The 3rd Cycle of the Betrayed Series Collection: Extremely Controversial Historical Thrillers (Betrayed Series Boxed set)

by Carolyn McCray

  There was no magic driving maneuver that would get them out of this. No combat strategy that could save them.

  “Hang on,” Nangona said, clearly going to play chicken with the forces up ahead. It was no use, but Prosper didn’t say anything.

  Let them go out with a bang rather than a whimper, he supposed. Take out as many of the enemy as they could. That sounded about right for his team Alpha Rush.

  Then a spark blossomed behind the trucks. A full-blown explosion decimated the trucks, sending soldiers high into the air. The end of the alley became a wall of fire.

  Nangona cranked the wheel to the right, pulling up the emergency brake, skidding them to the edge of the fireball.

  The hood caught on fire.

  All Prosper could see was yellow and orange flames.

  Then they were clear, driving down a normal road.

  “You can stop waiting now,” Raj stated in Prosper’s ear.

  Smart ass.

  CHAPTER 3

  Johnny J found it slightly difficult to find a comfortable position to sit in. That’s what happened when you had foam shoved into your abdominal cavity that hardened to a firm plastic like substance.

  Served him right for getting himself shot. Stupid.

  Oh well, it wasn’t the first time and certainly wouldn’t be the last time. Although in the future he would take that mouth gag the first time up.

  They had just picked up Raj, who was all grins, so the seating was a little tight which didn’t help Johnny J’s predicament at all. Raj always played things tight to the vest so when he blew the enemy out of the water, it came as a surprise, a pleasant one, to the team.

  Now their biggest problem was what to do with Kaffi. In theory they should turn the scuzz over to the CIA, but if they had only extracted him to kill him before he could spill the beans on the whole funding of Hezbollah thing, then that wouldn’t exactly be cool with anyone on the team.

  Prosper frowned in the front seat. He hadn’t said a word since they’d picked up Raj.

  “So boss, what’s the play?”

  Johnny J watched in the rear view mirror as Prosper’s frown deepened.

  “Where is the MI-6 safe house in Ashgabat?” Prosper asked to no one in particular.

  Of course it was Tandy that spoke up. Such a teacher’s pet. “I believe it’s in the third Dorm on the campus of Turkmen State University. A lot of foreigners go to the school so the occasional outsider doesn’t stick out so much.”

  Well, that was about the only place in Turkmenistan then that had the advantage. Otherwise the country was pretty ethnically uniform.

  While this capital city’s translation of Ashgabat was the “city of love,” that certainly didn’t extend to foreigners, especially from the west. Which was why they had chosen a late night extraction.

  So much for that theory. Thanks again, CIA.

  * * *

  Prosper turned to Nangona. “Head to the university.”

  His dark driver gave a nod and actually signaled he was turning right. So he did know what that knob on the left hand of the steering wheel was used for.

  Looking up into the rear view mirror, Prosper studied Johnny J’s face. It was pinched that was for sure. His old friend was in a considerable amount of pain, but he didn’t seem in shock. The IV bag hanging from the coat hook was doing its job. It was easy to forget that Tandy had been a Trauma fellow at John Hopkin. He was that good of a soldier you could forget he was a world-class doctor as well.

  In the old days before advanced field medicine, Johnny J would either be dead of blood loss or laid flat out in shock, useless to the team. Now he just looked a little haggard. Strong enough for an assignment.

  “Johnny J,” Prosper said.

  His second lifted his eyes and met Prosper’s gaze in the mirror. “Yes, sir?”

  “Find out who is on call for MI-6 in-country. I want a face-to-face at the university.”

  “Yes, sir,” Johnny J said with a curt nod as he pulled out his sat phone.

  “Do you want me to contact the CIA?” Savoy asked.

  Prosper simply shook his head. Savoy’s lips spread into a grin. “Yes, sir.”

  It turned out the university wasn’t far. Just a few minutes trip and they were pulling into a large parking structure. Probably best not to drive the shot up Mercedes around the campus.

