Wilco- Lone Wolf 20

by Geoff Wolak

  His team moved past.

  I transmitted, ‘Nicholson, what can you see?’

  ‘Shit load of soldiers down there, to your right, watching the fire and waiting for something.’

  ‘Look left and report.’ I waited.

  ‘Some soldiers say ... three hundred yards down, stood around some jeeps, some soldiers outside a cafe in the centre, some outside a bar, some bodies in the streets. Look like a shower of shit, these boys.’

  ‘What's the other side of this big bush?’

  ‘Not much, they could hit you from where they are.’

  ‘If we fired through the bush who'd we hit?’

  ‘You'd hit thirty of them.’

  ‘Moran, got a view south?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Keep the boys down there busy when the fun starts. When I fire, men on the roof hit soldiers further away west, then targets of opportunity. SEALS, you on?’

  ‘We have a bit of high ground, dirt bank, and we have a clear shot on the boys watching the barbecue.’

  ‘Aim at those closest to you. Standby. Rizzo, you ready?’

  ‘Yeah, up on the top floor, it's empty.’

  I waved the SAS teams up, and lined them up kneeling, aiming through the bush. I had Sasha turn around and watch the track behind us. To the SAS regulars I said, ‘Burst of fire, long burst, then on me.’

  I took my magazine out and weighed it, back in, settings checked. I heaved a breath. ‘Standby.’

  I aimed level, took a breath, and fired, spraying left to right, a hell of a roar as twenty men fired next to me, eight above. I jumped up and ran, past a gap and exposed for a second, and slammed myself into a wall as men came up behind me. Seeing a man aiming this way I hit him twice as the regulars ran past behind me.

  Spinning right, I ran past the knelt line of troopers and to the corner, hitting a man running this way.

  I stopped and knelt. ‘Nicholson, report.’

  ‘Most are down, rest ran north, wounded moving around.’

  ‘SEALs, report.’

  ‘Damn turkey shoot, can hardly see anyone now.’

  ‘Moran, what they doing south?’

  ‘They ran, those still alive.’

  ‘Rizzo, you have any movement?’

  ‘No, they fucked off.’

  ‘SEALs, stand fast, snipers remain, all others back down the track, double time. Rizzo, come down to me.’

  I waited as they ran back, soon following, Moran's group coming in, and we ran to the end of the dark track and into the trees. I transmitted, ‘Headcount, re-group, spread out, rest. Nicholson, you on?’

  ‘Here, Boss.’

  ‘Hit any movement, ten minute reports back to me.’

  ‘What'd you reckon?’ Moran asked.

  ‘Tire them out till dawn, could be more petrol, or explosives.’

  We heard the whistling, the mortars landing four hundred yards north, felt through the ground.

  ‘Crap fucking aim,’ Rizzo noted.

  A second salvo, and the mortars were not getting any closer.

  ‘Nicholson, you see the mortars?’

  ‘I saw a flash, thousand yards south. Looks like a ship there.’

  ‘Are you saying that the mortars are on the ship?’

  ‘Could be, or next to it.’

  ‘You see the electric power boxes up the poles?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Then hit some at the south end.’

  Ten minutes later he was back on. ‘It's darker down there now, no TV tonight.’

  ‘Why knock out the lights?’ Doc Willy asked.

  ‘Make them think we want it dark to sneak-in down there. They'll be shooting at shadows.’

  ‘Murphy here, Boss, and I shot me a fella stood on a roof with binoculars.’

  ‘Good work.’

  I heard a growl, seeing a black outline. ‘Does that dog want to attack, or some love?’

  Rizzo blasted the dog twice. ‘Better safe than sorry.’

  Two minutes later a woman appeared on the track. ‘Nooky, Nooky, come boy.’

  Quiet snickering swept around the team.

  ‘Rizzo, you heartless bastard,’ Moran called.

  ‘How was I supposed to know.’

  ‘APC coming,’ came from Tomo.

  ‘Which direction?

  ‘From the left.’

  ‘Hit the tyres.’

  Five minutes late came, ‘It's stopped, driver out and inspecting his tyres. Well he was before we shot him.’

  It fell quiet, and hour passing as we sat in the dark, tree frogs serenading us.

