by Lisa Pietsch
Buffy may have traded in her battle dress uniform for designer labels, but she still talked like a military cop.
“Every morning, mother and daughter Al Han’ah,” she pointed to the back gate, “enter through this gate and go inside to do the cooking and cleaning for the day. They leave every evening just after sundown.” She leaned forward and lowered her voice even more. “Now this is your operation and I haven’t been tactical since my military police days, but I see some definite possibilities here.”
Sarah knew exactly what she meant and nodded. If they could get the women to cooperate, Sarah could go in as one of them to recon the compound and make sure Vince was still there.
Buffy passed Sarah a manila envelope. “Here is the dossier we have on the Al Han’ahs.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Sarah lounged on the long semicircular couch facing the fireplace and watched Chris as he worked. Vince had been missing five days now. They’d come a long way toward getting him back, but they still had much more to do.
Chris sat cross-legged on the floor and made more notes on the satellite photo mosaic of Nikolai’s compound, the surrounding area, and the nearby village. He’d made notes of all the GPS coordinates of every structure, door, and well. He’d even noted the current moon phase, which was due to be new in two days. A dark moon would be the perfect opportunity for a night attack.
Sarah and Jason waited quietly as Will wrote on his notepad, Chris made notes on the makeshift map, and Brian made phone calls downstairs.
Guinea walked in with a fresh carafe of coffee and set it down on the only uncluttered spot on the coffee table. “Damn, Chris, you may suck at history but you are totally obsessive when it comes to all that science and math stuff. I’m impressed.”
“Thanks, Guinea. Good to know I have one or two redeeming qualities.”
Will copied the coordinates onto his notepad from the photo Buffy had given Sarah and then passed them to Chris so he could compare them to the ones they’d taken.
Sarah wasn’t used to sitting still, and she hadn’t caught up on all her lost sleep. She nodded off but jolted from her doze when she heard Brian bounding up the stairs in what must have been three at a time. He appeared at the basement door after only three stomps.
He was smiling wide. “We’re all set!”
“Send it, brother!” Will had a hopeful look on his face. “Whatcha got?”
Brian sat on the couch and grinned. “Jason’s source was right on. Nikolai hasn’t made any friends out there. The ladies are distant cousins, very distant, but I used to play soccer with the old lady’s son. It seems Nikolai’s man hasn’t been treating the ladies so well, and Hamza would be happy to find any excuse to have Nikolai either run through or run out of town.” Brian looked at Sarah. “I’m not suggesting this as a plan of action, but if we wanted to have one of the women take a day or two off, they wouldn’t be averse to it. Just sayin’.”
Sarah nodded and sat up straight on the couch. “I was thinking the same thing. Will, you know we need interior reconnaissance. We shouldn’t go in blind. Nobody will be the wiser when I’m wearing an abaya and a niqab to cover my hair and face. Let’s do it!”
Will gave Sarah a questioning look. “Are you sure?”
“Do you even have to ask?”
Will shook his head. “All right, here’s how we’re gonna play it. It’s too late to get everyone in place tonight. Brian, you talk to your cousins and set it up so Sarah goes in the day after tomorrow. When you get that done, get with Chris and Jason and start plotting our flight plans. I want the choppers to take separate routes. We’ll take off at dusk tomorrow. Jason, are you still good to fly the gunship?”
“You bet your balls I am.”
Brian dashed downstairs to make his calls.
“Good. When you get the flight plan settled, make the call to your boy Gino. Tell him we’re going to need a good place to camp and those tents he mentioned. And we’ll need a truck waiting at the landing zone to get Sarah to the village for work. Once you get all that together, get some sleep.”
“You got it. What about personal weapons?”
“Arm up and load the choppers with handguns and rifles for every man before we go. Everything in that armory mission ready?”
“Affirmative.” Jason left the room and disappeared downstairs.
“Good. I’ll put a call in to Davidson.” Will turned to Sarah. “Sarah, have you still got that palette of colored contacts we bought for you back in Vegas?”
“Sure do.”
