Admiral's Ghost

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  Tyler walked casually along a neighborhood sidewalk toward his car. He was relieved to have completed the delivery and looked forward to the trip to Mexico. Like Tyler, the new supplier’s man had been nervous but had maintained a cool exterior. They’d both shown great relief when it was over.

  Large transactions were notoriously dangerous, and in their line of work, you never knew if the DEA had infiltrated one of the parties to set up a sting. Reduced prison time was a strong motivator to break even unbreakable relationships. The unknown was what people feared most.

  As if the DEA weren’t bad enough, these large transactions also drew interest from rivals. They employed various methods to gain information about large movements, and if they thought it possible, they would use that information to highjack shipments or raid deliveries. Those types of exploits typically involved violence and death.

  At least Raul had sent several men experienced in those types of situations. Although the men made Tyler nervous, he knew Raul trusted them with his life. At least one of the men was related to Raul, although Tyler didn’t know how.

  Drugs were a dangerous business, and you couldn’t even trust your own staff. Power plays and hostile takeovers were common, and disgruntled members of your organization could easily wreak havoc if a rival bought them off. Fortunately, no one in Raul’s organization had turned since Tyler joined. Still, you couldn’t rule out the possibility.

  It didn’t matter now. Tyler had completed the transaction and would soon make his way south. He’d had one of Raul’s strong men drop him off blocks from his car. Forever cautious, Tyler insisted on safety first. His knowledge of the product’s location was as valuable a commodity as the drugs themselves. He had no illusions people would kill for that information.

  He turned off the sidewalk and through a back alley. The neighborhood was reasonably safe at night, but he performed several jigs and backtracks to eliminate the possibility of being followed. As he came onto another sidewalk, he stared across the street at a small park. It was empty, but Tyler remained cautious nonetheless.

  He spotted his car on the other side of the park where he’d left it. He made sure the streets were clear before making his way through the dry grass, walking casually, trying to eliminate suspicion from neighbors. More than once, neighborhood households had called the police because he’d parked on their street. It never mattered; he always made sure his car was empty when he left it unattended.

  He walked beneath the lone acacia tree dominating the center of the park and moved up the small hill to his car. The shade of the tree provided moderate cover from prying eyes, and as he neared his car, he began to relax. He never let his guard down, but so far, everything had worked as planned.

  He crested the top of the small hill when a flash of bright light enveloped him. Blinded, Tyler was paralyzed by a searing pain tearing through his body. As quickly as it came, the light faded, and with it, Tyler’s consciousness. Darkness enclosed him as a single word drifted through his mind, Damn!