  When my phone trilled it was Sergeant Tobo. ‘Sir, it is Sergeant Tobo here calling you on the telephone.’

  I smiled. ‘Go ahead.’

  ‘I spoke to a friend soldier from before, and now he is very unhappy, many men dead, and they not be liking killing the women and the men.’

  ‘Where is he?’

  ‘He be in Emjolo town, sir.’

  ‘Offer him money, from me, good money for information.’

  ‘I say to him that you look after him, yes, sir, and he ask what he can do.’

  ‘Ask him who was on the aircraft that crashed and burnt and how many men still in Ivory Coast and the Congo.’

  ‘I ask him now, sir.’

  He called back five minutes later. ‘It is Sergeant Tobo, sir.’

  ‘Go ahead.’

  ‘He say that many men died when the plane land and catch fire, he see down from is window, sir. And then he land on a road in the south, near Emjolo, but now some men they make ready to land by aeroplane in Guinea, where it was bombed before but OK to land, where I first meet you, sir.’

  ‘How many men?’

  ‘Four big aeroplane, sir.’

  ‘When do they land?’

  ‘Some now, sir, some soon.’

  ‘Where are you now?’

  ‘Ten miles south of that place.’

  ‘Get there fast, watch the men and report.’ I stood tall. ‘SEALs, you on?’

  ‘Go ahead.’

  ‘We're moving back to the mine, trouble there, you stay here and slowly wear them down, snipe from a distance, don't go into the town, keep me updated.’

  ‘Roger that.’

  I transmitted, ‘Snipers, back to me, double time. Everyone get ready to move north up the road.’ I called Harris as the men stood and got ready. ‘I need the Chinooks, town of Emjolo, north a mile, they land on the road when they see us. Fast as you can, and the Pumas if they're available. Update everyone, rebels landed in Guinea, will attack south.’

  I called Rocko as my snipers came in. ‘Sergeant Major, expect trouble from the north, we're heading back. How many British soldiers there?’

  ‘A hundred, a mixed bag. Some are fucking band members and cooks.’

  ‘Have them make ready, but it will take hours for the rebels to get to you if they're walking.’

  ‘I'll get teams in the treeline.’

  ‘When we get there we'll need jeeps and trucks.’

  I led the teams back the way we came after a headcount, calling Slider. ‘Where are you?’

  ‘Sniping at the town, can't see many soldiers now.’

  ‘I'm going to send Chinooks for you soon. Leave French Echo only to snipe and wear them down, main body landed in Guinea, to hit the oil areas. Move north a mile and wait by the road.’

  ‘Moving soon.’

  We moved past the burnt houses, some still smouldering, the air full of fumes and burnt rubber. Finding the track I followed it, but I saw the man too late. My shot killed him, but not before he fired.

  I had heard the scream, a woman. ‘Who's hit?’

  ‘A medic.’

  ‘Carry her, we're leaving!’ I led them on. ‘Morten, call it out!’

  After a minute he said, ‘Bad scrape, deep, but she'll make it.’

  ‘Patch her up as we go, soon be back at the mine.’ Past the roadblock I had them adopt the road. ‘Spread out in teams, watch the treeline. Murphy,
Terry, Tiller and Brace, forwards a hundred yards.’

  They ran past.

  I waved my team on and walked back to find Monster carrying the lady corporal on his back. ‘You OK?’ I asked her.

  ‘Stings like a bitch, sir, but it's going numb.’

  ‘Helos will be here soon.’ I transmitted, ‘Last team, walk backwards, check our rear.’

  Back at the front, Murphy knelt and fired, two rebels killed in the trees.

  Passing the cafe we were observed by stunned locals. I waved and smiled, to reassure them we were not like the rebels.

  Ten minutes on and we heard the heavy drone, soon seeing the Chinooks, torches flashed up. They circled us and set down ahead of us.

  ‘Make safe weapons then get the wounded medic onboard, SAS regulars first. Go.’

  They ran past me and in, the Chinook pulling off and left as we ran to the second Chinook. I knelt and waved Echo on, all aboard, twenty-four less Slider's four less Monster, and Rocko was at the mine, my troop of regulars with Slider.

  I was last aboard, a look down the road, no one seen running up, a thumbs-up to the crewman.

