Those who receive military training must be unconditionally loyal to the Party, and those perceived as enemies of the state are not permitted to possess a weapon. In determining service eligibility in the Korean People’s Army, Songbun is the system of ascribed status used.
This in effect determines a person’s lifelong career as well. As Lee Kwŏn served in the military, he went through three levels of investigation by three different internal security agencies where Songbun is a central consideration in each investigation and is based on political, social, and economic backgrounds for direct ancestors as well as behaviour by relatives,
Songbun is used to determine whether an individual is trusted with responsibility, to receive opportunities within North Korea, or even receives adequate food.
The North Korean government had helped him five years ago with entering the USA and setting up his legitimate business.
Lee Kwŏn had introduced the man driving the car as Chang Jun-ik, his driver and bodyguard.
Chang was in his late twenties and although only five foot eight tall was immensely built with, a well toned body that was apparent even under his expensive suit.
Once out of the car Lee led her over to an office that was impressively furnished as she entered he spoke in their native Korean tongue, “Please Sun-Yung have a seat, can I offer you a hot drink?”
Sun-Yung replied with, “Just a glass of water, will do.”
Lee went to a nearby fridge where he collected a bottle of water and then handed it to Sun-Yung.
She twisted the top and took a long gulp and then said, “so what’s the plan?”
“We wait here until lunch time, and then we go to the airport where a private jet will arrive to take you and the device home.”
“What about security and customs?”
Lee replied, “We have our ways of deceiving the American system. May I suggest you take the time to have a rest?”
95
Airspace five miles south of
Barnabas shoe emporium Ltd.
559 Thirteenth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Lat = 38 degrees, 53.8 minutes North
Long = 77 degrees, 1.8 minutes West
Friday 22nd September 1989(same day)
Zero four hours and seventeen minutes EDT
The pilot had called Max up to the cockpit area and said, “Colonel we are approaching the target area, we need an LZ, do you want me to circle the area to locate one?”
Max said, “Hold us here lieutenant; I do not want to spook them.”
The pilot replied, “roger that colonel.”
Max spoke into his Comms, “eagle-3 to ICIS we need a landing zone close to target area, over.”
GAIL replied, “I have a located a high school football field less than a quarter of a mile from the target, I will relay the coordinates to the pilot now, over.”
“Roger that GAIL, eagle-3 out.”
Max returned to the cockpit area and said, “You should have the final landing coordinate’s lieutenant?”
The co-pilot replied, “I have just received them sir,” and then it clicked and he said, “Sir, I was in London last summer when they had the bombings and if I am not mistaken you and your men were responsible for bringing the extremists down. Your colonel Max Storm of the OSC!”
Max gave the co-pilot a smile and said, “you have your orders from the President, unless he advises you differently we were never here, I hope you understand?”
Doug Ramsey said, “that’s affirmative sir, but I would like to say its been a pleasure.”
The Pilot Jim Tracy said, “We are seven minutes from the LZ, sir.”
“Thank you lieutenant, once we are down remain at that location, if I need you I will contact you directly through our Comms.”
The pilot brought the helicopter in for the final approach piking up the large high school football field and landed the helicopter directly in the centre spot.
As soon as they were down the starboard door was quickly cracked open and they all disembarked and began to yomp across the football field.
The pilot said to his co-pilot, “I remember those bombings in London last year it made international news, Doug are you sure that was the man whom eliminated the terrorists?”
Doug replied, “One hundred percent sir.”
“Well whoever they are going after had better be sure they have made their peace, because what I have heard about these guys, they play rough ball better than anyone else.”
GAIL was guiding Max and the team to the target area, via the satellite and three minutes later, they had rendezvoused with the two-team members of team-6.
96
Barnabas shoe emporium Ltd.
559 Thirteenth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Lat = 38 degrees, 53.8 minutes North
Long = 77 degrees, 1.8 minutes West
Friday 22nd September 1989(same day)
Zero four hours and thirty-two minutes EDT
Max said to one of the men, “SITREP!”
“Nothing has changed since we arrived, sir.”
Max pulled his PCDL from one of his pockets and switched it on and said, “eagle-3 to ICIS, transfer satellite images to my PCDL, over?”
GAIL responded, “Transferring live feed now eagle-3.”
Max’s PCDL lit up with an aerial image of the warehouse and immediate surrounding area; he studied the image and the thermal imaging identified three sources, he then looked at the buildings around and then spoke to Roy and Vas.
“The image shows only two ways in and out of the building,”
Max pointed to his PCDL and continued, “One on the north and one on the east side of the building. I want a sniper and spotter up on that building covering both these points and use the new AX-500.”
Roy said, “I’ll be on the weapon Max, I will take one of the team-6 guys as the spotter.”
Max looked at his watch Zero four hours and thirty-six minutes and said, “Okay Roy; you have twenty-five minutes to be in position and ready, we do not have the luxury of time to prepare a direct action plan. We hit the warehouse at zero five hundred hours using speed, aggression and surprise. Vas split the team and we go in through both doors. Vas you take the north door, I will take the east door, any questions?”
