by Peter Kozmar
“Yes, Colonel.” Akulova left and closed the door behind her.
Volkov waved his hand in the direction of the cart and invited Andy and Luba to take their meals, then he turned to the others and said, “Gentlemen, there are sandwiches.” The three members of the Tactical Response Group made a start on the bacon sandwiches. The smells and aroma from the freshly cooked food made Andy ravenous; he heard Luba’s stomach rumble.
“How long would it take to be in position to secure the hostage?” Volkov asked Nardin.
Nardin looked at his watch, “Time now, thirteen-twenty hours. We’ll deploy One Platoon on OP over-watch and CTR at fourteen-thirty with the Mobile Command Post. They will be in position and set-up by fifteen-thirty. Two Platoon will breach the location and secure the hostage, they’ll need two hours for preparation, so I’d see Two Platoon roll out of here at seventeen-thirty hours, eighteen-thirty in location and set to move in at nineteen-hundred hours.”
Volkov looked disappointed.
“We could go sooner, if we just go in without any preparation,” Nardin paused, “but we’ll make fewer errors if we have good intelligence from the scene and had time for rehearsals.”
Sergeant Yeryomin spoke next, “Colonel, we train hard and fight easy. Our objective is to quickly bring this to a close and have a live hostage at the end of the operation. If we cut corners, our ability to achieve our objective is reduced.”
Andy was surprised at the way Yeryomin addressed Volkov. He wasn’t following the chain of command and Andy expected him to be thrown out of Volkov’s office for insubordination. Instead Volkov nodded slowly. He relied on others to provide him with the best advice and bring knowledge on areas where he had no expertise. Even when his technical experts were blunt and didn’t deliver the answers he wanted to hear, he respected their advice.
There was a brief knock from the door and, before Volkov could respond, the door opened and a female, dressed in a dark trouser suit, stepped into the room. “Ah, Captain Meledina, thank you for joining us, we have an operation about to go live and we would value your counter-intelligence expertise to help it go according to plan,” Volkov said. He indicated to the trolley and invited Meledina to help herself to the food.
“Thank you, Colonel, but I’ve already eaten,” Meledina said and sat down on a chair at the table.
Sergeant Yeryomin spoke addressing Nardin, “Boss, we’ll need to get going. I’ll release the Warning Order and issue an initial briefing to One Platoon.”
Konin spoke before Nardin could reply, “I’ll get the phone intercepts in place and gather the building plans. I’ll brief HQ Troop so they are ready to deploy the Mobile Command Post at fourteen-thirty.”
“Good. I’ll see you both in my office at thirteen-forty-five, when I’ll go through the plan and issue my orders to the Platoon Commanders and Specialists.”
The two sergeants stood, faced Volkov, snapped to attention and saluted.
Volkov uttered a simple, “Dismissed”, Konin and Yeryomin quickly left the room.
“Captain, may I introduce Luba Gamzova, FSB, from the Kremlin.” Luba nodded to Meledina.
“And this is …” Volkov pointed at Andy.
“Hi, I’m Andy Flint. Yeah, I’m an American,” he said, as he saw Meledina’s surprised look, “… and I am here because I’m working for your President.”
“I didn’t know you were an American,” Volkov sounded genuinely shocked, “I’ve not read any files on you.” He was clearly struggling to comprehend how an American managed to be working for the Russian President. This gave Andy the opportunity to think carefully for a moment before replying.
“I’m not representing the American Government or any of its agencies. I’m here as a subject matter expert and at the invitation of The Kremlin.” Volkov looked at Luba who nodded her confirmation back at him.
“Very well,” Volkov said, giving Andy a more detailed look before turned back to Meledina.
“Captain, we have a kidnap victim being held hostage in the city. We are confident of the location and we are planning to execute a rescue mission. The issue we have is this, the local police are connected to it and we don’t want to involve them as we believe they will tip the kidnappers off before we initiate the raid. What can we do from a counter-intelligence perspective that is quick, easy and won’t raise any red flags with the local police? The raid will happen in a few hours so time isn’t on our side.”
Meledina paused for a few moments before addressing the room, “We need to bring all of the police officers into a central location where we can restrict their access to communications with the kidnappers and keep them occupied until the raid is over.”
“That’s a good starter. How would it work?” Volkov asked.
“Remember training exercise Red Dragon? We ran it two years ago, where we identified multiple terrorist targets across the city, monitored and then apprehended them.”
“Yes I remember it. The office buzzed for weeks afterwards,” Nardin chipped in.
“I still have the scenario, briefing and exercise intelligence paperwork. I’ll just substitute ‘The Police’ for ‘FSB’ as the lead investigative agency and it’s done. We still have the photographs and personal details for each of the targets we used in the exercise. The briefing pack covers the need to step up patrols and increase visibility in public spaces and around Government Buildings. By the time we finish the police will be convinced that this is a live operation and there are terrorists in the city who need to be detained.”
“How do we control them?” Volkov asked.
