“Yes, that would be great. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on an op with Chris.”
The helicopter swept into the empty airfield close to the three waiting trucks. The team made for the vehicles and Ray signalled for the helicopter to take off as planned. As they assumed responsibility for the trucks from the delivery team, each team member conducted a radio check before setting off.
“Hello, all call signs. This is Sky 1. A photo of the professor is being sent to you now. Additional information: the professor is particularly interested in flora and fauna in and around the old sunken ships. Over.”
Jago etched her photograph into his mind, a skill that he had developed over the years. He’d already memorised the description of her clothing while noting that it could change.
Chris was driving and, with a map in hand, Jago asked, “Chris, where exactly are the sunken ships?”
“When we arrive at the boat ramp, they’re out in the water, right ahead of us. I have no idea how many there are, but there’s a lot and, depending upon the tide, they’re just under the surface of the water so we’ll have to be really careful on the wet bikes. It will be difficult to get to the land at times due to the sheer number of ships.”
Jago continued to study the map.
“Okay, if she is likely to be in the area of the ships, then we can concentrate on that first. We can assume that Slater doesn’t know her interest.” Then he thought out loud. “Or did the Nisbetts tell him where she’d be?”
“No, there was no mention of that in the brief. I’m sure.”
“Can we check?”
“Sure, I’ll get Matthew to ask them, he should be there any minute.”
“Okay, let’s assume not and ask Ray and Mark to head out to Sandy Point and double back on foot parallel to the river bank. And can you ask Lauren to concentrate on spotting the professor? If we can get her to safety quickly, we can bait Slater later.”
“Chris, this is Matt. I spoke with the owners, and they did not mention where she was going as they were not sure themselves. Over.”
“Roger that, Matt. Thanks, buddy.”
“Well, that’s good news, it gives us a slight edge.”
After the short drive, they arrived at the boat ramp where the two wet bikes were waiting. Chris already had the keys and they quickly prepared themselves. Jago made a mental note of the Zero motorcycle that he’d requested. It was parked alongside the jetty. Within a couple of minutes, they were on the water, making their way across to the shipwrecks.
They slowly glided along the river past the lines of rotting wooden hulls with the occasional lump of iron piercing the surface. The men couldn’t help being taken in by the eerie sight of the ships’ graveyard before them. There were rotting shipwrecks from all eras of American history laid to rest here, all with varying degrees of penetration of the water’s surface. They steered slowly northwards, all the time scanning the shoreline for the professor and Slater. They could barely hear the helicopter above the wind. It was circling above the canopy close to the tree line and beach of the river.
Ray and Mark arrived at Sandy Point. It only took them five minutes to reach the turnoff on Riverside Road but, due to the substantial vegetation, it took them about fifteen minutes to drive down the track to get as close as they could to the point. Weapons at the ready, they cautiously got out of the truck, surveying their immediate surroundings, looking for any signs that they had company close by or that someone has recently passed through. There were no clues. They proceeded towards the riverbank and slightly southwards.
Lauren and the pilot had been searching the immediate area for about twenty minutes when they saw what appeared to be a person lying on the ground in an area of fallen trees close to the riverbank. The weather was bright and sunny and about seventy-five degrees, entirely conducive to someone taking in the sunshine should they be in an appropriately sheltered spot. For someone taking time out for a few days, it would be idyllic and impossible not to take advantage of the day.
“Hello, all call signs. This is Sky 1. We have a possible sighting of a person lying among some fallen trees. They’re approximately three hundred feet from the point at the southern end of Mallows Bay. We are unable to land. Over.”
Jago and Chris trained their optics on the area and couldn’t see anyone.
“Chris, you stay in this area and keep your eyes peeled. I’ll get back to the point and get as close as I can to the land.”
“Okay, will do. I’ll let the others know.”
Mark and Ray received the message over their radios. Ray was taking point on the narrow path and spotted movement ahead.
