by David Archer
“And you’ve never reported this?”
“Didn’t see a need,” she said. “He’s always been right there if I actually needed him, and that time he went for the sandwich was no big deal, I did have it under control. On the other hand, that’s the only time he ever wandered off when we were active. Usually it happens when we’re just staying in character, waiting for an opportunity for me to get close to the target.”
Noah considered what she had said. “He’s the only one that ever gets out of your sight?”
“Well, no, the others go out on errands and stuff, but he’s the only one that ever does it spontaneously. That’s why it occurs to me that he might, and I said might, have made contact with someone somewhere along the line.”
The waitress returned and took their orders, then hustled away. Jenny took a sip of her tea before turning back to Noah.
“The thing is, Noah,” she said, “if one of my guys was going to sell someone out, why hasn’t it been me? Or you, for that matter? One of us would have been a lot more valuable than your transportation specialist, don’t you think?”
Noah thought about it. “I see your point,” he said, “but are you ever alone? It might be difficult to get one of us into a position where we could be taken. I’m thinking this was just an opportunity. Sarah was trapped in that prison, so if it was Marco, he could have called somebody and let them know she was vulnerable, there. They call in the Nay Thas, she gets snatched away and then picked up from them. Or the Nay Thas roundup was purely coincidental after all, but then she’s even more vulnerable in the hands of slave traders. The traitor lets his contact know, and they use whatever resources they’ve got to reach out to them. Pak gets sent in to buy her, then he hears that we wiped out the camp on the island and comes up with his scheme to convince us she’s dead. In that case, it could be any of them, or any of the station people; could even be someone we’ve never heard of, someone who learned Sarah was there and saw a chance to make a score.”
Jenny shrugged. “Good point. She was an easy sale. They’d have to send a squad to take you or me, and even then the chance of taking one of us alive would be pretty slim.”
They continued to discuss the situation until their food arrived, but by then the place was beginning to get busier. A couple of businessmen sat down in a booth close to them, so they switched their conversation to more mundane things.
By the time they finished eating, it was almost half past twelve, so Noah suggested they go on to the briefing room. “We can hang out there until the others arrive,” he said. Jenny agreed, so Noah paid the tab on the way out and they got into their cars and drove to the office building.
Allison’s secretary had gone to lunch, so they bypassed her desk and let themselves into the conference room. Allison was already there, and so was Don Jefferson. They both looked up as the trio entered, but neither of them smiled.
“You’re early,” Jefferson said.
“We just had lunch a couple blocks away,” Noah said, “so I thought we’d come on down. The rest of the guys should be here on schedule, but only we three know what’s really going on.”
“Then I’ve got something for you,” Allison said. “One of the analysts over at Langley ran across a report she thought we ought to see. It seems a source in China has heard that his people have acquired something that confirms the existence of E & E.”
“They got Sarah,” Noah said.
“Has to be,” Allison replied. “That’s all we’ve got, no indication of where she might be or anything else, but at least it’s something.”
“At least she’s alive,” Neil said.
“It only means she was alive when the source heard about it,” Noah told him. “The Chinese are notorious for their interrogation techniques. She isn’t going to last long in their hands.”
“I agree,” said Allison. “You’re going to have to work fast. However, I’m not convinced that it was one of your men or Jenny’s who put her in this position, so you’ve got to determine that quickly, then figure out which one and interrogate him as soon as possible. If not, then we need to find out who the hell else it could be, and then you’ve got to interrogate that individual. That’s the only way we can see any chance of finding her before it’s too late, and failure is not an option.”
“And we’ve still got to carry out the actual mission, right?” Jenny asked.
“Absolutely. This mission genuinely is of critical importance, so it has to be completed. I’m briefing both of your teams at one, but we are also briefing Team Hercules at three. Hercules will be sent in after you, as backup. That way, if you determine the identity of the traitor before the mission is completed, they can take it over. You can head for China and they can terminate the captured agents.”
The three of them sat down on one of the couches and Jenny leaned toward Allison. “Can you give us any kind of heads up on the mission?”
“I’ve already shared part of it with Noah,” Allison said. “There are four CIA people who have been captured by the North Koreans. They were in the country to get information on North Korean ballistic missile tests, because they seem to have developed a missile that could conceivably reach the continental US. The problem is that these people know some things we can’t afford to have revealed, and Langley says there is no hope of getting them out. They’re to be terminated as quickly as possible, regardless of any collateral damage.”
“How are we supposed to get to them? Do we even know where they’re being held?”
“Yes. One of the satellites had eyes on them when they were captured, and analysis was able to determine where they were taken. They’re still in the same place, and if it changes, we will know and can tell you. We don’t have any people of our own in North Korea, but CIA and NSA both have local operatives. Arrangements are already being made for weapons and explosives, but you have to determine the most effective means of accomplishing the mission.”
Neil shook his head. “I knew we’d end up on one of these sooner or later,” he said, “but I hate the thought we have to kill some of our own people. That just sucks.”
