Covert Commando: A Sam Harper Military Thriller Page 17

  Couldn't be helped if they were to remain undetected until it was too late.

  They waded next to the river bank. Kept their weapons high and dry. Short steps, only shifting their weight once their forward foot was secure on the edge of the river bottom.

  He led the way into the slow current, one foot at a time. Round rocks. Sucking mud. Tangled weeds.

  Slow progress, but enough.

  As they departed, Maria began arming and tossing her squad's smoke canisters upwind from the enemy bunker's face.

  White filled the air between them. The enemy's fire expanded, as if they could keep them at bay by filling the obscured air with bullets.

  Larrikowal edged into wire netting, attached to a post embedded in the river bank and set just under the water level.

  Good thing they didn't hit that at speed in the boats!

  No easy way underneath, so he crawled out of the water and lay on the bank. Inched his way forward, past the netting, and then slid his legs back into the water.

  Pointed it out to the man behind him, so he could do the same. "Pass it on."

  Turned upriver to continue. Moved faster now. He'd have to risk his footing.

  The smoke would eventually dissipate. The enemy would lose interest. Get nervous that Maria's force hadn't assaulted them yet.

  Wonder what else might be going on. Couldn't have that!

  He reached a slight bend where the water cut into the bank's curve. A broad-leafed tree jutted almost over the river, its thick roots exposed by the water eating away soil.

  This would have to do. He held his rifle in one hand and crossed himself with the other. Looked back at the string of soldiers behind him in the water.

  Pointed at the roots, and then at the top of the bank.

  They nodded silently.

  He slung his rifle over his shoulder. Needed both hands for this.

  Grasped a pair of exposed roots. Dug his soaked boots into the bank.

  Climbed.

  Boots on roots. Hands dug into the topsoil.

  Lifted. Grabbed a branch. Pulled.

  Used the thick tree trunk for cover.

  Smoke ahead and to the left marked the front of the bunker, where it faced Maria's squad. A string of trees and brush led from his position to its upstream flank.

  This might actually work!

  Flashes from the bunker's firing ports marked their attempts to suppress her.

  He helped the next man up behind him. Made sure the rest were moving. Pointed at the side of the bunker.

  Ran along the tree-line. Dodged bushes. Partial cover and concealment. Safe as long as they didn't notice him.

  Maria's smoke in the air helped conceal him from the enemy.

  He stopped opposite the bunker's side. Twenty meters away. A low door, thick plywood, set into the ground at the bottom of dirt steps.

  Caught his breath.

  His four men arrived behind him. They stacked up behind a tree, ready for an assault.

  Larrikowal tossed his own smoke grenade. Landed it just past the corner, in front of the bunker.

  The signal.

  Maria's squad opened up with everything they had. Poured fire into the bunker's front.

  Distracted the occupants.

  He sprinted forward. Four men on his heels.

  No defensive fire.

  Adrenaline pounded in his ears. He calmed his breathing.

  They reached the side of the bunker. One man placed a breaching charge vertically on the door. Another reached around the corner and tossed a grenade into the opening. "Frag out!"

  The rest of them ducked behind the concrete block backside.

  Two explosions, almost in unison, one inside, the other penetrating where the door's hinges used to be.

  Larrikowal spun back to the door. Pounded it down with a slosh of his boot heel.

  Shot the first man he spotted moving inside.

  The next enemy moved in slow motion. Raised his rifle. Aimed it directly at Larrikowal. The barrel gaped open.

  Pakshet!

  * * *

  Schnier stood with his back against the rock cliff. Flipped his NVG down in front of his eyes. Activated the IR illuminator to see better in the dark.

  The waterfall overhead poured down, obliterating sounds. Sprayed mountain spring water into the air. Not enough to soak, but refreshing, like from a spray bottle in the rodeo stands.

  He held up three fingers. Showed them to the lucky squad leader who'd been in on their planning, and then to Sam, opposite him next to the vision opening for the corridor behind the waterfall's hidden steel door.

