Conway was all business now. “Briefly, our Moscow network reports a North Korean virologist working for a bio-warfare unit has defected to the Russians, saying his country has developed a deadly super virus unknown to the West.” Conway paused to let that sink in. “But, wait for it: they also have an antidote and that leaves us very exposed indeed. Intel from our Seoul and Beirut networks suggests the virus may be used soon against a Western power. Seoul says a North Korean general was assassinated on a visit to the South Korean capital because he was about to inform the South. Beirut has been watching an NK agent and an al-Qaeda rep, suggesting the terrorist group may be planning to attack a Western country using this virus. We believe all three may be connected. The defector believes the virus is being manufactured in a subterranean bio-lab in the Hamgyong Mountains, somewhere near a town called Pyorha-ri.”
Ryder shot an asking glance.
“Close to the Chinese border in the northern region. We want you to take in a virologist to find out if such a lab exists.”
“Army?”
“Yes, specialist scientist from the Army Medical Corps out at Porton Down.”
That’s a bloody relief, thought Ryder. Babysitting a civilian would add considerable difficulties to such an operation.
“If you find a super virus we need someone who knows how to ID, handle and destroy them. Most of all, that specialist will need to determine if a vaccine exists in the plant. None of our people have those abilities. Your job, Frank, will be to get the specialist in and out safely.”
“Who is this specialist?”
“A Dr Seymour. BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences from the Royal College of Defence Medicine, Birmingham and from De Montfort University, Leicester. ”
“Impressive, but they won’t get him far out there in the wild. I hope he’s fit; otherwise, we’ll not reach a lab even if one exists.”
“The doctor is a she,” said Conway quietly.
Ryder looked at the boss in stunned silence. He then said, “Why not use army medics?”
“What we’re looking for is potentially the most lethal virus known to man; exposure to it could mean certain, agonizing death. We need someone who knows what to look for. She’s the best they have according to those who should know. Apparently her field reports are above average for fitness, weaponry and endurance.”
“Oh, that’s bloody good! Bloody good! Just what we need: babysitting a female in a dangerous – no, the most dangerous country in the world.” He shook his head slowly and ran a hand through his hair in subdued frustration. “It’s one thing to know how to shoot, another is to kill,” he paused. “Can she kill? Our lives may well depend on it.”
“That’s not her job, Frank; that’s yours,” Conway replied sharply.
Ryder was not prepared to give in. “You appreciate the fact that it could be weeks before we find the base. How will she cope, living rough in the hostile environment?”
“As I said, Frank, her records indicate she will be able to handle it.”
Ryder persisted. “Believe me, George, I’d like to think you’re right, but it’s difficult. Even if a lab does exist, getting in will be traumatic, not to mention locating the bugs. She’d have to be a superwoman not to break under the stress.”
“That’s why you’re here,” shot Conway, steel now in his voice. “We consider you to be one of our best operatives; she is considered the best at her game. Like it or not, she’s it. You’re to make her part in all of this as stress-free as possible. At the same time you need to make sure the mission doesn’t fail. Now, if you can’t handle that, we’ll get someone who can. Do I make myself clear, O-Three?”
Was the boss bluffing? He could use one of the other Omega operatives. He narrowed his eyes in thought, silently absorbing the implications. It would not look good on his record if he turned it down.
“Perfectly,” he replied. “You’ll need an Asian team if the op has any chance of succeeding.”
“Dr Seymour is South Korean, born here; the rest of the team will be of Korean origin so it won’t be a problem.”
“Why me, then? Let one of the Koreans lead,” Ryder shot back. “C’mon, George, it will be difficult enough as it is; why complicate things? How can I possibly get away with being a Korean?” He pointed to his eyes. “These are a giveaway for a start.”
“Blepharoplasty.”
Ryder looked at Conway with a blank expression. “What the hell’s that?”
“Cosmetic eye surgery.”
“You have to be joking this time, right?”
“I never joke; you know that O-Three. What I mean is something of a more theatrical nature, like what Western actors adopt when playing Asian parts. Use of plastic aids and a make-up artist’s secret techniques. A kind of mini-nip-and-tuck, if you will, which I’m told will even stand up to relatively close scrutiny.”
“Why go to these lengths?”
Conway replied, slightly exasperated, “Because, O-Three, we have no one in the Unit, no one from the Increment, and the Regiment has only three Koreans we can call upon; none of them have your experience.”
“Make-up can easily wash away,” Ryder pressed.
“Not if properly applied and we can call on the best in the business.” Conway paused before changing tack. “This is high risk, Frank. You don’t have to take it. We’ll send whoever’s available and hope for the best.” He waited, playing on Ryder’s sense of duty, then said, “Will you take the mission or not, Frank?”
He considered for a long moment, letting Conway wait. Eventually Ryder spoke. “Of course, boss.” To refuse was not an option as far as he was concerned, but he didn’t want Conway to know that. He now fully resigned himself to the mission and the blepharoplasty.
“Good,” said Conway, visibly relieved. He handed Ryder a file. “The team.”
Ryder glanced through it. “All three Koreans?”
“Yes. If you find a lab it will be guarded. Support will lessen the risks in getting the virologist in. This is a stealth op – quickly in and out before anyone is aware of what happened. Let the others front where necessary. Your job is to hold things together using your experience with minimal exposure.”
Conway lingered for a moment before he added,
“Oh, and brush up on your Korean.”
Fuck. Of all the languages he’d had to learn, Korean had been the hardest to get his head around. He would have to bluster through if necessary.
“I assume with the virologist in tow it won’t be an HAHO insertion?” Ryder asked, glancing through the file, focusing now on the practicalities of the mission. He was referring to a ‘high altitude, high opening’ parachute jump, which also involved a ‘parafly’ of forty or fifty miles, depending on air currents, eventually opening parachute to make a pinpoint landing in the target area.
“You assume correctly. Insertion will be by submarine, then overland. You will be flown to the U.S. base at Pusan where you will embark on one of our Tridents. The landing will be on a quiet section of coastline somewhere between Hongwon and Sinpo. An inflatable will take you to the beach under darkness.”
“And the extraction?”
“On your return to the beach you’ll activate ‘homers’. Inflatables will be sent to lift you off.”
“How long have we got?”
“As long as it takes. The sub will remain in the Gulf for your return. If all goes well, you should be there and back in less than two weeks.”
Ryder shrugged again; it seemed like everything was already done and dusted. “When do we leave?”
“Five days.”
Ryder was taken aback. “Five days! That’s short notice, George; little time to prepare.”
“That’s the way it has to be. No choice. Detail briefings will be undertaken over that time, parallel with a crash course on basic identifying and handling procedures for potent viruses.”