The Solomon Scroll

CHAPTER 51

Incirlik AFB was in the south of Turkey near the city of Adana, not far from the Mediterranean and the coast of Syria and Lebanon. They were met at the plane and taken to guest quarters reserved for visiting VIPs like the Secretary of State.

Lamont looked around the suite of rooms that had been assigned to them.

"Nice digs," he said. "My mom would've liked that chandelier."

"Your tax dollars at work," Nick said. "The president must've told them to give us the royal treatment."

"Why is it that the big shots always seem to need stuff like this?" Ronnie said.

"It makes them feel important."

"It makes me feel like I'm on a movie set," Lamont said. "Seems like there might be better ways to spend the money. Like better armor for our guys. Stuff like that."

"Tell that to Congress," Selena said.

"I already have, along with a lot of other people. Problem is they never listen."

"Better enjoy it while you can," Nick said. "We're leaving as soon as we figure out how we're going to do this. Harker sent satellite shots of the compound. She's waiting for us to tell her what we need."

He pressed buttons on his phone. "The photos are supposed to show up on that monitor over there on the desk. I can't get it to work."

"Give it to me," Selena said.

She did something with the phone and the pictures of Al-Bayati's compound appeared on the screen.

"How did you do that?"

"I'll show you another time," she said.

Ronnie studied the shots. "When were these taken?"

"This morning," Nick said. "Why?"

"It's different than the last time we looked." Ronnie pointed at the gate and the street outside. "His security is Hezbolla, right?"

"That's right."

"So where are they?"

The four of them contemplated the photos. There were civilians passing by the compound but the armed thugs they'd seen before were gone.

"Still looks like trouble," Lamont said. "He's got men inside the walls and they've moved that Quad .50 into the center of the courtyard, covering the gate."

"Not as many men," Nick said.

"Something must have pulled them off," Ronnie said. "Is there another war starting up?"

"A lot of them are going to Syria to fight the Sunni rebels," Selena said. "That might have something to do with it."

"Whatever the reason, it's good news for us," Nick said.

"I don't think we can climb up on the water side," Lamont said. He pointed at a swirling chaos of water and foam where the Mediterranean broke against the cliff. "Those rocks at the base would cut a zodiac to pieces and there are whirlpools. The currents would suck us under before we got close enough."

"Then it's the walls or the gate."

"I don't like the walls." Ronnie pointed at the razor wire. "Aside from the wire, they're high and everything is lit up at night. We'd be spotted and picked off."

"That gate looks like something from a crusader castle," Lamont said. "All that's missing is a moat. If they don't want to open up we're not getting through it without blowing it."

"That will attract too much attention. We can't do that."

"There are no windows on the ground floor. Al-Bayati is a little paranoid, isn't he?" Selena said.

Ronnie nodded. "He should be. He's got good reasons."

"Now he's got four more," Lamont said.

"If we don't go up the cliff in back and we don't go over the wall or through the gate, I guess we'll have to drop in on him," Nick said.

"You want to use a chopper?"

"You have a better idea?"

"What about that Quad .50? If they don't like what they see, they'll blow us right out of the air with that baby."

"We don't have to use a helicopter," Selena said. "We can make them open the gate."

Nick looked at her. "How do you plan to do that?"

"Al-Bayati has a big ego, right? What if we think of something that strokes his ego? Something that makes him want to open the gate for us?"

"Like?"

"Like a television interview, say from Al Jazeera. We set it up ahead of time."

"What's the hook?"

"Doesn't he contribute to the cause? Hospitals for the fighters, things like that?"

"Shia fighters. Al Jazeera is biased towards the Sunni."

"They make a token effort to appear balanced and the Shia/Sunni thing is big news right now. If Al-Bayati thinks they're going to present a program showing him in a favorable light he might go for it."

"Let me guess," Ronnie said. "You're supposed to be the interviewer."

"Why not? We steal one of Al Jazeera's vans and pull up to the gate. His guards see me step out of it dressed like a Muslim woman should be, someone who's expected. They'll relax. They open the gate, we drive into the compound and that's when we take them out."

"It could work," Lamont said.

"You have a devious mind," Ronnie said to Selena.

"You just figure that out?" Nick said.

Lamont turned to Selena. "Once we get through the gate all hell's going to break loose. How are we supposed to get out of there when we're done? Whoever's left will be waiting for us."

"That's when we need a helicopter. Just for extraction."

"However we do it, we're not going to have a lot of time once we get inside," Nick said.

Nick activated the satellite link and put it on his speaker.

"Yes, Nick."

Harker's voice came through with a slight echo. An odd noise rumbled in the background.

"Director. What's that noise? It sounds like a lawnmower."

In Virginia, Elizabeth stroked the huge orange cat sprawled across her desk. He was purring. It sounded like a motorcycle engine with a carburetor problem.

"It's just Burps. Where are you with the mission planning?"

Nick told her about their idea to pose as a news crew. "We need a helicopter to get out of there."

"That's tricky," Elizabeth said.

"Lucas could set it up," Nick said. "He's itching to get even for what happened to Steph. Hood will okay it. Langley has to have something in the area. That way everything stays in house and nothing goes public. The only other option I can see is to let SOCOM in on it. Without a chopper to take us out of there it's a suicide mission."

"The last thing I want is Special Operations Command involved. Rice wouldn't like that."

"So you'll talk to Lucas?"

"I will. This will take a little time to set up. How are your quarters?"

"Impressive, if you like this sort of thing. The bed is big enough to sail to France in."

Elizabeth laughed.

Nick got serious. "When is Diego going home?"

"The plane is due at Andrews tomorrow morning. Rice had his family flown here to meet him. They're taking him to Colorado."

"He ought to be in Arlington."

"It's what his parents wanted."

"Al-Bayati has a lot to answer for," Nick said.

"I expect you to take care of that," Elizabeth said. "Out."