Covert Commando: A Sam Harper Military Thriller Read online

  Raven took one last look at the open area. "Let's go."

  We filtered down the corridor, single-file.

  I kept my head down, headscarf flopped forward. Contemplating to conceal my face.

  Two guards, presumably to keep each other honest, rather than viewing the harem women as a serious threat, stood on either side of where the thin rock corridor met a larger cavern.

  Each carried an AK-variant with a banana magazine slung over his shoulder.

  I whispered to Raven. "You go first. Once a few feet past, get their attention. I'll take care of the rest." I hoped.

  The rest of us paused slightly behind a curve as she stepped out as if without a care in the world. Strode toward the tangos.

  The guards stared at her. "Omar didn't send for you."

  She didn't break stride. Lifted her duffel. "He told me earlier to bring him these trinkets from my former life as a punishment." Stepped between them.

  They naturally turned to track her as she walked away. I crept forward.

  She stopped. Turned back. Held up the duffel. "Do you want to see?"

  With their attention fixed, I rushed forward. Okay, lugged chains forward as quickly as I could sprint with ten pound ankle weights.

  The guard on the left heard something. He half-turned back.

  I ran the sword into his side, under the ribs.

  He groaned.

  We must escape.

  The other lifted his rifle to level it from vertical to horizontal. Turned toward me.

  The sword hung up in the first guard. He collapsed to the stone floor. I released the hilt.

  Swung the chain connected to my right wrist at the second guard. Whacked him in the face with the end.

  Knocked off balance, he turned too far.

  I swung my left chain.

  He fended it off with the end of his rifle.

  Mistake.

  My chain curled around the barrel. I yanked backward. It slid toward me, and then the chain caught on the iron sights.

  I pulled the barrel to the left. Used my right wrist steel cord to smash him in the neck.

  The chains gave me a significant reach advantage, if a slower one.

  Raven hit him in the back of the head with her duffel. Surprised us both.

  He hunched forward.

  I kicked him in the balls. Sometimes the classics are best.

  He grunted. Folded farther forward, halfway to the floor. Released his rifle, but the strap hung up on his arm.

  Now we were both tangled up with it. No ability to separate, so I kneed his rapidly descending nose.

  It exploded into blood. Got all over my gown.

  Raven kicked him between the shoulder blades.

  It wasn't fair, but she may've had a special grudge for this dude. I kicked him in the face to put him out for good.

  Raven took the dead guard's rifle. Butt-stroked the other on the ear.

  I held up a hand. Gasped in a breath. "I think he's out. Thought I told you to let me handle it?"

  "This one liked to take advantage of his position guarding the women. Omar should've castrated him." She pounded him again in the throat.

  Not sure he'd survive that hit. "Okay. Enough. Get the others." If he ever came to, he'd find breathing difficult.

  While lying around on stone floors, I'd had some spare time to think recently about when it was okay to use force. What made me and the rangers different from Omar. I concluded that what made the violence of my job moral was that people need protection against aggressors and evildoers. A sheepdog against the wolves.

  So I couldn't quibble too hard when a victim punished the guilty herself. In another place and time, I'd cry for her obvious pain, but here, I needed to get through our escape first.

  If she didn't have that right, then how did I on her behalf?

  While she moved back down the corridor, I untangled myself from the second guard's rifle. Checked the bolt. One magazine, no extras.

  Looked like it would fire, but no quiet way to know for sure, so I retrieved the sword.

  The cave in front of us spread out into a wide, zigzag cavern from left to right. Cables ran to an oversized light fixture at the apex of the cave. Looked too large to just be illumination, but no signs of any cameras and maybe the tangos were just poor electricians.

  Shoddy work.

  From what Raven had told me, left, uphill, led to Omar's living area and the other men's barracks. Right, downhill, to a guarded waterfall entrance.

  Raven guided the women up behind me.

  Distant voices echoed from the direction of the men's area. Gradually grew louder.

  Caught between two enemy forces with a bunch of civilians.

  No real place to hide. Now what?

  Chapter Eighteen: Captive Clashes

  Michelle squirmed on her seat in the LCS Johnbee's combat control center. Just couldn't seem to get comfortable in the spartan naval accommodations.

  The new Reaper drone she'd sent ahead of Schnier's helicopter force reached the edge of the island and began sending back signatures of structures, individuals, and vehicles to overlay on the command screen map.

  The ship's commander had told her he wanted this one back when she finished with it, but in her mind, better to risk a drone than a helicopter full of rangers.

  Ideally, Schnier's teams would drop either near the mountain peak and fight their way down. If that area was too hot for even a fast rope exit, tiny Gozar Air station, closed down at night and on the far side of the mountain, would at least provide a known clear location to let the rangers and SAF representative land.

  Gozar also served as the primary pickup location for the mission.

  If they couldn't get good intelligence on the tango's mountain hideaway, and thus not risk flying close to the mountain top, their alternate drop zone was the beach. That should provide the longest range if the mountain-top SAM site remained an active threat.

  The ship's commander had refused to consider bombing the SAM site from his ship. Something about bombarding another country out where everyone could see being considered an act of war, which it'd be difficult to cover-up, even for the Agency.

