Red Ice

by Craig Reed Jr

  Or more likely, he was just delaying the inevitable.

  He turned and walked toward the door. He might still have to kill her, but not tonight. For now, the city needed him more than Rhee or his masters back in North Korea. He still had time for a miracle.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  The staging area was at a farm ten miles from the lab.

  Tanner and the team climbed out of their vans and took a moment to survey the site. Several portable floodlights had been set up, most of the light shielded from the road by the farm’s buildings. In the light, half a dozen Bradly Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs), and twice the number of Cougar Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles were lined up near the barn. A dozen other vehicles, ranging from vans to Chevy Suburbans, were also parked in neat rows. Around them, soldiers in full combat load were mixing with heavily armed federal and state agents — DEA, FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals, California Highway Patrol, and even a couple of special agents from the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division. On the far side of the barn, in an empty field, a couple of UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters sat, rotors still.

  “Some party,” Liam said.

  “Casey knows how to throw them,” Tanner replied with a nod.

  “Tanner! Nay!”

  They turned to see Sarah Vessler walk toward them. She was dressed in full combat gear— armored vest, knee and elbow pads; her helmet was tucked under one arm. Her LAR-15 hung over her shoulder from a sling, and the team could see a cluster of flash-bang grenades hanging from her harness.

  “Vess!” Naomi said, going to her friend. “What about Danny?”

  “He’s in the hospital. Three broken ribs, bruised sternum, and a shoulder with a bullet still lodged in it. The vest took the worst of it. When I left him, he was surrounded by the entire stateside Choi clan, twenty people talking to him all at once. But he’s pissed he can’t be here.”

  Tanner shrugged. “He’s where he needs to be.”

  Vessler motioned to the large weathered structure a hundred feet away. “The command post is in the barn.”

  They walked across the road to the post. The team was dressed much as Vessler was — black BDUs, Dragonskin armor, balaclavas pulled up so they looked like caps, MP5 slung over their shoulders, with load harnesses and gun belts with SOCOM pistols in tie-down holsters. The two soldiers on posted guard duty gave the group a careful look-over as they walked into the barn.

  Casey, looking out of place in a three piece suit among a sea of armed and uniformed people was standing at a table with a group of military officers. DuPree was nearby Casey, hand still bandaged. Behind her, two visibly armed Secret Service agents stood guard.

  Casey looked up. “You’re here!” He motioned to the officer next to him, a bulldog of a man — short, stocky, with a graying hair cut close to his scalp and an oak leaf on his collar. “Lieutenant Colonel Mulkerin, commanding officer in charge of the military assets. Colonel, Tanner Wilson and his team.”

  Mulkerin lifted his head and stared at the team from under brushy gray eyebrows. “I hope you can prove your information,” he said in a gravelly voice. “Bad enough the military’s involved in a civilian matter. I’m sure as hell not going to be happy if these turn out to be some potheads tending to their happy garden.”

  “Far from it, Colonel,” Tanner said. He looked at Casey. “You didn’t tell him?”

  Casey smiled innocently. “I thought I’d let you have the fun.”

  Tanner spoke for ten minutes, telling Mulkerin everything about Rhee, his men, the Red Ice production facilities and the stolen ammonia nitrate. Mulkerin’s expression darkened as Tanner told him about the terrorist attacks in San Francisco that morning. “Son of a bitch,” he snarled. Then he looked at Casey. “The president’s sold on this?”

  “He is.”

  The colonel looked at Vessler. “Do you know what you’re going up against?”

  Vessler nodded. “I certainly do. One of Rhee’s men put my partner in the hospital.”

  Mulkerin looked at Casey. “Sir, my soldiers should be leading this. No offense to Agent Vessler and her people, but this isn’t a bunch of half-drugged losers who barely know which end of a gun the bullets come out of. These are highly trained, disciplined fanatics who won’t surrender and won’t be taken alive. They’re enemy soldiers, and I shudder to think what type of firepower they have.”

  Casey shook his head. “I need your people to surround the ranch. We can’t let any of them get away, exactly for the reasons you mentioned. We’re going to be borrowing your armor though, and your helicopters.”

