoff figure from him. With an additional two million he should be able to pay cash for a new yacht and be much further ahead than he was before he met us.”
Bill added his feelings, “I like 'Big O'’s suggestion, but I have to admit that the value of the Infants still blows my mind.”
'Big O' laughed his unique grunt sounding laugh and commented, “Don’t worry, I’ll help you spend it.”
“We can spend it together,” Doug said with his usual smile. “I believe that we are in agreement then: two million dollars for each of the four principles, two for Ken, two for Capt. Scott and one for Hatchet Jack, plus payment for expenses. That rounds off thirteen to fourteen million dollars very quickly. Now we have to tell Ken to raise the money.”
Doug then raised his hand and received high fives from both of his partners. It was a good feeling to sense a successful conclusion. “I’ll explain our financial plans with Hatchet Jack,” Doug explained, “and, Bill, you take care of Capt. Scott.”
With unanimous agreement, 'Big O' and Bill stood to leave, Doug remained seated and asked them to send Ken back.
Ken arrived in a couple minutes and sat next to Doug. “How did your power meeting go?” he asked.
“We just agreed to agree with our original plan—divide the first ten million between us, including you, and pay expenses.”
“What about Capt. Scott and Hatchet Jack?”
“Hatchet Jack gets one mill and Capt. Scott will end up with a million dollar yacht and a million for working capital.”
Then, Ken added the mortgage payoff for the sunken yacht. He never missed a beat when it came to finances.
Doug added, “We can pay that after we return from Turks and Caicos. How much do we have left of the Bank of America loan?”
“That would be around three million dollars.”
“Can we pay Hatchet Jack his share and let him return to the Philippines after he returns the Jet to Long Beach?”
“That would be no problem. In fact, I can take care of Capt. Scott too. If I need a few more dollars, I will get it from the Bank of America. The President will advance more money.”
“Sounds good to me, Bill and I will inform them, and you can make arrangements when we settle into your house at San Antonio del Mar.”
Ken agreed, “I can place a few calls and have money transferred into accounts for Scott and Jack within a few minutes, but we should get to Turks and Caicos as quickly as possible.”
“I plan to leave Bill and Capt. Scott with the Infants at your house and fly to Turks and Caicos the day after we arrive in Mexico.”
“That is good. I will feel much safer with the Orphans locked inside a bank.”
“I will too,” Doug said, while standing to return to the cockpit. “Bill will explain our intentions to Capt. Scott, and I’ll take care of Hatchet Jack.”
Doug made his way back to the copilot seat and buckled up. He glanced at the speed gauge and watched it dance around point seven mach. “What an amazing life. Even the perils of our adventure are beginning to fade into memory. I’ll tell Jack about his million dollars later,” he thought.
Jack interrupted Doug’s thoughts, “Do you realize that we are within an hour of descending.”
“That’s hard to believe.”
“This mach speed cuts our trip by two hours. It doesn’t take long now to get around this shrinking world.”
Doug stated, “You get us back to LA, and then, you can get back to your hideaway on the island.”
“Well, this has been a good diversion for me. I still get home sick for America once in a while—sometimes, once in a great while.”
Bill sat next to Capt. Scott and explained the amount of money he would be receiving. Capt. Scott was well satisfied with the arrangements. Each man then slipped away into his own thoughts, daydreaming like the others about how to spend his money—Scott with his new yacht and Bill with a new swimming pool and a six-man Jacuzzi on top of his list. Bill was already planning a new outdoor barbeque unit and entertainment center in the backyard of his spacious home in Las Vegas.
Capt. Scott smiled as he imagined sailing the Caribbean Islands in his hopefully new triple deck “Ocean Wolf” custom yacht. Like most people, he dreamed of the impossible like owning an eleven million dollar Akhir 140, a Cantieri di Pesa full trideck; but then again, he had never imagined being a millionaire. The sadness of losing his companions on the sunken yacht still plagued him. He could barely picture a new crew, but soon found himself thinking of men who could fill the empty slots.
Ken, of course, was still concentrating on the responsibilities at hand. He probably would never rest. The suggestion that he be given the Orphans had not yet been given him; so he had not entertained those possibilities. His goals were primarily to raise upfront cash; and secondarily, convert their total recovered assets to usable funds in the near future.