Tracy said, “Where do you want me Max?”
Max replied, “It’s your town Tracy, although I would prefer you to keep back as we go in.”
“In that case I will hang here,” replied Tracy.
Twenty minutes later Roy and his spotter were on the nearby roof in the prone position looking down at the warehouse.
Roy had set up the AX-550 and inserted the 5-round magazine with the 50 calibre Magnum rounds and he then brought the weapon to bear down on the target area, his spotter was lying next to him on his left side using a scope to scan the area.
He began to adjust the scope for the distance that was only around 500 yards with a downward elevation, well within the capabilities of the powerful weapon.
His spotter had pulled a small booklet from the weapon casing with the DOPE references indicating the rifle had been initially DOPED as 3L f -1 down, meaning, the settings before adjusting for wind-age and trajectory were the rear sight aperture was 3 clicks left, and the front sight post was down one turn.
Roy immediately readjusted the telescopic sights to the distance and elevation, his spotter spoke, “Sir, wind-age is 2mph and angle is 20 degrees. The multiplier for 20 degrees is 0.94.”
Roy quickly did the maths in his head and dialled the scope for 470 yards to hit any target at 500 yards.
Roy was aware that if he was needed it would require quick reactions to rapidly acquire a moving target, from one of two locations.
However, the AX-500 with its 22-inch barrel with the Sure-fire muzzle brake and its Fast-Attach High Endurance Sound Suppressor was perfectly suited for this type of operation.
Roy spoke in to his Comms, “eagle-4 onsite and ready over.”
Max looked at his watch and replied, “sixty seconds for entry.”
Everyone was in position and the next sixty seconds seemed like an eternity.
“Eagle-3 to all teams go!”
Both doors were forced open with precision shaped charges and immediately followed by the teams storming into the building.
Sun-Yung had taken Lee’s advice and lounged down on a sofa and had settled into a passive sleep when she was abruptly woken by the explosions.
Chang the bodyguard had immediately responded and for a big man moved impressively fast, he reached for a Chinese made type-85 SMG assault rifle with a thirty round magazine, he brought the gun up and trained it on the nearest door to him and fired several rounds towards the smoke filled area.
He immediately turned and repeated the process at the other door and then paused, he looked over at his master Lee and could see him kneeling behind a table with a Winchester pump action shotgun.
He scanned the area for Sun-Yung but she was nowhere to be seen, however at that moment the room lit up as if it had been hit by a lightening strike and simultaneously an enormous clap like standing directly alongside a thunderclap emitted throughout the room and this was immediately followed by a pressure wave.
Both Lee and Chang felt the effects of the two-stun grenades, like an enormous wind and an electrical current coupled with heat passing through their bodies.
The blast threw them backwards to the ground temporarily destroying their hearing and blinding them with their senses totally stunned.
Both teams followed through the breached doors having deployed the stun grenades, training their weapons into the large smoke filled area, Max immediately clocked the two bodies on the floor and shouted into his Comms, “secure them and look for Sun-Yung!”
Sun-Yung had been quick to react; she had grabbed the holdall and made her way to a backroom opened the window and was now climbing out of it into the street on the south side.
Tracy had remained in one of the vehicles parked up on 13th street at the intersection with Pennsylvania Avenue and noticed a window open and a figure climb out, she immediately jumped out of the vehicle drew her service weapon and ran across the deserted road.
Above her Roy’s spotter had detected the movement and trained his scope on her and said, “sir, Tracy is running towards the building on the south side.”
Roy moved his weapon around and looked down the scope and could see Tracy running across the main road with her handgun drawn, he immediately spoke into his Comms, “eagle-4 to ground units, Tracy is running to the south side of the building with her weapon drawn, over.”
Max was quick to respond, “Roy; it must be Sun-Yung, she is not in the building!”
Sun-Yung had now climbed out of the window and immediately picked up the figure running towards her with a handgun trained on her; she placed the bag down and put both arms in the air.
Tracy moved cautiously towards Sun-Yung and shouted, “FBI, place your hands behind your head and turn around!”
Sun-Yung complied and Tracy moved towards her.
On the nearby rooftop Roy was moving to gain a better view of the south side, he quickly assumed the prone position, trained his weapon and eye onto Pennsylvania Avenue, and picked up Tracy with her handgun aimed at Sun-Yung who was standing with her hands behind her neck.
Tracy placed her gun into her left hand, pulled her handcuffs from a pouch, and said, “Drop your right arm down behind your back.”
Sun-Yung again complied and Tracy stepped forward snapping one end of the handcuffs onto the right wrist of Sun-Yung, as she went to secure the left wrist Sun-Yung pivoted around to her left having dropped her left arm down and immediately swung her left arm around with the elbow bent striking Tracy a vicious blow to the head.
Tracy’s gun went off the round missing Sun-Yung and the gun fell to the floor.
Tracy had been stunned by the surprise blow and had gone down on her right knee; Sun-Yung instantaneously retrieved the handgun from the floor and trained it on Tracy who looked up in terror.
