The Wolf of Los Angeles

[Chapter 289: Greed Kills]

The sudden appearance of the cargo made the atmosphere tense for the hunting crew.

Hawke and Erika readied their rifles, choosing a suitable place to take cover. They hoped Duran and his team wouldn't get reckless, but if they made any sudden movements, they wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger.

As professional hunters, they'd grown desensitized to death, having killed many large animals in their line of work.

Duran recalled that several orange emergency packs had been dropped from the plane, and this was one of them. What about the others? Were they filled with goods as well?

If they were, selling them could provide a way out of America, a chance for an easy retirement. The thought crossed his mind as Duran instinctively reached for his sidearm. Upon touching the cold metal grip, he quickly withdrew his hand.

He turned to look behind him at a man and a woman standing about twenty meters away, rifles at the ready but pointed towards the ground. Behind them, there were a few more figures. Although he couldn't see them clearly, Duran knew they were armed.

These weapons not only clear the black bear's mind, but also helped people calm their impulsive urges. Duran, with his bushy beard, forced a smile and said, "That bear could've eaten the food from here."

Hawke replied, "That's none of our concern. Let's move."

Even though their gun barrels pointed to the ground, Erika's finger was poised on the trigger. Duran snapped to attention, noticing the two assistants drooling over the emergency packs. He reminded them, "There's too much here. This is definitely the work of a large trafficking organization. Those cross-border drug dealers are all desperate criminals. We need to leave!"

Leimier couldn't help himself. "Boss, let's just take a few bags."

Hawke glanced at Erika. "We're leaving first." Erika nodded slightly.

The two stepped back, keeping an eye on Duran and the others. Duran urged his assistants again, "Let's go!"

Not everyone had clarity of mind, though. Leimier took off his jacket and threw it on the ground, piling up the bags. "Boss, there's no one here. It's our lucky day! This could make us more money than we've seen in ten years!"

Another assistant chimed in, "It's enough for three people!"

"You guys are insane!" Duran turned to leave, warning, "We can't control this kind of wealth!"

The two continued to gather their loot without a glance upwards. Duran felt defeated, declaring, "I'll leave you a car."

Leimier looked up, "Boss, we'll keep you a share." Duran pretended not to hear and quickened his pace to catch up with Hawke and Erika.

...

When they emerged from the woods into the staging area for their vehicles, the remaining bodyguards had already loaded the bear's carcass into another pickup truck, covering it with a tarp.

Raul asked, "Should we pull out now?"

Hawke firmly replied, "Get in, everyone!" He and Erika made their way to the backseat of a truck filled with alligators while Raul took the driver's seat.

Emerging from the trees, Duran panted and called out, "Wait for me! Hold up!"

In another pickup, Morentes pulled out a gun, subtly pointing it in Duran's direction. Duran rushed to Hawke's window, saying, "Leave a vehicle behind; I'll go with you."

Hawke glanced over at the trees again, saw no one emerging, and pointed to the front passenger seat. "Get in."

Duran hopped in quickly.

The group had arrived with a total of four pickup trucks; one was equipped with a crane while the other two held a bear and an alligator, leaving one truck vacant. The three vehicles rumbled to life and headed back the way they came.

Duran gripped the overhead handle, asking, "Should we call the hunting company for support?"

Hawke said, "No need; we'll head back directly."

Duran didn't press the matter further. This area was desolate, and further ahead lay a no-hunting zone, distanced from the starting town of Kissimmee.

...

After an hour on a rough road, they encountered seven or eight black SUVs cruising towards them. Each vehicle bore the DEA insignia, the abbreviation for the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Seeing the DEA vehicles pass by and recalling the contents of the orange emergency packs, Duran's expression turned grave. Those two fools were still out there in the woods.

If they had taken just one bag, they would have had enough time to escape. The worry was that their greed would push them to try and grab more. Duran had already warned them. Now, he could only pray for their safety.

Hawke observed the distance the convoy had covered and remarked, "DEA? Are they coming for those goods? When did they get so efficient?"

"A few years back, the DEA was pretty dedicated, but their commitment seems to have waned lately," Erika joked bitterly. "Their sense of responsibility is about on par with the LAPD."

Hawke responded, "If they're this dedicated, it doesn't sound like the DEA. Looks like someone else is involved."

Duran chimed in, "Is it the FBI?"

Erika replied casually, "Could also be the CIA."

