He turned to Jackie. "Your thoughts?"
"This may sound strange," she ventured, "but as a fighter pilot, if someone was shooting at me, I'd shoot back — doing my job. But morally speaking, I dont fit the profile of an assassin."
"I fully understand," Prost said quietly.
"I feel the same as Jackie," Scott admitted. "However, I'm willing to go after him. Well leave Shayhidi's future to someone else after we've found him, unless he tries to take us out."
Scott looked at Jackie. "You okay with that?"
"Sure, as long as we all agree on what our role is."
Prost smiled with relief. "No argument from me. The two of you have the talent, training, and tenacity to accomplish things most people wouldn't even consider. The president and I deeply appreciate everything you've done."
"Thank you," Scott said. "Any problem with using our plane, carrying our personal weapons and all the gear we need?"
"None that I can think of." Prost considered the options. "You have a legitimate business conducting safety audits for corporate flight departments, including major companies overseas. In addition, you have your FBI and CIA credentials along with current passports. That seems to cover all the bases."
Flying at 63,000 feet above Mexico City, the unmanned surveillance craft relayed the movement of four army brigades heading north at 11:25 RM-The brigades comprised one armored, two infantry, and one motorized infantry. Their olive-drab "deuce and a half" cargo trucks with canvas tops were, for the most part, Korean War vintage. Once established on Highway 85, the caravan advanced toward Ciudad Victoria, a transportation center east of the 13,300-foot peak of Cerro Pefta Nevada.
If the brigades stayed on 85 after passing Ciudad Victoria, that would take them through Monterrey to Nuevo Laredo, across the Rio Bravo del Norte from Laredo, Texas. If the convoy took Highway 101 at Ciudad Victoria, they would arrive at Matamoros, Mexico, across the border from Brownsville, Texas. Regardless of the caravans planned destination, the president of the United States had a decision to make.
President Macklin was awakened at 1:05 A. M. and had coffee with Dave Timkey, Brad Austin, Pete Adair, and Les Chalmers. After a secure phone conference call with Hartwell Prost and a conversation with the senior officers at NORAD, the president and his aides went to the library on the ground floor. Macklin closed the door and everyone took a seat.
"First thing," the president said, "I want to make sure they dont get anywhere close to our border."
Secretary Austin glanced at Chalmers and then turned to Macklin. "I respectfully yield to Secretary Adair and General Chalmers on military matters. Having said that, I am convinced that a firepower demonstration would halt the convoy and turn them back like the Mexican frigates."
Macklin removed his reading glasses. "What makes you so sure?"
"These troops are not kamikazes," Austin said with conviction. "When they see what they're up against, they'll know this is an exercise in futility. They aren't a tough, well-disciplined, well-equipped, seasoned fighting force. Besides, they've seen the results of Operation Iraqi Freedom. They'll turn back."
Pete Adair spoke up in support. "I agree with you, but as a backup let's destroy the highway so they can't continue. Give them time to think about it."
"Les," the president said, "what's your view?"
"I would try something to get their attention short of destroying the highway. We have the assets standing by," Chalmers said. "One thing, though — we need to hit them just as the sun begins to nibble at the sky. Regardless of which highway they take, they'll be past Ciudad Victoria by that time and in a sparsely populated area. That's where we want to take action."
"What do you plan to use?" Macklin asked.
"Two AC-130 Spectre gunships, two A-10 Warthogs, and two B-1Bs. Well also have helicopters in the area in case someone goes down."
The president nodded his approval. "If we do have to cut the highway, and it looks like they might try to find an alternative route, cut off the road behind them also. Strand the caravan in place and keep them pinned down with no way out."
"Yes, sir."
"Okay, gentlemen, we have a short night ahead," Macklin declared. "You can rest here or have breakfast here. Your choice, but let s gather in the Situation Room at five-thirty A. M."
Two B-1B Lancers, affectionately known as the "Bone," taxied for takeoff under a star-filled sky. The sleek swing-wing long-range bomber was capable of carrying eighty-four 500-pound bombs or twenty-four 2,ooo-pound JDAMs. This morning the supersonic bombers from the 9th Bomb Squadron, 7th Wing, would be flying empty with a standard crew consisting of an aircraft commander, copilot, offensive systems operator, and defensive systems operator.
Cleared for takeoff, the B-1Bs took off in interval and climbed to altitude en route to Mexico. They checked in with the E-3 AWACS to receive the latest coordinates of the Mexican military caravan. The brigades were on Highway 101 approaching Santander Jimenez, and Global Hawk was keeping a watchful eye on the procession of vehicles.
Orbiting over the Gulf of Mexico twenty-three nautical miles east of the smil town of Carboneras, two AC-130 Spectre gunships from Hurlburt Field, Florida, waited to turn on course. The ground-attack aircraft were armed with a stunning array of firepower that could be concentrated on a small area.
The relatively low-flying Hercules gunships were equipped with two 20mm Vulcan cannons, one Bofors cannon, and one howitzer that could fire 100 rounds. The new "U" model aircraft had replaced their 20mm cannons with a rapid-firing 25mm Gatling gun. Known as one mean flying machine, the AC-130 was one of the weapons most feared by enemy ground forces.
Two A-10 Warthogs from Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, were refueling from a KC-135. The close-air-support aircraft were each armed with eighteen conventional Mk-82 500-pound general-purpose bombs. Their showcase weapon, a powerful 30mm Gatling-type seven-barrel rotary cannon, was capable of destroying any tank. The Warthog put cold fear into the hearts of enemy soldiers who witnessed the cannon fire.
After topping off their fuel tanks, the lead pilot checked in with the AWACS for vectors to their holding pattern. The senior pilots had been thoroughly briefed about the mission and looked forward to playing a role in discouraging the Mexican advance.
The president and his advisers quietly filed into the Situation Room and took their seats. There was little conversation while they waited to monitor the firepower demonstration. They paid rapt attention when the AWACS cued the first event, the B-1B supersonic Mach 1.2 reveille call. The second bomber would remain at altitude as a spare.
Ready to step onstage after the 900-mph B-1B pass, the lead AC-130 Spectre gunship was orbiting two miles north of the Mexican caravan. The second ground-attack Hercules circled six miles to the east. The A-10s would roll in together after the AC-130 departed the immediate area.
Three U. S. Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk combat search-and-rescue helicopters formed a triangle around the caravan. They were ready to snag any downed crew members. Along the entire length of the U. S.-Mexican border, other AWACS and fighter aircraft continued to fly combat air patrols to stop any threat from the ground or from the air.
The B-1B aircraft commander was beginning his run fourteen miles east of the Mexican brigades. Since the target was moving, the bomber crew would have to make a few minor heading corrections during the pass. The last five miles would be flown supersonic at treetop level.