Angels Don't Die

by Petrek, Soren

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  “Things are escalating,” Madeleine said, exhaling cigarette smoke as she sat back on the small couch in the living room of the safe house. John and Jack listened to her description of the raid on the Mossad compound impassively, carefully noting her descriptions of the attackers and their Russian-issued weapons.

  “We have the location of the Al Lubnani compound. It’s about an hour south of here, along the coast. The PLO may be keeping Tracy there. We need to either verify that or eliminate that location,” John said.

  “Can Hartmann help with that?” Jack asked.

  “I’m not sure they know any more than we do about the specific facts of Tracy’s capture, but they’ll have details of how the PLO operated in the past with respect to prisoners. If Tracy isn’t there, then we need to send another strong message up the line to the PLO leaders. We kill enough of their people and put the fear of death into them, some useful information might be forthcoming,” Madeleine said, lighting another cigarette off the first. Her movements were still very precise as the tension of battle slowly wore off.

  “How do we get in touch with Hartmann?” Karen asked.

  “He slipped me his direct number inside of the packet of cigarettes he gave me,” Madeleine said smiling. “He must have prepared the packet earlier and carried it around with him.”

  “He must have suspected it was your handiwork the other night,” John said.

  “He knows my signature better than anyone,” Madeleine said opening a small sheet of paper. “We should all memorize this phone number. He’ll expect me to destroy it once that is done.”

  “The direct phone number to the head of the Mossad isn’t given out lightly,” Jack observed.

  “I expect Hartmann will be back in his office following the attack. The Israelis must be confident now that war is imminent,” Madeleine said.

  “I sure hope that the more cautious faction in the Knesset that has kept a wait and see attitude, would see the attack as a signal for war,” Jack said.

  “What will we be able to do when war starts? Won’t that make it harder to find Tracy?” Karen said.

  “Actually, Karen, I think it will make it easier. I’ve always found that when full scale combat begins, all eyes tend to shift towards the battle and away from security at the rear. It might afford us our best opportunity yet,” Madeleine said in a reassuring tone.

  “She’s right, Karen,” John said, putting his arm around Karen’s shoulders.

  Madeleine stood up and looked down at her clothes. “Half the pigeons in Jerusalem must visit that roof regularly. I need to change. And then we need to find a phone and call this number.”

  “We’ll discuss our plan of attack for the compound, while you’re busy, and see what we can come up with,” Jack said.

  “We’re going to attack a heavily defended compound. We’re going to need a diversion or two,” Madeleine answered.

  “I’ve always found being fired on by a fifty caliber machinegun tends to attract attention,” John said.

  “That and a satchel charge,” Jack agreed.

  “Then you men know what we need. I think one vehicle for the assault and the other stashed where we can get to it. We’ll need extra weapons and food as well,” Madeleine said.

  Karen stood a short distance from the phone booth watching as Madeleine’s conversation continued. The phone was a short walk towards the market from their quarters. She could see that information was being obtained as she observed Madeleine nod and smile tersely.

  Madeleine hung up the phone and turned towards Karen and gave her a quick smile.

  “Hartmann gave me detailed information about the location of the compound. His organization has some rudimentary knowledge about the layout of the place. It’s been under observation by members of the Israeli military, but there’s no proof that anything illegal or contrary to Israel’s security is going on there. He gave no indication that the PLO would keep Tracy there indefinitely, especially now that war is imminent. He also believes the PLO, under the influence of the Russians, might plan to use Tracy in some specific way. Perhaps in a prisoner exchange or they might make an example out of him,” Madeleine said, holding Karen’s eyes with hers.

  “I know the stakes and the odds, Madeleine. That’s why I will do whatever it takes.”

  “Good, we can put that to good use. Let’s get back and see what those two are up to,” Madeleine said.

  “When will we go?” Karen asked.

  “We don’t need to wait any longer, we should go tonight, but I’m pretty tired out. I think I’ll try to get some sleep this afternoon. Even a few hours would help,” Madeleine said.

