Aztec Treasure

Spider Monkey’s POV

Arrowhead Pack House

We did it.

It took my team three days to hack into the secure file at Banco Mexico and steal the password and fingerprint files from their central computer. With that information, we used a 3D printer to make fake ‘thumbs’ that would match those of the account owners. I had everything I needed in my purse; the account information, a flash drive with account histories, and two thumbs.

As I walked to the Alpha’s office, my team was ‘cleaning up’ behind me. Brian was wiping all the removable hard drives. When that was done, he would be loading up all the hard drives, computers, routers, and servers that were part of my hacking setup. Nothing could tie us to what was happening next; none of us would ever get out of prison if we didn’t do it right.

Colletta, Frank, Rori, and Chase were waiting for me in the Alpha’s office. I closed the door, my elation at cracking the codes warring with my nervousness about what would happen next. “I have full access to the CIA and the Cartel accounts,” I told them.

“What has to happen for you to make the transfers?”

“I need to access a Banco Mexico computer at any of their branches and log in,” I told them. “After that, I can transfer the funds anywhere in the world. I’ve selected a series of banks that will be near-impossible to trace.”

“Well done,” Frank said. “Is there any chance the IT administrators at Banco Mexico caught on?”

“I’m the best at what I do, but I never say never. The more important point is that this opportunity could go away at any time. All it takes is one password change and I’m locked out. All evidence of what we have done is being destroyed as we speak.”

Colletta nodded. “How much time do we have?”

“There’s no way to know, but the faster, the better.”

Colletta stood up. “We better get going then. There is a Banco Mexico branch in Washington, DC. Frank, you get the plane ready while I make a phone call.”

Good. The sooner the better, and I didn’t want to put Arrowhead in the crosshairs. “Vic will demand to come. He won’t let me go anywhere without protection,” I said as I rubbed my baby belly.

“He’s packing a bag for you now. Go pack and we’ll meet you in front of your house in ten minutes.”

Chase walked me back home. “If it’s too dangerous, I want you to back off. What we are doing is important, but nothing is more important than the safety of you and the Pack. We can always get money, and I don’t need you up at night worrying about if someone found you.”

“I know, Chase. But, I also know who was on Air Force One that night. These guys aren’t just traitors, they tried to kill your MOTHER and the leader of your kind. The Cartels deserve everything they get, especially if they provided the missiles. I’ll get this done, then I’ll take a long shower, lay on the hotel bed, and eat popcorn while I watch the news coverage. I’ll sleep just fine, thank you.”

“Let Vic take care of you. Maybe take a few days to see the sights and relax. It’s better if you stay away for a bit, at least until things settle down. Tell Vic to bring your alternate identifications along and use those.” We reached my front door, and he patted my shoulder. “You’ve done us a great service, Spider Monkey. Anything you need, we’ll get for you.”

“I know, Alpha. Thank you.” Vic opened the door and brought me to our bedroom, where I quickly packed a few things for the trip. We left our cellphones at home, taking new ones that were registered to the Pack instead. The driver was waiting for us outside, and we headed to the Two Harbors Airport.

We didn’t say anything about the job until the jet was in the air and the pilot’s door was closed. The four of us sat around the conference table. “I’ve reserved a rental car for you under Vic’s alternate identification; it will be waiting at the airport. Make your own way home, and don’t tell us where or when,” Frank said. He handed me a phone. “I’ll text you with the go-time once I have everything arranged. We need to closely coordinate this with the assault on the CIA safe house. We can’t give them any time to destroy evidence before our men sweep in.”

“What about the Station Chief?”

“Don’t worry about Henry Consuellar. He’s going to give up his co-conspirators, or we’ll drop him on a street corner in Culiacan with a sign around his neck. They won’t kill him quickly.”

People were going to die as a result of what I would do, and I was all right with that. Traitors deserve to die. “I need to know where you want the money to end up.”

Frank handed me a business card with directions printed on the back. My eyes got wide as I saw what was written there. “Are you sure?”

“We are.”

I stashed the card in my wallet. “You’re the boss.”

There wasn’t much more to talk about, so I used the bathroom and we ate the food the kitchen sent along for us. We landed just after one, and Vic parked near the branch location he’d picked. We visited some of the shops while we waited, then sat at an outdoor café for an afternoon snack. The phone buzzed as I ate my pecan pie with ice cream; the message said “4:15.” I looked at my watch; we had twenty minutes until I needed to start the transfers.

We finished our food and paid the bill. Vic walked me the two blocks to the bank, then went to retrieve the rental car. “Call me when you are done,” he told me.

I kissed him and walked inside. Ignoring the lines at the tellers, I found a banker at one of the desks and got her attention. “I need to access my numbered account,” I told her.

“Of course, Ma’am.” She led me through a door to a secure area. “Your thumbprint is required for access,” she said when I reached the door where an armed guard was stationed. I slipped the thin printed thumb-skin over my own, placing it on the reader. The light flashed green and the electronic lock opened. Inside the small room was a desk, a computer terminal, and a chair. “Knock on the door when you are done and the guard will let you out.”

“Thank you.”

I looked at my phone; I had six minutes. I logged into the CIA account first, noting the latest cash deposit had been credited this morning. Another twenty-four million and change that would soon be on its ways to Cartel accounts, but now was under my control. I pulled out the card Frank had given me and got to work.

At exactly four-fifteen, I made the transfer and then changed the password. Logging out, I put on the second thumbprint and logged into the Cartel account. A minute later, all but the ten-thousand-dollar account minimum was on its way to its new home. Changing that password as well, I logged out of the account and gathered my things. I also called Vic and told him to meet me out front. Standing up, I knocked on the door and waited for it to open.

“Thank you,” I told the guard as he opened the door.

He escorted me to the lobby door, holding it open for me. “Have a good day, Ma’am.”

I pulled my phone out as I walked to the doors, calling Vic to pick me up. I’d barely made the sidewalk when he pulled up so I could get in. “We good?”

“Perfect,” I said. I took out the burner phone, texted ‘Done’ to Frank, then broke the phone in half. It didn't seem real; in five minutes, I'd stolen hundreds of millions of dollars and placed it outside the reach of the Cartel and the CIA black operators. “Where are we going?”

“Ocean City,” he said. “I found a nice little bed and breakfast on the beach.”

“Now you’re talking my language,” I said. “Wake me up when we’re there.” I fell asleep before we got on the freeway.