BlackStar Mountain

by T C Miller

  Licia waited for the two men to stop and, while they reloaded, placed a round squarely in the chest of one. He fell backward. The last shooter dropped his weapon and raised both hands.

  “Don’t shoot...I give up!”

  His words were heavily accented and he sounded young.

  “Put your hands on your head and don’t move!”

  “What?...Captured by a woman?”

  His hands moved slowly off his head as he reached for a belt holster.

  “One more inch and I blow your head off!”

  “Okay, okay...I understand.”

  His hands went back on his head and he stood stock still as Licia moved toward him. The red dot of the laser sight stayed on his chest as she directed Star to remove the pistol from the holster and a knife from a leg sheath.

  “Hands behind your back,” Licia barked and the man complied. She fastened them together with zip-ties and pushed him toward the campground.

  Star stood patiently waiting and stared at the dark forest on the other side of the moonlit clearing. “Somebody’s coming.”

  Licia flipped on the goggles and searched the other side. “Two more...Can’t move fast with a prisoner.”

  She slammed the rifle butt into the base of his skull and he folded to the ground like a wet paper sack. “Come on, let’s make tracks.”

  The two women hadn’t traveled fifty feet when the sound of gunfire erupted and shots whizzed past them. Licia grabbed Star’s arm and pulled her far off the trail behind a fallen tree.

  “Get down and stay there.”

  Star dropped and low-crawled as far under the trunk as she could. Her face was frozen with a mixture of terror and despair. “We’re gonna die, aren’t we?” she whimpered.

  “Not if I can help it...Sorry I got you into this.”

  Star didn’t answer and Licia moved back to a tree beside the trail. Two men in dark clothing were moving silently along the trail and were less than thirty feet from her. Neither had night vision and were forced to rely on moonlight to pick their way along the roughhewn path. They stopped occasionally and fired blindly into the woods.

  Licia waited until they were close enough to get them both in the cross-hairs. She pulled the trigger and one of the figures fell mortally wounded. She aimed at the last one and squeezed the trigger. A hollow click was the only answer. She froze for a second and pressed the magazine release. It fell to the ground as she groped for the spare.

  Licia dropped as a round whizzed past and smacked into a tree behind her. The earthy smell of the forest floor filled her nostrils as she began frantically searching for the magazine.

  The figure in black clothing squinted into nearly total darkness off the trail as he searched for her. Random rounds penetrated the blackness as he fired into the woods, hoping she would get scared and run. Desperate people do dumb things. Her martial arts training allowed her to stay calm.

  Licia wasn’t about to leave Star alone, even if she could get away. She couldn’t live with herself if her friend was murdered by people who were actually after her.

  The young warrior felt a searing impact in her left arm and realized a bullet had found its mark. Scrambling to get even lower while digging in the leaves and pine needles, Licia knew that time was running out. Tears began to flow down her cheeks and a desperate sob quietly escaped between clenched teeth. She drew the dead guy’s knife and hid behind a tree.

  “You can come out,” her stalker said in a mocking tone. “I won’t hurt you...”

  Yeah, right. She heard the crunch of leaves under his boots. Her knife fighting skills were good, but were they advanced enough to take him out? Never take a knife to a gunfight. She almost smiled at the old cliché...Almost. The situation was too desperate for stale humor.

  “I see you...”

  She didn’t know if it was another bluff and prepared to rush him. Better to die standing than cowering on your knees. It was another cliche she believed in.

  Licia started to rise when the sound of a rifle shot came from the direction of the campground. A loud wump followed a split-second later.

  Silence.

  Licia peered out from behind the tree after what seemed like an eternity.

  Her antagonist lay face down on the path with his eyes set in a lifeless stare. Blood poured from a gaping wound on the side of his head and she knew the ordeal was over at last. She was never happier to see the two people coming down the trail, weapons in hand.

  “You okay?” the question came from Gwen.

