by Bella Juarez
“And what project is that?” Sergei asked.
“Your work in Afghanistan in the Kush Valley,” Viktor said.
Sergei placed his cup on the tray beside him. He gave Viktor his full attention. This was a dangerous endeavor. The Americans would consider this a hostile action if Russia suddenly returned to Afghanistan without an invitation. The Kush Valley was near the Khyber Pass to Pakistan and very remote. It was the exact reason why the old Soviet Union had selected the site in the first place. He wondered how much the area had changed since the recent war.
“This exploration is for defensive purposes?” Sergei asked.
“Of course,” Viktor replied.
It was a lie. Sergei knew it was a lie the moment the answer crossed Viktor’s lips.
“And the president approved this request?” Sergei asked.
“Yes. He was getting confirmation.”
“Where will I work? Surely not in Afghanistan.”
“That is not clear.”
“I do not think it wise to return to Afghanistan for this project at this time. Let me review the old work that was done and update it,” Sergei said.
Viktor opened a drawer and took out a folder. Sergei stood and took the folder from Viktor’s outstretched arm. He opened the folder, giving it a cursory study to find his orders, contacts, and his new staff. He also noticed the name of his Pakistani contact, Nayyaf Bakri. Sergei closed the folder and looked at Viktor.
“Who do I report to?” Sergei asked.
“Me and only me. I will inform you if that changes,” Viktor said.
Chapter Five
Coronado Naval Amphibious Base
Headquarters Naval Special Warfare Command
Office of the Commander
September 4, 2008/1817 Zulu
JJ and Dixie had been busy over the last few weeks with the situation in San Antonio. The cyberattack they had been warned about struck at Randolph and had hit the personnel computer systems as well as the military hospital systems in the southern command area. All branches of the military had been targeted. It was still unclear if the cyberterrorists were still in the computer systems. San Antonio’s CYBERCOMM hadn’t become fully operational. Rock and his group were working night and day to figure out how deep the damage ran and shut it down.
An attack had taken place on a civilian member of the team in San Antonio, and she’d almost been killed as a result. Rock had his hands full keeping everything under control. Dixie and JJ were scheduled to visit San Antonio in a few days for an update. Dixie walked into his office thinking about how much warfare had changed and how he missed the Cold War with its clearly defined enemies. These bastards had no country, no organized government, nothing but a fucking cause. This would be a long, ugly war and would surpass Dixie’s military career. He briefly stopped at Markie’s desk and picked up his usual correspondence stack before going into his office. Something from one of his groups caught his eye.
* * * *
Dixie was fuming when JJ walked into the office. JJ had been considering taking some leave and jumping on a hop to Corpus Christi for the Labor Day weekend. He and Irene had been keeping in contact with one another since she had gone back to Texas. He’d called down to San Antonio, thinking maybe he could just take care of things in San Antonio a little early and justify some more time there. He was told that Rock had taken leave and would not be back until after the three-day Labor Day weekend.
JJ saw that Dixie was pacing back and forth, meaning Dixie was very angry. When Dixie paced like this he was usually trying to get a grip on his rage. JJ took a seat. He mentally ran through the last couple of days trying to and figure out if something had happened that caused this reaction in Dixie. Other than the shit storm in San Antonio, he was drawing a blank.
“You rang?” JJ asked.
“What the fuck, JJ?” Dixie loudly demanded.
JJ looked away for a moment trying to recall if he had killed or maimed one of his trainees recently. What the hell did I fuck up this time?
“Did I do something? Again?” JJ questioned.
“Yes!” Dixie yelled.
“Okay…” JJ started slowly.
“Rock got married,” Markie called from the outer office.
“Shut up, Markie!” Dixie barked.
JJ was relieved for the moment and breathed a little easier. Why the hell is Dixie pissed about Rock getting married?…Rock got married! That was an unexpected announcement, because Rock wasn’t the marrying kind. JJ refocused.
