by Paul Stein
He lightly touched Angelina’s elbow to guide her away. “Ms. Navarro…if you’d kindly follow me, there’s a nice deli just down the way.”
“Don’t leave without me now, Emerson,” Angel said, looking back anxiously as she left with Morris.
“Not gonna happen, Angel,” he said reassuringly. “I promised… we’ll find Sela together. You can bank on it.”
“Jesus Christ, man, when you said you were bringing Holloway’s mistress, you could’ve warned me she’s a ten,” Henry said as they both watched her glide effortlessly away.
“Brother, I have no idea what to make of her. But I’ll tell you this…without her, we wouldn’t know anything of Fort Knox. She’s smarter than she looks, and she’s earned a right to be here. Frankly, I wasn’t in any position to refuse her help. So, what’ve you got from the old man?” Palmer asked, anxious to get to the point.
Jason spent the next few minutes bringing him up to speed on all he’d learned from General Blake Freeman on the mission. The chairman of the joint chiefs had agreed with the assessment that something was stirring at Fort Knox. But because of the national treasury on the base, and the immediacy of a pending attack, he didn’t believe there was enough time to deploy the cleaners. Instead, he ordered that both men would be charged with securing Conrad’s machine and the missing nuclear material, if and when it showed up. How they were to do this remained unclear.
While Freeman’s orders were specific about containment, he was equally insistent that they obtain verification on the efficacy of Conrad’s antigravity technology. The research conducted at Quantum was the reason Henry had been assigned to track Conrad’s progress all along. The DOD had designs on this technology and the joint chiefs were of one mind when it came to controlling it. Fort Knox provided the ideal environment to test the weapons capability of this exciting new device.
“So, let me get this straight. It’s just you and me on this deal? What about the base commander?” Palmer asked, eyebrows askance, astounded by their orders.
“Well…here’s where it gets dicey. The Fort Knox commander, Brigadier General Sam Hershey, has been fully apprised of the potential for a raid on the vault. After all, we have no hard evidence to substantiate the theory. But Freeman’s ordered that Hershey not interfere with deployment after they make it onto the base. He wants the machine to reach its full operating threshold.”
“What the hell does that mean? We’re gonna let them break into the vault?” Palmer asked incredulously.
“I don’t really know how far this will go. I said it was dicey. We’re going to play this by ear. Hershey’s reinforcements will be on alert and available to respond as needed,” he said, disbelieving his own words. He recognized that Emerson’s distrustful look matched his own misgivings.
“What about the hostages?” Palmer asked. “If we’re at the base, who’ll rescue them? My priority’s Dr. Coscarelli...I gave the senator my word, Jason.”
“Listen, I realize this won’t be easy to swallow, but we’ve got to let Morris handle the hostages.”
“No way.”
“I know…I know, I don’t like it any more than you,” he quickly added, cutting off Palmer’s protest. “But I don’t see any other alternative. If we attempt a rescue too soon, everyone could be killed… including Coscarelli and Conrad. It’s better for the hostages to deal with just one or two gunmen rather than the whole crew. That means we wait.”
He could tell from the disbelieving look on Palmer’s face that he wasn’t convinced; he needed assurances. “I’ll vouch for Morris,” he added. “He’s no gumshoe…he’s good. We leave him at Wildcat and trust he’ll know when to call for reinforcements. Once he sees the majority of their unit deploy, he’ll rescue the hostages,” Henry said, making a defensible case for splitting up their resources.
“Besides, if we lose Conrad, we lose the machine. If that happens, you’ll have more than the senator to worry about. Freeman will have our asses and both of us can forget about seeing the light of day ever again.”
“Okay…I know you’re right,” Palmer sighed. “It’s just…I’ve never been concerned with collateral damage. This could be bad. Heaven help us, Jason, if Morris isn’t as good as you claim,” he said, deeply bothered about trusting Sela’s life and that of her relatives to an unknown municipal cop.
