Friday, February 28, 1997

The Game of Go - 23

A failed operation of Webb's to capture a drug lord, Carlos Estruga, got a marine, Sgt Jesus Silva, killed as they seemed to walk into a trap. W demanded the court marshal of a marine who failed to fire his weapon, Corporal Cordoba. Estruga called ambassador Witherspoon and was shown placing pieces on a game board while claiming that Silva was alive and "willing to speak on videotape about the failed attempt to kidnap me." Witherspoon's secretary, Marisol, was shown suspiciously listening in to all his telephone conversations. Harm, Mac and Bud were sent to investigate. Alfredo Rincon, a local drug investigator, revealed that Estruga was using Embara Indians as guards and that the guards had been unaware of the recon team until one of the marines gave away their position. Cordoba claimed that his gun had "jammed" making him unable to fire; so, M field stripped it to prove that it didn't jam. Webb went "ballistic" with M and demanded that the "coward" Cordoba be prosecuted. When she challenged W back, about knowing what it was like to be under fire, he claimed that he had been in the gulf war; but, his actions were classified. M told him that a Marine doesn't leave men behind and W said "there's a first time for everything." Thwarted, W began publicly embarrassing Cordoba to the point that H intervened and told him that if he did it again he would "kick back," so then W began embarrassing B instead. H & B went to meet Estruga at an appointed rendezvous but Estruga wasn't there, only the body of Silva and a videotaped message. W was continually using the radio and Lt Diaz told M that during the failed mission they "couldn't keep W off the horn."

The videotape message said that Estruga wanted the release of his brother Norbeto from prison in exchange for W. While they were watching the message Estruga played sounds of gunfire and battle over the radio making W believe that there was trouble and leave the compound so he could be captured. W hadn't revealed that Estruga's brother was being held to H and M, in order to prevent them from demanding that they trade him for Silva (when they thought him to be alive.) Suspecting one of two traitors, H and M devised a plan to flush out the real one. B called the ambassador, with Rincon in the room and Marisol listening in on the phone, and informed him of Hs plan to rescue W. Marisol called Estruga AND Rincon went directly to move Webb, so both were traitors. H was captured (in his plan) and taken to Estruga. H placed "go tokens" on the board and claimed that Rincon had turned "triple agent." M, with others including Cordoba, followed Rincon to Webb. They ran out of gas due to a failure to check the gauge and had to run the remaining miles. Estruga believed Hs ruse and flew to where W was being held. Just as Rincon was convincing Estruga that H was lying, M arrived with her troops. H kicked Estruga out of the helicopter and Cordoba shot several terrorists from all around the petrified Webb without hitting him. W said he was relieved that they had decided to trade Norbeto for him but H told him "state said you weren't worth it." H and M captured Estruga and Rincon who had run into a cane field. W had to apologize to Cordoba so B went over to stand by him and watch him do it. M almost kissed H.

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