Ortega knew the dangers of being a field agent.
It was early in the morning when helicopters and freight planes left the United States with the help of neighboring countries to navigate and invade the remote island in the middle of nowhere.
Barely policed by the Cuban government, who once used the island for military operations, the island remained a secret hideaway for almost a decade. It was a few degrees off the halfway point between Cuba and the United States. Either country could have owned the land, but the island had been given as a peace offering from England back in the 1940s. Roosevelt had attempted to gain control over the island for a naval training facility but failed.
Detective Ortega learned of this as they began the process of getting clearance. They had enough information to obtain permission for the search and rescue of two US citizens, and if they happened to capture Rivera and his gang in the process, it would be a win.
Ortega could finally put that part of her life behind her.
She was not part of the tactical division that would be dropping from the sky onto the island. Instead, she sat in one of the helicopters right behind the airstrike team, along with two other choppers. Her entire career with the FBI was riding on this mission. If it turned out to be a bust, which she certainly doubted, it might mean desk duty and a demotion in rank.
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Overnight, the Cuban government had provided the blueprints of the defunct military base. Ortega was on the island of Cay Sal, which was owned by the Bahamas, when the call came in from the first air team just as the sun came up.
They confirmed there was a development on the island, and it looked like a resort with recreational structures, including a golf range.
Ortega’s suspicion was in line with the news. Rivera’s corporation had purchased the land, making it hard to press charges on him outside of the country. It was a fine line she walked until they knew what was on the island. Again, her suspicions alluded to the fact that he had brought his sex-trafficking business to this island.
Part of having the first team assess the island was meant to determine if the island had any defenses. If the island tracked overhead flight patterns, they also might have had the means to shoot down anyone inside of a no-fly zone.
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