by Mike McNeff
“Will do, Rob.”
“Have you finished loading the info I need for the briefing?”
“Yep, maps, photos, mug shots and dossiers. You're all set.”
After the team assembled, Robin continued the briefing done on the first leg of the trip. Everyone stared at the small computer screen at their seat in the briefing room as he covered the geography of Bangkok and the surrounding area in more detail. A large red dot pinpointed their target…the Landmark Hotel.
Robin tapped the screen and it zoomed in on a set of schematic drawings showing the interior of the Landmark from the service basement to the penthouse. “As you can see, we have a straight shot with the service elevator from the service basement to the penthouse because it gets special treatment.” Robin touched the screen again. “These are the pictures and intel on Ivanov and the Russian ambassador. The code name for Ivanov is Stinky. The code name for the ambassador is Uncle.”
“We launch as soon as we get clear of customs. Our man on the ground is Chien Nguyen and he'll have transport waiting for us. Weapons will be silenced pistols and they should only be used if your life is in danger. Each two man team will carry four Rattlesnake knock-out syringes. Remember, we want this guy alive.
Plan A is to use Chien's contact to get us up to the penthouse. We'll knock Stinky out, put him in a laundry cart, go down the service elevator, then we'll make a beeline for the airport. A Range Rover will meet us just outside the airport and we will transfer Stinky into the Rover and it will go directly to Fatboy. The rest of us will drop off the rental cars, but Chien will handle the payment details.
Plan B will activate if we have to deal with any outside interference…namely the KGB or the GRU, the Russian military intelligence unit. If they are in the area we will have to neutralize them before we move the target out. That's why I want you to carry the extra syringes. We'll still have to get up to the penthouse, but we won't move until we have taken care of the Russian agents. The rest will go as we briefed before. Any questions or comments?”
Later, Robin looked up from his desk as Ernie Jackson came into his cabin.
“Sorry to bother you, Rob, but we need to talk.”
“What's up, brother?”
“We are less than two hours from Bangkok. We got a message from Grassley. The KGB is going to make a move to get Stinky today.”
“Are they on the ground?”
“They don't know.”
Robin thought for a minute. “Any word from Chien?”
“We had contact an hour ago. Everything is still go with him, including getting us past customs…it'll just cost us.”
“Chien said Stinky is still at the Landmark?”
“Check.”
“Okay, on the next contact, I'll need to talk to him. Plans will stay the same. We will just have to play it by ear.”
Thirty minutes later, Chien called again.
“Chien, this is Robin.”
“Robin! How are you?”
“Doing good my friend. Can you put together a surveillance team ASAP?”
“I don't know. I can start calling relatives. Why?”
“I am not sure we're going to get there before the Russians. If they grab Stinky before we get there, we're going to need to know where they are.”
“I'll start calling relatives. My cousin says he is still at the Landmark.”
“That's good. Get a surveillance team up and keep me updated every half-hour. Turn your radio on and put it on Tac 8 scrambled. I'll contact you when we are on the ground.”
SIX
GROUND CONTROL DIRECTED JACK to park the aircraft in a remote part of the Bangkok Airport. Robin exited the plane by the internal stairway and was wrapped with sticky, warm air. A short, wiry man in a very officious uniform stood next to a car waiting for him, with an expectant smile on his face.
“Good afternoon, sir. I'm Robin Marlette.”
“I am Captain Alak Shenawatra, Supervising Airport Customs Officer.”
Robin bowed slightly and handed the officer an expanding file containing the plane's documentation, passports of the entire team and a plain brown envelope. The officer went to his car and motioned for Robin to follow. He retrieved a set of rubber stamps and proceeded to stamp the visa in each passport. Pulling out another form, he stamped it too. He put the passports and the form back into the folding file and removed the brown envelope. He thumbed the currency and looked at Robin with a smile.
“Welcome to Thailand. Your vehicles are waiting for you in front of the cargo terminal to your right.”
“Thank you, Captain. You're very kind.”
The Captain drove away as Robin called on his portable. “Okay, let's rock!” As the team came down the ramp, Robin smiled as he read the form the Captain had put in the file. It was their exit clearance.
The team was still fifteen minutes out from the Landmark when Chien called on the radio.
“The Uncle went up to the penthouse.”
“Shit!” Robin cursed as he mentally clicked through options, none of which made him happy.
“Pick it up, guys.”
“Not easy in this traffic, boss, but I remember a side street on the map about five hundred meters ahead that could cut a few minutes.”
“Do it!”
Driving fast proved difficult in the teeming city of Bangkok. The team went through alternating districts of wealth and poverty. The fading day slowly wrapped the city in a warm and humid evening. The pungent aroma of Asia; a mixture of spices, flowers, food, exhaust, smoke, garbage and sewage permeated the air. In some districts, just as many people walked in the streets as were on the side. Vehicles of every description careened down the streets with horns blaring, mindless of any traffic laws. Driving was a game of chicken as well as a method of transportation.
When the team was five minutes away, Chien radioed.
