For Norris, it wasn't about skill; it was about courage. Once Sean found his courage, Norris finally let loose.
What's the current situation with the drug criminals? How is the money being raised? Norris gave them a deadline of just a few days. Sean picked up the cigarette case, stepped out for a smoke, and tossed the case to Armstrong.
Norris had given them only four days. Based on their previous operations, cash was usually sent to Los Angeles via established drug delivery routes, leaving one day for delivery. That meant they had two days left. Armstrong stated, "We need to keep an eye on this."
"Let's take a breather first," Sean replied. "We need to monitor the money flow and identify all the drug criminals for a coordinated takedown later."
"Don't worry, it's manageable," Armstrong assured him.
Bill and the team recharged in their apartment, and two days later...
A city map of Las Cruces lay open on the table. Armstrong stood in the center, flanked by Sean and Bill.
"The criminals have obtained the money," Armstrong reported. "While the exact amount is unclear, they plan to leave tonight. They've devised a method to transport the drugs: hidden in a truck loaded with canned goods. The cans can be cleaned repeatedly to eliminate any scent. With over 100,000 cans in one truck, it's unlikely they'll be checked thoroughly."
"They'll likely send the cash concealed in the same way," he continued, letting out a sigh of relief. He then handed over a stack of photos showing the criminals' truck, their hidden strongholds, and members of the opposing organization. The images were taken from multiple angles, including speculative layouts of the building interiors.
"Any questions?" Sean asked.
"Yes!" Armstrong replied, tapping several locations on the map. "There are four main routes out of Las Cruces: north to Rio Rancho, west to Phoenix, and east to Alamogordo. Beyond that, they branch into six routes. Given the limited time, we're uncertain of their delivery path. To intercept them, we'll need to divide our forces."
"Let's split into four teams," Sean suggested after a moment's thought. "Three teams will ambush the routes, while the fourth monitors the city stronghold. We can adjust our encirclement based on real-time intel. They won't have many people with them; one group should be enough to neutralize them and secure everything."
The other two groups will return immediately after the criminals leave the city and coordinate with the fourth team to attack the stronghold. The goal is to eliminate all threats swiftly and without hesitation.
With Sean's orders, the team split into four and set their plan in motion.
Around midnight, the intelligence team reported that the drug dealers had departed from the Rio Rancho route. A group quickly headed north, setting an ambush near a lake at the intersection of the interstate and state highway 152.
The three members of the ambush team split into two groups. Due to the darkness, one member positioned himself near the front road to confirm the target and signal the others.
Less than half an hour later, the target vehicle appeared.
Sean had devised the blocking strategy himself. Since the truck was filled with cans, it was essential to transport it to a remote location without drawing attention, where they could interrogate the occupants and determine what was inside.
They couldn't use overtly violent methods like shooting out tires or killing the driver.
Once the first team received confirmation, the other two parked their vehicle diagonally in the middle of the road, activated all their lights, and set up a fluorescent warning sign more than 100 meters away, creating the appearance of a roadside accident.
As the truck approached, the driver saw the flashing lights and was forced to slow down.
"What are you doing? Move that damn car!" a Mexican man shouted as he leaned out the window.
"Brother, can you do me a favor?" one of the security personnel said, approaching with a feigned look of concern. But as he neared the truck, he suddenly revealed an M16A2 from behind his back and shouted, "Show your hands! Be honest, or I'll blow your brains out!"
The driver's eyes widened in realization, and he instinctively reached for his weapon.
The security personnel were quicker, firing without hesitation. At less than two meters away, the burst of gunfire took out the driver immediately.
The passenger, caught off guard, froze at the sight of his partner's blood splattered everywhere and raised his hands in surrender.
"Good choice," the security officer said, pointing his gun at the passenger while another team member dragged the body away from the road. They quickly jumped back into their vehicle and drove toward the predetermined location, ready to extract a confession and seize the drugs and cash.
...
Meanwhile, Sean and the others stealthily approached the drug dealer's stronghold.
It's worth noting that the high crime rate in the U.S. is often tied to the vastness and sparsity of certain areas. For instance, New Jersey spans 315,000 square kilometers but houses only 1.9 million people. In contrast, Las Cruces, the second-largest city in the state, had a mere 50,000 residents in 1985. This wide expanse of land often leads to isolated pockets that can hide criminal activity.
The drug dealer's stronghold was a small three-story building, surrounded by an empty radius of tens of meters. In the middle of the night, the streets were eerily quiet, but lights blazed in the small building, and loud music echoed from within. After all, running a drug operation and laundering money was worth celebrating.
"Is everyone in position?" Sean asked, dialing his brother.
"We're ready!" came the reply.
"Is the escape route secured?" Sean pressed.
"All set!"
"Good. On my count, we attack in three minutes. The operation will last five minutes, and after that, we pull back, no matter what."
"Understood!"
With everything in place, Sean signaled his team. They surrounded the small building, scaling the walls and making their way to the third-floor windows, submachine guns at the ready.
The tension was palpable as they prepared for the coordinated strike, each member focused on their role, ready to dismantle the operation that had plagued their city for too long. The stakes were high, but with their training and determination, they were poised to succeed.
As the clock ticked down, adrenaline surged through Sean and his team. They were about to confront a dangerous enemy, but together, they were ready to take back their city and restore peace.