In the midst of the reverie that prevailed inside the jet, the opulent plane bounced with a decrease in speed and began descending. The change caused everyone to look out the windows.
Bill spoke first, “Don’t tell me that we landing already.”
All three men checked their watches in amazement.
Then, the announcement came from Hatchet Jack, “Buckle up pilgrims. We’re going down.”
The jet slowly descended over the next thirty minutes. The sparse lights of Tijuana came into view, and Hatchet Jack circled the jet while receiving permission to land. The ruse he used to trick the authorities was that they were entering the country to film a documentary.
As the jet landed and taxied back toward the terminal building, Bill moved to the back of the plane and checked the crates of photographic equipment. Everything seemed to be in order. The crates were loosely closed to allow easy access to the custom inspectors, but the Orphans and Infants were sequestered snuggly out of sight.
Two armed guards stood with an inspector at the bottom of the stairs as it was pushed to the doorway of the jet. The door opened and Ken stepped through first and met the inspector.
“Buenas noches,” Ken spoke in his authoritative voice. “My name is Ken Abel. I live at San Antonio del Mar. I am bringing in photography equipment to film a documentary movie.”
“You have papers?” asked the inspector.
Ken had prepared the necessary papers weeks ago while waiting in Long Beach. “Here you are my good man,” Ken said handing him a sizable packet.
The inspector tediously inspected the papers, but it was obvious to Ken that he didn’t understand what he was reading. “I will have to inspect the contents of your airplane.”
Ken stepped aside and, with a courteous gesture, motioned toward the stairs. He followed the inspector into the jet and introduced him to the members of his party, focusing on Capt. Scott as the director and head photographer, and the others as actors.
The inspector acknowledged the introduction with a slight nod of his head and looked around the interior of the plane, focusing on the crates stacked midway to the rear. “What do you have in those boxes?” he asked.
“Those are containers which are constructed for the purpose of protecting valuable photographic equipment…like cameras and so forth.” Ken answered in a long drawn out phrase of English designed to confuse the inspector.
“I will take a look inside,” the inspector stated.
“Certainly,” Ken said, and lifted the lids of three of the crates.
The inspector stepped forward and shined his flashlight into the crates. The light moved over the neatly packed photographic equipment.
At the most opportune moment, Ken interrupted his inspection, “I would like to hire two guards to protect our jet overnight,” he said. His statement coincided with a flourish of hundred dollar US bills. “Do you have men who can do that?”
The sound and sight of cash distracted the inspector. His eyes fixed on the money, and he stepped away from the crates. “I can get men,” he answered.
Ken peeled off ten crisp bills and handed them to the inspector. “This is for your trouble.” We will stay at my house tonight and leave early in the morning.
The inspector secured the money deep into his front pocket and walked to the doorway. He shouted instructions to the guards who were still standing at the bottom of the stairs. They immediately turned and assumed an at-ease position with their backs toward the jet.
“These men with protect the plane for two hours, and I will rotate others in shifts,” the inspector explained to Ken.
Ken passed five more bills to him with the explanation that he could pay the guards.
The inspector smiled with a slight bow, while placing the money in another pocket, and turned to leave.
Ken interrupted him again, “Would you be so kind to have a taxi meet us at the plane to move our personal effects?”
The inspector nodded with a positive gesture and exited the jet.
Bill looked at his partners with a smile. Shaking his head he quietly said, “Do we have a good front man or what? Only in Tijuana would they allow a taxi to drive on the tarmac.”
With the inspector out of sight, Ken rushed to Bill, “We have to hurry. The Infants are divided into small bags. You supervise distribution and divide them among each of us. They need to be stored at my house until we take them across the border.”
Bill and Capt. Scott moved quickly and quietly to remove the photo equipment and exposed the packages containing the Infants.
Doug and Hatchet Jack watched the inspector go inside the terminal, and then they rushed from the cockpit. Jack began retrieving canvas duffle bags from the overhead compartment, while 'Big O' slid them to Bill.
The Infants were placed into eight different bags and covered carefully with clothing and other personal items.