“What’s the problem, Dix? Did you want to marry him eventually?” JJ asked with a smile.
“What the fuck’s wrong with you? I’m already married! Dipshit!” Dixie shouted.
“Just asking. You have a habit of not staying married. I just thought maybe you wanted to try and bat for the other team. You might be more successful there.” JJ shrugged.
From the outer office they could hear Markie howl with laughter. Dixie unleashed his fury. JJ cocked his head trying to understand just what the hell Dixie was attempting to say. He was worried because he hadn’t seen Dixie this pissed in a long time. He had to weed through what Dixie was spitting out and managed to understand that apparently he hadn’t fucked up, Rock had. Whew! JJ breathed. He was, however, very worried for Rock. Finally, Dixie slowed down enough to make JJ understand exactly what had happened.
“Can I see the original message?” JJ asked.
As if on cue, Markie entered the office and handed JJ a copy of the message that had been sent the week before. He took his time reading it and rereading it, knowing damn good and well that Rock had memorized it before figuring out what course of action to take.
“Well?” Dixie demanded.
“Well, here’s what you said and I quote, Anna Santiago is to be returned to her duty station with the 1427th Communications Squadron at Brooks Air Force Base. SOCOM and HQNAVSPECWAR will have no further contact with Ms. Santiago.” JJ looked up from what he was reading and pointed out, “You didn’t say eliminate all contact. You said return her to her duty station and cut official contact with her. Rock, being the overachiever he is, got her to leave civil service all together. So what’s the problem?”
“He married her! She’s living with him!”
“Knowing Rock the way I do that ain’t all that’s going on. So?”
“So!” Dixie repeated hysterically.
Dixie was getting a little too hysterical for this situation in JJ’s opinion. Either there was something more to this and Dixie was in some deep shit or Rock had just found a loophole and had outsmarted Dixie. That would be a problem for Rock because Dixie had a major problem with not being in control and rejection.
SOCOM, in JJ’s mind, had fucked this up. Once they let Anna Santiago loose and cut the ties there would be nothing keeping a civilian from contacting the press or getting a lawyer. It was obvious SOCOM was overreacting, covering their asses, and they hadn’t thought about the long-term ramifications. SOCOM should have simply laid low and waited to see the outcome before reacting to the problem with Anna Santiago. The people that made this decision were looking at this from a political prospective instead of a tactical one.
“So what? You can’t keep him from getting married, Dixie, and no one has said she was a security threat. SOCOM is getting nervous because they’re afraid someone will get wind of what’s happening and all the shit that’s been compromised. Their ass is in a ringer right now.”
“No! His ass is in a ringer and I’m about squeeze!” Dixie yelled.
“Dixie, don’t piss him off,” JJ warned.
“Say what?” Dixie demanded.
“Rock just kept the lid on a shit storm they were about to get into with a civilian. Someone did not think this thing through, but Rock did. You better be glad that it was Rock and not Whiskey handling this. What do you think she would’ve done once they cut her loose? You better think about that, Dixie. Anna Santiago won’t talk as long as she’s married to Captain O’Malley.”
&
nbsp; Dixie paused a moment. He walked to his desk and sat down, glaring at JJ. He was glad he’d managed to reach Dixie. Rock was one of his favorite people and had been since entering the SEALs. Dixie looked away. He knew that Rock was also Dixie’s favorite.
By the way Dixie was glaring JJ knew that he’d realized JJ was right. Rock had either done something heroic or something really stupid. Unfortunately only time would tell. One thing was clear. An enemy was still among them. He knew Rock wouldn’t let go until he figured it out and had the bastard laying in a tray with an apple his mouth and baked to perfection. He also knew Dixie wasn’t about to let this go, either. Rock hadn’t followed his orders to the letter, and Dixie could be a real asshole when he felt the slightest bit betrayed.
“Markie! Get my jet ready. I need to go down to San Antonio!” Dixie called.
“I’m telling you Dixie, don’t piss him off,” JJ repeated.
