Stark Shadows (Stark Trilogy Book 2)

by Bradley,CD

  “Which secretary mam? The Fucking Secretary!” Simone bellowed. “The God damn one I was just fucking talking too.”

  She could see him exit the building and march out on to the street. I have been very patient Owen but the time for games is over. The time has come for you to grow the fuck up. You may find yourself powerful in your little world. You may think you can intimidate me but no Mr. Stark, you have no idea who you are dealing with.

  “Mrs. Preston. Line two.”

  Simone picked up the phone and twirled a long strand of blond hair, “Change of plans.”

  Chapter 20

  Kira opened her eyes and checked her watch. 0125. Perfect she was up five minutes early. She lay on her hammock for a moment and listened to the even breathing of her hut mates and the drone of insects outside. At exactly 0130 she slipped from her hammock silently moving across the floor and out into the night. She had gone to bed with light joggers and a tank top that she could wear straight out of bed. Though the jungle was incredibly humid the temperatures in Peru were not bad at all. She giggled on the inside thinking of Holt’s whining on the plane. He hadn’t done any research it seems into the climate of the area. Kira found it quite comfortable. But with his pale skin and apparent mosquito attracting pheromones Holt had been miserable since day one. Poor Holt, having him around was like having a personal bug zapper. They swarmed to him as if he was covered in honey.

  Once out onto the dirt she stopped and put on her shoes. Kira loved her Merrell trail runners. When Stark had first sent her the Merrell Ascend Glove she wasn’t sure about using such a thin light shoe. But now they were so cozy, perfect. A little dirty from trail running but light and handled being wet like a champ. If she was doing a long field mission her boots would be a must. Tonight she wanted to be quick and quiet as possible. Her plan if spotted was to say that she was unable to sleep and wanted to go for a jog but got turned around.

  Her contact had instructed her to meet him on the street outside Café-Teatro Amauta. The night club had live music most nights and would still be teaming with people. Once she was a considerable distance from her hut, Kira put in her ear buds and began jogging. She showed her badge to the guard as she left the compound and set out on the streets of Iquitos. This has got to be the single most ludicrous thing I have ever done. Even going to a sex club seemed mild compared to what she was about to do. If she succeeded, then she would still most likely end up court marshalled or in prison. If she failed… Well it really wouldn’t matter would it? Peruvian drug lords were not exactly known for their forgiving natures. Is it really worth it? In the grand scope of the world will this sacrifice even count? But she knew it was worth whatever risks she had to take. Even if she gave her life.

  Kira Jogged toward the café. A moderately intoxicated couple staggered arm in arm down the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road. She turned the corner and saw a group of twenty something men stepping out of a bar and began walking in her direction. She glanced up and down the street but saw no other groups of people on the sidewalk. Kira reminded herself to be calm. Something about the rowdy horde made her uneasy. They were laughing and joking in a language she still struggled to understand. She quickened her step and her heart rate matched pace. Kira refused to let her nerves get the better of her. She took a deep breath exhaled slowly. One of the men gestured toward her and the others smiled. Kira considered crossing to the other side of the dark street or hailing one of the rickshaw motor bikes as they whizzed past.

  “Where the hell do you think you’re going?” A male voice boomed in her ear and a hand grabbed her shoulder. Kira froze and whirled around. Holt. Her relief was fleeting. She was instantly thankful to have him at her side as she faced this probable street gang. However, her mission required her to meet the contact alone. Holt could not be with her. Two blocks to go. How would she convince him to turn back in two blocks?

  “I was just going for a jog and…” Kira began her planned excuse attempting to sound as convincing as possible.

  “Cut the bullshit Kira. I know what’s going on here.” His voice was firm.

  How could he possibly know? Kira’s heart raced into full on sprint. She had been incredibly careful. Every exchange with her contact had been brief and when no one else was around. How much does he know? Kira had to be careful with her words and not give anything away.