Ken, who had been standing watch at the doorway, informed everyone that the taxi had arrived and was waiting near the terminal. “I’ll take my bag, without any Infants, to the taxi first to make sure nobody plans to inspect it. You wait until you see me place the bag inside the trunk, and then bring your bags to the taxi—walk casually but steadily.”
“Am I staying with the plane tonight?” Hatchet Jack asked Doug.
“That would be wise. I don’t trust these guards. Help us with these bags; then you can come back to the plane.”
Without further conversation, the men carried their precious cargo to the taxi. After placing the bags into the trunk, Bill slammed the lid, and Hatchet Jack returned to the plane; from where he watched the taxi leave the airport.
Making sure the guards knew he was remaining onboard the jet, Hatchet Jack shut the door and locked it with as much fanfare and noise as possible.
Ken gave his house address to the taxi driver, who drove off without hesitation.
Ken seemed more quiet and nervous than usual as the old 50s style taxi wended its way through the chuck-holed streets of Tijuana. He glanced at dozens of disinterested locals on the streets. “I’ll just pray that the taxi keeps running,” he thought while stroking the treasure trove of Infants in his lap. Everyone felt a sudden relief as they exited the town..
Bouncing along the ill-kept highway, they finally reached the toll road and the taxi eventually pulled up to the guard shack of San Antonio del Mar, a community made up of homes occupied largely by American citizens. As the taxi stopped, and a guard approached the vehicle, Ken stepped from the taxi and walked toward the guard.
The guard, recognizing Ken, greeted him, “Welcome home, Mr. Abel.”
“Hola Carlos, how are you,” Ken said.
“Esta bien.”
Ken came closer to Carlos and explained to him, with a confidential sounding tone of voice, “These are my business partners. We are having a meeting, and do not want to be disturbed. If anyone comes asking about me, please get my permission before letting them into the complex.”
Carlos answered under his breath, “I understand, Mr. Abel.”
Ken slipped a $20 bill into Carlos’ hand.
Carlos accepted it without expression and secretly slipped it into his pocket. Ken knew he had a trusted ally.
Ken returned to the taxi and directed the driver to his house. Upon reaching the house, he paid the taxi fare and added a ten dollar gratuity. He knew that he had to be careful with the amount of money he displayed, having lived for many years in this foreign sovereign state.
Ken opened the front door and walked swiftly to the hall closet where he turned off the burglar alarm by punching in the combination. Four tired men hauled their baggage into the house as Ken snapped on the lights and opened the drapes. “Toss your duffle bags in there on the bed,” Ken said pointing toward the master bed room. While the men were carrying their bags into the bedroom, Ken opened a glass sliding door that exited onto the back deck that faced the ocean. He stepped into the warm night air and listened to the slapping sound of the waves breaking on the beach a short distance below the deck of his house. His partners joined him and quickly positioned themselves in lounge chairs on the spacious deck. The past trials and ordeals of the Gold Buddha adventure were beginning to fade into the history of their minds. New thoughts replaced those memories as each person enjoyed the daydreams of his riches.
Doug was first to break the silence, “I’m going inside to inform Pedro of our status. I’ll bet he is dying of curiosity, wondering where we are.” Doug walked inside the house, picked up his Satellite Telephone; and without concern for the time difference, he dialed Pedro,.
Pedro answered the call after the third ring, “Halo.”
“Pedro, this is your friend, Doug.”
Pedro suddenly came to life. “Mr. Goodwin, it is so good to hear from you. I am wondering what is happening.”
“Good news, my friend. We are safe and sound in Mexico. The Orphans and Infants are with us and ready to be sold for cash.”
“That is good news. I’ve waited forty-five years for those words.”
“We are on the last phase now. We had some harrowing experiences with the Yakz, but managed to evade them. You still have to be very careful. You and your family should prepare to go on an extended vacation. You’ll be able to live like a king for the rest of your life, but I feel that you are in danger in the Philippines, especially if you show a sudden increased wealth.”
“I have planned that for many years. We have family in Indiana, USA. Would that be a good place to live for a while?”
“I couldn’t think of any place better. Middle America should be ideal. I advise you to begin packing. Hatchet Jack will be returning in a few days, and he can be your protector to see that nobody follows you off the island. You’ll have a few million in your bank account to start over. I’ll call you when it’s in the bank.”