JJ knew Rock wasn’t one to back down and his boy had a weakness. Rock was fiercely loyal to his people and would defend them to the detriment of his own safety if he thought for one second they were being treated unfairly. Evidently this was the case with Anna Santiago.
Rock was right, they were hanging her out and she would be dead in a week if he hadn’t stepped in. Marrying this woman was very out of character for him. Apparently there was more to this than first blush. Maybe a trip to San Antonio would be in order. It would also give JJ the chance to sneak down to Victoria for the weekend.
Dixie had given JJ enough time to grab a travel bag and get into the admiral’s Gulfstream III private executive jet. The jet had been reconfigured for the admiral’s use. There was a mini four-man combat information center, or CIC, in the rear of the jet so that Dixie could be briefed on situations as he flew. Now this is a perk! He considered all the rough flights they had taken in C-130s and any other mode of transportation that could take them to their mission. Things had indeed changed for him and Dixie.
Dixie was unusually quiet for a long time and JJ was uneasy.
“Dixie, why are you really pissed off?” JJ asked.
“He didn’t do what I told him to do,” Dixie said flatly.
“I can remember a time when you disregarded orders in a similar situation.”
“Fuck you, JJ. This ain’t about me or my wife.”
“If he would’ve told you what he was planning, what would you have said?” JJ asked, knowing damn good and well what the answer was.
Dixie glared at him. JJ stood and went to the hidden minibar in the jet. He poured two large glasses of scotch on the rocks and added a little water to Dixie’s drink. He handed the glass to Dixie and resumed his seat. Both men took a long drink.
“Dixie, Rock knows the answer to that question, too,” JJ said.
“He fucked up, JJ, and you are not getting him out of this one.”
“You don’t know if he’s fucked up yet or not. And, you know damn good and well that Rock won’t stand for anyone hanging one of his people out to twist in the wind. You ought to know that better than anybody.”
Dixie took another long drink. “JJ, I had a reason for ordering him to cut the ties. That fucking order came from my boss. I didn’t do it because I like fucking with people’s lives. How the hell do you think it made me feel to tell Rock to do that? I’ve met the woman. Hell, I even like her. But orders are orders.”
“Dixie, this admiral shit goes to your head every now and then. Your boss didn’t say to cut that technician off altogether. That message said no more official contact. In other words, she doesn’t work for SOCOM anymore. Your pride is hurt and you’re about to shit all over your best officer right now. You and I both know that Rock and Switchblade are the only two captains in your command who won’t fuck you. The rest of your senior leadership are all a bunch ambitious cutthroats who would stab you in the back if it meant a promotion. Rock would die before he would hurt you, and he would take out anybody who tried. I’m asking you to listen to Rock before you tear him a new asshole and look stupid because there was something more to this,” JJ said.
“I hate you, you fucking Panhandle hick!” Dixie said with a dangerous grin.
“You hate me because I’m right, you dumbass Cajun,” JJ said with a laugh.
“I’ll listen. But I’m not letting him get away with this,” Dixie said, standing. “You want another round?”
“Thank you, I think I will.”
The plane landed at Randolph Air Force Base and a car was waiting to take them to Rock’s quarters on base. Dixie had JJ drop the driver at base operations and they took off for Rock’s place. They walked up the neat path of the field-grade officer housing that Rock called home for the time being. Dixie had relaxed somewhat during the flight to San Antonio and was at least prepared to hear Rock’s explanation.
Chewing Rock’s ass would just be to remind him of his chain of command and the fact that his boss didn’t like surprises. JJ felt much better about the trip when they arrived at the house. Dixie rang the doorbell and got his game face on. The door swung open to a very surprised Captain O’Malley.
“Hello, Captain, I came to offer my congratulations,” Dixie said.
“We need to talk, Rock,” JJ said.
“Okay, let’s go to my office and talk.” Rock started to walk out the door.
“Not yet, I want to say hi to the missus,” Dixie snarled.
