that.” He looked down at Niles, who had joined him and Alice. “I know because I tried to argue scientific points with you my, dear boy, for almost ten full years. It was like hitting my head against a wall.”
“I couldn’t have been that frustrating.”
“More,” Lee said, with Alice nodding in agreement. “And the maddening thing is, just like those two nerd birds in there, you were right more often than I ever admitted.”
Niles smiled and looked down at his feet. “I was a little hard on them,” he said. “I think they’re on to something, but what I need is facts that I can pass along to the president, not more theory.”
Lee removed the pipe from his mouth and tapped the bowl against the tree. He then pocketed the pipe and placed his hand on Niles’s shoulder.
“The burden of having the president’s ear is a large one. I can’t help you there, my boy. At least not until you can explain why that mine and its contents, along with the discovery on the Moon, are so damned important to so many people.”
Niles looked at Lee. That was when he realized that he and Alice had put their two heads together and had come to a conclusion-they had figured it out. He thought about calling them on it, but decided to let them go on speculating, even if they were right. He didn’t want to give his old friend the pleasure of gloating that he was still sharp as a tack even though he was knocking on heaven’s door. Even Alice had a nice, smug smile on her lips as she stared into the woods.
“You know, if it weren’t for you, our entire civilization would have been totally unprepared for what’s coming,” Niles said as he turned away from Lee and Alice.
“I don’t know what you mean, my boy,” Lee said. He turned with the aid of Alice and his ever-present cane.
“Oh, I think you do,” Niles said. He returned Lee’s crooked grin. “Now, why don’t you go in there and spy on Jack for me, then let me know what he plans to do, and then get some rest.”
“Oh, I think I know what Jack’s plans are, and I wouldn’t want to be the mercenaries down there guarding that mine. Have you seen the array of pirates the colonel’s got helping him lately?”
Niles laughed and then turned away.
Lee looked down at Alice and she knew by the look that he was in desperate pain. He closed his eyes, then opened them again and smiled.
“I think I’ll deny the request to spy on Jack. I think I’d better go lie down, old girl.”
Alice just nodded her head, knowing Garrison Lee was fast running out of time.
12
The thirty-six men had three pairs of night vision goggles between them. Luckily, they also had two 100- power night scopes for the designated sniper team, one placed at each end of their advance line. The two chosen snipers were a Vietnamese private named An Liang, and an Australian named Johansen. The rules of engagement, or ROE, were to fire only if Jack and Carl gave them the signal: two fingers in the air.
Collins was hoping to have the Ecuadorians leave the facility without a shot being fired. He figured this called for a foolish type of soldier who could walk right up to the gate and explain things to the officer in charge of the security detail camped outside. As for McCabe’s men, Jack had no illusions; they were to be eliminated at the outset if he could persuade the Ecuadorians to abandon their posts. That foolish soldier would be himself, and of course Mr. Everett, who would have none of Collins’s going alone. Sebastian would be the leader of the assault team if and when the larger force was convinced to leave the area. They knew they couldn’t start the fireworks off by killing soldiers of an ally state. That would make what the president was attempting that much harder.
The thirty remaining men were to allow ample time for the security force to leave, then the snipers would take out the gate guards and Sebastian would lead the strike element into the gated compound, where if all went well, they would take the small barracks.
As Collins made sure his sidearm was snapped into its holster, Everett came into the small clearing where they had assembled, only three hundred yards above the mining compound.
“Okay, Jack, the men are in position. I have Pete, Charlie, and Niles standing by. We have a reserve element of ten men, which can be on the move as soon as we gain access.”
“Good,” Jack said, “Now if we-”
“Wait, Jack, there’s more. A listening post on the far side of the camp has picked up a large force five miles away and closing on foot. He can’t get an exact count, but they look hostile and they aren’t wearing uniforms.”
“It can’t be McCabe, I mean why would he sneak into his own area? No, this is something else.” Jack looked down into the center of the Ecuadorian encampment. All was quiet there. “The listening post is a part of the follow-up element, right?”
Everett nodded his head in the predawn darkness.
“Leave him in place. I want to know all he can see before that force arrives in theater,” Jack said, looking at Sebastian.
“Right,” he said and held out his hand to Everett and then Collins. “Good luck. I wouldn’t want your job.”
“Thanks, buddy,” Jack said with a smile, and released the German’s hand. “Just remember. When we walk up to that gate we won’t have a chance to signal, so take it for granted that the mission is on.”
Sebastian didn’t stick around to answer. He turned and hurried away to distribute what few radios they had to the follow-up element and to the two snipers.
“Well, Mr. Everett, shall we go for a walk?”
“About damn time. I was starting to get bored after my life of crime.”
“Me too,” Collins said, and turned and started downhill toward the Ecuadorian camp.
“Alto,” a voice said out of the darkness.
Jack and Carl stopped in the middle of the dirt road only a thousand yards from the front gate.
“Dos hombres, Estados Unidos,” Jack called out. “Dos americanos.”
“Oh, boy, here we go,” Everett mumbled, wanting to at least unsnap the holster strap at his side when he heard the sound of men running toward them.
Four men came out of the darkness and shone bright flashlights in their eyes. “Raise your hands, senor,” the first said, leveling an old M-16.
“You speak good English,” Collins said. “We need to see your commanding officer.”
“And he would like to see you also, Colonel Collins.”
“Uh-oh,” Everett said, their plan flying right out the window.
“It seems you have the advantage,” Jack said as he considered the clean-shaven officer. He didn’t look anything like a local militia man.
“We certainly do have the advantage, Colonel. Now, if you will follow me. You may lower your hands, but please keep them far away from your weapons,” the officer said. “Professional courtesy will go only so far.”
Jack looked at Everett and then lowered his hands. They both followed the Ecuadorian officer. They walked into the silent camp and were led straight to the largest of the tents that had recently been set up. Jack eyed not only his immediate surroundings but also the main gate, which was now only five hundred yards away. The lighting hadn’t been brought to a brighter level, so the alert status at the mine was unchanged. The officer looked at Jack and Everett, then relieved them both of their sidearms.
“Courtesy to a fellow soldier can go only so far.”
“I promise not to shoot your commanding officer, son,” Jack said, looking at the large air-conditioned