“It does,” Allison said, “but sometimes it’s necessary for the security of our country. These agents were fully aware that it could come to this when they went in. Each of them accepted that risk, and is willing to die to protect our country and its secrets.”
“Officially, Noah,” Donald Jefferson interjected, “there is to be no attempt at rescue. Even if it appears a rescue could be accomplished, the decision has been made that we can’t take the risk. If you were to try and fail, you may not be able to terminate these agents before they could be recaptured, and then they’d have you, as well. You’re to just go in and terminate, then get out of the country.”
“Understood,” said Noah.
“With that being said, however,” Allison said, “I’m personally authorizing a change to the plan if Noah believes the rescue is feasible. Noah, it’s got to be on you to make the decision, nobody else.”
“I understand. I’ll base it only on my evaluation of the situation after recon.”
Allison turned to Jenny. “As I said before, Jenny, Team Cinderella will be under Camelot’s orders for the duration of this mission. Any problem with that?”
“No problem,” Jenny echoed. “Is there any kind of game plan worked out yet?”
“I’m afraid not,” Jefferson said. “There’s no possibility of subterfuge. This is going to have to be a stealth mission, which is why you are authorized any level of collateral damage. The building they are housed in is a civilian structure in an industrial area of Pyongyang, a concrete structure on the edge of a cement plant. It’s a long, low building with only one level, but CIA suspects there may be sub-levels underneath. Satellite reconnaissance has photographed military vehicles going to and from the building at different times, and there are armed patrols around it. We’ll show you photos during the actual briefing.”
A sudden tap on the doorframe made them all look aro
und. Marco stood there looking in, and Jefferson waved him inside.
“Thought I’d come on up and see if there’s any doughnuts left,” he said. He glanced over at the empty table on the side of the room. “I guess Neil got to them before I could.”
“Very funny,” Neil said.
Marco came and sat down on the couch across from them, just as another sound announced the arrival of Jenny’s crew. Jim, Randy and Dave came in and joined them, with Jim and Randy pulling chairs away from the conference table to sit in.
“Now that we’re all here,” said Allison, “we can get down to the actual briefing. Donald?”
Jefferson tapped a tablet that was in his lap and the screen behind him lit up. The first image showed four people: three women and one man.
“The people you see on the screen behind me are agents of the CIA. They were in North Korea posing as consultants on an engineering project and the plan was for them to meet up with some of the agency’s local sources in order to receive and retrieve data relating to the recent ballistic missile testing that’s been all over the news. The agency has reason to believe that the DPRK has developed a missile capable of reaching anywhere in the continental US with a nuclear warhead. These agents were sent in to collect and retrieve that missile’s blueprints and specifications.”
He tapped the tablet again and the image changed to an overhead view of a city street, zoomed in so close that they could see a car surrounded by armed men pointing guns at it.
“The day before yesterday,” Jefferson went on, “all four of them were arrested on spying charges and taken into custody.” Another tap and the image changed to a long, narrow building seen from above. “They were brought to this building in the Sunan-guyok Industrial District. It sits on the back edge of Pyongyang’s largest cement plant, but it appears to be used primarily as a secret military facility. Military vehicles and troops can be seen around the building at times, and it is suspected that the single-story building is camouflage for a larger underground structure. Your targets are almost certainly being held somewhere under that building.”
The image disappeared and Allison leaned forward. “We have no intelligence regarding the interior of that building or its sub-levels. For that reason, it’s almost certainly going to be necessary for you and your teams to infiltrate the building itself, and that means that you cannot have a public presence in the country. Because of that, you’ll be flying into Incheon International Airport, which is on an island just off the coast at Incheon, South Korea. You will be met there by some of the CIA’s local operatives, South Korean nationals in the employ of the agency. They’ll take you to the north coast of the island, where a small submarine will be waiting. It will take you across the border into North Korea, where more local operatives will be waiting with a truck to smuggle you into Pyongyang. There is a CIA safe house that is uncompromised less than two miles from the cement facility, and that’s where you’ll be taken. Once your mission is complete, the locals will transport you back to the sub, which will take you directly back to Incheon. The plane will be waiting to get you out of the country as quickly as possible.”
“Any questions?” Allison asked.
“I have one,” Jenny said, actually raising her hand as if she were in school. “I get the impression this is going to be more like a commando raid than anything else, am I right?”
“That will be up to Noah to determine,” Allison replied. “He has command on this mission. Because of its importance and its unusual nature compared to what we usually do, I feel it’s best to have his detachment running the show. You will all be under his orders.”
“Yep, I understood that,” Jenny said. “For something like this, I want that computer brain making the decisions, and his combat experience running point.”
“Exactly. Should anything happen to Noah, you’ll take charge. Remember that the mission is paramount. With the risk that critical secrets could be revealed, I have to tell you that I expect the mission to be completed regardless of the cost to yourselves or your teams.”
“Hell, Allie, isn’t that always the way it is?”
