Adam already knew that unrest in cities was being orchestrated by globalists. He knew the deep-seated radical Muslim community, working with the globalists, would continue to escalate unrest until they were either defeated or they carried out an event that tipped the balance of power in their favor.
Thinking this over, Adam reached into his pocket. He pulled out his cell phone, logged in with his password and tapped an app. “Shit,” he said out loud.
“Sir?” Krieger questioned over the computer.
“The market’s down another four hundred points.” Adam scowled. They all felt the connection. The market is being forced down and we don’t have the gold we should have. That’s when it hit Adam. Now he was decisive. “Okay, Colonel, let’s take this place out! And after this, I want you to find out anything you can about gold, and I mean everything.” Adam checked the stock market app on his cell phone again. “How fast can we move on this?”
“We could move by the end of the day, sir,” Krieger answered.
“Good, let’s do it! And while you’re at it, find out anything you can about the globalists, and any intelligence that will give us an indication of what we’re up against and how we got here.”
Krieger knew Adam sensed something. “Yes, sir.”
“I’ve got to get back to the White House,” Adam said.
Adam turned his attention to his major concerns about the deep state, and the continued stock market decline. He knew the attack on the stock market and these cells being active were related and it was most likely a coordinated attack on the economy to hurt the President’s reelection campaign. They couldn’t beat him any other way. Right then he decided they needed to purge the country of some bad actors.
As he exited the room, Krieger was planning to handle Adam’s request to find information about the gold.
Krieger directed, “Mauricio, I’ll need you to hand pick one of your team to send over to the CIA. I want a message delivered in person.”
Chapter 19
“Wait a minute.” Mauricio motioned to Briggs.
The teams were ready to move on the warehouse. Mauricio had just flown in to be there in person. He was looking at a large computer screen, when he saw a magenta colored outline appear around the face as a man who walked out of a building.
“What is it?” Briggs said. He was about to give the go-ahead to the boots on the ground.
“I’m getting a facial recognition of an HVT,” Mauricio said.
Immediately, they all understood the importance of the facial recognition technology. The magenta color appeared when the computer authenticated the identification of a high value target. Mauricio filled the sudden silence that followed his comment by saying. “Give me a second.”
He took a few seconds for confirmation, then said, “It’s Cleric Mohammed Abdullah Akbar. Our voice recognition verified him as the contact for the leader of the terrorists who set off the EMP burst.”
Briggs and Krieger now knew that he had been the one who orchestrated the unrest, along with the rapes and violence that had ensued.
Mauricio had more information to offer. “He’s also the one we verified coming out of the convenience store in Las Vegas two days before the massacre. We have no records of him traveling by plane. We expect he must have traveled by car… Now he shows up here.”
Briggs knew from the NSA database that this cleric was tied to the blackmailing of members of Congress and orchestrating fortunes for deep state employees embedded in the government. He also had ties to Sordid.
Briggs urgently whispered into his microphone, “We need to keep eyes on him.”
He and Krieger watched as The Cleric walked around the corner. He was out of sight of the surveillance cameras.
Mauricio confirmed their fears. “We have no cameras up there. If the few men up there start moving, their cover will be compromised. The Cleric has eyes ahead and behind. Don’t let his unassuming presence fool us; they’re there.”
Krieger and Briggs’s eyes met. They knew Briggs had planned the details of the operation, and had intimate knowledge of the tactics. He was undoubtedly the best prepared to direct this operation. This sighting of The Cleric was confirmation of sorts. The deep state was making a move. Krieger must take the guns and drugs now.
Krieger knew what had to be done. “Briggs, you take the warehouse. I’m going after the cleric.”
With that, Krieger bolted for the back door on the opposite side of the building. He, Briggs and Mauricio knew their cover was about to be blown.
* * *
Krieger hit the street, painfully aware that his attire, size and muscles made him stand out among the regular citizens. He turned left and ran up the alley.
Krieger’s headpiece clarified his local support. “Colonel, we have a boot on the ground. He’s wearing a black cap and walking out of a local store. Follow him and run by him so you don’t blow his cover. He’ll walk in the direction that The Cleric goes.”
“Roger that.” Krieger was moving quickly, but pacing himself.
Mauricio watched his screen as a man on the street answered his cell phone. His head went up. His neck stretched as he looked around. Then, he immediately said something into his cell phone. Their cover was blown.
“We’ve been compromised,” Mauricio said to Krieger. “Two boots on the ground will be around the next corner.”
“Roger that,” Krieger could keep up this pace for another mile, though he was breathing hard.
In Krieger’s ear piece, he heard Mauricio say, “Colonel, Briggs just gave the order. They’re going in.”
Krieger looked ahead to see two men rounding the corner just up ahead. The one on the left waved him forward. A shot rang out. Just ten yards ahead of him, Krieger saw the man go down. He was hit in the chest. The man rolled slowly towards a car. He was most likely working undercover in the area. Krieger and the second man lunged and took refuge behind the rear quarter panel of a Mercedes.
