'Okay, how do we get to him?' Black asked.
Monika zoomed in on the image. 'On the back side of the compound there is a heavily wooded area. That’s how we’ll make our approach. The trees will give us enough cover to get to the main house without being detected.'
'How close?'
'We’ll clear the trees about two hundred yards from the house.' Monika sat back in her chair. 'Now, once we clear the trees there is a foot patrol we need to neutralize and two guard towers. Once that’s done we’ll approach the house, go in, and get Cristobal.'
'How many men in the house?' Black asked.
'No way to be sure how many will be in the house at any given time.'
'Sounds pretty formative, but you wouldn’t be here unless you had a plan, so let’s hear it.'
'My team will fly into Santiago Perez Airport in Arauca, Colombia. From there we will make our way by car to the border, enter Venezuela and head for El Peronil.' Monika took out a map. 'This road will take us close to the property here,' she said and pointed. 'Then we’ll continue on foot for ten clicks to the penetration point at the fence. We’ll make camp there, because I plan on taking them at four-thirty a.m.'
'What about the fence?'
'My operative will deactivate that section of the fence so it looks to anybody that’s monitoring like it’s still active. We’ll cut the fence and go in. Like I said, once we clear the trees, we’ll neutralize the foot patrol and two guard towers, go in, and get your boy.'
'What about the militia? How are you gonna handle them?'
'They’re housed in this building here. At the time we plan on hittin’ them, they should be asleep. I want to be in and out without them knowing. But I got a plan for them if it becomes necessary.'
'I know you’re not planning on hiking ten miles in the dark when you’re done, so how we getting outta there?'
'Of course I have an exit strategy. We got a thirty-minute window to complete the operation. At five o’clock my operative will pick us up at the main gate and take us to an airfield where he’ll have a plane ready.'
'Who’s your team?'
'Me, Nick and Travis.'
Black shook his head. 'I’m going with you. And so is Bobby.'
'For some reason, I knew you were gonna say that.' Monika laughed. 'You sure you two, Bobby especially, are up to it?'
'He’ll complain the whole way, but he’ll be all right.'
'But it’s a ten-kilometer hike through heavy brush in one hundred degree heat.'
'We’re going. Make it happen,' Black said and got back in the pool with his girls.
'Yes, sir,' Monika saluted and packed up her laptop.
Two weeks later the team arrived at Santiago Perez Airport in Arauca, Colombia and was met by one of Wei Jiang’s men. He provided them with a van and weapons. From that point, they headed for the border.
When they got to the woods at the rear of the compound, they broke out weapons and machetes and proceeded to the objective. Along the way, as expected, Bobby complained the whole way. If it wasn’t, 'It’s hotter than a mutha fucka out here.' It was, 'Are we there yet?' until Monika had enough.
She turned around and held up her machete. 'Bobby, if you say one more fuckin’ thing, I swear to God I’ll cut your fuckin’ head off.'
'Lighten up, Monika. Take some deep breaths,' Bobby said and kept walking. As the sun began to set, they made it to the fence.
'Okay,' Monika said. 'We camp here until it’s time to make our move.'
'I’m gonna checkout the area and set up a defensive perimeter,' Nick said and walked off.
'The rest of you get some rest. We go at O-four-thirty,' Monika said.
Bobby looked at Black and then to Monika. 'Yes, sir,' he said and saluted.
'Fuck you, Bobby.'
'Anytime you’re ready.'
At O-four-thirty the team put on night-vision goggles, put silencers on their weapons and approached the fence.
'How do we know if your man did his job?' Bobby asked.
Nick picked up a small piece of wood and threw it at the fence. When nothing happened, Travis cut the fence and they went through.
Once they reached the clearing they got ready to make their move. 'Nick,' Monika said and got out her binoculars.
Nick broke out a Barrett 82A1 50BMG Semi-auto Rifle and took aim at the guard tower. With one shot, he took out the guard manning the tower. 'Good shot,' Monika said.
'Thanks,' he said and took aim at the other tower.
Now that the towers were neutralized, they separated into two teams.
'Nick, you and Travis head for the barracks and rendezvous with us at the main house,' Monika ordered. 'Black, Bobby, you’re with me.'
Nick looked at his watch. 'Give us five minutes before you move,' he said, and Travis followed Nick to the barracks.
When they reached the barracks, Travis stood guard while Nick planted C-4 charges and remote detonators around the building. Then Travis saw the motor pool. 'How much more C-4 you got?'
'Enough. Why?'
Travis pointed. 'Motor pool.'
'Good looking out. Come on,' Nick said. Once the charges were set, Nick and Travis made their way to the rendezvous point.
Meanwhile, Monika, Black and Bobby approached the main house and were surprised that they didn’t encounter any foot patrols. Shortly thereafter, they were joined by Nick and Travis, and the team entered the house. After walking through the first floor, they met at the staircase. Black and Monika were about to check the second level.
'Nick, watch the back. Bobby, you take the front of the house. Travis, you stay here,' Monika said.
As Bobby made his way toward the front of the house, he heard a noise. 'Somebody’s coming in,' he said. Monika moved quickly to the door while the others took cover. Bobby positioned himself on the other side of the door and waited.
One woman came in the house. Bobby grabbed her and covered her mouth. Monika shoved a gun in her face.'?Yo no le dolere, comprendera?' Monika said quietly in Spanish, letting the woman know that she wasn't going to hurt her.
'Si,' the frightened woman said quickly.
'?Donde esta Cristobal?'
'Arriba,' the woman said and pointed upstairs.
'Muestrenos,' Monika ordered the woman to show them and pushed her toward the steps.
The woman led Monika and Black up the stairs to a bedroom at the end of the hall. The woman pointed to a door. 'Adentro.'
Monika opened the door and then followed Black inside with their guns pointed. At the same time, Nick saw two men approaching the back door. He took aim with the rifle and fired two shots. Two bodies dropped.
Cristobal was asleep, alone in the bed. They approached the bed quietly and took up positions on either side of the bed. When Cristobal didn’t move, Monika poked him with the barrel of her gun.
Cristobal began to stir. 'Good morning,' Monika said and eased the gun to his head.
Cristobal opened his eyes and saw the two of them. He recognized Black. 'What are you doing here?'
'I came to kill you,' Black said and shot Cristobal in the eye. 'Rest in peace, Kevon.' Then Black put two shots in his chest.
Black looked at Monika. 'This was too easy,' she said as she left the room.
'We’re not out yet,' Black said and followed her down the steps.
'Everything all clear out front, Bobby?' Monika asked as Nick and Travis joined them at the door.
