DeMario, Pete, and Charlie walked along the outside of dock area, along the railroad tracks and outside of the security fence. Their tattered clothing made them look like homeless and hid the body armor well. Pete even pushed a shopping cart full of black plastic garbage bags. Many would be surprised to know what those bags really held.
Pete paused for a moment to survey the scene of red brick buildings, alley ways and cul de sacs. “There are lots of civilians in this area. It could get real ugly if a firefight erupts. Look over there, is that a microbrewery!”
Charlie took his turn to push the cart. “They couldn’t even notify the Department of Homeland Security.” Charlie stopped and reached into his one of his pockets to pull out a cell phone. DeMario and Pete both looked at him questionably.
Charlie responded. “Look, believe it or not, in Oakland, many homeless have cell phones. I happened to think about how the Department of Homeland Security has not been notified. My other job is in that department! The Coast Guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security. I happen to work on the Maritime Safety and Security Team for this area. Most of the guys are reservists, like me. I think that I might be able to get them to start an exercise, we might need them.
DeMario limped along. “Yeah, your guys’ boats and guns could prove useful based on what the FBI is telling us.”
“I really find it hard to believe that these guys could have compromised the Coast Guard.”
When Charlie finished his call, they continued along. Pete pulled out a brown bag with a bottle, full of water of course, that they could pass around to complete the illusion of homelessness. An Oakland Police officer drove by and gave them the hairy eye.
When the setting son turned the sky crimson, silhouetting the Bay Bridge and Yerba Buena Island, they hunkered down for a while, watching truck traffic in and out of the Fairchild Group terminal. As darkness fell, they pulled out their night vision equipment along with battle vests and special packs, which they strapped on. The night phase of surveillance was about to begin. DeMario’s ‘stang was not far off, containing a trunk full of special equipment which would really get the attention of port security or the Oakland Police, if only they knew.
Robert and Juan sat on folding chairs in the back of the warehouse. Eric held a clipboard with a roster of names. Several massive men stood with him, giving Eric names that he checked off a list. Each man was then given a bag containing assorted weaponry.
Eric set the clipboard down. “This makes 25. What kind of weapons are you giving them?”
Juan glanced over at Robert and then replied. “Each one is getting an M4 with several clips and several hand grenades. Each team of 5 is getting an M249SAW machine gun and a 60 mm mortar.”
Robert looked over at Eric and added, “The Chinese have the dock area under video surveillance. These guys are going in to establish prepared positions, thanks to your getting us passes. These men are all hired guns with experience in the drug wars in Columbia. I could have really used these guys in Vietnam.
They are all very tough.”
Eric didn’t ask which side they were on in Columbia. “What do the Chinese have?”
“Shindo has a bunch of ex-cons who think they are tough $*%. He might have a hundred or more. They are no match for these guys. Shindo will pay big tomorrow night.”
Continued ...