Incarna

83 - Border Party

Day 12 Afternoon, California Mexico Border Patrol

Agent Riles watched the driver unpack a net from the utility box at the back of his ATV. He gave Clay a nod and "Howdy" and walked to the edge of the wash out. "Yep dis is vy ve do vhat ve do alrighty!" He threw a line across to Sugarman who'd moved up opposite the rubbish pile. Sugarman reeled the line in and pulled the edge of the net across the sandy wash out till it lay acroos the width of it.

The two men nodded, "Waddya reckon Mirek, we go catch us some tom foolery hey," Sugarman called across to the driver. Mirek smirked, "sure ting Cornben. Yu pay the next net hey?" Cornben gave him the finger then the two of them walked slowly up hill dragging the net carefully across the rubbish pile.

Whumpf, baang! Three, four, five times, a small mine exploded as the net triggered each of them. Clay turned to Riles, "here Tex, this ones a replica," and he tossed him a shotgun shell with three metal wires extending from the pellet end and the primer end built out with a detonator device.

"This here's mass produced by a cartel some wheres down Me'hico way. Mongrels use'n more 'n more up here since it became a shootin' war with the Border Militias!" Riles nodded and moved up next to Clay. He handed him the training replica mine then turned to watch the last of the sweep over the rubbish pile.

"You gonna inspect it ..." Clay cut him off, "no way son it's up to the Minuteman patrols now. We just find em and log em. That there net sweep tells us it's a shit fight, so we log it," and Clay held up a sat phone come GPS logger and sent off the coordinates to Minuteman HQ.

Clay pulled a beacon out of a side pocket of his pack and shoved it in the ground. "This here's sends out a warnin' to all phones and radios that come within a hundred yards. So's no one else has'ta die here," and he nodded up the wash toward where the body had been found.

Chalkie came back down the east side of the wash, "Marked the body, damn stink gonna bring in every Jackal this side o' Houston." He nodded to Cornben, "Ah see's yah been blowin' up Mirek's nets ahgin!"

"Well yah see's massah Dave, this here poor nigger jist can't help hi'self!" and the two men sniggered at their banter. Riles noted how that now they were easing down from the tension of the 'hunt' they were easing off using their nicknames as well. The banter was moving freely back and forward between them too. It was edgy but respectful and appeared to Riles more of a form of communal chatter that helped bond the team while allowing to let off steam as the tension of a situation eased.

Walker came up and standing near Cornben watched Mirek roll up the damaged net, "There's at least two mines down by the Barrier, in the well walked path. We saw em first but we don't walk in no ones tracks any hoo!" Clay nodded and Mirek who now had the net all rolled up on his side of the wash turned and walked slowly down toward the Barrier. Cornben walked away from the wash to a large Mesquite and took up a watch position there. Walker moved off back toward the Barrier and Clay motioned for Riles to come with him as he turned and followed Mirek.

"First ones on the down slope there Rek!" Walker said slowly as he pointed just below where Mirek was standing. He tossed Walker the lead line and soon they repeating the sweep procedure. Whumppf, two, three times, then nothing but he sound of the net scraping across rock and gravel and swishing over sand.

"Righto Ron that'll do us then," Mirek concluded and Ron guided the remains of the net from his side as Mirek rolled it up again.

"Hey Carter, anything up along further?" "No signs Clay baby," Ron replied nonchalantly, "but I'd druther we goes back to the parkin' lot to over night. Ah don't fancy takin' a piss and kickin a wire in the dark." "... and I not give you another RC truck to destroy neether!" chided Mirek.

Clay turned to Riles, "we often send RC toy off roaders ahead of us if there's any doubts. Ron here's got the record for blowin' the most up so far." "Yah, he do it on purpose to relieve boredom," Mirek added and Ron gave him the finger and grinned.

"Righto boys," Clay said into his comm mic, "lets head back and set up camp. We can do a spot of IR drone search tonight!" Mirek turned to Ron as he followed his own tracks back across the wash where the Barrier ran through it. "and you no fly at night till you get eyes checked, yah?" Ron punched him lightly in the shoulder and Mirek flicked the front of Ron's cap up. The two of them moved off in front of Clay and Riles.

They made their way at an easy pace back to where they had left the ATV before proceeding on foot to where Riles had heard the shooting the day before. Mirek, Dave Wilson and Ron Carter brought in the ATV's and the parked them in a circle around the camp site. With an hour of light left, each of the squad set about what was obviously a familiar routine as the rolled out their bedrolls and organised their individual areas for the night.

Riles watched them as he set about his own equipment, electing for his small two man tent so he could set up his laptop and comm gear in private after turning in. The banter between them became gentler and more family oriented and interspersed with questions about friends and who had heard what from whom that day. Peter Mason was chef for the night and would also be first watch so he could sleep solid after being cook.

Two drones were set up on their charger platforms on the rear of two of the ATVs and then they all set up folding chairs and with quiet laughter settled into them around the fire. Riles was handed a glass from a wooden case holding eight with each neatly tucked into its padded place. Clay pulled out a bottle and passed it around. Each man pouring himself a finger of the honey coloured liquid from the unlabeled bottle and then onto Riles.

"Our evening ritual, and he raised the glass letting the firelight sparkle off it. "This here's from a cousin o' mine n' it's to last yo the night ..." Cornben cut in "that way we'll stay bright eyed 'n bushy tailed fo' whatever ..."

He raised his glass and they all followed suit, "To peace," they all said together and Riles sipped the Kentucky bourbon and let the firey flavours explode across his palate. It reminded him of the first time he'd tried the richness Glayvar with all its herbs and tangerine and honey. What was the saying ah yes, "Gle Mhath".

Mason grinned at him, "Och ye have touch of the blarney about ye sonne," then the clean shaven Mason began handing around plates for his feast.

Clay turned to Riles, "Well Tex, did we measure up now? And what does the agency want with the likes of us now then?"