THE CARROT

8 - Crossing

Chapter 8

Early Morning July 29

Rural Highway 85 NB

Southern Arizona

During the night three trucks and two cars in convoy had slowly worked their way up from Mexico through the mountains and desert to cross the border into Arizona near backroads leading to Gu Vo, Arizona. Eventually the entourage came to Why, Arizona and finally onto state road eight-five. They would pass though this way to avoid the Port of Entry and border checks at Lukeville.

Two miles south of Ajo, Sheriff’s deputy Juan Sanchez of Pima County sat in his cruiser on the side of the desert road waiting for his shift to end. Daybreak was only minutes away when he notice a slight increase in traffic from the south. It was not unusual for vehicles to bunch up, but his gut was telling him they were all together with a lead car, three large trucks in the middle and a car bringing up the rear. It was a typical security move. Security for what, he wondered.

The last truck in the line was missing a taillight creating a potential safety hazard. He started to let it go, but something was nagging at him.

He started the car and got in behind the last car.

"Dispatch. Seventeen."

"Go for Dispatch."

"I have a ten-sixteen on a large truck. Will be making a stop. Please note time and I will have camera rolling. Over."

"Will do. Time clocked. Feed is coming in now. You are go for stop."

"Ten-four."

Deputy Sanchez hit his light bar and slipped out around the car in front of him to catch up to the truck. Pulling in behind him he followed for a minute and then had to hit the siren for a double chirp. The driver eventually pulled into a flat sandy area.

Sanchez made sure the camera was picking up the vehicle in front of him and then exited the cruiser with ticket book in hand. He walked down the passenger side of the vehicle to the cab area.

The dispatcher, Morgan Sandworth, looked at the wireless feed from the Internet camera to see Deputy Sanches cross in front of the patrol car and then disappear near the front of the truck. The truck body was at an angle that did not allow viewing of the passenger side of the truck. She took another call and the video screen became lost to her mind.

Deputy Sanches stepped up on the running board and then the second step to the open window. He had enough time to identify that an object was headed for his face, but not enough time to dodge it. The sledgehammer impacted his forehead knocking him off the truck and onto the ground on his back.

Two figures exited the truck as a car pulled around in front of the truck. The car backed up to the front of the truck. Four dark clad figures climbed out. The six figures grabbed Deputy Sanches, injected him intramuscularly, hit him again on the head with the hammer and then stripped him of his uniform. He was then bound and bagged in an enlarged duffel bag. He was quickly placed in the car trunk.

A figure about the deputy’s size hurriedly put on the uniform and pulled his cap down low over his face. He walked back to the cruiser and got in it.

The dispatcher saw Deputy Sanches come back to the patrol car when she stole a glance at the monitor. She expected to hear from him at any moment and cleared the previous call.

"Dispatch," said the figure over the police radio.

"Go for dispatch."

"Vehicle is okay. Letting occupant go. I’m going off duty so I can go home to bed. I’m not feeling well. Over."