Project Reaper

by M. W. Fletcher

  Ajaz Ahmed was now becoming aware of his surroundings and the two men in combat fatigues in the room with him.

  Max moved in close to within a few inches of Ajaz’s face,

  “before I kill you I want you to know why.”

  “What are you talking about?” Replied Ajaz.

  Max re encountered the incident on Baros Island.

  “So now you know why you are dying, have you any last words?”

  “Kill me and you will never see her again!”

  Max looked at him, his face showing a perplexed look, “who are you on about?”

  “Ruth Nelson, you will never see her again,” Ajaz replied.

  “Are you trying to antagonise me you son of a bitch, Ruth died on the boat you blew up?”

  “That’s what you were supposed to believe.”

  Max grabbed him by the throat with his right hand exerting tremendous pressure; Ajaz began chocking and was just about to blackout when Max released his grip.

  Ajaz bent forward and began coughing violently, as the air began to rush down his windpipe.

  Max withdrew his combat knife and placed it in Ajaz’s groin area, “talk you bastard and make it fast.”

  Ajaz was recovering his breath, “I want your word you will not kill me and will release me.”

  “Sorry chum, we don’t make deals with vermin like you, now spill you guts.”

  Ajaz looked him in the face, “you’re going to kill me

  anyway so do it, but I swear you will never set eyes on her again.”

  Max removed the blade from Ajaz’s groin area and walked over to the large window to give consideration to the proposition, it was against their ethos to negotiate but if it meant Ruth was alive and could be rescued then he would have to make the deal with Ajaz.

  He walked back over to Ajaz, “okay I’ll give you my word as a British officer that I will not kill you and will set you free, now talk.”

  “Take me to the outer buildings.”

  Max indicated to Eagle eight to escort Ajaz out of the main building, Flynn grabbed hold of Ajaz marching him towards the door.

  Max spoke into the Comms, “all teams we are coming out the front door, hold your positions.”

  As they came into the courtyard Ajaz indicated to the open carport between the two outer buildings with two old 4x4 vehicles were parked inside.

  They walked over to them and Max spoke, “where is she?”

  Ajaz pointed to a large grass mat on the floor, “remove the mat,” he replied.

  Max removed the mat to reveal a wooden trap door on the floor of the carport.

  Ajaz spoke, “lift the trapdoor and it leads to a room

  below.”

  Max knelt down and removed a metal peg from the clasp, he carefully opened the trapdoor a small way and observed several steps down, he looked up at Eagle eight, “if this is a trap kill him.”

  Flynn replied “with pleasure sir.”

  Max opened the trapdoor right over on its hinge lowering it down and began to slowly descend the staircase, at the bottom was a corridor about twenty-feet long leading to a single closed door; he noticed a dim light from inside the room from the gap between the door and floor.

  He moved quietly along the corridor and checked the door handle opening the door inwards. The room was around twenty feet square with a few pieces of furniture scattered around and over against the far wall was a bed with a figure lying on it partially covered by a bedspread. Max quickly scanned the area noting there was no one else present.

  He moved closer to the figure on the bed and caught a glimpse of red hair; his heart leapt a beat as he stole closer leaning forward slowly pulling the bedspread of the figure.

  As this happened the female figure turned facing him

  opening her eyes, she let out an anxious cry, Max quickly

  removed his helmet, “Ruth it’s me, Max.”

  Ruth’s anxious expression quickly faded as she reached up to Max, they both embraced each other Max felt a tear run down his cheek.

  Ruth spoke, “they told me everyone thought I had died in the boat explosion.”

  Max pulled away slightly looking at the woman he had

  fallen in love with.

  “That’s right my love, I attended your funeral only last week with your friends and family.”

  Ruth reached up and wiped the moist tear from his cheek with her hand, “now what’s this; you haven’t been going soft since our parting?”

  “No chance, it must be the dust in the air.”

  “How did you find me Max?”

  “GAIL located Ajaz to this place; we came to eliminate him for killing you.”

  “Well Max as you can see I am fit and well and ready to go home.”

  Max stood up and beckoned with his arm, “your carriage awaits nearby let’s go.”

  A few minutes later, they emerged from the trapdoor, Eagle eight still had hold of Ajaz, he saw Max emerging followed by Ruth and a wide grin beamed across his face

  as he saw her.

  Max spoke into his Comm’s, “all teams rendezvous at the gate with the roadway ASAP.”

  Rob Flynn said, “What do you want me to do with him sir?”

  Max approached Ajaz, “on Baros Island you had a tip off from someone within the Indian Government, I want the name and our deal will be complete.”

  “You have the woman, which was our deal.”

  “Yes I do; so what’s stropping me from killing you.”

  “You gave your word as a British Officer,” replied Ajaz.

  “That’s correct and thank you for reminding me; however nothing was mentioned about leaving you here as a cripple, you will find it difficult to get around when I have finished knee capping both your knees, now tell me?”

  Ajaz thought for a few moments and had concluded their man within the Indian Government was an expendable asset and could be easily replaced with a bag of money as an incentive to the right person.

