“No Señor Ito, the manuals are very explicit. My compadres and I are ready to start training our men as soon as they arrive. We have built a rifle range and two classrooms. We will practice with the rifles and master them, but I am reluctant to train with explosives, as that could attract attention that we do not want. We have already worked out training schedules and training teams. These teams will be maintained in the field, a basic premise of leadership, Mr. Ito.”
“Is there anything else you require, Señor Gonzalez, in order to complete this operation?”
“More ammunition and magazines for the rifles would be desirable, Mr. Ito. With two hundred and fifty men and two hundred and fifty thousand rounds of ammunition, that is one thousand rounds per man. Half, perhaps much more than half, will be consumed in training. I wish every man to be proficient and have his own dedicated rifle. We will probably have enough for Alpine, but a reserve would be desirable. Also cleaning supplies for the rifles and one hundred handguns, revolvers, preferably, and pump action shotguns. It would be easier for the men to learn revolvers than semi-automatics. Also, some Stinger type missiles for the highway patrol helicopters and Border Patrol aircraft, should they decide to interfere.”
“Very well. That seems reasonable. You will receive the extra rifle magazines, the ammunition; Soviet made shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles and shotguns in a month or so. The handguns will take a little longer. Perhaps not in time for Alpine but for future use.
“You are prepared to carry sufficient gasoline, food and water and supplies for a round trip?”
“Indeed, Señor Ito, including feeding the men on the return trip so there will be no stopping. I have one other concern, though, Señor Ito.”
“What is that, Señor Gonzalez?”
“There are many who know of this place. Some of the American suppliers might be suspicious even though they have been well paid. We used middle men for all of our American purchases, except for the underground storage tank and pumps. Their workmen installed the tanks and pumps.”
“Is that unusual for a fuel tank to be installed for a farm of this size?”
“No Señor Ito, many farms have such tanks, although this is probably the largest. What is unusual is that this is for gasoline rather than diesel fuel. No one uses gasoline tractors anymore. I have explained it is for irrigation pumps, trucks to haul produce, and other equipment. Still, it is a minor concern.”
“I would not be too concerned, Señor Gonzalez. If any Mexican officials become too investigative, bribe them. If such becomes necessary, inform me of them with their names, positions, addresses, and amounts involved. Do not be at all concerned about the Americans. Is there anything else of concern?”
“No, Señor. It is now the first week of June. We will be ready and strike the first week of August. It will be the biggest raid on American territory since Poncho Villa raided Columbus, New Mexico.”
“Excellent. I will leave one man with you to observe how things are going. You can reach me only through him. He will be something of a shadow to you. Learn to ignore him. Instruct your men to do likewise. He is not to be interfered with in any way. Do not try to hide anything from him. I will not visit you again until after Alpine.”
On the return drive to Long Beach, Chan decided the best way to provide revolvers was to have the Chinese embassy in Brazil purchase two hundred medium frame .357 magnum revolvers for testing purposes. These would be without serial numbers or markings of any kind so as not to influence the military ordnance officers conducting the testing. They were to be delivered to the embassy in Brasilia. From there they would be delivered by diplomatic pouch to the Chinese embassy in Mexico City. A truck would deliver them to Jesus Gonzalez.
Chapter 6
Jesus Gonzalez carefully studied the map of Alpine, Texas. He marked the targets, routes of escape and approach for each team: the police station, the county sheriff’s office, the West Texas National Bank, the Fort Davis National Bank, the Texas National Bank and the two sporting good stores.
He called his lieutenants together. Each was assigned a specific objective. He gave each five hundred American dollars and told them to visit Alpine independently of one another. Under no circumstances were they to acknowledge each other. For those whose objective was a bank, they were to take particular note of the vault, whether or not shaped charges were indicated, and their security arrangements. He expected to bring home over a million dollars between the three banks. Different escape routes were to be utilized by each team. Some would escape via Highway 90 through Marfa, twenty-six miles away, then south along Highway 67 into Mexico. Another team would head east the twenty-two miles into Marathon before turning south on Highway 385. They would cross into Mexico at Castalon. Still others would flee westward to Van Horn, Texas, and continue on to cross in Esperanzo. Others would travel Highway 28 out of Marfa and return via the underwater bridge.
Each team leader was assigned to either the sheriff’s office in the courthouse, the police station, one of the three banks, or one of the sporting goods stores. Based upon their personal surveillance of the town and the assignment of their target, they were to devise the assault plan for their target. They were to refer to their assignment simply as “their target.” Gonzalez would not establish roadblocks around Alpine. Rather, they would establish ambush sites on each road leading into the town to prevent the intrusion of any law enforcement officers from surrounding communities. To these teams he would issue Rocket Propelled Grenades as well as AK-47 rifles.
