Dimitri indicated to Johnson that he should let them go in first, then he should follow. Johnson shook his head; he knew the three men would not have enough time to recover before he could blanket them with his silenced automatic weapon. He indicated a countdown with his fingers starting at five and working its way to one. When the last digit was gone, they burst into the room.
The look of surprise on the three men sitting at the card table was not what Johnson expected to see. As realization struck them they dived under the large wooden table instead of bolting from the room. Johnson levied his weapon toward them as Dimitri and his men made fast work of the bodyguards. Almost at the same moment, a false wall exploded, revealing the true size of the room and three men that had been concealed there were revealed as their weapons blazed away.
Johnson went for cover but not before being hit several times in the chest. Dimitri moved toward the armed men, who smiled because they assumed they had the superior edge over the attackers. They fired a burst into Dimitri. He, in turn, smiled as he kept moving toward them. Alarm appeared on the gunmen's faces as Dimitri reached them, obviously unharmed. He ripped their flesh with his clawed hands as if slicing through butter with a sharp knife.
"Take the three under the table,” Dimitri growled at Andre and Iliga, recognizing there was no longer a need for silence since the gunfire had erupted. “Kill them quickly.” He moved toward Johnson, who lay on the ground unmoving.
Johnson tried to speak, but the blood pooled in his mouth making his weak words garbled and barely understandable.
"We'll get you back to the boat,” Dimitri said. “Hold on."
"Won't ... make ... it,” Johnson croaked.
"The men on the fishing boat have heard the gunfire, they will move in closer to pick us up,” Dimitri said. He looked over Johnson's wounds and saw the severity of them. He was losing blood quickly and would probably be dead in a matter of minutes.
"I'll ... be ... dead by ... then,” Johnson said, as if he had read Dimitri's thoughts.
"Yes, you will,” Dimitri said, seeing no point in lying. “We can't save you ... I'm sorry."
"You ... you can ... can ... let me live,” Johnson said. Dimitri watched as the blood flowed from his wounds and pooled on the ground, the smell tantalizing and teasing his senses. If not for his earlier feeding, he would not have been able to control himself.
"You so much want to be like us, don't you?” Dimitri asked, already knowing how Johnson felt about their abilities and how he admired them.
"Yes,” Johnson uttered. “Like you."
"Close your eyes,” Dimitri said, knowing that Johnson would soon be dead. “It may hurt for a moment but it will pass quickly."
"Thank ... y-o-u,” Johnson said softly as he did as Dimitri had asked and closed his eyes. Dimitri gazed upon Johnson's prone body as he placed his hands on Johnson's head and quickly twisted his neck, snapping it. He gently laid the head down on the ground.
"It is better this way,” Dimitri whispered. “You have too much anger in your soul and it would be your death again and again. This way it is over, your fate sealed."
Dimitri bent over Johnson's dead body and searched through his pockets for the remote device that controlled the collars. He found it, covered in blood and shattered in the center, the result of a bullet impact. In its damaged condition, the collar release would be not operate. He cursed, returned it to the pocket, and then picked up the body, slinging it over his shoulder.
"Andre, Iliga, let's go,” Dimitri said as they heard the voices coming closer. “Set the explosives for thirty seconds.” They removed the explosives from their packs and placed the clay-like mounds and their timers on the floor.
"Out the window and head for the beach,” Dimitri said. “Hurry!"
The three men moved swiftly the way they had come. A few of the hired gunmen, still putting their clothes on, crossed their path and were easily dispatched by Andre and Iliga, who were becoming more adept at killing, Dimitri noticed. In addition, they kept a watchful eye for any explosive weapons that could harm them, but at this point saw only standard guns.
They were out the main gate as the explosions went off, lighting up the sky for miles around them; sending mortar, bricks, and wood in a killing expulsion from its center. They doubted if anyone inside the compound lived through it.
As they rowed back to the fishing boat that waited for them, Dimitri stared at the dead body of Johnson. He didn't feel remorse at not having saved his life by changing him. He knew it would have been a grave mistake in doing so and it would have complicated things immensely in terms of them ever regaining their own freedom.
Johnson hadn't gotten his wish, but Stone had, he thought. There had been plenty of killing and death—on both sides.
Chapter Fifty-two
"What the hell happened?” General Stone asked as he sat in the conference room at SOCOM headquarters.
"They had men hidden behind a fake wall,” Dimitri said calmly. “We were in the room and committed to the fight before we could do anything. Lieutenant Johnson was in their direct line of fire. Even before I could move to his aid, the shots from the weapons had found him."
"Damn,” Stone said reflectively. “He was a good man. A lot like myself, I think.” Then in a sudden change of direction, his mood swung to other thoughts. “Hell, you showed them good though, didn't you? Killed every single one of them."
Dimitri remained silent.
Stone continued. “It'll be months before they can reform into any kind of organization, and before that, we will strike again. Keep them down in their own filth of death,” he said, and smiled at Dimitri. “I'm not going to send you back to Norfolk yet. There is another spot I want you and your men to take care of. It will be difficult, but I'll assign another officer to take Johnson's place."