“We tell them we have sensitive intelligence about terrorist cells working in the city and they will lead multiple raids simultaneously at several addresses. We will get them to attend the briefing at the Central Police Station where they will be required to leave their radios and cell phones outside the briefing hall. I’ll need some of our men in the briefing to add to the credibility of the operation and others to watch over those outside the briefing hall. Anyone trying to leave or communicating with the outside will be detained.” It sounded simple and straightforward; it might even work.
Nardin rubbed his stubble-covered chin before speaking, “I can give you troops from our Reserve Platoon. That should lend credibility to the brief and give the numbers for successful containment.”
“How long do you need to prepare your paperwork for the police briefing?” Volkov asked.
“I’ll need an hour to update and change the documents so that it looks authentic and real time. I’ll brief the Reserve Platoon Commander and Sergeant so they know what’s happening and their roles in the operation. Colonel, could you contact the Head of the Police and give them advance warning of my arrival. I’ll arrive at the Central Police Station at sixteen-hundred hours to meet their Chief of Police and brief him on the operation so he buys into it and is also convinced so he can speak with genuine conviction with his officers. With Reserve Platoon, we’ll enforce a comms blackout and commence our decoy briefing at eighteen-hundred hours with a view to finishing at nineteen-thirty.” Volkov nodded.
“If there is nothing else to discuss, I need to prepare the documentation and write and deliver my orders. Please excuse me Colonel.” Meledina stood and gathered her papers together.
Volkov had the final word, “I think this meeting is over. You are dismissed. Carry on.”
Nardin and Meledina stood to attention, nodded to Volkov and headed for the door.
CHAPTER 45
To the untrained eye, nothing looked out of place on Basseynaya Ulista: the traffic flowed freely; pedestrians went about their business; and, high school children played and talked amongst themselves as they made their way home from school. No one paid attention to the dishevelled homeless man slowly weaving across the sidewalk as he checked the bins for discarded food scraps and spent cigarettes. He occasionally drank from a bottle hidden within a brown paper bag and talked incoherently to himself.
“He’ll take up position coveri
ng the front entrance. We have a second covert asset, about to be in position, covering the rear entrance.” Nardin said, pointing at their positions on a detailed street map pinned to one wall of the windowless Command Post on the third floor of the FSB offices.
“When can we go to the Mobile Command Post?” Luba asked.
“Let’s get things locked down and set, then we can move to the MCP,” Nardin replied. The radio net sprang to life.
“Charlie-one-zero in position, good sight lines, over.”
“Zero-bravo, roger, out to you. Charlie-two-zero status, over.”
“Charlie-two-zero, I’ll be in position in two minutes, over.”
“Zero-bravo, roger, out to you. Charlie-three-zero status, over.”
“Charlie-three-zero in position, good sight lines, over.”
“Zero-bravo, roger, out to you. Charlie-four-zero status, over.”
“Charlie-four-zero in position, good sight lines, I can see two tangos moving around on the second floor in room kilo-three, over.”
“Charlie-four-zero are they armed? over”
“Zero-bravo affirmative, small arms, over.”
“Charlie-four-zero, roger, out.”
“What’s going on?” Andy asked Nardin.
“One footman is in position. Another will be in position in two minutes. Two of the observation posts are set-up overlooking the objective and one has reported seeing two armed targets in this room,” Nardin pointed to a second storey room from the building schematics pinned next to the map.
“What happens next?”
“Two more footmen will move in. One will take up position by the front steps, the other by the rear loading doors. The police are being gathered together for their briefing. Two Platoon are undertaking rehearsals.”
“Zero-bravo, Charlie-two-zero in position, good sight lines, out.” Another loud speaker in the command post squawked to life. The sound of a phone receiver ringing filled the room. The ringing stopped when someone answered the call.
“Hello?” said a deep voice answering the call, the Command Post team listened in silence.
“Do you have any news on the two from last night?”
“That’s from the bakery,” Nardin informed Andy and Luba.
“We didn’t find them in the car. The initial sweep of the crash site hasn’t turned them up. We are searching along the river below the crash and downstream from there in case their bodies were ejected from the car into the water.”
“Call me when you find them,” the line went dead.
Volkov spoke next with a bit of a chuckle, “Well, that’s some good news … they still think you’re dead.”
The radio net came to life again.
“Zero-bravo, this is Charlie-six-zero in position. Two white vans are parked near the rear loading bay doors, over.”
“Charlie-six-zero, roger, out to you. Charlie-five-zero, status, over.”
“Charlie-five-zero, in position, over.”
“Zero-bravo, roger, out.”
“Everyone’s in position,” Nardin informed the room.
“Zero-alpha, this is zero-bravo, I confirm, charlie-teams are in position and ready to move on your order, over.”
Nardin picked up the fist microphone, “Zero-alpha, roger, out.”
Nardin turned to Andy to continue his commentary, “The cut-off teams are in position to close off the roads before Two Platoon make the assault.”
“Now we wait for Two Platoon,” Andy said, to no one in particular.
Nardin’s cell phone rang breaking the tension in the room. He answered it quickly.
“Alena, what can you tell me?” Nardin listened intently, “Very good, all clear at this end, good luck with your briefing.” He hung up and pocketed his phone.
