Rescued By An Alpha, Complete Set (5 page)

"What are you doing here?"

"I just want to talk to Digo." The guard let him through without any more questions.

Jim was amazed to see the setup in the shed. It reminded him of a large laboratory. Several men and women are busy looking after all the sophisticated equipment. Jim spotted Digo and walked over to him.

"Hi Digo, that's a mighty fine setup you have going here. Any chance of me getting some dope?"

Digo smiled, "Sure how much do you want?"

"I just want enough to keep me going until I get home."

"Come over here and have a drink with me." Digo took him over to the corner and they sit there chatting. Jim felt they hit it off pretty good.

"You want to meet me for a few drinks and a game of pool at the hotel tonight?" he asked as he paid for the dope.

"That will be great." They shook hands and Jim got ready to leave. He was very happy with the results of his investigation.

Now he might be able to get some information about where Tom is. Jim headed back to the hotel and told Brian about his meeting with Digo.

"He is working in a big shed hidden in the back of Carlos Fontana's property. They are making drugs there. I suspect that Carlos is a drug lord."

"Shit, that is a big one. We will have to let the police know about that as well as Tom's disappearance. Good work Jim."

"I'm going to meet Digo here in the hotel tonight for a game of pool. I thought maybe I can find out where Tom is."

"If we are lucky, we can get an undercover cop to join you. I suggest we talk to the police and get them in on it. I think you will feel safer."

"Okay, but don't spoil it for me because I am sure I can get Digo to talk once he has had a few drinks."

Brian got in touch with the police and explained the situation. An hour later, two men dressed in business suits entered the hotel and walked over to talk to the receptionist at the check-in desk, where Brian had already left a message for them. She sent them right up to Brian's room where he is waiting with Jim. The two civilian-dressed policemen sat quietly listening while Brian explained the situation to them.

"We have the SIS (Secret Intelligence Service) located here in South America. They are a branch of the Secret Police. They are already aware of something illegal going on at Carlos Fontana's property, but they are holding back because it is a big operation, and they want to get everyone involved. There are several men investigating the case." One of the police men said.

"Digo is just a little fish in a big pond, but if you like, we can send an undercover man from the SIS to join you tonight while you play pool. He is an expert in cases like this and will know how to get Digo to talk and maybe tell you what happened to your friend."

"I would appreciate your help. I have to admit I'm a little nervous about mixing with those guys," Jim said.

The two policemen advised them to simply go ahead with the project of building Carlos Fontana's mansion as if nothing had happened, and they would keep watching him. There would be several undercover SIS agents working on the case, so they would be in no immediate danger. After they left, Jim and Brian had a serious talk. They were both concerned about Tom and what a mess they had gotten into. Jim's urge to help find his friend was strong. With his likable personality, and ability to talk to people, he was sure he'd be able to pull it off with the help of the undercover cop. Later that night there was a knock at Brian's hotel room door and a man dressed in very casual clothing and a pair of well worn runners was outside the door. At six foot tall and very muscular, he looked like he could easily take on a few crooks and knock the shit out of them.

"Hi, I believe you are expecting me," he said, and introduced himself as Franco.

"Come on in. I'm Brian and this is Jim, who you will keep company tonight."

They talked a bit and agreed to Franco joining Jim and Digo in a game of pool.

Jim met Digo down in the game room, and they went to the bar to have a few drinks. Afterward, they set up for a game of pool. Franco came into the game room with a drink in his hand."Hi Jim, what's up?"

"Hey Franco, come and join us for a game of pool. Digo this is my friend, Franco."

"Hi Franco, yeah, why don't you join us?" Franco fell right in with them, and in no time made friends with Digo. He knew just how to talk to him to get his trust.

After a few games of pool, they settled down at a table over in the corner. The waitress kept coming with drinks. Digo, a heavy drinker, was knocking them back like water. It didn't take long before he was so drunk that it was easy to get him to open up and talk. Franco knew he had him right where he wanted him.