  We were soon rolling down the road like an aircraft, up and left, ten minutes of loud vibration and back to the mine and down, running out. I dispatched the Chinooks for Slider, 1st Battalion and Stiffy.

  Near the main building I called for senior men. They gathered around me in the light from the building. ‘Snipers, up on the roof here, the tall tower. Rotate it, get a brew on. Go!’

  They ran off.

  ‘Rizzo, Dicky, Tiller and Brace, Murphy and Terry, Monster, Parker. You go north west, find the track over the river, there are oil derricks six miles out - northwest. Introduce yourselves, then hide in the treeline and expect trouble, protect the workers. On the way, look for anyone sneaking in. Go!’

  Rizzo led them off.

  I pointed at a ‘B’ Squadron troop sergeant. ‘Take the regulars due north, there's a track. You hit the river and can see where people cross, track the others side.’

  ‘I remember it.’

  ‘Set an ambush this side of the river, careful who you shoot because we'll have patrols out. Go!’

  ‘Mister Haines, the main building and the treeline. You grab the local soldiers and organise them with Rocko. Find that captain.’

  He led his men off.

  I led Moran and Ginger, Mitch, Doc Willy and Salome inside.

  I found Morten attending his lady corporal, now down to a t-shirt, boobs poking out of a brown sweat-stained t-shirt. ‘How is it?’

  ‘Needs surgery to save the arm.’

  ‘I'll get a Puma in.’ I stepped outside as two Pumas came in, so I ran to them. Two groups of British soldiers jumped down. ‘Find Sergeant Major Rocko,’ I ordered. They ran off.

  I waved down the crewman, and shouted in his ear. ‘We have wounded for Freetown!’

  He nodded before I ran back. ‘Medics, Puma waiting!’

  The corporal walked herself out with Morten, a sergeant medic to take her to Freetown, both Pumas soon pulling away.

  I could see soldiers with GPMGs. ‘You men, get ready to move out.’ I found the local captain. ‘I need a truck.’

  He shouted for a corporal, who came running, stopped and saluted.

  I told that corporal, ‘The men who just arrived, men with the GPMGs, get them on a truck and up to the oil area, protect the workers. Have the truck come back for supplies. Add a few men to their numbers. Go!’

  Men boarded, but the truck had to slowly weave around the wreckage before it sped down the runway.

  The loud Chinooks announced their return, men soon out and down and running towards me, Slider at the front.

  ‘1st Battalion!’ They came in. ‘Go west through the mine to the river, spread out in pairs twenty metre apart, eyes on the river for any nasty surprises crossing the river. Get some water from inside. Go!’

  They walked off quickly past the main building.

  ‘Slider, wait here till we have a target, man the main track north. Get a brew on.’

  My phone trilled. ‘It's Swifty, we just landed.’

  ‘Get a ride to the mine, Chinooks are there, be ready for trouble.’

  He called back ten minutes later. ‘Yanks just landed.’

  ‘Send them by trucks to the mine, or they can use the Chinooks after you, ask the senior officer present – the British – to move them as soon as he can. If they go on the trucks they go armed and alert.’

  ‘You in contact?’

  ‘Well, let's see. We shot down three An12, then moved to the east, shot down four Mi8, attacked two towns, and now we're back for a cup of tea.’

  ‘Oh, that all, quiet day then.’

  ‘When you get here we can have a rest!’

  ‘Be there soon, get the kettle on.’

  Inside, I found the worried oil workers. I pointed at the manager. ‘Call your people up-country, evacuate them here.’

  ‘What about here? Is it safe?’

  ‘We have men all around, hundreds of them. Relax.’

  Not looking relaxed, he got on the phone.

  Outside, I called Harris and updated him.

  He reported, ‘At dawn, French soldiers will move down those two roads to the towns.’

  ‘Not many rebels left alive,’ I told him. ‘I think the good boys landed here. Update them about the secret road.’

  ‘Secret road?’

  ‘The rebels used bulldozers to make a dirt track, from one road to the next, but we blocked it. If they fly over they'll see it.’ I listed the teams here and those still in the east.

  Called ended, my phone trilled straight away. ‘It be Sergeant Tobo here on the telephone, sir.’

  ‘Go ahead.’

  ‘We see dee men moving south, many men, and they have dee RPG and the rockets and dee missile for dee aeroplane.’

