Trouble And Money #29
Conrad was picked for the job based on his ability to assess and act on a situation. Wallace Hughes, FBI, trusted him to survive.
The thieves are good natured when they decide to let a driver "Live To Tell". Other drivers, not so lucky, get shot point blank with no remorse.
FBI Tactical Team - Alpha
Wallace Hughes, the FBI SAI (Special Agent In Charge) investigating the cargo theft ring, amassed a lot of little bits of information over the year and a half the case was assigned to him. The best nuggets or data points came from truck drivers who survived encounters with the hijackers.
The thieves are good natured when they decide to let a driver "Live To Tell". Other drivers, not so lucky, were shot point blank.
The gang is cohesive, and one member, a woman named Hoss, appeared to be a leader.
The informants at both trucking companies and manufacturers received the silent treatment in the form of 9mm slugs.
The gang is assumed to be responsible for ten murders. That's prolific organized crime.
The surviving truck drivers believe they are alive because of a quick surrender and an ability to follow directions under great stress. One survivor driver said "Fuck it. Take the whole thing. It means nothing to me."
It's assumed that drivers who fought got whacked.
Wally repeated the theory to Conrad Grange:
"Comply with them."
"Keep yourself alive because the backup will be on its way."
Computer analysis revealed another disturbing pattern, but Wally neglected to relay it to his contractor.
Conrad was picked for the job based on his ability to assess and act on a situation.
Wally trusted him to survive.
The dead drivers are killed when far from their drop off point.
The dots on a map showed where targeted trucks were headed and how far from their destinations they were when pulled over.
Artificial Intelligence showed drivers died when further from their scheduled drop off point.
The closer the vehicle is to the cargo destination when stopped, the greater the driver's chances of survival.
Wally assembled two local FBI tactical teams, travelling undercover in fictitious plumbing supply company vans.
An FBI TAC Team is a Special Weapons and Tactics team similar to a Police Force S.W.A.T. team.
Team Alpha started following Conrad at the pickup point after giving his truck a two mile head start.
Team Bravo is stationed at a different company inside the industrial park that holds the drop off location company.
Bravo would hold in place until told to move.
Interstate 95 North
After picking up the expensive, delicate cargo, Connie stepped up the gears as he headed for I-95 North, the lifeblood of the Northeast corridor. Through the Made In China earpiece, he advised his handlers he was on his way.
The Alpha team's response is a quiet two clicks. They left their starting point as Conrad entered the on-ramp to the highway.
Sitting near the on-ramp to I-95 North, Scott Kinney (Adam) watched the target truck enter the highway. He radioed his sister, "The truck was on the way."
The TAC team in the Alpha Truck picked up this transmission and notified Conrad that his movement was noted.
The fun begins, thought Conrad, as he moved north in the early darkness.
(Two FBI tactical teams are ready to pounce on anyone who stops Conrad's truck. The hijackers are brutal criminals who don't show remorse when it comes to killing. )
Trouble And Money is published Monday through Friday. It is a free serial fiction detective story with characters you will love. Read the adventures of Conrad Grange as he solves cases and contends with a harsh world.