In the warm glow created from his third zombie Lawrence Taylor Giants Jersey , Jacob Tower sat at a table admiring the scantily clad waitresses as they flittered from customer to customer. "Interesting place, this After Dark Lounge," he mumbled. "A mild-mannered fruit bar by day, but a red-hot den of iniquity at night. Good use of square footage, too. Sort of the Jekyll and Hyde of resort lounge architecture."
"Would you care for more, se帽or?" asked someone next to him. Looking up, Jacob saw one of the lounge butterflies waiting expectantly.
"Oh Eli Manning Giants Jersey , no. I haven't finished this one. They're quite tasty. Perhaps later," smiled Jacob.
"S铆, se帽or. Just call when you are ready," she replied, returning his smile before moving on to the next customer.
He watched the waitress as she maneuvered around the bamboo furniture and through the dark shadows cast from the artificial palm trees.
"Oh, who's that I see being escorted by two tall, dark Odell Beckham Jr Youth Jersey , handsome Latin men?" chuckled Jacob. "Why, it's that TICoK Iowa district manager, Mary Garrotte! She hasn't wasted any time getting into the swing of things. In a resort like this, the best money can buy is always readily available."
"You shouldn't talk to yourself when you're drunk. You may give away state secrets," whispered a figure in the shadows behind him.
Almost spilling what remained in his glass, Jacob spun around to see Gabriel Israphel, casually dressed as usual Darius Slayton Youth Jersey , but with a tired and drawn look about him. Smiling, Jacob put a finger to his lips and gestured for Gabriel to sit.
"What took you so long? You're over an hour late!" whispered Jacob.
"I was detained with a case," shrugged Gabe. "Now, what do you want? I need to get back soon."
Giving Gabe a knowing nod, Jacob shared some of the details that his "operative," Dennis Tantara, had uncovered while in Caracas.
"Yes Julian Love Youth Jersey , that's very interesting," agreed Gabe. "And you have documented proof, I hope?"
Feeling a bit hurt by Gabe's question, Jacob's normally tight self-control slipped. With a blush showing on his cheeks that was more than the three zombies had caused, Jacob spurted, "Of course I'm documenting everything!
I don't normally have an opportunity for the glamor and intrigue that you experience on a daily basis, but I always have my forms and evidence in order!"
"'Glamor and Intrigue'?" grimaced Gabe as he rubbed the sides of his head as if trying to force something out of his mind. Regaining his composure Oshane Ximines Youth Jersey , Gabe lowered his hands, and looked directly at Jacob.
"You're not very well-informed about what makes up my world. In reality, the cloak and dagger stuff happens only in cheap pulp fiction and B movies."
"But I often see the results of your work in the news," remarked Jacob.
"Yes, I suppose you do," smirked Gabe. "But there's seldom any real resolution in the cases, and many times it's difficult to tell the good guys from the bad ones. Too often the only way I find out which they were is after we close the case or they're dead. Factions and force are what rule this world. Intrigue is just a polite term for offenses against the moral fabric of society."
"Oh Deandre Baker Youth Jersey , come on, Gabe," exclaimed Jacob as he blundered on, too drunk to see the warning signs from Gabe's expression. "I know you guys have access to the highest levels of government, are invited to all the posh embassy parties, and help visiting rulers sort out domestic upheavals and the like. The news media just love reporting on the FBI. You guys in your black suits and dark sunglasses put glamor in law enforcement."
Shining with an inner fire in the lounge's dim light, Gabe's eyes narrowed as he leaned toward Jacob.
"Let me share a bit of this case I'm currently working on Dexter Lawrence Youth Jersey ," he remarked slowly and carefully. "None of this is classified, and if you see it pop up in the news media reports you'll understand just how glamorous my job can be."
"Okay, I'm listening," replied Jacob, surprised at Gabe's serious tone.
"We've just assisted with a sting operation at a nearby international airport," explained Gabe quietly. "This was a large drug bust. We're on a constant vigil searching for drug trafficking channels, and once we find them we act as quickly as possible to cut them off.
"Most people think of drug trafficking as their local junkie selling little bags of powder and weeds on street corners Daniel Jones Youth Jersey , but in reality it's a big international business."
"Yes, I know what you mean," nodded Jacob. "If people would multiply those little bags by the number of drug users, the volume would become truckloads! Those sales create a heck of a lot of money, too."
"What do you suppose the drug cartels do with all that money, Jacob?" queried Gabe. "Buy a ch芒teau on the Rivera? Purchase farmland in the US? Invest in T Bills? They certainly don't use it to improve the impoverished countries where the drugs come from."
"Well, we see many ways that people use insurance and investment companies to launder money Dalvin Tomlinson Youth Jersey ," replied Jacob, his zombie now forgotten. "I never really thought much about how it's done outside the US. I guess I always assumed that drug lords sat in their plantations surrounded by bodyguards, living like kings while the money flowed in."
"Drug lords?" Gabe grumbled. He scowled as if he'd tasted something bitter. "More like warlords. The sale of drugs is a widely used means of funding weapons purchases for rebellions and religious wars. In fact, both factions involved in the conflicts may be selling the same drugs to increase their respective arsenals.
"Since most of the people producing the drugs aren't stupid enough to be using them, they have large quantities to sell to organized crime in the United States and Europe. The biggest problem for them is finding ways to smuggle it. Manpower and especially devotees to a popular cause are the key.