Payback (18 page)

“Roger that,” Lam said, stowed his field glasses, and eased to his feet. A moment later he vanished into the brush and trees. The red dress was less than a hundred yards ahead. Well away from the ranch house but within sight of it. They must have seen the Korean helicopters destroyed. Murdock knew the general route Lam would take to approach the friendlies. Try as he might, he couldn't detect the scout as he moved through the trees and undergrowth.

Murdock used his mike and told the rest of the SEALs what they had found. He told the squad to come up to his position. The other men spread out five yards apart near Murdock waiting to see what happened.

The Motorola earpieces spoke.

“Skipper, I'm at about twenty yards from them. I have four civilians. One definitely Secret Service with his Uzi with stock extended. Another is an older woman. The other two are young women, who might be on the staff at the ranch. I'm moving in softly.”

Lam pushed up the mike so it touched his floppy hat, and edged around the pine tree and then angled into some heavy brush. He worked ahead slowly now, not moving a branch, not stepping on a dead branch or pile of leaf mold. He put weight on his foot only when he knew it would not make any noise.

Ahead was a six-foot-wide open space. To go around it would take twenty minutes. He watched the four people. All could see the opening if they looked his way. Two faced away from him. A third sat on a log staring straight ahead. The Secret Service man moved back and forth watching mostly uphill through the trees toward the ranch house.

Lam waited until the man turned and headed away from him, then darted across the opening and faded into the brush. One of the women staring straight ahead turned and looked at the opening, but Lam had gone across it. She shrugged.

Lam moved again, slowly, cautiously. He came within ten feet of the group, and waited until the Secret Service man
paced away from him. Lam surged forward silently and walked beside the government security man.

“You must be Secret Service,” Lam said.

The man jolted around, started to swing the Uzi upward, but Lam caught it and kept it aimed away from him.

“Hey, I'm a friend. Easy with the sub gun. I'm Lampedusa, a Navy SEAL. We've come to help you.”

The Secret Service man stepped back, his eyes still wide, sweat popping out on his forehead. He shook his head in wonder. “How in hell did you do that, slip up on me that way? I've been watching for anything.” The Secret Service man shook his head again and grinned. “Damn, but I'm glad to see you. I'm Horowitz. How many SEALs are there?”

“Sixteen of us, sir. Let me call up my boss.” He flipped down the mike. “Skipper, all clear to come forward. Four here are A-OK.”

“You on a radio net with the other Secret Service people?” Lam asked.

“Yes. We check in every hour.”

“You lose anybody on the attack?”

“One of our men is missing, doesn't report on the net. We don't know what happened to him.”

“So your net may be compromised. The North Koreans could have one of your radios listening. Are all of the civilians safe?”

“Not sure. The commander of the North Koreans said they would execute prisoners every half hour. We're not sure if they did or not. I watched the first one. They said they would kill Secretary Alvarez. I saw the shot and saw her fall, but they might have faked it. They did it again a half hour later. I heard the shot. I don't know if anybody was killed.”

“So don't tell your net that we're here. They only know that somebody blew up their choppers. We like to surprise the North Ks.”

“You took out their helicopters?”

“Yeah, with a twenty-mike-mike rifle.”

“You kidding. A round that big from a rifle?”

“New. Show you one when they get here. Where are the rest of the party and the President?”

“Our plan was to scatter if anything happened,” Horowitz
said. “The Koreans came in suddenly and burned our birds, and we knew we couldn't hold the ranch house so we all split. The plan was for two men to take the President and two more to take the Vice President generally to the north. I know they made it out of the house and to their first holding point. Beyond that we haven't heard much except the net checks.”

A booming voice came through the air. It was an amplified voice on a bullhorn.

“Secret Service men, it is time to come in and give up your weapons. We have captured the President and killed the two men trying to protect him. I repeat. We have captured President Dunnington.”

 

 

“Is he bluffing?” Lam asked.

“One way to find out,” Horowitz said. He took out a small radio and pushed a button. “This is Five. Mr. President, are you safe?”