“Down! Movement twelve o’clock.”
Both men sunk to their knees, weapons trained either side of the path to their front. There was no further movement.
“Mark, let’s move forward steadily. Keep your wits about you.”
No sooner had he completed his sentence than the pair heard the distinct sound of short-burst suppressed fire. Ray went down, and it was apparent that he’d been hit in his right leg. Mark moved to cover him, sweeping his carbine slowly from left to right. They couldn’t see where the fire had come from and were unable to locate a target to return fire. Ray had opened a trauma dressing and was struggling to apply a tourniquet to his upper right leg.
“Ray, you provide cover and I’ll apply the tourniquet. It will only take a couple of seconds.”
Ray drew his weapon into his shoulder. He was in pain but still able to focus on the task at hand. Mark turned quickly to apply the tourniquet and, as he did so, a single suppressed shot hit him in the back of the head and he lunged over Ray’s body. The blood, tissue and other human debris from the shot covered Ray’s vision, and the force of Mark’s body falling on him knocked his weapon to one side and off aim. Pinned to the ground, he desperately tried to move Mark’s body to one side, just as Jed appeared, aiming his weapon at Ray’s head.
Ray froze and fixed his stare on Jed’s face.
“Who are you? FBI, State Police, what?”
“NCIS, we’re NCIS.”
“NCIS, eh? How many of you are there?”
Ray remained silent and, with his hidden hand, he surreptitiously switched the channel of his radio.
“I haven’t got time to waste here. I’d appreciate an answer but equally, if you don’t want to speak, I respect that. I can also give you some incentive. Come to think of it, why don’t I do just that?”
Jed pulled his Glock from its holster and fired, shattering Ray’s right knee. Ray screamed in agony, clutching the wound site as bone fragments mixed with tissue and blood. His head was swirling with pain. He could just make out Jed’s faint voice.
“Now, how many did you say there were of you?”
Ray managed to spit out, “Go to hell, you sick son of a bitch.”
Jed laughed, grabbed Ray’s radio and kicked his carbine away from reach.
“You’ll live, old man, you’ll live. Toss me your cell phone.”
Ray complied, and Jed left as quickly as he had arrived.
Ray scrambled around, searching for a trauma dressing from Mark’s kit. He found it and quickly applied it as tight as he could. He reached for Mark’s cell phone. The keypad was locked but he could still use the emergency call facility.
“Hello, operator, what service do you need, please?”
“Listen, I’m Senior Field Agent Ray Eastman of NCIS. I’m on a live operation at Mallows Bay. I’m wounded and my partner is down. Repeat: partner down. I need to be connected to my team urgently. Call Washington NCIS Field Office for corroboration using the code 12 Zebra 264.”
“Wait, caller, while I verify.”
Ray tried to move and ended up rolling around on the ground in agony. However, the movement did allow him to reach Mark’s carbine. He fired a series volley of SOS shots into the air to alert the others.
“Putting you through now, caller, hang in there.”
“Ray, this is Ian Hopkins. What’s
happening, buddy?”
Ray felt faint. “Listen good, ’cus I’m wounded and likely to pass out real soon. I’m at Sandy Point near Mallows Bay. Mark’s down. The perp is on the loose, north of the rest of the team’s position. Tell them to take him out on sight, he …”
The line fell silent.
“Ray, are you there, Ray? Hang in there, we’re coming. I’m sending a response team now!”
Jago was just hitting the shoreline when he heard the volley of SOS shots north of his position. That meant that the professor was between him and Jed Slater. He had to hurry. He ran over the dense shrubbery and made for the shale shoreline that was peppered with branches and other natural debris. The distance from the shoreline to the abundance of trees edging the tree-covered hillsides was about twelve feet at some places, less at others. Jago advanced at speed, glancing out over the water for any signs from Chris. He continued scanning the tree line for signs of Slater and the beach area for the professor. Jago was on high alert, a level where he felt most comfortable. And then, in his earpiece, he heard Lauren.
