Peace - A Navy SEALS Novel (DeLeo's Action Thriller Singles Book 3)

by Bernard Lee DeLeo

  “Amen to that,” Peace said simply, exchanging a knowing look with Tony.

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Short Timers

  “I will take good care of your horses, my friend, in case you should return for a visit,” Samud said, hugging Peace with open affection, as they stood at the landing zone Peace had picked away from the town, so as not to draw attention to their departure.

  It had taken nearly two months of backbreaking work, coupled with constant negotiations, to extend the first roots of government. Tony and Peace had trained, and armed, a small police force, loyal to Mohammad and Samud. Over time, the townspeople had come to respect the two leaders, becoming friendly even with the two Seals, who were always at their side. Resentment of new ways had diminished. The gold worked to obtain needed materials to start the rebuilding process, and soothe the anger over the battle, which had destroyed the Mosque. Zehra married Samud only a month after his return. The simple ceremony, attended by quite a number of the town, helped relations improve, as distrust over Samud’s initial guidance faded.

  Peace patted Samud’s back, suddenly reluctant to leave the young man alone in what was still a dangerous situation. “Keep the bloody horses. I am through being a cowboy. You have my address, and a phone number where I can be reached. Take care of the phone.”

  “I heard your Commander Righter yell at you for giving me the phone,” Samud smiled, as he drew back. “Are you sure it is wise to leave me with such valuable equipment?”

  “I cleared it with some other people I deal with, who will wish to keep in touch with you. They will need to keep track of your progress,” Peace explained. “I believe they may have some plans for you higher than a small town leader.”

  “My friend and I have much yet to do,” Samud replied, and then laughed. “What do these people see for me, President of Iran?”

  “Stranger things have happened. First, Karzi was a leader in Afghanistan, and then he became President.”

  “I will have a State dinner party in your honor once I am sworn in,” Samud joked, raising his voice because of the helicopter approach.

  “I’ll hold you to it,” Peace replied, taking up his equipment bag as the helicopter touched down.

  Tony walked up and saluted Samud, who returned the gesture happily. The two men shook hands, and Tony gave up his bag to one of the helicopter crew before climbing aboard. He turned then, taking Peace’s equipment. Peace climbed aboard before turning to face Samud as the copter lifted off.

  “I will never forget you guys, my very good friends,” Samud shouted in English and waved.

  Tony and Peace waved in return, both men wondering if their young comrade would live out the year. As the helicopter changed heading, they went further into the bay where the early winter chill lessened. They had joked with each other about being home for Christmas; but Thanksgiving had came and went, leaving only a couple more weeks left before Christmas.

  “Hi guys,” a hooded figure called up to them from where he sat, the hood of his parka obscuring his face.

  Peace peered under the hood curiously. He smiled, and stepped back to salute formally, with Tony taking his cue to do the same. Dan gave them a nonchalant return salute, and gestured for them to sit down.

  “You guys don’t smell too bad for being in the bush this long,” Dan kidded them, sniffing the air.

  “What brings you on a simple pickup, Sir?” Tony asked uneasily, after seeing who it was. “You could have waited until Peace and I made it back to base. You miss us that much?”

  “We ain’t going home yet, are we?” Peace asked rhetorically, leaning against the bulkhead with a deep sigh.

  “We have a small problem to clear up before we can leave, kids,” Dan acknowledged with a grin. “What the heck, we’re having the adventure of a lifetime, right?”

  “Hoo-ya.” The two Seals replied in chorus, deliberately making it sound like a funeral dirge.

  Dan laughed. “Yep, that’s about how the rest of us reacted. The team’s waiting for us at a beautiful little vacation spot, near the city of Mashhad.”

  “Jesus, that’s almost in Afghanistan,” Peace remarked. “What the hell’s going on there?”

  “We thought we were going home,” Tony added. “We thought this was the end of it.”

  “Doin’ good ain’t got no end,” Dan replied in a gruff voice, imitating the villain in the movie The Outlaw Josey Wales.

  Peace recognized the reference from their favorite western movie, and laughed as he nodded in appreciation.