  The university was decent sized, but nothing like the mega-campuses of the west. There were only a few dorms along with about a dozen tall buildings. Strangely the university was mainly known for its physics and poetry departments. Talk about polar opposites.

  They walked from the parking structure and headed for the third and last dorm. At this time of the early morning, not a whole lot of students were out and about.

  They didn’t notice any security either.

  Finally they’d gotten lucky.

  Although he didn’t trust it to stay long. Not when he had a triple agent terrorist who was working for the Brits against the CIA who had ordered his extraction.

  This mission was already not going well.

  * * *

  Tandy watched Johnny J closely as he walked in front of him. The blood had dried on his clothing and there was no new strike through, but the man wasn’t himself. His left leg dragged a bit and his whole posture was slumped.

  He’d been off IV fluids for ten whole minutes and was already showing the effects. Johnny J really needed a hospital but the closest safe facility was in Turkey and Tandy wasn’t certain if they’d even be welcomed there.

  Which meant Berlin was really the closest realistic option, and they were not going to get into Europe for a while. Which was why Tandy was carrying three liters of fluids and more antibiotics. They may have to dig in here for a while. If they were lucky enough.

  Reaching the dorm they split up. Raj, of course, would go up. Some of them would go in the front. Some in the back.

  Everything went smoothly. A refreshing change of pace. Tandy stayed behind Johnny J just in case the man’s blood pressure took a dip and he slumped backwards.

  There wasn’t an elevator so they had to climb the three flights up. Johnny J held onto the railing as if his life depended on it, which it just might.

  “Let me help.” Tandy said slipping his arm under Johnny J’s elbow. The man jerked his limb away even though he nearly tipped over.

  “I’m fine,” he said.

  Tandy didn’t push it. He knew Johnny J too well. Once they were into the dorm room, he would get the man back on fluids and maybe a touch more pain killer. Even though Johnny J had insisted on no pain meds, Tandy had just mixed some in the antibiotics. Johnny J was stubborn, but Tandy was sneaky.

  Finally they reached the door. He gave a sharp knock and Savoy answered the door.

  This wasn’t an ordinary dorm room. MI-6 had knocked out a lot of walls. This room was the size of four rooms. It had a full kitchen, its own bathroom and it looked like two small bedrooms.

  A figure came out of one of them.

  “Vanderwalt?” Prosper called out.

  Tandy didn’t recognize the tall blond man, but Prosper certainly did. The two met in a bro-hug with plenty of back patting. Tandy looked over to find Johnny J brighten as well and go in for hug as well.

  “What the hell are you doing here, Walt?” Prosper asked.

  “Bloody hell, how could I not be?” Vanderwalt asked smiling revealing quite crooked teeth. Tandy had an excellent orthodontist to refer the man to, but he was a Brit so he probably wouldn’t even consider it.

  “But you’re MI-5,” Prosper said as Kaffi and Vanderwalt shook hands.

  “True, mate, but I recruited Kaffi here when he was in London so I keep him as my asset. I’m not going to trust those bloody glory hogs over at MI-6 managing any of my men.”

  Well, at the least they seemed to be in friendly hands.

  * * *

  “But how did you get here so fast?” Johnny J asked, still favoring his side. He forgot about how enthusiastically
the Brit hugged.

  “Kaffi thought something was up yesterday and requested an extraction…from us,” Vanderwalt explained. “I was going to pull him at morning prayers.”

  Johnny J still couldn’t believe their old friend was actually here. What could have been an extremely strained situation might be peacefully resolved.

  “So it’s true?” Prosper asked, sounding far more somber than before.

  Vanderwalt nodded. “I’m so sorry, mate, but the CIA has gone off the rails on this one.” The Brit patted Kaffi on the back. “This one here is a white hat. Better than most of the Agency.”

  “Not all of the CIA is involved in this Hezbollah deal,” Johnny J interjected.

  “No, mate. These are trolls of the worst sort. They gave Hezbollah money for intel on Iran.”

  Prosper began pacing the room. “Did it pay off?”

  Vanderwalt snorted. “Low level stuff we could obtain off cell phone monitoring. When they realized they weren’t getting their money’s worth, they decided to close up shop and tie up all loose ends.”

