“This better be damn important, Murdock. It’s two A.M. here.”
“We lost a man today, Tran Khai. One bullet right through his heart. He’s on his way home. Somebody has to tell his folks. This is an open mission, so you can tell his mother exactly what is going on, how we just rescued thirty-one hostages. The boy’s a hero and should get a medal. I’ll leave that up to you.”
Masciareli scowled, then let out a long sigh. “Yeah, Murdock, I’ll make the phone call, and somebody nearest his home will send out a chaplain to tell them. Least we can do. You done there?”
“No, sir. We still have eighteen hostages we need to find. But we think we know where they are. We’re eating a lot of bananas.”
“Fine, let me know when you close that operation. I’ll call the CNO, but this should be an open newsworthy mission. Then I’ll call the closest base to Khai’s family. Out.”
Murdock snorted and hung up the phone. Yeah, out. That’s how he felt at that minute. Another KIA. That was ten or eleven? Christ, he couldn’t even remember. He had the number back in Coronado.
By the time Murdock came out of the police station and walked two blocks over to their barracks, the next two choppers from Davao had landed. The ten Filipino Army Rangers who charged out of each bird looked fit and combat ready. They bunked with the SEALs in a warehouse where cots of all kinds had been hurriedly set up by the local police.
The men filed through a local restaurant for a late lunch, and were served large portions of adobo. It was a dark, saucy stew of chicken and pork, flavored with vinegar and soy sauce, garlic, and chunks of liver. There were stacks of rolls and butter, coffee, and a big fruit salad served family-style in huge stainless-steel bowls.
“Better than MREs,” Ching said.
General Domingo had been busy. He called Murdock, a lieutenant from the Rangers, and Murdock’s brain trust of DeWitt, Sadler, Jaybird, and Lam to a conference at the end of the warehouse.
“I’ve found two men who know the Eagle’s Nest,” Domingo said. “It was built about ten years ago by a reclusive millionaire. He lived there for two months, then his wife died and he left the place and sold it. We’re not sure who owns it now, but we do have a sketch of the place, the road, the buildings, and something of the inside of the main house.
“It may have been changed a lot by now. We do know that there has been a large barracks and mess hall built to serve the fifty guards that the leader has up there. He never comes into town. He sends someone for whatever he needs. The guards up there are not rotated. They are his permanent private guard team. Which means they know the landscape, the weak points, and the spots where someone could try to get in. That makes it a lot tougher.”
“Where might he have the hostages?” Lam asked.
“Our guess is in the barracks building. Part of it could be used for the eighteen.”
“What about access?” the Ranger lieutenant named Quezon asked.
“There’s a good road up from the highway on the coast. It’s about six miles, the locals say. There are no trails or any other easy access from the sides or back. In back of the place there is a four-hundred-foot vertical wall that geologists have had trouble explaining. So it’s possible to get someone in from both sides.”
“What kind of a schedule are we talking about?” Murdock asked.
“Sooner the better for the hostages,” Domingo said. He had on a different shirt now, one with gold stars on the shoulders. Murdock had grinned at him when he saw the Rangers two hours ago. “General, you’re back in command. You have more men than I do.”
“We’ll work it together. But with my men here, I better wear the stars.”
“I’m wondering how long it would take to hike up on each side of the place and hit it from both sides,” Murdock said. “The road is out as access. He must have it well defended.”
Juan spoke up. “General Domingo, I like the idea of hitting them from the sides. It will take a little more time, but if we took off from here by truck and came within a mile of the road up the mountain, then jumped off and one half of us went straight up the mountain, and the other half hiked a mile the other side of the Eagle’s Nest road…”
Heads nodded all the way around.
“Seems to be a consensus,” General Domingo said.
“We’ll take the far side,” Murdock said.
“No,” Domingo said. “You’ve been in the field for three days. I’ll take the fresh troops the extra two miles. What’s your ETA on the attack site, Murdock?”
“Up that hill six miles?” Murdock scowled. “Jaybird?”
“Two hours, sir.”
“Should work,” Lieutenant Quezon said.
Domingo rubbed his face. “We won’t be able to use the twenties until we’re sure where the hostages are. However, we can use the EAR. Commander, I’d like to have you attach one of your men with an EAR to Lieutenant Quezon’s unit.”
“Done. We’ll need communications with all parties. We’ll send six Motorolas to the Rangers to use for coordination.”
“Range of the radios?” Quezon asked.
“Five to six miles, depending on the line of sight,” Jaybird answered.
“What advance planning do we need to take care of?” General Domingo asked.
“Not much else we can do, General, until we see the layout,” DeWitt said. The others nodded.
“Agreed. Juan, can you find transport for us? A big stake truck or five or six vans. Tell the owners it’s a temporary confiscation. I’ll have a portable radio that I can use to contact the three aircraft. I don’t want to use the choppers to take us down the road so we won’t alert anyone.”
“Roadblocks,” Jaybird said.
“Two of them between here and ten miles,” Domingo said, looking at Jaybird. “Did you talk to Franklin?”
“Yes, sir. He said one about a mile out of town, and the other one was more than seven or eight miles away from here.”
