Project Reaper
Page 23
“Certainly Ma’am, I’ll contact her at her parents’ home.”
“Please ensure the Everest team attend along with yourself Major.”
“Leave it with me Ma’am,” replied Strayker.
HMS Ark Royal
Lago de Maracaibo
Venezuela
Lat = 9 degrees, 48.1 minutes North
Long = 71 degrees, 31.5 minutes West
Thursday 5th January 1989
Zero three hundred hours
Five hours behind GMT
The two Sea harriers had arrived back and landed on the flight deck of HMS Ark Royal well before the Sea Kings arrived back.
The Sea Harriers had been lowered down into one of the hangers below the flight deck.
The Sea King Helicopters had touched down, the two injured blue team members had received treatment for their wounds on the flight back, with good news that their injuries were not life threatening and they would fully recover.
Upon landing, they had been taken to the Ships medical facility for further treatment, the two dead team bodies were taken to the ships mortuary.
Max had called all the teams to a debriefing at the aft of the ship, including the Sea Harrier pilots and the Sea King crews.
Once everyone had settled down he spoke, “firstly I would like to personally commend everyone here on their team work and individual contributions to the missions. All objectives were met; however some of you are aware we took causalities.” Max paused for a moment before continuing.
“The team four had two members killed and two injured by the Huey gunship, as professional soldiers we all know that this is the ultimate price we can pay to protect our countries ideals. I would like us all to join in for a minutes silence in respect to our fallen comrades...”
Max bowed his head with everyone else following his example.
A minute later, he raised his head and waited for everyone else to raise theirs, “the success of any mission is good preparation and Intel, some of this Intel was provided by the Signals guys over there.”
Max pointed to the small group, “Thank you men.”
“As always we have to be inserted into and out of the mission zone and I would like to extend our appreciations to the crews of the Sea King Helicopters, who unfortunately are still top side. Finally, we could have
taken harder hits from the Huey and Verdugo’s people at the Hacienda, but again the mission was made easier with the help of the two Sea Harrier Pilots, Squadron Leader Sharpe and Pilot Officer White.”
Max turned towards them at the back, “Thanks guys.”
“Okay everyone, before you get some grub, I want weapons and equipment checks, get yourselves a hot shower and food and then get some sleep, we will be of the ship at twelve-hundred hours and picking our flight up back home; dismissed.”
London 10 Downing Street
Lat = 51 degrees, 30.2 minutes North
Long = 0 degrees, 7.7 minutes West
Thursday 5th January 1989
Ten hundred hours and fifty-five minutes GMT.
Strayker and Ruth pulled into Downing Street for their eleven o’clock appointment with the Prime Minister.
Major Strayker had phoned her at eight o’clock and asked her to meet him at OSC Headquarters Whitehall Place, London, for nine thirty, where he brought her up to speed on the two missions so Ruth could deliver any media coverage the PM deemed necessary.
Ruth had spent the last four days at her parents’ home, catching up on sleep and along with her parents informing family and friends of her return.
Everyone concerned had expended many happy tears.
Strayker a man who had never married and without any children warmly welcomed Ruth, when she had entered his office, by embracing her for a few moments.
Strayker pulled his Jaguar motor car up near to the front door, they both exited the car and walked to the
famous black door, where the uniformed Police officer welcomed them and opened the door for them.
Miss Douglas the PM’s personal secretary led them to a back room where the Prime Minister and the Everest team were already seated, Ruth and Strayker both took their seats.
The Prime Minister spoke first, “Ruth I would like to extend my heartfelt feelings to have you back with us, and I am sure I can speak for everyone here.”
The Everest group all nodded their approval and followed it with a clap of hands.
Ruth felt a bit uncomfortable suddenly being in the limelight and felt herself blushing slightly.
The Prime Minister paused allowing the applause to subside before continuing, “Now down to business, the missions in South America were carried out in the early hours of the morning local time,” she paused for effect.
“They were successful, all objectives were achieved however we took casualties, two dead and two more wounded, I would like to let Major Strayker to continue the briefing.
Strayker stood up and handed around the table several buff coloured folders, marked Confidential and Classified.
“You can read these at your leisure gentlemen, the bare
bones of the operation are as follows.”
Strayker gave a ten-minute résumé of the missions.
When he had finished he asked for any questions.
No one responded.
The Prime Minister spoke, “well I thank you all for you input and time over the last few weeks, unless anyone has any other business I will let you go to your respective departments.”
Everyone got up to leave, as Strayker and Ruth were leaving; Strayker caught the PM’s eye, indicating to both of them to stay behind.
When the room had cleared and the door was closed, the three of them sat back down.
“I do not think any press release is required for the time being on this, as most of the issues revolving around this matter have been kept dark, do you agree Major?”
“Certainly Ma’am,” replied Strayker.
