Contrary to what foreign surveillance assumed about Fiery Cross Reef, the base was now entirely functional. And inside its giant hangar rested one of mankind’s greatest modern weapons. A weapon hid well within bombing range of nearly every Pacific Rim country.
The fifteen thousand pound, Russian-built thermobaric bomb was the most powerful conventional explosive device ever created. It was far superior to the United States’ Massive Ordnance Air Blast weapon, later colloquially called “Mother of All Bombs.” But Russia’s version was far superior, quadrupling the equivalent TNT and effective blast radius.
And in what was perhaps the greatest irony, Russia’s Father of All Bombs could not be fitted to a traditionally military bomber. Instead, it had to be dropped from the rear cargo ramp of a larger transport aircraft. A configuration that could be accommodated by China’s existing prototype Xian Y-20 aircraft, originally commandeered by one General Wei.
Still in the limousine, Xinzhen peered pensively at his watch. The Y-20 should have just lifted off from Fiery Cross, where it would refuel once in route with the help of an in-flight tanker before the Y-20 headed directly toward South America and the Acarai Mountains.
There was no way to tell whether the Brazilians or the Americans would find any remnants of what the Chinese had taken, but it was not a risk Xinzhen was willing to take.
In mere hours, the entire area would simply “evaporate” under the raw power of a thermobaric blast. Ensuring that if China would not possess the prize of South America’s superorganism… then no one would.
76
Standing just over a mile from the Y-20’s final target, Steve Caesare scanned downhill into the darkness and a thick patch of trees, looking for any movement. But beyond the gentle swaying branches and rustling leaves, there was none. The area was eerily quiet.
“You sure we’re in the right place?”
Tiewater nodded. “Yep. Unfortunately, those idiots scared them all off when they shot at ‘em.”
“Perfect.” Caesare turned around and focused on the shadows of DeeAnn and Dulce several feet behind him. “Anything?”
DeeAnn knelt down next to Dulce. The small gorilla was standing still and peering into the darkness. She wiggled her black nostrils and cocked her head, listening.
Over their headsets, Caesare, Tiewater, and Corso listened to Anderson speaking softly from a lookout behind them. “They’re coming.”
“How many?”
He followed the first set of headlights through a handheld scope. “Several trucks worth. We’d better find that monkey fast.”
“How far away are they?”
“Maybe a mile.”
Caesare looked forward again, back down the slope of tall grass. “You guys see anything in the trees?”
“Nope.”
Behind them, Dulce turned her head and looked back the way they came. She suddenly ran in that direction and scampered up a small tree, stopping at the top of one of the branches.
“We’re out of time,” Caesare said.
DeeAnn was about to reply when the speaker on her vest sounded.
That way.
“What way, Dulce?”
There. She pointed up the hill. Back the way they came.
“What do you hear?”
No hear. Smell.
“What do you smell?”
Friend. He there.
She looked at Caesare. “You smell your friend?”
Yes. Dulce quickly dropped to the base of the tree and jumped on the ground excitedly.
Hurry. We go. Friend here.
“Are you sure?”
Hurry.
DeeAnn looked at Caesare, who shook his head and turned to Tiewater and Corso. “I guess we’re going back. I’ll take Anderson while you two try to lead them away. If we find Dexter, we’ll head for base and try to find a way out. Be ready to move.”
The men nodded.
“That ridge runs mostly west and should give you some decent cover,” said Tiewater. “It’s as far away from the road as you can be without snaking around the back of the peak. We’ll try to bring them along the road if we can.”
“Good.” Caesare then spoke into his mike. “Anderson, meet us at the ridge.”
“Roger that.”
Caesare smiled. “Time to get that exercise, Juan.”
“I’m ready.”
In the darkness, Corso stepped closer to DeeAnn and peered down at the primate standing next to her. Without warning, he reached out and did something no one was expecting. He petted Dulce’s head.
“I guess she’s all right.”
The gorilla’s large teeth were all he could see.
77
From her seat in one of the trucks, Becca could barely make out the taillights bouncing in front of them in the darkness. Salazar’s Lieutenant Sosa rode in the lead vehicle which, like the others, held dozens of soldiers. All were hanging on tightly as they rocked back and forth over the uneven dirt road.
The convoy came to a stop at a safe distance from the gunfire and all trucks were quickly emptied. Flashlights appeared everywhere as the men organized into three groups. Two large forward teams to comb the area and a third smaller team to assist Becca.
The road led almost due north, through a wide pass between two ridgelines, both visible in the moonlight.
Sosa called his men forward and began an advance with both groups, leaving Becca and her own team to follow. Together, hundreds of boots marched forward, spreading out over a hundred and eighty degrees. All eyes sharply focused with rifles pointed forward.
Approaching from the opposite direction, Dulce ran through the dense foliage with Anderson right behind her. Further behind were DeeAnn and Juan, running through waves of branches and trying to keep up behind Caesare.
Even through the trees, they could make out the glow of bright headlights farther ahead. They slowed, struggling uphill, until an opening provided a brief view — one that caused DeeAnn to gasp. She could now see the lights clearly, with dozens of shadowed figures moving out in front. And some walking directly toward them.
Dulce slowed down further and finally stopped, still listening. She sniffed the air again and ran several more steps. When she stopped this time, it was at the base of a familiar rocky outcropping. DeeAnn recognized it from earlier near the poacher’s camp. This time they were on the other side and Dulce stood motionless, listening intently.
Anderson moved ahead without a sound and disappeared behind a row of tall bushes. When he returned a moment later, he held up a hand and then motioned them forward slowly. They moved in behind him, squinting to see what he was pointing at.
In the distance, part of the poacher’s flatbed truck could be seen. On the bed remained several wood cages, each containing a capuchin inside. But what stunned the group was the familiar shape that came into view on the outside.
Covered entirely in gray fur, a monkey stood on the bed of the truck, examining one of the cages. Not only was he scrutinizing it, but he also appeared to be fumbling with the latch while those in the cages remained oddly quiet.
The gray capuchin shifted his head from side to side, as if studying the door from different angles, then returned to the latch which he tried to undo again and again.
“Oh my God!” DeeAnn gasped.
“He’s trying to get them out.”
DeeAnn nodded excitedly at Juan. “It’s Dexter!”
As if hearing his name, Dexter suddenly froze on the truck and looked around. Seconds later, one of the cages next to him exploded under a hail of bullets, bounced off the truck and tumbled to the ground. Dexter screamed and disappeared into the tall vegetation.