“Captain Meledina confirms the briefing is well attended, the police are in lock down, the communications blackout is enforced, and Reserve Platoon have control. She’s about to start and expects to take two hours.”
A knock at the door of the Command Post interrupted Nardin as Sergeant Konin stepped inside.
“Two Platoon are rolling out now. Rehearsals have gone well. They are good to go,” he reported.
“Sergeant Konin stay here with Colonel Volkov, I’m taking our guests to the MCP.”
“Yes sir.”
“Konin, you have control,” Nardin turned to Andy and Luba, “Okay, let’s go!”
Nardin turned to Volkov, “Colonel, please excuse me, I’d like to move forward to support the teams on the ground from the MCP. Sergeant Konin will be my staff officer here while I’m in transit. Sergeant Yeryomin is running the operation from the MCP. He has full authority to initiate the breach or an interception if the situation on the ground changes.”
“Major, you have permission to leave and good luck,” Volkov said, seemingly a bit jealous that he wasn’t the one being taken to the action, but he knew his role well and he wasn’t going to screw-up, particularly as the FSB Agent and the American clearly had influence with the Kremlin. Nardin led them to the door of the CP and through the building to the stairs down to the basement garage. A black SUV, with tinted glass parked immediately opposite the stairwell, had its engine running, the driver stood by the passenger door. He stood to attention as Nardin approached and saluted.
“As you were,” Nardin said as the driver opened the passenger door for him, “and my civvies?”
“In the front, on the floor, sir.”
“Good.” Nardin climbed into the car as the driver opened the rear door for Andy and Luba before he took his seat behind the wheel. They drove out of the basement garage and onto the busy street, darkness had enveloped the city allowing the SUV, and its occupants, to blend into the traffic.
Nardin removed his combat jacket, untied his boots and slipped out of his camouflage pants and quickly eased himself into a pair of black pants, an oversized winter jacket and laced up a pair of sneakers. He finished his makeover with a fur hat to cover his shaven head. With his quick change complete he spoke to the driver, “How long until we reach the MCP?”
“Twenty minutes, sir.”
“Did Two Platoon get away?”
“Yes, sir.”
The SUV made good time to reach the MCP, located on the far side of the National Library’s carpark, only a short distance from the target location. It was set-up inside a specially converted container pulled by a tractor unit. The command post had no identifying markings, but its roof had a large steerable satellite dish and multiple antenna arrays. Two armed FSB officers dressed in civilian clothes guarded a set of steel steps leading up to the side door. Nardin was already out of the SUV before it pulled to a halt next to the steps and passed the guards before Andy had stepped out of the vehicle. Nardin reached the top of the steps, turned to the guards and said, “They’re with me.” Indicating Andy and Luba. They followed Nardin up the stairs.
The inside the of the MCP was impressive: to the right, a meeting room with a glass wall providing privacy; between the entrance and meeting room was a small, well equipped kitchen and dining table which could double as a briefing table; and, on the left, the way Nardin had turned, was a team manning radio and video feeds. Above the radio sets and laptop screens a number of whiteboards were attached to the wall. Andy could read their operational data which included the names of each of the assault team members, timings, call signs, passwords and list of names, organisations and phone numbers which the MCP might need to reach out to.
On the opposite wall were a large scale map of the city, a detailed street map and a small scale building schematic, which Andy recognised to be the bakery. On the end wall were six video screens showing different views of the bakery, however, one screen remained blank. Andy recognised Sergeant Yeryomin, he was wearing a headset and writing in a note pad, he was deep in concentration, totally focussed on the information he was receiving.
“What’s with the broken screen?” Andy asked pointing to the dark screen.
“That will show th
e live feed from the assault team leader. No point in lighting it up before they’ve started,” he replied. Nardin approached Yeryomin and tapped him on the shoulder. Yeryomin didn’t turn, but raised his index finger, while he continued to listen and write. After he finished he pressed the push-to-talk button on the radio and spoke briefly before removing his headset and turning to the new arrivals.
“Welcome Major,” he said with a smile.
“What’s the latest on our preparation, and when will Two Platoon be ready for the assault?”
“Everything is set. Two Platoon are in position. Do you want Control?”
“Let’s go.”
Andy looked at the wall clock which read five-thirty. He realized the teams had worked hard all afternoon to bring the start time forward.
Yeryomin pressed the push-to-talk button, “Hello, all stations, Zero-Alpha is at this location, stand by for orders, out.” Nardin picked up another headset and pressed the push-to-talk button.
“Hello all stations, this is Zero-Alpha, I have control, Two-Zero-Alpha, go, go, go.” The blank screen came to life to reveal a squad of soldiers lined up in single file approaching the bakery, but they paused fifty meters short. The other video screens showed the wider operation. Simultaneously, on each end of Basseynaya Ulista, road blocks were slid into place with armed soldiers directing traffic away and stopping pedestrians from approaching the bakery.
***
Four well-built men in civilian clothes walked past the beggar, up the stairs into the bakery and studied the blackboard with the baking and food options. The two counter staff were busy getting ready to close for the day and didn’t pay much attention to the four men. One of the men touched his ear and held his finger against it as he listened to his call sign and orders: “Mike-four-zero, go, go, go.”