“So we could have two of them, if they have been reestablished. We put the twenties in the lead cars, side by side down the roadway. If the blocks are there, the twenties can do the job and we crash on through just at dusk. Get to our objective and hike up the hill. The transport will return to Lebak.”
“Anything more about the target?” Murdock asked.
“Reports say the jungle comes within a dozen feet of the buildings in many places,” Domingo said. “There is an open area we can land a chopper in. There are four buildings there: garage for three cars; big house; one large building that might be for machinery or recreation, we’re not sure; and the barracks.”
“Suggestion,” Murdock said. “We put one EAR and two twenties with the Rangers. Then we both get into position, say a hundred yards from the site, and do any last-minute planning by radio. We’ll hit them tonight. We can take out the guards outside with the EAR. Then work a couple of EAR shots into the main house and one into the garage and the building we’re not sure of. If we put to sleep some hostages, it won’t hurt them. When the EAR shots are done, we move in and try not to shoot each other.”
“The leader up there must know that something is happening,” Juan said. “Roadblocks blown apart, choppers flying over. A runner or a man on a bicycle could have gone to the mountain by now and told him who we are and how many men we have. What I’m saying is that the rebels could be on a fifty-percent alert.”
“The safety and welfare of the hostages has to be our first concern,” Sadler said. They all nodded.
There was a pause. General Domingo looked around. “All right. We’re done here. It will be dark in two hours. Get your men ready and we’ll move out at that time. A half hour to our point of departure and then we hike. Two hours for the hike and positioning. We’ll keep track of each other by radio as we move.” He paused. “Any chance that the rebels could monitor the Motorolas?”
Jaybird shook his head. “No, sir. Not unless they have a greatly sophisticated scanner that checks all frequencies. Doubtful.”
They
broke up and went to an early chow at the same restaurant they went to before. Domingo said the Philippine Army was picking up the tab. The food was good, different this time, roast pork with lots of vegetables and ice cream for dessert.
* * *
An hour later they left the village in two large trucks, and drove past the first roadblock, which had been burned out and not replaced. The second one came up soon, and they could see a new truck across the road. It was just dusk and the roadblock truck turned on its lights shining down the road. “Twenties,” Murdock said. “Two only, Lam and I.” They fired.
The truck erupted in flames and rolled off the road.
“Clear ahead,” Murdock said, and the trucks raced ahead and rolled past the former roadblock, which showed two bodies near the truck.
Five minutes later they stopped where Domingo decided was about a mile from the road that led up to the Eagle’s Nest. They had been driving with lights out, and now the trucks stopped side by side on the roadway. Murdock’s radio came on and they all listened.
“Murdock, not sure what to make of this, but there is a lot of firing up front there about where that next roadblock should be.”
“Hear it. My guess is that they’re green troops shooting at shadows and ghosts of their ancestors. They are now in a combat situation, maybe for the first time, and getting nervous.”
“Should we send up a patrol and check it out?” Domingo asked.
“No,” Murdock said. “Let them have their fun. Then they won’t spot your troops going across the road as you move on north of them.”
“Yes. Let’s dismount, troops, and get ready to move out.”
22
Near Lebak
Mindanao Philippines
Murdock lined up his men in the usual marching order, with Lam out in front by twenty yards. Even that close, it was hard to see him sometimes in the gloom of the rain forest. Murdock was behind him, then Alpha Squad with Juan attached, and then Bravo Squad. Lieutenant (j.g.) DeWitt acted as rear guard. They went single file at five-yard intervals. The Philippine sergeant went with the general. Murdock had assigned Bill Bradford to go with the general’s platoon with the Bull Pup and twelve rounds of 20mm. Miguel Fernandez took one of the EAR weapons and joined the Filipino platoon.
The narrow plain here next to the Moro Gulf was about two miles wide; then the mountains rose up in a series of gentle ridges, each one higher than the last. Murdock didn’t know how high they were, but the highest peak in Mindanao and in the Philippines was Mount Apo at over 9,600 feet. These hills were far lower than that, but dirty to climb.
The rain-forest jungle was unrelenting as they worked their way up one ridge after another one. Now and then they could spot the splash of lights above them that they knew must be the target, the Eagle’s Nest.
Murdock called a halt after an hour. He went on the net. “General, we’re taking a break, figure about halfway up. How is it going?”
“We’re about the same place. Tough going at night. We should surprise them. Your two men are doing well.”
“Reception is good. This is as far apart as we will be. I’ll check later when we turn toward the target.”
They went back to the climb. It was tougher now, over the roots and vines and around the branches and trees. There were all kinds of trees here they didn’t have names for except the huge towering mahogany. They came to the top of a ridge, and ahead and to the left they could see the Eagle’s Nest. It was still above them on the next slope below the ridgeline. This was their last one. Now they could swing to the left and approach the target.
Murdock talked with Lam and they moved in that direction. There were still some slopes to climb, but not all the way up the ridge. That was progress.
Murdock called in the change in direction to the general. “Figure about twenty minutes to be in position,” Murdock said.
“We’re not quite that far along,” General Domingo said. “Hold your attack position until we contact you.”
“Roger that, General,” Murdock said, and moved quicker before he lost Lam in the darkness.
