QUETZALTCOATL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
31 OCTOBER 2008
1400 LOCAL HOURS
The plan was simple, but Logan knew its simplicity belied its danger and difficulty. Operations planned under such circumstances were usually risky, and there was always a surprise or two—rarely good ones. Fallujah flashed through his mind as the planning unfolded.
The isolation of the compound ensured that any vehicles that approached it would be detected. The UAV had spotted El Fuego’s lookouts along the roads for several miles in all directions. That left only one option.
The plan called for an air insertion several miles away via helicopters, followed by an all-night movement to the objective. The assault would commence at morning nautical twilight—which was 0545 local time—when the sun would still be six to twelve degrees below the horizon. There’d be enough light for the trained operators, and the faint outline of objects would be visible.
Both Logan and Commander Vargas had recommended a morning assault. The security force going off duty would be tired from the previous night’s watch, and the day shift would hopefully still be groggy as they prepared for their day of monotonous work.
Logan knew how mind-numbing hours of security duty could be. The Marine Corps tormented its young warriors with various watches of one kind or another. Logan hoped to catch them at shift change to maximize the confusion and chaos.
Fortunately, Commander Vargas’s men specialized in night operations, especially in rugged terrain. The drug war had forced the FES to adapt to its enemy, shifting from maritime operations—although they were just as lethal in the water—to assault operations in urban and mountain terrain, the latter of which happened to be plentiful in both central and coastal Mexico.
The command center would remain at the airport hangar, with Mike in contact with the White House Situation Room during the entire operation. The communications equipment already set up by the FES was encrypted and would provide secure lines of communication.
Additionally, one of the FES operators would fly the Orbiter from his ground station inside the hangar, and the live feed would provide Mike with real-time intelligence he could pass to both Logan and Commander Vargas.
Logan, Mike, and Commander Vargas stood at a whiteboard easel with a gigantic satellite image taped to the top half and a map of the compound area on the bottom half. Both Logan and Vargas were conducting the final briefing to two teams—named Alpha and Bravo for simplicity—both including Red Team members and FES special operators.
Alpha Team was commanded by Special Agent Foster; Bravo Team, Commander Vargas’s second in command, Lieutenant Commander Miguel Concepción. Logan and Commander Vargas would accompany Alpha Team and provide tactical guidance as needed. Both teams had one priority: capture Juan Black alive, at all costs. Everything else was secondary.
The toughest part of the plan had been identifying a landing zone for the heliborne assault force. Both Logan and Commander Vargas had agreed upon a clearing seven thousand meters to the east of the compound with no visible road access for miles, at least according to recent imagery. It was surrounded by trees and would provide cover for the two Eurocopter EC-725 Caracal special operations helicopters—call signs Specter 1 and Specter 2—outfitted with sound-dampening technology that muffled both rotors. The helicopters would insert both teams and remain on standby to provide support until the assault was over, at which point they’d fly to the compound to retrieve the teams and the target.
In addition to transporting the assault force, the helos were equipped with two 7.62mm FN MAG machine guns mounted in the forward port and starboard windows, two 68mm side-mounted rocket launchers with nineteen rockets each, and one 20mm pod-mounted GIAT cannon with 180 rounds. If the assault force faced serious resistance, the Caracals could be on station within minutes to provide direct air support.
The terrain between the insertion point and the compound was open ground with sparse vegetation. Fortunately, the forecast called for cloud cover throughout the night and would hide their movements from the untrained observer.
From the insertion point, the assault force would travel together until they reached a predesignated area two kilometers from the compound, where the trees grew thick and provided more cover near the base of the foothills. At that point, Alpha Team would break off and move to the north, its destination the northeast corner of the compound. Bravo Team would move to the southwest corner, where the two parts of the upside-down L intersected, directly behind the garage. Both teams would remain concealed one hundred meters from the compound wall until 0545, when the assault would commence.