“Great. You’ll need brown eyes. Those green ones of yours will draw too much attention. Get some of that self tanner I know you have and get to work on your face. You’ll need to be darker around your eyes if you’re going to pull this off.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
The sun was nearly down on Vince’s sixth day in captivity when Sarah and the boys checked their personal gear in the hangar before loading the choppers and moving out. They looked like a real force to be reckoned with in black battle fatigues and T-shirts with handguns strapped to their thighs and extra ammo clips on their belts.
Will broke the silence. “All right, troops, this is it. This is the point of no return. We’re about to declare war on the Russian Mafia on Saudi soil. If we get caught, there are only two possibilities—either the Russians will kill us or the Saudis will. If you aren’t up for it say so now. If you’re in, you’re all in. There can be no turning back from here.”
Sarah tucked her Ka-Bar into her right combat boot then checked the ammo in her Sig Sauer SAS forty-fives and holstered them in their thigh holsters. “Will?”
“Yeah, Sarah?”
“Quit flappin’ your gums and check your gear. We’ve got some ass to kick and not time to waste.”
Will beamed and shook his head. “Right on, sister.” He finished loading his gear into the civilian chopper and walked over to Jason, who was checking the Blackhawk’s systems before takeoff. “You all set, Jason?”
Jason looked up at Will. “Right as rain. I’ve got Chris on navigation and Sarah and Guinea on guns.”
Sarah and Guinea, both ready for action, grunted, “Hooah!” in unison.
Will’s face blanched. “Jason, you have to get in there with no contact. We can’t afford any target shooting. Sarah, Guinea, any contact before we get to the rendezvous point will compromise our mission. Jason, you need to avoid any possible witnesses.”
Jason put a calming hand on Will’s shoulder. “We’re good, Will. I was kidding. This isn’t my first rodeo, you know.”
Will looked down at his legal pad and rubbed his forehead. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry, man.”
“It’s okay. You’re a great leader. You’ve covered all the bases. It’s a good plan, and we’re going to nail it just like we did on the tabletop run-through.”
Brian swaggered over to Jason with a shit-eating grin. “Feels good to be back in the cockpit, doesn’t it?”
Jason beamed. “You know it.”
Will patted the doorframe. “You sure she isn’t too much for you to handle?”
“Are you kidding me? I’ve been making love to this old girl for years. She’s the same model we used in the Army. It’s the real women I can’t handle. They got no instrument panel.”
Brian gave Jason a fist bump.
“You’re true blue, Jase.”
“Nah, I’m O.D. green. Blue is for pussies like you.” He turned to get into the cockpit. “See you at the party.”
Sarah and Guinea climbed into the gunners’ seats of the Blackhawk and buckled in.
“You got it.” Brian walked over to the closed hangar doors and prepared to slide them open. His voice carried clearly through the hangar. “Ready, Chris?”
Chris sat in the copilot’s seat of the Blackhawk. “Not yet.” He gave Brian the hand signal to stop and watched his laptop screen for a window when satellites wouldn’t be passing overhead while Jason fired up the war machine for a speedy egress. Wit
hin just a few seconds, Chris flashed Brian the all clear with a thumbs up, and Brian and Will threw the massive doors open swiftly.
Sarah felt the Blackhawk lift just slightly and then they flew out of the hangar as though Jason did this sort of thing every day. She smiled with pride.
Sometimes I forget just how amazing my friends really are.
Sarah took a deep breath, relieved they were finally underway.
We can do this. We can do anything.
She went over the plan in her head. Brian and Will would stop at the Burj Al Arab to pick up eight of Brock’s guys and Will’s pilot friend, Leo, would pick up the other eight. The two helicopters would take different routes to the rendezvous point and arrive approximately ten minutes apart. The team in the Blackhawk, consisting of Jason, Chris, Guinea, and Sarah, would take a third route, specifically designed to bypass any even remotely populated areas. They would arrive shortly after the other two choppers.
