How to Obtain "Hot Property" Part III

The third op started off simple enough, Fi had a job that she needed help with so she asked Jesse to join her. They were to meet Steward at his boat. Fi failed to tell Jesse it was out in the boonies, but it gave them time to settle things between them regarding Fi’s involvement in betraying Jesse and fill Jesse in on the gig.

The gig

Stewart tried to buy a 357 from a gun dealer friend of Fi’s but Stewart was so upset the dealer gave him Fi’s phone number instead of the gun.

When they met Stewart at his boat he wanted to know if Jesse was her muscle. She quickly informed him that she had plenty of muscle, Jesse was more like a sidekick.

Jesse asked Stewart to tell them about his problem. He explained that his sister Stephanie was in trouble. She had fallen in love with a Venezuelan diplomat, Marco, who was dirty. He thought Marco moved drugs. Stewart warned Stephanie but instead she moved to Caracas. It didn't take long before Marco started beating on her. Stewart went to Caracas and brought his sister back but Marco found her and was now holding her like a prisoner. Stewart tried to rescue her but received a beating instead. He wanted Fi and Jesse to retrieve her before she ended up back in Venezuela. Marco was untouchable so they couldn’t go to the police or FBI. Stewart had already tried but Marco told them Stephanie was on vacation so the police left.

Fi assured Stewart they would get her back. Stewart requested that when they found Stephanie he wanted to come with them to get her. He was her big brother. He was supposed to protect her. Fi knew how he felt and promised to call him soon.


Conducting surveillance and recon

Fi and Jesse located where Stephanie was being held and started surveillance.

“Scouting security from a distance is mainly just a matter of observation. You set up in a concealed place and watch incoming vehicles, personnel and weapons. Getting additional information usually requires a more direct approach."

Marco’s compound had high walls for privacy, a couple SUV’s of goons, it was wired tight. Now they needed to perform recon. In order to get a closer look, Jesse came up with an idea that he had used a couple times in the past but he needed to get another car.

“The best security probe isn’t necessarily stealthy. Sometimes you want to be right out in the open. With the right approach you can march up to your enemy’s front door, evaluate his defenses and personnel without anyone realizing what you’re up to.“ 

Jesse waited for Fi’s signal of an approaching SUV driven by one of Marco’s men. He pulled out behind the SUV then passed it and hit a tree when it came to a stop to enter the compound.

Injured, Jesse got out of the damaged car, entered the compound guarded by armed men, complaining about hitting his head on the steering wheel from the accident just caused by one of the guards, telling them his cousin was a lawyer who would sue each and every one of them. Jesse scouted the premises as he made his way inside the residence hoping they had insurance and to borrow the phone to call his girlfriend because his head was really hurting. He probably had a concussion. Marco drew a gun on Jesse and ordered him to leave and find a pay phone.

Starting a rescue plan for Stephanie

Back at Michael’s place getting Jesse patched up from the accident, Jesse drew a diagram of the compound which Michael examined and determined that there was more. “Holding a girl takes one maybe two people. You don’t need a team of centuries, tornado sirens and flood lights. It’s got to be more than just a boyfriend who won’t let go.” Michael joined Jesse and Fi to ask Stewart more questions.


Back to the boonies to talk to Stewart for more information

While the three of them were talking to Stewart explaining that the compound was designed to keep armed intruders out, not a 20 something girl in, he was shot dead by an old nemesis. They had met Natalie a few years back when she stole a ledger from our friend Barry, the money launderer. 

As it turned out Stewart didn’t have a sister. Natalie found him in Boca scamming cancer patients. What made matters even worse is the gun she just used to kill Stewart was Fi’s 45 that she found in Fi's car with Fi's fingerprints on it.

The gig has now changed to an op

Natalie was involved with some Venezuela revolutionary types who had her steal a chemical weapon and now she needed to steal it back. She didn’t want to rot in some secret prison and she knew Michael’s team wouldn't want a chemical weapon floating around. She needed them to help her steal it then destroy it and everyone would win.

She was holding them at gun point, when a party boat full of people approached Stewart’s boat. Michael agreed against Fi's wishes to help her before some co-ed found them with Steward's body.

The team needed to verify Natalie’s story

Sam used his connections to verify her story and it checked out, the government was looking for it. “There's been chatter in military intel circles that Venezuelan rebels got their hands on something big. Lucky us, it's right here in our backyard.”

