by Jack July
Bogus shook his head. “My dear, we are a little old for the wall scaling thing. I was thinking we blow a hole in it and walk through.”
Fenian nodded, “Fine, but don’t reveal yourselves until I breach the front entrance. There are cameras all over this place. If they are busy with me, they may not see you coming. DON’T shoot through any walls. If you don’t have a target, don’t fire. We have kids in there. Radio checks.”
All made sure their headsets worked. “Everyone hold hands.”
“What?” said Princeton.
“I SAID HOLD HANDS!” barked Fenian.
Hands were lifted and grasped as Fenian bowed her head and prayed, “Jesus, I ask for your strength as we carry out this mission. Make our feet swift, our eyes sharp, and our weapons true. Watch over our children as we seek to free them from evil. Your will be done. In His name we pray, amen.”
A mumbled chorus of “amen,” echoed back at her.
“Any questions?” asked Fenian.
Everyone shook their heads no. With an evil little half smile Fenian growled, “Good, kill ’em all.”
The gate to the Wirths’ mansion opened as the black Mercedes limo, its fenders adorned with Russian flags, pulled into the front courtyard. The Countess stood at the top of the stairs by the front door as Ilia Leonov, SVR station chief, climbed from his car, flanked by two security guards. He walked up the stairs and greeted the Countess with a kiss on the cheek.
She smiled, “Ilia, it tis so guud to see you again.”
“Countess, what do you have for me?”
“Vell, I have Sir Goodkind.”
“From the British defense ministry?” Ilia asked with surprise.
“Yes. I’m not so sure a man like him vould accept my proposal. I have a proposal for you. I vas tinking, maybe you would like to spend private time with him. Maybe haf a few discussions.”
“No one knows he is here?”
“No.”
“Maybe… we take him with us?”
“Tis a thought, but to do that will require a large investment on your part.”
“How much?”
“For my guud Russian friends? I’m tinking...three million American.”
“Give me a moment to call.”
“Take all the time you need.” She turned to his security, “Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be right back.”
Suddenly Ilia’s head snapped up. “Is that a helicopter?”
The countess shrugged. “Zee airport is not far from here.”
Ilia nodded and continued with his call.
The big Sikorsky barely touched down about a half mile from the target when the team hit the ground running. Fenian could hear Princeton’s heavy breathing behind her as he tried to keep up through the tree line that ran alongside the road. They stopped at the edge of the long driveway that wound its way to the mansion. Fenian asked, “You okay?”
He took a few deep breaths and said, “Yes, fine.”
“Let’s go slow, check the trees for cameras, ground for trip wires and motion sensors.”
They ducked back into the woods that surrounded the property. Princeton crept behind her until they could see the front of the Mansion. Fenian pulled a small spotter scope from her tactical vest and took a look. She mumbled under her breath, “Dammit,” then handed the scope to Princeton.
“Russian diplomats?” he whispered incredulously.
“Yeah,” she whispered back. “Wrong place, wrong time, sucks to be them.”
“Hold on, My Lady, you may want to call that in. Wars have started over less.”
She gave it some thought and decided that Adele should at least be informed. She keyed her mike, “Team, we have Russian diplomats inside. I’m calling it in, stand by.” After changing channels on her headset she called J.P. “Tigger” Olsen, the helicopter pilot. “Tigger, use the SAT phone call 202-994-9999, tell them Fenian code 1 and connect me.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Sixty seconds later, Adele picked up. “Well, that was quick.”
“Unsecured line, we have an issue.”
“Go.”
“Red diplomats inside the target.”
“Anyone we know?”
“Negative.”
“Hold on, I’ll call the boss.”
President Elizabeth North was giving an interview on AF 1 when her phone rang. “Excuse me, Bret, I have to take this.”
President North cleared the room. “Adele?”
“Ma’am, we are currently running a black op to take down the Wirths compound.”
“That’s the blackmail, organ harvesting case, correct?”
“Yes ma’am. We are prepared to launch the raid but Fenian has called in to say there are Russian diplomats at the compound.”
“Is there a good reason for them to be at that compound?”
“No ma’am, we can safely assume they are up to no good.”
“Are you sure it was SVR that executed Carter Spencer?”
“As sure as I can be.”
“Okay, well then, I guess payback’s a bitch. Carry on.”
“Yes Ma’am.” Adele hung up then hit a button on the phone. “Fenian.”
“Ma’am.”
“Polar Bear says paybacks are a bitch.”
“God, I love her.”
“Me too. Be safe honey.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Fenian nodded, looked at Princeton and said, “Okay, let’s go get our kids.”
Chapter 55
Fenian’s plan was simple but risky. The median age of her team was 45. She hoped that what they lacked in youth they would more than make up for in experience. They needed to be fast; it was all about speed.
She would make a scene in front of the building to draw out Wirths’ security. After she neutralized the first one, Princeton, from his position in the tree line fifty yards to her right, would take down what was left.
Luther would cover the back from his sniper position in a large tree to the right rear of the compound. Bogus, Allister, Robert and Kratos would attack from the back left corner, blowing a hole in the wall and storming in.