The young man pointed and said to Krieger, “Colonel, he’ll be all right. We have vests on. The shots came from over there.”
A split second later, the Mercedes was riddled with small arms fire from a rooftop in that direction.
“Thanks,” Krieger simply said. “Where did you guys come from?”
“We work undercover in the area. We received a call an hour ago to stand by. Then, just a few minutes ago we were told to follow an elderly gentleman. I guess he was The Cleric. We were following him from a distance when we must have been made by a spotter, because we saw someone with The Cleric reach for his ear, then they swept him into a side store. The men turned towards our direction. Something set them on high alert. There was no reason for them to make us. That’s when we got the call to look for you — and there you were.”
As Krieger and the young man hunkered down behind the vehicle, Briggs and Mauricio had their hands full.
* * *
Briggs stormed the warehouse with the SWAT team, and Mauricio watched as seemingly docile members of the community came to life. Briggs suddenly had a small municipality against him. It was supposed to be a straightforward takedown of the warehouse by Briggs and local SWAT teams; instead, Briggs was about to be flanked by a counter offensive he hadn’t anticipated.
Mauricio watched in astonishment as men charged towards the warehouse instead of away from it.
Mauricio urgently warned Briggs, “You’ve got company coming up your six.”
Briggs acknowledged. He immediately switched frequencies to warn his team. “We’ve got company coming in from all directions. Watch your six.”
From his overwatch position, Mauricio viewed several screens as his small team communicated with fervor.
* * *
Meanwhile, Krieger and his new counterpart watched as a car slowed and began turning into the parking space in front of them.
Sud
denly the nozzle of a gun protruded from a window. Shots were fired as screams came from inside the vehicle.
Krieger turned, and pushed the man by the shoulder saying, “The store, now!”
They lunged towards the front door of the street store. Flying into the storefront, Krieger tucked his right shoulder and rolled onto the floor.
Glass shattered into his hair and shirt. He jumped to his feet and kept moving, rumbling towards the back of the store.
Glancing over his shoulder he saw the panicked face of a young man. He was close behind, running for his life.
As he had anticipated, there was a back door. Krieger hit the horizontal bar hard. The door flung open, bouncing off the cinder block wall on the outside of the building. Running to the left, they were out of sight of the gunman. They ran down the alley, hoping to catch a glimpse of The Cleric or one of his entourage.
Krieger slowed at the intersection of two small streets. The young man came up to his right side. He got a bad feeling when he saw a man catty corner to their right look directly at them, then quickly walk around the corner.
Krieger and his new companion crouched down behind another car as small arms fire erupted. It was coming from a dumpster by a building. Krieger and the young man returned fire. After returning two bursts, the young man moved quickly to the adjoining car to get a better angle. Then he lunged to the next car in line. Thuds sounded as slugs hit the car between them.
Krieger spun and shot... three bursts, three bursts.
The man must have been grazed, because he exposed half of his shoulder from the right side of the dumpster. Then Krieger heard a single shot. His new partner had taken careful aim and eliminated the threat.
It was clear to Krieger that if they stayed there, they’d be pinned down from the other side of the street. It was only a matter of time before someone showed up from behind them. If a local had a rifle, he and his new partner would be in real trouble.
Krieger called for help. “Mauricio, Mauricio, we need support now.”
“Negative,” Mauricio said. “All assets are directed to the warehouse. Briggs and the men have been flanked. We’ve redirected all assets there, and we still need one more team to take out a rifle that’s creating havoc on the opposite side of Briggs. You’re on your own.”
Chapter 20
Krieger knew the decision had been made for him. Briggs had been flanked. By now, The Cleric was long gone, most likely being transported away from the fray. Krieger could stand and fight, but that wouldn’t be smart. It would get him no closer to The Cleric. With Briggs flanked and pinned down, and Mauricio directing men in that direction, Krieger knew that any help Briggs got could save a life. Krieger would never say it, but Briggs was his friend and the closest thing he had to a brother.
Through his mic he told Mauricio, “Tell Briggs to hold on. We’re coming!”
“Come again, sir?”
“We’re coming. Tell Briggs to hold his ground,” Krieger said louder.
Several of Mauricio’s communications team abruptly turned their heads in Mauricio’s direction when they heard him yell in a high pitch that filled the room. “You’re coming? I thought you needed help.” Mauricio looked back at them and issued a warning. “Tell your teams to watch for the Colonel and keep the lines of communication open.”
Friendly fire was a definite concern in a crossfire.
* * *
Krieger turned toward the young face of the plain clothed man who was looking at him for leadership.
“What’s your name, son?” he said, realizing he had never asked.
“Bracken, Sergeant Frank Bracken, sir.”
“I’m Krieger. Colonel Krieger. Put in a fresh magazine, Bracken. We’ll each volley three over there. Then run down this alley and get out of here. We have some men pinned down and we need to counter the assault.”
Bracken answered with one nod and said, “Understood sir.”
The young Sergeant immediately did as he was directed, but his expression caused Krieger to pause.
With wide eyes, Bracken added, “Sir, this is my first engagement.”