  “You have been sulking around ever since you got your second rejection letter about your little conspiracy theory.” Holt began in the voice of an annoyed parent. “Now look at you. Out here in the middle of the night walking to a club. Admit it Kira you are going for a drink. Why Kira? You are doing so well on this mission. Why drink now?” His voice rose with his frustration.

  They had continued walking as he lectured. Only one block from the rendezvous. “You think I am ...” Kira paused. She balled up her fist but then realized that was probably more believable to Holt. “I don’t need a baby sitter.” She snapped back. “Why don’t you go back to base? Go creep on that little nurse you have been fucking around with for the last month.” Kira kept walking in the direction of the bar. Maybe she would have a drink.

  “Is that what this is about?” Holt’s cheeks flushed red. “I don’t fucking get you Kira. I spend a year trying to get your attention but all you want to do is go off and party with that damn enlisted prick. No matter what I do to try to help or protect you it doesn’t matter. You don’t give a shit.” He was yelling now. “Now in the middle of the fucking jungle when I Finally meet someone, now you are jealous?”

  Kira couldn’t help laughing. “I’m not jealous Liam. You can fuck whoever you want. Just go back to base and leave me the hell alone.” Kira stopped walking under the street light on the corner outside the bar. “I’m a grown ass woman let me make my own mistakes.” She had reached the rendezvous point. She knew they were being watched.

  Holt stood firm and stared directly into her eyes. He took a step closer and took her face in his hands. “I’m not going anywhere Kira. Do whatever it is you have to do. But I’m not going anywhere.” His voice had lost the patronizing tone and was solid like granite against a raging lake.

  “Holt, you don’t…” The words barely slipped from her lips as the dark hood came down over her head. She struggled but was lifted swiftly and thrown into a vehicle of some kind. A van possibly? She could hear Holt fighting and cursing. Kira struggled to get the hood off but someone grabbed her arms as the vehicle took off down the road. The smell from inside the hood made her stomach lurch almost immediately. Dried blood, stale vomit, and the putrid stench of sweat, the kind humans produce during extreme fight or flight situations burned in her nostrils. Kira wretched again but held it back. She brought out into a sweat and felt dizzy. The realization set in that this hood had been used before. Kira pictured it being pulled off a limp body lying in a pool of its own blood. Tires squealed loudly as they rounded a turn to the right. Holt was still fighting. Her hands were tied behind her back and her ankles were bound. Could this be her contact? Had they just been kidnapped? What the fucking hell was going on? Kira fought the rising panic. She had to stay calm. A sickening thud and then Holt was silent. She felt his body slump into hers. Oh God is he dead? Silent tears crested her cheeks. What the holy fuck have I gotten us into? Unable to move her hands or feet, she tried to move so that Holt’s body fell more onto hers. He was still warm. She tried desperately to hear if he was still breathing or to feel him move in anyway. She could smell his ridiculous aftershave over the musty oily smell of the van.

  They bounced along pot hole riddled streets and then onto a dirt road. If this was an “express” kidnapping they would only be held long enough to drain their ATM. There were only so many roads in Iquitos. This city in the literal middle of nowhere could only be reached by water or air. Eventually they would have to … The vehicle came to a screeching halt and strong arms lifted her out of the van and she felt herself being carried. Kira wondered if she should fight to get away. Were they being kidnapped?
Was this who she was supposed to meet? If this was her contact fighting to get away would be futile. Gerson Galvez was not a man to be fucked with. Despite every muscle in her body screaming to fight she would remain calm. At least on the outside. Kira forced herself to slow her breathing. She crinkled her nose and tried to pretend she couldn’t smell the remnants of the last occupant’s death. She heard their footsteps on a metal walkway. Where the hell? Then with another step she felt the world bob. They were getting on a boat. It would be impossible to track their direction on the amazon. Kira’s breathing sped up. This was it. Once they slipped into the jungle they would be untraceable. Kidnappings in this part of the world for ransom or just to be killed or worse sex trafficking were so incredibly common. Kira’s stomach lurched. They had an entire class on this when she first arrived in Peru. If her legs weren’t bound Kira would have kicked herself. What if her contact had been playing her all along? Setting her up. FUCK!

