A moment after these words were spoken, all the lights went out in the command room. Only emergency lighting remained, and it wasn’t enough. They’d lost power, the feed cut from thousands of miles away.
While Michael and Viki raced to find a solution, Elizabeth screamed into the phone. “This isn’t fair. This isn’t part of the deal. We can still stop these things.”
“I’m afraid this mission is unsuccessful. Your team will do their job, though. They’ll kill as many as they can. They’ll fight to their very deaths.”
“This is not acceptable.”
“It is for us. You are to prepare for evacuation. Pack your gear. You’re headed home.”
“To hell I’m not! You’ve forgotten something. Option B, you son of a bitch.”
“Option B? You don’t mean… that was scrapped long ago. It’s not an option.”
“It is an option. The only option I have to save them. I have the bomb. We can still kill them all and get my team out.”
“You aren’t unauthorized to place anyone else into that valley. That understood?”
“Fine, then I’ll do it myself, you fucking prick!”
“I will say this one last time. Your Operation is over. Cease all activity or I’ll contact General Kline. I’ll have you placed into custody if need be,” the voice warned.
“Go to hell. I’m completing my mission and saving my team.”
Elizabeth slammed down the sat phone, turning to her two aides. “Michael, get it ready.”
“Elizabeth, I can’t. I can’t do that.”
“You will. It’s an order. Viki, is the G750 ready?”
“Engines running. But Elizabeth, you can’t possibly be…”
“I will not let Jeff and the team die out there. I’ll not let this mission go to waste.”
“You know what you’re doing, don’t you?” Michael asked.
“It’s a one way trip. Yes, I know. Now ready the plane and get the bomb,” Elizabeth ordered.
Michael’s eyes filled with tears.
He had no words.
108
Reynolds moved closer, climbing down the rocks, nearing the bottom. He could no longer see the team, no longer had contact with them. He tried to raise them, over and over again, but to no avail. He needed to find a new position, closer, perhaps he could do something. Perhaps he could help.
They were now at the mouth of the cave.
“Fuck Dale, where’s Marcus? Hernandez?” Clements asked. He was shaking, eyes wide in horror.
“Delta Five and Six are dead, brother. They’re dead.”
“What?” Clements couldn’t grasp the notion.
“We mourn later,” Dale replied. “Time to keep moving. We need to go in.”
Thompson’s eyes were wide in disbelief. He couldn’t believe his friends were dead. Shaking his head, he looked into the darkness of the cave, saying, “Delta One, we spent up a lot of our ammo.”
“Double taps. Use full auto only if necessary,” Dale responded.
“Did you see how many of those fuckers there were?” Thompson asked.
“I did,” Dale replied. “Boys, the operation remains. We go in and we go in hard. Conserve your ammo. Head shots if we can.”
“Hold up,” Rivers stated, pausing them. “I have something that might help.” He reached to Clements, yanking at the man’s pack.
“What the fuck, Hollywood?” Clements protested.
“Calm down, Country Fuck. Got a surprise for these bastards,” Rivers replied. Unzipping the pack, he pulled out a large case. “That ought to ease your load some.”
“Fuck yeah,” Clements responded, turning and looking as Rivers crouched down. The others, all but Dale, covered their angles. They changed magazines, did quick inventories, estimated the ammo they had left.
All the while Rivers messed with his gear, pulling out an assortment of electronic equipment. He took the first thing, something made of plastic, and unfolded the wings.
“Looks like one of those RC planes,” Dale commented with raised eyebrows.
“More like a hawk,” Rivers explained, unfolding the mechanism, which indeed looked like a hawk. “I call this one ‘Hawkeye’. My own special upgrades.” Rivers then produced a small handheld tablet, pushed a few buttons, and an image appeared on the screen. He held up the six pound flying machine, holding its head toward Dale and showing him the screen. “You’re on camera,” he said.
“What’s this, some kinda drone?” Dale asked.
“Yup,” Rivers said. “Now watch.”
With the click of a few buttons, the bird came to life. A low hum, a light tune of frequency was heard.
Rivers added, “We’ll have night vision, thermal readings, you name it.” He then handed the tablet to Dale, holding out the drone, facing it toward the inside of the cave. “Mind pushing the green button?” he asked.
Dale did.
Moments later, Rivers let go. The mostly plastic and carbon built mini-drone now hovered above the ground. River reached over, grabbing the tablet, allowing his AK-47 to sling by his side. “Now watch.” Clicking a few more buttons, and viewing the screen, he steered the hawk into the cave.
“Elizabeth!” Michael shouted, rushing after her. “You can’t be serious.”
“I won’t allow them to die like that. This is the only way.”
“You’ll die,” Michael stated.
“And they’ll live. Besides, you never know, I might make it out.” Elizabeth pulled her parachute tight, cinching the straps, preparing herself. Her hair was back tight, a pistol strapped to her hip. She then reached out, ready, hands extended.
Michael reluctantly nodded, handing her another small pack. He helped her attach it to her chest. It was small, twelve inches all around. It was heavy though. “This good? Won’t get in your way?”
“It’s fine,” Elizabeth said. Her tone was solemn. She had dreamed of this day, this possibility. She now faced her worse fear ever — death.
“Where will you land?”
“I’ll have the pilot take me close. I’ll need to HALO jump to get there in time. I’ll jump from the east side, land on the top of the ridge.”
“It’s a long climb down,” Michael warned.
“There’s another entrance.”
“Say what?”
“At least, we think so. I can enter from the top, make my way from the backside. With some luck, I’ll get down there in time.”
“What about the team?”
“Once in, I’ll see if my radio works. But if what Reynolds said is true, communication might be lost. You and Viki, you two work fast. Hack into whatever satellite you need, get me some form of communication.”
“I will. Viki is already working on it.”
“Get in touch with the team. Tell them full abort… and Michael, whatever you do, don’t tell them I’m going in.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he gulped.
Before leaving, Elizabeth turned, a stiff smile on her face. “It’s been a pleasure, Michael. You’re a good kid. Tell Viki I said the same.”
“It’s been an honor,” Michael said, tears flowing down his cheeks.
There were no other goodbyes, nothing else was needed. It was time. Elizabeth hurried across the tarmac, fully loaded, weighed down with the only known thing that might help.
A miniaturized Thermobaric bomb. Specially made, hardly tested.
“Let’s hope this works,” Elizabeth said to herself, boarding the Gulfstream.
The engines raced and the plane took off, entering the darkness of the night.
109
The drone flew into the darkness, its night vision allowing Rivers a large field of view. The screen was green, and Rivers raced the bird down the long hallway, into the depths.