Fi couldn't believe they were contemplating working with Natalie, especially since she killed a man in front of them. But Michael explained that they didn't have any choice since she would frame Fi for Stewart's murder if they didn't help. 

Since Marco is in the United States under a diplomatic passport by the time anyone could get clearance for a raid on the compound the weapon would be long gone so calling the Feds was out. It only left them to get it back.


Michael and Sam met Natalie to get more intel

Michael and Sam met Natalie in a Japanese restaurant where she had specs, from a Russian who owed her a favor, for the chemical weapon, a Novichok agent; these agents are allegedly to be the most deadly nerve agents ever made. As Sam put it, ”compared to that stuff mustard gas might as well be cologne.”

Michael devised a plan per Natalie’s request. “Compound security is set up for defense not mobility. The SUV’s aren’t armored and the road is isolated. We get them to bring the weapon out, we split them up, we tear gas them and take it.”

To get them outside Michael’s plan was, “We'll convince them that they have a gas leak something dangerous enough to require an evacuation.”

Now they have to fake a gas leak

“It may surprise anyone who has left on a stove burner but natural gas is odorless. The smell most people think of as gas is actually an additive called THT (tetrahydrothiophene). Which means that making people think there’s a gas leak is as simple as pumping THT into the air with a portable pump and some rubber hose. It’s safe, effective and easy to deploy. But it smells like you just wandered into an open sewer. Then you just have to get the package in place without anyone getting suspicious.”

To avoid suspicion and to get close to your target, choose a baby stroller to transport the THT. No one will suspect a mother pushing her infant down the street and the basket and seat are good places to conceal your equipment.

Open a main cover on the premises with a large wrench and add the THT that you placed in a bag equipped with a hose. 

Send in one of your team with a gas company shirt and warn the rebels that there is a gas leak and they need to evacuate. Have him say something like “Look, I don’t know what to tell you Chief but it's for your own safety, I need everybody out of there right now.” Once he smells the THT, say “Whoa, did you get a whiff of that? That’s a serious leak. This is a gas main. You’re sitting on a powder keg. If this place goes up, we’re going to be part of the biggest barbecue in the history of Miami. You and your pals have got to get moving.” Once they smell the THT they will panic, go to where the weapon is stored to take it with them when they leave in the event there is an explosion.

“Any strategy based on creating fear in your target is a bit of a gamble. It’s not just a matter of whether you succeed at making your target afraid, that’s easy. What’s a lot harder is insuring that they don’t fear something else even more.”

Unfortunately, Marco heard what was going on and demanded that they stop and secure the weapon. The orders were to stay there and he feared what might happen if it were stolen. Even if the place exploded they would stay and die. He ordered the area searched because of the timing of the gas leak.

Once the THT is in place, pack up and get the stroller in your car and leave. If you are approached by one of the rebel goons try to talk your way out of it. If that fails, especially if they notice that you have a stroller but no baby, it would be good to have a team member, preferably female available. 

Have her approach the rebel and ask him if he is the neighborhood security guy and that $500 stroller was just stolen from the nearby park. Have your team member get in a fight with you and roll around on the ground. If you can get in a few good hits it will make it even more believable.

And by all means have the guys watch from the sidelines. After all who doesn't like to watch a good cat fight?

Plan A fails, now for coming up with a Plan B

Back at the Japanese restaurant they discuss the results of Plan A. Plan A might have failed but it wasn’t a total loss since they now knew which building the chemical weapon was being stored. They also got a glimpse of the vault which probably contained an alarm. They planned to go in that night to retrieve it. 

Michael provided a plan, “There’s no way of avoiding tripping the alarm so we are going to take out the lights with a sniper rifle and the sirens with spray insulation.”

Fi suggested, “We go in, open the shed with a water saw, hand the weapon off to Sam and scatter. We’ll meet up at a rally point when we’re done."

Natalie had a different idea, “Water saw? Those things take’s forever.  What you need is a thermal lance, cuts through cement in under a minute.” Since she was a thief she wouldn't have a problem obtaining one. Also, she knew how to use it. The other team members unfortunately didn’t. She was supposed to be watching from the sidelines on this op, but they didn’t have any choice but to have her assist.

To gain their confidence, Natalie returned Fi's gun to her. Fi was now off the hook for Stewart's murder.

Michael told me, “We can’t always pick our team mates in the field.” They couldn’t get the chemical weapon without her. “At least this way we keep her in our sights.”