They waited, but nothing came over the air. After a twenty-second pause a voice responded.

“This is Four. I've had no transmission from the President in a little more than an hour.”

“Four, on the net checks, did you hear everyone?”

“All but the missing man.”

“Then something may have happened to the President. I'm calling for a radio check by the numbers,” Horowitz said.

Lam listened as four Secret Service men checked in.

Horowitz scowled. He looked at Lam. “We could be in a lot of trouble here. I'm Five, the man we lost already is Seven, and the two with the President who didn't check in are Six and Eight. That means they might be out of range, or captured, or worse.”

The speaker on the Secret Service radio sounded.

“So, Secret Service, you came up three men short on your radio net,” the voice with the same strange accent said. “That is correct. Three of your men won't collect their retirement, and we have the President. So far he is safe, well, and he has not been harmed. Later it will be dark. We ask that all of you return to the ranch house where you will be more comfortable. The cook is now preparing a fine meal for you.

“We're not sure how you destroyed our helicopters, but it is of little concern. We have two other plans to leave this area without them. So come in now and we will not harm
the President. You have three hours before dark to get here. I suggest that you hurry.”

Horowitz jumped as Murdock edged into the small clearing.

“That's my CO, Horowitz, it's okay.”

Murdock and the rest of Alpha Squad came in and at once established a perimeter defense around the position. The commander came over to the pair.

“Commander Murdock, this is Mr. Horowitz, with the Secret Service.”

The men shook hands. Lam told Murdock about the claim that the President was captured and the two men with him dead.

“Is it possible?” Murdock asked Horowitz.

“The Koreans have at least one of our radios. So they have captured or killed at least one of our men. The President's guards didn't respond to my radio net check. So something is wrong.”

“What's the range of your sets?” Murdock asked.

“On flat land about ten miles. Up here it could be a mile depending on the terrain. A ridgeline could block out the signal.”

“Think the President just might be out of range and the Korean is bluffing?”

“Could be.”

Senior Chief Sadler and Jaybird came in from the perimeter, and Murdock filled them in.

“Could you have blown up their choppers?” Sadler asked Horowitz.

“Sure, if we could have moved in close enough,” Horowitz said. “I always carry a fragger on jobs like this.”

“So the Koreans don't know that anyone else is here,” Murdock said. “That's good. We can give them a few surprises.” He looked at the Secret Service man. “Any of your men have long guns?”

“Nothing but the Uzis. We usually work close-up.”

“We have the rifles and machine guns if we need them. Now all we need to do is to figure out what to do. DeWitt, we'll leave our mikes open. Cut in whenever you want to. We're having a strategy session.”

The woman in the red dress walked up to the group.

“Commander. I'm Beth Arnold, the President's National Security Advisor.”

Horowitz broke in. “Commander, this is Major General Beth Arnold of the U.S. Army.”

The four SEALs saluted her. She returned a crisp professional salute. “General, I'm Lieutenant Commander Murdock, this is Senior Chief Sadler, Operations Specialist Second Class Lampedusa, and Machinist's Mate First Class Sterling. We always have enlisted men help when planning an operation.”

“May I sit in on your session? I've had some experience.”

“General, by all means. You've seen the ranch house. We haven't. Where would their strong and weak points be?”

“It's a ranch-style house, long and one-story. The kitchen is on the extreme left end, the large living room and activity rooms in the center, and the bedrooms mostly on the right-hand side. There are twelve bedrooms. They probably have the President in one of them, if they really have him.”

“I'd say we have to assume that he's a captive, so we can't use our 20mm rounds on the house,” Jaybird said.

“Agreed,” Murdock said.

“It's got to be a silent hit,” Lam said. “We move up and watch and wait and try to pick them off one at a time, quietly.”

“You have suppressed weapons?” the general asked.

“Yes, two of the new Mk 11 from Knight with the twenty-inch barrel and silencer. Then we have other silenced weapons including our MP-5 sub guns.”