Duran nodded, "I've heard that the CIA utilizes their position for trafficking. A friend working at the Orlando PD told me that the biggest trafficking organizations from South America and Mexico practically have the CIA backing them."

Erika added, "That's one of the CIA's conventional skills."

Compared to the LAPD, which specialized in framing and siphoning off funds, the CIA had a greater arsenal of traditional capabilities.

Hawke remarked to Duran, "If it really is the CIA, your two assistants are in trouble."

Duran sighed, "I warned them, but faced with cash that could be turned into gold, they might turn on me."

Hawke didn't continue the conversation but turned his gaze outside the window.

The three pickup trucks soon returned to Kissimmee. Erika called the hunting company, setting a meeting at the specimen processing facility in Orlando.

Hawke wanted to drop Duran off.

But the bearded man interjected, "I'll go with you to Orlando for a few days. It's safer there."

Hawke nodded slightly. He instructed the convoy not to stop in Kissimmee, heading straight to Orlando.

The truck convoy navigated through Kissimmee and turned onto the highway that led to Orlando.

...

In the wooded and wetland area, Leimier and the other assistant were walking out of the woods.

Using the experience they had acquired over the years hunting with Duran, they soon followed the trails left by black bears and found another orange emergency pack. However, this pack had been torn open, with most of its white powder spilling out on the ground.

Yet, the duo was lucky. They discovered another intact emergency pack nearby, filled to the brim with goods.

Leimier smiled broadly, suddenly feeling energized after a long day's work. Together, he and his companion grabbed the bag and left the trees.

"You know some gang members in Orlando, right?" Leimier asked as they walked. "Once we get back, you should go find him. The price doesn't matter; let's make a quick sale and leave Florida."

His companion nodded, asking, "What about the boss's share?"

Leimier didn't answer and instead retorted, "Duran already gave up his claim, didn't he?"

The other assistant paused, quickly realizing that if they cut Duran out, they could pocket even more.

As they stepped out of the woods, they spotted their pickup truck. Leimier knew Duran well; he understood that while Duran was crafty and brave, he lacked ambition but valued loyalty. All it took was a request for Duran to leave behind a vehicle.

Suddenly, from the other side of the truck emerged five muscular men wielding rifles. The leader shouted, "DEA! Raise your hands; let me see them!"

All barrels were aimed at the two men.

Leimier flinched when he saw the automatic weapons, quickly dropping the bag and raising his hands. His companion followed suit, fearing a moment's delay might lead to their demise.

"We're not drug dealers," Leimier explained rapidly. "We're professional hunters..."

The shouting man didn't listen and pulled the trigger.

The other four in DEA uniforms had no hesitation in firing their weapons.

After the gunfire, Leimier and his partner lay lifeless on the ground.

The DEA leader ordered, "Get everyone over here, find a spot with alligators, and dump the bodies in the water."

Another agent grabbed a radio, calling for more help.

The convoy of SUVs arrived soon after.

Someone went through the orange emergency pack, examined the wrapped clothing, and searched the two men, stating, "Some of the goods are missing."

The leader pulled out a GPS tracker, peering at the screen to locate the dropped items.

They collected the goods, dumped the bodies into a nearby waterway, and then retreated into the woods to search for the remaining packs.

...

In a facility in southern Orlando, workers busily unloaded the black bear and alligators from the trucks.

Hawke met with the company manager, who shook his hand and said straightforwardly, "We'll turn both of these into specimens and ship them to Los Angeles."

With the client offering generous payment, the manager assured him it was no problem. "We'll start work today. The alligator and black bear are sizeable; the bear needs some repairs on it, so we expect it will take at least six weeks to complete."

Hawke replied, "That's fine."

The manager added, "Is there anything else we can assist you with?"

Hawke pondered briefly before saying, "I need to purchase some local souvenirs."

The manager quickly gestured, "This way, please."

Hawke and Erika followed him to the sales area.

They each bought some locally made items, and that night, they flew out of Orlando to Miami, ready to enjoy the sunshine and beaches.

Perhaps that cursed god never jinxed them this time. Aside from encountering smugglers using planes to drop off emergency packs, everything went smoothly, and there were no other mishaps.

After three days in Miami, they returned to Los Angeles.

Erika inquired for information but hadn't heard any rumors about the DEA and the traffickers in the Orlando area.

They soon pushed the thought out of their minds.

*****

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