  “Good idea. I’m finding out that waiting is the hardest part,” Karen said.

  “You know, we may not find him tonight, Karen.”

  “I know, but it’ll get us one step closer and give us a chance to send another strong message,” Karen answered firmly.

  “If anything goes wrong, and things often do, we’ll rely on you to get us out. I can’t stress the importance of your role tonight,” Madeleine added.

  “Will I be armed?” Karen asked.

  “A couple of shotguns and a pistol would be best,” Madeleine said off handedly.

  “I’ve shot both many times,” Karen said.

  “Start with the shotgun. It will be an automatic loaded with heavy buckshot. You lay down a hail of that, people tend to get out of the way,” Madeleine said.

  “That sounds like my style,” Karen said.

  “Then let’s get back and get you prepared.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Madeleine watched through the apartment window as Karen stood inches from John, shaking her finger in his face. John must have suggested that Karen stay behind once he had heard Madeleine’s plan to include Karen in the assault. Madeleine averted her gaze as the one-sided discussion ended, with Karen the obvious winner. I doubt John will say anything about it to me, Madeleine thought as she prepared her own gear. A compact satchel charge lay on the couch in front of her. She liked to prepare and handle her own ordnance and weapons. She only trusted herself when it came to these kinds of preparations.

  “We’re losing daylight and have a drive to make,” Jack called out from the other room.

  “We should get going and at least get close to the target before it’s completely dark,” John said, walking through the front door. Madeleine caught his eye; he gave a genuine smile of defeat and shrugged his shoulders.

  “I had to try,” he said quietly before Karen reached the top of the stairs, having stayed outside to let her anger subside.

  “Doesn’t do any good, mate,” Jack said, picking up the canvas bags that held the machinegun and tripod.

  “Men and their need to protect women,” Madeleine said with a hint of sarcasm, smiling at Karen as she walked into the room.

  “It’s part of our power over them,” Karen said, looking directly at John, daring him to say anything.

  “I gave up,” John said, raising his hands in mock surrender.

  “Time to gear up,” Madeleine said handing a radio to Karen and Jack. “Once we’re within a couple of miles from the target, we’ll meet up and finalize our positions. Right now, we’re tourists out for a little excursion. We’ll be driving away from the likely battle zones, so we shouldn’t encounter any patrols.”

  “Like you said, Madeleine, their eyes will be looking the other way,” Karen said.

  The four of them and moved towards the back door where John had parked two Land Rovers under tarps.

  Karen and Jack settled into the driver’s seats. Karen’s Range Rover had once been red; now it was sand-scoured and faded to a tired pale orange beneath layers of dust. Jack’s wasn’t in any better shape and had either been tan once or was so embedded with sand and dirt that it looked that way. Madeleine and John slid into the passenger seats and checked the radios one last time. John had modified the rear seats in both vehicles to store their weapons
and ordnance. The seats could be raised to allow access to large compartments. The radios were small enough to conceal in a couple of canvas bags partially filled with bottled water and clothing. Each of them had a pistol under their seats. A nod from Madeleine and Karen backed out first, closely followed by Jack. A few moments later, the four American tourists headed south with a truckload of munitions beneath their gaily colored picnic blanket.

  An hour and a half later, between hills empty of life, Madeleine called a stop. The sun was gone, but the dusty rocks still held the heat of the day.

  “I want us to keep to the inland roads, there will be fewer eyes on us there,” Madeleine said to Jack. Most of the traffic stays on the coastal roads because that’s where the farms and villages are. Al Lubnani’s compound is on the edge of the southern desert.”

  “We must be getting close then. There’s a lot more sand and crumbled rock on the side of the road,” Jack said, as a steady breeze blew fine particles of sand across the roadway.

  “We need to find the secondary road that skirts the desert alongside the compound. The map I’m looking at doesn’t name the road, it’s just a narrow line on the map,” Madeleine said.