The setting sun cast a red glow over the desert beneath them. So clean, so smooth, so fluid in the wind. Dunes passed like waves in an ocean of sand. They flew at 175 miles per hour over a crystal ocean of red sand tinted by the last rays of the sun. Peace settled over her. In that moment she understood how the Bedouins could live the nomadic lives they did.
The desert is so pristine, so pure.
The dark waves of sand lulled her into a meditative state. She saw Vince. She saw every step of the operation, and she saw them all leaving safely and going back to their lives as planned. It would happen. She knew it would. Secure in her own training and the combat experience of her team, Sarah closed her eyes and let sleep take her.
~~~
Jason set the Blackhawk down in a small, deep valley just big enough for three choppers, two big, black Bedouin tents, and two small pickup trucks. Jason’s buddy, Gino, had come through with the gear.
Sarah scanned the area. The small valley was surrounded by high dunes. If they were seen by satellites, nobody would think they were anything more than another Bedouin family making camp.
The civilian chopper flown earlier by Brian and Will was covered with desert camouflage so as not to arouse suspicion from anyone flying overhead.
Jason landed the Blackhawk and shut down the rotors. Will and two big guys wearing desert camouflage ran out of a tent with a huge roll of camouflage netting. They used a couple of long poles to stretch it over the Blackhawk. A couple big guys wearing dress slacks and oxford shirts stepped outside the tent and lit cigarettes. Sarah was happy to see the mercenaries dressed appropriately for the Burj al Arab. No doubt, they’d all be changing into their preferred combat garb soon.
Sarah stretched from her catnap.
Jason removed his helmet and looked back toward Sarah and Guinea in the gunner seats. “We’ll need to stay under cover in the tents as much as possible and stay inside when satellites are passing. Chris will be tracking them in real time.”
Chris nodded and closed his laptop. “Looks like we’re clear for another twenty minutes.”
“Perfect.” Jason opened his door and stepped out.
Chris, Sarah, and Guinea followed.
Jason’s face lit up as he walked toward one of the big guys busy draping the camouflage netting over the chopper.
Guinea grabbed the camo netting and continued the task as the big guy greeted Jason with a smile and a man-hug.
Jason grinned from ear to ear. “I never thought I’d see your ugly spaghetti-eatin’ face again but I’m glad I did.”
“Well, hell, man. I’ve been playing in the sandbox all this time. Heard you got picked up by the Agency. I see it hasn’t improved your standard of living.”
“You’d be surprised!” Jason laughed and patted him on the back. “Did you meet the crew yet?”
The man motioned toward the tent. “Yeah, the squad of mercs in there and the two Navy guys.” He saw Sarah and stared. “Who have you got with you here?”
Jason made his introductions. “This is Chris, Guinea and Sarah. Guys, meet Gino.”
Gino shook Chris and Guinea’s hands and then fixed Sarah with a questioning look. “What’s with the broad?”
Jason gave Sarah a wink and then turned back to Gino. “The broad is cool, just don’t piss her off. And stay out of arm’s reach plus about six inches. She’s got a body count.”
“Always with the jokes! Come on, you are pulling my leg?”
Sarah took a deep breath and sighed. She glanced at her watch. “As much fun as it might be to stand around and bullshit, we’ve got a satellite coming.” She shot Gino a perfunctory smile. “Nice to meet you, Gino. Thanks for helping us out.” She started walking toward the big, black tent and overheard Gino’s words.
“She’d be hot if she didn’t talk.”
Jason chuckled. “Same old Gino. Trust me. She’s hot no matter what she does.”
Sarah stopped as she stepped inside the tent. She was struck by the sweet scent of Frankincense. She couldn’t resist sniffing the woolen curtain serving as a door. The scent was in the fabric from years of absorbing the smoke from the Bedouins. The next scent to draw her attention was the mix of coffee and chai. Fluorescent, battery-operated lanterns lit every corner of the room. Two dellas, large brass coffee pots, sat in glowing coals in a large, shallow metal box in the center of the tent. Persian rugs covered the sand floor and made for a comfortable camp. Impressed with the service, Sarah grinned. Any other time, this might be a fun getaway with friends.