"Funny how that man disappeared the other night at Carlos Fontana's house, and now he's nowhere to be found," Jim mentioned casually.

Digo, now happy to offer information, thinking he is clever, falls right into the trap.

"Oh, that's that little bitch, Eva. She had someone spike his drink and then drive him way out in the jungle. Carlos has a big property out there, but it's supposed to be a secret."

He started to whisper, thinking he was telling them a secret.

"That's where most of the stuff comes from. I have never been there, but I hear it is a very guarded place. Carlos makes millions from the crops they grow and what they produce there. It's big business."

"How far from here would that be?" Jim asked.

Franco jumped in, "Have you heard of someone being out there in the jungle?"

"Only rumors, but I could find out." Digo, now feeling very important, enjoyed all the attention he was getting, so was more than willing to give them as much information as he can.

"Do you think they still have that man Tom out there?"

"Yes, that is if they haven't already shot him. It is a heavily guarded place, and no one can get near it," Digo whispered. "Every now and then, a truck comes in from the jungle with bags of stuff to manufacture the drugs in Carlos' shed. They call the place out there 'The Jungle Retreat'. It is all very hush-hush. He puts his finger up to his lips as if to say 'shh'.

They talked late into the night. Jim and Franco got all the information Digo could give them. The next day, Franco and Jim met up in Brian's hotel room, telling Brian everything. Franco had already gone back to the SIS headquarters to report the information he had gotten from Digo. They placed a few detectives around Carlos' property, so when the truck came in from 'The Jungle Retreat' they would have someone follow them back. They had learned from Digo that it would take days to get out to there. A few undercover agents were put on the job, and some of them managed to get employment in Carlos Fontana's house doing various jobs. This way they could keep an eye on what went on there, and when the truck arrived from 'The Jungle Retreat'.

It took a couple of months before the truck came again. One of the SIS agents got on the phone to alert the car assigned to follow the truck back. It was going to be a long drive, and once in the jungle, not an easy one. They also had to be careful not to be seen by the truck. They did their best to follow the truck, but when they got to a turn in the road that met up with several other roads, the SIS car was at a complete loss as to which road to take. Not even with all their modern technical equipment were they able to see where the truck went, so they turned back home again. They kept the men on the case, but it was a pretty hopeless job.

However, the SIS agents didn't want to give up, so they kept on watching Carlos Fontana's house for the next truck to arrive. It took several months before the next truck turned up, but they were ready. They got one of their men in the shed helping to unload the truck, and when no one was looking, he quickly stuck a tracking device under the truck. This time, there wouldn't be a problem following the truck.

Carlos Fontana's mansion was nearly completed. They had been working on it for over a year, and it looked fantastic. Brian and Jim were still there on the job, feeling very proud of being part of creating such a beautiful mansion. They had been keeping in touch with the SIS, but there was still no news about Tom. They had just about given up hope of ever finding him, and were beginning to accept the possibility that he has been killed.

Only Jim, who was close to Tom, still wondered what could have happened to him, and was not willing to write him off as being dead. He kept in touch with Franco and got updates from him. Jim has made up his mind that after the project on Carlos Fontana's mansion was finished, he wanted to spend some time trying to find out what had happened to Tom.

CHAPTER EIGHT

The search for Tom had gone on for a long time. No one knew what happened to him, and everyone, including Serena thought he must have been killed.

"Mom, I think I'm going out of my mind worrying about Tom. I have called the university where he studied. They were very sorry to tell me that he had gone missing when he was with the architect team in South America. No one had been able to find out what happened to him. They were sorry! That is all they have to say?" Serena sat down and cried. "It is such a cold attitude to offer someone who has lost their loved one."

"I know darling, it was very sad he should go missing. It hurts us to see you grieving like that. Maybe it is time for you to think about working toward your own dream of becoming a fashion designer."

"Yes, perhaps I should do that."

