novelraw Chapter 1345 - 729: Postponed Plans 2
Chapter 1345 - 729: Postponed Plans 2
Jimmy looked at Javier, "Javier, how are you? Do you need to go back first? The SRT guys also need to go back for treatment."
Javier looked at Alejandro, "Can you estimate how long it will take?"
Alejandro: "One to two days. As soon as the information is confirmed, we can return."
Javier nodded and looked at Jimmy again, "Then let's wait. Although the hospital here is a bit worse than back home, it should be fine for recovery."
Jimmy: "Alright, since we need to wait anyway, I'll handle some of my own matters. The previous case of kidnapped and imprisoned girls is linked to a local gang here, Los Reyes Negros, I'll go investigate."
Alejandro: "Tell me the name of their leader, a gang name means nothing; there are two hundred gangs in Juarez, who can remember them all."
Jimmy: "Carlos Escobar."
Alejandro: "Escobar, that surname always reminds people of unpleasant times. Need help?"
Jimmy: "I've already checked with the DEA for some information. I'll do some reconnaissance later; I'll call you if needed."
Alejandro: "No problem, don't worry here. We can protect ourselves."
Jimmy: "OK, then I'll head out."
This case was like catching rabbits while beating the grass for Jimmy, just a side investigation, originally not part of the plan. They came to Juarez for two missions: the DEA wants to catch Victoria, the FBI wants to rescue the Seventeen. That's all.
If it weren't for having some free time after wrapping up other matters, Jimmy wouldn't have bothered checking. Hope had already told him Peter's opinion; once the Albuquerque case is over, their investigation into the kidnapped and imprisoned girls will conclude, and they'll need to report back to headquarters to close the case.
This time, he's just going to check out Carlos's turf; time is limited, and no notifications were given. Handling such international cases is very troublesome. He just needs to have a look onsite and compare with the information provided by the DEA. If follow-up actions are needed, contact with Mexican police will be required. The FBI and CIA have completely different working styles; they can't just act freely, as it may provoke official protests.
In fact, last night's actions by Jimmy couldn't be made public. They are recuperating in the hospital due to injuries from an explosion. If action is needed, they must notify the police, so they are only quietly avenging the wounded officers and agents.
Wandering around Juárez City is very dangerous, especially for someone like Jimmy alone. He's in plain clothes, wearing sunglasses, looking like an ordinary Asian tourist. This way, he's perceived as less dangerous. When walking through small streets, he's even warned by local residents that it's unsafe there and advised to visit other public areas.
Indeed, every city has good and bad people. Jimmy had just punished a group of bad guys last night, and while strolling during the day, he encountered some good people, which was quite refreshing and improved his mood a little.
Quickly, Jimmy checked out both clubs mentioned in the leads Steven provided. Since it's daytime, the clubs weren't open, and Jimmy could only give a quick glance from the outside for now. He couldn't find many problems immediately; some weapons or suspected contraband were expected, but those weren't what Jimmy was interested in.
Carlos's main area of activity is in the south of Juárez City, similar to Victoria; the leads found are mostly their semi-public clubs, while their residences remain secret. If given a day or two, perhaps Jimmy could follow them to pinpoint their locations. However, during the day, it's apparently impossible to find them.
Besides these two clubs, there's one suspected area located between two gangs. It's the former stronghold of another gang that Carlos swallowed up days ago. Since the merger happened just a few days back, it's still very dangerous there. Merging gangs isn't as simple as eating a pie; reorganizing the territory and personnel requires assigning new management, naturally rekindling numerous past conflicts. Now is likely their busiest time.
Jimmy didn't bring his own gun this time, instead taking Alejandro's silenced Glock. The silencer was separately stashed in his pants pocket, while the handgun was tucked in his waistband, concealed by his shirt. That handgun was enough for Jimmy, and he shouldn't face significant danger.
When Jimmy passed a used car dealership by car, he hesitated a moment and picked a motorcycle there. He returned the car to the hospital parking lot and took a cab back to ride his newly bought second-hand motorcycle to the target location.
In terms of cash income, Jimmy's trip to Juárez was not in vain. In Victoria's villa, he didn't find much cash, probably all hidden in the safe. However, he still found two stacks of US Dollars in a room, enough for his daily use. In Juárez, using dollar cash won't get traceback to its source; there's far too much dirty money here.
Even during the day, Jimmy occasionally hears gunshots, but those gunshots were often far from him, so he's currently safe. He chose a motorcycle due to its convenience, though the downside is being exposed and easily followed.
While Jimmy was busy investigating his case, Alejandro was on the phone, finishing several calls. He spoke to Carlos and Javier and then changed clothes, leaving the hospital.
They were fit enough to leave the hospital, but couldn't engage in strenuous activities or risk further injuries, or subsequent handling will be troublesome.
Arriving at the storage company, Alejandro checked his box, confirming only a handgun was missing, and packed everything into a bag — the place had become unsafe, requiring a new location for storing his backup documents.
Jimmy had no reaction seeing these items, seemingly having guessed his identity. Indeed, Alejandro was CIA, but from a different department and supervisor, having no prior interaction with Jimmy. Naturally, he wasn't aware of Jimmy's identity and capabilities.
There's certainly not just one or two people in charge of Central and South America at the CIA; actually, several teams handle different countries or operations. Alejandro belonged to one of these teams. Victoria was just a minor target; their real aim was the Sinaloa Group behind Victoria, currently one of the largest drug lords within Mexico, overlapping with certain CIA operations.
The Sinaloa Group's operations primarily involve transshipment; actual drug production is in Central and South America, with Mexico being their major gateway into the United States. The Sinaloa Group expanded through these smuggling activities, taking control of the supply chain, further increasing their influence.
Nobody knew when exactly Jimmy left them early in the morning; he was very cautious. Yet, his return time was confirmed, and he came back without a scratch. Coupled with his claim of clearing a drug repackaging factory, then tracking to Victoria's villa and eliminating its occupants, his actions were absolutely remarkable. To accomplish that unharmed exceeded the perceived limits of FBI agents he knew.
The FBI is renowned for their investigation capabilities, solving famous cases through teamwork. Contrastingly, individual abilities are unquestionably different from CIA-trained professional agents. But with Jimmy, these preconceptions were completely ineffective.
The informant's information was very vague, requiring clearer intelligence to determine the next steps, hence the need to discharge himself and meet someone — an undercover agent placed in the gang beforehand. This person might provide more information, but he's not Alejandro's contact, not someone solved with a simple phone call. He has to personally meet him, with no guarantees of cooperation, as such undercover agents usually only connect with their direct handlers.