  Navy pukes! Always sitting on uncomfortable chairs.

  Nothing for her to do now but wait.

  Her electronic mail diverted her attention. Another missive from Hyo-jin to Sam. She'd have to set that girl straight sometime.

  Why not now?

  She started a new email. Let's see. Goals for this operation: Make her believe I'm her friend. Convince her Sam is too busy for their long-distance relationship, which is why he hasn't replied. Point out he has a dangerous job, and she'd just putting him at risk with her demands.

  That if she really loved him, she'd stay far away from him.

  Yeah, that should do it. She wrote the email.

  A masterpiece of disinformation.

  All for Sam's ultimate benefit, right?

  He'd thank her later, if she ever let him know about it.

  The drone reached the air above the mountain. Circled to remain on station. Fed back great information. Red dots everywhere.

  She zoomed in on where the previous missile had come from. What were the odds they'd acquired more than one?

  One-hundred percent, she decided, as a thermal bloom announced another missile launch.

  Prepared this time, the drone operator attempted to dodge.

  Too close. Not fast enough.

  The drone tracked the missile as it approached and then its feed went down.

  The ship's commander was gonna be pissed at more lost hardware. Reapers were what, about $16 million each?

  She'd better call Schnier, halfway to the island by now, and give him the bad news. Looked like the beach landing and long hike would be the only realistic way to fight their way in.

  He deserved to walk, anyway, after their last conversation.

  In the meantime, she'd see what she could get about the target using only the ship's sensors. Maybe they
'd let her have one more drone, if she promised to keep it out of missile range of that SAM site.

  The tangos would have a perimeter set. They'd be expecting someone, after two nights of drone hits.

  Waiting in defensive positions.

  Hitting a target blind in the middle of the night was like drawing to an inside straight. Not something you typically wanted to do on purpose, but occasionally the only option you had remaining.

  * * *

  Pahk admired the footwork of one of Omar's men. He skidded around the corner to interrupt their final drink together.

  "Allahu Akbar! We've taken down another infidel drone."

  Omar frowned at the interruption, but then grinned at the news. "Your weapons are getting great use."

  Pahk nodded. "It seems you haven't discouraged them enough yet."

  Omar shrugged. "Who knows how long they've been monitoring us from the skies. At least now, we can fight back. Make things expensive for them. The exchange ratio severely favors us."

  "Their resources are closer to limitless, if they decide to bring them all to bear." Pahk held up his cup of Stainless. "But I congratulate you on your victories over the imperialists!"

  Omar stood. "Let's go congratulate our watchmen in person."

  "What if this is a prelude for an assault? Might they not be coming to rescue our prisoner? They clearly at least suspect he may be here."

  "If not, the practice will help defend against a future genuine attack." Omar turned to his soldier. "Gather the off-duty men. Arm them from the armory and meet us at the entrance to the men's quarters. We'll celebrate on top of the mountain."

  Pahk nodded and smiled, but he was more worried about how an assault would impact his departure with the captive and making sure his ride didn't leave without him, rather than about how to celebrate Omar's minor victory over what was in the end, just a machine.

  It didn't matter if the jihadists made it through alive, as long as Pahk brought his captive to Admiral Hu.

  * * *

  Raven turned her head like her namesake to isolate the voices in the distance.

  They came up the zigzag cavern from the men's quarters. Macho talk from Soldiers of Islam gathering outside the entrance there.

  She and Sam looked at each other.

  Sam pointed down toward the waterfall exit. "Let's go. Now!"

  She led the way through the maze of rock openings and corridors. Followed the path she'd taken with Omar in the past.

  Sam stayed right on her heels, peering ahead into the gloom.

  The other ten women tracked behind them.

  She winced every time one of them stomped too hard, or bumped into another. Way too much noise.

  Just before the last curve, Raven held up her hand to stop them all. "The steel door, barred from the inside, is here. Normally at least one guard to let people in. There's an opening where he can see and hear outside."

  In fact, she could hear the splash of the waterfall outside.

  Sam glanced around the corner. Ducked back. "Too far away for the quiet approach. Much to likely to hear us coming. How plausible is it that you'd be sent outside by yourself?"

  By herself? He was kidding, right? "Never."

  Shouts from behind them. Near the women's quarters. They'd obviously found the bodies.

  Omar's men would surely be here in moments.

  "Well, that tears it. Come on."

  Sam put his rifle to his shoulder. Turned the corner. Fired twice.

  Raven followed, looking for a target. She hadn't grown up in Texas for nothin'. A guard slumped to the ground.

  Sam swung his barrel to the left and fired twice more.

  The other guard, in the middle of turning around, crumpled to the ground.

  "Get the women outside. Up the mountain, not down. Find some place to hide." He took up a position at the corner, where the others could pass him, but he could guard the cave corridor.

  "But shouldn't we…"

  "Quick! No time to argue."

  She led the others out. Unbarred and pushed open the steel door. Slipped out from behind the waterfall. Onto the trail around the pool.

  Ten women followed, cowed into compliance by suddenness of the gunfire.

  "This will be difficult, but you can do it. Help the woman behind you over the rough spots."