“Then please come in, Admiral,” Anna said from behind Rock. The men at the door turned and stared at Anna. “Please, gentlemen, come in. Jack and I were just sitting down for dinner, but there’s enough for everyone.”
With all of Dixie’s bullshit today JJ had been interrupted while he was walking into the NCO Club for lunch with Shark. He was hungry and he knew from the scuttlebutt that Anna had been a chef in her past life.
“I’m hungry.” JJ shrugged as he walked into the house.
The four sat down as Anna served them. It was a very tense meal as Rock and Dixie stared at each other the whole time. There was polite but edgy conversation as they ate. Dixie and Rock were engaged in a silent pissing contest. JJ made light conversation with Anna, who was clearly uncomfortable with what was going on. Finally, Dixie and Rock decided it was time to end the silent contest of wills. They left the house and started for the hangar that housed Special Warfare Group Five.
“Don’t go to my office. Take a left up here, JJ, and keep driving until we’re off the base. Take a left at the gate and keep going until I tell you to stop,” Rock said.
“What the hell?” Dixie snapped.
“Dixie, trust me, please. I know you think I’ve screwed you over, but I have my reasons. I’ll explain it you when we’re nowhere near this base,” Rock said.
JJ gave his I told you so glance to Dixie in the rearview mirror. Dixie returned the glance with a glare. They drove for about forty-five minutes to a tavern outside of a small resort town near McQueeney, Texas. They pulled into a shabby biker bar and grabbed a table in the center of the room. Before they left the vehicle, the three men had placed their cell phones in the glove box of the car.
“What the fuck is this, Rock?” Dixie demanded harshly.
“My office is bugged,” Rock said.
Dixie and JJ both exchanged startled looks. That sort of action takes some real balls and somebody close had to have done that. The implications were sobering and downright scary.
“Are you fucking serious?” JJ asked in shock.
“I wouldn’t have had you drive all the way out here if I weren’t dead fucking serious. JJ, can you go get us a couple of beers?” Rock asked.
JJ walked to the bar and ordered a round for the table. After they were served, the explanation began.
“Anna and Gavin were both shot with a bullet from the same gun. Remember the hacker, Marco Lima? He was also killed with the same weapon. Apparently, it’s someone with access to military-grade weapons and someone who has sniper experience. And…” Rock said.
“And?” Dixie demanded, wide eyed.
/> “It gets much better, boss. Anna wasn’t only a shooting victim. She was infected with a biological agent. The infection was what almost killed her. It was identified as a Russian bacteria that has no known natural origins. According to Doc’s work with the CDC it was developed during the time the Russians occupied Afghanistan. In the 1980s the super antibiotics we have now didn’t exist, so there was no cure. That biological attack we got information about came to pass. I think they’re testing the waters. I wasn’t keeping anything from you, but I hope you understand why I couldn’t send you a message, either. Someone close is watching me. I was planning on telling you when you came down next week,” Rock said.
“What made you believe your office was bugged, Rock?” JJ asked.
“Senior Chief Richards, Doc, was approached by the people who tried to kill Anna. They’re recruiting him because of his background in medicine. I also had him take care of Anna while she was in the hospital. He was the one that figured out how to deal with that pathogen. These bastards are recruiting active SEALs in my group. The ring leader is throwing a lot of money around,” Rock said.
“What the fuck…” Dixie trailed off in a whisper.
“Rock, you need to get them the hell out of there. You’re compromising our mission,” JJ said, concerned.
“Doc is playing double agent right now. The people I know about, I’ve got them contained. I’ve got to find them all otherwise I drive them underground and really risk the mission. I also need to find out what they plan to do with this pathogen,” Rock said.
“How many are there, Rock?” Dixie asked.
“Doc has only been able to identify two, but we both think there’s more. I had Gamez sweep my office in secret one Sunday afternoon when no one was around. That’s how I found out my office was bugged,” Rock said.
“Who the fuck are these people, Rock?” JJ demanded.
