SEAL Team Bravo: Black Ops IV (33 page)

“Heads up, people. Zeke has the safe room door wired ready to blow. Stand by, with any luck we can finish this and go home. We’re almost there, so hang in there. Okay, Zeke, let her go.”

Zeke’s voice instantly came into his earpiece. “Fire in the hole!”

Nolan ducked automatically even though he was nowhere near the site of the explosion. A massive blast shook the building. There was renewed firing, as Riyad bin Laden’s guards desperately tried to block the final assault on their Sheikh’s last refuge. Grenades went off, and Nolan heard the gunfire, the shouts and screams as the endgame fought through its last moments.

And then it was done. Will’s exultant voice came over the commo, “Target is down, I repeat, the target is down. That’s a confirmed kill. We’re taking photos right now and getting the DNA swabs. I can’t see the Lieutenant, does anyone know where he is?”

“This is Grant, he’s been hurt. He’s with me. We’re out on the landing.”

“How bad is he, Lucas?”

“A round went right through his vest. I dunno, maybe it was faulty, or the range was just too short. He’s bleeding badly. We need to get him out of here.”

Nolan interrupted. “Do your best with him. We’re calling in the helo to exfil from the roof.”

He started toward the stairs, but Mariko stopped him. “It’s Admiral Jacks on the radio from J-bad. He says they have a pair of RAF Reapers standing by to lend a hand. They were the nearest aircraft they had available. They’re both overhead right now.”

“Understood, patch me through to the controller.”

A few seconds later, he heard an unfamiliar British voice in his earpiece. “This is Groves, 39 Squadron, RAF Creech Air Force Base. How can we help you, Chief Petty Officer Nolan?”

“What are you carrying, Groves?”

“Hellfires, Chief. Both Reapers are over your position. They’re carrying a full load of missiles.”

“Can you see the action around the compound?”

“Yes. I have the main house in sight, and I can see what looks like two of your men on the rooftop. In the courtyard, there are several groups of fighters forming up. It looks like two units at the front of the house, about forty men, and another fifteen or so hostiles at the rear.”

“What about anti-aircraft missiles? I heard they had missile sites around the compound.”

There was a hesitation, then, “Searching now. Yes, I have them, two sites; both are manned and look as if they’re ready to shoot. Chief, there could be another problem. There’s a convoy of vehicles headed your way. It’s safe to assume they’re reinforcements on their way to pitch in.”

“Copy that, RAF. Take them both out.”

“Two missile sites to be targeted, understood. Confirm your order to destroy both of them, Bravo.”

“Bravo confirmed.”

Nolan looked around the hallway where he was still holding tight with Mariko.

We’re safe for the present, but things are rapidly going to hell. There’s still a good chance we can get out with the unit intact if the Predators are effective. And if the attack is successful, and if no more fighters come to reinforce the compound. It’s too many ‘ifs’.

He thought of Vince and Dave up on the roof, exposed to any secondary effects of the Hellfire bombardment, and called them.

“This is Bravo Two. Vince, Dave, get off that roof. There’s a bunch of Hellfires coming down around us. There’ll be metal and debris flying every which way all over the compound.”

“Copy that,” Vince’s voice replied. “We’ll come down inside and hunker down until it’s over.”

“Understood. When the Reapers are finished, you’ll need to secure the roof again. I’m fixing up an exfil direct from right here. We’ll get the Chinook to come straight in when the missile sites have been taken out.”

“Copy that.”

It’s close, very close, but there are still too many ‘ifs’.

He keyed his mic. “Lucas, how’s the Lieutenant doing?”

“Not good. He needs help. We could do with a corpsman.”

Nolan thought of Jack Whitman.
He’ll know how to keep him going, but where
the hell is he?

“This is Bravo Two, Whitman, what’s your situation?”

The radio hissed with static but no reply.

“Has anyone seen Whitman? He’s supposed to be with Nazir. He should be looking for that Paki Minister.” The silence mocked him.

What is he up to? If he’s alive. Unless he’s somewhere, like in the tunnel
system where his radio won’t work properly. That must be it. Another ‘if’.

“Will, what’s your twenty?”

“We’re holding on the third floor. Vince and Dave just came down to join us. All quiet here.”

As if to contradict him, a burst of firing came from the second floor.

“Hostiles, hostiles in the media center,” someone shouted.
 

He could hear the sound of renewed firing, echoing down the stairwell. Dan called him.

“Chief, a bunch of guys were hiding in the media center. We’re dealing with them now.”

“Are you...”

“Grenade!”

Another burst of firing, and then there was silence. Before he could ask, Dan came back on the commo.

“We got them all, second floor is clear, repeat clear.”

“Copy that.”

He turned to Mariko. “We need that Chinook here mighty fast, as soon as the Reapers have taken out the defenses. We have to get out before they attack again.”

She nodded and turned to the satcom to call Jalalabad. Nolan remembered the men downstairs.

“This is Two, Brad, can you hear me? Come in, Bravo Six.”

A silence, and nothing.

“Bravo Six, do you read, over?”

And then there was a faint signal. “This is Six. The tunnel is breaking up the signal, but I can just about hear you.”

“Good. Come through the tunnel and join us inside the main residence. We’re fixing up an exfil from the roof. We’ve called in a Chinook.”