Alpha Team would scale the compound wall—an imagery analyst assessed the wall to be between ten and thirteen feet tall—and proceed to the villa. The assumption was that the target, Juan Black, who’d been code-named PANCHO, would likely be on the top floor in a guest bedroom. Once inside the villa, Logan would assume point since he was the only team member who’d actually spoken to the target.
Bravo Team’s objective was to secure the garage and proceed across the gravel driveway to secure the building connected to the villa. Bravo Team would also secure the perimeter of the villa itself to ensure the target didn’t escape while Alpha Team was inside searching for the target. As an expert in explosives, John Quick would provide demolitions support to Bravo Team.
“Gentlemen, I cannot express to you the gravity of this situation,” Mike said. “We have been a step behind these people since this started. Operation PANCHO may be our last chance to prevent this event—likely an attack—that will allegedly plunge the US into another global conflict at the cost of thousands more lives.”
Mike paused as the gravity of his words sank in. Stern expressions looked back at him. The time for jokes had passed, and the focus was completely on the mission.
“Unfortunately, what that means is that we have to somehow take the target alive, but since we have no idea what this asshole looks like, Alpha Team, once you get inside the villa, deadly force is not authorized unless you are absolutely certain the man in your sights is not the target. You must shoot to wound, no matter what the consequences.”
No one reacted to the order, which had already been discussed by Logan, Special Agent Foster, and Commander Vargas. Each of the team members knew the potential implications of the order—injury or worse to a team member—but each of these men was prepared to take the risks. Logan knew they understood the stakes of the game they were playing. It was a deadly winner-take-all scenario. The score was ultimately tallied in lives lost or saved.
“Once we have the target secured, Specter One will land near the barn inside the riding area and wait for both teams at the extraction point. Specter Two will provide air support in the event that any hostiles are still alive and try to interfere. Alpha Team and the target will leave the compound first on Specter One, and then Specter Two will land and retrieve Bravo Team as Specter One provides air support.”
Mike saw several nods of approval.
“At that point, two things will happen. First, Mr. Ortega here will call the SEDENA to notify his government’s defense department of the cartel compound’s location and order a battalion of Mexican army special forces and Mexican law enforcement to secure it. Second, both birds will return here to base, where Commander Vargas will immediately begin the interrogation of the target.”
Several of the men smiled at that comment, although Commander Vargas displayed no emotion. Discussions between Mike, Hector Ortega, and Commander Vargas about what to do with the target had brought a potential problem to the forefront.
Even though both presidents had authorized enhanced interrogation techniques, there was still no guarantee PANCHO would break. Several of the methods the CIA employed often took days to work—sleep deprivation, temperature manipulation, disorientation—but they needed answers now. They’d agreed upon a simple solution.
Commander Vargas would conduct the interrogation. Hector Ortega had made a phone call, and the Mexican president had authorized the FES commander to use “whatever means he feels are necessary.”
Mike looked at both Logan and Commander Vargas and scanned the faces of the men in front of him. This is one seriously scary bunch. The Los Toros cartel has no idea what the hell’s about to hit them.
Mike spoke. “Gentlemen, the sun sets at eighteen zero two hours, and you are wheels up at nineteen hundred. Before you make your final preparations, are there any questions?”
No one answered. Each man knew his responsibilities during the mission.
“Very well. Then I’ll finish with this: both of our presidents have ordered this operation. My president has asked me to express his gratitude for what your country is doing for us today. He knows the risks involved, and he wanted me to thank you personally beforehand. As he put it”—Mike looked down at a piece of paper he’d written on—“ ‘The public may never know what you do tonight, but I will always know, and I will never forget it. These men you pursue tonight personify evil in our world today. Happy hunting, and God bless each of you.’ ”
Mike looked up and saw a collection of faces set in determination and reflection. The president’s words had the desired effect of providing an additional level of genuine motivation for their efforts.
Damn. Our commander in chief may not be the best communicator, but he does know how to make his point honestly and sincerely.
Even his critics acknowledged that he was a man of conviction. The men in this hangar recognized that fact and appreciated it.
“Okay then, gentlemen. In that case, let’s get this show on the road—or should I say, in the air?” Mike added with a smile.