~ * ~ * ~ * ~
“Danny, you’re the only native Jamaican we have on the team. You’ll have to pose as the Governor General.”
“I’m too skinny and my hair isn’t white enough to pass as the Governor Rick,” Danny reasoned.
“I think we can fix that with no problem at all,” I said slapping his back. “The body armor you’ll have on under your clothes will add bulk and Karen can add a little gray to your hair with no problem.”
“I can do that easily Danny,” Karen reassured him. “You never know, you may like it and want to keep it.”
“I’d rather keep looking young as long as possible if you don’t mind,” Danny said truthfully.
“It’ll only be for one day Danny. I’ll get one of these nice police officers to get me some dye and I’ll highlight your edges and give you gray temples. It’ll be fun, just wait and see.”
“LT, Sam just called and said they’re on their way back with the pictures of the site,” the chief said.
“Brian, do you have your lap top along today?” I asked our computer guru.
“LT, you know I’d never leave home without it. Of course it’s here with me,” Brian said.
“I could hear the sirens in the distance that were transporting Patch and Sam back to our staging area. I stood waiting, pacing impatiently like a caged lion for them to get here. Finally I watched as the squad car bounced into the parking lot and slid to a stop near us.
“Let’s see what you have for us,” I said trotting over to meet them as they stepped out of the car.
“It looked to us like they were planting an IED in the roadway into their clearing.” Sam said.
I handed the chips to Brian to insert into his computer and we stood looking at the images from the plane. “They’re using a Quonset hut?”
“It looks like it LT. Did you notice the cupola watch tower on top of it?” Patch asked.
“There’s where they’re digging,” Sam pointed out. “They sure the hell aren’t taking anything out of the ground so they got to be adding something instead.”
“There’s a ravine behind the Quonset hut. That’s going to be our way in and out rescuing the kids,” I said. “Once we have the kids safely in the ravine we won’t have to worry about them catching a stray bullet.” I could hear the wop, wop of the approaching helicopter. We turned our backs to the dust storm Brady was kicking up.
“Okay people gather around,” I said. We had commandeered the youth center we’d just donated as our base of operations.
“Patch, Doc and I are on the rescue team that will be responsible for getting the kids out safe and in one piece. We’ll come up from behind in this ravine. Doc, you’ll need to take out the sentry in the tower on top of the Quonset hut. Use a silenced M4. You’ll need to make the shot from the tree line so the shot’s not heard.”
“Patch, you’ll go around the right side of the hut and take anyone you see out with your knife. We have to stay silent to avoid detection. I’ll take the left side of the hut and take my man out. We’ll have night vision goggles on. We’ll need to play it by ear once we are in the hut. We won’t know if they have guards on the inside or not.”
“Brady, I want you in the helicopter five miles to the west waiting for my command to attack. Once we’re clear of the building and down in the ravine I want you to put two rockets in that hut and blow it to hell. After that, use the Gatling gun to kill anyone in the clearing. I don’t want anyone to get away. You can only fire on the clearing and not into the tree line. That’s where the rest of the team will be.”
“Chief, I want you to station the Lofton brothers with the M60 machine guns on the edge of the clearing, here and here. Once Brady fires his rockets it’s open season on the rest of them. The rest of you will be along the clearing with your M4 carbines. As soon as Brady fires his rockets take off your night vision goggles so you’re not blinded by the burning Quonset hut. The hut should back light the enemy, mow them down.”
“Chris, you’ll be copilot on the helicopter and be responsible for monitoring the FLIR. If we are followed into the ravine you may engage the enemy following us if you can separate us from the enemy on the FLIR. If you can’t then you need to back off so we aren’t mistaken for targets. Then we’ll handle the situation ourselves.”
“Danny, you’re going to be the look alike. Under no circumstances are you to drive all the way to the Quonset hut. There is an IED in the roadway just outside of the clearing. The armor on the limo will not protect you from the explosion.”
“Karen, I want you as a passenger on the helicopter too. Once this is all over Brady will land in the road to the west and pick us up. The kids might need you either medically or just for the comfort you can provide them with.”
“Red Dog, you’re in charge of protecting the Governor General from attack. Secure him in this building and set up a parameter a hundred yards out from here. Make sure your men stay in contact with their com units.”
“Are there any questions about tonight’s mission?” I asked looking the group over. “If not I want all equipment gone over. Get your body armor ready, your weapons checked out and make sure all the com units are up and operational.”
“I have a question for you Rick,” Danny said. “An IED is some sort of a bomb?”
I nodded my head. I sometimes forget we have nonmilitary members on the team. “IED stands for improvised explosive device. They’re widely used by terrorists in the Middle East.”
“Red Dog, could you bring the Governor in so I can brief him?” I asked my head of security.
“Governor, I want to introduce you to Ken Labby, we call him Red Dog. He’s a member of my team and can be trusted by you. He’s a retired Recon Marine. He’ll be in charge of your protection detail tonight. I’m going to keep you here until this is over. It will be easier to protect you here than in the Governor’s Mansion.”
“Why do you think I’ll be safer here than at home, Mr. Chambers?” The Governor General questioned me.
“This building isn’t surrounded by other buildings. We have a clear field of fire around it. Red Dog is setting up a perimeter out around the building so no one can get in close to where you are.”
“You’re plans are in place for tonight?” asked the Governor. “You have learned where my little Anna and James are being held? How was that possible Mr. Chambers?”
“I was able to use intelligence resources of the United States to learn the gang’s location. As far as having a plan in place, we’re ready to go in as soon as it’s dark.”
“I have received the phone call. I’m to be there at 1:00 AM,” the Governor informed me.
“Is the location where we thought it would be,” I asked in order to confirm my intelligence.
“Yes it is. Will I have to worry about retribution from Ducus or his men after you are done tonight Mr. Chambers?”
“When we’re done tonight the only way they’ll be able to get back at you will be in your dreams, they’re all going to be dead.”