“SpearTip, a black sedan pulled up to the service entrance to the hotel and two white men went in. There's a driver with the vehicle. They reek KGB.”
Robin's heart pounded and his mind churned. “All units, same set up. SpearTip Two, you follow us to the service entrance. We'll go to the service door. You hang back until we have the target in custody, then you come and bag him. We'll get back to our car and boogie. SpearTip Three and Four, you follow Two to the airport and cover them. All units understand?”
“Two, good.”
“Three, Roger.”
“Four, also.”
“Chien, we are thirty seconds out. Release any surveillance units you have and engage the driver in a conversation.”
“Roger.”
Burke drove the car slowly past the alley at the rear of the hotel.
“Stop here.” Robin signaled Rick Santos and Emmett in Unit Two to stop. He and Burke exited their car and sneaked a peek around the corner. Chien and the driver were yelling at each other.
“Burke, go to the driver's door and mess with him.” Burke moved to the left as Robin walked quickly to the passenger side of the car. He stopped by the rear quarter panel.
Burke walked up to Chien. “Hey, is this guy giving you trouble?”
The Russian cursed and started to get out of the car, but Burke and Chien pushed back on the door.
Robin jerked opened the rear passenger door, slipped in and reached over the front seat jamming a rattlesnake syringe into the driver's left shoulder. The man yelped as Burke pulled the driver's head out and smashed his face with a knee strike. Robin motioned Chien to leave, but Chien bent down to help Burke with the driver.
As Robin came around the rear of the car, the service door opened. Stinky stepped out. Two KGB agents carried luggage were behind him. Robin grabbed Stinky and spun, flinging the fugitive to Burke and Chien and then threw his body against the door, slamming it in the face of the first KGB agent. Robin heard a thump and a loud curse when he did so.
Chien pushed Stinky to the ground.
Burke dragged the driver over to the wall.
Emmett and
Rick came screeching up to the service door. Emmett jumped out, grabbed Stinky, threw him into their car and jumped back in. Rick gunned the engine and they rocketed out of the alley.
“Look out!” Chien yelled. Robin heard an engine and looked back to see Burke maneuvering the KGB car towards the service door. He jumped out of the way and Burke banged into the door blocking it.
“Let's go!” Robin yelled as he threw a salute to Chien limping to his car. Robin and Burke sprinted to their car. Seconds later they were in Bangkok traffic both wide eyed and breathing heavily as adrenalin coursed through their bodies, which were dripping with perspiration. Robin began to laugh. Burke soon laughed too.
“What a clusterfuck!” Robin yelled above the roar of the engine.
“No shit! It all went down so fast, I'm not really sure what happened!”
“What happened is we got Stinky and no one got killed! That's all that matters.” Robin keyed his radio.
“SpearTip to Fatboy.”
“Fatboy, go.”
“We're inbound. Send out SpearTip Five and get ready for departure.”
“We're already on it.”
Ninety minutes later, Robin appeared on the flight deck. They were already taxiing toward the runway.
“Are we cleared for take-off, Jack?”
“Not yet. We are number three in line.”
“I'll feel a lot better when we're airborne.”
Jack taxied the aircraft to a position behind a Luftansa 727. Minutes ticked by. He suddenly cocked his head and pressed his headset to his right ear.
“Rob, they want us to come back to the cargo terminal.”
“Hold your position.”
“What do I tell them?”
“Tell them unless it is an emergency, we already have our exit clearance.”
“Worldwide 305 Heavy, Bangkok Center, we already have our exit clearance. Unless it's an emergency, we'll hold our position. We do have a schedule to meet.” By now they were next to take off. They lined up on the runway. There were four aircraft behind them.
“They're telling us to standby, Rob.”
Robin's jaws were grinding. “Come on…Come on…Jack…” Robin was about to tell Jack to take off.
“Roger and thank you, 305 Heavy.” Jack and Oscar pushed the throttles forward and the big jet started down the runway. It gathered speed and began to tremble. After what seemed forever, Jack eased back on the wheel and the airplane rose into the night sky. Robin breathed a sigh of relief.
“Wonder why they let us go?” Jack mused.
“I imagine the good Captain shared some of his largesse.” Robin felt relieved he paid the amount Chien suggested. “Activate the defense suite, Oscar.”
“Done, Mother Marlette.”
Robin put his hands on the shoulders of the pilots. “Now you know why I demanded you guys be our fly boys.”
“There's no way we would've let you guys have all this fun without us. Rob,” Oscar replied.
“Get us home.”
“Roger that.”
Robin walked back to the team quarters and worked his way to the holding cells. Emmett and Burke were there carefully repacking Emmett's paramedic bag. Robin looked in the cell window. His stomach turned at the thought of what this man did.
“How's Stinky?”
“He's still out, but he'll be fine.”
“I'm going up to see Jamie. Let me know when Ivanov is conscious.”
“Will do.”
Robin walked up to the intelligence deck. “How is it going, Jamie?”
“Good, Rob. I'm ready to contact Grassley if you are.”
Robin put on a headset and plugged it in. “Let ’er rip.”
“Bill Grassley.”
“It's Rob. We have the package and are headed home.”