“That is good to hear. I can hardly believe it, but I’ll be ready and wait for your next call.”
“It is really good for us too. Thank you for your help, and we’ll be anxious to see you on safe soil.”
Doug snapped the disconnect switch on his telephone and sat back in his chair with emotions rising to the surface. It had been a long journey.
Bill interrupted his relaxation, “Did you reach Pedro?”
“I sure did, brother.”
“I’ll bet he was excited.”
“He was ecstatic. I advised him to prepare to bring his family to America, and he agreed.”
“We talked about that many months ago while in Saipan,” Bill said. “It will be hard for them to leave their home, but at least they can enjoy their money in safety.”
“He has family in Indiana.”
“Hey, who would have thought about Indiana? Maybe he can hide away in the hills of Brown County. I hear that it’s a peaceful place to live.”
“Well, we’ll have to work on covering his trail; so the Yakz leaves him alone.”
Ken and the others walked inside from the deck, and Ken assigned everyone sleeping areas—saving the Master Bedroom and the king-sized bed for himself. After all, it was his house, and he was the senior citizen of the group.
While the men were positioning themselves in other bedrooms, Ken motioned for Doug to follow him into the Master Bedroom. Closing the door he told Doug, “I want to show you where I’ll store the Infants.”
Ken walked to a far corner of the room and pressed on a dark spot high on the wood paneled wall. A sliding panel suddenly opened revealing a small closet with a carpeted floor. Ken lifted a corner of the carpet to reveal a false plywood cover. When he lifted the plywood cover, he revealed the opening for a huge floor safe that was four feet square. Then, Ken turned the combination to four series of numbers and lifted the heavy stainless steel cover to reveal a depth of almost six feet.
Doug gasped at the unexpected sight.
Ken responded, “You shouldn’t be surprised that a banker has a home office.”
Doug chuckled, “You caught me off guard, brother.”
Ken dialed the combination and opened the huge door. “Let me show you the combination, just in case I’m not around when you have to remove the Infants.”
“Why? Are you going someplace?”
“When you reach my age, you think of these things,” Ken said, half joking.
Doug memorized the combination and aided Ken in carrying the bags to the safe. They handled each duffle bag separately, removing the bags of Infants and placing them around the sides of the safe on the metal shelves.
“We will sort the Infants into similar sizes and color when we return,” Ken explained.
“Let’s get our beauty rest,” Doug stated. “In the morning, Bill and Capt. Scott can remain here to watch over the Infants while the rest of us will get the Orphans to their safe haven.”
Everyone had nestled down for a comfortable sleep in the quietness of a new environment by the time Doug returned to the living room. Fortunately, it was a three bedroom house and two of them had twin beds so Doug showered in the adjacent tiled bathroom and slipped into one of those left empty for him and quickly dozed off enjoying clean white sheets again.
Daybreak arrived quickly, and Ken acted as the undesignated alarm clock. He looked into the rooms of sleeping men, and couldn’t help but smile at the uniqueness of the situation. The final steps of the adventure of the Gold Buddha seemed to be in his hands.
“Arise and shine!” he said loudly, with his low-timbre voice resonating throughout the house.
Doug arose quickly, followed by the others. “I had my shower last night, so who wants it first?” Doug exclaimed.
Ken decided to join the humor. “Hey, I’ve got my own in the Master Bedroom so you guys can have the other one in whatever order you want.”
'Big O' said, “I’ll take the first one this morning.”
Capt. Scott moved to the kitchen and began preparing food for breakfast. He found hash browns still in the freezer and a canned ham in the cupboard, and soon the smell of cooked food permeated the house.
Ken felt like spending the morning under the hot shower, but the smell of food snapped him back to reality. He dressed and joined Capt. Scott in the kitchen.
By the time 'Big O' had showered, the others had nearly finished eating. 'Big O' hurriedly dressed, and soon they were ready to proceed to Turks and Caicos.
Ken told Doug to bring the empty duffle bags in case they needed to use them for the Orphans, and then summoned a taxi. It arrived within a few minutes; and Doug, Ken and 'Big O' left for the jet. Bill and Capt. Scott remained behind to protect the largest treasure in this part of the world.
