WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:09.599 Chapter twelve, Martin passed. Martin was teeing up his drive on the eighth 2 00:00:09.640 --> 00:00:14.960 hole a congressional country club when Ricardo got the call. He had heard his 3 00:00:15.039 --> 00:00:22.120 mobile phone ringing as Ricardo sat lounging in the cart an exorbitantly expensive cigar clamped 4 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:27.640 between his teeth. Martin's shoulder slumped, and he clucked his tongue to himself. 5 00:00:28.359 --> 00:00:32.679 It was so rude, he thought, for Ricardo to answer his phone 6 00:00:32.759 --> 00:00:36.359 while they were on the golf course. He did it all the time. 7 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:42.079 How is Martin ever supposed to win around if he was distracted by the incessant 8 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:47.520 chirping of the senator's cell phone, He probably does it on purpose, Martin 9 00:00:47.640 --> 00:00:52.079 theorized. As he swung and hit. The ball went into the right bunker. 10 00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:58.200 Martin swore under his breath, not my day. Martin called out to 11 00:00:58.240 --> 00:01:03.159 the Senator in a sing song voice, but he soon realized Ricardo had walked 12 00:01:03.159 --> 00:01:07.439 off. Still on the phone, he paused, straining to hear Ricardo's conversation, 13 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:11.959 but he had wandered off by some trees at the edge of the golf 14 00:01:11.959 --> 00:01:17.040 course, and Martin was too far away to hear. He felt the nervousness 15 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:21.400 start to creep in, just as it did every time he and Ricardo played 16 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:26.879 golf and Ricardo received a phone call, or every time he and Ricardo played 17 00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:33.120 golf and he didn't receive a phone call. Martin walked back to the golf 18 00:01:33.159 --> 00:01:37.599 cart and, rummaging around in the front pocket of his club bag, pulled 19 00:01:37.640 --> 00:01:42.040 out his prescription bottle of Paxel. He fished out five of them and swallowed 20 00:01:42.040 --> 00:01:48.040 them down without water. Those little pills would calm him down. They always 21 00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:52.719 did. Martin was finding he needed to take more and more of them these 22 00:01:52.840 --> 00:01:59.079 days. Three or four weren't cutting it anymore, and that was all because 23 00:01:59.159 --> 00:02:04.040 of Ricardo and his little scheme he had put Martin up to. He had 24 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:07.759 developed an ulcer on top of things, and was finding it increasingly hard to 25 00:02:07.800 --> 00:02:15.360 concentrate. His psychiatrist wanted Martin to attend twice weekly sessions with him, but 26 00:02:15.560 --> 00:02:19.479 Martin had only gone to see him in order to be prescribed the drugs. 27 00:02:20.120 --> 00:02:24.319 The guy was a total quack anyway. Martin told him he was stressed and 28 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:31.159 overworked and needed something to take the edge off. The doctor suggested yoga. 29 00:02:31.240 --> 00:02:36.800 It wasn't until Martin reminded the doc that he had a good bit of money 30 00:02:36.840 --> 00:02:42.520 invested with Essential Management himself, and that it would benefit him greatly if Martin 31 00:02:42.599 --> 00:02:47.400 could score some drugs to concentrate on the market that the doctor finally gave in 32 00:02:47.439 --> 00:02:53.719 that same day, he was filling a prescription for one hundred tablets of Paxel. 33 00:02:54.080 --> 00:03:00.240 He had refilled that prescription shortly thereafter. He had a feeling his wife 34 00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:05.800 was taking some too, stealing some. He didn't tell her he had gotten 35 00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:09.960 prescribed it. For that very reason, he didn't put it in the medicine 36 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:14.919 cabinet along with all of the other pills. He had kept it in his 37 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:19.240 golf bag in the garage, but he had noticed that the pills seemed to 38 00:03:19.319 --> 00:03:24.800 disappear quicker than he had anticipated. What a thief, his wife. You 39 00:03:24.840 --> 00:03:30.560 really couldn't trust anyone these days, not even your own spouse, Martin thought 40 00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:37.240 to himself, how utterly sad. While he sat in the golf cart and 41 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:40.759 waited for Ricardo to return, he fiddled with the scores on his golf cart. 42 00:03:42.680 --> 00:03:46.080 He liked to refer to what he was doing as tweaking. Never changing, 43 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:52.199 Martin figured that during this round, at least he had been screwed out 44 00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:55.159 of no less than six or seven shots, one of them being the most 45 00:03:55.240 --> 00:04:00.800 recent tea off. He would lower his score by five in order to be 46 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:04.199 fair about it. He was still behind Ricardo, so it was no big 47 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:09.759 deal. Besides, he was going to let him win. He always did. 48 00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:15.319 Martin could play better, he just chose not to. He didn't think 49 00:04:15.319 --> 00:04:18.959 it would look very good if Ricardo's financial adviser beat him in golf twice a 50 00:04:19.000 --> 00:04:24.959 week. That was not a very smart thing to do, and Martin was 51 00:04:25.160 --> 00:04:30.040 nothing if not smart. As he continued to watch Ricardo speak on the phone 52 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:35.439 and flail his arms about yelling into the mobile, Martin thought of different possible 53 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:41.680 scenarios of the outcome of this. Ricardo would come back to the golf course 54 00:04:41.720 --> 00:04:46.079 and be so incensed about his and his friend's money that he would yell at 55 00:04:46.120 --> 00:04:50.439 Martin, mercilessly beat him with a golf club, probably his wooden driver because 56 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:55.399 that thing was long and heavy as shit, and bury his body in the 57 00:04:55.439 --> 00:05:00.680 woods alongside the eighth hole, or not bury him at all, and leave 58 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:04.319 his body to bake under the Florida sun, animals nibbling at him until he 59 00:05:04.439 --> 00:05:11.720 ceased to exist. Another option was Ricardo would come back, having found out 60 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:15.399 about the money losses, give Martin a stern talking to, and tell him 61 00:05:15.399 --> 00:05:20.839 to get his act together and forgive him. The last scenario was Ricardo would 62 00:05:20.839 --> 00:05:25.480 come back, slap Martin on the back and tell him that he had been 63 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:30.360 on the phone about another matter altogether, let Martin know how happy he was 64 00:05:30.439 --> 00:05:32.839 to have him as a friend, and treat him to lunch at the end 65 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:39.639 of nine. As Martin watched Ricardo return from the woods, studying his face 66 00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:45.360 intently, he discerned that what he was facing was somewhere between the first and 67 00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:51.399 the second scenario. Leaning more towards the first. Martin had placed a few 68 00:05:51.560 --> 00:05:57.560 million of the Mexican's money into a ship penny stock, and then, just 69 00:05:57.680 --> 00:06:01.160 like he had planned, and at the same time talk those stocks up to 70 00:06:01.240 --> 00:06:06.639 his investors in the hedge fund. Most of them were skeptical because the companies 71 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:11.759 in which he was urging them to invest were not well known, nor were 72 00:06:11.800 --> 00:06:15.279 they doing very well in the market. But he convinced a good little chunk 73 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:21.519 of investors to invest enough to float it. The investors he couldn't convince Martin 74 00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:27.680 put most of their portfolios into the stock as well. They would thank him 75 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:31.199 when they made a zillion dollars. He waited for the stock to go up 76 00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:36.720 up, and eventually it did. It was time for Martin to sell everyone 77 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:42.680 shares and reap the benefits of his pump and dump scheme. He had been 78 00:06:42.680 --> 00:06:46.839 flying under the radar successfully for about a year, and it was finally about 79 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:55.040 to turn a profit. Problem was, Martin didn't time the cell exactly right. 