  The squad's Alpha and Bravo Teams, four rangers in each, waited just out of the blast zone.

  Sam pulled the pin on a round M67 grenade. Held the spoon tight against his palm.

  The squad leader similarly readied a Mk3 concussion grenade. Even deadlier within solid enclosed spaces.

  His demo guy removed the dust cover from his two ignition system switches, each separately wired to electric blasting caps; long, thin metal pencils embedded in the C4 cutting charge on the door.

  Alpha Team stacked up behind Schnier, ready to push forward once they blasted the way clear.

  He silently counted them down by closing each finger in turn.

  Three… Two… One… "Execute!"

  "Frag out!"

  "Fire in the hole!"

  The demo guy clacked off his electric triggers; the cutting charge detonation drowned out all other sound.

  Boom! The charge cut out a man-sized hole in the center of the door, which dropped inward.

  Excellent precision.

  Two more loud pops as the flash bang and frag grenade exploded.

  Thank Uncle Sam for active ear protection!

  A rattle of metal fragments ricocheted off the stone walls inside.

  Watkins, the first ranger through the hole in the door, flowed right, his back to the stone wall. He scanned for targets to eliminate any threats.

  Schnier exercised his privilege of rank and entered just behind him. Checked past the two tangos crumpled to the floor just inside the door. Flowed left along the wall with the opening they'd thrown grenades through.

  No live targets. "Clear!"

  This space near the door was barely a large closet with a couple of stools. The rock corridor led on, uphill into the dark, with a curve ahead.

  The squad's next two rangers entered in turn. Moved deeper into the room. Their M4's IR targeting beams stretched out ahead of 'em.

  No sparkle in the beams to indicate tripwires.

  Both IR beams stopped and focused on two man-sized shapes on the floor.

  Sam appeared from behind in the cut-open steel doorway. "Those two dudes ahead are dead. Shot 'em earlier on the way out."

  The closest ranger to the body, Watkins, kicked at one. No movement. "Clear!"

  Madsen, the Alpha Team lead, who Schnier had temporarily displaced in their stack, pushed past Sam in order to take up a protective position forward.

  He'd traded in his trademark machine gun for a lighter M4 carbine in order to stay light for this one.

  They'd secured this entranceway, but based on their intel, the next climb would contain a series of zigzag corridors.

  Rangers don't like to walk into fatal funnels, the path from entry to defenders where the assaulter is most vulnerable, prefer to create 'em for others to walk into.

  "Foothold established." Schnier pointed at his demo guy. "Bring up Robbie. Harper, make yourself useful and help him out."

  It would be all uphill from here. Literally.

  The demolitions tech scrambled around the waterfall to where they'd left the single available MAARS.

  Sam followed behind him. "Sure, make the engineer do the grunt work and play with the robot…"

  Schnier would take mustangs and bulls over fancy electronics, any day.

  Sam was unlikely to agree on that one.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven: Escape Complete

  Time stop
ped. Larrikowal dropped prone. Gravity took forever.

  His enemy inside the bunker tugged at his trigger. Fire and burnt powder exploded out the barrel.

  Over Larrikowal's head.

  His next SAF soldier pushed through the now open doorway. Shifted to the right side, fired. Double-tapped. Knocked the closest enemy down.

  Then the next solder, in and to the opposite side. Made sure of the one remaining standing target, who'd survived the fire and grenades by being farthest from the bunker door.

  Their enemy sprawled across the river gravel floor. Blood soaked into the crevices between tiny round rocks.

  No more life.

  Larrikowal hoisted himself up on his squishing feet. Turned back toward the riverbank. Cupped his hands. "Clear. Cease fire!"

  Maria peeked her head over the top of the bank. Motioned her squad up to safety.

  They climbed up on top of the bank.

  He slowed his breathing. Lowered his rifle. Walked back toward Maria, through of the dissipating smoke.

  Now they just needed to lift their boats up over that wire barrier and proceed inland.