Hatchet Jack greeted them at the jet and stood in the doorway with eagerness. He needed no outside motivation when it came to flying. He was always eager and ready. With a wave of greeting, he moved to the cockpit and began his preflight check off procedure.
Ken spoke to the guards and assured them that the inspector would pay them for their services. They smiled and recognized that they understood. Ken then ascended the stairs and instructed the guards to remove the stairway.
'Big O' closed the door and assumed his position beside Hatchet Jack. “Let’s move it out.”
Without a word of reply, Hatchet Jack started the engines and reported to the tower. The looseness of legal control at the airport was his friend. Permission to proceed was granted, and he guided the jet to take-off position on the runway. With an “Adiós”, the jet rushed down the runway and rose sharply to blend into the blue yonder.
As soon as the jet leveled out at fifteen thousand feet, Doug decided to catch Hatchet Jack’s reaction to the amount of money that he would be paid. “Are you ready to become a millionaire?” Doug said, while glancing at Jack’s expression.
Hatchet Jack stared straight ahead, “I was born ready.”
“Well, Ken will make arrangements to set up a numbered account for you at Turks &Caicos. From there you can transfer your million dollars anywhere you want.”
“You’re serious!” Hatchet Jack said, finally showing some emotion.
“You’d better believe it. I’ve lost track of the number of days you’ve been pushing these planes around, but I think a million dollars should cover it.”
Hatchet Jack extended his massive hand toward Doug, who grasped it in a high pressure handshake. “Thanks, bro. It’s been my pleasure working with you.”
Doug replied, “Just don’t quit now. Let’s complete this round trip first; and then, you can return this jet to its home.”
Hatchet Jack simply nodded in agreement and withdrew into his own mental world, planning ways to spend his money.
Back at Ken’s house, Bill discussed the financial compensation plan with Capt. Scott, explaining that they would need a payoff amount on his sunken yacht; which they would pay.
“I’ll check on that as soon as I get home,” Capt. Scott assured him. “It might be around a million dollars.”
Bill continued talking, “We didn’t plan on the complications that happened, but we’ll do our best to make up for your loss.”
“I don’t blame you guys. Those two rats that killed my crew have met their Maker by now. It’s their problem, not ours.”
“Well, we appreciate your attitude and willingness to continue working with us,” Bill said. “Does the money help smooth out the rough edges?’
“It sure helps life go on. I’ll be able to continue in a business that I love.”
In the jet, Ken sat at a table with pen in hand and a yellow pad full of figures. He felt the weight of the final stages and determined that he would fulfill his responsibilities. Only he could decipher the mathematics of his figures, but his concentration was close to intense. This probably wouldn’t be his final act of banking genius, for he felt sure that the Goodwin Brothers would mushroom their share of the wealth into a mammoth undertaking of humanitarian relief. He had associated with them long enough to know their motives were unquestionably right, and their projects always needed a financial controller.
Doug’s voice upset the peaceful atmosphere, “Hey, Ken come here a minute.”
Ken responded and made his way to the cockpit. “What do you have in mind?” he asked.
“Did you want to call the bank in Turks and Caicos from here?”
“Yes, I need to arrange for a armored vehicle to meet us at the airport to transport the Orphans.”
Doug looked up with a satisfied smile. “We’ll be descending in half an hour.”
“Let me borrow your Satellite Telephone and I’ll make the arrangements.”
Doug passed him the ST, and Ken returned to his table. Opening his address book, he dialed a number and began talking. His voice was businesslike and formal, as he explained his position as a bank owner. “I will be arriving within a half hour and wish to store some valuables in your bank vault. Can you have an armored vehicle meet me at the airport?
The person on the other end responded enthusiastically, and Ken closed the ST. Returning it to Doug, he reported, “Mr. Majors at the bank will take care of all the details.”
Hatchet Jack stated, “It’s time to buckle up right now.”
Ken smiled and returned to his seat and informed the others that the final descent was under way.
Hatchet Jack contacted the tower at the airport; and, after receiving instructions and permission to land, he circled smoothly until he spotted the airstrip and designated runway. “Hang on pilgrims, we’re going in.” Jack was at the height of excitement as he guided the jet down, along the ocean, over the asphalt and touched down in a perfect landing.