  “Everyone else in Iran, but for a select few, thinks we’re pulling out too. Seal Team Six is scheduled to depart stateside immediately,” Dan explained.

  “How do I get in that outfit,” Peace grinned, shaking his head at Tony. “Oh, wait a minute, I am in that outfit.”

  “Very funny,” Dan said, as Tony laughed. “They have it on excellent intel a high up prick in Al Queda has become the mayor of Mashhad. He finagled himself into power right after Tehran fell, buying his way to the top.”

  “You mean like Tony and I did,” Peace commented, ducking a smack from Dan, aimed at the back of his head.

  “The people there think he was a big shot leader in the resistance,” Dan continued, pointing a warning finger at Peace. “Dave has people there, he trusts implicitly, and they have confirmed his identity. If Queda gets another foothold in a city as large as Mashhad, we’re in trouble.”

  “So, Dave’s thinking a long range postcard, and leave before they figure out who did the special delivery?” Peace asked.

  “If it were up to Dave, we’d yank the guy, and see if we could keep him howling for death until after the first of the year,” Dan answered. “The guy tortured and mutilated two women Dave had doing a little point work for us in Esfahan before the start of the war. They were dismembered and set afire at the end. Dave received a camcorder tape with their deaths on it through CIA.”

  “Ahhhh… the religion of peace shines once more,” Tony said derisively under his breath. “I vote we yank him out and let Dave have him.”

  “He’s always in a crowd, and there would be significant casualties,” Dan replied. “Whether we tried to capture him, or we just used a Predator to send a Hellfire missile up his ass, a lot of people would die around him. The new government in Tehran has the people thinking the war is over. They don’t want a hornets’ nest stirred up in one of their largest cities. If he appears one day, grows an extra couple of openings in his head, no muss, no fuss, the people of Mashhad will just think the shooter’s a former radical, stirring things up.”

  “Do we know this clown?” Tony asked.

  “Hassan Fattah,” Dan answered, smiling.

  Peace and Tony both groaned, recognizing a name they had been briefed on since before the mission started.

  “Jesus, I’ve heard that guy was dead twenty times already,” Tony muttered.

  “I believe when Peace sees him at five hundred yards, Mr. Fattah will finally be put to rest,” Dan replied. “Makes you wonder, doesn’t it, how come all those nice innocent folks in Mashhad don’t recognize this Queda celebrity?”

  “It sounds like a great place to try out that new tunneling, underground nuclear missile they added to the arsenal a while back,” Peace added, “and let us go on home to do more important things, like string Christmas lights.”

  “Oh, hell yea!” Tony exclaimed, bumping fists with Peace. “When Tunneling Tina gets through with Hassan, what’s left of that boy’s cosmic dust will just slide right into hell with the rest of his crew.”

  “And the innocents, Petty Officer Chin, you yellow devil?” Dan asked, provoking first laughter, followed by Peace and Tony eyeing each other.

  Both Seals began rubbing their fists at their eyes, shoulders heaving, complete with fake sobs of disgust. This time it was Dan’s turn to laugh.

  “The citizens of Mashhad are like the folks you just left,” Dan pointed out sternly. “How can you two be so callous?”

  �
�We’re so… so ashamed,” Tony whined comically, continuing his eye rubbing. “Aren’t we, Peace?”

  “Oh yes, Brother Chin,” Peace continued his fake sobs. “Please forgive us our callousness, Lieutenant Commander Righter, please?”

  “See, this is what the cursed short-timer’s virus does to otherwise gentle, caring killers,” Dan said, looking up, with his hands held in supplication, as if in a plea to heaven. “Wave home in their faces, and they want to nuke whole cities from orbit.”

  “Ah… underground,” Tony corrected, eliciting a slap in the head from his commander.

  “So, anyway, the further away we are, the better?” Peace said, returning to business.

  “Yea, but there is a small problem of access if we get too far away. You’re good, Peace; but we have to get you to a place you can at least get a shot off, with a clear view, and a near one hundred percent chance of success.”

  “Dave must have great intel for him to know this guy’s movements well enough to predict where he’ll be making appearances,” Peace said thoughtfully. “If he has people that close, why not go for a close in shot.”