It took twenty-five minutes before Lam stopped, and Murdock almost stepped on him.
“Here we are,” Lam whispered. They were fifty yards from the blazing lights.
“We’re fifty yards out and holding,” Murdock said on the net.
“Give us ten minutes and we’ll be there,” Domingo said.
“I didn’t figure on all these lights,” Lam said.
“Might help us,” Murdock said. “We use the EAR to take out the guards and anyone we can see. Then when someone investigates, they are lit up like in a shooting gallery.”
“Right. And if we need to douse those lights we can do it with a few rounds later.”
“Wish we knew where the hostages are. Then we could put about six twenties into the barracks and wipe out half of their guard force.”
“We might do it yet. After we hit the guards with the EAR, a recon might be worthwhile.”
“You trying to get yourself killed, Lampedusa?” Murdock asked. He grinned. “Yeah, a recon might be good. But if we do one, I’m going with you.”
They waited.
The radio earpieces chirped.
“In place, fifty yards out, and setting up fields of fire,” General Domingo said.
“Right. We’re in position. We have a small exposed part here where we have excellent fire lanes. So far we’ve seen only one guard. He’s near the main house. Haven’t seen any roving guards. Must be some. Suggest we wait for twenty and check.”
“That’s a roger, Commander.”
“General, do your troops have any silencers on their weapons?”
“No.”
“We’re thinking of a recon after we use the EAR. Lam and I would go in and locate the hostages. Take out any guards who saw us with silenced rounds, then ID the guards’ barracks for a batch of twenties. You approve?”
“Let’s use the twenties when ready and see what reaction we get,” Domingo said.
“Roger.”
They waited the rest of the twenty minutes.
“I see one guard working the perimeter fence,” Lam said.
“Another guard on our side walks behind the house and the new barracks building,” one of the Filipino Rangers said.
Five minutes later they had six guards’ positions tied down and knew their routes.
“We’ll do the three we can see here on command,” General Domingo said. “Murdock, you have your man do the guards on that side. Not more than twenty seconds and we should have all of them. That’s with ten seconds between shots.”
“Roger that, General. Our EAR is up to power. Whenever you’re ready.”
“Ready, EAR weapons, aim, and… fire,” Domingo said.
Kenneth Ching took out the guard beside the front of the barracks first, then moved his sights to the roving guard who had just turned from the widest spot on the perimeter fence and started back to the big house. He never made it, crumpling and lying still in the warm night air. Chin nailed the third guard when he ran over to look at the fallen body of the first one.
“Three down,” Ching said.
“Three more hit the dirt,” Fernandez said.
“What about the big house and the windows in the barracks?” Domingo asked.
“Rather do a quick recon,” Murdock said. “We’re home free so far. We’ll take silenced weapons and take a look, then get out of the way when you want to use the EAR or the twenties.”
“Go,” Domingo said.
Murdock and Lam had already arranged to trade weapons, and both headed for the compound with their MP-5’s with silencers attached. They moved without a sound, paused at the edge of the lighted area, then carried the MP- 5’s by the top handles and walked across the lighted area to the edge of the first big building.
They would each check different buildings. Lam ran thorough the shadows to the door on the biggest building. He turned the knob and opened it slowly. Inside, night lig
hts showed a barracks with double bunks, and military gear all over the place. No sign of hostages. He slipped out and closed the door without a sound.
Murdock checked the second large building. One guard had been near the door. He lay sleeping, his rifle a few feet away. Murdock opened the door gently, saw night lights in back, and behind a heavy wire fence partitioning off the far end of the building were bunks and civilian clothes. He ran in and made sure. Eighteen bunks, but only six women in them. He ran soundlessly back to the door, slipped out, and looked for Lam. He didn’t see him.
“Lam,” he said on the radio. “Let’s get out of the lights. Six hostages are in the second big building. We’ve got to check the garage. Might be more hostages in there. Let’s ramble.”
They ran to the garage and found the door open. They looked inside, but it was totally dark. Murdock pulled out his penlight, held it at arm’s distance from his body, and shone it around. A gun blasted from almost in front of him, but the round went under Murdock’s hand where the shooter figured the body would be.
Lam fired two three-round silent bursts into the muzzle flash area, and they heard a soft moan, then a scream and silence. Murdock shone the narrow beam of light ahead and on the floor, and found a rebel lying there with four bullets in his chest and face. They checked the rest of the garage. Two vehicles, some gasoline drums, but no hostages.
“Let’s chogie,” Murdock said.
They ran to the fence where they had come in, and jogged back to their positions just outside the floodlighted zone.
“We have the hostages pinpointed,” Murdock told the net. “General Domingo, there are six women hostages in the big building. We cleared the garage. No guards, no hostages. They must have moved the other twelve. Guessing there aren’t any in the big house. We’ve moving up to twenty-five yards off the fence and are ready. Suggest six EAR rounds into the main house and the barracks. There are at least forty men in there. Let’s put EAR rounds through the windows of the house and barracks until we run out of power. Okay?”
“Yes, let’s do it. Then after the EARs, we do the twenties into the barracks and the main house?” Domingo asked.
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