He was sitting against a wall, his ankles zip-tied and his wrists bound behind his back. They had used his zip ties. His chest ached where the big man had kicked him. They had also removed his hood.
He felt for the sheathed OTF knife on the inside of his belt beneath his shirt. Still there.
He peeked sideways. Charlie was sitting a few feet to his left, blood on the front of his jacket near his left shoulder. Charlie’s head rested on his chest so Bender couldn’t tell if he was alive, but he was zip-tied with his hood also removed.
He grimaced. He prided himself on choosing successful strategies, yet his tactics to assault the cabin would result in Charlie’s death. A price he was going to have to pay too.
The idea of not returning to Carol and Rachel was harder to swallow. His obsession with protecting the innocent—a value he had mirrored from his career-military father—would ruin a good life, turning it into shambles for his wife and daughter.
He imagined Rachel’s face upon hearing he was dead. He had never let her do caves alone, even easy ones, and he worried how his death would affect her self-confidence. For a moment he also wondered how he had assumed his family was worth the risk of the Op. Suddenly he acutely understood Carol’s perception that he should put his family first.
He took several deep breaths and buried his concerns. They hadn’t killed him yet so he had a chance.
His daily virtual reality training was built around defeating the Kobayashi Maru test principle. He believed there was always a way out of seemingly impossible situations and used the VR training to practice endless variations to hone skill sets for Ops. He also had excellent improvisational skills.
Thus he focused on his own advice when a plan went bad; Stay calm, assess options, look for a solution.
He snuck a quick glance up.
Four terrorists sat around the table, murmuring in Arabic. Six terrorists in total, not three. His dead captive had omitted that fact. His ringing ears didn’t pick up everything, but he knew a fair amount of the language. They were talking about leaving soon.
The large man he had fought resembled the photograph Danker had shown him of the Albanian. He appeared solid, dependable, but not the brains behind this group. The other three men had been missing from Danker’s photos. One had a moustache and was lean with curly hair.
The other two men were Middle Eastern in appearance. Light brown skin. Both had an air of authority and experience. Lean, fit, and confident. One wore glasses.
The man with glasses had hit him outside with a rifle butt, and the other had shot at him from the porch. The two men looked like brothers, and the leaders—the other two were staring at them deferentially.
All four men were in their mid-to-late twenties, wearing jeans, hiking boots, and green windbreakers over flannel shirts. ISIS usually recruited well-educated single men who were students, either unemployed or with low-paying jobs. ISIS recruits also weren’t experts in the Quran. Easier to brainwash.
He had to bury his anger over Blackhood’s poor intel about the number of terrorists. The other three must have come in separately.
He glanced around the cabin. The small interior was well-lit by sunshine and had worn pine floors. A door to his right was closed. Bedroom most likely. Next along the back wall was the rear exit door, another open door beyond it—revealing a tiled floor. Probably the bathroom. Then another closed door. Probably a second bedroom.
Bender wondered if the girl was in one of the bedrooms, and if she was still alive. It would be horrible if she was locked up in the same room that held her father’s body.
If the girl was still alive, he couldn’t imagine the hell she was feeling—that Rachel would feel if he didn’t return.
The small kitchen across the room at the south side only had a sink and tiny counter. A small couch and table were in the middle of the room.
He realized the terrorists had shot the old man and woman to lure him and Charlie into a trap. Glancing up again, he focused on the two men who looked like brothers. The one with glasses sat calmly, while his brother had animated hands and a strident voice. Possibly a hothead.
Weapons and spare magazines were piled on the table, including his and Charlie’s, along with their communication gear. He caught more words about making the calls, but not enough for any new insights.
The man with glasses had a phone on the table plugged into a portable charger. The phone rang, and he answered immediately and listened without talking. He nodded to his associates, speaking three words in Arabic: It has arrived. He talked into the phone, but then looked at it, his eyes narrowing. He added garbage in Arabic, unplugged the phone charger, and tossed it against a wall.