  “It would be suicide. This clown travels with a retinue of fifteen to twenty heavily armed guards,” Dan told them.

  “Peace took out that Cleric in the middle of hundreds,” Tony said, clapping Peace on the back. “This would be a stroll in the park for him.”

  “I know all about his antics from Ibrim, and Bull. He’s already used up enough luck from that escapade to make it a dead bang certainty he would end up full of holes on this mission. Besides, like I told you, collateral damage must be held to a minimum. Throwing grenades into a crowd to distract the guards will not be in the rules of engagement this time,” Dan retorted good-naturedly.

  “Do we get to go home after this one?” Peace asked cautiously.

  “You guys really did catch short-time blues, didn’t you?” Dave asked, shaking his head. “First the nuke comments, now the whining for home. The two of you thought you’d be getting into your civvies for the ride back to the base, huh?”

  “I got it bad,” Peace admitted.

  “Guilty as charged,” Tony added.

  Dan sighed deeply, nodding in commiseration. “We were so short, I was down to counting seconds to liftoff.”

  The three Seals shared a laugh, and Dan took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

  “One other thing,” Dan added, “If you can put a few extra holes in the heads of as many of those dangerous assholes he’s got around him, the less likely they get to step up into his boots.”

  “How long on the shooting gallery?” Peace asked.

  “Dave thinks two minutes, then things will get dicey.”

  “You said there were fifteen to twenty guards. What do I do with the minute I’ll have left over?” Peace joked, drawing laughter from his friends.

  The three Seals sat quietly for a moment before Tony slapped his forehead, and leaned back heavily.

  “I was so short the ants were pissin’ on me.”

  __

  The three Seals repelled to the ground expertly, with Tony in the lead. He disengaged, and was instantly covering the area with his MAC 10, his night vision goggles in place. Dan followed next, with Peace last off, carrying his extra gear and ammunition. Seconds later, the helicopter moved away.

  “Hello, boys, we’re baaaaaaaaaack,” Dan whispered into his com gear comically.

  Dusty apparitions rose out of the landscape as if the earth disgorged them. The rest of Seal Team Six jogged over to their comrades, exchanging relieved greetings with the two team members they had not seen in months. Dave pulled Dan off to the side, easing into a relaxed crouch on the ground, as the two men scanned the area around them for any sign the helicopter had drawn attention.

  “Any trouble, Commander?” Dave asked formally.

  “Just a long ride, Sir,” Dan replied, as the rest of Seal Team Six joined them.

  “It looks like Peace and Tony went native on us, Sir,” JT Brigham opined jokingly. “Peace always looked like a camel jockey, but I can’t even tell we have Charlie Chan back with us. Are you sure they haven’t converted?”

  “They wanted to nuke Mashhad and go home,” Dan offered with a grin. “What do you think?”

  “Hoo-ya!” JT barked enthusiastically.

  Dave watched the Seals enjoy their small reunion with satisfaction. He entertained the nuke comment himself for a moment with fondness. It had been a long journey in country, this time, for all of them. Even a stray thought about Fattah made Dave’s hands clench in white knuckled fury. Not for the first time, did the CIA liaison wish longingly to be allowed a day alone with the terrorist who had butchered his people.

  “I have word, Fattah will be addressing some of his more avid followers in the square tomorrow afternoon. He plans to have an Al Jazeera moment on camera. It seems the prick has ambitions to move up in the world, and he don’t much care if anyone knows,” Dave broke in. “Peace and I will have to head into the city in a few hours. We better move the Team into position so we can get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long day.”

  “We go in and out alone?” Peace asked.

  “It’s our best chance to avoid detection,” Dave confirmed. “Dan will set up a corridor for us two miles outside the city. We make it that far, even if we have an unexpected entourage, and we’ll be fine.”

  “Ghost on in, Peace, and ghost out,” Nick added. “You make it back to us, and anybody following you will wish we had nuked them.”

  “If you run into any trouble, we’ll be there real quick,” Dan added. “We won’t be hung out to dry. There will be eyes in the sky, and Warthogs ready to sweep in. No one gets left behind, even if the crazies find out what’s going on.”