  Reinforce the American rangers. Mop up whoever remained in this jungle.

  But perhaps he'd alternate a couple of soldiers jogging ahead on foot to scout each river bank while the rest relaxed in the boats.

  Just in case their drones missed someone.

  The first light of true dawn cracked the horizon through the jungle foliage and reflected from the river.

  Now they'd all be easier to see.

  * * *

  Michelle disliked the ship's combat information center. No privacy. Nobody she really wanted to talk to.

  Officially morning. She'd been up all night sitting at this table.

  With lousy navy coffee designed to blacken her insides rather than please her sophisticated palate.

  The XO and his boss avoided her. Schnier was off rescuing Sam. Sure, they'd broken up, but even the Filipinos had abandoned her to hit the beaches.

  Just a few sailors and Sam's ranger intelligence analysts in here.

  She was pretty sure they didn't like her. Maybe even blamed her for losing Sam. As if she had any control over his actions lately!

  Definitely blamed her for this mission. For needing to pack up in the middle of the night, torch their precious equipment, leave behind half their belongings to burn along with their comfortable beds.

  In exchange for what? A crowded berth with resentful sailors who already lived in too little space.

  It's not as if they'd like her more if she tried to explain it was all their lieutenant's and captain's faults, not hers.

  She forced herself to smile at the room. Tilted her head up. Stared at the combat information board which covered the far wall.

  A Filipino AWACS cruising in a racetrack pattern above the western islands shared data. Tracked the People's Liberation Army Navy missile boat racing away from Lubang Island.

  Maybe it'd lead them back to the PLAN fleet. Make that connection as official as a secret finding could be.

  Could even get Schnier's ex-girlfriend back.

  Michelle wasn't sure about that one. She'd apparently helped Sam get out, but also been the jihadi's spotter in Manila. Not to mention landed Michelle with a bunch of work resettling female Muslim refugees.

  Knowing Sam, that was probably also his fault.

  This Raven chick might pull Schnier away from her permanently. As much as Michelle hated to let anyone go once she'd wound them around her finger, it was for the best.

  Had she ever seen herself with Schnier long term?

  No, it was more of a fling. Thrown together by work, destined to end in a crash and burn.

  Her lifelong friendship with Sam was the deeper connection. If that Korean giraffe backed off, as she'd advised.

  She shook her head. Whipped her hair around at high speed. That chick had nothing on an agency pro!

  Back to work.

  The big board showed the SAF unit moving cautiously up the jungle river. Most of the way to the dock at the end, where they'd unload in order to reinforce the rangers.

  An outrigger ferry carried more Filipino soldiers across the sea. They'd arrive on Lubang Island in a couple of hours to help mop up the tangos and secure the area.

  Larrikowal's boss backed him up.

  If only her deputy director back in D.C. did! At this point, she was lucky if he even talked to her, let alone tolerated her.

  She'd need to figure that one out before this was over.

  For now, with American lives at risk, he'd backed off, or at least hadn't completely pulled their naval support.

  Best to stand and stretch. Go get breakfast.

  Nothing important could happen for a while, right?

  She caught the eye of the Duty Chief. "Send for me if something new pops."

  "Aye, aye, Ma'am."

  * * *

  The sky lighting up outside did little for us inside the cave. Strictly artificial illumination deep underground.

  I unfolded the hard-case built to control Robbie. It's pop-up lid contained a display to relay video from his camera. The case itself contained the electronics for an array of knobs and other controls.

  Turned a key in the middle of the console to fire up the electronics.

  One joystick in the case controlled the movement of Robbie's two tank-like tracked wheels. Another aimed his weapons.

  Red covers protected a pair of toggle switches in the center of the case from accidental activation. I'd leave those down unless I needed to fire his weapons.

  Might use the machine gun, but Schnier had disallowed firing grenades from the little guy. Too much range in too small of a space.

  The EOD tech finished rigging Robbie up. He fed a case of belted 7.62 into the M240B machine gun and locked it in place. Turned it on and made sure the dummy-lights indicated a secure connection to my console.