  “Yeah, sure...Except for a little gunshot...” Licia said in a nonchalant way.

  “Let me look at it.” Gwen helped her pull the top down far enough to examine the wound. “Lucky...Looks like a through-and-through. I’ll bandage it and we’ll get you to a hospital...Chopper’s enroute.”

  Dog interrupted, “Where’s Star?”

  “Back that way.” Licia pointed in the direction of the fallen tree.

  He returned a few minutes later with Star leaning on him for support. The two young women hugged each other and Gwen noticed that Star was the only one crying.

  “CP-1 and all mobile units...Subjects have been located and are okay,” Dog said into the mike clipped to the epaulet of his commando sweater. “On our way back...Have the chopper land in the clearing south of the camp.”

  “Affirmative,” was the reply from the Command Post. “NSA-9 says they’re thirty-one minutes out.”

  “Made good time.”

  “Roger that...Couldn’t get here fast enough.”

  “Thanks...Dog out.”

  He turned to the three women. “Ready to go?”

  “Roger that,” Licia replied with a grin.

  “Boy, am I ever.” Star managed a wan smile.

  “Want me to stay with the bodies?” Gwen asked.

  “Nah...Ain’t goin’ nowhere fast,” Dog replied. “Plus, there may be more of ‘em...We’ll all be safer back in camp.”

  He took the rear while Gwen took point and led the girls.

  Star leaned over toward Licia. “We need to talk, girl.”

  ‘“Bout what?” She replied with a look of mock surprise.

  “About bad guys with guns and you going all Kung Fu and Rambo.”

  “Oh, yeah...that. Suppose we do...Just don’t know how much I can say...You know, classified information...Need to know and all that.”

  Star stopped and looked at the young woman who was rapidly becoming her best friend. “Get this straight, girl...You can either talk or have one hellacious war on your hands!”

  Licia tried to feign a look of terror, but laughed instead. “Kings X, I surrender...I’ll tell you everything I can.”

  They hugged each other again and caught up with Gwen.

  They entered the camp ten minutes later and joined the group standing around the rekindled fire. The rest of the campers were grumbling to each other while they broke down tents and packed up their gear. A coffee pot was on and Licia grabbed a cup before turning to her protectors.

  “How is the person I tripped over earlier...They okay?”

  Ted stepped forward, still wearing his ghillie suit and an embarrassed grin. “That’d be me, Miss...Little sore, but otherwise okay.”

  “Okay?...Don’t know about that,” Onkst said. “Maybe we should take a vote...”

  “Oh, yeah,” was Belk’s retort. “Nobody told me there’d be a guy already hiding at the edge of the camp site.”

  “True, very true...Still don’t know how they figured out where we’d be. That tango dug himself in and waited a really long time...Tells me they knew where we’d be and when...I’d say there’s a leak.”

  “Can’t argue with that,” Ted replied. “But how do we smoke them out?”

  “The dug in guy, or the leak?” Onkst asked with a sly grin.

  “Smartass...you know what I meant...The leak.”

  “We don’t. I write the report and pass it up the line...Let Banner and the other big shots figure it out. We’re just grun
ts following orders.”

  “Again, can’t argue...Coffee ready?”

  “Close enough...” Onkst answered. “Almost forgot...Licia, you’re supposed to call Banner.”

  He handed her an encrypted sat phone and she took it to the far edge of the campsite.

  Licia and Star huddled on a log beside the fire and enjoyed the warmth of the crackling flames. A pine branch popped and showered the ground near it with sparks. The fire warmed them and the smell of wood smoke was soothing.

  “My uncle says I can read you in on my background.”

  “Good, ‘cause I’m too tired to go to war,” Star murmured and leaned against her friend.

  Licia quickly shared her background with the best friend she had ever had. Uncle John cautioned her about disclosing too much of the events in Seawind Bay, so she covered just the highlights. There would be time later to go into detail, once Star had been vetted by the agency.

