Chapter 45
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Collette glanced at the text message and smiled.
One down. Just a few more to catch and they would leave this godforsaken city.
Gerrit and the others would be wary when Joe O’Rourke failed to report in. No matter!
Now, she enjoyed this psychological advantage over her enemy. Their leader captured, cut off the head, the body dies. The others might start running once they found out. At the very least, she and Kane had the tools to plant fear in their targets’ minds.
She glanced at her watch. Midnight. Her techies advised the probes had ceased hours ago. Maybe they’d given up. Seen that this place was impenetrable. She toyed with creating an impression there was a weakness somewhere, let them think there was a way in. Catch them in a trap.
After mulling it over, Collette discarded the idea and decided to continue with her current game plan. Control, tighten security, and be ready to pounce if these fools tried to get inside.
Checking her sidearm, Collette moved from the security office and began to make inspections. Two men appeared at her side and acted as her escort. She turned to one of them. “Let’s make one last inspection to make sure everyone’s in place. Then we’ll pull back until daylight. If they are going to attack, it will be sometime between now and dawn.”
She moved through the lab, eyes darting, searching for any weakness. That’s when I would hit. Hit the enemy just before dawn.
Gerrit peered down at the schematic Willy pulled up on the computer. “You sure this is the place they have their research stored?” He pointed to a large, rectangular room in the very center of the building.
“I’m telling you, Mr. G., this is it.” He pointed around the circumference of the targeted room. “Look at this wiring and the security installation they’ve implemented. Everything points to this spot. All their security is built around this one room.”
Gerrit gave a slow nod. “You have the portable drive Joe gave you?”
Willy pulled out a USB drive and gave it to Gerrit. “This kind of memory storage will soon be obsolete, you know.”
Gerrit slipped the drive into his pocket. “Remember my background, Willy. Did my doctoral thesis on how much will change in ten years. We are already into that future.”
Jack strode into the motel room. “They’re ready for us, Gerrit. Time to move out.”
Willy rose and thrust out his hand. “Good luck, Mr. G. And take care of Al.”
Alena came in just as Willy finished the sentence. “It’s more like I’ll be taking care of Gerrit. Like always.”
Gerrit gathered his things. The war is just starting, Alena. Don’t start bragging now. Still plenty of time to fall flat on your face and die. He fought the urge to make a retort.
Looking sheepish, Willy grimaced. “I just meant-”
“I know what you meant, Willy.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be okay.”
He looked over at Gerrit. “I mean it, Mr. G.”
“I know. We’ll watch each other’s backs. See you when it’s over.”
Willy and the others climbed into the van Jack had supplied. Gerrit closed the door and waited until Jack brought his car alongside.
Alena and he climbed into the backseat as Jack took off, heading for the edge of town. The colonel glanced back. “Can’t believe I’m chauffeuring a lieutenant around. Boy, times have changed.”
“So has the war, Colonel. Hard to know which side you’re on anymore.”
“Amen to that. We should make contact with the bird in about five. You all set, Marine?”
“Yep. Locked and loaded.”
Jack gave a smug smile. “That’s want I want to hear.” The colonel eyed Alena in the rearview. “Want to wish you both a lot of luck. They will be waiting for you.”
Alena met the colonel’s eye. “Don’t believe in luck, sir. God will protect us if it is His will. And if it is not His will…that’s fine with me.”
Jack looked over at him and then back to her for a second before turning his attention ahead. “Whatever toots your horn, lady. Just be careful.”
Alena stared out the window.
At times like this, Gerrit just put everything out of his mind except the mission. Never pondered about the what-ifs. Living and dying became just something that happened. Actions he had no control over. Right now, wasting time on concepts was counterproductive to the mission. Alena’s statement, however, seemed almost fatalistic-whatever will happen will happen. She appeared to accept whatever God dished out.
Life or death. Good or evil.
He and Alena seemed worlds apart. He could never relinquish control over his own destiny if given a choice. And if control were taken away, he’d just fight to get it back. Alena seemed willing to accept whatever came her way. It bothered him to see how this might translate into survival tactics in combat. He needed her willing to fight to the death if need be. Passive acceptance was not an option.
He would have to watch her carefully.
Up ahead, Gerrit saw muted lights through the darkness. As they pulled closer, he whistled under his breath. “I never saw one of these in Afghanistan.” A sleek, lightweight helicopter, equipped with rockets and vertical propellers, sat poised on the landing pad.
Jack glanced in the rearview mirror again. “A prototype that Defense is testing for combat-particularly for Special Ops. It’s fast, leaves a minimal heat signature, and offers unbelievable maneuverability. Between this bird and Willy’s computer, we can drop you on the roof in seconds and pull away before their ground sensors even start recording movement. They will not know what hit them when you touch down.”
“They’ll signal you when Alena and I are clear of the bird?”
“That’s right. Then me and Redneck will move in to cover you from the ground while Willy does his thing.”
“Just give us body heat locations as quick as you can. Need to know where they’re stationed in that building.”
“You got it. We’ll light them up before you touch ground floor.” He caught Gerrit’s look in the mirror. “And the tools you need are in the truck. Got enough firepower in there to start your own war.”
Gerrit smiled. “That’s exactly what we want them to think. Before they have time to react.”
Jack nodded. “Just like old times, huh?”
Gerrit shook his head. “Before, I knew who I was shooting at. Now…” He swung the car door open and stepped out as the trunk popped open. Alena came around the other side as he grabbed an assault rifle-an H amp;K MP5 as requested-and a sidearm, handing them to her. He reached in and gathered the same firepower, then shouldered a backpack that weighed heavily on his back.
Gerrit slammed the trunk closed, then tipped his head at Jack-standing next to the driver’s door, hands on the roof-before he and Alena crossed the pavement and climbed into a side door of the helicopter. A moment later, the engines fired and blades began to turn. The sound seemed muted and quiet, nothing like the Black Hawks they used overseas.
His earpiece crackled and Jack’s voice came through. “Son, just remember. This cannot be a military operation. No in-country in the ol’ U.S. of A. That would start a firestorm up on the Hill. That bird will not use its firepower unless absolutely necessary. Torch and burn anything left behind. We can’t leave any evidence.”
“Roger that, sir. Over and out.”
The pilot lifted off and the craft immediately shot forward with a burst of speed. They seemed to effortlessly slide through the night toward their destination, the rotors quieter than a silenced gun firing at a target.
Collette sat in the chair, resting. Her eyes felt heavy and she felt herself starting to nod off. She raised her arm to check the time. 4:30 a.m. Her back felt stiff and her eyes wanted to close for a spell. She shook her head and rose, fearing if she sat here for another second she might fall asleep.
Looking over at the console, she saw the technician with his head resting on folded arms. “What are you