  Ajaz looked at Max and said, “the name you want is Sandeep Singh Brar, he is the minister for home affairs.”

  Max spoke to Flynn, “Take him back to the main building, tie him up and gag him I’m sure someone will find him later this morning and meet us down at the inflatables.”

  Rob Flynn dragged Ajaz back to the main building.

  Max took Ruth down the driveway to meet with the teams.

  Flynn pushed Ajaz down onto a nearby sofa; he quickly raised his HK-MP5 and quickly thumbed the 3-position fire mode selector on the left of the trigger marked SEF to the E setting for single firing, Ajaz looked up in total disbelief.

  “You gave your word,” he shouted.

  Rob Flynn squeezed the trigger and the single round left the suppressed muzzle at 1,312 feet per second smashing a small hole into the forehead of Ajaz exiting out the rear with a red and grey mixture of brain tissue, cartilage and blood.

  The kinetic force of the round had knocked Ajaz’s body backwards over the sofa.

  Rob Flynn thumbed the fire selector to the S for weapon safe.

  “Max gave you his word, but I didn’t.”

  Flynn made an about turn out of the building into the courtyard and began jogging down the driveway.

  Five minutes later he was at the shoreline, Max asked, “everything fine back there.”

  “Yes sir; he want be bothering anyone again.”

  Max looked surprised, “you killed him?”

  Flynn replied, “Max you gave your word, I didn’t give mine, our mission was to kill him and the bonus is we

  have Ruth; he deserved to die Max.”

  Max looked at him for a moment, “I gave him my word that I would not kill him, that’s why I left him with you Rob, good decision; now let�
��s go home.”

  The two inflatables moved along the shoreline back towards the bay, Max looked at his watch, 0-Four-thirty-nine hours.

  “GAIL; I’m ready for the subs coordinates.”

  Vince Edwards had been monitoring the teams Comm’s, “Max is it true Ruth’s alive and well?”

  “Yes Vince some good news hey?”

  “Absolutely Max, I’ll leave you in the hands of my good girl here I need to let Major Strayker know the good news,” Vince looked at his watch, twenty-three hundred

  hours and nine minutes, the Major should still be up.

  GAIL spoke to Max, “Max I would like to add my congratulations on Ruth’s return; I have those coordinates for you.”

  “Thank you for your thoughts GAIL; I’m ready for the coordinates.”

  “Submarines coordinates are; latitude eight degrees, thirty-two minutes North and longitude eighty-one degrees, seventeen minutes east, confirm please?”

  Max repeated the coordinates back to GAIL.

  “Max give me a call when you arrive near to these

  coordinates, I will contact the submarine to advise

  them.”

  “Will do GAIL,” replied Max.

  Bay of Bengal

  Three miles off the coast of Shell bay.

  Lat = 8 degrees, 32.1 minutes North

  Long = 81 degrees, 17.5 minutes East

  Sunday 1st January 1989

  Zero-five hundred hours and twenty minutes local time

  Five hours and thirty minutes ahead of GMT

  At a depth of two hundred feet, lying in wait was the Royal Naval Trafalgar class nuclear submarine, HMS Torbay.

  Commissioned on the 7th of February 1987 with a surface displacement of four thousand seven hundred and forty tons, and powered by a Rolls Royce PWR1 nuclear reactor giving her a speed of thirty-two knots.

  Her Captain had just received word that the OSC unit was nearby; he gave the order to surface.

  The valves on the top of the ballast tanks were shut; with high-pressure air being pumped into the tanks forcing the water out through the holes at the bottom. The tanks began to fill with air causing the submarine to ascend.

  Thirty seconds later HMS Torbay broke to the surface, the

  Captain gave the order for the forward hatch to be

  opened.

  The two rigid inflatables were two hundred yards away as they watched the submarine break to the surface; Max observed the forward hatch opening and gave the order to paddle.

  One minute later they were being helped onto the submarines deck, to avoid too much time above water the OSC teams punctured the inflatables and left them to the elements.

  Three minutes later the captain gave the order to blow tanks and dive.

  Strayker’s Home Wells road Bromley

  Lat = 51 degrees, 24.3 minutes North

  Long = 0 degrees, 3.1 minutes East

  Saturday 31st December 1988

  Twenty-three fifteen hours GMT

  Bentley Strayker’s Butler had heard the phone ringing from his self-contained room and had walked to the main phone in the large hall area.

  Picking the phone up he answered, “Strayker residence.”

  “Good evening Bentley its Vince Edwards can I speak to the Major?”

  “One moment Mr Edwards.”

  Bentley pressed a button to transfer the call to Strayker’s study; the Major was enjoying his favourite tipple, a generous helping of a thirty-year old

  Glenfiddich Single malt Scotch as he picked the phone up on the third ring.

  “Sir; it’s a call from Vince Edwards.”

  “Thank you Bentley, put him through.”

  “Good evening Vince, a little early for wishing a happy New Year!”

  “Sir; I have some news much better than that.”

  “Well then; I am always ready for good news, I’ll take a guess it’s to do with Max’s operation.”

  Vince could not contain himself, “yes; however you not going to believe this; Max has found Ruth alive and well, apparently being held captive by Ajaz.”