  Johnny J was slightly relieved that even the idiots that had started the Hezbollah plan, at the least had been trying to gain some kind useful information on Iran. It was a stupid plan, but at the least it was misguided and not treasonous.

  “Which included Kaffi here,” Prosper said with a growl.

  Johnny J’s boss didn’t like to be used. To think they might have delivered this man to the CIA only to have him headed to a shallow grave.

  “So you’re going to let me take him?” Vanderwalt asked.

  “I don’t know if it’s going to be that simple,” Prosper responded.

  Vanderwalt’s bushy blond eyebrow went up. “Why not?”

  Prosper tilted his head. “Something called a direct order.”

  “You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t considering turning over my asset,” Vanderwalt stated. “Let’s do this the easy way.”

  Raj came on the com. “We’ve got movement out here.”

  So much for the easy way.

  * * *

  “What kind of movement?” Prosper asked, but he knew if Raj was breaking radio silence, it had to be significant.

  “My guess? The Turkmenistan Secret Police. At least five vehicles and ten plain clothes officers. The Quad suddenly got very active.”

  Well, that wasn’t that bad after all.

  Unfortunately Raj wasn’t done.

  “My guess is there are two helos incoming. I wouldn’t be surprised if they sent jets as well.”

  Okay, now that was bad.

  “We can debate Kaffi’s fate later,” Vanderwalt said. “Let’s get the bloody hell out of here.”

  “You’ve got a secret exit, I take it?” Prosper asked knowing full well Vanderwalt was a thorough and thoughtful agent.

  “Please,” Vanderwalt frowned as he headed to the bathroom. He pushed the shower unit out of the way to reveal a steep staircase.

  Prosper turned to Johnny J. Tandy had already hooked him back up to IVs.

  “Do we need to stretcher him?” Prosper asked.

  “Hell, no,” Johnny J said but Tandy looked a little more on the fence.

  “I’ll sling some blankets,” Tandy stated. “You know, just in case…”

  The doctor went back into the bedroom and snatched a few blankets from the bed and promptly returned.

  By then Savoy had led Vanderwalt and Kaffi down the steps.

  Prosper waved Johnny J and Tandy down the dark staircase. Only Savoy’s flashlight illuminated the tight passage.

  Carefully shutting the shower that served as a door, Prosper heard a knock at the dorm room’s door. They didn’t have a moment to spare. Even through the thick passage, Prosper heard gunfire.

  The secret police weren’t fooling around.

  Savoy, as always, set a clipped pace and they were down to a level passage. How far did this secret exit go? Past the university grounds? Prosper certainly hoped so.

  As they climbed a short dirt stair case, the world opened up again as Savoy hefted a man-hole cover. They were far outside the university and the noose of Secret Police in the Quad.

  A large BMW SUV pulled next to them.

  Nangona had done it again. How the hell did he know where the exit was? The man had a sixth sense for things like this. Raj was already in the backseat.

  “Going our way?” Savoy asked with a smile as he climbed into the luxury SUV.

  “Depends,” Nangona replied. “You buying the beer when this is all over?”

  Savoy shook his head. “No way. Johnny J got shot. He pays. That’s the rule.”

  Ahead of Prosper, Johnny J, holding his side, commented, “I’m good for it, let’s just get to the bar ASAP.”

  Nangona revved the engine. “I’m all about the ASAP.”

  After everyone loaded in the SUV, Nangona didn’t punch it. Instead he eased them into the morning commute traffic. He was angling toward the Ashgabat airport. The only international airport in the capital.

  “I’ve got a jet ready,” Vanderwalt said. “You know, as long as you turn over my asset.”

  “Don’t even try to play hardball,” Prosper replied. “It doesn’t suit your accent.”

  The MI-5 agent smiled. “You do have me there. What would make your supervisors happy?”

  That was a good question. Prosper couldn’t exactly call in and ask for direction from his commanding officers. In the absence of absolute proof, they would probably order him to bring Kaffi in. By the time they did have proof, Kaffi would have mysteriously disappeared out of CIA custody.