  She was thrown onto the deck of the boat and felt Holt’s body land beside her. He must still be alive. Why else would they bring him? Oh shit. Unless they are going to dump his body to the crocodiles. I’m sorry Liam. I’m so fucking sorry I got you into this. The boat took off speeding down the river. Kira rolled back into Holt’s body, he moaned. “Holt!” she whispered excitedly… ”Holt, are you awake? Can you hear me? Are you ok?” He didn’t answer. The only sounds filling the darkness were the roar of the boat motor on the water and the muffled Spanish of her captors. Kira felt around behind her for any object she could get a hold of. She didn’t know what she would actually be able to do with it but she had to do something. The boat raced on. No one would know where they were. No one would be coming for them. The boat turned hard and Kira rolled again. This time her hood shifted slightly and she could see a sliver of moonlight reflecting on the water below. Eventually they would dock and slip into the darkness of the jungle.

  ***

  “Get you’re A bags and service weapons boys and meet me on the tar mac in 10.” Captain Michaels ordered. Stark and Colin exchanged a here we go again look and jumped up. They had arrived at the Isofac shortly after getting the text alert and waited for instructions.

  “I think the sand fleas are starting to miss me.” Sergeant Colin said nodding and grabbing his bag.

  “Miss you? I thought you brought half of them back in that scraggly ass beard.” Stark shot back throwing his bag over his shoulder and following Colin out the door. After collecting their weapons, they met with the other members of their crew on the Tarmac and boarded the plane. Once aboard they settled their gear and weapons. Missions like these were a routine part of their service. Gear up and go. No time for hesitation or thoughts of the world back home. Just drop everything and go. In the last several years almost every trip was to some shit hole in the desert. Occasionally though they got to go to a shit hole in the jungle or some frozen fucking wasteland. But this was just A bag so most likely some place warm.

  “How is Paige doing after everything?” Colin asked quietly before the commander started them in route debriefing.

  “She’s doing ok. Paige is one of the strongest women I know. She’s been through a hell of a lot but she’s hanging in there.” Stark thought back to when he first met Paige in the tattoo shop. Damn that girl threw him for a loop. Before he could say anything further the captain began the debriefing.

  “Well it’s your lucky day guys we get a change of scenery. We are headed down to Ft Campbell to take off with the little birds. It seems the Mexican leader of the Sinaloa Cartel has been taken out in a recent gang war. A new South American leader has risen to power in the last 24 hours. The CIA has been watching him for some time. His connection to a terrorist group The Shining Path has got brass extremely concerned. Now that he is in power they will have access to the resources of the entire cartel. The revolutionary communist group has ties to China and the middle east.” He paused and took pulled up a map on the monitor. “We will be going in at night. The drop zone will be 15 clicks North from our target destination. Stark, your crew will be fast roping in here.” He enlarged a section of the map and pointed to the location. “You will move 15 clicks south / south west to the compound. Our intel indicates that he will be meeting with top officials of the Shining Path in the next 12 hours. You will have 3 hours to get into position and locate your targets.

  ***

  Kira’s heart was beating through her chest. She was terrified but she was not leaving. She had come this far for answers and she wasn’t going to turn back now. The boat docked and large hands picked her up and slung her into a cold metal vehicle. The diesel engine fired up. She listened for Holt but there was nothing save the rumble of the motor and the tires rolling over rugged terrain. She said a prayer for Holt and herself. This wasn’t a game or military exercise. This was the real fucking deal. She was hog tied with a hood over her head on the way she assumed to the house of a drug lord in the middle of the amazon jungle. Hell they were so far from civilization now even if she screamed and ran there would be no one to hear her and no way to make it back home.