“Trust me, Emerson…this will work out. I say we scope out the Wildcat operation and make a plan for how we play this. Once we know the lay of the land, it’ll be much clearer. Come on, buddy… buck up. This is just like the old days.”
“Not quite, Jason. In the crosshairs are civilians related to the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. I’m fairly alarmed here, and I’ll tell you something else…Freeman sending us in blind doesn’t make sense. We’re supposed to watch this crew rip off Fort Knox without a coordinated response from the base commander? This is bullshit, Jason,” he said, shaking his head in disgust.
“I couldn’t agree more, my friend…but we’re under orders. Are you with me, or do I go in alone?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Jason,” Palmer chastised, annoyed by the question. “Of course I’m with you. Have I ever let you down? Let’s get going. I want to see where the hostages are being held before dark. We’ve got a lot to accomplish before the day is out.”
“Now you sound like your old self, man,” Henry said, slapping his partner’s back. “Thank God you’re onboard.”
“Well, just remember…you talked me into this, Jason. When Senator Coscarelli charges me with willful negligence, you better have my back,” he said prophetically.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, Emerson. But if it does, yeah, I take full responsibility. You have my word.”
“It’s not your word I doubt, Jason. We’ve got too many hostages in harm’s way. This ain’t good.”
“I hear you, pard.”
The men saw Lieutenant Morris and Angelina making their way back to the baggage claim area. They each gathered their belongings and walked to meet them, both feeling ill-equipped to face what the next few hours would bring. Doubtless, their path ahead clearly promised to be one of the most intriguing and daunting missions they had ever undertaken.
SIXTY-ONE
WILDCAT FISH FARM
16:00 HOURS
RICHARD KILMER and Rafie Nuzam were sitting at the Struffenegers’ massive dining room table, poring over the layout of the Fort Knox complex. The creases on their foreheads spoke volumes about the worry each of them had. Neither of the seasoned veterans was willing to voice what they both knew: The operation before them was suicide.
“Git ever’one assembled,” Kilmer said to Rafie. “We’ve only got seven hours before deployment. I want one last walk-through.”
“Right away,” Rafie replied, pushing back from the table.
Rafie found Colt outside with Emil helping cinch the tie-downs on the trailer. Metusack, Marlon, and Ventura were in an adjacent outbuilding checking the ordinance and personal gear needed on the mission; Farley was in back with the hostages; Mills was doing nothing but fretting. Everyone’s mood was somber. Rafie made contact with each man and told him to convene in the main house. The staging of the Fort Knox job was underway.
“Right oh, let’s walk it through one last time, mates,” Kilmer started when the men had assembled. “We leave at 23:00. Colt’ll be the first through the main gate,” he reiterated, and proceeded to call out each man’s position and duty.
He went through the entire foray, step by step, just as he’d done for the Livermore job and Quantum before that. When he completed a briefing, there was never a doubt about the timing of events or each man’s duty. Niggling uncertainties and doubts were addressed, and it was his style to gain consensus that the plan before them was the best available. From the looks on everyone’s faces, however, he could tell the men were dubious about their chances for success. His encouragement was needed more than ever.
“How do we know the mission hasn’t been compromis
ed?” Ventura asked, voicing everyone’s concern. “The kid’s parents showing up makes me believe they’ve shared the location with someone. We could be walking into an ambush.”
“Conrad’s story makes sense,” Kilmer studiously replied. “If the cops knew anythin’, they’d already be here; no way they’d let ‘em show up alone.”
“What about the hostages?” Emil asked. “When I agreed to help Alastair, hostages weren’t a consideration. They know where they’re being held; my facility’s been identified. What’s the plan for that?”
“Unfortunately…there’s only one possibility,” Kilmer replied, steely-eyed. “No one planned to be in this pickle, but to be dead cert there’s no trail back to ya…the hostages are history.”
No one made a sound. The conviction in Kilmer’s voice was unmistakable. The hostages’ fate was inevitable. There was no other solution.
“So that’s Farley’s only purpose here, then?” Sully Metusack asked.