Abruptly the man rose and walked up to Bender, holding a fixed-blade knife in one hand.
“Let’s kill him, Elias,” spat the mustached man from the table.
“Not yet.” Elias kicked Bender hard in the side.
Bender grunted, his back sliding a few inches along the wall. He had been expecting it.
Elias leaned over and punched him in the face next.
Bender went with the blow, just enough to lessen the impact, but not enough for Elias to notice. Allowing his head to droop against his chest, he gave the impression that he had lost consciousness for a moment. Maybe it would end the attack.
“That’s for hurting my friend, Dev.” Elias squatted and held up Bender’s chin, placing the tip of his knife beneath Bender’s right eye. “Do you like the turn of events? You get one chance to avoid more pain.” He smiled grimly. “Answer if you understand.”
“Sure,” he mumbled.
“What’s your name?”
“Al.”
Elias nodded. “Of course, Al. Our names are real too. It’s convenient you carry no ID. Who do you work for?”
Bender decided to keep quiet to see how far they would take things.
Elias patted Bender’s face. “Perhaps you have high pain tolerance.” He looked over his shoulder at the mustached man. “Adam.”
Adam got up from the table with Bender’s silenced Glock in his left hand. He stopped in front of Charlie and pointed the gun at his chest.
Charlie groaned and mumbled, “Don’t give them anything.”
Adam lifted the Glock a fraction, his trigger finger tightening.
“Wait!” said Bender.
Elias pushed the knife point harder against his cheek. “Who do you work for?”
Bender retreated from the pain, not allowing it to take over his thoughts. “U.S. military.”
Elias eased up on the knife. “We already knew that, but it is good to have you verify it. What else do you know?”
Bender wanted confirmation on the terrorists’ goal. “Your guide said the three phone contacts were for a major terrorist attack with liquid VX.”
“You probably thought he was weak to give you that information, didn’t you?” Elias spoke calmly. “Our friend volunteered to go out and perhaps get caught to lure you in.”
Bender was glad Elias had confirmed the VX story, but he readjusted his view of the terrorist he had killed. The man had performed his role superbly. “Why risk losing your guide?”
“He was the least committed and thought he could escape.” Elias shrugged. “We have a compass, and my brother has an excellent sense of direction. Out of everyone, our guide was the most expendable. Our friend in the boat was our second choice.”
Bender believed him. The four in the cabin all appeared dedicated.
Adam stepped closer, pointing the Glock at Bender. “He has nothing we need.”
“Patience, Adam.” Elias waited calmly until Adam lowered the gun, and then turned back to Bender. “They were foolish to send only three of you.”
“Are you sure there’s only three of us?” asked Bender.
Elias smirked. “I would have been shot outside if anyone else was in the woods.” He cocked his head. “I want to know your extraction process.”
“Walking out on our own, just like we came in.”
&
nbsp; “I don’t believe you. You most likely flew into a lake or drove in. You needed some means to cross the river. Which means you’re probably leaving the same way. I want to know where and when.” He pushed the point of the knife slightly into Bender’s cheek.
A drop of blood rolled down Bender’s face, but he didn’t react. Closing his eyes, he pushed the pain into a compartment where it wouldn’t drive him crazy.
If he gave them the correct information, his boat pickup driver would be at risk. Still, he began to see a way to keep himself alive a little longer. “I’m traveling south by southwest ten clicks. There’s a boat tied up that I can use to cross the river. Then it’s another ten clicks to a road and a car.”
The pressure of the knife against his face ended. Bender opened his eyes.
“Good job.” Elias shrugged and stood up. “Unfortunately we don’t have any further need of you. Dev, get the girl. It’s time to kill her too.”
The big bald man walked to the nearest door, opening it and going inside.
“You need a boat to cross the river.” Bender looked up at Elias. “And my boat is hidden.”
Elias shrugged. “We’ll find our boat or yours. Or we’ll swim.”
