On the cargo ship, the bearded captain greeted Sam warmly. Owen noticed that while no one was looking, Sam discreetly handed the captain a few rolls of cash.
The bearded captain, now even more enthusiastic, had one of his crew members lead them to a cabin. Of course, this wasn't an official crew quarters—those were reserved for the actual sailors. This was just an ordinary cargo hold.
No one really minded. They weren't picky, and the ride here hadn't been much better—they had traveled in a freight train car, which wasn't exactly luxurious either.
Once aboard, they were basically safe. No matter how powerful the Montel family was, they wouldn't be able to track them down so quickly. Besides, by now, other cartel factions must have caught wind of the situation. The Montel family's troubles were only just beginning.
Being a family-run cartel meant that Blanca Montel and Alex weren't the only ones involved. Many of their relatives held key positions in the drug operation, including some ruthless figures.
But it was already too late. Blanca Montel had been the face of the organization, its heart and soul.
Now that the banner had fallen, morale would waver. Those who had relied on the Montel family would start considering their own interests, while rival factions would seize the opportunity to strike.
With wolves circling from all sides, even the military allies who had once supported the Montels might abandon them. Their fate was sealed.
As predicted, attacks were already underway on various Montel estates. Alex's mother and sister, still mourning their lost relatives, barely had time to grieve before enemies came knocking.
Whether for money, control of drug routes, or access to production facilities, their foes would never allow anyone bearing the Montel name to live. The family's reign had come to a bloody end, leaving behind nothing but rivers of blood.
Of course, none of this was Owen's concern anymore. All they had to do now was lay low in the cargo hold and wait for the ship to take them back to the U.S.
Inside the hold, Wright pulled out another flask from his backpack. He had just finished an entire bottle of rum by himself.
The Rangers began sharing stories from their past missions.
ASH and Hotshot were chatting with Monica, recounting their experiences over the past few days. Occasionally, Monica's eyes would light up as she glanced at Owen.
Owen, meanwhile, was listening to the older Rangers tell their exaggerated war stories. He took a sip from the flask Brian handed him before passing it to Sam.
"Sam, buddy, I really appreciate everything you did for us. You planned this perfectly. But I know the money I gave you wasn't nearly enough. How much did you cover out of pocket? I'll make sure to pay you back later."
Owen had emptied his savings for this mission. ASH and Hotshot had chipped in as well, and even Campbell—though unable to participate—had contributed, given that he was part of SWAT. They hadn't hidden the operation from him.
But that money was never going to be enough.
Americans weren't known for saving money. Even after pooling their resources, they had less than $100,000. A portion had already been spent, and by the time Sam got his share, there wasn't much left.
Yet Sam had provided a ton of support. Just the weapons alone had been incredibly valuable.
Unlike the outdated Russian junk used by the cartel militias, Sam's arsenal contained premium gear. Though not American-made, their weapons were top-tier.
And that wasn't all. Sam had also arranged contact with the rebel group. While the rebels had their own reasons for fighting the cartel, helping out Owen's team was a different matter altogether. Even with Sam's personal connections, some compensation was necessary.
Then there were the transportation logistics, the escape route planning, and the bribes for the ship captain.
There was no way Sam had covered all that with the little money Owen had given him.
Owen had no intention of letting his friend take a loss. That wasn't his style.
Since the cargo hold wasn't exactly spacious, everyone overheard the conversation. Sam's men, along with Brian, all started chuckling.
Owen suddenly felt like an idiot.
Alright, clearly there was something he didn't know. He was all ears.
Sure enough, Sam patted Owen's shoulder with a grin.
"Relax, buddy. Not only do you not have to pay me back, but I didn't even spend a dime of the money you gave me. Someone else is picking up the tab for this mission."
Someone else?
Who?
Owen wasn't the only one confused. The other SWAT members also looked puzzled.
Sam laughed heartily, then explained, "I own a private security company. We're a military contractor for the Department of Defense and have strong ties with the military. But we also work with the CIA. The Agency outsources certain… dirty jobs to us. And this time, they'll be footing the bill."
The CIA?
Owen exchanged glances with the others, including the SWAT team. Everyone shook their heads—clearly, he wasn't the only one caught off guard.
What did the CIA have to do with this?
This time, Brian stepped in to explain.
"The CIA sent an elite team after the Montel family before us. They got wiped out. You've heard about that, right?"
Owen nodded. The SWAT guys did too.
Womack had mentioned it. It wasn't surprising.
Unless you pulled off an operation like they did—hitting fast and catching the cartel off guard—any elite team would've been swallowed whole by the Montel family's military connections.
But what did that have to do with the CIA picking up the bill?
Brian continued, "The CIA has a reputation to maintain. The Montel family caused chaos in the U.S., and when the CIA sent a team for revenge, they got slaughtered. That makes the Agency look weak."
"And America can't allow that. The CIA is the country's sword—it has to be sharp. If word got out that the Agency couldn't even take down a second-rate Colombian drug lord, its credibility would be in ruins.
"So the CIA has to respond. They need to show the White House that they're in control."
Otherwise, if they couldn't even handle a cartel, how could they convince Washington's top brass that they were capable of managing U.S. interests abroad?
"But we just killed Blanca Montel," Brian continued. "And with him gone, the Montel family is as good as finished.
"If Sam claims responsibility for the hit and hands the credit over to the CIA, the Agency will owe him a favor.
"This way, we avoid suspicion, the CIA gets to save face, and in return, they'll compensate Sam's company handsomely. It's a win-win for everyone."
Owen's eyes lit up.
This really was a perfect three-way deal.
Those old CIA spooks… none of them were amateurs.
It was impressive how they turned a simple rescue-and-elimination mission into a massive strategic gain—just by changing the narrative.
Rescue accomplished. Revenge taken. Future risks eliminated. And on top of that, they saved a fortune.
Not bad. Not bad at all.
This gave Owen an idea.
He suggested to Sam, "What if we rope in the FBI and CTU as well?"
After all, CTU had managed to wipe out the mercenaries hiding in Los Angeles, but Alex had still escaped, which was an embarrassment for them.
If they reframed the entire mission as part of a larger U.S. government operation, it would all make perfect sense.
Sam thought about it and agreed.
It was highly feasible.
The FBI and CTU wouldn't get much credit, but it would make the story more believable.
With two agencies backing the CIA's version of events, even if someone got suspicious, they'd never be able to find any holes.
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