‘This could be my last tour. I’m getting out.’
Sonny flopped down on the bed next to his sergeant, his jaw ajar. ‘You’re quitting the regiment?’
‘Eventually. Once I get back home we’re gonna try for a kid. The moment she gets pregnant, I’m out.’
‘But…what will you do? BG work?’
‘Sort of,’ Gray said. ‘But instead of being the bodyguard, I’m going to hire them out. I’m gonna start my own security business. I’ve already got the name: Viking Security Services.’
‘Waste of time,’ Sonny said. ‘The market’s already flooded. Everyone that leaves the regiment starts their own security firm.’
‘Not everyone,’ Smart said. ‘Danny Stillman didn’t. Paul Burgess didn’t.’
‘Okay, not everyone. But there are so many around that you’d have to be damn lucky to get a foothold in the market.’
‘Lucky… or clever.’ Gray grinned. ‘My plan is to hire the best and go in dirt cheap. I’ve got a bit put aside to survive a couple of years with a minimal income, and once I’ve established my reputation I can bump up the prices.’
‘Yeah, and I’m sure no-one ever thought of that before.’
‘Why do you have to be so negative?’ Smart asked. ‘At least he’s got a plan for when he leaves the army. What about you? What great scheme have you got lined up? Get pissed and fall asleep in a ditch?’
‘That was plan B.’ Sonny smiled. ‘First, I’m gonna go contracting. No overheads and a decent income.’
‘You’ll never get rich working for someone else,’ Smart snorted. ‘Tom’s got the right idea. He won’t have to face any danger, so he’ll always be there to support his family. On top of that, his clients will be paying a grand a day to hire schmucks like you, and he’ll keep half of it. I say good luck to him.’
‘Me, too, obviously,’ Sonny said, ‘but I’m just saying it isn’t guaranteed to pay off, so don’t get your hopes up.’
‘I won’t,’ Gray assured him as he got up from his bunk. ‘Gotta go see the CO. No fighting while I’m gone.’
Gray threw on a T-shirt and made the short walk over to Russell’s tent. Just as he got there, the captain emerged.
‘Ah Tom, perfect timing. We’re off to see Durden. Seems he has a job for us.’
‘Great. Another wasted night in the mountains, no doubt.’
‘Apparently not. He didn’t give me details, but it sounds like you’re going to see some action.’
‘I’ll believe that when I see it.’
They entered Durden’s wooden office to find Balmer and his CO already there. Balmer was standing in Gray’s favourite spot, in the crossfire from the electric fans. The Delta Force master sergeant grinned knowingly at Gray, who ignored the unspoken challenge and stood facing the CIA operative.
‘Gentlemen, we have an op for you. We’ve received intel that Abdul al-Hussain plans to attack FOB—’
‘Intel from who?’ Gray interrupted. Russell threw him a glare that said ‘shut it’. ‘Sorry,’ Gray dipped his chin. ‘Carry on.’
‘As I was saying, there are plans for fifty of Abdul al-Hussain’s men to attack FOB Vincent at oh-two-hundred on Saturday.’
‘How many men are stationed there?’ Balmer asked.
‘It’s a work in progress. Vincent is home to B company, 3rd Battalion of the 654th Infantry Regiment, plus Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 111 who are doing the building work. There are also civilian contractors preparing the restaurants, shops, coffee houses, laundry, field hospital… everything you would need for a base that will eventually house three thousand men and women. In terms of combat-ready defensive personnel though, we’re talking a hundred and twenty-five men.’
‘Should be enough to repel fifty Taliban,’ Gray said.
‘If it was a small base, I’d agree,’ Durden said, ‘but Vincent is the size of three hundred football fields. There’s no way one hundred and twenty-five men can guard a perimeter that big. They’d be spread too thin.’
Gray hadn’t known that. He’d operated out of a couple of FOBs, but these were existing structures like old forts—less than a third of the size of a football stadium. The construction of new bases wasn’t something he was regularly briefed on, so it was unsurprising he hadn’t heard of this one.