“We’ve defied the Grim Reaper again, partner,” Doug whispered under his breath before Hatchet Jack could express it. “We’re nearly home free,” Doug spoke aloud with a long exhale of relief.
“I just love to see a plan come together,” Hatchet Jack exclaimed. He guided the jet to the nearest tarmac and noticed a silver armored vehicle parked in the shadows of the terminal building.
Ken also spotted the vehicle, and moved forward to point it out to Hatchet Jack who was already moving toward it.
The jet rolled to a slow stop, and Hatchet Jack killed the engines.
Two workers on the ground rolled a set of stairs to the door of the plane, and Ken swung the door open. He descended the stairs and walked across the asphalt surface to the armored vehicle.
Doug, still sitting in the copilot’s seat, watched Ken approach the vehicle and meet an armed guard, who appeared from around the back of the vehicle.
Ken discussed the details of moving bars of gold from the plane to the vehicle, and the guard stepped to his car phone and called in reinforcements.
“We need to wait for additional help to arrive before we begin the transfer,” the guard told Ken.
Ken replied, “That will work out well. We have a few preparations to make anyway.”
By the time Ken returned to the jet, Doug was opening crates and setting photography equipment to the side. Ken explained, “They have sent for additional guards and escorts to protect the Orphans. I had to explain the value of our cargo.”
“I guess the three of us will have to carry the Orphans to the vehicle,” Doug stated with a tired sounding voice.
Ken offered relief, “No, they are sending an additional five armed men who can carry the Orphans to the vehicle. They’ll have two armed guards standing by while another guard and I take inventory of the Orphans in the vehicle and sign a verification statement.”
“Shall we put the Orphans in the duffle bags?” Doug asked.
Ken answered, “I don’t think so. I’ll have them back the armored vehicle right up to the stairs; so we can pass the Orphans hand over hand.” He then climbed down the stairs.
“That sounds good to me,” Doug said and returned to the crates to move the first Orphan beside the doorway of the plane.
Hatchet Jack and 'Big O' joined him, and soon the Orphans began to stack up. “This is going to blow the minds of these guards,” 'Big O' said.
“It still blows my mind,” Doug replied. “It’s only a few times in a lifetime that you see over a ton of gold stacked in one pile.”
“My first time happened on this trip.”
“It’s been quite a trip, hasn’t it?”
“You’d better believe it.”
The armored vehicle backed up and contacted the stairs with a clunk sound. Looking down Doug saw that the rear doors to the vehicle were opened directly onto the stairs. Ken stood with a uniformed guard inside the vehicle. Two police cars pulled along side of the vehicle, one on each side; and five armed uniformed police officers stepped from the car.
The officer in charge directed them to climb over the rail and position themselves at intervals up the stairs.
Ken signaled to Doug, and the transfer began. It was interesting to see the expression on each officer’s face as a heavy smooth bar of gold rested in his hands. The weight of this precious metal was always surprising to anyone who hefted it. Each bar passed from one person to another until it reached the inside of the armored vehicle where it was stacked in an evenly formed stack. Ken documented and recorded each bar and had the guard next to him sign the document each time.
The work moved rather quickly with all the extra help; and soon, the total exchange was made. Hatchet Jack replaced the photographic equipment inside the crates and positioned the lids, thinking of his next journey, which would lead him home.
Ken shouted to Doug, “Do you want to go to the bank with me and the Orphans?”
“I sure do. I’d like to photograph their final resting place, but I wouldn’t want the photograph to fall into the wrong hands; so I’ll only capture a mental picture and describe it to Bill.” As Doug was speaking, he moved down the stairs and joined Ken and the armed guard inside the armored vehicle.
The vehicle moved forward a few feet, and an outside guard slammed the doors and locked them.
“How do you like the security of this organization?” Ken asked Doug.
“Just like Fort Knox.”
The armored vehicle moved forward to leave the airport with a police escort ahead and another behind. They rolled quickly along major roads until they reached the bank. Pulling around to the rear of the building, large doors opened and the vehicle pulled inside the building, with the doors closing behind.
