The smell of rotting vegetation and mildew grew as they went deeper into the jungle. The jungle could be as deadly as—or even deadlier than—the enemy they were hunting. Everything seemed to want to kill them—bugs, snakes, crocs, and caiman, as well as larger animals and even the trees and vines. Monkeys had a nasty habit of giving away position with their screams.
The team kept their movements slow and deliberate, not wanting to stir up trouble while they slipped single file through miles of jungle. Kadan signaled Ryland when he found a good defensible position, and Ryland moved forward to consult.
We regroup here, Ryland decided. We’ll put phase two into operation from here.
The men set up the base, took stock of supplies left, set their claymores, and posted guards while Sam made the call home.
“Valhalla … Valhalla, Reaper One, do you copy?”
“This is Valhalla . . .”
Sam gave his report as succinctly as possible. They were deeper into the rebel territory, and the chance of anyone listening was greater.
“Phase one complete, Reapers One and Two standing.” He informed them of their remaining supplies and what took place during the first part of the operation.
“Copy that, Reaper Two. Phase two is a go.”
“Phase two is a go, Reaper Two out.”
Use hand signals or telepathy from here on out, Ryland commanded. We’re deep in their territory now.
Sam let out his breath and turned to look at the men he’d spent so much time with doing this exact same thing. They were a long way from home and had a long way to go before they were finished.
Tucker winked at him. Hell of a way to make a living and you with all those brains. Never know it, would you?
Sam couldn’t argue with Tucker’s assessment. Hunting bloodthirsty rebels in the middle of their territory didn’t seem like a genius idea right then.
Tucker snickered and took a swallow of water. Getting shot at is thirsty work.
They rested for a few minutes and then Ryland gathered them close again. The rebel camp is here. He tapped the map. The compound is set in rows. Troop barracks are the first three on the north side of AO—area of operation. The command building with coms—communications—and the leaders’ quarters is in the center. Vehicles and maintenance buildings are on the south side of the compound. Armine’s house is thirteen klicks to the west.
Ryland turned to Nico and Kadan. I want you to set up shop up here on this hill a hundred and fifty meters to the east side of Armine’s house and take him out.
Nico just looked at Ryland. He was a man of very few words, but his reputation was renowned. Kadan gave a short nod.
Simultaneously, the rest of us will work in two man teams. Kyle, you and Jonas will make your way here to the munitions dump. Keep in mind that we need to use their mortar shells and explosives to our advantage.
Gator nudged Sam. Kyle’s all happy now. You know he likes to blow things up.
Hell yeah, Kyle agreed. Doesn’t everybody?
As usual Ryland ignored the byplay. Sam, you’re going to blow this shit up here. I want all enemy coms down. Take out the entire building. Use your ability to teleport, and get all the equipment in that building, I want the building gone completely along with everything in it. Get on the roof and wire their equipment if possible.
Sam nodded, his stomach tightening. He was good at moving fast, but he would have to stay in one place to set explosives, and he’d be exposed on the roof.
Gator, you’ve got this small group of vehicles. Tucker and I will take this group here. He waited for all of them to nod understanding before continuing. While pulling off the objective, we will place thermite grenades in the muzzle of each mortar tube. Any vehicles we don’t have enough demo for we will place thermite on the engines.
The term they used for demolitions was demo, and Ryland had fallen into the familiar pattern of speaking when working.
Kyle looked pleased. Those things will burn straight through the whole engine.
Ryland nodded. That’s what we want. We’ll daisy-chain using det cord.
Daisy-chaining was a way of connecting several explosive devices by explosive cord to detonate off the same fuse so that they all blow at the same time.
We want at least five minutes of time fuse so we can clear the objective and be gone before the thermite attracts too much attention. Once you have the demo set, you move back to ORP—objective, rally point. It’s only a hundred meters from the objective, so noise and light discipline a must. If all goes according to plan, we are gone before they know we were ever here. At that point, we will make our way to the extraction point where the sniper team, Reaper Two at this point, will link up with us. From there we’ll catch a ride with Task Force 160 to the USS Ronald Reagan at sea in the Atlantic. We good?
Ryland always tacked that last on, and everyone had better damn well be good with his orders. Everyone nodded and he waved them to gear up. They moved out in single file again, edging closer to the compound. Nico and Kadan slipped into the jungle, heading for their hill overlooking Armine’s quarters. Everyone else, in designated two man teams, drifted through the thick vines to work their way in close to be ready for the signal to go.
Kadan’s voice moved through their minds. Reaper One, this is Two.
Ryland answered. Reaper Two, this is One.
Kadan’s voice was as calm as ever. Nothing ever seemed to shake him up. Two is in position, we have a good visual on Armine’s house. As soon as the f**ker pokes his head out, we’ll take it off.
Ryland replied. Happy hunting; once you’ve got him, get to the PZ.
Roger that, Kadan acknowledged.
Ryland gave the command they were all waiting for. Reaper One teams make ready. Go!
Sam took off on his pre-chosen route. Sam had gone over and over it in his mind, studying the path he would take to the communications building. He knew every bit of cover possible to get to the building. He needed to get to a window and see inside the building to teleport into it. He had to have an actual destination. He had chosen his window ahead of time. The building sat smack in the middle of the rows of dilapidated huts, basically open. The north facing window appeared to have the most cover.
He moved quickly, getting the sickening jar of his physical body parts trying to catch up with his spirit. He emerged right outside the window in a crouch. He had only seconds before one of the guards spotted him. He lifted his head cautiously to peer through the dirty, yellowed pane. He just needed a spot where he could teleport inside unseen.
Two men sat at a small, rickety table, with a radio in between them. Maps were spread out along one wall. Papers were strewn around the room. In one corner, dirty dishes attracted flies. His heart dropped when he looked in the other corner. Two girls lay in a bloody heap—both were tied up and they stared at the two men with swollen, dazed, hate-filled eyes. Neither girl could have been more than fifteen, if that.