by J B Black
Reb looked back at Justin and said, “Tell me about it.”
Justin looked at Reb and proudly said, “Okay. This is the Guardian Angel drone system. The hexagonally shaped metal box at the top here is made out of a light-weight aluminum alloy and houses all of the electronics that allow the drone to be flown remotely and transmit the high definition video feed from the drone’s camera back to the drone operator. As you can see, there are six arms extending out from each of the six sides of the main body of the drone—the arms are 18 inch-long 1 inch-diameter tubes. At the end of each arm there’s a 2-bladed propeller attached to a super quiet electric motor. Each motor is powered by its own high capacity battery. Hanging underneath the body of the drone there is a 3-axis gimbal to which there is mounted a high definition digital video camera, a night vision camera, and an infrared capable camera all of which are synched to a stripped down, modified H&K MP5 submachinegun, with a suppressor attached. We’ve equipped the MP5 with a 100-round drum magazine.
“The 3-axis gimbal provides a steady platform for the camera/gun combination. It can rotate a full 320 degrees in either direction. The gimbal can also tilt the gun/camera combination up 30 degrees and down 90 degrees.
“The cameras have been sighted in with the gun just like you would with a gun scope.
“After the drone is airborne, servo motors raise the two legs and they fold up and out of the way against the undercarriage of the body of the drone. When it’s time to land, the legs are lowered again.
“The drone has a range of 5 miles from the Command Center. That’s how far our signal is reliable. Loaded-out the way it currently is, the drone’s flight time is approximately 40 minutes.”
“What does it do?” Reb asked.
“Rich and I—”
“Hold that thought, Justin,” Jake interrupted. “Reb, didn’t you say you had another question?”
“That’s right,” Reb said. “I guess you’ve found a place close by to where Honey’s being held to land this C-130 so we can drive Big Bertha off the plane. Right?”
“Nope.”
“Maybe you’d better tell me about this plan of yours, then,” Reb said.
“Why don’t we all go inside the Command Center so we can bring Reb up to speed on the plan and show Reb what we have in mind doing?” Jake said.
They climbed inside and Reb saw why it was called a Command Center. On the opposite wall there was a counter top that ran the length of the wall and on the counter top there were four computer work stations each with two large-screen computer monitors, a keyboard, a mouse, and a joystick a gamer would kill for. In front of each work station there was a high backed, RV-style Captain chair for the operator to sit in.
After everyone was seated and Justin powered up the system, Jake used his mouse and keyboard to bring up the map of the cartel’s plantation on everybody’s monitor.
Speaking mostly for Reb’s benefit, Jake went over the plan he had outlined in General Davidson’s conference room earlier that morning. At the conclusion of his briefing, Jake said, for Reb’s benefit, “Any questions?”
“Yeah, how about going over the part of the plan where the plane ‘drops us off’ near that utility road,” Reb said.
“What about it, Reb?” Jake asked.
“You said the plane isn’t going to land so we can drive Big Bertha off the plane,” Reb said. “So, just how the hell are we going to get this fancy expedition vehicle down on the ground, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Reb, we’re going to execute a Low Altitude Parachute Extraction to exit the plane,” Jake explained in a matter of fact way.
“And what exactly is a Low Altitude Parachute Extraction?” Reb asked.
“The rear ramp of the plane will be lowered, the plane will line up with that section of road there, the plane will descend to about 6 feet above the ground, level off, and, when we are 300 feet from the entrance to the utility road, the Loadmaster will release the retaining clamps holding the pallet in place and will pop a drogue chute which will pull the braking chutes—that are attached to the pallet the expedition vehicle is securely attached to—out the rear of the plane and, when they are fully deployed, the parachutes will pull the pallet—with us inside the expedition vehicle—from the rear of the plane and bring it to a stop within a few feet of the entrance to the utility road.”
Reb looked at Justin and Rich and said, “Were the two of you aware this is how you’re going to get off the plane?”
Justin and Rich both grinned and nodded their heads. It was obvious to Reb they were looking forward to the experience.
“What can I say?” Jake said. “They’re thrill junkies. For them this is better than a day at the amusement park riding all the extreme rides.”
Reb shook his head in amazement, then looked at Jake and said, “Before you interrupted Justin earlier, he was about to tell me what the Guardian Angels will be doing. Even though I’ve got a pretty good idea, I’d like to hear what he has to say.”
“Operating the Guardian Angles, Rich and I are your advance scouts and your close air support on this mission,” Justin said. “We’ll be anywhere from a hundred to a couple of hundred feet overhead flying out in front making sure you don’t run into any unexpected surprises. The drones are extremely quiet so there’s not much chance anyone will hear them coming. If someone sees them up in the air, they’ll think they’re seeing a big bird.
“If we spot any opposition, we’ll swoop in on them and take them out with the gun. With the suppressor, we’re almost as quiet and deadly as ninjas.”
Jake looked at Reb and said, “Any comments?”
Reb smiled. “All I can say is, we’re getting awfully high tech here.”
