“Yeah, that’s definitely camo. See the shadow?” Art tapped the screen to freeze the video and pointed to a dark square to the right of the frame. “There’s something underneath. Nothing nearby is the right shape to cast that kind of shadow.”
They watched to the end, but there wasn’t anything else to see.
Leine checked the other video Lou sent. A burro stood in the shade of a large olive tree near the jetty. He didn’t move other than to nibble at the sparse grass below him. Not another soul could be seen.
“There has to be more than one guard.”
Leine stopped the video. “Probably inside the structure with the girl. Lou’s guy traced the island to a shell company owned by a friend of Tsarev’s, so I think we can be reasonably sure it’s a good choice. All the same, I’d like to get confirmation that she’s physically there.”
“Are you worried we’ve got it wrong?”
Leine frowned. “I’m concerned that it’s a trap. Why didn’t Farid erase the video?”
“Obviously, Tsarev wanted Sakharov to know who took her. The general probably didn’t think he’d talk to anyone with access. His first thought wasn’t going to the police.”
“Maybe.”
“We’ll get confirmation or we won’t execute.”
“I’d like to be the one to confirm.”
“No problem.” Art pulled something out of his jacket pocket and set it on the table. It was a one-inch by one-inch white disc with two tiny wires and a battery.
“Geotracker?”
“Everyone on my team wears one. That way no one gets left behind. Fits real nice in the sole of your shoe.”
Leine picked it up. “Good idea.” She slid her knife from the sheath attached to her calf and took off her shoe to make a slit on the inside big enough to hold the device. Then she put the knife back and slipped on the shoe to test it out. She couldn’t tell it was there.
“I need a few more things,” Art said. “It’s three and a half hours to the island, give or take, and at least another ninety minutes to infiltrate, do recon, and decide when or if to execute.” He checked his watch. “Let’s meet at the boat at twenty-three hundred. That should give us plenty of time to load, brief everybody, and make the island. Once we’re there, you and Ben do recon, find out what we’re up against and whether she’s there. After that, we’ll make the decision to go or not.” Art had introduced Ben as his main guy, someone he’d worked with often. Leine had grudgingly come to trust Art, especially after she’d had a long talk with Lou about him, so she was comfortable with whatever recommendation he might have.
Within reason.
Leine nodded. “Sounds good.” She grabbed her phone and stood to leave. “See you tonight.”
Chapter 30
Aegean Sea
The surface of the water shimmered, reflecting a mass of brilliant stars as the rescue team raced toward the island. Both Zodiacs had been fitted with ultra-quiet motors so that the sound of their approach wouldn’t carry. Visibility was good, with only an occasional thin cloud scudding across the moon.
Leine checked her H harness to make sure everything was secure. In addition to wearing a tactical vest, she carried a radio, night vision goggles and binoculars, and a sniper rifle fitted with a suppressor and a thermal vision scope. She also carried a suppressed 9mm semiautomatic, flashbangs, frag grenades, and a knife strapped to her thigh. Everything shiny or loose and loud had been taped. Ben, Art’s right-hand guy, was similarly endowed, but instead of a long-range rifle he carried a suppressed MP-5 with extra magazines. The rest of the team carried thermal vision gear, NVGs, HK-416 assault rifles, grenades, and knives, and would wait in the cove while she and Ben did recon.
Three men were seated next to Leine in the boat while Art steered toward the island. The other five rode in the second Zodiac. The team was divided into three elements: Alpha and Bravo with two men each, and Delta with three. Art would stay with the boats. On board the Cyclops, everyone had been thoroughly briefed about the operation and all were eager to get on with it. First, though, Leine and Ben would climb to the upper ridge of the island to get a better look at what they were up against.