As Durden had said, there was no way one hundred and twenty-five men could hope to cover a perimeter so large, especially if the attack came from all sides. Figure six miles of fencing or walls, divided by a hundred and twenty-five men, meant about eighty-five yards between each man. Not ideal in the best of circumstances. But if the Taliban somehow managed to breach the boundary, it would soon turn into a shitstorm.
‘I assume you’re sending reinforcements,’ Gray said to Durden.
‘We’re trying. I’ve managed to get another two hundred men from the 667th and the 698th, but that’s all they can spare. The brass thinks that’s enough, given the perceived threat.’
‘But you don’t?’ Balmer said, squinting.
‘No, I don’t. Especially after reading your report on the mission last night. If the people you killed were as young as you say, they had to have been exposed to Dagher’s virus. If that’s the case, we can expect more of the same on Saturday.’
‘If you’re right, then three hundred and twenty-five men still wouldn’t be enough.’
‘That’s why we’re sending you guys in,’ Captain Bridges said.
‘Both of us?’ Gray asked.
‘Both of us, sir!’ Bridges growled.
‘Both of us, sir!’ Gray conceded. He could get away with informalities with Captain Russell, but the American was clearly of a different breed.
‘Yes,’ Durden said, trying to get the room back. ‘I want you both to head over there today and co-ordinate the defensive strategy. Work only began on the camp a couple of months ago, but the basic infrastructure is in place. The wall is complete; guard towers at each corner, shelter, water and electricity. I’ve already spoken with Major Tanner of the 654th and he’ll be expecting you.’
‘And who’ll be in overall command?’ Balmer asked.
‘You mean, who’s going to be in charge between you two?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Neither,’ Russell said. ‘You’re big boys now. We need you to put your heads together, use your vast experience and come up with a joint plan that everyone’s happy with.’
Gray wasn’t sure that was a good idea, but Russell’s expression informed him he’d better make it work. Balmer didn’t look too happy at the arrangement, either.
‘The Pentagon is keen to know more about how this virus—they’ve designated it AR, for Afghan Rogue—affects the recipients. Your report was thorough, master sergeant, but they want more. So I’d like you to ensure we have comprehensive video coverage of any attack.’
Gray surmised that ‘keen to know more’ was a euphemism for ‘want to weaponise it for their own use’.
‘How many men do you want me to take?’ Gray asked Russell, deliberately omitting the honorific for Bridges’ sake.
‘Your patrol as well as Sergeant Campbell’s should do it.’
‘Same for you,’ Bridges told Balmer. ‘Eight men in each team should be enough.’
‘Transport has been arranged for twenty hundred hours,’ Durden told them. ‘I’ll have the CCTV equipment ready and waiting.’
‘What about air support?’ Balmer asked. ‘We could have done with a plane overhead last night.’
‘I’m working on that,’ Durden said. ‘We won’t know what assets we have available until a couple of hours before it all kicks off. When I know, you’ll know.’
When the meeting was called to a halt, Gray walked out with Russell in his wake.
‘How come we both have to go?’ Gray asked his captain.
‘Politics,’ Russell answered. ‘The PM wants to know just as much about this virus as the president, and the top brass insisted you guys work together for the time being. From what
I understand, Balmer already has a blood sample from one of the guys he killed last night. Our government would like the same, if you can.’
‘And do you think they’ll use it?’
Russell shrugged. ‘Hard to tell. Certainly not in the next few years. It would have to undergo rigorous testing before it was used on our own men. In the meantime, be alert. I read Balmer’s report—I think you’re going to be in for an interesting weekend.’
Chapter 21
Balmer’s team was waiting next to a pile of metal boxes when Gray and his men reached the chopper.
‘Thought you weren’t going to make it.’ Lomax laughed. ‘Couldn’t blame you. It’s gonna be hairy.’
‘Like your momma’s upper lip?’ Sonny said, dumping his Bergen on the floor.
‘Cool it,’ Smart said. ‘We gotta play nice… captain’s orders.’
‘Yeah, quit it,’ Gray added. He walked over to Balmer and put his backpack on the ground. ‘Durden said you came up against the virus last night. How was it?’
