A fighter jet roared through the air at high altitude. Bill and James stared at the sky to locate it.
“I thought we had the airspace?” James asked Bill. Hearing a jet tear through the air above him always made Bill feel alive. He had got so used to hearing them at all different altitudes during his time at Area 51. The desert would be silent until a jet engine blazed above them, sometimes only a thousand feet off the ground.
“We’ve got the air cleared to 25,000 feet for civilian aircraft, no way we could stop Sweden’s own military flying through their own airspace… my counterpart did advise me that the Nordic nations were conducting military exercises all week.”
“Hmm,” James responded. Both men stared up at the darkness.
Kioshi had been awake all night. After trying to contact his informant with no success he had become nervous about whether he had enough men to do the job and fend off any American authorities they may encounter. “The team must arrive under the cover of darkness,” he whispered to himself. They had set off from their base at two in the morning and were now camped twenty miles from Lindon’s location. They would leave at just before 3pm when the sun was low. Kioshi rubbed his chin and screwed up his eyes as he argued with himself about the best plan of attack. He couldn’t make his mind up as to whether to try and distract the Americans and go after Lindon or just go for Lindon and deal with the Americans if they got in his way.
The small contingent of his team back in Japan was working from the roof of an office building. They had hacked into satellite imaging and their eyes were trained on Lindon’s retreat. The images updated every thirty seconds. Any slight signs of visitors and they were to report to Kioshi at once. Fortunately they had set up too late to see Stephanie leave. Kioshi sprang into life as he saw the sun dip to the horizon. He ordered men in different directions, giving them jobs loading the vehicles. Ten minutes later they were on the road, heading straight for Lindon. Kioshi’s time had finally come. Revenge and justice were finally going to be served on America, he thought. Just one more domino had to fall and then the United States would finally witness the devastation of a nuclear attack.
Bill and James had spent the past few hours ordering men around as well. They needed to be thorough everywhere they went as they couldn’t afford a mistake like London again. This had slowed them down in their search of a local town. There were just over a hundred properties and a small diner/bar. The police went door to door to ask questions but in this part of Sweden people were tight lipped and private. It took three hours to complete their sweep of the town.
Chapter 44
After Stephanie had left Lindon finished a book he was reading and checked world news on his phone. As the sun had risen that morning he had chopped some wood for the fire. He called Chris and arranged to go for a beer that evening at the local bar. Drinks were on Lindon as a thank you for settling his mind about who had tipped him off in London They agreed to meet at eight o’clock that evening.
The day passed as slowly and peacefully as any in the weeks before. At 4pm Lindon was putting on his boots to go for a short run in the forest. As he slipped his left foot into its boot his phone rang.
“Hello?” he answered.
“Is this Ben?” the caller asked. Lindon stuttered, he hadn’t been called Ben by anyone but his mother in a long time.
“Who… WHO IS THIS?” Lindon demanded.
“Listen, we’ve got another thirty seconds before I hang up so that you can’t trace the call. Let’s not waste time,” was the stern response. Lindon stood holding the phone in silence.
“Now listen to me, Ben. I know you and you used to know me. The American military and CIA have hunted you down, but they are there to protect you, you must believe me. I told them you are not the person to hunt for, but there is a man who wants you dead. His name is Kioshi Kamitoze. He is an American of Japanese descent and a psychopath. There’s no more time to explain, but be careful and remember the Americans don’t want to harm you, but they need you. You can trust them; I think the man that wants you dead has also tracked you down. Be aware!”
“Wait a minute… are you the same guy that tipped me off in London?” Lindon asked.
“No, that was Jim, your contact at Dino Logging Brothers. Nice guy. I spoke to him. He was happy you’re alive, it’s been chewing him up for months, take care Ben.”
“Wait, how did you get this number…” Lindon demanded.
The voice on the phone sighed, “I was the one that gave it to you…”
The line went dead. Lindon stood frozen. He had bought the phone years ago but he couldn’t remember where. He searched his mind desperately. “Dammit!” Lindon’s mind went into overdrive. He immediately thought about Stephanie. He couldn’t leave her again, she wouldn’t forgive him this time, but he had no choice. It was time to run.
Before he had chance to reconcile his emotions he rushed to his bedroom to get his ‘bug out’ bag. On the side table Stephanie had left her bracelet in the rush to leave that morning. He stared at it for a second then grabbed it. Lindon threw his backpack over his shoulder and grabbed his car keys. He headed for the door. He had only jarred it open a few inches when he noticed lights. Then he heard a few voices in the distance. Within seconds bullets snapped through the trees breaking the silence of the forest. Lindon was under siege.
An officer rushed into the Gazebo that was being used as a base by James and Bill.
“Unit C has reported hearing gunfire near their location.” Bill’s face went flat and pale.
“Where? Where are they?” Bill said.
“Here, sir.” The officer pointed on a map that was spread across the makeshift desk.
“Send everyone there now! James, call local law enforcement and get them down there, let’s haul ass!” Bill commanded. Within a minute Bill and James were with their teams heading towards the location. Their trucks sped at over one hundred kilometers per hour down twisty roads. Roger had managed to get in James’s vehicle in the melee to get moving.
