The Eye of Shiva

CHAPTER 60

Nick sat in the co-pilot's seat next to Akron. They were flying a hundred feet above the highway leading to Pahalgam, below Indian radar. Nick hoped it was good enough to fool any antiaircraft defenses at the tunnel. There wasn't anything he could do about them if they spotted the Huey.

He felt himself slipping into pre-combat mode. He was hyper alert, watching the countryside flash by below as they paralleled the road from Srinagar to Pahalgam. Next to him, Akron was in his element. He seemed younger, even happy. It was as if he'd dropped thirty years in a moment. He hummed to himself, one hand on the collective, the other tapping fingers against his leg.

Back in the cargo bay, Selena and Lamont sat in the makeshift tourist seats. Selena cradled her M-16 across her knees. She'd put on a pair of Ray-Bans against the wind rushing through the open cargo doors. Her lips were set in a tight line. Lamont looked relaxed, half asleep, but Nick knew it was an illusion. His rifle was propped against his body under his arm.

Nick heard Stephanie's voice over the comm link. The noise in the chopper made it difficult, even with headphones covering his ears.

"Nick, you hear me?"

"I hear you, Steph."

"Cobra has landed. He's got eight men I can see. The pilot and co-pilot, too."

"Describe what you see."

"There's a wide, flat space where he landed, by the side of a mountain. That would be the staging area. There's another helicopter there. Four sentries visible. Cobra's men are talking with a couple of them or standing around nearby."

Getting ready to take them out, Nick thought.

"What else?"

"That's it. The tunnel entrance is to the left as you come in from the highway. A soldier came out of the mountain and met Cobra. They went inside."

"Any sign of the missiles?" Nick asked.

"Not yet."

"Good. We've still got time."

"At your present rate of speed, you'll reach the target area in about fifteen minutes."

"Is there someplace near the tunnel where we can set down? We come in direct, they'll start shooting."

"There's one road to the site. It follows a valley to the left of the main highway. There's a field where it turns off from the highway. You could set down there. No houses. There's a guard post and gate about three miles in from the road. It's another mile to the tunnel after that. Everything else looks pretty steep."

Four miles was too far on foot when time was short.

"What happens when the road gets to the site?"

"There's a short entry road to the staging area to the left as you come in. I'm sending a real time shot now."

Nick's phone vibrated against his chest. He pulled it out and looked at the screen. Steph had sent a wide aerial view of the tunnel complex and the road. He saw the guard post, the staging area and two helicopters. He could see Cobra's men and the tunnel sentries, tiny figures casting tiny shadows on the ground, unaware they were being watched. The road continued past the missiles and ended a mile away at a structure on the side of a hill.

"What's that building farther on?" he asked.

"It's a deserted temple. It used to be a tourist spot before they put the missiles in."

Stephanie's voice sounded in his ear. "Nick, the satellite is moving out of range. We're going to lose visual in a minute."

"Thanks, Steph. We're going to be busy for a while. I'll call in later. Out."

He tapped Akron on the shoulder and held up the phone with the satellite photo for him to see.

"Here's the complex," he said, pointing at the flat area. "There's a sentry post here, below. Go up the valley beyond it and touch down here." Nick pointed to a point on the road past the entrance to the complex. It couldn't be seen from the staging area.

"We'll jump off. You keep going, toward this old temple. Make them think you're taking tourists sightseeing."

"You really think they'll go for that?"

"It's worth a shot. Or do you want to try coming in on a hot LZ?"

Akron shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time."

They were flying along the highway. Nick saw the turnoff and pointed. "There's the road. Follow it up the valley."

The chopper banked left.

Nick hoped they'd be in time.