equalled how many of the other. More simply, it meant how many of them would it take to beat an average Penarajan.
“Four,” replied Kisho. Bloody hell thought Papa as he was given the lowest ratio he had ever been given. It was normally around ten for an average Penarajan. Of course, none of the Penarajans who had travelled to Equatorial Guinea were in the average category. They were way above average with a couple of exceptionals. Lela didn’t figure in the ratings, she had gone off the chart the previous year and was, well, just Lela.
Suddenly, the rest of the islanders, including Lela, appeared next to them. A couple of the SBS soldiers jumped as the islanders just seemed to materialise from thin air. They all took a crafty glance at Lela, trying to imagine how she could possibly kick their arses.
Papa quickly took control and scoped out the current situation. The SBS were shocked to hear the number and quality of soldiers protecting the prison. They had anticipated a very simple break-in and a fairly easy extraction. Papa then laid out his proposed plan. The SBS looked it over and soon agreed that it was very cleverly conceived. They called into London to get the OK as they were deviating substantially from their original plan.
Chapter 45
The riot had started. The noise of shouting and screaming was building up as the prisoners rampaged through their cell blocks. A guard ran down the Kennedys’ corridor and began to unlock the cells. He wasn’t even trying to hide what he was doing. The four prisoners next to Donald and Saki’s cell wasted no time and pulled their cell door open. Saki stood ready. He was delighted they had come to them first. His biggest worry had been Rachel in the next cell. If their door had remained locked and hers open, they would have been in big trouble.
The four men filled the cell. If there were any doubts as to their intentions, they soon vanished as they each pulled out a long combat knife. The first man made a move, pushing Saki out of his way to get to Donald. Saki looked as though he wasn’t reacting but out of sight of the man’s colleagues, he threw a short but huge punch to the centre of the man’s chest causing his heart to just stop. The man’s body fell to the floor, dead before making contact with the concrete. Not seeing what had happened, the other three just looked on in bewilderment as their colleague slumped to the floor. Saki gave them a fraction of a second to regret their inaction before inflicting fatal wounds on them. One from a severed spinal cord and two from severe head traumas. Saki had high kicked the second man in at the base of the skull before smashing the other twos’ heads together as he spun back to the ground.
Donald had to be guided out of the room by Saki as he stood gawping at Saki’s aftermath. As they made their way into Rachel’s cell, gunshots started to ring.
Chapter 46
“We’ve got the OK,” announced the SBS leader.
“Excellent, let’s go,” said Papa.
Lela radioed Tom and Daniel to let them know that Britain had sent over the SBS to rescue Donald and that they were now working together.
Good old Roger, thought Tom hearing the news. Despite the assassination story, the British Prime Minister had sent in troops to rescue his father. He couldn’t help think that the Guineans must have really annoyed him or did the UK have the same listening system as the Mossad? He thought how ironic it would be if they all had it and all thought they were the only ones who could hear everything. Tom could see by the look on Daniel’s face that he was thinking the same thing.
“Good luck and be safe,” he radioed back to Lela.
Lela didn’t respond, she was in the process of receiving her instructions. The islanders would sneak through the perimeter, enter the prison and secure the Kennedys. Meanwhile, the SBS would create mayhem on the outside and take out the guards at the gate and the perimeter, allowing the islanders to emerge with the Kennedys and get them out to the airport.
Shouting could be heard from the prison and it was obvious that things were becoming restless. Papa was very keen to get moving but at the same time, wanted to make sure that the SBS knew where they would be. He didn’t want to plan this operation perfectly and end up getting shot by friendly fire. It didn’t take long for everybody to know exactly what they were doing. The islanders and SBS split up, the islanders disappearing into the night on their way to the prison and the SBS to take up offensive positions against the perimeter guard.
It was not an easy route into the prison. Despite the islanders’ ability to disappear into the night, the highly trained perimeter guards had sensed their presence but could not see them. Fortunately, the islanders made it to the prison wall undetected and huddled in position. Two prison guards protected the small side gate which allowed the islanders easiest access. There were two watchtowers which also protected that portion of the wall but it was clearly not manned by normal prison guards. Their sniper rifles were easily worth $30,000 and were certainly not standard issue. Papa signalled to the SBS that they had a problem. A second later, two almost inaudible “puts” were the only indication that the watchtower guards were no longer an issue, having been dispatched by SBS snipers.
While the watchtower guards had been taken out, Kano and Kisho had been dealing with the guards at the gate. They had slammed the handles of their pistols into the base of the guards’ skulls, rendering them unconscious. Thankfully, the shouts and screams from inside the prison had covered the noise of the small explosive charge used to open the gate and allow the islanders into the prison.
As they opened the gate, a swarm of prisoners rushed towards them. Papa could not afford to let the prisoners go just yet as they would create confusion on the outside and interfere with the SBS task.
“Keep them in,” he ordered, holding onto Lela’s hand, she was staying there next to him.
Kano, Kisho and the other four islanders rushed forward towards the mass of prisoners. Within two minutes, the flow had reversed and the prisoners, recognising Saki’s skills backed off, leaving behind a few wounded bodies. Papa left two islanders to guard the gate, nobody was leaving until he said they could. Kano picked up one of the unfortunate prisoners who had tried to leave but he didn’t speak English. He tried another, neither did he. As he made his way to the next wounded prisoner, a shout came from the group of prisoners who had been forced back.
“I speak English,” the prisoner shouted.
“Do you know where they are keeping two men and a woman?” asked Kano.
“Yes but what do we get in return for telling you?”
“Your freedom but not just yet. The prison is surrounded, you’d be shot the minute you put your head through the gate.”
“When then?”
“When we leave, we’ll leave the gate open for you.”
“OK, they’re in that building there, top floor far end,” said the prisoner pointing to the next block where 10 guards and six prisoners were seen entering.
“Quick,” shouted Kano. “Let’s go!”
The first gunshots of the night rang out. Not from outside but inside the prison and the tell-tale gun flash told them that it came from the top floor of the building they’d just been directed to.
Chapter 47
Donald and Saki rushed into Rachel’s cell just as she screamed. The guard who had unlocked the cells had come back to pay her a visit. Saki tapped him on the shoulder and as the guard turned around, Saki smiled and delivered a punch so hard that the guard’s jaw shattered. The snap of the bone ricocheted around the bare stone