80 00:06:55.680 --> 00:07:00.199 He had timed it a smidge too late. By his calculations, he 81 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:04.800 was supposed to sell the shitty stocks on a Tuesday. Tuesday was the guaranteed 82 00:07:04.920 --> 00:07:09.519 day, the sweet spot, when the stocks were to have reached their peak. 83 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:15.160 Instead on the day before that Monday. When Martin sauntered into the office 84 00:07:15.160 --> 00:07:19.000 at nine am, he looked at the New York Stock Exchanged ticker and his 85 00:07:19.079 --> 00:07:25.800 heart sank. Coffee cups plus the stock he had touted that had reached sky 86 00:07:25.920 --> 00:07:30.560 high limits mostly thanks to him, an essential management had fallen dramatically in the 87 00:07:30.600 --> 00:07:38.040 span of one night. What the fuck Martin had thought? That wasn't supposed 88 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:43.560 to happen for at least another week. He panicked, reading the numbers over 89 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:47.800 and over. That can't be right, he thought. Martin decided to look 90 00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:53.560 at his other less lucrative investments. At least he could still sell some of 91 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:59.279 those. He thought he was wrong again. Those stocks had fallen too, 92 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:05.120 not as dramatically as Coffee Cups Plus, but enough to render them basically worthless. 93 00:08:05.879 --> 00:08:09.720 Martin was screwed. He immediately sold what was left of one of the 94 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:16.120 smaller penny stocks and realized he had made a grand total of forty two thousand, 95 00:08:16.439 --> 00:08:22.360 eight hundred twenty six dollars and one cent from the sale. Factoring that 96 00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:28.240 into his calculations, Martin now owed his investors sixty two million dollars, give 97 00:08:28.319 --> 00:08:33.960 or take a few hundred thousand. With ten million of that owed to Ricardo, 98 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:39.639 he had about two million in the fund. The plan was to use 99 00:08:39.720 --> 00:08:43.919 the pump and dump scheme to make more money to then launder it for the 100 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:50.120 Senator. Martin had been laundering some so far with whatever funds he could scrape 101 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:56.759 together. Typically, he would funnel the small bundles of money he received into 102 00:08:56.759 --> 00:09:01.639 the senator's fate company, a lawn care service, an actual laundromat, and 103 00:09:01.840 --> 00:09:09.519 Ricardo even held ownership in a sleazy strip club in rural Maryland. Sometimes Ricardo 104 00:09:09.559 --> 00:09:15.559 would even hand over actual duffel bags filled with cash to Martin, which was 105 00:09:15.639 --> 00:09:20.679 exciting, but then Martin would be expected to write the Senator a check for 106 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:28.159 the amount, minus a very small cut, and Martin's check needed to clear. 107 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:33.799 At first that was doable, but now times were desperate. Martin's last 108 00:09:33.840 --> 00:09:39.600 two checks to cover the cash had bounced, and now Martin was screwed. 109 00:09:41.240 --> 00:09:48.919 He gulped down ten paxel that day and murmuring an excuse to the few brokers 110 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:54.480 in the office who gave him disinterested looks as he sped by, raced home, 111 00:09:54.200 --> 00:09:58.039 planned to unplug his phone, shut off his computer, and think. 112 00:10:00.080 --> 00:10:05.039 Martin stopped at the liquor store on the way home about two fifths of whiskey, 113 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:09.159 and ignored his wife's startled inquiries as to why he was home at ten 114 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:13.919 o'clock in the morning, locked himself in his office and proceeded to get past 115 00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:20.679 out drunk. When he came to five hours later, he groggedly, powered 116 00:10:20.759 --> 00:10:24.320 on his mobile, plugged the landline jack back into the wall, and fired 117 00:10:24.440 --> 00:10:30.200 up his email. He could do this, he thought, giving himself a 118 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:35.399 little pep talk. This was nothing. It was then that he realized he 119 00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:39.919 had twenty nine missed calls on his cell phone and ninety seven new emails, 120 00:10:41.080 --> 00:10:46.679 a record, Martin thought, and for a minute smiled, deriving a small 121 00:10:46.679 --> 00:10:52.360 sense of pride after accomplishing this feat, until the ringing of the landline on 122 00:10:52.440 --> 00:10:56.679 his desk snapped him back to reality. He answered it stupidly, and the 123 00:10:56.759 --> 00:11:01.960 minute he heard his assistant Jeremy yelling at him on the other end of the 124 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:05.159 phone, asking where he'd been for the last seven hours and did he know 125 00:11:05.240 --> 00:11:11.360 that Coffee Cups Plus was down and most likely worthless, and every investor was 126 00:11:11.399 --> 00:11:15.960 calling with questions and demanding their money back. So can Martin please call everyone 127 00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:20.639 back? A sap and blah blah blah. Martin slammed down the receiver without 128 00:11:20.679 --> 00:11:24.440 saying a word, and ripped the phone cord out of the jack again. 129 00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:33.120 His head was pounding like a motherfucker, Martin. His wife yelled from outside 130 00:11:33.159 --> 00:11:37.399 the door. Everything all right in there, Martin yelled back. I'm fine, 131 00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:43.000 I'll be out in a minute. That paxel stealing bitch, he thought. 