Jesus Gonzalez stood before his handpicked lieutenants, his team leaders. He had a large map of Alpine, Texas hung on the wall behind him. Guards kept all others away.
“Vehicles will travel at intervals of no less than five minutes, no greater than ten minutes apart. We will cross into the U.S. using our underwater bridge and travel south on Highway 170 to Presidio, then north on Highway 67 to Marfa, then east on U.S. 90. Again, do not bunch up. We do not want to present the image of a convoy. If you stop anywhere for whatever reason, it will provide the gringos with the opportunity to recognize and remember you. Each vehicle has its own gas and water cans and a cooler full of sandwiches and food.
“The county sheriff’s office, police station and the Border Patrol office will all be attacked at 14:00 hours. Team leaders, co-ordinate your attacks with your shortwave radios. Do not use cell phones. At 14:05 all the banks will be simultaneously robbed. The sporting good stores are not so critical. They are to be robbed between 14:05 and 14:15. Keep radio use to a minimum. Your men are not to know the town or their target. Only that it is a building which might have armed men who will resist inside. Each of you will have a team for which you are responsible for training. Luis will assign you classroom time and range time. Your men are to become proficient with the use of their weapons. You have six seeks to prepare them. They are not to know when we will go until the morning of our departure. Designate two or three of the men on your team as demolitions experts. They have the least amount of time to develop this additional skill. You study the manuals as well. Know what they know and more. The police are to be killed without hesitation. Killing others is to be limited to those who resist in any way. We do not have time to pleasure the gringo women in this adventure. We must wait for other opportunities to indulge them. There is to be no alcohol or drugs consumed for twenty-four hours before this raid. We cannot depend or trust those who are addicted to drugs. These people are to be turned over to Hernando as grave diggers - their own graves. You have complete freedom to summarily execute any member of your team who jeopardizes your mission by balking, attempting to argue with you, or anyone you believe is an informant. It is not unexpected to have one or several informants among us. They make good fertilizer for Hernando.
“Our primary objective here is to collect all the money in the banks. If any vehicle breaks down, take the Vehicle Identification Number off it and set fire to it. Take another from the Gringos. You, my lieutenants, will wear camouflage face masks. If your men wish to be masked, let them wear bandanas.
“Each of you memorize your plan. No one except you is to have a cell phone. Luis has initiated the notification system. If all goes well, we will have at least one hundred and fifty new men in addition to the fifty we already have. Trust none of them.
Luis, start making phone calls.”
Luis dispatched two dozen large vans to a dozen different small towns within one hundred miles of the border the next morning.
The bartender told Gomez about a large farm hiring many new workers. “There is more to it than that,” he said to Gomez, “but I don’t know what.” He heard a rumor that men with a tendency toward violence were preferred. He shrugged, “I know nothing else,” he said.
There were eight men waiting in the cantina, all casually eyeing Gomez. When Luis’s driver came in, the bartender nodded at him and said, “There is the man you should see.” The driver informed Gomez that yes, they were hiring young men in good condition as field hands, nothing more. Yes, the van was there to provide them transportation to the farm.
“I have my own car, so I will follow you,” said Gomez. The driver shook his head no. “No, Señor, you will ride with me in the van or you do not come. I cannot tell you why that is so, only that El Jefe wishes it.”
“What do you expect me to do with my car? I need this job. I cannot leave it here; it will be stolen.”
“I do not care what you do with your car. If you can afford a car, you do not need this job.”
Gomez put his arm around the shoulders of the man and led him toward the bar out of hearing range of the others. “I stole it from the Gringos,” he whispered in the driver’s ear.
“In that case, I suggest you sell it. I will leave in thirty minutes, with or without you.” The driver sat down at the bar and ordered a Corona. Gomez walked to the other end of the bar and motioned to the bartender. “Can we talk in the back for a minute?”
The bartender looked around, and seeing only the driver at the bar, who was appeased for the moment, motioned for Gomez to follow him out the back door.
“I have this very good automobile which is not stolen. I purchased it legitimately. I will make you a good offer for it.
“I paid four thousand Gringo dollars for it a month ago,” stated Gomez matter-of-factly. “I will sell it to you for twenty-five hundred dollars. The legal title I have, and I will sign it over to you.”
“Why are you willing to sell it so cheaply then, to lose so much money?” asked the bartender.
“I am wanted by the Rurales. It would be good for me to disappear for a while. This job you talk about will provide a refuge for me.”
“Where is the car? I will drive it before I consider it.”
