Then Hood would give Ann Farris the bad news along with his complete attention.
He owed her that much.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE.
The Great Himalaya Range Thursday, 4:19 p. m.
The parachutes were zero-porosity mixed-fabric PF 3000s 'Merits.' They had been selected for the Indian military in this region because they gave jumpers maximum control over their descent. If there were a sudden current in any direction the fabric would retain its shape and buoyancy. The canopies themselves were slightly elliptical with a tapered wing. That shape provided for the softest landings. First used militarily by the French air force, the Merits also provided the safest jump for novice parachutists.
The parachutes were stowed in slender Atom Millennium containers. They had classic plastic handle rip cords and narrow chest straps along with lightweight Cordura fabric exteriors.
The thin straps and light weight would be relatively un restrictive if Striker were forced to engage the enemy or the elements before doffing the backpacks. There was also an instant-collapse system operated by a rubber pull- string.
That would allow the chute to be deflated immediately upon landing in the event of strong ground winds.
Rodgers and his team had unpacked and repacked the parachutes. They examined the fabric as well as the shroud lines and ring attachments.
With elements of the Indian military apparently working at cross-purposes, Rodgers wanted to make certain the equipment had not been sabotaged.
Suited in the white Nomex winter gear they had brought with them, the Strikers were huddled next to the hatch before lining up. The team members were crouched to keep their balance in the bumping aircraft. In addition to their parachutes, each commando wore a hip holster with a Browning 9mm high-power Mark 2 pistol, a Kevlar bullet-proof vest, leather gloves, and climbing boots. The vests had side pockets for flashlights, flares, hand grenades, additional pistol magazines, and maps. Before jumping into the subzero environment the commandos would don the Leyland and Birmingham respirator masks they carried. These full-face masks included large, shatterproof, tinted eyepieces for wide visibility. Medic William Musicant had the added burden of a medical belt. This remarkably compact unit, devised by the Navy SEALs for use in Desert Storm, allowed him to treat a wide range of both fall- and combat-related injuries.
Rodgers reviewed photographs of the terrain with Striker.
Viens had transmitted these images from the NRO computer directly to the Striker laptop. Rodgers had printed out two copies to pass around.
The general had also printed out a second set of photographs that had just come in.
The team was going into what was referred to as a high contrast terrain. That meant the landing would be problematic.
The target area was a large, flat ledge approximately seventy meters by ninety meters. It was the only relatively large horizontal site in the region. The drawbacks were several large outcroppings of rock as well as steep drops on the northern and western sides. Sheer cliffs bounded the area on the south and east. Colonel August was also concerned about the winds. He pointed to the color photograph.
'Depending upon the strength of the winds in the area, this concave southeastern wall could create powerful out draft he said.
'That could keep us from landing in the target zone.'
'Unfortunately, the cell is moving along very narrow ledges,' Rodgers said.
'That's the only area where we can intercept them.'
'Why do we have to catch them in the mountains?' Ishi Honda asked. In addition to his parachute the young corporal was carrying the TAC-SAT in a pouch on his chest.
Rodgers showed them the second photograph Viens had sent. It showed a line of dark shapes moving across a dreary terrain of wheat-colored scrub and patches of snow.
'These are Indian soldiers moving toward the target area,' Rodgers said.
'The NRO and Bob Herbert both put them at less than five miles from contact. There are up to two hundred of them, though we can't be sure.
They obtained these pictures by hacking a Chinese satellite that watches the line of control. We can't pull back for a wider view.'
'Which means that if we can't smuggle the cell through we will have to repel a much larger force,' August told the group.
'For various reasons negotiation is not an option,' Rodgers added.
'We have to get past them one way or the other.'
The general looked at the faces of his troops. With the exception of the medic, all of these soldiers had been in battle. Most of them had killed. They had shed the blood of others, usually at a distance. They had seen the blood of their teammates, which typically fanned their rage and made the blood of the enemy invisible. They had also faced superior odds. Rodgers was confident that they would give this effort everything they had.
Rodgers listened as Colonel August talked about the strategy they would employ upon landing. Typically, they would go behind enemy lines carrying mines. Two or three operatives would form a subgroup. They would go ahead and plant the mines along the team's route to protect them from enemies.
They would also throw out substances such as powdered onion or raw meat to confuse and mislead attack dogs.
They did not see dogs in the photographs and hoped that the animals were not part of the army units.