The rear doors of the vehicle were swung open and met with three small four-wheeled hand carts and ten additional bank employees. Ken presented a carbon copy of the inventory to the chief bank executive and another one to Doug. “You check each bar as it leaves the vehicle, and I will check it as it arrives inside the bank safe. Be sure to have each check witnessed by a bank representative.”
Ken then stepped forward to introduce himself to the bank executive, Mr. Majors. “I am Mr. Ken Abel.” They shook hands. “I’ll need someone to verify the inventory inside the safe.”
“I will do that myself,” the Mr. Majors responded. “It is good doing business with you. We can handle this transaction as a deposit with a storage fee.”
“I plan to present a proposal for a joint venture between your bank and mine for the sale of certificates of deposit on the gold, but that will take a few weeks to formulate.”
“I look forward to doing business with you. Here’s a vehicle to take us inside,” the executive pointed, indicating a small electric cart.
The two men climbed upon the cart and moved inside a room surrounded by heavy bars, similar to a prison cell. The hand carts began arriving, and a new stack of gold bars began to grow.
“This is a beautiful sight,” Mr. Majors remarked.
“It certainly is,” Ken added. “This culminates many years of effort,” he exaggerated.
The Orphans were finally deposited, and the inventory sheets verified and balanced. The bank executive signed and handed Ken a deposit slip and closed the steel doors.
“May I have a duplicate of the deposit slip please,” Ken asked. “I also need to set up six numbered accounts.
“Follow me to my office, and I’ll handle the details,” the Mr. Majors stated.
They ascended three floors in an elevator and stepped into a plush office. A secretary joined them and took recorded all the needed information. “This will only take a few minutes,” she said, while excusing herself.
Ken and Mr. Majors exchanged ideas of the banking industry until the secretary returned with both hands full of papers.
Ken explained, “I’ll sign for two of the accounts and fax signature cards to you later. One account is for me and three others are for my partners on the jet. I’ll sign now and acquire their signatures before we leave.”
Ken studied and signed the papers and passed them to the secretary for verification, along with his secured credit card. “I’d like to transfer one million dollars into this first account and two million into the second one.
The secretary checked the signatures on the papers and passed them to Mr. Majors before leaving to handle the deposits.
Mr. Majors handed duplicates to Ken with a handshake, “What are your plans now?”
“We will return to the States for a few weeks; then I will contact you as soon as I return to my residence in San Antonio del Mar. Here’s my business card with phone numbers. Don’t worry; I will be in touch very soon.”
The secretary returned with deposit receipts, and the two men shook hands.
Ken met Doug; and, together with Mr. Majors, they returned to the jet where Hatchet Jack and 'Big O' waited impatiently. “Are we ready to get out of here?” Hatchet Jack asked.
“We are ready and anxious,” Ken answered. “One last order of business before we go, I need your signatures on these cards. I’ll explain how you can get at your money later.” Each man signed a small card; Ken passed them to Mr. Majors, and closed the jet door.
The stairs were rolled away, and the engines exploded into action. The jet was suddenly on its way to Tijuana to dump Ken and Doug. 'Big O' would continue on to Long Beach with Hatchet Jack to complete a huge circle of travel.
Touchdown in Tijuana resulted in a brief layover, only long enough for Doug and Ken to leave the jet; then, Hatchet Jack and 'Big O' were off to Long Beach.
Doug and Ken traveled directly to San Antonio del Mar. The day had been long and stressful. They approached Ken’s house finding the front gate open. “That’s unusual,” Ken stated, showing pronounced concern.
Ken pushed the gate open and moved quickly toward the front door. At first sight of the door, he could see the lock had been mutilated, as if blasted with a shot gun.
Doug rushed ahead, charging into the entry. Furniture was tipped over, papers strewn around the room, and even pictures ripped from the walls. Running from room to room, Doug shouted for Bill, “Bill, where are you. Answer me, brother.”
A muffled groan came from the back storage room, followed by a loud thump.
Doug, followed by Ken, ran into the storage room to find Bill bound with Duct Tape and lying on the floor. Capt. Scott was tied to a nearby water pipe and taped from head to toe.
Doug ripped the tape from Bill’s mouth, and the words burst forth, “We were attacked by a Mexican gang. They took my Citizen diving watch.”