  Star pulled a blanket tighter around her as she listened to a story of Russian smugglers, high-tech thieves from the Silicon Valley, a corrupt DEA Agent, and even a mention of Druids.

  “Druids?”

  “Sort of...Long story...Maybe some other time.”

  “Then I understand Gwen being your bodyguard, but what about Bob, Ted and the others...and a leak? Sounds like they’re with the government.”

  “My uncle said he’ll fill you in on all the details when we get back...”

  “Thought we were friends...”

  “We are, but this is bigger than both of us and there are other things to consider...Like national security.”

  “National what?...Sounds to me like you’re in way over your head.”

  “Not really...Thought I handled myself okay with the kidnappers...Just sorry you got caught in the middle.”

  “Sorry? Don’t be...Haven’t had this much fun since one of my mom’s boyfriends tripped out on something and shot up our house.”

  “What? Okay, now it’s my turn...How did you get out of that?”

  “Hid in the safe room in my bedroom till I saw cops on the monitor...”

  “You have a safe room and closed circuit TV in your bedroom?”

  “Doesn’t everybody?”

  “Uhh...no. Course, I do have Gwen and Bob and my Uncle John...And a bunch of other great people.”

  “Nice trade off...Think I’d rather have your friends.”

  “Maybe you already do,” Licia said softly.

  They heard the whump, whump, whump of the approaching helicopter and gathered their belongings.

  * * *

  CHAPTER 18

  CONSORTIUM HEADQUARTERS

  NEAR GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

  “I have some distressing news from our operation in Colorado,” the Commissioner began in a solemn tone as he addressed a meeting in the opulent board room. “It seems that one of our Russian clients has fallen prey to an accident.”

  Accidents, whether intentional or not, were not uncommon in their line of work. A few raised eyebrows were the only visible reaction.

  “That, unfortunately, is not the worst of it...He was the leader of our project to acquire a thermonuclear weapon.”

  He had their attention.

  “Will his demise adversely affect the project?” The question came from Kariem Hilal, the East African representative and former leader of intelligence services of Sudan.

  “Only time will tell. I am in contact with his partner and he assures me the plan will proceed under his direction.”

  “I am not entirely clear on an aspect of this project,” Guillermo Agosto, Director of Central American Affairs, said with a pronounced Latin accent, “It seems to me it would be more efficient for us to simply take possession of the weapons...After all, they are in our facility.”

  The Commission answered with a grim smile, “I was informed that the weapons have been modified to prevent that from happening. Besides, to do so would violate the core principles of our charter...We have sworn to never interfere with a client’s operations...”

  “But this is a chance for us to acquire the ultimate weapon of mass destruction...It would catapult us into global super power status,” Agosto pleaded.

  “Therein lies the rub, my friend...We have always preferred to work from the shadows as an unknown entity operating without interference. The attention of the world would be on us. Most of our clients would worry about their image on the world stage and be forced to choose which side to support.

  “Furthermore, we could be hunted down like rabid dogs and subject to the wrath of every superpower. They are very jealous of their status and under the guise of seeking to preserve peace, would destroy us. We will reveal ourselves in due time, but until then, it is better to stay in the shadows.”

  “How will we proceed, then?”

  “The Russian smuggler who is now in charge of the operation has been a good client in the past. We should allow him to continue as head of the project. In the not too distant future, he will move the weapons to an old radium mine in the state of Wyoming. That will make it harder to detect radioactivity from the bombs.”

  “But, I thought we were prepared to use one or more of the weapons at the Colorado site...”

  “We will use them in the future. The problem is the incompetent fool who initially directed the renovation put us more than a year behind schedule. Gunter Wilhelm has assumed management of the program and will see it to completion.

  “Unfortunately, due mostly to his bumbling predecessor and necessary updating of the design, the program will need to be started almost from the beginning. We are looking at eighteen to twenty-four months before it is ready. Until then, it is safer to move the weapons out of the area.”