“It’s a risk. And the water’s frigid.”
Elias didn’t respond.
Panic. Bender kept it off his face. He could use the OTF knife to cut himself free, but not fast enough before they would shoot him. He could kick Elias, smash his knee, and hurt their leader’s ability to move. But he wanted to live. He raced through lies that might make him valuable to them.
In seconds Dev dragged out the girl, holding her wrist.
The first thing Bender recognized was the girl’s strength. That surprised him. He had assumed she would be frightened and meek, but her free hand was a fist. However, her lip was trembling and he saw sadness in her eyes—what he would expect to see from Rachel if he didn’t return. Small, she had an athletic frame and wore jeans, tennis shoes, and a blue blouse. Her shoulder-length brown hair was in disarray.
The girl bit her lip as she stared at Bender. Maybe ten years old. A bruise had formed on the left side of her face. Someone had slapped her hard.
Seeing the girl’s pain reinforced his determination to survive for her. And he couldn’t leave his daughter in the same situation either—without a father.
Dev walked the girl over and shoved her to the floor. She flopped down beside Bender, huddling against his side.
Adam raised the Glock.
Bender spoke fast. “I’ll take you to my boat. It’s not easy to find. You can use it to get into the U.S. A car is waiting on the other side.”
“I don’t believe you would betray your country so easily.” Elias regarded him. “I think you’ll lead us into a trap.”
“I have a daughter. I want to stay alive.” He allowed some desperation into his eyes and voice. “Your plan to get into the U.S. is compromised. If we fail, they plan to capture you at the border. They know your entry point.” He didn’t think they would buy it, but he wanted to create worry.
The big man at the table spoke in Arabic, and Elias turned to him and responded. The slender man at the table added some comments, also in Arabic.
Bender caught the words liar and kill them. He was prepared for that.
Elias faced Bender again. “I’m afraid my friends think you are too dangerous.” He stepped back, and Adam sneered and aimed the Glock at him.
Bender looked at Elias. “Having a child hostage is to your benefit.”
Elias shook his head. “The girl will slow us down.”
The solution came to Bender then, and he spoke quickly, his desperation obvious now. “You can zip-tie her to me. I can’t run away or fight you if I’m carrying her.”
The men all regarded him in silence as he kept talking. “I won’t slow you down, and this way you have a child hostage in case you run into any more of my people. And I can guarantee a boat.”
Adam hesitated and glanced at Elias.
“Interesting.” Elias retreated to the table with Adam, where the four of them whispered in Arabic again.
Finished, Elias walked up to Bender. “All right. You’re going with us. But we cannot take your friend in the condition he is in.” He looked at Adam.
“Leave him here,” said Bender. “He won’t be found for weeks. He’ll bleed out anyway.”
“Too risky.” Elias lifted his chin to Adam.
Bender swallowed, unable to think of any other way to save Charlie. He nodded to the girl. “She doesn’t have to see this.”
“She already witnessed her parents being killed.” Elias’ eyes held no empathy. “So I doubt it matters.”
Before Bender could react, Adam casually stepped forward and shot Charlie twice in the chest—he fell sideways to the floor. The girl buried her face in Bender’s shirt.
Bender stared at Charlie, guilt sweeping him. He had lost men on missions in Afghanistan, but to do it here as team leader hit him harder.
“Your turn is coming.” Adam pointed the Glock at him. “Both of you.”
Bender visualized shooting him in the chest.
Chapter 5
Adam held the Glock on Bender, while Dev aimed a P90 at him.
“Stand up and face the wall,” ordered Elias.
Bender pulled his knees close to his chest, and then used his hands and legs to slowly push himself up the wall until he was standing. He pivoted on his feet to face the wall, his wrists still bound behind his back.
Elias lifted up the girl, his hands beneath her armpits. “Okay, girl, put your feet through his arms and wrap your arms around his neck.”