Sully, along with the rest of the team, knew of Farley’s reputation; he was a cold-blooded and remorseless killer, completely devoid of conscience. When he surfaced, everyone knew his presence didn’t bode well for the hostages. Sully remembered a time when Farley had adroitly extracted vital information from a recalcitrant hostage with only a pair of pliers. The man involved was especially reticent, but pliers applied to his fingertips finally produced enough pain to break his resistance. It was horrible to watch, and Sully wondered how anyone could remain so detached from the torturous screams. But as Kilmer had stated, none of them planned to take hostages when they signed on to the job. They hadn’t planned on Conrad’s hidden equations, or his stubbornness in cooperating with their operational demands.
Sully was especially regretful about the fate of the women; he’d grown fond of Dr. Coscarelli. But he had to admit that the hostages were an unacceptable liability.
“Afraid so,” Kilmer replied. “Farley’ll git the order as soon as Conrad does his thing. Their fate is sealed. Ya’ll never know they were here, Emil.”
Emil was standing apart from the group, in obvious discomfort. He wrung his hands and paced like a caged animal. “I don’t want to know any more about it,” he said. “Just promise me you’ll dispose of any evidence that my wife and children might find. This whole business is unseemly. Alastair and I will have words, Richard.”
“I’m dead cert ya will. Any more questions?” Kilmer asked. “If not…git some rest. We hit the base at midnight,” he repeated.
The men shuffled away from the meeting, taking up individual conversations as they went. The mood of the men had never been lower going into an operation. Everyone was filled with doubt, but they each realized it was too late to withdraw. The time had drawn nigh, the plan developed, and the steps to proceed put in motion. Time would tell if Holloway’s master plan would prevail.
An incredible disquiet embraced each of Kilmer’s team and most would vote to cancel the mission if it were possible. More than one reflected that the setting sun at Wildcat Farm could be the last they would ever see. It was now or never.
SIXTY-TWO
DAVID MORRIS drove from Louisville, following the GPS directions to Wildcat Catfish Farm. Agent Henry rode shotgun, with Palmer and Angelina in the back of the Ford Explorer. The highway signs to the catfish facility were numerous and in no time they closed in on the location. They all agreed this would be nothing more than a brief reconnaissance of the farm; what they found would determine how they would rescue the hostages.
As he drove, Morris spotted a Bass Pro Shop with easy access off the highway. The men quickly agreed Bass would be a suitable place to buy binoculars, camo gear, rifles, and enough ammo to carry out their mission. Each of the lawmen carried their individual sidearms, which airline security allowed with proper identification, but to prepare for an assault against a heavily guarded outpost would require more firepower than they had in their possession. Agent Henry was certain the Bass Pro Shop would carry everything they could possibly need.
As they approached the Wildcat Farm, the silo loomed high above the farm once again signaled their destination. The logo on the silo was unmistakable. The hostages were being held somewhere among the many buildings clustered near the center of this facility.
Observing the farm for the first time, the men identified several things that looked out of place. The first was a Peterbilt tractor-trailer transporting a large object completely covered by a green tarp. The second was a private tour bus with all of its windows tinted except for the windshield. These two vehicles seemed to herald that something out of the ordinary was taking place at Wildcat Farm.
Morris made a slow pass by the facility and Henry took as many digital pictures as he could snap in the thirty seconds it took to drive past the farm. Once they were completely out of sight of the buildings, Morris pulled to the side of the road. The time was almost 4:00 p.m. It seemed obvious they had found where the hostages were being held, but the only way to confirm this hunch was to wait for darkness. They decided to head back to the Bass Pro Shop to get supplies and draw a plan for how to rescue the hostages.
Agent Henry was looking at the digital pictures on his camera. He handed it back to Palmer, who was now on the side with an unobstructed view of the operation. “I’ve seen enough,” he said. “Here… take a few more as we drive by. Looks like a man with a Remington .308 could cover the back side of the residence without any trouble.”
