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The next morning, the team ate a quick breakfast and went over the schedule for the day. Ryan requested that Jako meet him in the office for a quick word.
“Tell me honestly, Jako, what have you observed with this group?”
“Honestly, sir, they are the best that I have ever seen.”
“That says a lot coming from you, Jako.” Jako just grinned at Ryan’s comment. He and Ryan went way back, and they trusted each other’s opinions greatly.
Mr. Carter was out on the patio watching the team as they trained and trying to get some of his own work done. He was having little success as his thoughts wandered uncontrollably. Ryan ended up joining him a little while later and they discussed the tremendous potential of this team. There was no denying it, they were good.
Lunch was a hurried affair as the team eagerly awaited the call from the pirates. They enjoyed ribeye steaks and Alaskan crab legs, with soup and salad and shrimp cocktails as starters. Sarah was again amazed by their luck in accepting this mission. Even though they were living the life now, in the back of her mind, Sarah knew that things were about to get really real. She looked over at Reese, and as if he knew what she was thinking, he lifted his glass in a silent toast. She responded with the same gesture.
Simon entered and told Ryan that he had a call on the secure line. It was Vice President Woods requesting an update.
“To put it simply, they are amazing sir. I have full faith that they will bring great success to this mission and any others that we throw at them.”
Later that afternoon, they had all gathered in the command center in anticipation of the call. Waiting was always the worst part of any operation. The call came in right on time; everyone listened intently. Mr. Carter was instructed to meet a ship in the international waters off the coast of New Orleans at six o’clock sharp the next evening. He was to have no more than two guards on board with him.
“Ten million in exchange for your wife,” the kidnapper said callously. “Any sign of the police and you and your wife will be shot on the spot. No exceptions.” Mr. Carter said that he understood the conditions. After the line was disconnected, the team went right out to rig up the sail boat for the mission. BJ and Thomas would act as Mr. Carter’s two guards. Janie and Bill would pilot the two small subs on board and the other four would discreetly attempt to board the pirate vessel. They had orders to use extreme measures if necessary.
They prepared their weapons and scuba gear, along with waterproof ear wicks and night vision goggles. By the time they finally made it back to the compound for dinner, they were as prepared as they could possibly be for this mission. After dinner, Reese and Sarah went to the study to finalize their plans. After about an hour, they decided that the most valuable thing they could do at this point was get some sleep. Sarah crawled into bed and was able to fall asleep without any trouble. Reese, on the other hand, paced his room for another hour or so, which was his normal habit before a big mission.