  Rather than taking the path around the pool, or the continuance past the waterfall and up the mountain, Raven chose a bare patch of rock to climb on this side of the falls.

  She rested at each ledge and helped the woman behind her to climb up. Repeated the action a dozen times to reach thirty feet or so up the mountain.

  By the time the oldest woman was halfway up, Sam appeared. Clambered quickly after them. Pushed her the rest of the way.

  Above the top of the waterfall, the land evened out. A slight slope, but one where the stream feeding the falls could flow normally.

  The frequently used trail to the top of the mountain, easier going, ran along the other side of the stream. They weren't visible from below, but they'd need to remain quiet.

  Raven shushed them with a finger to her lips and then motioned them all away from the stream. Pressed into the brush and jungle trees. Thorny, but out of sight from the trail.

  Sam lay under a bush next to the cliff. Kept watch.

  Raven crawled out to him. Whispered, "Now what?"

  He shushed her. Pointed down below.

  Pahk and Omar, with about twenty armed men, gathered in a semi-circle on the trail around the waterfall.

  Omar pointed back inside the cave system. "You three investigate the women's quarters. See if they're safe; clear the area and then post guards at their entrance and here."

  Pahk interjected. "This must be the work of the prisoner, but if they can confirm he's gone…"

  Omar nodded. "Send word of what you find."

  The three men closest to the waterfall entrance vanished beneath the water.

  Raven mimed a hand-pistol to Sam. Mouthed "bang bang" and pointed at Omar.

  Sam shook his head. Pointed at his partially empty magazine, and then at her rifle. Held up his ten fingers and then silently counted them down rapidly.

  His message was clear. Not enough powder propelled projectiles to get them all. He wasn't suicidal.

  "You." Down below, Omar split out two-thirds of the remaining group. "Spread out. Search for whoever did this on your way, but then reinforce the perimeter ambushes. This can't distract us from the possibility of an attack. Those drones didn't send themselves."

  "Allahu Akbar!" they shouted in unison and then departed at a jog along the trail system.

  An attack? I knew Schnier would come for me eventually, but what if they were on their way right now?

  Even if Schnier's rangers had to face Omar's mountain fortress without me, right now I had to lead these women to safety.

  "The rest follow me." Omar led his jihadists along the trail past the waterfall.

  His group hiked up the mountain trail toward the peak, with Pahk, the only one without a rifle, in the rear.

  Raven turned back to the group of women, who watched her closely. Once again, she held an upright finger to her lips, and then pointed at the trail across the stream.

  As long as they didn't splash across and investigate, they should be safe.

  If they made too much noise, Raven and Sam would find out how many remained once they ran out of ammo.

  Chapter Nineteen: Captive Battles

  Pahk stumbled up the mountain trail after Omar and his men. There was no need for him to be here. He just wanted to take the captive ranger and go.

  At this rate, he might miss his boat. How long would that crazy bitch of a boat driver wait for him, anyway?

  They were trying to stay covert, not end up in the middle of a firefight.

  If this went on much longer, he'd just quietly cut out. He could explain to Omar later. Who was to say he didn't just get lost?

  With the stream on their left, the path w
as steep, but easy to follow. Only a few switchbacks, it'd been designed for mountain goats rather than men.

  At least they didn't need to carve their way out of the jungle.

  At the top, within the chest-high walls of stone surrounding their redoubt, Pahk slid over to a dark corner near the reloads to nurse the remains of his drink.

  He'd brought the bottle and sucked down the liquid courage straight from the lip.

  This beat leading conscripts with no rations except a tiny portion of rice back in Korea, but he missed Soju.

  Omar scanned the skies with one of the missile tube's passive infrared sensors. He swept the low horizon.

  "What's that, Pahk?" Omar turned around to scan for his supplier. "Come here and take a look."

  Pahk gingerly stepped across the rocky ground. Checked out the display as Omar pointed it down the mountain, past the shore.

  "Helicopter exhausts. Two different birds, but at extreme range."

  Omar handed him the weapon. "Keep it tracking the first one."

  Pahk could do this. He did his best work with a little bit of a buzz on. Not the first time he'd been to the range loaded.

  One of the men handed Omar the second SAM tube. He stepped to the side. Started it off in the same direction as Pahk aimed his. "Tracking the second one."

  Pahk peered at the rangefinder. Eight kilometers. "Just barely out of range. But closing fast."

  Omar's teeth shone in the dark. "Now these are targets worthy of my Flying Eagles. Prepare to fire on my command."

  * * *

  Schnier rumbled through the air in the rear of the lead MH-60 Seahawk. Strapped into a harness which gave him limited, but secure, movement around the heated cabin.

  He leaned against left-side cabin pillar and watched the water rush past 100 feet below. Ran through their mission keys and time-line in his head.

  Visualized flying back with Sam.

  Dude would probably insist on surfing back to the ship instead of flying.

  Mission review drove Michelle and Raven out of his head.

  The shore loomed a couple of klicks ahead.

  A klaxon blared from the cockpit. Missile alert!

  Larrikowal, seated next to Schnier for easy consultation, clenched his straps.

  The pilot threw the helicopter to the side.