She glanced around the room at the men sitting on or reclining on bags of gear, drinking coffee and chai from glasses in silver holders. These were the mercenaries, or rather contractors, Guinea’s friend Brock sent them. All muscular and fit, they sported short haircuts and those with facial hair kept it well trimmed. She had to hand it to Brock, he didn’t send any slobs.
The room went silent when the mercs noticed her. She took a deep breath and smiled. “Thanks for coming, boys.”
Three men in traditional white robes standing just inside the tent to Sarah’s left, spoke animatedly in Arabic and gestured to Brian who was smiling like a Cheshire cat.
He waved Sarah over.
Sarah strolled over to Brian. He introduced her to his kinsmen in Arabic. “Hamza, Abdullah and Muhammad, I want you to meet a very special woman. This is my friend Sarah. Don’t let her beauty fool you. She fights as well as any man I know.”
The men appeared skeptical and seemed to size her up.
Sarah spoke in Arabic for their convenience. “Thank you, Brian.” She smiled and nodded politely to the men. “It is my pleasure to meet Brian’s family.”
When they looked to Brian again, he nodded to reassure them this wasn’t a joke.
Sarah had expected this sort of response and watched their faces as they tried to wrap their brains around such a compliment to a woman.
Brian continued to speak Arabic like a native. “My kinsmen collected rugs, coffee and chai supplies to welcome us in style.”
Sarah smiled and bowed her head slightly to the men, genuinely grateful. “Thank you very much for such a gracious welcome. We are indebted to you for your generous assistance to help our friend.”
The one Brian introduced as Hamza smiled politely. “The welcome was the least we could do for our cousin. It has been too long since we have seen him. For your friend, may Allah will watch over Vince until we can make the Russian answer for what he has done.”
Sarah touched her right hand to her heart and replied with a heartfelt. “Inshallah.”
From your lips to Allah’s ears.
She looked for a reason to excuse herself because her sex and knowledge of Arabic really seemed to boggle these guys. She couldn’t blame them.
How many Arabs have seen a woman in battle dress with forty-fives strapped to her thighs who can speak Arabic? Probably only three.
She noticed Chris in a corner setting up his small satellite and laptop rig.
“Chris looks like he could use some help. Would you excuse me, please?
”
The men nodded and then whispered to Brian.
She shook her head as she heard him answering in the affirmative.
“Let’s have some chai, and I’ll tell you some stories.”
I really hope he doesn’t tell them the embarrassing ones. God knows he’s got a few.
Sarah was helping Chris set up and check his communications equipment when Will stepped inside the tent and whistled for everyone’s attention.
The room went silent.
“Okay, gentlemen, I want to thank you for your patience in waiting for a mission brief. I’m going to give you a preliminary, informative briefing tonight and then we should have enough details for a mission briefing tomorrow night.”
Everyone focused intently on Will.
“First, I want to reiterate that this is not a sanctioned operation in any way, shape or form. We have a friend, a former Force Recon Marine…” The sound of half the room saying, “Hooah!” interrupted Will. He looked up at the men and smiled. “Excellent. As I was saying, our friend has been kidnapped by a fellow who lives, but isn’t entirely welcome, in these parts. While this mission isn’t sanctioned by any government, we have the full support of the local population and our Bedouin hosts who are, by the way, the folks we owe our thanks for the tents, coffee and chai.”
The men raised their glasses and mumbled their thanks before turning back to focus on Will.
“This tent will be our day-room for chow and, sorry to say, standing by.”
Sarah had to hand it to the mercs. They were real pros because not one let out a peep about having to wait around in a tent in the middle of nowhere.
“The other tent will be used for sleeping. There is a field latrine on the West wall.”
A lanky blond with a high and tight haircut spoke up. “Any idea when we’ll engage? I’d hate to waste y’all’s money just sittin’ around.”
Will pointed to Sarah sitting near Chris. “If Sarah can get us the intel we need tomorrow, we’ll have an attack plan to raze the Russian’s compound the next night, and have you all out of here on first class tickets on day three.”