"Reese,” Dimitri said, breaking his silence. “Commander Reese would be the logical choice."
"He's not an operator,” Stone said immediately.
"He does not have to be,” Dimitri countered. “That is what I believe went wrong last time. Johnson did not need to be in there with us. He should have waited outside the compound area. We obviously work more efficiently without the human element. You can still maintain communications with us as well as keep tabs on what is happening with your sophisticated tracking devices. By our performance on the mission, we have proven that we can accomplish our tasks more efficiently without having a human watchdog."
"I can see your point to an extent,” Stone agreed. “But why Reese?"
"We have a rapport established and he understands our motives and behavior. And we ... trust him. Anyone else you bring in at this time would be new and we would have to start fresh again, and as you have already said, time is short."
"Yes, “Stone said. “Time is short and I have to admit your reasoning on Reese and the tactics make sense. But I still don't trust the man."
"He is a military man,” Dimitri asserted.
"Not like us,” Stone said, as he pointed from himself to Dimitri. “We understand killing. He tried to find a way around it."
"If forced—"
"Yes,” Stone interjected. “I know if he were pushed, he would probably kill if he had to—but he thinks about it too damn much."
"He has a conscience,” Dimitri said.
"He is a fool. He tries to rationalize everything. He believes in cause and effect rather than being preemptive in his thinking. In the end he would leave things to a diplomatic rather then a military solution."
"I think you underestimate him,” Dimitri said casually.
"Perhaps, but what if he refuses to go along with you and the mission?"
"He won't,” Dimitri replied. “He will do whatever he has to in order to be able to continue to study my men and I. That is what he wants."
"You seem to understand his motivations pretty well."
"Commander Reese is driven by his own motivations as you are driven by yours,” Dimitri said.
"I se
e,” Stone said, as he looked warily at Dimitri. “You seem to be thinking with a higher level of clarity than usual."
"It's the benefit of the human blood. It heightens the awareness of our minds and makes thinking sharper."
"Hmm,” Stone said in a musing tone of voice. “Does that mean I shouldn't let you have too much of this blood then? Perhaps you will outsmart me?"
"Do you want your missions accomplished efficiently?” Dimitri asked as he avoided the other half of the question Stone had posed.
"Of course I do,” Stone said as he smiled. “But if you get too sharp of mind, you might try and trick me."
Dimitri smiled back and gently touched the collar he wore. “As long you have the power to unleash the fluid in these collars, you cannot be tricked."
"We have an understanding then."
"Oh, yes,” Dimitri said. “We have an understanding. Keeping us fed with the human blood will keep us at our optimum killing efficiency and it is a better alternative to death, a much better arrangement."
"Good,” Stone said. “The next mission goes in two days."
Chapter Fifty-three
Reese arrived in SOCOM and was immediately taken to the area where the team was being kept—at the far end of the secure runway area. He found himself in the conference room waiting for General Stone, wondering what could have happened that had him summoned here on such short notice.
Stone entered the room, Reese stood and shook hands with the man and sat back down.
"Commander, we have had an unfortunate event. Johnson has been killed and I need you to go with the team on a mission. Can you handle that?"
"Killed how?” Reese asked, shocked at the news of Johnson's death. He immediately thought that Dimitri or one of the others had perhaps tried to escape. “It wasn't the vampires, was it? What happened?"
"No. It was gunfire from those low life drug-smuggling scum. There was a false wall or something, ask Dimitri, he can provide you all the details on what happened."
"I'm sorry to hear that,” Reese said, and meant it. He had liked Johnson in a way, even though he was a bit too gung-ho for him. However, ever since he became involved with the creatures, he seemed to change somewhat, almost as if he wanted ... Reese searched for the meaning of his own thoughts. Finally it came to him. Johnson had wanted to be one of them. Yes ... but if that was the case, then why didn't Dimitri save his life when—
"I'll be blunt with you, Reese,” Stone said, interrupting his thoughts. “You're a smart guy and you can't tell me you don't really comprehend what is happening here. Dimitri has asked that you take Johnson's place. What I need from you is your promise to cooperate fully and completely before I can explain the mission and we don't have a lot of time. If you can't commit to this, then you're finished here and you will be immediately sent back to your previous assignment. Any hopes you might have of being around these creatures will be ended."
Reese was stunned at the heartlessness of Stone and his easy dismissal of the death of Johnson. He was being pushed into a corner to either do what he was being asked, or he would be shoved out of the picture completely. However, he wondered if Stone was bluffing him about his removal. Dimitri and his men appreciated him and he found it hard to believe that they would just agree to an end of their educational aspect of their lives. He also was the only one with the most complete background to work on the assignment.
"What is the mission about?” Reese asked, deciding to see if he could get Stone to tell him anything else.
"One moment, Commander,” Stone said as he picked up the phone and dialed. “Scott, come in here."
Seconds later, Scott entered the room accompanied by one of the Marine guards Reese recognized as one of the two that was on duty outside of the door. Scott's presence along with the Marine guard was not an encouraging site.
General Stone turned toward Reese. “I can't tell you anything specific before you give me your word. However, I can tell you that the mission is a vital part of protecting the United States from a real threat. If you say you can't operate under that condition, Commander Scott and this Marine will escort you out of here right now. So—are you in or out, Commander?"