Fi developed a plan for Sam's escape route then went over it with Michael at his place. Once the handoff was made, Sam would go through Watson Key and make sure he wasn't tailed. Once sure he was clear he would head north.

The execution of Plan B

They went in that night and waited until just before dawn. “There’s a reason why most surprise attacks are just before dawn. Sleepers hit their deepest rem cycles just before sunrise which makes it harder to come to full alertness. And anyone on watch is likely to be exhausted and at the end of a shift. “

Fi’s role was to take out the flood lights with a sniper rifle armed with high velocity bullets. “Small caliber high velocity bullets can pierce fragile surfaces without shattering them. If you need to knock out flood lights from a few hundred yards away they’re even better than an off switch.”

Jesse disabled the sirens. “Spray insulation is handy for more than keeping your house cool in the summer. Use it to fill the diaphragm of the siren and it will be about as noisy as a lawn gnome.”

Natalie geared up the thermal lance and began cutting. “Burning at temperatures over 8,000 degrees, thermal lances are used by construction crews to cut through rock and steel. They’re tricky to operate but they’ll slice through a heavy dead bolt like butter.”

Once the vault door fell to the ground, Michael grabbed the briefcase and they all made their way to the cement wall. Michael signaled Sam with a brief series of whistles and threw the steel briefcase over the wall to Sam who took off to turn it over to the authorities.

Natalie faked a fall then claimed she has broken her ankle while trying to scale the wall with Jesse, leaving Jesse in view of the Venezuelan rebels. Natalie said she would stay behind until the rebels figured out the case was gone and went looking for it. Then she could escape.

Meanwhile, Sam was in route through Watson Key to turn the weapon over to his buddy on base when he ran into road construction barriers while on the phone with Michael.

“Spies are trained to be careful around road work. Too many workers for too little work you’re probably driving into a snatch and grab. No workers with road blocks guiding you to a freshly paved pothole rather than away from one, it’s a good bet you’re about to drive over a bomb.”

By the time Sam saw the pothole it was too late and his car hit the bomb, flipped and rolled bursting into flames. Sam emerged from the car bloody and saw the case which had been thrown from the car. He tried to retrieve it but his car was assaulted with bullets from a machine gun to keep him away.

He yelled at Natalie to have her stop, “Natalie, if you take that weapon you’re in a world of hurt. The Feds, the military, all hell’s going to rain down on you.

But she didn’t care claiming, “I don’t know Sam. Twenty million dollars will buy me a hell of an umbrella.”


Plan B failed now for Plan C - get the weapon back from Natalie before the buy

The team came to Sam's location. Jesse wondering how Natalie knew Sam’s route. Michael concluded that Natalie must have planted a bug in his shoe at the Japanese restaurant when they had their shoes off. He had been wearing his loafers.

Sam was upset that he let a psycho get away with a chemical weapon. Michael assured him that it wasn't his fault.

Fi added, "You didn't let her get away with anything. She bombed the road; she ambushed you with a machine gun. You survived Sam, it counts for something."

Sam continued, "This is just perfect. Natalie gets rich selling mass murder and we have a loafer with a listening device in it."

The situation wasn't ideal, but they could use the bug to their advantage. She would still be listening to see what their next move would be. Now they needed to convince her that she didn’t have the real case. Then she would show herself.

"When a spy finds a listening device the last thing he does is turn it off. A bug can be a direct line into the mind of your enemy. It's delicate but in the right hands it's a weapon that can turn any situation in your favor."

Michael and Sam stage a conversation tricking her to believe that she stole a fake. The conversation let her believe they had anticipated an intervention but closer to the rally point so they had a decoy in the front seat and the real weapon was in the trunk. And Michael had already contacted his Fed buddies letting them know Jesse was going to leave the real one in the bag check at the bus station. They make a call; Feds pick it up, no questions, no connections to them.


How to create a fake chemical weapon

Fortunately, the weapon was in a standard shock-proof clam shell. Fi had a friend who sold grenades out in Hollandale who had a spare case.

Jesse had a tracker ready with nice range, burst of signal on a timer so Natalie couldn't sweep for it. Wherever she took it, they would find her. Then he tucked it into the clam shell inside the case.

Now they only needed something nasty to put in the case.