Art slowed the craft before cutting the motor to drift into the tiny cove on the southwest side of the island. Daniel, piloting the second Zodiac, followed him in. Once aground, they secured the boats and unloaded the equipment. Jorge was in charge of medical supplies. A trained medic, his shaved head emphasized the tattoo of the Rod of Asclepius that ran up his neck. Hopefully, his expertise wouldn’t be needed that night. Zarko had braided his hair and exchanged his silver hoop for a matte black stud. Without a word, Leine and Ben donned their NVGs and set out for the apex of the island.
At first it was steep going, but the rocky terrain flattened out and became easier to navigate the farther they climbed. Once they reached the ridge Ben split off to the east. Leine worked her way west to come up behind the area in the satellite photos with the anomaly.
The NVGs altered the terrain to an eerie green and black. Her measured breathing joined the buzz of insects and the quiet crunch of gravel underfoot. Pausing at intervals, she listened and scanned her surroundings.
She came upon a small outcropping and slowed. A light breeze blew toward her from the north, bringing with it the faint scent of tobacco. She slid the suppressed 9mm free and soundlessly skirted the ledge.
Several yards away, a man smoking a cigarette stood with his back to her, an AK-47 at his side. He appeared to be alone. Without a word, she raised the gun and fired, hitting him twice in the back of the head.
He dropped to the ground with a thud. It wouldn’t be long before someone discovered him, compressing the length of time she and Ben had to do recon. Ignoring the stench from his voided bowels, she put out the burning cigarette with her heel, removed the magazine from the Kalashnikov, and hid them both. She unclipped his radio, turned down the volume, and secured it to her belt.
“One down,” she murmured into her mic.
“Copy that,” Art replied.
With a quick check of her Lensatic compass, Leine moved silently along the ridge, adjusting her path to a more northerly direction. Near where the structure was supposed to be located, she dropped to a crouch and crept forward, coming to rest next to a large boulder. According to the satellite photo, the tarp should have been visible from her position. She peered through the binoculars.
There.
Straight lines to her left and down revealed the camouflage tarp below her. She squinted to clear her vision. The top of what appeared to be a low rock wall came into focus.
She checked for perimeter patrols before moving toward the structure. Taking her time, she made her way down the steep slope, careful not to dislodge any rocks and to keep cover between her and the wall.
A stone patio came into view beneath the camo tarp and she stopped. A stucco building the size of a small cottage stood at the far end. A narrow strip of light glowed through the gap in a window shade on the east side of the structure. The door opened and a muscular man with sloping shoulders and no neck walked outside onto the patio, an AK-47 hanging from his shoulder. Concealed from his line of sight, Leine remained where she was.
He made his way to the end of the patio, unzipped his trousers, and took a leak. The man finished and zipped up, then stood quietly as though listening. A moment later he reached for the radio clipped to his belt.
“Kolek. Check in,” he said in Russian. There was no reply. He tried again. “Kolek. This is Drago. What’s your position?”
Nothing.
Leine discarded the idea of shooting him. Not without knowing how many more gunmen there were. She’d have a difficult time hiding the body.
Frowning, the man keyed the radio. “Pavel. Vasily. Check in.”
The radio crackled and a voice replied, “Pavel here.”
“Have you heard from Kolek?”
“Not recently.”
“What�
�s your position?”
“Northeast quadrant.”
“Vasily?” Drago asked.
“Yes, I’m here,” answered another voice. “Southeast quadrant. I have not seen him.”
“He is supposed to be patrolling the ridge. Pavel, find him, now. Vasily, stay where you are. We will remain with the girl.” Drago pivoted and strode across the patio into the cabin. Muffled voices could be heard inside. Moments later, a man wearing NVGs and carrying a Kalashnikov exited the structure and climbed the hill, headed west. She watched him through the rifle scope until he’d disappeared over the ridge.
“Affirmative on the structure and the camo,” she murmured into her mic. “A guard wearing night vision gear and carrying an AK is headed west over the ridge to look for the downed man. One of the guards has been redirected from the northeast to search for him, too. There’s an additional guy patrolling southeast of here. The man who appears to be the leader said something about staying with the girl. I’ll see if I can get eyes on the occupants in the structure.”