‘Scary. Like taking ourselves on. They were kids, but fought like they’d been at war all their lives. They made a couple of mistakes, but if they can iron them out we’re in for a rough time.’
Gray was used to being the best in any battle—if the odds were no longer going to be heavily in his favour, he’d have to up his game. They all would.
A crew chief came over and pointed to a nearby transport helicopter—a huge Chinook. And the sixteen men started loading up. Ten minutes later, they were heading south in the darkness.
It was a short flight to Vincent, located sixty miles from Kandahar, with the Pakistan border thirty miles to the east. As they approached the camp, Gray asked the pilot to circle once so that he could get an idea of the layout and surrounding landscape.
Although work had only just begun, the US Navy Seabees had made excellent progress. A wall had been erected around the entire perimeter and, as Durden had promised, there were guard towers at each corner of the rectangular camp. Around fifty sand-coloured tents stood in neat rows and the foundations had been laid for a lot more. Elsewhere, permanent buildings were taking shape, too. Beyond the walls lay nothing but flat desert for miles in all directions.
When Gray had seen enough, the pilot guided the helicopter to a makeshift landing pad at the northern end of the compound and touched down gently. Gray was waiting at the ramp as it began to open and a private was there to greet them.
‘Sergeant Gray, Major Tanner is expecting you. I’ll show your men to their quarters on the way.’
They followed the soldier past aviation fuel bowsers and mountains of construction material to the accommodation area. Two tents had been allocated; one each for the SAS and Delta Force. As the rest of the men stowed their gear, Gray and Balmer went to see the camp’s commanding officer.
If Major Chuck Tanner was glad to see them, it didn’t show. He remained seated when they were led into his office and he left them standing to attention while he scribbled on a notepad. When he eventually looked up, his face contorted to a blend of anger and disdain.
‘So you’re the cavalry, eh?’
Gray and Balmer said nothing.
‘Well, in my opinion, you’ve had a wasted journey. Whoever decided my men couldn’t defend this compound from a handful of insurgents has underestimated the 654th. We’re fighting men. We shit bullets and piss napalm—God help anyone who gets in our way. We sure ain’t scared of a few raghead goat fuckers.’
‘What about facing fifty Delta Force?’ Gray asked. ‘Would you still be so confident?’ As a pause, he tagged on, ‘sir?’ He didn’t like the situation any more than the Major did, but they wouldn’t get anywhere if they were at each other’s throats for the next three days. Best not to kick off on the wrong foot.
‘That would be different,’ Tanner conceded.
‘Not really, sir. Master Sergeant Balmer here faced similar troops only last night. He can tell you what you’re up against.’
Balmer gave Gray a nod of thanks. ‘He’s right, sir. Last night my patrol was attacked by thirty insurgents. They kept us pinned down for almost fifteen minutes and put two of my men out of action. At first we thought we were taking on old Mujihadeen—they were so good—but they turned out to be kids, mostly teenagers. I tell you, they had us rattled for a while.’
Tanner didn’t even bother trying to hide his contempt, huffing out a sarcastic snigger. ‘America’s finest, scared of a bunch of little boys?’
‘Have you heard of Miriam Dagher, sir?’ Gray asked.
‘I have. Bunch of hooey if you ask me. There ain’t no superman virus, it’s just Taliban propaganda.’
‘I beg to differ,’ Balmer said. ‘Gray lost an entire patrol to it last week, and there’s no way the kids we fought last night have been training all their lives. The virus is real, and that’s what we’ll be facing come o-two-hundred on Saturday.’
‘I’ll believe that when I see it. Until then, I have my orders—no matter how much I disagree with them. I’m assigning Lieutenant Green to you. Whatever you need, he’ll provide it.’
Tanner flicked a dismissive hand at them. Gary and Balmer offered smart salutes in return, then walked out of the Major’s office.
‘Went about as well as I expected,’ Gray said as they walked back to their tent.
‘Can’t blame the guy. If a couple of grunts came and told me how to do my job, I’d be pissed off, too.’