“There! Twenty feet ahead of you, to the right. The person is there!”
Chapter 32 – The Package
Jago advanced, noticing that some of the trees had fallen, creating a natural barricade from the south side. He cautiously edged his way around them, and then he saw someone … there was a woman wearing shorts and just her bra. She was about thirty feet away and laid out on a blanket, taking in the sun. He studied the area and walked up to her. Her eyes were closed and she had ear buds in her ears, obviously listening to something pleasurable judging by the smile on her face and the tapping of her fingers on the ground. It was definitely the professor. Jago knelt and heard Chris in his ear.
“Jago, a group of five kayakers have just entered the bay area from the north. They are approximately fifty feet out in the water and heading towards the wrecks. Over.”
“Roger that. I’m with the professor. Can you encourage them to move on, away from the shoreline? Especially after those SOS shots. Have you heard from Ray or Mark? Over.”
“Negative on Ray or Mark. I’ll try to move the visitors away and keep watch on the shore north of your position. Over and out.”
“Roger that. Lauren, are you there? Over.”
“I’m here, Jago.”
“Can you also keep watch north of my position, while I get this lady moving? Over.”
“Will do. Out.”
Jago remained in his kneeling position, facing north, and tossed over a couple of small branches to attract the attention of the professor. It worked. She sat bolt upright and, upon seeing Jago, snapped at him.
“Hey! What do you think that you’re doing?”
“Just here to save your life, Professor Beck.”
She didn’t hear him and wrenched the ear buds from her ears. “What did you say?”
“I said, ‘I’m just here to save your life, Professor Beck’.”
“But how do you know my name?”
“Excuse me, I’m Jago. I’m a Brit and I’ve come all the way here to save you. You see, there’s this guy who has it in for your friend, Dr Dean, and he thinks that getting to you will hurt Dean. But I won’t let that happen. So, if you will gather your things, we need to get out of here now.”
“What … what do you mean? There must be some mistake.”
“No, no mistake. Do you think that I’m here with all this gear for fun? This guy is seriously bad news and ruthless. We have to get you to safety now.”
Professor Beck was speechless and not moving.
“Look! Over there on the water, on the wet bike. He’s my partner keeping watch.”
She looked over with interest.
“Now, listen to the helicopter where my colleagues are keeping watch to the north, because we think that he’s in that direction … and close. We have to move. Now!”
Finally, she realised the urgency and gathered her things together.
“Put your top on, and everything else in your rucksack. Don’t leave a thing. Then put the pack on your back, it’ll be easier to move with nothing in your hands. She did as Jago had instructed, checking the ground where she had been lying. Jago moved closer to her. He too checked the area and noticed a navy-blue spectacle cleaning cloth at the base of a tree trunk.
“Is that yours?”
“Oh, yes, it is,” said the professor, quickly picking it up.
“Okay, we’re heading for the point back there, south. You lead and be as quick as you can manage. And listen for any instructions from me.”
Professor Beck led the way, her mind reeling from the alarming predicament she found herself in. Jago remained a good six to eight feet away from her. Close enough to bring her down to the ground if needed and just far enough away to respond to a threat. He followed her, turning every few steps.
“Lauren, Jago here. I have the package. Over.”
“Go ahead, Jago.”
“Can you bring the heli down on the point, even at a hover to retrieve the package?”
“I’ll check and get back to you. Out.”
There was a breeze blowing across the water and the sound of the helicopter close by when Chris messaged.
“Urgent message: taking incoming suppressed fire from the tree line behind the spit of land that juts out at two o’clock from my position. I’m returning fire and moving out. Over.”
“Roger that, Chris. Get out of there! You’re too exposed.”
“Lauren, have you got an answer?”
“Yes, we can’t hover at the point, but if you pass through the trees in a south-easterly direction for about fifty yards, you’ll emerge at the land across the water from the boat ramp. We can collect the package there.”