“The way Lam slipped up on me without a sound, I would have been a dead man if he'd wanted me to be,” Horowitz said. “Be sure to use Lam.”

“I've heard about SEALs' work before,” General Arnold said. “You're the platoon that the CIA and the President use for covert operations, correct?”

“Yes, ma'am,” Murdock said.

“Damn glad you're here. Should we send men into both ends of the house, say three on each end, and start working silently toward the center?”

“Good idea, but first we'll have to take out any exterior
guards,” Senior Chief Sadler said. “Be good to get two men up there quickly to check it out in what's left of the daylight.”

“I agree,” DeWitt said on the Motorola. “Lam and Fernandez would be my picks.”

“Lam, you and Fernandez get on your horses,” Murdock said. “Each of you take the silenced M-11. Move up on each end of the place. Close enough so you can find any exterior guards. Report back by radio. Then hold your positions for our arrival.”

Lam lifted his Knight sniper rifle and vanished into the brush.

“That's a roger on this side,” DeWitt said on the radio. “I sent Fernandez out. He goes up to about fifty and checks the scene.”

“Right,” Murdock said. “Be sure nobody in the house can see you, Fernandez and Lam.”

General Arnold looked at Murdock. “You have any extra cammies with you?”

“Yes, ma'am, but . . .”

“No buts about it, Commander. Find a man about my size and get his spare shirt and pants. I'm going with you and this damn red dress isn't a combat outfit.”

Murdock grinned. “Glad to have you on board, General.”

Sadler nodded at Murdock and went to the perimeter. Murdock looked through the trees at the ranch house over seven hundred yards away. “Where would they be keeping the President, if they have him, General?”

“My choice would be the owner's suite. It's larger, has a big window facing the front, and has access only from a hall in back that runs the length of the building.”

Murdock turned to Horowitz. “Did the team with the President have a SATCOM with them?”

“Yes. That must be how they called for help. Oh, yes, so now the Koreans may have the SATCOM as well, so we can't use yours. You do have one?”

“That's a roger, Mr. Horowitz. We just lost another trump card. We have to do it on our own.”

“Overhead planning for this trip called for two Airborne Ranger Platoons to drop in here in case of any trouble,” Horowitz said. “What happened to them?”

“The coast is on a total blackout,” Senior Chief Sadler said. “They got snafued up along the coast somewhere when a county sheriff wouldn't let them take off at the city airport. Not sure where they are. They were supposed to arrive the same time we did.”

“Back to the planning board,” DeWitt said on the radio. “We'll need men in front and in back of the place. You want Bravo to take the back and cut off any of them bugging out?”

“Yes,” Murdock said. “But keep your silenced weapons for the kitchen entrance on that end. Use your MP-5's. When the front is clear, send Fernandez around back to check for guards there.”

“Right. Three men in there should be enough. Leaves me five to cover the whole back. Can do.”

“I know two of my men have MP-5's in their drag bags, which gives us four silenced.” Murdock turned to Horowitz. “How many of the North Ks are there?”

“Eighteen. So with the general and me, we match up man for man.”

“Can you call in your Uzis? Go ahead and make a net call, and tell your men that they should report to their areas for Plan B, and be there promptly at 1930.”

“Won't that tip off the Ks?” the general asked.

“Not really. We'll be moving in long before then. But it might get some of the Secret Service men closer to the buildings wondering what is happening. They heard the Korean demand for surrender. So they'll be cautious.”

“I was second in command of our protection unit,” Horowitz said. “If I tell them, they'll move. They know the net is compromised. They'll have to figure out what Plan B is. We don't have one.”

“At least it will give the Ks something to worry about,” DeWitt said. “I like it.”

Sadler came back with the cammies and an MP-5 with five magazines. “Best we have, General. These might be a little large, but we can roll up the pants legs.”

“This is great, Chief, thanks.” She took the gear and walked into the woods.