  The military officer frowned, then looked up at Tanner. “What’s your role?”

  “We’re going to extract Dr. Mori. According to our information, the drug lab is underground. I want my team to slip in and get her out while the enemy is distracted by Agent Vessler and her assault.”

  Mulkerin stared down at the high-definition photos placed on top of a topographic map in front of him. Finally, he looked up at Tanner and slid the pictures over to him.

  “Here’s Rancho Negro Estrella. Twenty-five hundred acres right here.” He stabbed a thick finger on the map. We’ve identified four buildings on the property: A covered horse corral near the road here, a barn behind the corral here, a ranch house across the dirt road from the barn, here. It’s flat, open land with absolutely no cover, and that includes the corral, barn and ranch house.”

  “You mentioned a fourth building,” Liam prompted.

  “I was just getting to that. The back third of the property is rolling hills, scrub brush, a few trees and rocks. There’s another building in the hill behind the ranch house here.” Mulkerin moved his finger a couple of inches away from the other structures he had pointed out. “That building dominates the approach from the road and anyone sitting up there can see for miles in every direction.” He looked at Tanner. “Does your intel tell you where the underground lab is?”

  “It mentions that there’s a mine shaft somewhere in these hills, here.” Tanner put his hand palm down on the map where the colonel had his finger.

  “That does make some sense. There’s a couple of dozen mines scattered around the area — we’re only ten miles from Sutter’s Creek. But those shafts are dangerous — most are one good sneeze from caving in.”

  “We were told that the mineshaft has been rebuilt, fortified with fresh timbers and the shaft cleared out, in case they have to use it as an escape route.”

  “Busy little shits,” Mulkerin said.

  Tanner nodded. “The information indicates Rhee imported his own workforce from his country’s prison camps. That’s another reason why we’re going in separate from the main attack.”

  The colonel stared at him in disbelief, then eyeballed Casey. “On the level?”

  “I wouldn’t be wasting your time if I thought this was a wild goose chase, Colonel Mulkerin.”

  “No, I suppose you wouldn’t.” He looked up at Tanner. “How are we going to do this?”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  The UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter flew two thousand feet above the dark California landscape. The military aircraft was not displaying lights and ran much quieter than most helicopters. Liam recognized it as one of the same model SEAL Team Six had used in Operation Neptune Spear, the op that had killed Osama bin Laden.

  Besides five members of the OUTCAST team, the Blackhawk carried a pilot, co-pilot, and two door gunners, each gunner manning a GAU-19/B .50 Gatling gun. Conversation had been sparse since the Blackhawk lifted off from the farm ten minutes ago.

  In addition to their normal weapons — MP5s, SOCOM H&K pistols and a selection of fighting knives – each member carried a mix of flash-bang and smoke grenades, buckshot, CS and HE rounds for the grenade launcher, extra magazines, night-vision goggles, and riot cuffs. Adding to the firepower, Liam carried a Knights SR-25 Mk.11 sniper rifle, and Dante brought the Franchi SPAS-15 with a mix of breaching rounds and double-ought magazines.

  The army was moving in
to blocking position in the nearest woods to the ranch. The wide open ground, which made it impossible to approach the ranch house and the building on the hill unseen, also made it impossible for anyone to escape across the fields without being seen. While they moved into position, Tanner’s team, minus Danielle, would land a mile behind the building on the hill, locate the mine shaft and infiltrate the base to rescue Dr. Mori.

  “Ramrod to OUTCAST.” Mulkerin’s tone was gruff. “Blocking forces nearly in place. Striker is standing by. No action from ICEHOUSE or HEDGEHOG.”

  “Copy, Ramrod. We’re touching down now.”

  The main objectives had been given codenames — the ranch house was HEDGEHOG, while the building on the hill was ICEHOUSE. The barn was named HAYBALE, and the mine was designated PYRITE. Task Force Sun was the combined force of federal and state agents. Supported by two Bradleys and the Cougar MRAPs, Sun would come down the road, turn into the driveway, and head straight for the houses. Overhead, the second Blackhawk, armed identically to the one the team was traveling in, would supply air support. The other four Bradleys were in position to supply extra firepower if Task Force Sun needed it.