“That’s not all, by a long shot,” Justin said. He reached into one of the carrying cases and pulled out a small quadcopter drone that wasn’t much bigger than a football.
Reb noticed that it was equipped with a camera and a small gun equipped with a suppressor and said, “What’s that?”
“We call it a Bodyguard,” Justin answered. “Since they don’t have anywhere near the flight time the Guardian Angels have, you and Jake will each carry one of these with you. Just before you’re ready to enter the house, you’ll activate them. These drones are small enough we can easily fly them inside the house. They’re extremely quiet, too. They can literally sneak up on someone in the house and take them out before they know what’s happened to them. They’ll be your advance scouts inside the house and provide backup in case they’re needed for that.”
Jake looked at Reb and asked, “What do you think?”
“I think it’s a good plan and I’m impressed with the high-tech equipment,” Reb said. “I want to go over these floor plans of the mansion a little more so I commit them to memory. Then I’m going to spend the rest of the flight getting some shut-eye.”
CHAPTER 33
Hacienda Vicario
Veracruz, Mexico
Thursday, May 6, 2010
1:50 p.m. CDT
Ten minutes earlier, the C-130’s Loadmaster had informed Jake that it was time to get ready for the drop and Jake had wasted no time getting everybody aboard Big Bertha. Now, Justin and Rich were sitting in the rear of Big Bertha’s crew cab, Jake was sitting in the driver’s seat, and Reb was sitting in the front passenger seat. Each man was strapped into his seat with its heavily padded restraint system and all four men were wearing crash helmets. Each one of them had said his prayers and they were all watching the Loadmaster out the front windshield of the expedition vehicle for the final countdown.
The plane had already lined up with the road, lowered the rear ramp, and leveled off.
The Loadmaster was holding the switch that controlled the ramp and the deployment of the drogue chute in his right hand. He was holding his left hand up. It was clenched in a fist.
A green light flashed on at the front of the cargo section and the Loadmaster opened his hand showing 5 fingers.
Quickly, he closed
his hand and opened it again showing 4 fingers.
“Omigod, I think I’m gonna puke,” Rich said from the back seat.
The Loadmaster’s hand displayed 3 fingers.
The plane was six feet above the road traveling at more than 100 mph.
Reb turned to face Rich and said, “Remind me not to ride the roller coaster with you.”
The Loadmaster displayed 1 finger.
Everybody braced and the Loadmaster pushed the button that released the clamps and deployed the drogue chute. The drogue chute popped out the back of the plane pulling the much larger braking chutes out along with it.
Everybody in the expedition vehicle felt a lurch as the braking chutes fully opened and, as the chutes snatched the pallet Big Bertha was sitting on out the back of the plane, all four men shouted, “Geronimo.”
The pallet hit the ground tail-end first, then the nose hit the ground, bounced once, and the pallet started sliding forward on the ground, traveling at the same speed the plane had been flying at when it had exited the rear of the plane.
Reb glanced left and saw a blur of trees as they slid down the dirt road.
Seconds later they came to a full stop. The braking chutes had done their job.
Reb looked to see how Rich and Justin were doing just in time to see the two thrill seekers doing a version of a high five. Rich hadn’t thrown up after all.
Jake started Big Bertha’s engine while Justin and Rich got out and released the restraining straps that held the expedition vehicle to the pallet. When they gave him the all clear, Jake drove Big Bertha off the pallet. Justin and Rich then gathered the two braking chutes and secured them on the pallet. After attaching a tow line from the pallet to Big Bertha, Justin and Rich got back into the cab.
They had made it down onto the ground in one piece and everybody was okay. So far, so good. Rather than turn on the AC, Reb and Jake rolled the windows down to give themselves a chance to acclimate to the heat and humidity. Justin and Rich weren’t thrilled about not having the AC, but they kept quiet knowing they would have AC in the Command Center.
Jake drove the short distance to the entrance to the utility road and turned in. After they had gone about ten yards—far enough that the pallet couldn’t be seen easily—Jake stopped, and Justin jumped out again and released the tow line connected to the pallet.
It only took a couple of minutes to drive to the other end of the utility road and, when they got there, everybody quickly exited the cab of the truck and began making ready for the assault on the hacienda’s mansion.
Justin and Rich entered the Command Center, turned on the AC, and retrieved the carrying cases containing four Guardian Angel and two Bodyguard drones. They carried them back outside, removed the drones, and quickly made them ready for flight. After activating the drones and arming them, Justin and Rich returned to the inside of the Command Center and took their seats at their command consoles. They put on their comm units and flew the Guardian Angel drones skyward to an altitude of 20 feet and performed a series of tests to confirm that the drones were flying properly and the cameras were transmitting video properly. They worked perfectly.
After landing the Guardian Angel drones, they repeated the process with the Bodyguard drones and found them to be working perfectly, too. They landed the Bodyguard drones.
Next, Justin opened a drawer in a cabinet under the counter top and removed a bag containing six soccer balls. Rich opened the door for him and Justin took the balls about ten feet from the vehicle and set them down on the utility road in a row about four feet apart. Justin then went back inside the Command Center.
