Suddenly we hear the sound of gunfire in the distance. It's intense, too, as if an entire platoon is firing machine guns at enemy forces. Abbott and Costello look at each other and smile. "We have a new leader," Costello says.
Now's my chance. I hip-check Abbott--I ram my hip-bone as hard as I can into his, knocking him sideways. At the same time I lodge my right boot on the inside of his left leg, causing him to fall to the floor. Before Costello can react, I raise my left boot, run it down his right shin, and stomp hard on his foot. I take a step to my right, turn, and then kick the ever-loving shitout of his right knee. I hear the bones snap as he screams and falls to the ground.
By now Abbott is scrambling to his feet and trying to level his AK-47 at me. I turn to him and kick him hard in the face with my right boot. He falls onto his back, dropping the rifle.
Part of my training included perfecting a maneuver that allows me to roll my legs through my tied arms--like jumping rope backwards. You have to be reallylimber to do it, and I spent weeks getting to where I could just manage it. It's possible to execute the move while doing a forward roll--you just have to throw your arms around your body in the opposite direction from the way legs are going. Scrunching yourself up into a ball beforehand makes it easier. So, very quickly, I squat, form my body into a ball, and perform that forward roll, bringing my arms over and around my body. Perfect. I jump to my feet and now my tied hands are in front of me.
Abbott is on his knees now, trying to get up for a second time. Another kick to the face sends him to Never-land. For good measure I scoot the AK-47 across the floor out of his reach. I then turn my attention to Costello, who's writhing in agony on the floor. I raise my left boot above his head and bring it down as hard as I can. No more pain for him.
All this occurred in five point four seconds.
I glance at my OPSAT, check the timer, and see that two minutes are left before the frag grenades go off. I go back to Abbott and empty his pockets, retrieving my knife, Five-seveN, goggles, and other equipment. He left my SC-20K over by the incinerator, and I'll pick that up on my way out. But first I have to cut the rope around my hands. I move to the table saw, switch it on, and carefully hold my wrists over the spinning blade. I nick the rope just enough for me to unravel it and I'm free.
I gather all my stuff and get the hell out of there. I open the door carefully, peer outside to make sure no one is around, and step into the corridor. I run to the edge of the central area just in time to witness the domed ceiling parting. Simultaneously the supergun's huge barrel begins to rise vertically as the hydraulics lift the entire weapon flush with the ground floor. For a moment I have to stand and watch the thing, it's so goddamned awesome. Eventually the tip of the barrel protrudes through the domed opening. The machinery inside the massive breech then begins to rumble, and I see the barrel tilt and point in a southeasterly direction.
Then-- wham-wham-wham! I hear my frag grenades go off in a succession of explosions. I'm not sure what kind of damage they'll do, but I hope it will delay firing the weapon for a bit. I run around the supergun to the wing where I originally entered and head for the glass doors I smashed earlier. The floor beneath me shakes, and I hear what sounds like an earthquake. Hoorah!--the perimeter balcony must have collapsed as I had hoped. That will surely cause some confusion.
I make it outside into the sunlight. No one is around. The electrical company van is gone, so I'm going to have to hoof it.
At that moment I hear the sound of aircraft. I look northward and see a squadron of six planes heading this way. Time to move!
I run as fast as I can out of the parking lot and toward the front gate. Two guards are there, weapons in hand. I have no time to argue with these guys, so I draw my Five-seveN, stop, assume a firing stance, and pop them-- one, two--before they have a chance to ask me for my "papers." I resume speed and hurdle over the gate.
Once I'm out of the compound, I breathe a little easier but I keep moving. I climb the hill overlooking the site, the one I had used early this morning, and figure this is as good a place to watch the main attraction as any.
I press the implant in my throat. "Colonel?"
"Sam? My God, where have you been?"
"Uh, a little tied up. But I'm out now. I can see the planes."
"Thank goodness. You had me worried. Get to the Famagusta docks. Captain Martin will meet you there in his patrol boat and take you back to Dhekelia. We have transportation to Israel all lined up for you."
"Thanks, Colonel. Any news on Sarah?"
"Not yet, Sam. But get going."
I sign off but linger a few moments to watch. I recognize two F/A-18E Super Hornets leading the formation--leave it to the U.S. to do so--followed by two British Sea Harrier F/A Mk 2s. It takes me a moment to identify the other two planes and then realize they're F-16s from the Turkish air force! I'm happy to see the Turks getting involved, which must have been a major diplomatic coup for Lambert.
The Super Hornets let loose a couple of Maverick ASMs, which score direct hits on the supergun. The explosions are immense, and I feel the heat wave all the way up here. The Harriers drop an array of bombs I don't recognize, but they produce magnificent blasts all over the complex. The Turks follow with another spread of bombs, but the smoke is way too thick for me to see what they are.
By now the entire shopping mall is engulfed in smoke and fire. The only thing I can see is the supergun's barrel poking out of the dark cloud. The six fighters circle around, bank, and head for the complex for another round of strikes.
Suddenly there's a huge boomand the entire earth around me shakes. It's like a sonic blast only it's right in front of me. My first thought is that I'm in the middle of a ten-point Richter-scale earthquake, but my second thought is even worse.
They've managed to fire the Babylon Phoenix!
I find I'm lying on my back, a bit stunned and squinting into the sky. Then I witness something I'll never forget as long as I live.
The supergun's payload is shooting up into the sky, soaring high above the fighters at a tremendous speed. My God, I think, it's all over. The bad guys win after all. But then I see the two Super Hornets veer off their courses and head up and in pursuit of the MOAB. I'm able to think to reach into my Osprey, grab my portable binoculars, and watch the drama unfold in the blue sky.
The MOAB is over the sea now, disappearing from view, and the two American fighters become tiny dots following it. Then I see two air-to-air missiles--no, fourAAMs--leave the fighters. They're probably AIM-120 AMRAAM Slammers, supersonic fire-and-forget missiles.
Holy shit! The sky over the sea bursts into a bright orange-and-red fireball, one that certainly engulfs the two fighters. I'm aware that I'm not breathing for a moment as I watch the flaming horror fall in slow motion to the Mediterranean. All I can think of is what heroes those men in the fighters are. They sacrificed themselves to take out the MOAB and succeeded against tremendous odds.
I get to my feet and watch the debris hit the water.
"Sam? What's happened? Talk to me!" Lambert calls.