get a ‘grewsum killing’.”
“They also said he was infected by wounds and needed medical help immediately.”
He put the note down and paused for a second, “We weren’t given any instructions about how or where the payment should occur, so we couldn’t do it, if we wanted to. I’ve passed this onto Washington.”
One of the Agents asked, “What do you think, Chief, any chance of getting Billy back?”
“I don’t know. Leo here thinks we can find out how to pay the ransom if the head shed wants to pay, but I don’t think it’s policy. They think it’s not good to start paying for our Agents. It only makes the Mex’s go after more of our guys.”
The Agent continued, “What about Billy’s family?”
“We contacted his wife, but no one in his family has any money, and we can’t encourage it anyway.”
Stokes and Gorman sat passively without anything to say.
Matt continued, “You need to tell all your troops to be extremely careful. Officially, this should be limited information, but it will get out soon enough, and I don’t want to lose another person.”
The meeting ended without much more said, although the Agents who knew Billy were visibly mad. Stokes didn’t want his troops implicated in unlawful shootings and advised Gorman to be careful about how information was conveyed. Gorman was also a New Mexico State Trooper, so he understood the distinction between military and civil lethal actions. He had friends lose their livelihood and families after years of litigation, following legitimate shootings. He didn’t want that happening here.
There were two interceptions of drug carriers over the next two nights, but no weapons were fired. Tension was high, so Stokes and Gorman had to move around all their locations, cautioning the Guard troops about using their weapons unless it was to protect life. Things began to settle down after a night without deadly confrontation, but it didn’t last for long.
At the briefing the following day, some of the Agents nearly revolted when Matt B began his normal routine. Neither Stokes nor Gorman knew what was agitating everyone. These guys had been facing danger over their whole careers, but were losing composure before the meeting began. One said, “What about the video, Chief?”
Another added, “Yeah, let everyone see it.”
Stokes and Gorman looked at each other quizzically. In most military briefings, it was punishable to interrupt a senior officer. Matt stood at the podium momentarily then stepped aside toward the center of the room in front of the projection screen. He looked down collecting his thoughts then nodded saying, “You’re right. I should let everyone know that there was a video on YouTube last night. It showed a bunch of men killing Billy Ware. I got the call around midnight from an Agent whose kid saw it. I started getting calls from the press this morning, and it’ll be all over the news today. I could only watch part of it and wouldn’t ask any of you to see it either.”
He took a deep breath and held his chin up obviously waiting for comments. One of the Agents said, “Are you sure it’s Billy? Are we sure he’s dead?”
All Matt could say was, “Yes and yes.”
The room was silent for a moment before someone said, “Do you have it here to see?”
“I have it in the projector, but I would suggest that we let it be. Parts will show on the news, and you can all check it on line if you want. Personally, I’d rather not.”
He looked around the room, and no one indicated a desire to see it.
Stokes didn’t want to see it, accepting the Chief’s judgment that there wasn’t anything they could do. He thought of Carolyn and what he would say to her when she called. She would be panicky.
It wasn’t long after the briefing that Stokes felt his cellphone vibrating. He excused himself from a small group and started walking toward the entrance to be alone. He answered as he passed through the large glass door, “Hello, Sweetheart.”
Her voice was elevated, “John, I just got home from school and saw the news!” Carolyn was a second-grade teacher.
“Yeah, we just got briefed here.”
“John, they chopped him up with big knives then hacked off his head! I’m just glad the girls weren’t home.”
“They showed the video on television?”
“No, they couldn’t. But the broadcaster had seen it and described it. She could hardly talk!”
He waited a moment then spoke, “We got briefed today. It’s pretty grim here. I’ve got to keep my guys from overreacting.”
“Overreacting! How can anyone overreact to this? These Mexicans are animals!”
“Yeah, well, they’re as ignorant and ruthless as the al Queda maniacs. Most of the ones we see are harmless migrant workers, but the bad are really bad.”
“Are they anywhere near you?”
He hesitated answering, “Ah. The guy killed came from our station.”
“Oh my God!”
He could visualize her hand over her mouth then said, “This is a real hot zone.” He regretted saying it immediately.
“I want you to come home.”
“I know, babe. So do I, but I’ve got a bunch of people down here to take care of. I’m sure we’ll get reinforced soon, and the druggies will move away. In the meantime, my head is down.”
“Johnny please ... I know you can’t leave, but we need you back here in one piece. Don’t you forget it!”
She was losing composure, “Carolyn, I love you and the girls so much. I won’t take any chances and will be home as soon as I can.”
They ended the call without saying any more about the killing. He promised to call again that night.
Reino de Terror
The murder of Billy Ware served its purpose. The cutthroats working for Cardenas lingered briefly under the illusion that they would be rich from ransom, then had some fun cutting up the “gringo” officer. It was hard to tell which outcome was more enjoyable to them, but Cardenas was pleased. He knew enough about the American system to know that they would not pay extortion money, but his ignorant thugs would believe they were going to get wealthy and would keep trying to get more Agents alive. He had promised the captors they could split the money, which would be like a bonus.
Ware had been near death from infections and neglect, so waiting longer for the ransom would only mean a missed opportunity to shock Americans and scare the border patrol. He was pleased with the video.
He hired a professional crew to set up the audio and video equipment in the warehouse for the execution and told them to return the next day. He wanted the killing filmed late at night, and he played it on the social networks immediately. He brought six new machetes.
When Billy was brought before the camera, he could hardly stand. Still stripped to the waist, his head was uncovered. His eyes squinted involuntarily at the studio lights, but he was otherwise nonresponsive until the first man was instructed to cut him. It was a deep slice across Ware’s back, which caused him to jump and scream. The circle of killers stayed in place as Ware tried to scramble free, but each movement was met with a blow from a long knife. They followed Cardenas’ order and were careful to avoid a killing blow. After dozens of severe cuts to his upper body and legs, Billy fell to his hands and knees, pleading.
Cardenas increased the recording volume to be sure his sobs and words could be heard. He was also narrating portions in English, adding to the gruesomeness. After about five minutes of torture, Ware was lying on the ground with blood everywhere. He was sobbing weakly, which was about the only sign that he was still alive when Cardenas signaled one of the men to cut off his head. This evoked one final scream before a gurgling sound escaped from his severed windpipe. The man stood over Billy’s body pulling upward on his hair as he began hacking at the back of the neck to cut the spinal bones. It took about a minute before the head was brought up to the camera, so close that the light was blocked out momentarily. All the Mexicans were soaked by blood spatters as the head was tossed around.
The American people
were outraged. Border agents had been killed in the line of duty before, but none had been tortured over the internet. Every news service in the country converged on El Paso, and it was virtually impossible to avoid hearing the story over and over again.
The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was given no peace for days, following the killing. Americans wanted revenge. Not since September 11, 2001, had they been so united. Blood of the Mexican warlords was the only solution in most minds. Unfortunately, the country was already engaged in foreign wars, and the “War on Drugs” had been raging for over thirty years. Like most emotional outbursts, time would ultimately douse the flames of passion.
The news of Ware’s obscene death caused Washington to explode with emotion. DHS had been outraged about their unfunded plight on the borders long before his death, but the rest of Government, particularly the Congress, had been unconcerned. When the President’s budget was submitted each year, the Congressmen and Senators basically ignored the requests for more resources. The Secure Border Initiative (SBI) program that initially supplied billions of dollars for border security had been cancelled by the President. Not only that, funding for equipment and manpower outside SBI was cut. Adding insult to injury, the language from Congress, in the annual Appropriations Bill, put increasing pressure to stop illicit human and drug traffic. The DHS had no choice but to ignore the platitudes and ranting