The first set of two Guardian Angel drones ascended to an altitude of 10 feet and approached to within 5 feet of the soccer balls. Justin went first and pulled the trigger on his joystick. His drone’s gun fired hitting the soccer ball and causing it to roll several feet from the spot where it had been, before it completely deflated. Justin landed his drone. Rich went next and shot a hole through a soccer ball, too. He landed his Guardian Angel drone.
They repeated the process with the second set of Guardian Angel drones that would stay behind at the expedition vehicle and protect it in case of a surprise attack.
After successfully testing those two, Justin and Rich landed them on top of the expedition vehicle where they would be ready at a moment’s notice.
Next, the two Bodyguard drones ascended, flew to within 5 feet of the soccer balls and first Justin, then Rich successfully fired their guns, hitting the remaining two soccer balls.
The drones were fully operational and ready to go.
While Justin and Rich had been readying the drones for the mission, Reb and Jake had been making their own preparations by checking that their weapons, ammunition, and other gear were good to go for the mission.
Justin and Rich returned the Bodyguard drones to their carrying cases and watched as Reb and Jake put them in their rucksacks for safe carrying.
Jake then walked up to Justin, placed his hands on top of Justin’s shoulders, looked Justin in the eye, and said, “Justin, your most important job today is to save lives by taking lives when the time comes.”
Jake then stepped over in front of Rich, grabbed him by his upper arms, looked Rich in the eye, and said, “The same goes for you, Rich. You’re going to save lives today by taking lives.”
Jake stepped back and said, “Me and Reb and the three American women in that mansion are depending on you guys to look out for us with those drones you’ll be operating. Each one of the people you line up in your gunsights today is an enemy who would just as soon kill us as look at us. They are bad people who are killing American citizens everyday with the drugs they are poisoning our country with. I need you to treat them like the cockroaches they truly are and exterminate them with extreme prejudice. Can you do that?”
“Yessir,” Justin and Rich replied in unison.
“Good,” Jake said, “I knew I could depend on you.”
Justin and Rich returned to their stations inside the Command Center and performed a comm check with Reb and Jake. Then the four of them performed a comm check with the AC-130J gunships flying cover overhead.
After the comm checks, Justin and Rich flew their Guardian Angel drones up to an altitude of 100 feet and then out over to the main road to begin reconnoitering the surrounding area.
Justin and Rich could see that everything was clear from the intersection of the utility road and the main road all the way to the mansion and back the other way to where the road curved for the loop. Justin said, “Jake, right now the road is clear in both directions.”
Jake sent a text message to the phone number Deputy Assistant Director Gonzalez had given him for the undercover DEA agent. The message read: Have arrived and headed to the mansion. Be there in 15. Need current location where Honey Brown being held.
After a short time, Jake’s phone vibrated letting him know he had received a text message back. It read: Guest Suite #5.
Jake looked at Reb and said, “You ready?”
Reb nodded his head and said, “Yeah, let’s get this done.”
* * *
Hashim al-Harbi and the four mujahideen bodyguards had returned to the mansion from the Cayman Islands a short time earlier with the additional money demanded by Carlos. The pilots of the Jihad Brotherhood’s Gulfstream G550 had remained with the jet at the hacienda’s airfield with orders from Yasser to be ready to leave as soon as he arrived at the airfield.
Yasser al-Ali and Hashim al-Harbi were sitting in the living room of their assigned guest suite waiting impatiently for Carlos Vicario to call back and let them know he was ready to meet with them in his study to conclude their business transaction.
The four mujahideen bodyguards were standing outside on the breezeway smoking cigarettes while they waited. They had four duffel bags full of cash with them.
Other than paying Carlos, all that remained to be done was for Yasser to take possession of the American woman he had purchased, which he plann
ed to do as soon as Hashim and the four mujahideen went to deliver the money to Carlos.
As Yasser sat waiting for the call from Carlos, he started giving some serious thought to raping the American woman before leaving the mansion. On the other hand, he thought, he could wait until they were on board the jet and rape her once they were airborne. Either way, he had decided the infidel woman would be raped this day.
By the time Raúl called on the walkie-talkie to let them know that Carlos was ready to meet, Yasser was as horny as a teenager and had made the decision to rape the American woman before leaving the mansion instead of waiting until they boarded the jet.
* * *
Sofia was in the mansion’s master suite on the second floor of the west wing when she received the text message letting her know the rescue team had arrived and requesting to know the current whereabouts of the two kidnapped American women.
After texting back to the rescue team that the two women were still in guest suite #5 on the East wing, Sofia put her smartphone back in her handbag next to the handgun she had retrieved from its hiding place earlier. It was time to leave and Sofia was going to travel light with just her handbag and the clothes she had on—a simple blouse, slacks, and tennis shoes.
Sophia walked over to the window and looked out the blinds at the East wing across the courtyard where the two American women were staying to see if the coast was clear. She saw that the door to guest suite #3 was open and there were men standing out on the breezeway talking and smoking.
CHAPTER 34
Hacienda Vicario
Veracruz, Mexico
Thursday, May 6, 2010