"What exactly am I going to do?” Reese asked. “I'm not an—"
"Never mind that right now,” Stone said firmly, the irritation quite apparent in his voice. “Are you in or out?"
Reese didn't think Stone was bluffing any longer. He looked toward Commander Scott to see if there was any look on his face that would tell him anything, but Scott's eyes were focused upon the general.
"I'm in,” Reese said. Whatever Stone had in mind was secondary to his own commitment to studying these creatures.
"Good—good,” Stone said. He patted Reese on the shoulder. “You made the right decision.” He then turned toward Scott. “Thank you, Commander, that's all."
"Yes, sir,” Scott said. He and the Marine saluted, turned and exited the room.
"Now, let's get to the specifics,” Stone said. “You are there to purely keep an eye on our friends. Just make sure that they do what they are there for."
"This is a reconnaissance mission, correct?” Reese asked.
Stone looked at Reese with a disbelieving look on his face. “Commander, you never really believed that bullshit story, did you? Even you aren't that stupid."
"No, I guess not,” Reese said. “I guess I convinced myself otherwise to get what I wanted. Apparently Dimitri and I have more in common then I thought."
"We're all alike in certain ways, Reese. Our basic motivations are what drive us."
"For once, General, you and I are in perfect agreement."
"Look, Reese, Dimitri and his men are natural killers. Once you face that fact and accept it—everything will get much easier for you. Dimitri talks his philosophical bullshit, but that's all it is. He uses us as much as we use him and his friends."
"So you want me to just turn them loose and let them do their thing,” Reese said dejectedly.
"Exactly. You don't have to get your hands dirty in the actual op. The team will go in and handle the particulars; you will monitor their progress from a remote site and guide them in and out. The target is a drug lord in a coastal town on Jamaica."
"Sounds simple enough,” Reese said. His voice came out as dull and lifeless.
"Good, then we're all settled. You'll be leaving in the next couple of hours. Here is your briefing package,” he said, as he handed Reese a large sealed envelope. “Dimitri and his men have them already."
"Transportation?"
"Ship. The special operations patrol craft USS Cyclone is at dock awaiting your arrival. The majority of the crew is from the facility back in Norfolk so they are familiar with the special requirements. You load tonight and get underway immediately. Any other questions?"
"No, sir,” Reese answered, even though he had many questions. Problem was, they were mostly for himself and what he was doing. “I'll join the team and make preparations."
"The operation name is called Red Blood,” Stone added. “I'll see you when you get back. Good luck and happy hunting, Commander."
Reese didn't respond to Stone's tidings of success. He turned and left the room with the briefing package, which he was wringing tightly in his hands.
Chapter Fifty-four
Reese and the three members of his team disembarked under the cover of darkness on the western side of the island of Jamaica. The deserted beach was known as Bloody Bay; the name from the island's past when the bay was a stop for whalers to clean their catches, and the blood tainted the water red.
Reese remembered laughing at the irony when he learned of the origin of the bay's name and thinking about the mission he was to undertake. Nevertheless, he felt a blanket of fear settle over him at the thought of the reappearance of the blood-tainted waters; stained now with human blood because of what he was about to do. Death had become the monkey on his back which he could not escape from.
Go—go—go!
All four me
n leapt from the raft. They were all dressed in black, the exposed areas of skin darkened. Reese watched as his team dragged the raft ashore and hid it amongst the shore brush. Two days ago, he had studied the pictures from the reconnaissance flight that had shown the beach debris as well as the volcanic rock that comprised most of the shoreline which would serve as adequate cover for their approach. No one spoke as they unloaded their waterproof bags and prepared to move out.
Reese adjusted his night vision goggles, which reminded him how the vampires saw with a frightening clarity where others could not. At times, Reese imagined they even saw into the darkest depths of the human soul.
Was it a gift or only a stark reminder of what they could never possess? Stop it, John. Not now! Focus!
Reese moved toward the silent group and used hand signals to indicate the direction of travel they were to take. Each man nodded in acknowledgement. Even in the green illumination from his night vision goggles, Reese saw very little of their facial features, especially their eyes. Their eyes were covered by a specially designed eye device which did not enhance their vision but concealed them from detection. Reese was glad he couldn't see their gazes, because if he could, he would see evidence of the hunger that resided within them, a hunger that if not controlled could get him killed. Reese signaled the team and started forward; they moved quickly and quietly behind him.
A few kilometers later, the landscape changed from the deserted shoreline and typical palm trees that languished in the warm tropical air to the outskirts of a small tourist resort. Sand gave way to concrete and stone to accommodate those who paid exorbitant amounts to vacation on the island. Reese observed his team as they lifted their heads to confirm with their keen senses the smell of civilization. Knowing their capabilities, instead of the clean saltwater scent that filled his nostrils, they smelled the perfume of human bodies and the abundance of blood energy that flowed within those bodies.
They're working up an appetite; basking in the aroma of a long deprived and sought after meal that was to be served...
Operation: Immortal Servitude From Declassified Files of Team of Darkness Page 27
