Combat Ops

TWENTY-FIVE

The satellite images that Gordon had provided were both excellent and disconcerting. The tunnel entrance where Warris’s signal had last been detected overlooked the northeast side of Sangsar, so we’d need to hike through one of the mountain passes off the main road, then hike another half kilometer to reach the top and descend down to the tunnel, all the while making sure we were not spotted.

With the men gathered inside our billet, I went over the hardcopy images, indicated our route, and asked for suggestions about our evac.

“Any word on CAS?” asked Brown.

I gave him the usual look.

“Not even a Predator?” asked Hume. “I mean, Jesus God, we’ve lost men up there. Not even a friggin’ drone?”

“I’m working on it,” I said. I had sent Gordon the request. Even if we couldn’t get fire support, the Predator guys could pick up the thermal images of guards positioned near and around the tunnel entrance. I’d said we were willing to take any kind of intel via sensor because anything that’s a sensor has to talk to everybody else.

“Before we leave, I want to put something on the table,” said Ramirez, his voice growing uneven.

My heart might have skipped a beat. I cautioned him with my gaze, which he met for only a second.

“What’s up?” asked Brown.

“Look, nobody’s said anything about it, but we need to talk.”

“Joey, I know where this is going,” said Treehorn. “We’re all in this together. We don’t need to do that.”

“I think we do,” Ramirez said, raising his voice. “Because if we rescue Warris, then he’ll start squealing like a freaking pig — and we’re all going to pay for that.” He looked at me. “Warris is not loyal to the Ghosts. Not the way we are. Isn’t that right, Captain?”

I just shook my head. Was he threatening me now?

“I am not having this conversation,” said Brown, raising a palm. “I am not going there.”

“YOU HAVE TO GO THERE!” Ramirez shouted at the top of his lungs—

We all froze, shocked by the outburst.

Brown whirled back, leaned over, and got squarely in Ramirez’s face. “No, I do not. So you’d best shut up now, Joey. Just shut up.”

Ramirez began to lose his breath. “He tried to relieve the captain of his command. The captain refused. We refused to acknowledge him. We’re all going down if Warris talks. All of us! It’s like we’re going out to save the guy who’s going to chop off your heads! What’s wrong with that picture?”

“Why are you so worried?” asked Treehorn. “I don’t give a rat’s ass what that punk says. It’s his word against ours. Screw him.”

“Harruck will back him up,” said Ramirez. “I’m telling you, if we rescue his ass, we’re done, busted down to regular Army, maybe even discharged.”

“I’ll take all the heat for that,” I said, my tone in sharp juxtaposition to his. “No worries, guys.”

“You can try to take the heat, but that won’t matter,” said Ramirez. “He’ll try to hang us all. And I’m not going to let that happen. Not for a second.”

“Then what’re you saying, Joey?” asked Brown.

“You know what I’m saying.”

Treehorn threw up his hands. “Aw, no way. I’m not listening to this.”

“Look, we do everything in our power to rescue him, but unfortunately, he doesn’t make it back—”

“Oh my God,” said Hume with a gasp. “Joey, are you insane? Do you know what the hell you’re saying?”

“THIS AIN’T A GODDAMNED WAR! IT’S NOT!” he shouted.

I looked at Ramirez. “Maybe you’re going to stay behind.”

“No, sir.”

“Then you’re done talking. You’re just going to shut up and do your job — and our job is to rescue one of our brothers and bring him back. And that’s what we’re going to do. Do you all read me — loud and clear?”

They boomed their acknowledgment.

I pointed a finger at the door and glowered at Ramirez. “Outside.”

We shifted out together, with the heat of the team’s gazes on our shoulders.

He paced and shuddered like a rabid dog.

“I need you tonight. You’re one of the best guys I’ve got,” I began.

“We can’t rescue Warris.”

“You’re getting all bent out of shape for nothing. Who knows if we’ll even find him? Worry about him barking later. Not now.”

“We can’t trust anybody, can we?”

“What’re you talking about?”

He shrugged, then squinted toward the setting sun. “This place… it’s driving me crazy.”

I nodded. “It’s the sand. Just gets everywhere. Shower doesn’t even help…”

He sighed. “No way to get clean. Not here.”

“Look, bro, I can’t do this without you. I need my Bravo team leader sharp and ready. We’re good. You should know that. We’re good.”

“Okay. But Warris… I just don’t know.”

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

“That sounds like a threat.”

“No. It’s an order.”

He took a long breath, cursed, then started back toward the billet.

I echoed his curse.

At about two A.M. local time, we borrowed a civilian pickup truck and drove out past the bridge we’d blown, working our way parallel along the riverbank till I found the shallowest-looking spot. We parked there and waited.

What I didn’t tell the guys was that after I’d had my talk with Harruck and he’d been reluctant to promise any help, I’d gone outside and met with the XO, who was more than happy to take a break from the screaming governor and irate humanitarian lady (although we both once more agreed that she was a looker). I’d called the XO Marty, which made him wince, but I was trying to gain his trust.

“I’m wondering if you guys could move up a couple of Bradleys, put them way into the defile. Do it about oh two hundred.”