“We’ll need to know the exact position of the hostages,” Palmer replied. “But yeah, I agree, assuming we locate the hostages…this may not be too bad.”
“So…can one of you fill me in on the plan, then?” Morris asked.
Until this point, Morris had kept his thoughts and questions to himself. When he earlier proposed contacting the local police, he hadn’t received a forthright answer, but he knew when not to press the point. It was obvious Agent Henry was under orders not to involve the local police or he would have already done so. But as the time was getting late, he needed more information on what was about to go down.
“Dave, this has national security implications. I’m not at liberty to discuss anything in front of a civilian,” Henry replied.
“Sorry, ma’am,” he continued, turning to Angelina “but we’ll need to find a safe place to drop you off. It’s much too dangerous for you to go any further.”
Angelina turned toward Emerson, looking distraught. She hadn’t come this far to be summarily dismissed.
“I beg your pardon,” she said indignantly. “You wouldn’t be in a position to do anything if it weren’t for me,” she reminded them. “Emerson, you gave me your word that we’d find Sela together.”
Jason Henry turned in his seat, slightly irritated that he had to explain his decision. “Regardless of how you got here, ma’am, this is my operation and I won’t involve a civilian in a matter of national security.”
“Oh, please…spare me, Mr. Secret Agent,” Angelina mocked disrespectfully. “I’m so sick of men like you judging me stupid because of the way I look. I’m not an airhead, mister, and kindly ask that you not treat me like one.”
“Just what is it you think you can do, ma’am?” Henry retorted. “Do you mean to suggest you’re up for helping us raid the premises? Can you use a gun?”
Angelina exhaled sharply, exasperated by the condescension of Henry’s remarks. “Of course not! I don’t need a gun to disarm a man; I’m a diversion,” she replied crossly. “I guarantee that anyone who sees me for the first time will be caught off-guard, even for just a moment. If you guys are as skilled as you say, that should be all the time you need to take advantage of the time I can get you,” she explained, smiling sweetly.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Henry replied, irritated by Angelina’s temerity.
“Just a second, Jason,” Palmer interrupted. “She may be on to something. It’s clear from what you and I discussed earlier that Morris will be left defending the hostages when these guys take off. He’s one man against on
e or more guards in there. If Angel can give him even a moment’s advantage from a sniper location, he could benefit from the diversion she proposes. And she’s right…we wouldn’t be in this position if it weren’t for her. I say we go with it.”
Angelina smiled at Emerson, appreciative of his show of confidence.
“Whoa…slow down a minute, hoss” Morris said, trying to concentrate on driving while listening to the conversation. He looked baffled. “You’re leaving me behind to defend the hostages and my only backup is an unarmed woman?” he asked incredulously. “Sorry, ma’am…but that’s as crazy an idea as I’ve ever heard.”
“Listen to me…all of you,” Angelina said firmly. “All my life I’ve been treated like some bimbo. But men are such fools—they see someone like me and fall all over themselves. I’ve been using my looks to manipulate men to my advantage ever since I was a teenager. I’m the best asset you have for rescuing Sela and her family. The sooner you realize it, the sooner we get on with the job.”
Morris, Henry, and Palmer were dead silent. None of them dared risk further sparring with the feisty Miss Navarro. Henry especially hated to admit she was right about her capacity to create a diversion and he realized Morris was going to need all the help he could get. Begrudgingly, he decided to give in if Morris was comfortable with the situation. “What do say you, Dave?” Henry finally asked. “Can you make it work?”
“Actually…considering what I’m up against, she makes good sense,” Morris replied. “If she can draw attention off the hostages for just a moment it might be all the time I need to take out the guards.
It all depends on where the hostages are being held…but honestly, I think it’s worth a shot.”
“Finally…someone in this car is thinking with his big head,” Angelina said, slapping Emerson on the side of his thigh. “You won’t be disappointed, Lieutenant, I promise you.”
“I don’t doubt your resolve for a minute, ma’am,” Morris replied. “Now can you please fill me and my partner in on the rest of your plan, Jason?” he asked.