  “Good God man; is it really true?”

  Vince spent the next five minutes re encountering the brief details of the successful raid and Ruth’s rescue.

  As Strayker listened he poured himself another generous helping of whiskey, when Vince had finished he said “fantastic news Vince; thank you for briefing me and give your girl GAIL a hearty thank you from me.”

  “I will sir and by the way have a happy New Year.”

  “You to Vince.”

  With that, Strayker replaced the phone back in its cradle.

  He stood up, walked to his study door, and opened it calling Bentley.

  Bentley emerged from his quarters, “yes sir.”

  “Please come to my study Bentley.”

  Bentley followed Strayker into his study; Strayker poured two glasses of his much-loved whiskey and handed one to Bentley, who looked at him in surprise.

  “Sir are you feeling alright?”

  “Never felt better Bentley, want to hear some really good news?”

  “But of course sir.”

  “Ruth Nelson is alive.”

  “But how can that be sir?”

  Strayker quickly explained how Ruth had been found, when he finished Bentley said, “your right sir, it’s absolutely excellent news.”

  Strayker raised his glass a toast Bentley, “to good friends, our Queen and country.”

  Bentley reciprocated the toast, “to good friends, our Queen and country.”

  Strayker swallowed his whiskey; his taste buds savoured the woody essence, with sweet floral top notes, until the final fading moments of a honeyed finish.

  Verdugo Hacienda

  Bucaramanga Colombia

  Lat = 7 degrees, 8.3 minutes North

  Long = 73 degrees, 6.1 minutes West

  Saturday 31st December 1988

  Twenty hundred hours local time

  Five hours behind GMT

  Ramón was now seated with Toledo Verdugo in one of the rooms overlooking the garden area.

  Upon hijacking the car in Redbourn lane, he had directed the driver to the house at 23 Harpenden Lane Redbourn Village; he had taken the driver in there and had quickly

  killed him using a kitchen knife, driving the blade brutally into the chest area, as the man collapsed he had used his hands to suffocate any sounds; death resulted in less than a minute.

  Ramón had gathered his personal belongings and passport’s and had driven directly to Heathrow airport.

  He was using a false passport to evade detection and had boarded the ten-twenty hours flight to Bogotá that was an eleven-hour flight and then boarded the Lear jet for the one-hour flight to Bucaramanga Palo Negro airport.

  Ramón had just finished briefing Toledo Verdugo on the

  Raid at the research centre and his escape from England.

  He was now handing over the research papers he had taken to Toledo Verdugo.

  Toledo Verdugo appraised them, however they were technical and he placed them on the table and spoke.

  “The Professor is still working up at our Rio Negro building; in the morning I would like you to go and see him and check on his progress and take the research papers with you.”

  “Certainly senior Verdugo.”

  “Now if you will excuse me I will take a sauna and bath before this evening’s festivities,” replied Verdugo

  The Washington Hilton Hotel

  1919 Connecticut Avenue Washington

  Lat = 38 degrees, 55.0 minutes North

  Long = 77 degrees, 2.7 minutes West

  Saturday 31st December 1988.

  Six
teen ten hour’s local time.

  Four hours behind GMT

  Tony Lawrence had returned to the room on the seventh floor and had listened to the briefing from the two operatives whom had done the recognisance around the hotel.

  They had clocked three people of interest two males and a female of south American appearance, the female was accompanied by one of the males in the foyer area, appearing like a couple at a table taking hot drinks, the remaining male was loitering close to the taxi rank.

  Lawrence spoke, “how can you be one hundred percent sure?”

  “The one operative Sammy Dickson replied, “we caught a brief glimpse of a shoulder holster on the female, the guy outside came in and spoke to the two at the table for a brief moment before returning outside.”

  “Are you sure that we have only three?”

  “Sammy replied, “yes.”

  “Okay Sammy, I want you to take the first watch on them, I’ll have you relieved in two hours, make sure they do not clock you.”

  With that, Sammy Dickson left the room.

  Tony Lawrence went to the phone and dialled the number for Tremaine Ramsey; the phone rang twice and was answered by Tremaine.

  “Tremaine its Tony Lawrence, we have eyes on three suspects south American appearance, two males and a female, it would appear they are armed.”

  Tremaine replied, “where are they?”

  “One male is loitering near the taxi rank, the female and other male seated at a table in the foyer; I have sent one of my men Sammy Dickson down to the foyer to keep them under surveillance.”

  “Okay Tony, I’m sending over four of my people over, I’ll have two in a car near the hotel, the other two will move into the foyer, I’m going to try and get over myself, but I have been called into a meeting, I’ll phone you when I am on my way over.”

  Tony Lawrence replaced the phone.

  Tremaine Ramsey was now making a long distance call; the voice on the other end spoke, “yes.”

  “It’s me I have something you need to know.”

  Ramón recognised the voice immediately, “what have you

  got?”

  “The Hooke family in Washington have the company in the form of four MI-6 operatives, and they have set eyes on your people, they have a man in the foyer watching you people and three in a room opposite the Hooke’s.”