Ken had just started to untie Capt. Scott when he thought of the Infants. Dropping the rope, he rushed to the main bedroom to find the bed upside down and all the drawers emptied on the floor, but the secret door to the safe in tact. He pressed the spot on the paneling, and the door slid open, revealing a secure safe.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Ken opened the door to the safe and checked the precious Infants—all was well.
Doug and Bill joined Ken, with Capt. Scott close behind. “Are the Infants okay?” Bill gasped.
“Safe and sound,” Ken answered. “It is a good thing that I had the safe installed by an American company from San Diego. Those amateur crooks had no idea.”
“I lost my watch,” Bill repeated.
“Forget that watch, brother. I’ll get you a new watch. Let’s get out of here before something else happens.” Doug spoke the words that everyone else was thinking.
Ken fully agreed with Doug and began making preparations.
Capt. Scott hadn’t said anything yet. He felt lucky to be alive and relished the idea of returning to his home as quickly as possible. “Shouldn’t we call the police?” he asked.
Ken answered, while gathering some of the strewn papers, “The police were probably in on it. I have two automobiles in the garage with storage compartments under the seats. I’ll check them to be sure they haven’t been damaged. You guys help me pick up this paperwork.” With those instructions, Ken left the room, while the others threw all the papers into boxes and empty trash cans.
Ken returned in a few minutes with good news. The automobiles were untouched. Even the doors to the garage were still locked. It was obvious that the amateur crooks had rushed off before their work was completed—probably afraid of being caught. “Follow me, men,” he said.
They went to the safe and Ken proceeded to place the Infants into several steel deposit boxes and slid them outside the safe. “Each of you carry one of these boxes and come with me,” Ken methodically instructed.
Inside each automobile, he removed the rear seat and exposed a hidden compartment by sliding a metal plate aside. Ken reached for the first steel box of Infants and placed it inside the compartment. It fit perfectly. Each automobile held three boxes. The seats were carefully replaced.
Doug said, “It’s time to leave, men. Grab your personals and let’s get home.”
Everyone jumped at the suggestion, gathered their things, and tossed them into the back seats.
Ken explained the procedure for crossing into the United States, “I’ll drive the first car; and you, Doug, drive the other one. Capt. Scott, you can ride with me. The guards at the boarder crossing are familiar with the vehicles and me. There shouldn’t be any problems in getting across, just tell them you were visiting friends. I always explain that I am a resident.”
Bill looked around and pressed the button that opened the main garage door. Ken secured the house and main gate with two chains and padlocks, and drove away with Doug and Bill following closely.
Ken drove through the border crossing without question, but the border guard asked Doug many questions and had him open his trunk. Ken drove a quarter of a mile into California and pulled aside to wait for Doug.
The guard had a dog encircle Doug’s car several times and step inside the rear seat area, but nothing alerted him. “Do you have anything to declare?” The guard asked.
“Nothing this time,” Doug answered as a matter of fact.
“Go ahead,” the guard declared, and Doug drove slowly away.
He passed Ken with a wave and stepped on the gas to reach the speed limit. Punching the cruise control button, they proceeded toward Newport Beach.
The drive took an hour and a half, but the joy and security of being in America caused it to pass quickly. Both cars fit into Doug’s garage for the night, and four tired men dragged into the comfortable California styled home and collapsed in the overstuffed chairs and sofa.
“I hope Tosh has delivered the girls safely,” Doug commented.
“I forgot to mention it,” Bill said. “Tosh called a few hours ago to report that Steve Blush had been admitted to a hospital without incident, and the girls will be home by this evening. Tosh will meet up with the paramedic and the pilot who escorted Mr. Blush and return to Hawaii with them.”
“That almost ties up the last of the loose ends. Hatchet Jack will return to Manila and usher Pedro to America, and all’s well that ends well,” Doug profoundly declared. “I’m exhausted. We need to get some shut-eye. In the morning, we’ll take the Infants to a safety deposit box in the Bank of Beverly Hills.
Bill began tapping a rhythm with his feet and singing the lyrics of an old 70s song, “All the gold in California is in the bank in the middle of Beverly Hills in someone else’s name.”
Doug joined Bill’s song then added a different ending, “But this time it is in our name. Give me five, Brother.”