Fenian switched frequencies and checked that all team members were in position. Upon getting their affirmatives, she said, “Green light, diplomats or not. Commencing,” and switched off. She stayed hidden in the tree line, walking to her left until she got to the driveway. After making sure her MP-5 was secure in her overcoat, she buttoned one button, slipped off her headset, put it in the big coat pocket, and walked straight down the middle of the driveway to the gate.
Countess Wirths had three security guards including Aleksey. The guard monitoring the camera feeds saw Fenian walk up the driveway and called Wirths. “We have a visitor coming up the driveway.”
“Do you recognize dis visitor?”
“No, it’s a woman.”
“Vell, see vat she vants.”
“Yes, Countess.”
Fenian got to the pedestrian gate, found the call box and pressed the button. A tall blonde man walked out the front door, approached the gate and in a gruff manner asked in German, “What do you want?”
Fenian spoke Russian. “I have a letter for Countess Wirths.”
The guard shook his head and held up a finger as if to say, “One moment.” He walked to the door and called for Aleksey. The refrigerator-shaped man marched to the gate and in Russian snapped, “What?”
Fenian softened up and shot him a very sexy head tilt and smile. “I have a letter for Countess Wirths.”
Aleksey was a professional. He didn’t react. Then he became suspicious of the oversized coat, “Open your coat,” he ordered.
Fenian shook her head and with a small laugh said, “You’ll have to buy me dinner first.”
Aleksey had no sense of humor. He opene
d the gate and quickly walked toward her. “Okay, okay,” she exclaimed as she reached for the button on her coat. He stopped three feet in front of her. She started to open her coat but was sprayed with blood when the front of his head disappeared. The German turned to run and was stitched up the back by Princeton. He fell, but was still clawing toward the door when Fenian shot him in the back of the head with her silenced .380. Princeton ran toward the gate as Fenian took a small block of C-4 and placed it between the big double doors by the latching mechanism. She donned her headset, took off the long coat, holstered the .380 and locked and loaded the MP-5. She hit the mike switch and said, “Go, Go.”
After a hundred yard sprint from the tree line, Bogus sent Kratos around to the front to back up Fenian and Princeton. He jammed a block of C-4 into a crack low on the wall by the back corner, stepped around to the side, and pulled out a small black metal box holding batteries and a recessed button. He called over the comm headset, “Fire in the hole,” and hit the button. The explosion shook the entire house.
Fenian, waiting for the others to engage at the rear of the house before breaching the front door, caught movement behind her and turned to fire when she saw it was Kratos. “What are you doing?”
“Bogus sent me up here to cover you and Princeton.”
She keyed her mike. “Dammit, Bogus, don’t be moving people around on my op!”
Allister smiled and said, “Hey, just like at home.”
Robert starting laughing but Bogus was not amused. “Really? Ha, ha, now you have point. Go.”
Allister took a deep breath, turned the corner and stopped. The hole in the wall wasn’t big enough to climb through. Bogus shook his head. “Oh bloody hell, Anyone bring wire cutters?” Robert pulled a pair from his jumpsuit. Bogus nodded, “Good man. Over the top we go.” Allister leaned against the wall as Robert, the smallest, climbed up his back, onto his shoulders and hoisted himself to the top. After a couple of snips, he pushed the razor wire out of the way and jumped to the ground on the other side. When he hit the ground, gunfire erupted from a second story window. Luther didn’t have a clean shot, so he peppered the windowsill keeping the shooter at bay. Bogus and Allister made their way over the top and sprinted to the back door. They heard another explosion; Fenian was moving.
Fenian went in first, stepped immediately to her right and swept the foyer. Princeton followed on her heals and broke to the left, followed by Kratos, who stepped to the right and dropped to a crouch. They had three choices: forward through a hall next to a staircase, right through a large arched opening into a sitting room, or left into a large dining room with a louvered swinging door that no doubt led to the kitchen.
Fenian motioned to the right where the Russians had been just seconds before the breach. She tossed in a flash-bang and entered with Kratos on her heals. Before Princeton could follow, automatic weapons fire erupted from the top of the stairs, sending him sprawling across the floor. Kratos ducked back out and took down the man at the top of the stairs. He spun back into the room in time to see Fenian dispatch one of the director’s bodyguards who tried to get off a shot from behind a couch. He scanned left in time to see the other bodyguard raise his weapon to fire at Fenian. Kratos was faster and sprayed him with the MP-5.
Fenian privately acknowledged Bogus’ wisdom in sending Kratos to the front. She scanned the room and barked at Kratos, “Get Princeton.”
Kratos grabbed him by the web gear, dragged him into the sitting room and checked him for injuries. Princeton had taken two in the chest. The vest stopped the bullets, but his breathing was labored and he was clearly in pain. Through gritted teeth he whispered, “I forgot how much this hurts.”
Fenian never took her eyes off the room as she backed up next to Princeton and asked, “Can you shoot?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t let anyone sneak up behind us.”