  “Of course the ideal will be to get in and out without anyone the wiser,” Dave reminded them. “Peace and I can handle ourselves. There will be so much confusion, he and I should be able to drift right out of town without a hitch.”

  “Why not improvise a little, and see if your contacts in the city can get you a ride out, Sir?” Doc suggested.

  “I can’t have any further contact with them for the time being,” Dave replied. “Besides, Fattah has check points on the roads in and out of the city. We’d have a much better chance simply walking out. If they get on to us too quickly, we’ll lay low until nightfall. We will not call for help unless absolutely necessary, is that clear?”

  “Hoo-ya,” came the chorus of affirmations.

  “It may mean a cold wait out here for the rest of you, but we’ll try not to get sidetracked and cause any of you boys discomfort,” Dave added, easing the seriousness of his words. “Let’s move out, kids.”

  Moments later, the Seal Team moved towards their established camp, two miles outside the city of Mashhad. Peace, Tony, and Dan were the most heavily laden of the group, having to pack in all of their gear. The rest of the team had already stashed their equipment at the intended post.

  Doc moved up alongside Peace.

  “How’s the shoulder and ankle?” Doc asked. “You seem to be moving okay.”

  “I’ve been fine, Doc,” Peace answered. “Tony and I’ve been livin’ the Life of Riley. Thanks for sending over the painkillers though with the other supplies. Once in a while at night, I get the aches, mostly in the shoulder.”

  “Yea,” Doc acknowledged. “You’ll have that old friend with you forever, I’m afraid. Want me to carry your pack for you?”

  There were muffled laughs from the Seals who had heard Doc’s jibe.

  “Gee, Doc, would you?” Peace replied quickly, starting to take off his pack.

  “In your dreams, Peace,” Chief Jameson retorted, and then leaned in closer to Peace as they continued on. “We heard from Bull. He’s doing real well.”

  “How come Dan didn’t…” Peace began, but Doc motioned him to silence.

  “We sort of hacked our way around the communication with the outside world ban,” Jameson whispered in reply. “Dan’
s out of the loop on…”

  “Oh really, Chief?” Dan whispered from Doc’s side, where he had crept, causing Jameson to pop up, cursing under his breath at what a boot camp he was.

  “I was just checking on Peace’s old injuries, Sir,” Doc intoned.

  “Yea, uh-huh, and what loop has old Dan been out of?”

  “Could we continue this conversation in the States, Sir?” Doc asked, looking over at Dan uneasily.

  “What have you done, Doc, and what does Bull have to do with it?” Dan asked, ignoring the rest of the team, who had fallen back a few steps from the three.

  “Nick helped us do a com burst into a web site, where Bull came on with us in real time. It was my idea, and we only did it for one minute,” Doc answered reluctantly.

  “Wow, nice going, Doc,” Peace said before Dan could respond.

  “How’s he look?”

  “Don’t encourage him, Peace,” Dan ordered.

  “We went way out into nowhere,” Doc explained. “If anyone had gotten wise to us, they’d have had nothing but empty desert to start from.”

  Dan considered this news, and then shrugged in resignation. “What’s done, is done. How’s he look, Chief?”

  “Great, Sir,” Doc replied with enthusiasm. “He was with Holly and holding the baby. We were going to bring you in on it. He was going to have Jill and Becky with him the next time, with the kids; but then the orders for this party came through.”

  “At least you had the good sense not to screw around after we got word,” Dan said, immediately visualizing all negative possibilities in his mind.

  “I bet it was a good look, huh Doc?” Peace asked with obvious envy.

  “Like a glimpse of heaven, Peace,” Doc agreed. “Sorry, Dan.”

  “Forget it,” Dan waved him off. “It’s in the past, Chief. I would have likely been right beside you when you set up again.”

  “Don’t worry guys. I’ll go on in, lay waste to the city, and we’ll go home and party,” Peace promised.

  “Belay that talk, sailor,” Dave, who had dropped back from his position on point, ordered with mock outrage. “Remember the innocents.”