  This was up to him. Right or wrong. Insubordination or operational license. The end of his career or another accommodation.

  “Get us to a military hospital and we’ll talk,” Prosper answered. He already knew his decision as did Vanderwalt. There was no way Prosper was going to turn Kaffi over to the CIA. Not under these conditions. Never under these circumstances.

  * * *

  Johnny J could see the airport control tower in the distance. They would be in the air within the hour.

  Not that he wasn’t grateful to Tandy, but his abdomen was beginning to distend and the ache in his lower back had reached critical levels. He knew that Tandy was pushing a little more than antibiotics into his veins, but he wasn’t about to complain. As a matter of fact he couldn’t wait until his next dose.

  Nangona was being a good little driver, keeping under the speed limit. Barely passing anyone and keeping lane changes to a minimum. Traffic grew heavier as the morning commuters got on the road.

  Most were heading in the other direction though. Toward the capital’s center whereas they were going out to the airport.

  The turn light clicked, filling the otherwise quiet SUV. They had escaped by the skin of their teeth at the university. Everyone was in their post “holy shit” mode. Kaffi was silently praying, his lips moving wordlessly. Tandy kissed his Saint Adrian medal. Savoy was napping.

  Each to their own.

  They took the airport exit and cruised up to the terminal. Vanderwalt gestured a few times and they were at the private hangar.

  Nangona pulled them to a stop next to a Leer jet that sat waiting on the tarmac. The flight to Germany should be a short one. And then a little abdominal surgery and he’d be out in a few days. Buying the guys’ beer.

  That thought put a smile on his face.

  Three British crewmembers, British because they all wore the Union Jack on their sweaters, assembled at the base of the stairs that led to the plane. Vanderwalt gave a wave as they headed over.

  They climbed the steps in single file. Johnny J didn’t have much hope for the inflight service. He was certain it would be something boiled or mashed. Something super bland and fatty. Oh well, he probably shouldn’t be eating since he was about to have major surgery.

  No great loss there.

  Everyone was on the plane except for one of the British flight attendants. Johnny J glanced over Tandy’s shoulder, the
guy had become his constant shadow. What was the attendant on the ground doing?

  She seemed to be fussing with her bag.

  Instinct took over as Johnny J shoved Tandy and Prosper out of the way.

  “Grenade!” Johnny J screamed as a large black explosive device flew through the air.

  Johnny J didn’t hesitate he launched himself to intercept.

  * * *

  Prosper tried to grab Johnny J before he did the stupidest thing in the history of stupid things, but the man was already past him.

  The grenade’s explosion was muted by the bulk of Johnny J’s body.

  If you never had to witness what a grenade did to the body at point blank range, you shouldn’t.

  Even Prosper had to turn away from the bloody mess. The body parts were indistinguishable.

  Gunfire roared around him from his team. The flight attendant was face-down, dead on the tarmac before Prosper could process what happened to Johnny J.

  His best friend was dead. Not just dead, but destroyed. There would be no body to bury.

  What was he going to tell Johnny J’s wife? His mother? His four brothers?

  Tandy went to go past, but Prosper held him back. “Don’t.”

  Prosper fighting the tug of abject grief, shut the hatch, saying goodbye to his best friend. Normally they would transport the body home, but in this case, there was no body.

  “But --” Tandy tried to interrupt.

  “No buts,” Prosper said. “He gave his life to save all of ours. We’ve got to get in the air pronto.”

  “Done,” Vanderwalt said, heading up to the pilot.

  “That couldn’t have just happened could it?” Nangona said, sitting down hard. “He couldn’t really be dead.”

  Oh, Johnny J was dead. Everyone had better get used to it.

  Prosper didn’t remember sitting, but he was in a chair as the plane pulled away from the hangar. Away from what was left of Johnny J.

  “I am so sorry,” Kaffi said, sitting down across from Prosper.

  Prosper didn’t know what to say to that. There was a standard response wasn’t there when someone offered their sympathies. But for the life of Prosper he couldn’t think of one.

  Kaffi got up and moved to the back of the plane.