“Why?”

“I want the Taliban in the mountains to focus on you guys to the west and not us.”

“Did you ask the CO?”

“I’m asking you.”

He thought a moment. “I see. And what do I get in return?”

I ticked them off with my fingers: “Money, power, fame, hookers, and booze.”

He grinned. “You prima donnas in SF are clever bastards. But I’m serious — what’s in it for me?”

“What do you want?”

“How about a healthy dose of respect?”

“Marty, you got to earn that on your own, but two Bradleys would make one hell of a down payment in my eyes.”

“Okay, but I can swallow this much easier with a lot of beer.”

“You got it.”

“Two Bradleys,” he said.

“Yeah, and can you have them put up a flare when they’re in place?”

“Wow, you really want a party.”

“You know it.”

“Well, Harruck’s been hitting the bottle a lot. I’m sure he’ll be drunk and asleep by then…”

Wouldn’t you know it, lo and behold, the flare arced high in the sky.

I whispered a thank-you to the XO.

The guys freaked out. “Relax, that’s our cue,” I told them. “Let’s move.”

We waded through the hip-high water, holding our AKs above our heads. The water felt thick and warm, like motor oil, and I imagined snakes and piranhas and other assorted demons coiling around my legs as we made the crossing.

For the hell of it, we brought along our last two Cross-Coms that hadn’t been fried. Again, I wore one, Ramirez the other. The mountain pass looked clear as we neared the bottom. In fact, several combatants had shifted over to where the flare had gone up. I counted at least fifteen enemy fighters on that side of the mountain, keeping a close watch on the Bradleys, the red diamonds floating over each of their positions in my HUD.

We began our ascent, the path rock-strewn and as rugged as I’d expected. Though we’d dressed like Taliban, the one exception was our boots. We wouldn’t give up our combat boots for a pair of sandals, not in those mountains. And when it came time to boogie, we sure as hell shouldn’t worry about stubbing our toes.

But our heavy boots, now filled with water, squished and slogged as we climbed, and I grew annoyed that we couldn’t move more quietly.

A data bar opened in my HUD, showing an image of a Predator drone flying high above the mountain range. The image switched to an officer in his cockpit, which was — quite remarkably — on the other side of the world inside a trailer at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas.

“Ghost Lead, this is Predator Control, over.”

“Go ahead, Predator.”

“We have visual confirmation of your target tunnel. Count two tangos outside the entrance, two more approximately ten meters above. We also see a heavy gun emplacement approximately twenty meters east of the entrance with two tangos manning that position, over.”

“Roger that, Predator, can you send me the stream?”

“En route. Recording looks clean.”

“Can I call on you for fires?”

“Standby, Ghost Lead.”

I signaled for a halt and crouched down behind two long rafts of stone, like fallen pillars from an ancient palace. “Got a Predator up there,” I told the team in a whisper, widening my eyes on Hume, who nodded and shook a fist. “Waiting to hear if he can drop some Hellfires if we need ’em.”

“Ghost Lead, this is Predator Control. We are not authorized to provide fire support. However, I’ve personally sent your request up the pipe to see if we can’t get authorization. Do call again, over.”

“Roger that,” I told him, understanding his meaning. The controller wanted nothing more than to drop his bombs and help us out. His finger was poised over the trigger. All he needed was an officer with the guts to give the word.

“They might help us,” I told the guys after a long breath. I signaled once more to move out.

We were coming in from the east side of the tunnel entrance, so I told Treehorn to move ahead. His job would be to take out the gunners in the machine gun nest. He’d do that with the silenced sniper rifle he’d brought along. Ramirez and his team would focus on the two guys up top, bringing them down with knives or with their silenced pistols. I’d take Smith and Jenkins to a southerly approach of the main entrance.

We spent another thirty minutes moving into position, the night growing more cool and calm, the wind dying. In the distance, across the vast stretch of sand, a Bedouin caravan trekked slowly toward Senjaray, the group traveling in the more tolerable temperatures of the night. A long line of camels laden with heavy bundles wound off into the shadows.

And for a moment, I just watched them, rapt by the image, as though we were living in a different century.

“In position,” said Ramirez.

“Got the gunners in sight,” reported Treehorn, relying on our conventional radio.

I replied to each, then gave the hand signals for Smith and Jenkins to move ahead of me as we made our approach toward the entrance. A crescent moon gave us enough light to see the footprints in the path ahead. We were taking a well-worn path that, despite the risks, would keep us silent. Every rock, smaller stone, and pebble was an enemy as we drew closer.

The path turned sharply to the right, hugging the mountainside, with a sheer dropoff to our left. And there it was, down below: Sangsar, as quiet as ever. A spattering of lights. The slight flap of laundry on the lines. I lifted my binoculars and scanned the walls, spotted a cat milling about, and a man, knees pulled into his chest, sleeping near one gate, his rifle propped at his side.

Smith held up his fist. We stopped, got lower. He had two, just ahead. He slipped back, as did Jenkins.

They looked at me: Okay, Captain, you’re up.

I took a deep breath and started forward, testing every footfall, turning myself through sheer willpower into a swift and silent ghost.