  “I do not understand...Are they not far enough underground to avoid detection?”

  “That is not the only concern...I am worried about threats from within our organization.”

  An undercurrent of mumbling voices filled the room.

  The newly appointed representative from Eastern Europe hesitantly spoke, “Are you saying there is a traitor among us?”

  “There are always people who would attempt to undermine our work,” the Commissioner replied. “Which is why internal security is so critical. We go to great lengths to insure the loyalty of all staff...from janitors and clerks to the people in this room.

  “However, total fidelity is never guaranteed in an organization as large as ours. I have deduced from a careful analysis of reports that some of our operations may have been compromised and ordered our counterintelligence section to work closely with Internal Standards to investigate. This has happened before and will undoubtedly occur again. Do not worry, we will find them. Now, if there are no further questions, we shall adjourn for lunch.”

  ENTRY PORTAL

  CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN AFS, CO

  Jake stared at the tableau spread out below. Pine trees, bushes and boulders provided him and his team concealment from the enemy force that was using two fifty-three foot semi trailers for cover.

  Joanna moved up beside him and whispered, “Should we move down closer or fire from up here?”

  “We’re far enough behind the semis to catch them in the crossfire from other teams. I’ll work my way down the hillside and place the Claymores.”

  “I’ll go with you...”

  “No...Stay here and cover me.”

  “Wasn’t asking for permission...You’ll need cover if one of them happens to look up.”

  They stared at each other and neither one blinked.

  He spoke first, “Do I have a choice?”

  “Not really...You could order me to stand down, but then you’d have one unhappy team member on your hands.”

  “All right, I get it. I’ll work my way around that boulder and come out far enough behind them to cover the whole area with a couple of Claymores. Back me up in case I need to make a quick retreat.”

  “Right behind you.”

  Twenty minutes later the mines were strategically placed.
Jake had unrolled the arming wires and was crouched behind a boulder connecting them to the clacker. The others joined them and huddled together to get last minute directions.

  “I’ll set off the Claymores as soon as the flare goes up...Then all hell breaks loose. Take up positions in a line between this boulder and the split one over there. Limit fire to directly in front of you to avoid putting team members in the crossfire. Questions?”

  He continued, “Jay, take the last position, with Seth next. Joanna, take cover behind that crooked tree next to the boulder. I’ll move around to the other side with the mine triggers. Don’t want a radio check, in case the bad guys are listening. Seem to know everything else, so they may have our freqs. Wait for the flare and the Claymores going off.”

  Jake tore off a piece of jerky and handed it to Joanna. They followed his directions and settled in to wait.

  Bart held up his hand to stop Nora and Carl. They had slowly worked their way down the side of the road that led to the main portal of the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. He backed up and motioned for them to move close to him.

  Nora commented in a hushed voice, “You remembered it right...This road dead-ends right before the gate.”

  “Thought it did...The Mountain’s security guys are holdin’ off the bad guys...At least a dozen invaders on the other side of the semi-trailers and another eight or nine creepin’ up on the gate shack.”

  “We’re halfway in between, boss,” Carl noted. “What now?”

  “I’ll pop a flare to signal Jake. Claymores should take out most of the bad guys behind the trailers and get the attention of the ones movin’ up on the guard shack. We’ll nail them if they retreat, or catch ‘em in the crossfire if they try to push on.”

  Bart pulled the flare gun from his combat vest, pointed it upward at an angle and pulled the trigger. A popping sound followed and the flare shot a thousand feet into the air, leaving a smoke trail. It was quickly followed by two explosions on the other side of the semis.

  Two of the attacking force near the gate followed the smoke trail of the flare back to Bart and began firing in the team’s direction. Bart let the flare gun fall and returned fire with his M161A...Three rounds ripped across the chest of one enemy combatant and he dropped to the ground on his back with his weapon tracing an arc skyward.