Kratos helped him lean against the wall next to the arch. Princeton raised his weapon to the ready. Fenian and Kratos stepped to the back of the room where a doorway emptied into a dark hall. Fenian cut to the right with her weapon up as Kratos darted to the left. Fenian took another step and froze as she felt the barrel of the Makarov against the side of her head. The old SVR director wasn’t about to go down easy.
Chapter 56
The surgical nurse had just completed the final iodine wash in preparation. Micky, naked and sedated but still semi-conscious, was tightly secured to the operating table. At the first explosion, the surgical team stopped and looked around. The sound of gunshots sent them into hiding.
Allister kicked the back door open and found himself in an empty kitchen. The team funneled in behind him and worked their way into the dinning room. Bogus, now in the lead, saw Princeton sitting on the floor across the foyer with his weapon up. He was pointing down the hallway behind the sitting room. Bogus dashed to the hallway and saw a hand with a pistol pointed at the head of the woman he loved. Kratos held up a fist, a signal to freeze.
“Police?” asked Leonov.
Fenian thought for a split second and said, “Da.”
“I have diplomatic immunity. I wish to walk out of here.”
“Show me your ID,” said Fenian calmly.
Leonov reached into his coat pocket with his left hand and flipped open the ID. Fenian looked at it and nodded. “The law is the law.”
He lowered his pistol. Fenian pointed the MP-5 at his face and said, “Then again, I’m not the law,” and pulled the trigger. She stepped over the body and found herself in a large room adorned with Nazi regalia. “Oh my God,” she said under breath. She turned back, said, “Clear,” and waved Bogus forward. She whispered, “It’s going to take forever to clear every room in this house. Ideas?”
Bogus nodded and yelled, “CLAIRE! MICKY!”
Micky, through a drugged fog, lifted his head and tried to yell, “Help!” Though more a squeak than a yell. He looked down by his feet and saw a steel tray. He hooked his toe over the edge of it and pulled. The tray and the instruments hit the floor and made a crashing sound heard thoughout the house.
Amy exclaimed, “Sounds like the basement. Bogus, Allister, find the stairs.”
Wirths heard it too. She stepped off the elevator where she had been hiding and walked to the operating room. She smiled coldly at Micky, “Seems your friends are here, let’s go meet them.” She removed the restraints and helped Micky to his feet. He wobbled, so she grabbed him by the hair with her left hand to steady him. Her right hand held a pearl-handled Luger. She commanded, “Valk.”
Fenian spoke into the headset, “Robert, Kratos, upstairs.”
They nodded, went back down the hall and up the staircase. Bogus and Allister found the basement in time to see the elevator door close. Bogus keyed his mike, “Fenian, there is an elevator on the backside of that room. Someone is coming up.”
Micky stumbled through a back door to the room with Countess Wirths holding the Luger to his head. “Is zis vat you are looking for?” she asked.
Bogus and Allister were busy clearing the basement. They opened a small room. It was cold, as if refrigerated. Bogus saw a gurney with a white sheet covering what appeared to be a small body. His hand trembled as he reached for the sheet and pulled it back. Allister watched his head go down and his shoulders slump, then heard a little choke and a gasp for air. He knew what Bogus had found.
Both of their heads snapped up as they heard a rustling and a muted voice from across the hall. Bogus took the left and Allister the right. Allister slowly turned the knob and pushed open the door. Bogus spun in low to discover it was a large supply closet. Huddled at the back was the surgical team.
Bogus stared at them for a moment. These people knew, they all knew they brought in live kids and wheeled out dead ones. He raised the MP-5 and emptied it. He smoothly swapped out magazines and had raised it again when Allister grabbed his arm and said, “They’re dead Mr. Z, t
hey’re dead.”
Bogus lowered his weapon, stepped back and pulled the door closed.
The muted chatter of the silenced MP-5 diverted Fenian’s attention until a moment later Allister called in, “Clear.” Bogus was safe.
“Countess Wirths, is it?” Fenian asked with a half-smile.
“Yes, haf we met?”
Fenian shook her head. “No. You need to let him go.”
“Vat I need is a car. I vill drive away and let him out when I am safe.”
“He’s not leaving here with you.”
“I vish to call the German consulate.”
Fenian shook her head, “No. Let him go.”
“Vat is he to you?”
“Just a boy whose heart is bigger than his brain.”
Wirths pressed the gun tight against the side of Micky’s head and snarled. “He is vhy you came. I heard you calling. You haf 5 seconds to drop your veapon and clear a path or I. Vill. Kill him!”
Amy gave no indication that she saw the shadow slowly creep in behind Wirths. Then Luther snatched the gun from the older woman’s hand. Fenian stepped forward and grabbed Micky. He was too drugged to care that he was naked.
“Luther, call in Tigger. Tell him to land out back.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Fenian turned back to Wirths and did some snarling of her own. “Now, where is Claire?”
Luther looked past Fenian to the doorway behind her. His lips parted and his body looked liked someone had let the air out of him. Fenian turned to see Bogus cradling something wrapped in a sheet. His chin quivered as tears streaked down his face. In a blink, Fenian disappeared and Amy, one arm still around Micky’s shoulders, walked slowly to Bogus. He whispered, “We were too late. We didn’t make it.”