  Gave me a thumbs up. "Ready to go, sir."

  I glanced back at Schnier, where he ran our incursion from the entryway. "Ready?"

  "Execute."

  I drove Robbie down the rough stone corridor and around the curve. Forward-facing cameras on top in the center, machine gun barrel mounted on the left, four-barrel grenade launcher on the right, his treads clung to the floor's irregularities like a champ.

  Needed to consider his five-hour battery time. No spare MAARS nor battery for them, so if he ran down, we were done until I could get him a charge.

  Four members of the squad's Alpha Team followed about fifteen meters behind Robbie. Led by Watkins and Madsen, they stacked up with their M4s and stalked down the cave's center to avoid any wall-following ricochets.

  The screen showed the same corridor on the other side of the curve, and then the uphill zigzag maze I'd traversed on the way out in the distance.

  Schnier wandered over to watch our recon. I kept the weapon switches covered. Flipped on Robbie's audio feed.

  The zigzag is where our approach got nasty. A narrower path, nowhere to hide, ninety-degree turn after ninety-degree turn.

  Robbie's attached air sensors reported good quality, so no danger there.

  "Keep going." Schnier couldn't help a little bit of micro-managing.

  "Relax, Captain. We got this."

  I focused on the screen. Moved Robbie around the first sharp turn. Scanned the area with his cameras.

  Nothing.

  Two more corners, the same. No sign of the enemy.

  Watkins followed; Alpha Team right behind. They stayed a corner behind Robbie.

  When they were far enough forward, their squad leader trailed them behind the next corner, ready for support or to call them back.

  The four Bravo Team rangers trailed behind him in a similar stack. Kept their distance to minimize exposure.

  Two more turns to the junction cavern above us. The one where paths diverged between the women's former quarters on the same level and the men's living and working area up above.

  There'd
be more light there from the tango's clumsy-looking electrical work on the ceiling.

  I pressed the joystick forward. To the side. Turned the next corner.

  Robbie took immediate fire. Muzzle flash on the screen. The camera's view shook with bullet impacts on his body. Echoes of an AK snapping and rattling trickled out to us.

  Schnier leaned forward over my shoulder. "Weapons free."

  I already had the cover for the machine gun lever lifted forward. Out of the way.

  Centered the targeting pip on the screen over the enemy muzzle flash. Pressed the now exposed toggle switch forward in short bursts.

  Brrpt. Brrpt. Like a chain gun.

  The muzzle flashes and accompanying echoes ended. When the cameras refocused, one tango was down. He'd fallen to the cave floor partway behind and in front of the corner.

  This really wasn't fair, but then, war wasn't meant to be.

  Watkins, the farthest ranger forward, called out an anti-climactic, "Contact forward!"

  "Keep pressing."

  I glanced up at Schnier. "Dude, speed kills. Go too fast and we might miss something. They'll be there."

  He didn't like that at all. "Lieutenant, I'm not worried about the robot. It's just a hunk of junk as far as I'm concerned. But if you give them a chance to set their defenses, we may be in for a long fight and need to expend real ranger bodies in my platoon to dig them out of there. So move!"

  "Roger that."

  His command, his orders.

  I pushed Robbie up to and around the dead tango.

  The ranger squad crept behind. Kept their spacing by the book.

  After the turn, I took the next corridor at full speed. Didn't wait for anyone to take Robbie under fire.

  The cavern opened up on the screen. One guard knelt behind a tipped-over table in front of the tunnel to the women's quarters.

  Near where I'd been chained like a slave. An animal. Tortured by Omar.

  Suddenly, my soft tissues ached again.

  From the direction up in the men's tunnel, someone fired what sounded like a fifty-cal.

  Work the problem. One at a time. I lay the pip over the guard behind the table. Toggled the firing switch.

  Brrpt. Tore through the table and the guard.

  A warning light flashed on the console. Robbie's grenade launcher was immobile. Damage to the motor.