132 00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:48.080 Why couldn't she ever just leave him alone? He had half a mind 133 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:52.279 to run away, leave his daughter and his wife, skip off to the 134 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:56.919 Dominican Republic, tan on the beach and drink his cares away. For all 135 00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:01.519 of time, he always thought that plan sounded good, But then he would 136 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:07.120 remember he didn't speak Spanish very well and would remind himself that the Dominican was 137 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:13.399 close to Mexico and Ricardo's guys were Mexican, so he usually ended up scrapping 138 00:12:13.399 --> 00:12:20.279 the plan because of the two countries proximities. Martin found that way too risky 139 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:26.600 for his liking. That did remind him to put a little more money into 140 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:33.279 his hidden account, though he had continued to pay himself and had since the 141 00:12:33.360 --> 00:12:37.320 beginning of the inception of Essential Management. By setting up a trust in the 142 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:43.519 name of his daughter, the money could be touched only by her. It 143 00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:48.879 wasn't much, two million dollars or so, but it was something Martin would 144 00:12:48.919 --> 00:12:54.080 only use it in case of an emergency. Only he knew about the hidden 145 00:12:54.120 --> 00:12:58.120 money. The documents proclaiming his daughter the keeper of the money were hidden away 146 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:03.120 in a safe past box, and he had hidden the key long ago. 147 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:07.799 The ship had hit the fan two weeks ago, and for two weeks Martin 148 00:13:07.879 --> 00:13:13.960 had been lying low. Investors would call day and night demanding their money back. 149 00:13:13.799 --> 00:13:18.720 Martin would ignore them. Investors would email demanding their money back, or 150 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:22.960 they would go to the SEC, the Attorney General, or anyone who would 151 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:30.320 listen. The emails went unreplied to. The only investor Martin hadn't heard from 152 00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:35.360 was Ricardo. So when the Senator cheerily confirmed their weekly golf game, Martin 153 00:13:35.480 --> 00:13:41.919 was skeptical, but he figured it looked worse not to show up. So 154 00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:46.200 there they were on the eighth hole and Martin was waiting, waiting for something 155 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:52.399 to happen. Ricardo sat down in the golf cart with a huff, cocking 156 00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:56.159 his head toward Martin and shaking it left to right. He tapped his golf 157 00:13:56.200 --> 00:14:01.399 club on the roof of the cart. I hate those kinds of calls, 158 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:07.320 Martin. Martin wondered if this was some kind of trap. He decided to 159 00:14:07.399 --> 00:14:13.919 humor Ricardo and respond, What kinds of calls? Martin asked, nervously, 160 00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:22.000 ripping little tears in his golf card. Oh you know. Ricardo was silent, 161 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:24.879 chewing on the cigar that was now nothing more than a stump covered with 162 00:14:26.039 --> 00:14:33.639 saliva. He he Martin laughed nervously to cut through the silence. When Ricardo 163 00:14:33.720 --> 00:14:39.919 still didn't answer, Martin pressed on what kinds of calls? Ricardo finished chewing 164 00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:43.399 on his cigar and tossed it to the ground. He turned to look at 165 00:14:43.480 --> 00:14:48.200 Martin head on, and his left hand shot out to grip Martin's right forearm 166 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:54.720 hard. The calls, the calls I get from some of my most trusted 167 00:14:54.799 --> 00:15:01.200 confidants telling me that I have lost a large sum of money. Oh, 168 00:15:01.240 --> 00:15:07.039 Martin squeaked out. He tore the golf cart in half. These calls I 169 00:15:07.159 --> 00:15:13.039 do not like. And do you know who has allegedly lost that large sum 170 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:18.639 of money for me? Who? Allegedly? Martin asked, turning his head 171 00:15:18.679 --> 00:15:24.200 from the senator, You, Martin, My trusted advisers tell me it is 172 00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:30.080 you. They are not very happy. I am not very happy. Tell 173 00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:35.399 me how much money is it you have lost of mine? Martin squirmed in 174 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:41.120 the golf cart. I'm working on it, Ricardo. Nothing is absolute at 175 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:43.879 this point. I have hit a rough patch, sure, but it's nothing 176 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:50.759 that can't be fixed. Trust me on this one, Ricardo laughed, throwing 177 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:56.559 his head back. Trust you, for years I have I have put my 178 00:15:56.639 --> 00:16:00.360 trust in you, and you have abused it and taken me for granted. 179 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:04.039 Why Martin, when I have been nothing but a good friend to you. 180 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:10.200 I will get you your money, Senator. I promise. I have a 181 00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:15.399 lot of goodlies on stocks. Things are looking up. You will get me 182 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:21.600 my money. Ricardo said it as a statement. I will ten million dollars. 183 00:16:21.960 --> 00:16:26.519 I will. You will do this. You have my word. Ricardo's 184 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:30.919 face broke into a wide grin. He slapped Martin on the back and leaned 185 00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:37.480 back against the golf cart. Wonderful, my friend, he exclaimed, That 186 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:41.320 is all I needed to hear. You will get me my ten million. 187 00:16:41.639 --> 00:16:47.919 I have your word. Martin breathed a sigh of relief. Ricardo seemed in 188 00:16:47.960 --> 00:16:52.200 a much better mood. Martin can stall him for a few more days, 189 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:56.679 he thought, no problem. He would come up with the cash somehow. 190 00:16:56.360 --> 00:17:03.160 He laughed nervously and pointed to the golf cart. Ignition, shall we yes, 191 00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:08.079 Ricardo gestured toward the explants of the golf course in front of them. 192 00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:12.720 But first I must make another call. I will expedite it, I promise. 193 00:17:14.039 --> 00:17:18.079 Please excuse my rudeness. Did you tea off already? Yes, Martin 194 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:25.079 explained, I'm in the bunker. Please, my friend, take a mulligan. 195 00:17:25.400 --> 00:17:29.640 It is the least I can give you for being so rude. Are 196 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:33.279 you sure? Martin was already up on his feet, swinging his golf club. 197 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:40.839 I insist. Ricardo smiled again and hit one button on his phone. 198 00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:45.799 He began to speak in Spanish to the person on the other end. Martin 199 00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:51.079 took his mulligan and kept it out of the bunker. As he drove home. 200 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:56.039 Martin couldn't help but wonder how he had gotten so lucky. He needed 201 00:17:56.079 --> 00:18:00.440 to buckle down and arrange for a way to make a lot of money and 202 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:04.200 quickly. But first he would take a hot shower and have his wife order 203 00:18:04.279 --> 00:18:11.119 him a pizza with pepperoni and pineapple, his favorite. Arriving home, he 204 00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:15.119 pulled up to the curb in his Mercedes. He liked to leave his other 205 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:21.000 cars out on the driveway instead of in the garage so his neighbors would be 206 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:25.480 jealous. Whistling, he put the car in park and took out his mobile 207 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:30.359 phone. Thirteen missed calls while he was on the golf course. Twelve messages, 208 00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:34.519 not bad for a day when he had skipped out of the office. 