  “It looks like many of these roads aren’t named,” Jack said.

  “That must be it there, Jack,” Madeleine said, pointing to a narrow dirt track that led off to the left. Jack put the vehicle back in gear and pulled back out onto the highway, Karen fell in behind him.

  Once they left the highway the road was narrow and rutted. Like many countries with desert or inhospitable regions, many of Israel’s cities clung to the coast or were located in the more fertile regions. A short distance from the main highway they stopped seeing other vehicles altogether as they drove away from the city of Ashdod in search of the compound. Theirs were the only headlights on the road.

  Karen pulled over behind Jack as he drove off the road in the direction of a stunted desert palm, at the edge of a scattered outcropping of jumbled rocks that clung to the side of larger hill. Jack stopped on the far side of the rock, concealing the vehicles from any traffic on the road.

  Stretching, the four of them gathered around the hood of Karen’s Land Rover. Madeleine handed out four identical maps, while John turned on a small battery powered lamp that gave off a dim light and set it on the hood.

  “I’m sure you have the layout of the compound in your mind’s eye, but when things heat up you may want one of these,” Madeleine said. “There’s another map taped under the back seats, and a backup radio. Remember, if you get separated, we’ll use the town we just passed as the rallying point. If you think I’m in trouble, don’t come after me. I have to be able to move without worrying that you might be placing yourselves in additional danger. If I get captured or killed, I expect you to find Tracy,” Madeleine said to each of them in turn, pausing, waiting for any sign of hesitation, especially from Jack. They each held her eye and nodded their agreement. “As we planned, Karen will remain here with her vehicle. John will make his way back here on foot, once his end of the mission is complete. Jack will drive the three of us closer to the target and position himself for a fast retreat. John, make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to get to Karen.”

  “I will. On my way back, I’ll stop behind that pile of rocks over there,” John said pointing towards one of a series of small rock formations that abutted the bottom of a gradually slopping hillside. “I’ll hold off any counter attack that comes from that direction.”

  “That’s it, we all know our jobs, let’s go do them,” Madeleine said.

  “Toche, don’t get killed or captured,” Jack said, reaching out and pulling her close.

  “You’ve said that to me before, MI6,” Madeleine said. “And remember, angels don’t die.”

  “Yes, but I don’t recall getting a kiss that time,” Jack said, turning towards John and Karen, who were engaged in their own whispered embrace.

  “If he’s there, bring him back, John,” Madeleine overheard Karen say.

  “Carrying my shield or on it,” John said smiling, trying to put Karen at ease, speaking the ancient admonition of Spartan lovers, wives and mothers as their men left for war. He and the others got into Jack’s vehicle and moved slowly away.

  As soon as she lost sight of Jack’s vehicle, Karen started her Range Rover and drove it in a small semi-circle positioning the front in the direction of the road. She kept the engine idling according to plan. There was little chance that the low idle would be heard. Karen stepped out and opened the back door in search of the two shotguns that lay under the seat. John had familiarized her with the 12 gauge, and she pulled it out first. It was fairly standard but had an extended magazine. She had a dozen shells in there. She checked the safety and operated the slide. It was ready to go as fast as she could pull the trigger. She had no doubt it was in the best operating condition possible. She reached down to remove the second gun and recognized it even in the scant light the moon afforded. It was her Remington automatic Wingmaster model 397 from home. The magazine had been extended, but it was the gun she’d used hunting for the last 20 years. She couldn’t help but sigh. John must have expected that she might need to fight and he wanted to make sure that if things went south, the last shotgun in her hands would be her own.

  “You wonderful crazy man,” she whispered to herself as she moved slightly away from the vehicle, her shotgun in hand and the radio slid into her dark jacket. Madeleine had told her to conceal herself but to stay within a quick sprint of the driver’s door. If the vehicle was spotted, she would still have a chance to get away, particularly if the vehicle was fired on by a portable rocket launcher.