  ‘OK, thanks, keep observing them, don't be seen.’

  I called Harris. ‘Update Freetown, rebels have heat-seeking missiles, no flying around the Guinea border region. Update the Navy and the French units here in Liberia. Oh, those small planes, the RAF flight, have them make ready for dawn ground attacks.’

  The two Chinooks thundered in ten minutes later, Swifty leading the British Wolves out with 14 Intel, plus a batch of Welsh Guards.

  I sent the Welsh Guards to the captain, to place the men in the treeline, then waved in the Wolves and 14 Intel. ‘Listen up. We have three hundred rebels moving south towards us, should be here in a few hours, so you have time for some food.

  ‘Swifty, Wolves, be ready to move out in half an hour, get sorted, water and rations.

  ‘Robby, an hour from now, take 14 Intel north to the river, ‘B’ Squadron there. Go west three hundred yards, in the treeline in pairs ten yards apart, get comfy, but stay alert, might get a nasty surprise coming over the river. French are on the river west of us.’

  After a chat to Swifty and Robby about the mess we had made here, I gathered the Welsh Guards Captain and Sergeant, the local captain and his sergeant, plus Haines and Rocko.

  ‘Go up and down the treeline, position your men in pairs just inside, some solid cover, poncho up in case it rains. Have them twenty yards apart, and they listen as much as look. Should be no one sneaking through the trees, so if they spot someone they shoot.

  ‘We have patrols coming and going, but they'll use the main track. Have a good team on the main track, but don't shoot unless sure, shout a warning, flash a torch. Tell the men to report trouble before shooting if they can. Mister Haines, have two of your men on the main track, they call it out, NCO there.

  ‘Make sure the men rotate sleep, two hours at a time, and that they have food and water, be ready for action in three hours or at dawn, rebels are walking this way. Keep in mind the French, west by the river, SAS north at the river. No wandering around.’

  ‘What about the black soldiers?’ the local captain asked.

  ‘Are they any good?’ I wondered.

  ‘Yes, s
olid men.’

  ‘Have them take the east end, four hundred yards, spread along.’

  I left them to organise themselves.

  Inside the nice cafe bar, Mitch eating a sandwich and sat at a nice table, he asked, ‘What's the game plan?’

  ‘They're walking south to us here. I doubt they want to damage the oil set-up, or kill the oil workers, that would make a nonsense of taking over here. So … no idea what they want, other than to walk past and have a go at Monrovia.’

  ‘Long walk,’ Doc Willy noted. ‘And you said they have roadblocks and APC south of us.’

  I nodded. ‘If I was a cynical man I might think they were here to destroy the oil set-up, on behalf of someone that doesn't want this place developed. Nigerians maybe. But even the Nigerians would want the oil flowing, so … fuck knows.’

  ‘Are they coming for you?’ Salome posed.

  ‘Actually, that might make sense, yes. They get here, take hostages, knowing that I would be called in to rescue those hostages. But their planning is crap, and we got here first.’

  Moran noted, ‘They got more planes from somewhere.’

  I raised a finger, took out my phone and stepped out, calling Libintov. ‘It's Petrov.’

  ‘Ah, I saw images of those crashed planes on the news, then did some digging. They belong to a South African, Van de Berg. He is in mines and oil.’

  ‘I think he may need a loan for some new planes.’

  ‘Yes, certainly.’

  ‘More transports were used to land soldiers in Guinea, any clues?’

  ‘I will ask around, but someone is going to great lengths to keep his business interests quiet.’

  Thinking about how the images got on the news, I called Bob Staines. ‘Van de Berg in South Africa, start digging, he's in oil and mines – and sending men to attack me. See if The Banker knows him.’

  ‘He's here. Hold on.’

  A minute later came, ‘Petrov, how are you?’

  ‘You know, the usual, in a battle.’

  ‘This man Van de Berg has asked for a loan.’

  ‘He'll be dead real soon.’

  ‘So a bad business proposition for me.’

  ‘Tell him that Petrov blocked it, that will piss him off. And the money would have been used to try and grab Tomsk's oil deal in Liberia.’

  ‘Ah, well we wouldn't want to fund that, I'm heavily invested in it.’

  ‘But ... if you can secure his assets with a good deal, and I kill him and he defaults...’