“Roger that. When we do, can you drop off to be with me?”
“Roger, we’ll see in about ten to fifteen minutes. Out.”
“Professor, we’re moving through the trees. Your legs might get a little cut up in those shorts, but at least you’ll be alive. Are you doing okay?”
“Well, it’s a lot to take in, but I’m sticking with it.”
“Good. Let’s move. Watch your footing, we can’t afford any trips at this stage. We have to continue in silence. Try to make your footfall as gentle as possible, but at speed.”
The undergrowth was dense, and progress slower than Jago had hoped for, but they ploughed on. He heard movement not too far away and closed in to tap the professor on the shoulder. He signalled for her to stop and kneel down, as did he. He trained his sight in the area of the noise and determined that it must be a small animal, for the sound and movement passed them some distance away. They moved on and Professor Beck marched out well.
She’s in shape for her age, he thought. It must be all the trekking. She was also obviously intelligent, and kind of understood this strange situation, holding out well without hysterics, as yet.
They’d been walking for fifteen minutes and could now see the light through the trees. They had about a hundred yards to the edge of the trees.
“Lauren, this is Jago. We’ll be ready in five. Over.”
“Roger that, we’ll sweep in from the north-east. I’ll exit the rear door behind the pilot and the professor can enter the same. Over.”
“Roger that, out.”
Jago and the professor arrived at the tree line and waited in a prone position with Jago watching their rear.
“Professor, can you take your hat, jacket and pack off, please?”
“But why?”
“We don’t have much time. Can you just do as I ask, please? The heli will be here in a minute to take you to safety.”
Without further question, she removed the items as requested. Jago opened the pack and tipped the content onto an open blanket and tied the four corners together.
“Here, take this. Lauren won’t need your stuff. Just these items.”
The professor didn’t know what to say; she’d never been in a situation like this before. Then she thought to
ask, “Is Dr Dean alright?”
“Yes, he’s fine. We just need to get you to safety.”
The helicopter arrived, swooping low and quick. Lauren jumped out of the rear door as planned and helped the professor into the seat, quickly shutting the door behind her. The helicopter flew southwards and out of view before arcing right to head for Quantico.
Chapter 33 – Baby Bait
“What’s the plan?” Lauren asked.
Then she noticed the professor’s jacket, hat and pack.
“Oh, I get it, I’m the bait.” She gave a knowing look to Jago. “It’s nice to know that you’re needed, even if it is as bait.”
“I’m glad that’s sorted out. Let’s go hunting.”
Lauren quickly dressed and put the backpack on, and they covered the same ground as he had taken with the professor but in half the time. By the time they emerged from the tree line, it was dusk, and they moved south to the point. Jago positioned Lauren beside a rocky outcrop which would provide her with adequate cover should she need it. In the water lay half a dozen old rotting ships’ carcasses, a couple of which were brimming with healthy vegetation. The wrecks were partly in the water, and Jago waded out to a suitable camouflaged vantage point. He could see just around the corner, which was determined by a rocky crag, and to the outcrop where Lauren waited with her back to the north approach.
“Lauren, when I give the word, take cover and start putting down fire to the north. As soon as the target comes around the corner, he can only retreat two ways: where he’s come from, or in my direction. Up is not an option under fire. Did you get that? Over.”
“Roger that, the bait is waiting. Over.”
“Chris, what’s your location? Over.”
“I’ve cleared away the kayakers, and I’m beaching where you met the chopper. Over.”
“Okay, then proceed with caution north of the point and do not, I repeat, do not, leave the tree line, and do not come around the corner of the point. If Slater does manage to retreat, he’ll likely go in your direction. Over.”
“Roger that.”
Chris took out a camouflage jacket and NVGs from his kit pack and put them on before entering the woodland. He moved expertly through the vegetation, all the while seeking out any anomaly around him.
Shades of Loyalty Page 26