“Making fake weapons is a little known but important art. If you don’t want to put real killing power in the hands of a bad guy you need a convincing substitute. A fake chemical weapon has to be able to pass a field test. Usually a simple chemistry analysis and a cruel demonstrate with a small animal. Strong pesticides mixed with tear gas and diesel fuel will do the trick without killing anyone who weighs more than 20 pounds.”

Jesse and Fi made the fake bomb in a silver canister and placed it in the clam shell.

Time to place the fake weapon where Natalie can get it

Jesse took the case to the bus station and positioned himself to monitor the trace inside the case and to spot her car after she had stolen it from the bag check.

Jesse was worried she won’t find the right bus station. Maybe they could have given her a better hint to the bus station than “causeway”. 

Michael reassured him, “Be patient Jesse. People who are buying chemical weapons aren’t generally forgiving types. She can’t afford risking not having a real thing.” Then added, “If it was too easy she’d get suspicious.”

Sure enough she located the case. Using the planted tracker they follow and locate where Natalie is meeting her buyers.

Time to intercept the real weapon

When they find Natalie Sam said, “So that’s the dragon ladies den? I never thought I would miss those days when places like this were just used for smuggling cocaine.”

Natalie had both cases. Fortunately one canister was black and the other was silver. The silver one was fake.

Fi wanted to just shoot Natalie and take the weapon, but Michael told her, “Ah, that’s a chemical weapon in there, Fi.  We can’t afford to go in there shooting. This goes wrong and this entire area is a HazMat site for the next decade. I’ll do this quietly.”

Fi conceded but added, “Well, if quietly doesn’t work I’m coming in to make some noise.”

Michael agreed, “Fair enough.”

Michael entered the building drawing a gun on Natalie so he could take the weapon and leave but unfortunately the buyers were already there. Now Michael was in an awkward position with men who wouldn’t hesitate to kill him for the chemical weapon.

Natalie had opened both cases, but wasn’t convinced which canister contained the real Novichok agent.

Michael slowly walked over to the opened briefcases trying to buy time from the armed buyers and lifted the silver canister upright, stood back, and aimed his gun at it. “You wanted to know which one was the real one? Now you do. If I pull the trigger the bullet releases the chemical. It will spread about 50 yards. First, your eyes will burn; your face will go numb. If the explosions not too bad you’ll live about 5 minutes. Too bad the nearest hospital is 10 minutes away. Last chance to walk away.”

Fi wanted to storm the building shooting. Sam heeded a warning, “Fi, against 5 guys with automatic weapons? Come on, we roll in there heavy, Mike’s not going to last two seconds.” 

Fi examined the situation again and realized, “Well, that’s interesting. Michael’s holding my fake nerve gas hostage.”

The buyer thought Michael was bluffing and asked, “You’d rather die than give us that weapon?”

Michael told him, “Try me.”

Another one drew a gun on Michael then Michael shot the canister releasing the tear gas.

“You never forget the first exposure to tear gas. It feels like you’re drowning in your own fluids. There’s a reason that nothing induces panic like a gas attack.”

Natalie and the dealers exited the building quickly through separate doors leaving Michael alone to grab the canister containing the real Novichok agent. She was greeted by Fi who told her that she wasn’t dying. “Michael shot a canister of tear gas and pesticides, my own special blend.” Sam gave Natalie more good news, “You’re going to be a hero.” Then Fi told her what she was to do, “You are going to call the FBI and tell them where they can find a stolen container of Novichok agent. “

Michael emerged from the gassed building and handed Natalie the real canister, “Natalie, you forgot your chemical weapon back there.” 

Sam gave Natalie more good news, “Boy, you know your buyers and those Venezuelan guys are going to be asking a whole lot of questions when this goes public. So your best bet if you want to stay alive is to make nice with the Feds and tell them everything. And I mean everything. The number to call is 911. Just say you want someone from Homeland Security.”

They walked away satisfied that another successful operation had concluded leaving Natalie behind handcuffed to a metal pipe outside in the boat yard.


Time to plan the next op

During the course of these operations, Michael's mother Madeline had been trying to get her son and Jesse back on good terms for their protection. With the help of Fi she was able to lure them to Carlito's Restaurant for what they thought would be lunch. She insisted that they shake and make up, since that's what family members do when people lie and betray each other. They suck it up. And they move on. So they did as she ordered and shook hands. 

Jesse and Michael stayed after Fi and Madeline left to talk it over. They start planning on how to crash an auction. They were a team again!



From Burn Notice Season 4 Episode 14 "Hot Property"