Chapter 18: American Mole: The Cartel
Jason's first thought when he saw Sanchez was what came out of his mouth. "What are you doing on my island?"
Sanchez was quick to respond, "Better, what are you doing on mine?"
With those two formalities out of the way, Jason shook Ignacio Sanchez's hand and offered him a cool drink. Sanchez obliged and they both went to the kitchen to get some fresh squeezed lemonade that Lovely had made that morning. Jason offered to add some rum to it, but Sanchez declined, saying, "It is too early in the day for that."
Once back out on the patio and seated at the table by the hot tub, Ignacio Sanchez got serious.
He spoke English with a very slight Spanish accent. "I can tell by the way you've been looking at me that you are very curious why I'm here after losing the bid for this place. Well, all I can say is that I'm here because I own this place and I own you. What do you think of that?"
The force of Sanchez’s words took Jason back. He had to counter. "Well, I've got legal paperwork that says that I own this property. I've been working very hard to get it cleaned up and livable again for the past week. I don't know you and have never seen you until you gave up bidding at $750,000 back in San Jose. I can't see how you have any hold on me?"
"Well, I guess I don't on your terms. But if you hear me out, you will, by the time I leave here today, you’ll be fully aware that what I said is true . Do you want to bet on it?"
"I'm not a betting man, at least not unless it's a sure thing. What have you got to say?" Jason's curiosity was piqued.
"Well it's a long story, so I'll began at the beginning…" Sanchez leaned back in his chair and sipped his lemonade slowly in preparation.
"I'm all ears… shoot." Jason didn't mean it literally; he leaned forward to listen instead.
"You can't tell by looking at me, but I'm the richest man in Central America. It wasn't easy getting that way, and I'm not proud of what I've done. That would have me executed or thrown in prison for the rest of my life if it weren't for my political power and money, keeping all of those ugly things at bay.
"My two older brothers, Eduardo and Jorge, and I were very poor. When the war broke out in El Salvador and they were killing everyone, my parents got us to the States by walking most of the way and crossing deserts without water for days. My father died on the way, but, with help, we ended up with my mother in East LA. As refugees, the Chicanos that lived there hated us and they made our lives hell. Seveteen of us in that barrio who were from El Salvador banded together and formed ES 17 for our own protection. ES simply meant, "El Salvador." The oldest member, Julio, was 14 as I recall, and I was 7. That was when I killed another kid who tried to shake me down for candy one day with my jackknife. No one bothered me after that, and, by the time I was 11, a couple of the others, the older ones including Julio, were already in jail. There was a vacuum and I took it. I became the leader. My older brothers listened to me. It's been that way ever since.
"We started running protection for other kids at first, and then Salvadorian businesses. From that it was virtually impossible not to get into burglary, shakedowns, drugs, and prostitution. By the time I was 18, I had most of these tattoos, a record, three mistresses and a wife. I married Juanita when she was 14. I think I have 11 children from various women over the years, but my two oldest sons, Antonio and Marco, are my future. They are my chance to come clean. Do you get my drift?"
Jason was all ears. He replied. "I do. I think I do. So, what's that got to do with me?"
"I want to go legit. I've already done that in a big way. I've shut down all the weed and white powder operations after the United States went legal with drugs three years ago. I've diversified and put all my money into real estate, legitimate businesses, the stock market, and money markets around the world. Most of my money is offshore in the Caymans, Singapore, and the Swiss banks. But I can't remove these tattoos, even with surgery—I've tried it—these scars and the way I look. So, I have to come up with a way to be respectable so that my family in the future can be respectable as well.
"I've studied the dynasties, the Rockefellers, the Roosevelts, Kennedys, Clintons, and Bushes. I like the Kennedys the best because Joe came out of a similar criminal background as I have, and ended up being Ambassador to England, something that I will never be able to obtain. But, the presidency of the United States is in the grasp of my two sons and I'm going to do everything in my power to see that they become the first Hispanic dynasty in the United States of the World. The country is ripe for an Hispanic president, and just because it hasn't happened, doesn't mean that it won't. With you, and my money, we can make it happen." Sanchez leaned back again, took another long sip on his lemonade, and gloated.
That got Jason's attention, big time. "Me? I don't even know you. How do I figure into your plans?"
"I've had you on my radar ever since you came to Puerto Limón and boarded that luxury slow boat. Only the very wealthy do that, so I checked you out and found out that you, John Jacob Olson, are the cleanest man around. You come from the lake country up there in Minnesota, got your bachelor's degree at St. Olaf College and your master's degree at the University of Chicago. While at the University of Chicago you worked in a pizza place, and then joined a Catholic cult up in Wisconsin, The Vespers, I believe. I like that. My family is Catholic and I don't have to deal with that because the Kennedys broke that barrier, and you being Catholic makes everything a lot easier.
"You went from being a monk in the monastery to becoming its chief security officer… I like that…shows that you are very versatile and ambitious. Like a good boy, you put your money in a local bank and made a killing on the stock market, just like Joe Kennedy did before the crash in 1929, and I've done a few times from my insider knowledge. When that whole dynasty run by that homo pedophile who called himself Pious One folded, you got off clean and, to my good fortune, came down here into my territory… Easy pick’ns. Everything else checked out clean. You are clean as a whistle, man. My kind of accomplice. You can do this for me with no sweat. You'll be rewarded handsomely."