Bender felt the girl’s added weight as she clasped her hands beneath his chin, her legs gripping his waist. She was light. He was thankful for that. His chest ached from the exertions.
Elias used a zip tie to bind the girl’s wrists together in front of Bender’s neck, and another one to tie her ankles together. Bender wouldn’t be able to throw her off, nor brace her weight with his arms. Elias cut his ankle zip tie.
Bender slowly spread his legs and adjusted to the girl’s weight. Manageable.
“Dev and Adam, take up the rear,” said Elias. “Kaysan and I will lead.”
Kaysan was already opening the back door. Oddly, he carried no gun but held Bender’s sling bag. Elias strode out after him with Charlie’s HK416 and sling bag. Bender followed, passing Adam who carried his Rattler, with a Glock and knife in his belt.
Dev took up the rear, holding a P90 with a Glock stuck in his belt.
Bender noted none of the terrorists were carrying explosives or grenades. They had lied about that too.
As they crossed the grass to the forest, he turned his head slightly and whispered, “What’s your name?”
“Lydia,” whispered the girl.
“You’re very brave, Lydia.” He caught her eye. “I’ll keep you safe.” He wanted to soothe her, but he also needed her to trust him if he wanted any chance to escape.
Elias turned his head as he walked. “Keep talking and I’ll shoot both of you.”
Bender clamped his lips shut.
They made a weaving line through the first fifty yards of woods. Bender guessed that was to avoid claymores—he actually spotted one covered with leaves.
Lydia’s weight forced him to bend forward a little to help keep her centered on his back. She held on tightly with her legs so his arms didn’t have to bear her weight. He wondered how long she would be able to keep that up. If her legs tired, she would be forced to cling to his neck with her arms or he would be forced to bend over farther so her weight didn’t choke him. He would have to act as soon as possible.
Elias stopped them and held a compass in front of Bender. “Direction to your exit point.”
He decided to take them a hundred yards south of his canoe so they wouldn’t find it, but close enough if he had to make a run for it. “Directly west by southwest,” he said.
Elias regarded him. “Then we’ll go
southwest.”
Bender stared at him steadily. “I’d be a fool to lie.”
“And I would be a fool to believe you.”
Dev said something in Arabic, and Elias responded.
Bender caught the word river and kill. They planned to kill him and the girl after they reached the river. Clouds were moving in from the west. Rain could work to his advantage.
Kaysan walked away for a few minutes, returning with Brad’s Rattler, Glock, and knife. Then he and Elias strode briskly ahead, everyone moving in single file.
Bender kept up with their quick pace, his mind searching for options. Against four armed men he would have no chance in a fight while he was carrying Lydia. Running with the girl was doable, but even with a diversion the men would gun him down.
He had watched all four men, the way they carried themselves. Kaysan and Elias probably had training in fighting. Dev was strong, but not as dangerous, his movements slower. From what he had seen earlier, Adam looked average in ability.
The only chance he had was to get a gun. That meant he had to have a diversion, cut the zip tie on his wrists, and attack one of the men before the others could react. At first his strategy seemed impossible, but a plan began forming in his mind. It involved elements of movements he had practiced regularly in the virtual reality sims.
He estimated three to four hours to reach the river so he needed to be ready for the right terrain that would give him a high chance of success. He would have only seconds to use the OTF knife, but he had practiced with it repetitively.
Occasionally he spotted chickadees, nuthatches, and squirrels. A few woodpeckers hammered trees in the distance.
The wildlife again reminded him of Rachel and their hikes. It also made him wish he could talk to Lydia, to comfort her and bring some normalcy into the chaos that was now her life. She was quiet, but every now and then he turned his head to catch her eyes and wink at her. After a few times she winked back. He admired her spirit.
The sky clouded over and rain seemed imminent.
He slowed his pace enough to allow Elias and Kaysan to get a little farther ahead, but not enough to spur Dev or Adam to complain as they followed him.
Balance of Trust Page 3