Krieger understood what the young man needed. “You’re doing great, sergeant. I wouldn’t have known.” Krieger watched Bracken’s eyes closely. They calmed and began to focus. His chest rose with a deep breath. That was a good sign.
“You stay close to me,” Krieger added.
“Yes sir, I’m ready on your signal.” Bracken now looked ready.
Krieger nodded then glanced to his left. He looked back at Bracken. His voice got louder with every word as he said, “Ready, set, now!”
* * *
Several of Briggs’ team had penetrated the warehouse. But not everyone had been able to infiltrate the warehouse at the same time as planned. They had taken out about half of the resistance inside, but there was still some resistance holding their positions. Somehow, when the team advanced, Briggs had been spotted. He was flanked and had been pinned down along the outside wall.
Normally, he would have been able to counter, but shots coming from rifle fire alongside of a building that may have local citizens inside was his main concern. He’d need a clear shot, and he didn’t have it.
Two of Briggs’s team of four were engaged with the assailants through the window of the old brick warehouse, while he communicated. His other man tried to get a clear shot at the men with the rifles.
Infrared images on his scanner told Briggs that he’d be facing shots from two different locations, outside and inside, if he moved in either direction. His primary responsibility was to minimize the risk to his men. Mauricio was sending help and they should be able to flank the team firing small arms from one direction. Right now, the two men with long range rifles were his greatest risk.
* * *
The Sargent may have been green, but he sure was fast. He matched Krieger’s every step, but Krieger knew that he could easily have pulled ahead.
Krieger reached out to Mauricio. “We’re coming up on the north side of the building. Where should we position?”
Mauricio was tracking them. “Roger that. Slow down. Take your next right, then look left and you’ll see fire about seventy yards ahead.”
Krieger heard the high pitched sound of a motorcycle racing towards them, and abruptly turned to see the man had a gun in his left hand. He must have come from the corner of the block on the other side of the street.
“Take cover,” he yelled to Bracken, just before jumping over the hood of a car. He thumped to the ground by the front passenger corner.
Bracken bolted for cover behind a small sedan.
Krieger sprang up and rested his 9mm on the hood. He positioned himself to fire. Then he heard screeching tires. He saw a sedan tilting as it rounded the corner behind the motorcycle. They had more company.
Krieger squeezed off one shot and took cover as the motorcycle riddled the car that was his refuge with automatic gunfire. Then it turned left around the corner of the block and sped away. The screaming sound of its high RPMs faded.
Krieger repositioned himself in front of the car’s bumper. Men in the approaching car sprayed his vehicle with slugs. He landed several shots in the side of the car as it passed. He had shot out the rear passenger window. The shooter, who was hanging out of the window, was hit and retreated into the front seat. The last shots in Krieger’s magazine penetrated the trunk. The car rounded the same corner as the motorcycle and sped away.
Krieger had already seen a man hidden in a brick doorway firing an automatic weapon that was keeping Briggs pinned down. A closer look indicated there must be two shooters.
Krieger got Bracken’s attention and motioned towards the doorway. The men didn’t have a clear line of sight to Bracken.
Krieger advanced, taking cover wherever possible. When he was in position, Krieger saw that Bracken had closed the distance, an
d was resting his right shoulder on the corner of a building in the ready position. Sergeant Bracken nodded at Krieger that he was ready.
Krieger shot at the two men who had Briggs trapped. He hit the brick, sending fragments flying. One of the assailants ducked back against the left side of the doorway. He turned to engage Krieger, who had laid down, taking cover. Krieger had done exactly what he would do with a trained partner. He caused one of the assailants to reposition himself, giving this young Sergeant a clean shot. But he hadn’t worked with this Sergeant before. Did he really understand?
A split second was all Bracken had before the man with the automatic rifle would be shooting at Krieger.
A split second was all it took. Bracken shot once and hit the man directly in the chest. As the man jolted and began to fall, Krieger saw Bracken take another shot. Krieger raised his head just enough to see Bracken hit the second man. The man fell, motionless. Krieger was impressed. This was a damn good sergeant.
Bracken stepped out and took a few steps towards the downed shooters. Bracken gave him the all clear.
Krieger got up, and spoke into his mic to Mauricio. “Two down… this threat neutralized.”
Mauricio’s men were engaging the small arms fire about fifty yards away. After one was hit, the rest gave themselves up. Briggs was now clear to advance.
Krieger walked close to the Sergeant and was about to acknowledge the young man when he heard a car racing in their direction. There was also the faint sound of a motorcycle engine in the distance. The car had rounded the block, this time with the motorcycle behind it.
They were coming back to re-engage. They must have had orders from The Cleric to risk coming back.
That thought fueled Krieger’s anger.
Bracken sprinted to the refuge of a pickup truck and Krieger positioned himself behind a car to his right.
They focused down the street. This time the assailants knew where Krieger was, and they had automatic weapons. Hiding behind cars wasn’t guaranteed safety. One bullet could make it through sheet metal or ricochet off the ground. Krieger knew his odds of not being hit at all weren’t good if he stayed put.
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