209 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:41.920 These days, any number below twenty over a given couple of hours was a 210 00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:47.000 low one. He hit the button to listen to his messages. The first 211 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:49.920 one was from his wife, telling him that she and Jessica had gone out 212 00:18:49.920 --> 00:18:56.319 shopping and for him to order a pizza if he got hungry. Probably out 213 00:18:56.359 --> 00:19:00.880 shopping with plenty of his Paxel in her system, he thought bitterly. As 214 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:06.279 he deleted the message and waited for the second one to begin, he glanced 215 00:19:06.279 --> 00:19:10.440 out his car window to the left and caught sight of a small black car 216 00:19:10.920 --> 00:19:15.880 with flame decals covering the side of it, parked across the street in front 217 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:21.240 of the Green's house. That's odd, Martin thought, rolling down his window 218 00:19:21.319 --> 00:19:25.920 for a better look. He had never seen a trashy car like that anywhere 219 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:32.039 near his ritzy suburban neighborhood. He couldn't make out anything through the tinted windows. 220 00:19:33.319 --> 00:19:37.000 He put the phone up to his ear again, and as the requisite 221 00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:41.000 piste off investor began yelling on the machine, Martin heard a scuffle coming from 222 00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:45.400 outside the window. In a flash, he saw three men jump out of 223 00:19:45.400 --> 00:19:51.640 the small black car and run toward him. They wore handkerchiefs across their faces 224 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:56.599 and were dressed all in black. Before Martin could react. One of the 225 00:19:56.640 --> 00:20:00.480 men opened his car door and another dragged him out out of his seat. 226 00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:06.480 Martin yelped and dropped the phone. He was dragged over the sidewalk and to 227 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:11.359 his front lawn, the force of the pavement against him, ripping away most 228 00:20:11.400 --> 00:20:15.599 of the clothing on the left half of his body. Once on the grass 229 00:20:15.680 --> 00:20:19.839 just inside the sidewalk, he was deposited by the man and was kicked hard 230 00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:25.519 in the robe cage. Martin screamed and tried to curl up into the fetal 231 00:20:25.559 --> 00:20:29.839 position, but the men were quicker, punching him and kicking him as they 232 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:33.799 yelled in Spanish. One of the men grabbed Martin's thumb on his right hand 233 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:38.359 and jerked it back until he heard it snap. He then did the same 234 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:44.640 to every other finger. Martin was too much in pain to scream or make 235 00:20:44.759 --> 00:20:48.920 noises other than grunts. He watched in horror as, after a swift kick 236 00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:53.519 to the mouth, two teeth flew out and landed on the grass beside him. 237 00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:57.640 He felt the blood pour out of his mouth and run down his cheek. 238 00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:02.839 One of them and grabbed him by the hair and yanked his head up 239 00:21:02.920 --> 00:21:07.559 to his mouth. Ten million dollars. Essay, we come here for you 240 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:12.200 because of mister Hernandez. Next time we come for your wife and daughter. 241 00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:18.559 Okay. The man slammed Martin's head back down in the grass, and rearing 242 00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:22.200 his leg back, kicked him in the balls. Martin finally screamed out in 243 00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:27.400 pain. Come pren day, the man said, and they all backed up, 244 00:21:27.799 --> 00:21:33.440 finally leaving Martin alone. Watching the men leave, coughing up blood and 245 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:38.519 whimpering, Martin had only one thought. No matter his wife and daughter, 246 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:44.960 he could never endure that pain again. He was royally screwed and there was 247 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:48.000 nothing he could do about it. They were going to kill him if he 248 00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:52.759 didn't come up with the money, and there was no way that he could. 249 00:21:52.519 --> 00:21:57.279 It was time to go to the sec himself. It was time to 250 00:21:57.319 --> 00:22:07.200 turn himself. In chapter thirteen, Ryan passed his first witness protection case with 251 00:22:07.240 --> 00:22:11.519 the FEDS. Was pretty cut and dry. A Russian mob member snitched on 252 00:22:11.559 --> 00:22:17.359 another Russian mob member, and Ryan and his partner Sam were in charge of 253 00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:22.640 the snitches protection while he was in and out of trial. Twenty four hour 254 00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:29.200 protection was provided to Seragey Kutznikov. They stuck him, his wife and his 255 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:33.799 ten year old son in a shitty motel outside of town, and every day 256 00:22:33.799 --> 00:22:37.519 and night, either Ryan or Sam would watch them parking the car outside their 257 00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:41.400 motel room, which was at the far right corner at the back of the 258 00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:47.759 motel. Ryan would bring them dinner every night, which usually consisted of a 259 00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:53.319 blt sandwich and fries from the eyehop across the street. He and Sam escorted 260 00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:59.079 Seragey and the family to trial every day for two weeks. They would drive 261 00:22:59.160 --> 00:23:03.119 up to the motel and their government issued vehicle with blacked out windows. They 262 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:08.000 would wear sunglasses and escort Sergey, the wife, and the son from their 263 00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:12.839 tiny room to the waiting car. Once at the courthouse, serge was locked 264 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:18.240 in a separate room until it was time for his testimony. This was to 265 00:23:18.440 --> 00:23:22.480 ensure that he did not see the person against whom he was testifying. The 266 00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:27.039 wife and son would be locked in a separate room. Ryan would wait outside 267 00:23:27.079 --> 00:23:33.200 Sergey's room every day until his name was called to testify. Then Ryan would 268 00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:37.319 walk him down the long corridor and safely deposit him in the courtroom. Ryan 269 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:41.279 would stand at the back of the court, listened to his testimony, and 270 00:23:41.400 --> 00:23:48.079 after he was finished, escort Sergey back to the locked room. After two 271 00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:52.440 straight weeks of that, Serge, his wife and son had two rounds of 272 00:23:52.519 --> 00:23:57.359 psychological counseling and were shown a video of their new location. Ryan and Sam 273 00:23:57.400 --> 00:24:03.519 then found them new names, new social Security numbers, and new birth certificates. 274 00:24:03.440 --> 00:24:08.880 This took a few more weeks. They were relocated to eastern Tennessee. 