  “Prime to Six.”

  “Six here.” Danielle remained with the Command staff, where she would control the team’s drones. She would be deploying both the team’s Black Cobras over ICEHOUSE and HEDGEHOG, leaving one of the two Black Wasps in reserve. The second Wasp drone rode with Tanner and the team. “Cobras are deploying now.”

  Tanner smiled, though there was no warmth in the expression. “Copy, Six. ETA to drone insertion?”

  “Five minutes.”

  The Blackhawk descended in a clearing surrounded by trees. Tanner turned to look at his team. Four faces looked back at him and nodded their readiness.

  #

  The Nighthawk landed in an open area hidden from the suspected mine entrance location by a wooded ridge. In less than ten seconds, the team was on the ground and the helicopter was back in the air. The group sprinted up the ridge slope, not stopping until they were inside the tree line.

  Tanner whispered into his radio. “OUTCAST Prime to Six, we’re on the ground.”

  “Copy. Cobra Alpha is over HEDGEHOG. Beta is over ICEHOUSE. Sun is rolling now, ETA is ten minutes.”

  “Understood, Six. Keep us informed on Sun’s progress. Prime out.”

  While Tanner was speaking to Danielle, Liam and Dante were readying the team’s second Night Wasp for deployment. While Liam did system checks with the drone’s control tablet, Dante took the hexagonal micro-aircraft out into the clearing and positioned it on the ground. In ten seconds, the drone was in the air, invisible in the blackness of the night sky.

  “All flight systems are green,” Liam said softly. “Wasp is two hundred feet up, one hundred feet south of us. Cameras are green.”

  Tanner glanced in the direction Liam indicated and through his NVGs he saw the drone hovering. “Copy, Two. Start it forward.”

  “Beginning recon.” The drone flew slowly in the direction of the house. Tanner glanced at his team and motioned for them to move. Liam handed the tablet off to Stephen and took point, followed by Tanner, Naomi, and Stephen, with Dante covering the rear.

  They traveled for several minutes before Stephen radioed. “Prime, I’ve got something.”

  The team dropped to a knee and scanned their surroundings. “What do you have?” Tanner demanded.

  “I have an opening in the hill at the end of a gully, Eight hundred yards ahead left, about eleven-thirty. Dropping Wasp to get a better look at— Uh-oh.”

  “What?”

  “Looks like n camouflaged emplacement about 350 yards in front of us, near the hilltop, two hundred yards northwest of ICEHOUSE, fifty yards from the opening.”

  “Is it manned?”

  “Hold on.” Five seconds passed. “Affirmative. Two tangos, and what looks like a heavy machine gun on a tripod. It has a clear field of fire all the way up the gully.”

  “Check for other emplacements.”

  “Checking now.”

  “Prime to all OUTCASTs. Let’s move out.”

  They traveled another minute before Stephen said, “Got an identical gun emplacement on the other side of the gully.”

  The trees thinned out and the team halted. Ahead, the land sloped up and became a mix of bushes, clumps of trees, rocks and grass. Tanner scrutinized the top of the hill until he found the machine gun nest in the middle of a tree grove. The emplacement consisted of sandbags stacked waist-high, a wooden frame with tin sheets to make a roof, covered by plants and camouflage netting. It overlooked the gully to the mine entrance. He saw two faces manning the turret.

  “Leave them to me,” Liam said. “I’ll move southwest and hit them from behind.”

  “Right. Three, go with him.”

  “Copy Prime.”

  Liam moved off, followed by Naomi. Tanner continued scanning for other emplacements.

  #

  Liam and Naomi headed west, staying inside the tree line. They moved a hundred and fifty yards, then turned southwest, stopping periodically to check their relative location to the emplacements.

  Just short of the hill crest, Liam signaled to halt. They dropped to one knee, Liam observing the enemy posts while Naomi monitored the surroundings. After twenty seconds, Liam placed a hand on her shoulder and whispered into her ear, “Another thirty yards.” Naomi patted his hand twice to acknowledge his statement and they began moving again, this time southeast.