When she was gone, Murdock frowned. “Let's not get a general shot on our watch. She is to be kept out of harm's
way. We keep her safe in every way except tackling her. Agreed?”

The men nodded. “I should take her to the rear to be in our blocking position,” DeWitt said. “But I can't get her over here.”

Murdock shook his head. “She wouldn't agree to that. She wants to be out front. I'll post her with the front sniper. She can help watch for any targets out there. Might hold her.

“Jaybird, Lam, and I will go in the bedroom end of the place after Lam and Fernandez eliminate any guards out front. Then I want Fernandez to go around to the back and check for any exterior guards. When the front and back are clear, then the two three-man teams move into the house. Any problems or suggestions with this plan?”

“We use only silence MP-5's inside?” Jaybird asked.

“Right, I'll trade my Bull Pup for a Five.”

The SEAL radios came on.

“Skipper, I'm about fifty yards from the right end of the place,” Lam said. “So far I haven't seen any guards out front or near the right end. They must have somebody here. I'll keep watching.”

“Don't go any closer,” Murdock said. “Settle down and wait. We have an hour before dusk.”

The general came back and grinned. “I haven't had on cammies for over four years. Feels good. Now, does anybody have an extra floppy or a watch cap?”

Murdock reached in his combat vest and pulled out a black knit watch cap. “Will this one do?” he asked.

Major General Arnold chuckled. “Now I remember, you're the Commander Murdock the CNO talks about. Wanted you on his staff, but you turned him down. Takes guts. He said you were right. You're more valuable leading your platoon.”

Murdock smiled. “General, I hope you think the same thing when this operation is over. Our man up front said he can't spot any outside guards. I don't like that.”

“Seems they should have somebody watching their front and their back,” General Arnold said. “Looks like we'll have to play it by ear and count bodies as we go. Right now, eighteen. Wish we could cut that down two or three before we go inside.”

Murdock took a deep breath and plunged forward. “General Arnold, one thing we need to get clear. On this mission, I'm in command. On this ground I outrank you. You can come along, but you will follow my orders. Do you agree?”

“Absolutely, Commander. I'm at your service. Just don't leave me back here with the kitchen help. The two girls over there are friendly and nice, but I'd really hate to be stuck here.”

“Good. When we set up, I want you up with Lam. When he shifts to the right-hand end to enter, you'll trade your MP- 5 for his Knight and be responsible for anything moving out front. You'll have the new Knight sniper rifle. It's semiautomatic, a lot like the SR25. I'd bet you can handle a long gun with no problem.”

“I was on the rifle team for five years. Then some skinny, redheaded, flat-chested little corporal beat me out for the last spot on the team. I nearly had her court-martialed.”

“Yeah, I bet. General, you'll be firing at seventy-five to a hundred yards. Fish in a barrel for a sharpshooter.”

“Skipper, Fernandez here.”

“Go, Fernandez.”

“I've got one guard. He's in and out of the kitchen. Eating all the time. Has a sub gun but nothing longer. I can take him out whenever you lads get in position. Seems like he's on a definite post here.”

“Roger that. We'll wait until dusk and move up. Hit them about 1820. You clear anyone there, then move to the rear. Right?”

“Copy that.”

Murdock looked at his watch. It was 1800. “Horowitz, have you ever had any Army training?”

“No, sir. Just the regular training.”

“We need a good man to stay here with the other two women. Can you take care of that job?”

“Yes, sir. If that's the best spot for me.”

“We need you here. Watch for any Korean infiltrators. The rest of you, let's move up to Lam and Fernandez. Copy that, DeWitt?”

“That's a roger.”

“DeWitt, time for you to move the rest of your squad to
the rear of the ranch house. Swing wide, leave Fernandez where he is as sniper, and get the rest of your guys into a blocking position forty yards behind the house if you have cover.”

“Roger that, we're moving out.”

The Alpha Squad SEALs formed up in a single line, five yards apart with General Arnold in the center, and worked up the slope through the heavy brush and timber. They were completely screened from the ranch house.