275 00:24:10.720 --> 00:24:15.960 Saragey's mistress was taken to a separate, shitty motel off of Root sixty six. 276 00:24:17.079 --> 00:24:22.759 Unlike her former boyfriend and his family, Vadlena was demanding and a nightmare 277 00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:26.880 to surveil. Seragey, The wife and son were boring. They woke up 278 00:24:26.920 --> 00:24:30.279 in the morning, ate their breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the motel, 279 00:24:30.680 --> 00:24:34.960 and went to sleep at night. There was never any drama surrounding them, 280 00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:41.119 and they never made wild requests of Sam or Ryan. With Vladilenna, 281 00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:47.680 it was different. Within two hours of arriving at her motel, Vladilenna summoned 282 00:24:47.799 --> 00:24:52.039 Ryan into her room and powderly proclaimed that she was bored. She was wearing 283 00:24:52.119 --> 00:24:57.559 sky high clear plastic heels, a black miniskirt, and a red top that 284 00:24:57.640 --> 00:25:03.920 plunged low enough to blay huge fake breasts. Her naturally dark hair was dyed 285 00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:08.960 a crunchy bottled blonde color, and dark magenta lipliner outlined her lips. She 286 00:25:10.039 --> 00:25:15.960 looked like a stripper, probably because she was one. This was not the 287 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:19.400 only time led Lena annoyed the shit out of him. For two weeks, 288 00:25:19.400 --> 00:25:25.119 she pranced around in those hideous heels, offering to have sex with Ryan if 289 00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:29.200 he let her leave the motel, just for a night, just to make 290 00:25:29.240 --> 00:25:32.880 some money at the strip club, just to go see her other boyfriend, 291 00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:37.839 Bogdon, owner and proprietor of said strip club, just to blah blah blah 292 00:25:37.880 --> 00:25:44.039 blah blah. Ryan stopped listening to her after he realized she was never going 293 00:25:44.119 --> 00:25:48.160 to stop hounding him, and within three days stopped coming into her motel room 294 00:25:48.200 --> 00:25:53.039 altogether. Anytime she beckoned. If he got her food, he would leave 295 00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:57.519 it on the doorstep, rap three times with the knocker to signal its arrival, 296 00:25:57.960 --> 00:26:03.319 and run back to the are power locking the doors, his sunglasses always 297 00:26:03.400 --> 00:26:07.920 on. When vled Lena realized she wasn't going to be able to persuade Ryan 298 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:14.960 to let her out with sex or otherwise, she became increasingly angry and took 299 00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:18.720 to flipping him off every time she opened the door to retrieve her food. 300 00:26:18.599 --> 00:26:23.039 Ryan didn't care. His job was to protect her, but that didn't mean 301 00:26:23.160 --> 00:26:30.079 she was anything more than a trampy, gold digging Russian whore. After Sergey 302 00:26:30.119 --> 00:26:34.720 and his family were relocated, Ryan and Sam set to work on obtaining vled 303 00:26:34.839 --> 00:26:41.559 Lena's papers. She was relocated to north central Missouri. She made it four 304 00:26:41.640 --> 00:26:48.279 months After that time, vled Lena voluntarily left the program. SEC witnesses were 305 00:26:48.359 --> 00:26:53.319 heavily advised against doing so, but the program was not mandatory, so if 306 00:26:53.319 --> 00:26:57.240 a witness or family member wanted to leave, there was nothing anyone could do 307 00:26:57.319 --> 00:27:03.839 about it. Asked, Ryan heard Vladlena had moved back to the DC area, 308 00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:07.440 where she was killed in a shooting at the strip club where she had 309 00:27:07.480 --> 00:27:11.720 gone back to work. Bog Don, the esteemed owner, proprietor, and 310 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:15.839 boyfriend, had been killed as well. Serge and his family were, to 311 00:27:15.960 --> 00:27:23.759 everyone's collective knowledge, still safe in Tennessee, living a quiet existence. Ryan 312 00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:29.480 was always hungry for more witness protection cases. He liked playing the hero. 313 00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:33.559 He supposed it was because of his inability to save his father so many years 314 00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:37.680 ago. His father had died in the room next to him and Ryan had 315 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:45.559 been helpless and inefficient. The federal Marshal program and wit Sek especially had given 316 00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:48.640 Ryan another chance to be the hero. It wasn't so much the glory he 317 00:27:48.680 --> 00:27:53.519 craved. It was more the fact that people's lives depended on him. They 318 00:27:53.559 --> 00:27:57.640 depended on him not to screw up and to keep them safe. The oath 319 00:27:57.720 --> 00:28:03.039 that Ryan had taken to do so he had taken to heart. He took 320 00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:07.079 the most pride in taking care of the children that were involved in wit SEC. 321 00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:11.559 They were the innocent ones, the ones who had no choice as to 322 00:28:11.599 --> 00:28:17.799 why their lives had to be upended, torn apart, begun anew. There 323 00:28:17.799 --> 00:28:22.480 were not that many children in the program. Mostly it consisted of criminals who 324 00:28:22.559 --> 00:28:26.200 were in need of safe housing, but if the criminal had a wife and 325 00:28:26.359 --> 00:28:32.000 children, they would obviously enter into it as well. The criminals had chosen 326 00:28:32.039 --> 00:28:37.200 their path, but their children were unlucky and unfortunate standbys. Ryan found that 327 00:28:37.240 --> 00:28:41.319 the wives were typically less at fault when it came to the criminal activity, 328 00:28:41.799 --> 00:28:48.200 but not blameless. Countless wives knew what their husbands were up to and never 329 00:28:48.279 --> 00:28:52.960 turned them in, whether out of fear of repercussions or out of fear they 330 00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:57.920 would have to acclimate to a much less lavish lifestyle. The wives of criminals 331 00:28:59.000 --> 00:29:03.440 enjoyed a certain quality of life and were not about to have that ripped away 332 00:29:03.480 --> 00:29:07.279 from them. A little bit of Ryan thought that he was so intent on 333 00:29:07.400 --> 00:29:11.400 saving children because he had never been able to give his wife the children she 334 00:29:11.559 --> 00:29:17.200 so wanted. Even though it didn't matter to Ryan whether or not he had 335 00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:21.079 them, he had always felt a sense of failure at not being able to 336 00:29:21.119 --> 00:29:26.240 provide that for her. It had been partly to blame for the demise of 337 00:29:26.279 --> 00:29:30.319 his marriage. But Ryan was no longer a failure when it came to whitsec. 