It had taken her a long time and many hours of crying to come to terms with losing Tom, and she would probably always wonder what could have happened to him. It had been over a year since he went missing. As sad as it was, she would have to accept the fact that he might never come back and they may never know what happened to him. After a year, Serena had given up all hope of ever seeing Tom again and has decided to move on with her life. She wanted to start a new life and pursue her long time dream of becoming a fashion designer. She made up her mind to go to Paris and find some work there.

"Don't forget to keep in touch Serena, and if you are not happy, you know we will welcome you back with open arms," her mother said after giving her a big hug.

"Yes, mom, I will."

"I know you want to be independent, but here is something for a rainy day." Her dad handed her a white envelope.

"Oh, thanks dad, but you really didn't have to do that. I'll be fine." Serena had tears running down her face and whispered, "You are the best dad," as she gave him a big hug.

Pia her younger sister was there too, wishing her well on her new venture.

"Come and visit me sometimes, it's not that far to Paris." Serena felt sad to say goodbye to the people she cared most about in the whole world.

There is a certain atmosphere of excitement at the airport, caused by the people coming and going from all corners of the world. Then the voice called from the loudspeaker.

"Boarding to Paris, Gate 2 last call. "Serena quickly gathered her hand bag and farewell gifts. She blew them all a kiss, and off she went toward Gate 2 and disappearing in the crowd. As soon as she was seated on board she started to relax. Now she was finally on her way to Paris to pursue her dream. She was determined that nothing was going to hold her back from what she wanted to achieve. She felt a mixture of excitement and sadness to leave her dear ones behind.

Paris is not that far away from Sweden and I can come back if I don't like it there. But I want to give it a good chance and get on with my new life without Tom.
Serena started to daydream.
Paris is where I have always wanted to go to follow my dream of becoming a fashion designer.

As she sat there in the plane looking out of the window, she thought back to her childhood and her school years. Serena left school early. She was pretty smart in most subjects and got top marks in Art. But she was never really happy in school. She was constantly teased by a small group of bitchy girls about the way she dressed. Anita was the leader of the group. Her family was well off, and she was always wearing the latest fashion. The other girls followed her out of fear of being left out, or maybe they were too stupid to think for themselves. Serena had felt awful being treated like that, it was very embarrassing.

They were all dressed in the latest fashion, while Serena was wearing second-hand-clothes or hand-me-downs. Her parents were not well off, and her mother would go to second-hand shops to buy her and her younger sister clothes. Serena remembered when she and Pia were kids, they had gone window shopping to look at the latest fashion and seen other kids dress really nice. Oh, how she had wished that it was her, wearing their smart fashionable clothes. That was when Serena started to form her dream goal.

"I want to be a fashion designer for one of the biggest fashion stores in Paris." She had told her parents and she had been pretty determined about that. She did not want to be poor. She swore to herself that she would one day show Anita and those bitchy girls she hung out with how well dressed she could be. Then one day, an opportunity opened up to her. One of the biggest fashion stores was looking for some teenage girls to model their new summer collection. Serena was picked out as one of the lucky ones to do the modeling for the store. Serena didn't know how beautiful looking she was with her long blond hair, sky blue eyes and her slim figure.

It had been exciting. They had liked her so much that she became a regular model for the store. She had let them know that she would like to learn dressmaking, and it wasn't long before there was an opening for a new apprenticeship. She was offered the job. Serena had jumped to the opportunity right away. Now, many years later, she was sitting in a plane on her way to pursue her dream. She had learned to sew and she was really good at it. She had made many smart dresses and outfits for herself and was no longer wearing hand-me-downs or second- hand-clothes. She had also created quite an impressive portfolio of some of her best creations which she felt extremely proud of.

The day she finished her apprenticeship and received her certificate for being a qualified dressmaker had been a big day for her. When she looked at the certificate, it gave her a great sense of achievement to have reached this goal at the age of 20. She invited the ladies who had taught her to sew dresses, along with the other new girl who was replacing her, to her home to help her celebrate.