Both teams got up and started to leave, but Allison called Noah back for a moment. The two of them spoke quietly, and then Allison put something small in the palm of Noah’s hand. He slid it into his pocket and followed the rest of them out the door.
SEVEN
Noah, Jenny and their teams were given identity kits and told to go directly to R&D, where luggage containing clothing for each of them was waiting. They could study the back stories on their mission identities while on the flight, but their personal identification, cell phones and jewelry were all to be left with Donald Jefferson. Once they left R&D, they would then go to the Kirtland airfield and board a Gulfstream IV that would take them directly to San Francisco International Airport.
At the R&D facility, after they picked up the tightly packed duffel bags that were prepared for them, Noah asked to speak to Wally for a moment. The clerk who had given them the bags smiled and called through a walkie talkie, and Wally appeared with a big smile a moment later.
“Noah!” Wally said as he grabbed his hand. “Man, I heard about Sarah, I’m so sorry.”
“Thanks,” Noah said, “but we’re in a rush, and I need something you let me use once before.”
“No problem,” Wally said, “just tell me what it is.” The two of them walked off together while the others carried the bags out to their cars. When Noah returned, they all headed for the airfield together. The Gulfstream was waiting as promised, and they were led aboard and seated quickly. A field crewman loaded their luggage and the plane was closed up and the engines started. Fifteen minutes later, they were in the air and climbing, destination San Fran.
When they reached the Bay, the plane was led directly into a hangar, where they were led down the boarding stairs and then into a special cargo container that had been fitted with seats, a bathroom and a small galley.
“This is what we call a special delivery cabin,” said the CIA operative who showed them into it. “We have an agreement with various airfreight carriers to use these, but it’s not always feasible. South Korea, luckily, is one country that accepts our freight seals, so once we close the doors and put the seal on, no one will tamper with it until it gets to our people there. It’s got its own power supply, air supply and everything else, and there’s enough food for several days. Eat what you want, there’s plenty more where that came from.”
Noah looked around and nodded. “Enough seats for a dozen,” he said. “This is slick.”
The CIA man grinned. “Glad you approve,” he said. “Wanna sit down and put on your seat belt, please?”
They all sat down and strapped in, and then the crew closed it up, the latches making a loud thump as each one caught and snapped into place. There were a few minutes while they waited for the seal to be applied, and then a lift truck carried it to a waiting FedEx 777 that was headed for Incheon.
“Randy,” Jenny said once the container was sealed, “got an extra book with you? This is going to be a long, boring flight.”
“I got a couple of Terry Pratchett’s books,” Randy replied. “I got Hogfather and Monstrous Regiment. Which one you want?”
“Hell, I don’t care, just toss me one.”
Ten minutes after the container was fastened down in the plane, the big jet engines began to scream and they felt themselves moving. It took a few minutes to taxi out to the runway, and then they felt the thrust kick in as the plane launched itself into the air.
This leg of the trip would take about nine hours, they’d been told, and the seats that had been mounted in the container were designed to recline so they could sleep on the way. Noah kicked his seat back as far as it would go while the plane was still climbing, and it wasn’t long before the rest of them followed his example. They woke off and on during the flight, especially when they had some rough turbulence over the Pacific, and ate some of the frozen meals a couple of times, so all of them
felt fairly well fed and rested by the time they landed at 5:15 AM Seoul time.
The container they were in was offloaded within minutes of landing, and they felt it being trundled away on the lift truck. The ride seemed to take a few minutes, and when it came to a stop the door was opened quickly.
“Come on, come on,” a couple of young Korean men said to them. “We gotta get you going now, you come on!”
A stepladder had been set up in front of the door, and Noah was the first one to step out and climb down. They were less than twenty feet from the shore, on a roadway that appeared to circumnavigate the entire island. The sun had not yet made it over the horizon, but Noah could just make out a dark shape bobbing in the waves a short distance from shore. An inflatable boat was waiting for them at the water’s edge, and they quickly loaded their duffels and climbed inside.
The two young men pushed the boat into the water and then hopped in, and one of them turned on a pair of electric outboard motors. The boat moved silently out onto the water toward the submarine, and then the bow slid right up over it.
The sub was black and almost flat on top. The hatch stood open right beside where the boat had ridden up onto it, and they were able to step over the side of the boat and onto the solid surface, then grip the hatch and climb down a short ladder. Another young man inside quietly urged them all to move toward the back of the chamber they found themselves in.
Once they were all inside, the boat was pulled the rest of the way onto the sub, deflated and quickly rolled up. The electric motors and batteries were lowered through the hatch, and then were followed by the boat itself. It was made of thin, rubberized nylon, and had rolled up into a package that was less than eighteen inches in diameter and not over three feet long. The two men who had brought them from shore climbed down the ladder and the hatch was sealed above them. It was only then that a few small LED lights came on.
“Which one of you is in charge?” one of them asked, and Noah raised a finger in the dim light. “Okay, here is what is happening. We will take you past the border and drop you on the shore about ten miles past. Our associates from that side will pick you up and take you to Pyongyang.”