338 00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:36.960 He was a success. Ryan and Sam were at their desks on a 339 00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:42.160 lazy Thursday afternoon in February nineteen ninety five when they were called into their superior's 340 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:48.359 office. David Andrews bellowed out from his corner chambers, barking Ryan and Sam's 341 00:29:48.440 --> 00:29:53.000 names. The only time there was so much urgency in Andrew's voice was when 342 00:29:53.039 --> 00:30:00.400 there was another Whitset case on the roster. This particular one in involved a 343 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:06.160 former DC broker and hedge fund manager, Martin Walker. Martin had been a 344 00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:11.519 low lying, bottom feeding white collar criminal. For years. Ryan didn't know 345 00:30:11.640 --> 00:30:15.119 much about the stock market, but he did know a little bit about white 346 00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:21.559 collar fraud. These guys were all the same crooks who stole other people's livelihoods 347 00:30:21.920 --> 00:30:26.160 and didn't think twice about it. In fact, most of them didn't think 348 00:30:26.200 --> 00:30:30.920 what they were doing was even criminal. Ryan didn't see the difference between taking 349 00:30:30.920 --> 00:30:37.880 a life and ruining one, But that was the difference between himself and Martin 350 00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:42.640 Walker. Ryan got to sleep at night. Martin Walker hadn't for a long 351 00:30:42.759 --> 00:30:49.160 long time. Walker had made a fortune a decade ago from shorting a stock 352 00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:53.759 that ended up going bust. He then started his own hedge fund and set 353 00:30:53.799 --> 00:31:00.640 about royally fucking his investors over. Ryan didn't see how this was excited or 354 00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:06.240 in any way news at all. Didn't these guys always do this? Ryan 355 00:31:06.440 --> 00:31:11.640 interrupted his boss, impatient. So what some investor finally figured out this guy 356 00:31:11.720 --> 00:31:15.799 was a crook and his hard earned money went to pay for Walkers jag and 357 00:31:15.960 --> 00:31:22.319 yacht. Big deal. These guys screw investors over all the time. Sam 358 00:31:22.400 --> 00:31:26.599 chimed in, Yeah, we need to protect this Walker guy because some investors 359 00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:30.960 got pissed off and are threatening to kill him. I say let him kill 360 00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:33.920 him. Good for them. This is a little bit bigger than that. 361 00:31:34.319 --> 00:31:41.359 David Andrews addressed the two men. How big Sam asked, it involves a 362 00:31:41.480 --> 00:31:48.160 US senator? David replied cautiously, which one. Sam leaned forward in his 363 00:31:48.279 --> 00:31:56.400 chair. Attentive Senator Ricardo Hernandez, Republican from California, answered David shit. 364 00:31:57.680 --> 00:32:04.759 Sam sat back in his Ryan was still confused. Was the senator one of 365 00:32:04.839 --> 00:32:10.000 Walker's investors? Yes? And no. David sat down in his own chair, 366 00:32:10.200 --> 00:32:15.680 opening a file folder and glancing at it before proceeding. He did invest 367 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:21.640 with Walker years ago until Walker lost a lot of his money doing shitty trades 368 00:32:21.720 --> 00:32:25.799 and being an all around piece of shit, So the senator blackmailed him into 369 00:32:25.960 --> 00:32:32.200 laundering money for him. Where we at now? Then Sam asked, crossing 370 00:32:32.240 --> 00:32:37.839 his right ankle over his left knee, this guy got a family. David 371 00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:43.839 ignored him and plowed on. So Walker is laundering the money. Everything is 372 00:32:43.839 --> 00:32:47.039 going great, right, but it's a shit ton of money. So he's 373 00:32:47.079 --> 00:32:52.759 wondering where this senator is coming from having all that cash. Curiosity gets the 374 00:32:52.799 --> 00:32:57.759 best of him, and Walker figures out that the senator has major ties to 375 00:32:57.799 --> 00:33:05.160 a Mexican drug cartel. No shit. This time it was Ryan's turn to 376 00:33:05.240 --> 00:33:10.960 react. David continued, So, Senator Hernandez is in bed with the Tijuana 377 00:33:10.960 --> 00:33:17.279 cartel who operate out of guess what Tijuana. The guy's family is from. 378 00:33:17.319 --> 00:33:22.279 There are something. So the whole lot of those drug trafficking wetbacks are fucking 379 00:33:22.440 --> 00:33:28.559 overjoyed when he gets elected to the Senate because Senator Spick not only has the 380 00:33:28.640 --> 00:33:32.119 wherewithal and power to get their money laundered, but he can also pass laws 381 00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:37.160 that favor them being able to move billions of dollars worth of drugs over the 382 00:33:37.279 --> 00:33:44.319 border. Ryan was intrigued. How long has this been going on? We're 383 00:33:44.319 --> 00:33:49.160 not sure, David admitted. He closed the file and rested his elbows on 384 00:33:49.240 --> 00:33:53.640 his desk. Walker came to the Feds earlier this week. They're checking everything 385 00:33:53.680 --> 00:33:59.119 out, but they're pretty sure that this senator is going to be implicated. 386 00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:05.839 Sam interrupted, And if the Senator goes down for this, he's got his 387 00:34:05.920 --> 00:34:09.239 whole gang of border rants going after Walker. This guy got a family, 388 00:34:10.480 --> 00:34:16.800 that had been Ryan's next question. David Andrews looked pained. He does got 389 00:34:16.800 --> 00:34:22.599 a wife and kid, little girl. Ryan's heart dropped, how old, 390 00:34:22.599 --> 00:34:29.360 Boss, She's four. Ryan felt sick to his stomach. Sam, who 391 00:34:29.400 --> 00:34:32.840 seemed immune to the newest piece of information, was on his feet in seconds. 392 00:34:34.639 --> 00:34:37.519 When do we go get him, he asked his boss, referring to 393 00:34:37.559 --> 00:34:42.079 the family. I'd like you to go tonight, David replied, also standing 394 00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:45.599 up from his chair. This Walker guy has already been threatened by the cartel, 395 00:34:45.679 --> 00:34:50.840 and he's worried they'll get to his family. That's why he turned himself 396 00:34:50.880 --> 00:34:53.960 in. Told our guys. He's willing to testify against the Senator, but 397 00:34:54.119 --> 00:35:00.559 he needs our protection. He's up against some pretty powerful people. A few 398 00:35:00.559 --> 00:35:06.000 hours later, Ryan and Sam were driving to Bethesda, Maryland, where Martin 399 00:35:06.079 --> 00:35:10.400 Walker and his family lived. Bethesda was a residential suburb of Washington, d 400 00:35:10.519 --> 00:35:16.119 C. Home to many prominent politicians and business men in the area. As 401 00:35:16.199 --> 00:35:21.920 Ryan and Sam passed countless mansion, set far back from the street and surrounded 402 00:35:21.920 --> 00:35:27.599 by high wrought iron gates, Ryan tried to imagine the life here. It 403 00:35:27.679 --> 00:35:32.960 was whirled away from his little one bedroom apartment, which he rented. Sam 404 00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:38.000 maneuvered the blacked out government vehicle onto burning Tree Court, pulled up flush with 405 00:35:38.039 --> 00:35:43.400 the curb outside the house and killed the engine. Ryan took a minute to 406 00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:47.760 look around them before they ventured inside. The Martin residence was on a tree 407 00:35:47.800 --> 00:35:53.079 lined side street, situated at the end of a cul de sac seventeen Burning 408 00:35:53.119 --> 00:35:59.960 Tree Court was a three story brick structure. Its facade was imposing, almost 409 00:36:00.199 --> 00:36:04.719 menacing. A black driveway that looked as if it had just been repaved, 410 00:36:05.199 --> 00:36:10.320 curled up toward the black door and curved around in a semi circle. Sensing 411 00:36:10.320 --> 00:36:15.280 that Ryan was not about to move anytime soon, Sam picked up a pack 412 00:36:15.360 --> 00:36:17.760 of cigarettes from the console, fished one out, and brought it to his 413 00:36:17.840 --> 00:36:22.800 lips. Without a word, he offered Ryan one. Ryan usually didn't make 414 00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:27.760 a habit of smoking, but tonight he would have one to calm him down. 415 00:36:28.719 --> 00:36:31.920 He had no idea why he was so jumpy or had an impending feeling 416 00:36:31.960 --> 00:36:37.480 of doom come over him. Usually he was excited to do these sorts of 417 00:36:37.519 --> 00:36:43.480 operations. This was the part of his job he loved the most. He 418 00:36:43.519 --> 00:36:47.440 gratefully accepted a cigarette, and, pulling a lighter from his pocket, lit 419 00:36:47.559 --> 00:36:52.159 Sam's then his own. They sat and smoked in silence, windows down, 420 00:36:52.639 --> 00:36:59.800 letting the cold February night air inside the car Sam finished first and tossed his 421 00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:04.519 cigarette butt out the window. You ready to do this, he asked Ryan. 422 00:37:05.519 --> 00:37:08.360 Ryan nodded, and together they exited the car and made their way up 423 00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:13.920 the driveway, stopping to knock on the door and wait to be let inside. 