14
No customs official met them as they pulled up to the Maracaibo hangar, running mostly on fumes. He was probably happily counting a few-hundred-dollar payoff in a remote corner office.
What did await them was Analie Sala and two more gunmen to add to the two from the plane. She was all in black despite the midmorning heat that was already cooking Richie’s brain. He’d only been awake for…thirty hours. And flying for the last fourteen of it.
The team deplaned carefully, watchfully. Richie and Melissa held back at the cockpit doors. They wouldn’t have good flexibility if gunfire came their way, but they momentarily commanded the high ground. Looking down at the others, Richie didn’t want to give that up.
Ms. Sala stood calmly as the two teams of four gunmen each faced off. The differen