  After a minute of travel, Liam signaled again to stop. He unslung the SR-25, opened the rifle’s bipod and took up a prone position on the ground. Naomi knelt next to him, her eyes scanning the surroundings. Liam lifted his night vision goggles onto his forehead, relying on the Zeiss Orion night vision scope mounted to the sniper rifle to make the shot.

  He settled in and blanked out all other sights and sounds as he stared through the scope. Both emplacements – sand bags stacked waist-high in a semi-circle – were below Liam’s location. Liam could clearly see the two North Koreans in the closer machine gun emplacement. Both men wore long-sleeved shirts, jeans, and work boots, and sat on either side of a tripod-mounted DShK heavy machine gun. One stared through what had to be a pair of night vision binoculars, while the other sipped from a cup and held an AK-47 between his feet. Neither man looked especially alert, but the gunman would glance in the direction of the gunfire every so often.

  Liam checked the other emplacement. It was a twin of the first one — two men in work clothes, sitting on each side of a second DShK. The only difference was Liam could only see them from the chest up, above the sand bag wall.

  He spoke softly into his radio. “Two to Prime: I have eyes on all four Tangos. Designating the nearer two as Tango One and Two, the far ones are Tangos Three and Four.”

  “Copy, Two. Take them out at your discretion.”

  “Understood.”

  Liam hadn’t been on the SEAL Teams as a sniper, but he had hung around snipers long enough to learn the basics. He had also taken lessons from a retired SEAL sniper when OUTCAST was formed. He was a competent sniper who usually handled any task requiring accurate long-distance shooting. He was also good at estimating distances, a necessary skill for a sniper.

  After a few seconds’ thought, he started with the farther emplacement. He settled the scope’s crosshairs on Tango Three, who observed the darkness through night vision binoculars. The shot was about three hundred yards, which for a sniper was almost routine. He settled his sights on the target, inhaled, held it, then exhaled slowly as he smoothly stroked the trigger.

  The suppressor muffled the rifle’s shot, but the sound was still audible in the still night air. The 7.62mm bullet slammed into the base of the target’s throat, dropping him. Liam shifted slightly, lining up Tango Four in his sights as the fighter jumped up in surprise. Liam repeated the aiming process and fired. The second Tango jerked as the bullet hit him in the chest and he disappeared from sight.

  Again, L
iam shifted targets. The two North Koreans in the nearer emplacement were now alert after hearing the shots, but they couldn’t pinpoint a location. Tango One reached for a radio while Two moved behind the DShK and grabbed the weapon’s handles. Liam aimed at One, adjusted his aim, and fired.

  The bullet punched into the base of Tango One’s neck, and the North Korean went down in a spray of blood. Liam adjusted and fired at the machine gunner, the round slamming into him between the shoulder blades. The gunner collapsed against the machine gun and slid to the ground.

  Liam scanned both emplacements for signs of life but saw none. “Two to Prime. Tangos neutralized.”

  “Copy Two, we’re moving.”

  CHAPTER FORTY

  “Sir!”

  Rhee went from asleep to alert in between heartbeats. He rolled out of bed and was on his feet, a type 56 assault rifle that had been next to the bed in his hands almost as quickly. “What is it?” he snapped.

  Myoung stood in the doorway, his face serious. “The Americans are here!”

  “What?”

  “Coming up the road! Soldiers and armored vehicles! A large force. They will be here in a minute.”

  Rhee hadn’t bothered to undress when he’d decided to rest, so he headed for the door. “Full alert! Tell the base we’re under attack and prepare to destroy the lab on my command.”

  Myoung stepped back, allowing the major to stride past him. “Yes, sir!”

  “Turn off all the lights!”

  “Yes, sir!” Myoung spoke rapidly into a handheld radio.

  By the time Rhee reached the front door, the lights were out and his men were ready and armed. Through the small windows on either side of the door, Rhee could see that the driveway was filled with military vehicles. Spotlights were aimed at the ranch house.

  “Attention in the house!” a voice thundered over a loudspeaker. “This is the United States Drug Enforcement Agency! We have arrest and search warrants! Come out with your hands up!”