  Jack shut off his Range Rover behind a rock outcropping that commanded the area immediately above the oasis. There were buildings scattered within a walled area surrounding the house. To the back of the compound, a hill rose to the north. The buildings were slightly more than half a mile away. The main house was modern, and two of the buildings were concrete. The majority of the compound was paved, except for a strip of grass that circled the main building.

  “Nice little man-made oasis he has here,” Jack whispered.

  “There must be Russian money backing this compound. The house looks expensive,” Madeleine agreed.

  “I’ve been focusing on my position and they don’t seem to have any men on that hill,” John said incredulously as Madeleine and Jack trained their night vision binoculars on the top of the hill.

  “They either feel safe hiding in plain sight or don’t know any better,” Jack said in agreement.

  “Either answer is fine with me,” Madeleine added sliding her glasses into a small case, strapped to her side. “That means fewer sentries to take out.”

  “It could be mined,” John said.

  “I’ve been hearing the tinkle of goat bells in the distance,” Jack said. “They range freely and would undoubtedly trip a mine at some point.”

  “We’ll stick to walking on the rocks. That should help if it is mined,” Madeleine suggested. “I asked Hartmann about that and he didn’t believe they would lay mines. Al Lubnani holds himself out to be a legitimate businessman. It wouldn’t do to blow up a few Bedouin shepherds and their sheep, for that matter.”

  “Then let’s get started,” John said picking up the canvas bag holding the fifty caliber machinegun and his Kalashnikov.

  Madeleine picked up the bag that held the tripod for the heavier gun and many rounds of ammunition. She placed it onto her shoulder and walked towards the hill.

  Jack stood and watched as the two combatants walked towards the high ground overlooking the compound. The men inside had no idea what was coming their way.

  Madeleine and John climbed the hill from the rear and found a clear area behind a trio of large rocks that provided cover and freedom of movement. They worked in silence as they set up the equipment. John gave Madeleine a quick nod, signaling that he was ready. They both stopped and looked down the hill at the back of the compound. The gun had been ri
gged to fire automatically and cover his escape if necessary. Madeleine pointed to her watch and then turned and moved down the hill. As he watched her progress down the hill, John could see some perimeter guards, but they too were too close to the building to effectively prevent a skilled and determined intruder. He would have staggered his men to provide layers of defense. Here if attackers got through there was no second line of defense, only armed men fighting in a house, which creates the advantage of cover for the enemy as well as oneself.

  Madeleine moved down the slope away from John’s position and slightly to the right, careful not to present a silhouette as the moon was directly behind her. Although it was not full, it provided more light than she would have liked as it shone through the cloudless desert sky. She watched her footing on the irregular slope, keeping an eye out for snakes and scorpions. The desert had its own poisonous creatures. Tonight she was one of them.

  Two men stood smoking on the terrace that ran the length of the rear of the house. She would start there. Her plan was to attract the attention of the guards towards the rear of the main building thus providing her with access around the front and towards the barracks located on the left of the compound. That would be the main diversion. She intended to gain access to the main house and the basement. If there were cells holding men, they would be located under the main structure where they would be easily accessible and defended.

  Madeleine drew one of her silenced pistols crouched and moved forward; using whatever cover she could to get within range of the two men on the terrace. A couple of vehicles had been parked adjacent to the position the men held. She used the closer of the two to hide behind as she made her way towards the guards. The two men were at opposite ends of the terrace, both near a short flight of stone steps that provided access. Madeleine hid in the shadows, flattening her body against the concrete wall. She froze as she heard the plodding footsteps above, listening and counting each step. When the man turned, she moved to the top of the stairs. As the man came towards her on his next pass, she smoothly raised her pistol and shot the closest guard twice in rapid succession, the small caliber bullets bouncing around inside his skull, dropping him to the ground, like a marionette without strings. The second man turned, hearing his partner fall. His attention was on his comrade and by the time he saw Madeleine it was too late. Madeleine shot him and moved down the stairs.