Someone keyed the mic, signaling the message had been received. She skirted the patio and quietly positioned herself behind an overgrown mastic tree next to the open window. Inside, a man was speaking Russian.
“Don’t worry. Kolek’s probably turned off his radio and is beating off in the bushes somewhere,” one said, laughing.
“I don’t like idiots,” grumbled another. Drago’s voice. “Especially unpredictable ones.”
Careful to remain hidden from view, Leine stepped closer to the window and peered through the gap at the bottom of the shade.
Two men dressed in fatigues sat at a table inside the cramped living area. The same number of assault rifles rested against the wall nearby. The harsh light of an electric lantern illuminated the table, spilling into the main room. An overflowing ashtray and several beer bottles crowded the table. Drago stood next to the door, radio in hand.
“Everything’s fine, Frederik. Look where we are.” The gunman closest to the window swept his arm in an arc. “No one knows of this place. We’re one tiny island in the middle of hundreds of tiny islands. That’s why I took this job. Easy money.”
“A taste of the princess would make things even easier,” muttered the one called Frederik.
“I told you before.” Drago’s menacing tone brooked no argument. “You are to keep your hands—and everything else—to yourself.”
Frederik scowled but held his tongue.
Leine scanned the room, noting three doors to her right, two of them closed. The open door led to what appeared to be a small bathroom. One room was probably being used by the guards as sleeping quarters, the other to hold the girl. She glanced along the outside wall, noting the absence of additional windows. She needed to see the rest of the structure to determine if there were other exits.
A rock skittered behind her and she pivoted, automatically reaching for her 9mm. Ben appeared near the edge of the patio and indicated his intention to check the rear and west side of the cabin. She gestured that she understood and would meet him further up the hill. He nodded and disappeared around the end of the building.
Leine moved back up the hill to the boulder and leaned against the cool stone, scanning the hillside to make sure no gunmen were nearby.
“There’s a wall about a meter high surrounding the patio,” she said into her mic. “Looks like there’s one door in or out, and a small single window on the east side. I count three gunmen in the structure, although two rooms have closed doors, so there could be more. I didn’t see any sign of Olga, but she’s likely inside one of the rooms.” Leine did another quick scan of the area. It was still clear. “That makes a minimum of six gunmen armed with AKs, not including the one I neutralized. Ben’s covering the back and west side of the cabin and will join me shortly.”
“Copy that,” Art answered. “Alpha’s coming from the south, Bravo from the east, and Delta’s headed north using your route. Leine, once you’re in position, let me know. No one moves on the cabin until I say go. We don’t want to alert the others, however many there are.”
Leine and the rest of the team keyed their mics to acknowledge transmission. She shrugged her shoulders and cracked her neck to release the built-up tension.
Ben materialized from behind the cabin and climbed the hill to join Leine.
“Other exits?” Leine asked.
Ben shook his head. “No. Only the front door and window. I didn’t see any other guards. Looks like the place has been there a long time. Part of it’s built over a deep ravine.”
“Everyone get into position,” Art interjected. “It won’t be long before they discover their dead compadre.”
“Copy that.” Leine moved higher on the hill to a spot she’d chosen earlier and set up her rifle. The area had a slight depression in the earth, some vegetation for cover, and a good view of the patio and front door. A large outcropping rose behind her, giving her cover from the west.
Ben moved closer to the cabin. “We’re in position.”
“Bravo, SITREP,” Art said, requesting a situation report.
“Bravo in position near the main trail.”
“Alpha?”
“We’ve got eyes on the entrance.”
“Delta’s in position on the ridge,” Zarko reported.
“Delta, did you spot the men looking for the dead guy?” Art asked.
“Negative. You want me to find them?” Since Delta had three men, Zarko could act as a floater if needed.
“That’s a go, Z.”
“Roger that.”
Leine studied the front door and patio through the rifle scope. A slight breeze ruffled her hair, bringing with it the scent of the sea. The chorus of insects from earlier had diminished, making it easier to hear if someone decided to pay her a visit.