Sun-Yung was momentarily startled by the asphalt several feet behind the FBI agent exploding into fragments. She squeezed the trigger and the round from the gun struck Tracy a lethal wound in the forehead, Tracy fell backwards her life extinguished in that fraction of a moment.
Roy had seen Tracy being disarmed and Sun-Yung retrieve the handgun aiming it at Tracy his initial sighting on Sun-Yung had been impaired by Tracy standing directly in the line of sight.
However as soon as Tracy had dropped to her knee from the blow he had quickly sighted the rifle and took the shot seeing it fall short of Sun-Yung.
Seconds later, he heard the gun rapport and watched as Tracy was flung backwards to the ground, Sun-Yung was now moving briskly away from Tracy’s body.
Sun-Yung had quickly identified the reason behind the asphalt exploding as a rifle shot that was obviously suppressed and had ran to a nearby vehicle taking cover on the driver’s side with a wall behind her.
She began to scan the area above her for the shooter whom she was sure was a sniper and would be on high ground.
Roy’s spotter had scoped the target behind the vehicle and said, “Sir, target at 600 yards, angle still at twenty-five degrees wind-age is 2mph, same multiplier of 0.94.
Roy calculated the range and adjusted the sights for 564 feet.
The car was giving Sun-Yung good cover, however she was aware that she needed to move before she was apprehended, she scanned the area looking for options.
Roy’s rifle was now trained on the vehicle, the shock of seeing Tracy killed weighed on him but he was too professional to let it cloud his judgment.
He let himself have the luxury of a smile, not for the death of Tracy but knowing Sun-Yung was now at his mercy and the cover she was shielded by was no match for his AX-500 and he would deliver swift justice for Tracy.
Roy settled his breathing and then held his breath as the sights settled on the roof of the vehicle in front of where Sun-Yung was crouched down, aiming to keep the shot as high as possible to avoid any damage to the device in the bag that he presumed would be on the floor.
He squeezed the trigger and the 50 calibre Magnum round exited from the barrel at nearly 2,800 feet per second throwing more than 4,000 foot-pounds of energy down range.
The round tore through the cars metalwork, and as it proliferated, it found Sun-Yung still crouched down, striking her in the right shoulder, tearing her right shoulder and arm from her torso, the trauma was such that she died instantly, the wall behind her was streaked with her blood and the fragmentation of the round.
Roy quickly refocused the scope on the body of Tracy and observed the small pool of blood around her head her body lay motionless, he let out a sigh for he had really taken a liking for her.
His Comms came to life, “eagle-3 to 4 SITREP, over?”
Roy did not reply, still looking at the body of Tracy, his spotter gave him a nudge and said, “Everything okay, sir?”
“Yes! Eagle-4 to 3, Sun-Yung is no more and Tracy is down, over.”
Max was aware that Roy and Tracy had developed a bound during their time together and said, “What’s her status Roy?”
“She is dead Max! Christ I missed on the first shot I let her down Max!”
“Roy I am sorry, she was a great girl and operative I know she meant a lot to you, but you must not punish yourself. Tracy would never have let you do that, wherever she is now she knows you did your best, keep that in you mind Roy!”
“Thanks’ Max, we are on our way dow
n, eagle-4 out.”
97
Oak Hill Cemetery
Georgetown
Washington DC
Lat = 38 degrees, 54.8 minutes North
Long = 77 degrees, 3.6 minutes West
Monday 2nd October 1989
Ten days later
Zero eleven thirty hours EDT
Oak Hill Cemetery is a historic 22-acre cemetery and botanical garden and is centred on a Gothic-style chapel built in 1850.
The sun was out displaying a beautiful fall-day with some of the leaves already turning into their fabulous autumn colours.
The service had been packed in and outside the small chapel for the funeral of FBI agent Tracy Morris; the death of his daughter had hit Chuck Morris hard and in the chapel, he had paid an emotional and glowing tribute to his daughter.
Now the congregation was standing at the graveside listening as the priest gave the graveside service “...There is comfort in remembering that death is not the end. No words, which we have the power to say, can take the sting of grief away. That power that marks the sparrow’s fall must comfort and sustain us all. When sorrow comes, as come it must, in God man must place his trust...”
Max, Strayker and Roy were amongst the gathering.
On that fatal day when Tracy had been slain the OSC had recovered the Red Mercury from the scene.
The two Koreans Lee and Chang had been bound and gagged and left in the warehouse along with Sun-Yung’s body, Tracy’s body had been recovered and taken back to the helicopter.
The authorities had been notified and Lee with Chang had been taken into custody, Yurchenko had been flown back to Russia and would no doubt spend the rest of his life in a Gulag a Russian prison camp for political prisoners.
Carter, McFaul and deputy director Walter Smith were taken into custody by the FBI, along with a number of senior ranking members of the government and would all eventually be put on trial for treason.
Three days previously on the 29th September, both the American and Russian Presidents signed the SALT agreement.
Red Mercury Page 27