“Good job. The Soviets are beside themselves. They suspect the CIA did it, but they're not sure because the FBI and DEA in the Bangkok embassy are just as confused as the Soviets.”
“I may have injured one the KGB agents.”
“We haven't picked up anything like that. Do you think you hurt him badly?”
“Naw, I probably just broke his nose.”
“Don't worry about it. I have something else for you to worry about.”
“Nothing about home is it?”
“No, I have another mission for you…a very urgent mission.”
“We can't go home first?”
“No, because you're not far from the trouble.”
Robin took a deep breath. “Okay, what's the mission?”
“A group of about thirty men from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front kidnapped seventeen international aid workers on the Philippine island of Mindanao. The Philippine Army attempted a rescue that resulted in the death of thirteen of the hostages. The Army has pulled back to regroup. They're a little shaken. The commander was relieved and they're waiting for the new one to get on the scene.”
“What does this have to do with us? Why can't our guys go in and get them?”
“I think you know the Filipinos are exerting their independence from us. Our guys are there, but they are being prevented from participating. We need you guys to rescue the remaining hostages, but make it look like the Filipinos did it.”
“Jesus, Bill, we're good, but we're not magicians!”
“One of the hostages is the daughter of a multi-billionaire named George Lanthrop, who is a very important supporter and advisor to the President. Lanthrop is asking the President to do something. You guys are our ‘something’.”
Robin rubbed his forehead. If he took this mission, it would require a High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) jump. His men were already tired and a HALO jump was a dangerous proposition in the best of situations. He knew, however, that Grassley and Yates were simply calling in their markers…and the team was only three hours away from Mindanao. “Okay, Bill, where are they?”
“I've sent a satellite image to you. It will show the current location of the hostages and a river delta you can drop into about three miles away.”
“You know this will require a HALO jump tonight.”
“I know it's asking a lot, but you're our quickest option and our best chance for success.”
“Are your people sure we are only dealing with the thirty tangos?”
“No, they're sure you'll probably be dealing with a lot more. We believe the thirty tangos were probably just the assault group. They've probably hooked up with the main force by now.”
“That's just wonderful!” Robin stared at the wall trying to bring his rising blood pressure down. “Give me about an hour to get a plan worked up. I'll get back to you.”
“Okay, Rob. Please let me know as soon as you can.”
Robin took off his headset.
“You looked pissed off, boss.”
“I am, Jamie. Pull up the satellite image Grassley just sent. Get the coordinates, send them to Jack and check the weather and winds up to thirty thousand feet in the area.”
“You got it.”
Robin walked down to the flight deck. “Jack, set a course for Mindanao to the coordinates Jamie just sent you.”
Jack turned and frowned.
“We may have a new mission. I'll let you know more when I do.”
Jack saluted and Robin went into the team quarters.
The men were in high spirits. Robin knew they were happy about a successful mission. He also knew part of their happiness was the thought of going home.
“All right, everyone…listen up!” The group quieted and all eyes turned toward him. “We just had our first mission and it was a success.” The men let out a cheer Robin felt sure reverberated from the nose to tail of Fatboy. “That's the good news.” A disquieting silence blanketed the room.
“What's the bad news?” Burke asked.
“We just received a new mission.”
Robin saw half the men were disappointed, but the other half showed excitement.
“American citizens are being held hostage in
Mindanao by a group known as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The Philippine Army screwed up a rescue attempt which resulted in thirteen hostages getting killed. The army guys are apparently pretty messed up over this incident and the kidnappers fled into the jungle with the remaining four hostages. The CIA thinks they have the kidnappers and the hostages located. They want us to HALO in tonight and rescue these people. We need to get a plan worked up. Burke, you and Rocky get with Jamie and start the plan. The rest of you guys start getting your gear ready. Make sure you triple check your HALO gear and start pre-breathing oxygen in ninety minutes. Ernie, you are C&C again. Emmett, you have Ivanov duty. Gary, you need to be working on an extraction plan…”
“Wait a minute, big guy,” Ernie interjected.
“What?”
“I was C&C last time. It's your turn to be C&C and I'll lead this mission.”
Robin considered his friend for a moment. “I can buy that normally, but not this time. This is our first combat HALO jump. I've got to lead it.” Both men eyed each other through a long charged pause.
The other men quietly created distance between themselves and their team leaders.
Ernie walked next to Robin and spoke in a low voice.
“You can't protect me, Rob. If either of us gets hurt or killed, it will be the same for our families. It's not fair to me as the second in command here. Either you trust me to do the job or you don't.”
Robin looked down at the floor. He searched his mind trying to figure out an excuse or a plausible retort, but none came to mind.
“You know I trust you with my life, Ernie and maybe I am trying to protect you. On the other hand, this is our first combat HALO jump and I need to lead it….you know I need to lead it. After this, we'll alternate.”
Ernie slowly nodded his head. “Okay, Rob, I'll go with you this time, but I lead the next mission…no matter what it is.”
Robin put his hand on his friend's shoulder. “10-4, you stubborn ol’ coot.”