424 00:37:14.800 --> 00:37:20.119 A full minute passed and Ryan knocked again. No answer. He didn't 425 00:37:20.159 --> 00:37:23.679 hear any noises inside the house either. He backed up and tilted his head 426 00:37:23.760 --> 00:37:29.079 to see if there were any lights on in the house that rose menacingly above 427 00:37:29.199 --> 00:37:35.239 him. There were not. Ryan had had witnesses hide from him before. 428 00:37:35.760 --> 00:37:38.920 He had gone to move them, to collect them, as Sam sometimes called 429 00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:44.599 it, and the witnesses were too scared to come to the door. Some 430 00:37:44.679 --> 00:37:47.639 of them tried to flee when Ryan got there. He never understood this. 431 00:37:49.400 --> 00:37:52.000 It was the witnesses who had come to him for help, not the other 432 00:37:52.039 --> 00:37:57.880 way around. Ryan tried to have patience with these people, but because most 433 00:37:57.920 --> 00:38:02.800 of them were criminals themselves, was sometimes difficult. He looked at Sam, 434 00:38:02.840 --> 00:38:08.000 who shrugged his shoulders. Sam had even less patience than Ryan, a feat 435 00:38:08.119 --> 00:38:15.679 Ryan considered exceptionally difficult. Sam began pounding on the door again, and midpound 436 00:38:15.760 --> 00:38:21.199 the door opened to reveal a short somewhat stocky man with graying hair and glasses. 437 00:38:22.079 --> 00:38:25.280 The man looked at them, dwarfed by the entryway, wringing his hands 438 00:38:25.360 --> 00:38:32.280 as he cleared his throat. Hello, the man said quietly. Behind him 439 00:38:32.400 --> 00:38:37.320 was an expansive hallway with a double staircase climbing up to the second and third 440 00:38:37.400 --> 00:38:43.760 stories. Black and white marble made up the flooring, and a gigantic chandelier 441 00:38:43.880 --> 00:38:49.280 hung above the man's head. Even in the darkness, it glittered expensively. 442 00:38:50.320 --> 00:38:54.039 Life size bronze statues flanked the entryway, and Ryan could just make out two 443 00:38:54.119 --> 00:39:00.440 small steps that opened into a sunken living room. On the woodpanel walls. 444 00:39:00.480 --> 00:39:07.199 On either side of the staircases hung gold framed paintings. Martin Walker. Ryan 445 00:39:07.280 --> 00:39:13.159 spoke first, pushing the door open wider and looking around inside the darkened foyer. 446 00:39:14.760 --> 00:39:19.440 That is I I'm Ryan Gaines and this is my partner, Sam Holloway. 447 00:39:20.320 --> 00:39:24.400 Ryan motioned to Sam, May we come in please? Martin stepped aside 448 00:39:24.440 --> 00:39:29.960 and nervously swept his hand in the direction of the hallway. Please come in, 449 00:39:30.079 --> 00:39:34.679 Yes, thank you for coming. Ryan clapped Sam on the shoulder and 450 00:39:34.760 --> 00:39:38.400 told him I'll have a look around. Sam nodded and continued talking to Martin. 451 00:39:39.400 --> 00:39:44.000 Ryan could hear him saying that they were there to escort him and his 452 00:39:44.119 --> 00:39:49.400 family to a safe location that would be revealed to them only when they arrived, 453 00:39:49.880 --> 00:39:54.480 standard federal marshal procedure. Ryan walked through the downstairs of the house, 454 00:39:54.840 --> 00:39:59.320 his hand on his gun and the holster at his side, just in case 455 00:39:59.360 --> 00:40:02.280 it was needed. He had yet to pull a gun on anyone during a 456 00:40:02.320 --> 00:40:07.880 pickup, but his training had taught him that this was a distinct possibility. 457 00:40:07.119 --> 00:40:14.039 When going to retrieve the witnesses den kitchen, laundry room, living room, 458 00:40:14.840 --> 00:40:20.400 Ryan moved stealthily through every room, looking for suspicious things or people. The 459 00:40:20.440 --> 00:40:23.840 house was decorated in a modern style. Ryan could tell that the Walkers had 460 00:40:23.880 --> 00:40:30.360 overspent on pretty much everything. Expensive art lined the walls, the best stainless 461 00:40:30.360 --> 00:40:35.639 steel appliances were in the kitchen. And checking the garage, Ryan counted a 462 00:40:35.679 --> 00:40:40.079 Mercedes Benz, a Ferrari, and an Aston. Martin Martin Walker was not 463 00:40:40.239 --> 00:40:46.079 frugal that much, he could tell. Ryan walked back into the hallway where 464 00:40:46.159 --> 00:40:52.159 Sam and Martin were still talking. Martin was apologizing for his wife, who 465 00:40:52.239 --> 00:40:55.920 was taking her time getting ready and packing her things. Martin was trying to 466 00:40:55.960 --> 00:41:00.800 explain to Sam that his wife had taken things very hard, but that she 467 00:41:00.920 --> 00:41:06.000 was being brave for their daughter. Rian had heard it all before, just 468 00:41:06.159 --> 00:41:09.480 a criminal's way of making himself feel better about the situation he had put his 469 00:41:09.559 --> 00:41:15.599 loved ones in, Ignoring both of them. Ran headed up one side at 470 00:41:15.639 --> 00:41:21.159 the double swirling staircase, taking the steps two at a time. When he 471 00:41:21.199 --> 00:41:23.719 reached the landing, he could see the master bedroom in front of him. 472 00:41:24.159 --> 00:41:29.159 The light was on in the room, illuminating its size. The room was 473 00:41:29.280 --> 00:41:35.239 massive and sparsely furnished. A king bed unmade was along the back wall, 474 00:41:35.519 --> 00:41:39.360 and an armwire was flushed against the right wall. A small bedside table was 475 00:41:39.400 --> 00:41:45.840 the only other piece of furniture. Ran heard who he guessed was Martin's wife, 476 00:41:45.960 --> 00:41:49.920 chattering a mile a minute, probably on the phone. He couldn't make 477 00:41:49.960 --> 00:41:54.559 out the whole conversation, but she sounded very hyper and stressed. Suddenly, 478 00:41:54.599 --> 00:42:00.840 the wife appeared in the doorway, wearing only a bra and panties. Fortunately, 479 00:42:00.880 --> 00:42:04.360 her back was to Ryan and she was clutching a phone with one hand 480 00:42:04.760 --> 00:42:09.400 while gesturing wildly with the other. Embarrassed, Ryan slinked away back down the 481 00:42:09.400 --> 00:42:13.880 hallway the way he had come, so as not to make it appear as 482 00:42:13.920 --> 00:42:17.920 if he were a voyeur of any kind. As he was making his way 483 00:42:17.960 --> 00:42:22.119 back toward the staircase, Ryan heard a muffled sound coming from the room to 484 00:42:22.159 --> 00:42:27.760 his left. The door was open, so Ryan, keeping his hand on 485 00:42:27.840 --> 00:42:31.880 his gun, tiptoed closer and stood in the doorway. On a twin size 486 00:42:31.880 --> 00:42:36.599 bed. In front of him sat a little girl, pigtails in her blonde 487 00:42:36.639 --> 00:42:40.079 hair, clutching a ragged blanket to her chest. The girl was crying. 488 00:42:40.760 --> 00:42:45.840 She looked up at him as fat tears continued to roll down her cheeks. 