“Ruth; I would like you to draft up a press release and a Q and A format should this come out into the public realm.”
“Yes Ma’am,” replied Ruth.
“I need to speak to President Lucena about a little matter of not keeping quiet about this matter, I am sure he will refute it, however I will make it
unequivocally obvious to him that we take this matter seriously and that he had better get his house in order, if he wishes to count on us as a friend.”
The Prime Minister paused, “well I will let you both attend to your business and again Ruth, I am extremely pleased that you back with us among the land of the living.”
Ruth replied, “thank you Ma’am, it feels good to be back.”
With that both Strayker and Ruth left.
The PM looked at her watch, eleven thirty three hours; she picked up the nearby phone and dialled a number.
Her secretary picked up the call, “Yes Ma’am.”
“Anne; put a call through to the Venezuelan President, if he is not up leave a message for him to call me as soon as possible.”
“Leave it with me Ma’am.”
It was an hour later when President Lucena phoned and spoke with the Prime Minister.
“Thank you for returning my call Mr President.”
“Madam Prime Minister, I would have contacted you earlier but I have had to begin dealing with the news of the death of Toledo Verdugo, there is a lot of conjecture already about how he met his end.”
“The reason why I wanted to speak to you Mr President is
related to this man and the circumstances around it, remember when I spoke to you I asked for your word to keep our conversation silent?”
“Yes madam Prime Minister.”
“Well it would appear sir; that someone leaked this i
nformation out, and I can assure you it was not from our end.”
“Madam Prime Minister are you accusing me of this?”
“Mr Lucena; we lost two men and had another two injured at the warehouses, where a helicopter gunship was waiting for our teams, and yes; I am blaming your end for the leak. I suggest you address this matter as a priority.”
“Madam Prime minister, I detect a threat in your words.”
Mr Lucena; MI-6 have some disturbing intelligence about your past when you were a lawyer, that I do not think your government would be happy about, I will give you seventy-two hours to rectify this matter, do you understand me?”
President Lucena was taken aback by the Prime Ministers last words, she obviously knew about the Sinaloa trial, it was time for Vice president; José Pablo Valera to have an accident.
He replied, “Yes madam Prime Minister I understand you and I will take the necessary steps to rectify this immediately.
When he had finished his call, President Lucena immediately made another one and as he finished his conversation, he made it absolutely clear to the other person on the phone that it must happen today.
La Rosa
Vice President José Pablo Valera’s beachfront home,
Puerto Cabello
Fifty-three miles west of Caracas
Venezuela.
Thursday 5th January 1989
Zero Ten hours and fifteen minutes
Five hours behind GMT
Vice President José Pablo Valera had been listening to the breaking news about the death Of Toledo Verdugo during the night, speculation from the press and news stations was that it was related to another one of the many drugs cartels.
He realised that his earnings had just taken a turn for the worst.
He made a phone call to the President to see him this morning the decision to see the President; maybe he could use his leverage on him to get a salary increase.
Forty-five minutes later, he was travelling along Autopista Barbula-Guacara road through the mountainous part a few miles west of Quebrada Honda, on his way to the Presidential palace.
As he rounded a right hand bend, a large truck was weaving on the road towards him, Lucena instinctively tried to swerve away from the oncoming truck.
However, the truck just seemed to keep coming towards him, in a last ditch attempt to avoid a collision, Lucena accelerated to try and get past the truck, the truck driver spotted this and braked hard causing his trailer to swing from side to side.
Lucena had run out of options as the trailer clipped his car, sending it over the edge and into an eight hundred foot fall before smashing into the earth and bursting into flames.
Windsor
Home of Max Storm
Lat = 51 degrees, 29.0 minutes North
Long = 0 degrees, 35.1 minutes West
Thursday 5th January 1989
Twenty three hundred and thirty hours GMT
Max and the teams had arrived back at Hesters Copse late; and as soon as he could, he had jumped in his motor and headed home.
As he had arrived home at eleven thirty hours, he had flicked the switch inside his car to open the gates and was pleased to see Ruth’s Black Ford Sierra Cosworth RS-500 parked on the drive.
He pulled his car up next to hers and as he walked to the front door, it opened with Ruth standing there.
She smiled at him and said, “and what time do you call this?”
“Had a bit of a flap at the office darling, you know how it can be,” he replied.
Ruth ran out to him and embraced him.
“Now then, what will the neighbours think,” Max responded.
“To hell with them; get in this house and make love to me this minute,” replied Ruth.
“I suppose a shower is out of the question then?”
“Only if I can join in,” Ruth replied playfully.
“Now that’s an offer I cannot refuse,” he replied.
Max picked her up and walked through the front door, nudging it to close with his right foot.
As he carried Ruth up the stairs, he was thinking what a lucky man he was.
The End
Max Storm will return in Black Gold.
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