The Robber Princess

Chapter 23. From Point A to Point B

Chapter 23

Regina was used to being the driver's seat and the eleven-hour bus trip from Quito to Bogotá, crammed into a crowded bus bobbing up and down, was most uncomfortable. She arrived with cramped legs and a long-unsettled stomach. She had so wanted to just take a commercial hop out of Quito but could not risk the airport being watched.

By the time she arrived in Bogotá all the travel agents were closed for the day, so she went to the airport to find ticket options to Beijing. It was not easy finding a route that she could afford given her limited cash supply, and which did not require a layover in the United States. She had already been in the U.S. on her French passport and she surmised the Americans were now actively watching for it. The quickest and cheapest route to Beijing took her through LAX, but even without leaving the airport she would have had to go through passport control—not an option.

The Avianca ticket agent was curious as to why Regina so adamantly refused to go through the U.S. Regina covered with an ostentatious display of anti-Americanism: "I weel not put my feet in ze very 'eart of global impérialisme and capitaliste oppression," she declared as smugly as she could. She had once had a college professor who talked like that routinely and she enjoyed mocking her. Regina's faded woolen poncho, procured at a flea market in Quito the day before, seemed to add further credibility. The agent looked slightly offended, but was not suspicious and happily took her capitalist, imperialist American currency in exchange for a ticket.

The best option was to fly to Vancouver via Mexico City. From there she would take a small Chinese carrier to Xiamen and hop up to Beijing, arriving 49 hours after leaving Bogotá, local time. Fortunately the first leg did not leave until the next morning, giving Regina some time to rest. She knew she would need it.

*****

Because Brickelstein and his crew knew where they were going, the trip back to Ambato took only six hours. Colonel Barrios was waiting for Brickelstein when he returned to his hotel—exhausted, grungy, and in very low spirits.

"I'm sorry we couldn't help you better," said Barrios, put out that a woman had gotten the better of him. "I really thought we had the Robber Princess trapped at last."

"Princess Regina is the most resourceful, talented, and cunning criminal that I've ever known," said Brickelstein as he plopped down at the small desk and fired up his laptop. "Believe me, you're not the first to underestimate her. I certainly have ... too many times."

"Will you return to Interpol tomorrow?"

"Actually, I have an idea. Regina's m.o. has been to seek refuge with other associates of Mastrandrea's. Now, if she stays consistent, she'll keep doing that. Do you remember up in the retreat, when Regina came to the door and I talked to her?" Barrios nodded. "You remember that I told her whom we had in custody?"

"Yes. Actually, I wondered why you were divulging to a wanted criminal the details about her own investigation."

"I didn't mention everyone. There's still Min the Manchurian. Zeng Min-shui is still at large but the Chinese authorities are watching his house. If Regina goes there, she'll be arrested."

"You think she will?"

"Actually, I hope not. There's one more person. His name is Mosi Mbiti and he has a retreat near Arusha, Tanzania. We have him in custody already, but I doubt that Regina knows this and I deliberately didn't tell her. I'm hoping that she thinks that we don't know of Mbiti's existence, and that she'll go to his house."

"And the Tanzanian authorities will arrest her there?"

"No, Colonel, I'm going to Arusha to arrest her myself. I've been chasing her nonstop for weeks and I think ... no, I'd like to think, that I understand her better than anyone else. And ..." Brickelstein got up and looked out the hotel window. "... I have personal reasons too. I want—I need to be the one to do it."