"I will? How? What do you mean by reward?"
"I’ve already rewarded you. During our drug running heydays I built this place on this island for a white homeboy from East LA who worked for me all those years because he could speak Spanish being from the barrio. I bankrolled him getting a college education, and he often helped me with money transactions and drug smuggling. Knowing that this island had a bad reputation, I bought it for next to nothing and set him up real nice so that he could run drugs and money in the predecessor to that Cigarette Boat in the boathouse. All that money and a high living got to him. He got a white nose and then started injecting. He wrecked that boat and then disrespected me by double-dealing with some of my competitors in Columbia. I had to deal with him, so I did him up in the way we always do… With knives… And that's why this island is so protected by its ongoing curse. All the locals are scared shitless.
"But I want to change all that. Oh, with those secret compartments and your cover as a self-made millionaire playboy philanthropist, I want you to run money to the States and make sure that my sons go all the way to the White House in the next seven years. Marco is finishing his JD at the Harvard Law School in three months and is headed for a Wall Street law firm. Tony is finishing his master's degree in foreign relations at George Mason University. At the same time, I have ghostwriters and researchers putting together his story for publication, Up From the Picking Fields, to launch his political career when he runs for Congress in California next November. You will be my man behind the scenes. The one greasing the skids. Making it possible for my boys to rise to the occasion I have planned for them.
"Your reward? I haven't forgotten that. I've already rewarded you with that woman you found. I made sure that she got away from my men and I knew that she would find you, or anyone else I found to take your place, when I got someone on this island. You can do with her whatever you wish. I know that you're not gay. There's very little I don't know about you. But I do know that you will need money to play the part I have planned for you. So we'll start your salary off at $1 million a year and that will grow, if necessary, if you do very well. And, I think you will do very well." Sanchez peered into Jason's eyes as if searching to see if he would be affected by the talk of money and what he would be required to do. He saw nothing but Jason's concentration on what he was saying. Sanchez liked that.
Jason, sensing that Sanchez was nearly finished with his monologue, responded by smiling warmly and, "That's very generous of you, Señor Sanchez. I knew I wasn't cut out to just stay on this island like a hermit. I was just cooling my heels down here after spending so much time in that cloister with its bad weather and all. Your offer sounds very good. And that woman… You have very good taste. She mentioned her sisters. What of her sisters?"
Ignacio smiled broadly, knowing he was in charge now. "Oh, them? A couple of whoring sluts. I've got them lined up with a couple of my insiders on the East Coast. It's so easy to keep them happy." He laughed. "And call me Iggy. That's what I go by among my close associates. Are you in?" He narrowed his gaze to a look that would've scared anybody but Jason. "Cuz if you're not…?"
Knowing his cue, Jason responded quickly, "I'm in. I'm all in, Iggy." His eyes steadily meeting Sanchez's as they shook hands.
Iggy Sanchez reached in his pocket, produced a cell phone, and made a phone call. He then turned to Jason again. "I'll be leaving momentarily. At precisely 8 am tomorrow, a boat will dock here and make a delivery. The delivery will include a half-year of your pay in cash and an undisclosed package of cash that you are to deliver to the Hiberian Bank of Grand Cayman Island. There will be a bag containing 10 cell phones. Carry two with you at all times to keep in contact with me. Only use one, but if I request, immediately destroy the phone that you have been using and start using the clean one. They are all clean right now, but can be compromised at any time. Do you already have a cell phone? We didn't detect any.
"No, no Internet connection either, except I saw one on the Marauder SS. I preferred to stay away from those time wasters for a more quiet life."
"I like that." Iggy chuckled. "But it's necessary that we keep in touch… You understand?"
"I understand. I'll be careful with the phone."
Suddenly there was the sound of a chopper coming. Iggy said. "That's my ride. Take your time and take that woman and your friends with you to the Caymans. Remember, you're a rich playboy and not a delivery boy. I think you'll know what to do." He winked and jumped up from his seat. Shaking hands once more, Iggy left Jason watching as he ran over to the helicopter landing on the pad that Randy and he had cleared of debris only a couple of days before. Ignacio Sanchez left the same way he came—very quickly.
Shortly after the helicopter disappeared from sight, Lovely appeared at the other end of the pool and came running to him. She was all questions. "Who was that evil looking man and why was he here? I was so scared when I saw him with you. And then the helicopter came. I hid so that they wouldn’t see me from the air. Is he going to harm you? I don't like him. I don't like him at all!" She had a frightened look on her face.
Jason had to think of something fast. He did. "Do you remember that I told you that I was working for a company and that I was on vacation from that company? Well, they sent that man to tell me to go on a secret mission for them and I need him to do it in this part of the world. Can you keep a secret?"
Lovely's eyes got big on that question, "Yes, what?"
"He is a very evil man. But I must work with him if I'm to succeed for my company."
"I can, JJ. I can." She hugged Jason and strolled off to the kitchen to make supper. Jason returned to the pool to finish working on it. They would be able to swim in the pool that evening. He looked forward to seeing her swimming in the nude.