They had bigger concerns than the hurt feelings of an infantry major. The attack was due in a little over fifty-three hours, and they had a lot of work to do.
‘I’ll get Bennett to set up the cameras,’ Gray told Balmer. ‘Why don’t you ask the LT what ordnance they have here. A few Claymores would be a good start.’
‘Can do. After that, I’ll walk the perimeter and meet you in your quarters at midnight to discuss options.’
‘Sounds good. See you then.’
Gray went off to find Paul Bennett—the comms expert of Jeff Campbell’s squad. He was in his tent looking through one of the boxes they’d brought along on the chopper.
‘What have we got?’ Gray asked him.
‘Eight cameras and digital recorders. Decent-looking kit. Should get some nice shots.’
‘How long to install them?’
‘About an hour for each one,’ Bennett told him. ‘I thought about putting them on the guard towers, but they would be the first thing I’d hit if I were leading an assault on the camp. I’ll see what angles we get from some of the taller buildings, but failing that I’ll just mount them along the perimeter wall.’
‘Good idea,’ Gray said. ‘Start at first light.’
* * *
After a hearty breakfast provided by one of the civilian contractors, Gray met up with the other six members of his troop and the eight men of Balmer’s Delta Force ODA inside a briefing hut. Bennett was already working on getting the cameras set up; Gray would fill him in afterwards. He’d spent a couple of hours with Balmer the previous night, thrashing out the workings of a defensive plan and how they were going to put it to the rest of the men for a Chinese parliament. All input was welcome and encouraged, though it had been decided that Gray and Balmer would have the final say.
Gray let Balmer kick things off by running through a list of resources they had available.
‘We’ve got three hundred and twenty-five men from the 654th, 667th and the 698th, plus sixty Seabees we can call on at a push. There are also seventy civilians, but they’ll be choppered out on Saturday afternoon. As for heavy weapons, we have ten mortars with thirty rounds apiece, and two-dozen Stingers. On top of all the small arms we have three hundred grenades, twenty-four Claymores and a shitload of flares.’
While Balmer talked through the list, Gray pinned an A3 drawing of the camp to the board.
‘This is as close to scale as I can get,’ Gray told the assembled men. ‘As you know, the intel we have is minimal. The Taliban will be sending fifty men at oh-two-hundred on Sa
turday, and that’s all we know. We have no idea if they have transport, what weapons they’ll be carrying, or which direction they’ll be coming from. That’s why I thought it best to spread the men evenly around the perimeter, with a reserve force to tackle any breaches. Balmer and his men will cover the north and east walls, my patrols will take the south and west.’
‘We’ve got NVGs,’ Carl Levine pointed out. ‘We should see them coming a mile off.’
‘You’d think,’ Balmer said, ‘but two weeks ago a couple of dozen attacked FOB Tork and got within two hundred yards before we spotted them. They approached slowly, blending in with the landscape, and that was before the AR virus was in play. Now they’ll be even more disciplined.’
‘Trip flares are out,’ Gray added. ‘If they’re moving so slowly, they’d spot them easily.’
‘That’s if they adopt the same tactics,’ Len Smart said. ‘They might decide on a more direct approach this time.’
‘Maybe… but it’s still too large an area to cover effectively. There’ll be huge gaps that they could slip through.’
‘We only need one of them to trip it, not all of them.’
‘He’s got a point,’ Carl Levine agreed. ‘Might as well set a few up, far enough out that they won’t be so switched on. A mile should do it. That would at least tell us where they’re coming from.’
Gray looked at Balmer, who nodded back at him. ‘Okay… Carl and Len, that’s your job today. Take two men from Delta.’
‘Rees and Hubble, that’s you.’
‘Who’s going to be posted in the towers?’ Lomax asked. ‘That’s the first thing I’d hit.’
‘My thoughts entirely,’ Gray said. ‘That’s why we’re not gonna use them. I’ve asked the Seabees to build four viewing platforms for us. They’ll be twenty yards inside the wall and just tall enough to give us a good view out without presenting a tempting target.’
Gray Genesis Page 13