“Roger, I think you need to call the Secret Service,” James said as the truck bounced up and down over bumpy roads.
“Yeah,” he replied, “Tell them to get the president in the air until we confirm we have Kioshi neutralized.”
As the vehicle undulated and bumped at speed tapping the right icons on the phone became difficult. Eventually Roger hit the call button. The president was frogmarched out of a meeting by eight members of the Secret Service to Marine One. His family was already on board. The helicopter would transport the president to Air Force One, which was already starting its engines.
Bill’s team arrived on location first. They heard heavy gunfire within twenty seconds. The group of all-terrain vehicles ploughed into the forest. It was a moonless night and everything around them was pitch black. Bill and James had open radio contact with each other.
“James, I need your team to flank us. We’re heading north to location. I need you guys to head in from the west if possible.” The sound of automatic gunfire got louder as they approached the target location.
“OK, we are heading to the west of the gunfire,” James responded and turned to his team. “Boys, it’s heavy weaponry! Expect automatic weapons. Put your night visions on and make sure you avoid friendly fire. Our guys have a visible stripe down their back and front. You should see it through your goggles. If you don’t see the stripe then it’s shoot to kill!” James said with a surge of adrenaline.
Bill leapt out of the SUV two hundred feet from the cabin. His men quickly got into position and began advancing. Bill spotted lights fifty feet ahead. It was one of Kioshi’s cars. The gunfire went quiet for a moment. Bill’s team approached with their guns aimed at the cars. They were now only twenty feet from one of the Toyota Landcruisers Kioshi’s team were using. Kioshi’s men were at the door of the cabin. Bill scanned ahead, desperately looking for Kioshi but it was too dark and the trees around them made it especially hard see anyone. BANG…. BANG… BANG. Two of Kioshi�
��s men stood outside the doors of the lodge and threw flash bang grenades into the building, then ran inside. Bill finally spotted Kioshi as he shouted orders. The light from the lodge and the car headlights gave him a glimmer of Kioshi’s silhouette. He was shorter than he had imagined. Seconds passed and no one had spotted Bill or his team as they fanned out and prepared their assault. Kioshi screamed at his men who were searching the inside of the Lindon’s home. They worked slowly, taking care with every step. Kioshi’s shouting got louder and more desperate.
“Where is he!” he screamed.
Bill looked at the lodge. It was covered in bullet holes. Some of the holes were huge. Lindon may already be dead, he thought. Bill feared the worst. He now had to kill Kioshi, and he had to do it now. As Bill’s team let off the first shots they realized Kioshi’s team was a lot bigger than they had thought. Kioshi managed to duck behind cover as bullets sprayed towards them. Bill’s men laid down heavy fire but within seconds were under attack and being pushed back as Kioshi’s team laid down suppression fire. Gunfire was exchanged and Bill was now ducked down behind a tree. Bullet casings were beginning to litter the forest floor.
Bill grabbed his radio. “James, where are you…” the radio crackled as Bill waited. There was no response
“James, where are you!” he called again. The crackling was broken after a few seconds.
“Bill, we’re about four hundred feet away but we can’t get to you. The terrain is too steep for the truck, we’re proceeding on foot.”
One of Bill’s men was down and another was shot and now a sitting duck waiting to be picked off by Kioshi’s men. Kioshi shouted wildly like the captain of a warship maneuvering for its next attack. His orders echoed around the trees. Bill looked over his left shoulder and noticed a bright light as he heard an engine roar. A large black vehicle smashed through the wooden gates of an outbuilding.
It was Lindon. He had managed to escape his cabin by crawling through his emergency tunnel. Gunfire immediately headed towards the Land Rover as it bolted across the front of the lodge heading west. Bill didn’t get a good look at who was driving, but he knew it must be Lindon.
“James, get back in your vehicle. Lindon is heading right towards you!”
The radio crackled. “Say again,” James called.
“Get your ass in your truck, Lindon is coming straight at you. A black SUV, keep on his tail!” Bill shouted. James didn’t respond. He ran back with his men and Roger struggled to keep pace. The ground still had snow and it was easy to trip and fall.
“Look…over there, lights!” James shouted at his men. Lindon knew the terrain better than any of them. He was heading towards a shallow river. James’s car span all four wheels and bolted towards Lindon. Bill ordered his men to retreat back to the cars. Kioshi’s men ran the opposite way to the other Toyota. Kioshi knew it was Lindon in the Land Rover.
“SET FIRE TO THAT TRUCK!” Bill shouted as his men retreated and ran past one of Kioshi’s Toyotas. Two grenades were thrown through the open driver’s door as his men passed it. BOOM… BOOM.
“Well, that’s one less thing to worry about,” Bill said as ran. He changed frequency on his radio. “Radio Falcon Centre. This is unit 1244, come in,” Bill called loudly.
“Unit 1244 this is Falcon Centre” was the monotone response.
“Please inform the drone pilot of Iron Eagle to engage at supplied co-ordinates.”
“Unit 1244. Negative that unit is over friendly territory on a training mission,” came the response. Bill’s eyes widened.
