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at the thought.  His mother would go with whatever decision he made at this point.  She wanted revenge as much as he did. 
    When his mother discovered his plans, she had wanted in as long as he brought in the old man into his plans.  Diego of course agreed because having his mother's backing was important.  She would protect him because she was in this just as deep as he was.  In fact, she was more than prepared to help.
    There was a diplomatic dinner in two weeks.  She invited him as her plus one.  Some of the people on his list were there.  They were all going to die, Diego and his mother had a plan of course.  They had already begun taking the antidote to protect them, they would get sick just like some of the others, but the ones they wanted to kill, would be given a lethal dose in their drink.
    “ Diego, we need to talk,” his mother said briskly when she walked into the room.
    “ Of course, Mother,” Diego said.
    “ There is a problem.  One that pains my heart to have to say, but it is something we are going to have to take care of.”  His mother sighed.
    Diego could only hope what this problem was.  To get permission from his mother to kill his brother would be huge.  She had always treated his brother with such pride, used him in the public to boost her image.  Her disgust over a situation that took place many years ago, tainted her love for her son, if she was even able to feel anything like that at all.
    “Your brother has been helping that bitch.  We need to watch them closely,” his mother announced. 
    Diego smiled and nodded.  “Anything you say, Mother,” he said and then offered to discuss their plans over lunch.

Chapter Five
     
     
    Drake waited impatiently for the doors to open, they were finally here and needed to find Joel, and fast, the Commander had put out a BOLO with the local departments.  Hopefully they had something.  When they were landing they had to shut off the computers, so for the last twenty minutes no news.  Thane was on the phone now, but he was on hold.
    Finally, the doors were opened and they all rushed down the steps of the plane.  Transportation was sitting right where Noah had told them it would be.  Not wasting a moment, they walked quickly.  Two men in uniform stepped out from behind the SUV and waited until they got to the doors.
    “Sir,” one of them said and saluted to them.  “I have been told Joel Lipit has been taken to the base hospital.  They say he has been injured and poisoned, no idea with what.  At this time, he is beginning to lose consciousness.”
    Drake swore, “Thank you.”
    The men piled into the SUV, with Thane driving.  They tore out of the airstrip with gravel flying behind them.  The hospital was relatively close, only fifteen/twenty minutes tops.  The men were all silent.  Drake knew what he had to do, they couldn ’t wait to use the injection.  The doctors would be looking for an antidote, one they would have available but not know it was needed.  The drug needed to work its way through the system, but he needed to stay alive until it could.  The only way was this injection, and no doctor would know it unless they found Salamander Brandy in their database, which was highly unlikely.
    He looked out the window and gripped the injection tightly, knowing he had one shot at this.  He would not miss.

    Harper was standing at the desk arguing with the desk nurse.  She was becoming increasingly pissed at her attitude.
    “ I can’t let you back there until the doctor okays this,” the nurse said for the tenth time.
    “ Listen, this is a badge.  This is not a plastic toy I bought on the way here.  I am here to find this man, and get information.  If he is going to die, I need to do it before he does.  We need to make sure there are no bodies strewn throughout the city that we are going to find.  And if he was injured because he was in trouble—we need to make sure he has protection.  I can do neither of