“Understood, I’ll to come through to the residence.”

“Yeah. Brad, watch out for Whitman. He was with Nazir, guarding the Paki Minister before he escaped. He may have recaptured him by now. Bring them up to join us.”

Mariko caught his attention. “Hold it, Brad. What is it, Captain?”

“I got through to Jacks. The Chinook is on the way, and it’s almost here.”

“Understood, I’ll…”

He stopped as the compound erupted with a series of explosions. The Hellfires had struck their targets.

“Bravo Six, hurry it up. That sounds like the air defenses just went down, so we’ll be getting out of here real soon.”

His voice came over even more faintly. “Copy…., I’m …...”

It would have to do. Nolan assumed he was on the way. It was time to get the evacuation organized.

“Lucas, get Boswell up to the roof. The helo is on the way in. I’ll secure everything down here and come up. Brad is on his way. He’s rounding up Whitman and Nazir Masih. Hopefully, he’ll have recaptured the prisoner.”

“I’ll need some help to lift the Lieutenant.”

A new voice interrupted.

“This is Will. My boys and me will lend a hand. We’re close by.”

“Copy that. Brad, how’re you making out?”

Silence.

“Brad, come in. Any sign of Whitman?”

The silence mocked him. He decided Brad must still be in the tunnel, where’d he be out of contact. He was worried about Whitman.

The guy is probably out of radio contact for the same reason, but all the same, he’s been quiet for a long time. He’ll have to take care of himself,
he shrugged
.

He walked over to check the double doors that guarded the entrance. They were the only way in or out, with the exception of the hatch into the tunnel. The doors were solid oak, furnished with heavy iron fastenings. There was a wide, heavy bolt top and bottom, still slid across. It should hold anyone trying to get in, at least for long enough for them to make their getaway. He keyed his mic.

“Vince, how’s it looking down on the ground?”

“Chief, those Hellfires did a good job. The anti aircraft sites are heaps of junk, and the scores of fighters were wiped out when they hit. There’re a few squirters running around, darting from place to place and taking potshots at us. I expect they’re trying to figure out how to come at us again. Chief, they’ll have more fighters on the way, that’s for sure. They can’t be too pleased we’ve pissed all over their backyard. Lucas has just joined us with Will’s unit. They’ve brought up Boswell.

“Understood. I’ll stay down here and wait for Brad and Jack to get in.”

“They in trouble?”

“I’m not certain. They may be okay. Let me know when that helo turns up.”

“You can be sure of that. We’ll make it out, Chief.”

“Even Boswell? Will he make it?”

“Lucas reckons if he gets back to civilization pretty soon, his chances are good.”

“Copy that. I’ll hold here and call as soon as Whitman and Rose arrive, and then we’ll come on up.”

“Sure.”

He went around the ground floor, checking the shutters were securely closed, and then went to recheck the heavy oak entrance door. It was just as secure as the last time he’d checked it, but something bugged him. An eerie silence had descended on the house.

 
It feels like, what?
He had to work it through his brain.
Yeah, it feels like the house is holding its breath. It’s too quiet. Waiting for the shitstorm that’s about to hit. Where the hell is that Chinook?

He noticed Mariko staring at him.

“What?”

She smiled, a tired smile, and her face was covered in dirt. “Nothing. You’re doing okay, Nolan. You’ve got a situation out front, upstairs, underground, and Christ knows where else, and you’re holding it all together. Impressive.”

“It will be if we get out of here.”

“We will. Give me a moment. I want to check something out in the next room. I thought I heard something a moment ago. I’ll take a last look around before we leave. I don’t think it’s anything to worry about.”

He nodded, “Be careful.”

His attention was diverted when a new voice came into his earpiece. “Bravo, this is 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, inbound from Jalalabad. Do you copy?”

Thank Christ for that.

“This is Bravo, I copy. What is your ETA?”

“Eight minutes, Bravo. Make sure you’re ready to exfil. The Paks have fighters in the area. I don’t want to tangle with them. This flying bus would be hard put to fight off an angry buzzard.”

“Understood, I’ll make sure our people are all on the roof ready to climb aboard. Our location is the largest building in the compound.”

A short pause, and then the voice replied in a flat tone. “We’ve been there before, Bravo.”

Of course they have, the 160th, Neptune Spear, the mission that successfully eliminated Osama bin Laden.

“Copy that.”

He looked back as a loud noise echoed through the hallway. The hatch had been thrown open, and Brad Rose’s familiar head appeared.

“Brad, thank Christ, did you see…”

He realized that Brad carried no weapon, and he’d lost his helmet and armored vest. Behind him, Jack Whitman followed, carrying his Sig Sauer pointed at Brad’s back. They climbed out of the hatch, and Nazir Masih followed. Then Chutani Muhammad climbed out, also clutching a pistol. This one pressed into Nazir’s back.

“Jack, what the hell?”

But he didn’t need to ask. In that fraction of a second, it all clicked into place. His mind flashed back to the artist’s sketches of the rapist he’d seen when he was taken into custody. The pictures had been released to his defense attorney, Edward Oakley III. It could have been Nolan, sure, but it was also a perfect fit for Whitman. He thought back to the missions when Whitman had been on the same operation. When there’d been a killing.