“Falcon Centre, I have clearance One Nine Alpha. That aircraft is under my jurisdiction on training mission Six Lima. Advise the pilot to engage target with reaper missiles.” Bill and his men had bundled themselves into the car. The body of one of his men had been recovered by the team and put in the trunk and another was bleeding heavily and receiving treatment in the back of the second vehicle.
“Unit 1244. Be advised, the area is showing tags of friendlies, cannot engage,” the radio buzzed.
“Dammit, that is us. We are currently heading west at a speed of three zero. Engage target!” Bill could hear talking over his radio as the team spoke to the drone pilot.
“OK, Iron Eagle is set to engage in thirty seconds.” The drone began a descent. The pilot who was stationed over three thousand miles away began to lock on to the cabin as a target. Bill’s team was rocked left and right as they sped over the rough terrain. A shout came from the back of the truck “LEFT! LEFT! LEFT!” Kioshi’s team was twenty feet away and began shooting towards Bill’s car.
“Return fire! Return fire!” Bill shouted, realizing that the drone strike would now make little difference. They needed help where they were.
“Radio Falcon Centre. Abort, Abort. I need you to follow this truck,” he shouted.
“Unit 1244. Confirm abort Reaper?” the monotone voice questioned.
“Confirm, abort, abort. Follow Vehicle X-ray Zulu. Tacking number One, Seven, Four, Five. We have an enemy twenty feet ahead of us,” Bill said as the car rocked and bumped over the ground, dodging trees and rocks.
“Unit 1244, drone is following a GPS lock on vehicle X-ray Zulu.”
Bill didn’t respond. His team fired out of the windows towards Kioshi but the ride was so bumpy almost every bullet hit the surrounding trees.
Chapter 45
Lindon had managed to reach the river and began to forge through it.
The water was two feet deep. Light work for the Land Rover as it pressed ahead. Lindon noticed lights in the forest behind him. James had caught up and was now nearing the river. Once Lindon was on the other side he mashed the throttle.
“There he is! C’mon, C’mon,” James shouted. Roger desperately craned his neck, trying to get a view from the back seat. The driver slowed as he reached the water’s edge and began to create a bow wave in front of the truck. As the second vehicle followed James they heard heavy gunfire behind them. James spotted the Toyota containing Kioshi and Bill’s SUV barreling towards the water. James was now halfway across the river. James radioed his men behind him.
“If you get a shot take it, but stay on our tail, we must stop them getting to Lindon.”
The windows slid down in the support vehicle and assault rifles protruded out but none of them could get a clear shot. Lindon was now smashing through the forest shrubbery at speed. The trees were beginning to be more spread out and he knew that a mile ahead was a road. The Land Rover took a beating from the ever-changing bumps without breaking a sweat; the snow was now thin on the ground. Lindon was lighting up huge swathes of the forest with his roof lights and grille-mounted beams. If he hadn’t got that phone call twenty minutes ago, he would be dead, he thought.
Bill noticed the lake ahead. “TURN… WATER. TURN!”
The driver managed to avoid rolling straight in at thirty miles an hour. They both noticed James’s team who were now reaching the other side and accelerating.
“OK, let’s just try and hold Kioshi up!” Bill commanded.
The windows rolled down and they fired on the Toyota that was slowly driving through the trees as it reached the water. Its windscreen was shattered in several places but the bulletproof glass had held up. Kioshi’s car sped towards the water and entered at high speed, creating a mushroom of water all around them. Bill’s team fired on the Toyota from the water’s edge, hoping to score some heavy hits while it couldn’t speed away.
“Hit the gas cap! The cap!” Bill shouted, joining his team in firing. Now that they were stationary they were much more accurate but they couldn’t get the gas tank to explode. After ten seconds of furious acceleration through the water Kioshi’s car was nearly at the other side of the water.
“OK, let’s get after them,” Bill ordered and the SUV jolted forwards and into the water. “James, can you hear me? Can you see Lindon?”
The radio crackled for a few seconds with no response. Bill was about to ask again when James answered, “He’s bolted ahead but we can
still see his lights ahead of us, he’s still heading west.”
“OK, we have the drone overhead, there’s a live feed on our tablet computers. James grabbed the tablet and could see the drone’s view of the forest. There was one beam of light following a much brighter beam. He looked ahead and could see what looked like a road in the darkness ahead.
“Bill, he’s heading for a road. Let’s see if we can get it closed,” James said.
“Already on it,” Bill replied as he radioed local officers. James was now desperate to catch Lindon; if he could just secure him then Kioshi would have failed.
Lindon could see faint lights in his rear view mirror. On the roof he had mounted a scanner. It could receive aircraft signatures. He bumped through the forest and now had to slow as the ground became rougher. Lindon looked at his center console screen. He could see an aircraft returning a signature. It was at 1,090 feet. “Drone… shit,” Lindon mumbled to himself. If Lindon was able to get to the highway and put the car into ‘auto’ mode that would hold the speed and keep him in a lane then he could attack the drone with a virus and force it down. But while he continued dodging trees through the forest he had little option but to accept he was being watched.
The Shadow's Code Page 31