489 00:42:45.440 --> 00:42:51.519 The girl sniffed and rubbed her nose. Who are you, the girl asked, 490 00:42:52.039 --> 00:42:55.880 placing the blanket between her legs that were crossed Indian style. She wore 491 00:42:55.920 --> 00:43:00.920 a black and white striped dress with a belt that had light pink bows on 492 00:43:00.960 --> 00:43:06.440 it. Each pigtail held a similar pink bow, and the outfit was complete 493 00:43:06.719 --> 00:43:10.360 with white tights and pink ballet flats. It was as if her mother had 494 00:43:10.440 --> 00:43:15.519 dressed her up specifically for a very big day. The day just happened to 495 00:43:15.599 --> 00:43:21.199 be the one when this little girl entered the Witness Protection Program and had her 496 00:43:21.199 --> 00:43:27.760 identity changed for her by the US government for all time. Ryan let his 497 00:43:27.800 --> 00:43:31.960 hand drop from his gun and approached the girl slowly. I'm Ryan, he 498 00:43:32.079 --> 00:43:37.039 said, sitting down next to her on the bed. I've come to help 499 00:43:37.079 --> 00:43:42.519 your mommy and daddy keep you safe. The girl nodded as if she understood, 500 00:43:42.960 --> 00:43:47.559 seemingly wise beyond her years. Mommy and Daddy told me that we have 501 00:43:47.719 --> 00:43:52.480 to go away. Yes you do, Ryan conceded, But you're going to 502 00:43:52.519 --> 00:43:58.239 be just fine. Everything will be okay. I'm going to help you. 503 00:43:59.280 --> 00:44:02.280 The girl it again, the pink bows in her hair moving up and down, 504 00:44:02.440 --> 00:44:08.480 almost imperceptibly. Ryan didn't know if everything was actually going to be okay, 505 00:44:08.920 --> 00:44:14.480 and he suddenly felt the guilt creep up into his chest. How dare 506 00:44:14.519 --> 00:44:19.760 he lie to this poor little girl? Can you come downstairs with me now, 507 00:44:19.960 --> 00:44:22.280 Ryan asked, as he stood up and extended his hand for the little 508 00:44:22.320 --> 00:44:27.719 girl to take. How about we go get some ice cream, really, 509 00:44:27.760 --> 00:44:31.840 really soon. The girl nodded again and reached out her hand as well. 510 00:44:32.800 --> 00:44:37.440 Ryan looked down and saw her hand so tiny compared to his, and felt 511 00:44:37.480 --> 00:44:43.559 her grip surprisingly tight for her young age. At that moment, ran knew 512 00:44:43.599 --> 00:44:47.320 that he would do all he possibly could to protect this little girl, to 513 00:44:47.400 --> 00:44:53.199 keep her safe. As she toddled down the stairs, slowly putting both feet 514 00:44:53.239 --> 00:44:58.880 on each step before starting over again on the next one, she chattered to 515 00:44:59.000 --> 00:45:02.519 Ryan about how her mother had let her wear her most favorite dress because her 516 00:45:02.559 --> 00:45:07.760 favorite color was pink, and because this was a special occasion, she had 517 00:45:07.760 --> 00:45:13.039 stopped crying. When she reached the landing, she stopped and stood still, 518 00:45:13.519 --> 00:45:20.159 clasping her hands in front of her dutifully waiting for further instructions. Hello, 519 00:45:20.239 --> 00:45:25.039 Daddy, she smiled, looking up at Martin in reverence. Martin was also 520 00:45:25.119 --> 00:45:29.760 on the landing, and when he caught sight of his daughter, he stooped 521 00:45:29.800 --> 00:45:35.320 down to give her an awkward hug. Hello, sweetheart, Remember what mommy 522 00:45:35.320 --> 00:45:38.960 and I told you that you have to go away for a while. You're 523 00:45:39.039 --> 00:45:43.880 not going to be with mommy and Daddy, but you'll see us soon. 524 00:45:44.920 --> 00:45:50.639 The little girl nodded again, still gazing up toward her father. The little 525 00:45:50.679 --> 00:45:54.159 girl was to be taken to a secret location, a foster home, while 526 00:45:54.199 --> 00:45:59.800 Martin and his wife stayed at the Whitsec safe house. At the end of 527 00:45:59.800 --> 00:46:05.239 the investigation and subsequent trial, Martin and his wife would be reunited with their 528 00:46:05.360 --> 00:46:09.360 daughter if the marshals deemed it safe enough. They would then all receive their 529 00:46:09.400 --> 00:46:15.760 new identities. But for now, the little girl was under Ryan's care until 530 00:46:15.840 --> 00:46:19.440 he could get her to the foster home that was expecting her. Within the 531 00:46:19.519 --> 00:46:24.320 hour. Ryan and the child would be picked up by another fed. Their 532 00:46:24.360 --> 00:46:30.880 meeting spot had been predetermined a convenient smart in walking distance from the house. 533 00:46:30.519 --> 00:46:36.199 This was to prevent any mishaps in case the car that Ryan and Sam had 534 00:46:36.280 --> 00:46:40.400 arrived in had been tailed. Ryan was ready to get going. He didn't 535 00:46:40.400 --> 00:46:45.119 want to miss the scheduled pickup. He needed to get the girl to safety 536 00:46:45.159 --> 00:46:51.039 as soon as possible. Martin's wife came running down the stairs, still clutching 537 00:46:51.079 --> 00:46:54.679 the phone, now clothed in a bathrobe. He didn't figure Sam would be 538 00:46:54.719 --> 00:47:00.519 taking them to the motel anytime soon. Many of the missus wives delayed their 539 00:47:00.559 --> 00:47:05.960 departures. They weren't the types of women to be hurried, nor were they 540 00:47:06.000 --> 00:47:09.840 anxious to leave their extravagant lives behind in order to slum it at a motel 541 00:47:10.000 --> 00:47:15.440 by the interstate. My darling, she cried, reaching the bottom of the 542 00:47:15.519 --> 00:47:21.039 stairs and folding her daughter into her arms. She held her at arm's length. 543 00:47:21.800 --> 00:47:23.960 You be a good girl, okay, and mommy will see you soon, 544 00:47:24.480 --> 00:47:29.840 she said, her voice catching in her throat. Mommy loves you very 545 00:47:29.960 --> 00:47:35.199 much. The little girl looked at the mother for a long moment, as 546 00:47:35.199 --> 00:47:39.880 if rendering her to memory. Then Martin stepped up to his daughter and pulled 547 00:47:39.960 --> 00:47:45.800 something from behind his back. I have a gift for you, her father 548 00:47:45.920 --> 00:47:50.559 said, producing what looked to Ryan like a stuffed animal and placing it in 549 00:47:50.639 --> 00:47:55.239 the girl's outstretched hands. The girl smiled. Pleased with the gift, she 550 00:47:55.360 --> 00:48:00.760 turned it over and over in her hands, inspecting the stuffed ana, which 551 00:48:00.840 --> 00:48:06.400 Ryan recognized as a large teddy bear wearing a tan vest and underneath a red, 552 00:48:06.559 --> 00:48:12.320 short sleeved shirt. Martin turned the bear over in her hands and pulled 553 00:48:12.360 --> 00:48:16.119 a white string on the bear's back. Suddenly, the bear began to talk 554 00:48:16.159 --> 00:48:21.960 in a high pitched children's voice, and its eyes moved back and forth as 555 00:48:21.960 --> 00:48:25.440 the bear trembled in the girl's hands. The little girl smiled and clutched the 556 00:48:25.480 --> 00:48:31.280 bear to her chest. Thank you, daddy, she said. Martin grew 557 00:48:31.360 --> 00:48:37.079 serious and took the girl's hand as He looked straight into her eyes. Keep 558 00:48:37.119 --> 00:48:40.679 that bear with you wherever you go. Do you understand me? I will, 559 00:48:40.760 --> 00:48:45.800 daddy. It is very important. It is to remember your daddy by 560 00:48:46.400 --> 00:48:52.559 promise me. I promised, daddy, the girl said again, still clutching 561 00:48:52.599 --> 00:48:58.079 the bear tightly. Ryan cleared his throat, signaling to everyone that it was 562 00:48:58.119 --> 00:49:00.719 time to leave. Sam w opped him on the back and told him he'd 563 00:49:00.719 --> 00:49:06.519 see him later tonight. Ryan nodded and took the girl's hand to lead her 564 00:49:06.519 --> 00:49:09.880 toward the door. Her mother turned away and put her head in her hands. 565 00:49:10.800 --> 00:49:15.159 Martin walked up to the doorway and stopped inside the threshold to watch Ryan 566 00:49:15.320 --> 00:49:20.679 walk away with his little girl. Just as Ryan was about to exit, 567 00:49:21.239 --> 00:49:27.079 Martin placed a hand on his shoulder. The man's grip tightened, but before 568 00:49:27.159 --> 00:49:32.039 Ryan could turn around, he heard him barely audible whisper a string of numbers. 569 00:49:34.360 --> 00:49:43.159 Fourteen nine, three, fifteen twelve five. What Ryan asked, trying 570 00:49:43.199 --> 00:49:46.880 to turn around again, but Martin's hand remained clamped on his shoulder, forcing 571 00:49:46.960 --> 00:49:52.920 him to stare straight ahead. He repeated the numbers, this time closer to 572 00:49:52.079 --> 00:50:01.760 Ryan's ear. Fourteen nine, three, fifteen twelve five. Martin finally released 573 00:50:01.800 --> 00:50:07.239 his grip and Ryan turned. The man before him had no expression. He 574 00:50:07.280 --> 00:50:12.519 could see the light from inside the house darkening every feature. He was merely 575 00:50:12.559 --> 00:50:17.159 a shadow in the doorway. Turning back, Ryan led the girl down the 576 00:50:17.239 --> 00:50:24.840 long path to the driveway. She was walking carefully and excruciatingly slowly. She 577 00:50:24.960 --> 00:50:30.159 turned around and put a tiny hand up in the air, waved at her 578 00:50:30.159 --> 00:50:35.400 father, and called out goodbye, Daddy. Ryan looked back at Martin, 579 00:50:35.760 --> 00:50:39.760 still in the doorway and waited for him to reply. After what seemed like 580 00:50:39.880 --> 00:50:45.119 hours, Martin quietly responded, goodbye, Nicole.