A few minutes had elapsed when she detected a hum in the air behind her. It didn’t sound like an insect. At first barely audible, it began as a low buzz from the west and continued to grow louder. She keyed the mic.
“Art, did you deploy the drone?”
“Not yet, why?”
A staccato burst of automatic gunfire erupted on the ridge behind her.
“Shit!” Leine swiveled her head, searching the ridge. “Delta! What’s happening?” She looked up, scanning the sky. Seconds later, something flew overhead, temporarily blotting out the stars.
Chapter 31
Rounds thudded into the earth next to Leine, spraying rocks and dirt. The microphone erupted with concerned chatter.
“What the hell is happening up there?” Art bellowed into the mic.
“Drone,” Leine managed as she dove for the outcropping. She rolled to her feet and spotted the weaponized UAV. Like a deranged wasp, it weaved back and forth above her, searching for its prey.
“Hold on, Leine. I’m coming to you,” Ben said, and broke cover. Just then, the door to the cottage slammed open and the gunmen opened fire, strafing the hill. Alpha Team drilled the patio, and the two gunmen dove back inside the cabin.
Leine raised her rifle and sighted the drone through the scope. The gun barrel’s heat signature was enough for her to find the target, but the crazy gyrations made it difficult to lock on.
“Come on,” she breathed, willing it to pause long enough to get a clear shot.
“Heads up.”
Ben’s voice. Leine squeezed her eyes shut as a flashbang grenade exploded forward of her position. Ears ringing, she opened her eyes and tracked the drone as it paused in midair and swiveled toward Ben. The smoke from the grenade obscured the machine’s visibility and the next volley of rounds went wide. She locked on the drone and fired.
The round ripped through one of the UAV’s propellers and it stuttered, dipped, and stuttered again. Leine kept firing. The next shots tore up the frame and two additional propellers. The drone wobbled, tipped, then dropped like a stone. Leine flipped over and low-crawled to a nearby olive tree, taking her rifle
with her. Rounds coming from the cottage door pummeled the dirt just short of her position. Heart pounding, she unclipped the radio she’d taken from the man she killed and turned up the volume.
“Everyone, back to base, now,” Drago snapped, his voice crackling over the airwaves. “There are two gunmen on the ridge. Make sure they’re dead. Two more are trapped on the rise behind the house, but we’re taking fire from the south and are unable to neutralize. Take them out.” He gave them Ben and Leine’s positions.
“Goddammit,” Art growled in her earpiece. “Check in! What’s happening up there?”
Leine leaned against the base of the tree. “Leine here,” she said in a low voice. “Ben?”
“I’m good,” Ben answered.
“Delta took the bulk of the attack,” she added.
“Delta?” Art said.
There was an excruciatingly long pause, then, “Delta, Roger.”
Leine exhaled with relief. “The leader just ordered the other three gunmen back from their search. I took out the drone before the thing did any damage, but we’re taking fire from the cottage.” She paused. Several bursts of gunfire from below punctuated her words.
“Okay. Change of plans. How are you two doing on ammunition?” Art asked.
Leine checked her harness. She counted three full magazines for the 9mm and several rifle rounds, along with two grenades and a flashbang. “I’m good.”
Ben reported the same.
“You two stay put, do what you can to keep ’em in the cabin. Bravo, hold and watch for squitters. Alpha, hold and cover the patio. Delta, I want Jorge on the ridge, ready to lay down fire. Daniel, get with Zarko and find the other three.”
“What if they have another drone?” Ben asked.
“I’ve got it covered, amigo.”
Leine peered around the olive tree to get a look at the stucco cottage. Rounds thudded half way up the hill toward her and she ducked back behind the trunk. Ben and Alpha Team returned fire. Her position wasn’t perfect, but she had a partial view of the front door. First, she’d need to take care of whoever was shooting at her.
The Last Deception Page 17