  They moved slowly being thrown from rock to rock over what was probably meant to be a road but felt like a 4x4 course. Kira thought back to their training on what to do in the event of kidnapping. The fact that they had a course dedicated to this very circumstance told her it happened far too often. Maybe I should have thought of that before I agreed to meet drug cartel contacts in the middle of the frigging night. She tried to count the seconds but all she could think was that someone’s dried blood was on her face. Someone who maybe sat in this same truck. Someone who died in the same dirt where I am about to go.

  The vehicle slid and came to a stop. The door opened and the driver got out. Kira slowed her breathing and willed herself to remain calm. The lone set of footsteps moved over gravel and came around the side of the car. If there’s only one maybe, I can over take them. Where the hell is Holt? Kira felt around for anything she could grab. The floor was metal with a grip surface. She may be in the back of a covered truck. Carefully and quietly she moved her bound hands around searching for anything. Kira still didn’t know If this was even the group she was supposed to meet with or if she had been kidnapped. FUCK! Why did I have to be so nosey and stupid? Maybe I should have listened to Holt. Poor Holt! He had only come to try to protect her. He really thought she had a drinking problem. The only drinking problem they were going to have if they ever made it out of here was running out of wine.

  More footsteps approached and it sounded like the car was surrounded. Voices speaking in Spanish yelled to each other. Then they were still. Kira strained to hear what was happening. She could hear insects humming loudly in the jungle all around her. A new set of footsteps descended stone steps and crossed the gravel coming to rest directly outside the vehicle. The door opened.

  ***

  Stark and his team raced through the night aboard the little bird. The Blacked out Night stalkers of the 160th could approach any target without alarming enemy forces. They flew low and fast. Skids almost grazing the trees so that no radar could pick them up.

  “Ten minutes out from drop zone. Everybody with me?” the commander yelled through their headsets. They each took a turn verifying their call sign and checking their mic and ability to hear the air mission commander (AMC). Stark doubled checked his outer gloves. The fast rope procedure allowed all the men to drop one right after the other with only three meters between them. The Draw back was the heat from the friction of their gloves on the ropes. The only way to slow down and prevent slamming into the earth was with your legs and hands. They wore special gloves with heat resistant outer layer that could be removed upon landing. He knew too many people who had been injured because their gloves got too hot and they let up or worse let go. The Fast Rope Insertion System (FRIES) was a strict and non-forgiving protocol. For this elite group it had become second nature but they still followed it to the letter. One mistake, however small, would mean the difference between life or death.
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  The PIC (pilot in command) gave the alert that they were close and would give the go when time came to deploy the ropes. The Fries Master (FRM) and Assistant Fries Master (AFRM) would be in charge of insertion technique. This mission Stark was operating as FRM. He would lead his team into the charge. Over the last couple of years Stark was assigned lead post in most missions. His dedication to follow orders to a T regardless of personal sacrifice had earned the respect and praise of his commanders. While he didn’t give a fuck about praise, he hoped that record would help him in his commission for officer. He smiled to himself. Before Kira he didn’t give a fuck about that either.

  Abruptly the bird raised its nose and slowed as it reached the drop zone. They would hover for approximately thirty seconds to allow all six men to descend to the jungle floor. Stark stood ready with the smooth rope secured to the attachment bar awaiting the command. He had previously inspected the ropes and rigging to make sure all points were serviceable and free of any defects or contamination and that the quick-release mechanisms and safety pins were present and serviceable.

  He visualized the target with night vision and gave the all clear to the PIC who verified the safety of the target.

  “Deploy Ropes!” The PIC yelled.

  “Deploy ropes!” The safety replied and Stark repeated.

  This is the point of no return. That moment came with every mission. The split second between reasonably safe and balls to the wall no looking back. Stark signaled the AFRMs to deploy ropes and made a final check to ensure all ropes from the aircraft reached the surface and was safe for descent. He double checked that at least 15 feet of rope was on the surface.