Kasdan gave him an arrogant look and said, "Good. I will meet with you and your generals in the assembly hall just before sunrise. I will explain the battle plan then. In the meantime, I will require three guards to watch this woman and see that she does not leave here. They will also protect her from harm. Be sure that they are your most trustworthy warriors."
Eochaid grunted. "As you say." He turned and walked out. As he left, Etar came back in and resumed her place beside the fire.
"I will sleep now, Etar," he said to the girl. "You will remain here and watch the woman. If necessary, wake me." He looked at Taylor. "I advise you to do the same," he told her.
He lay down and covered himself with a fur. Within a minute, he was asleep.
Chapter 24
Battle Plan
Jake's injury from the bullet impact had manifested itself in his knee. Even though he removed the heel from his other boot to make a smooth walking surface for both feet, the pace they set to reach the Fir Bolg fort caused the pain to reach a point to where they had to leave him behind. He started back to the dome city alone, hoping to be picked up by one of the vreels that were crisscrossing the area searching for Taylor.
The other two men continued on, and by the time they reached the rise where Major Kriss and Sergeant Childs were waiting, it was full daylight. Glass explained to them what happened at the trip wire and who Matt and Jake were. Kriss was as taciturn as Glass, providing only minimal information about his mission.
While traveling, Matt had been thinking about their confrontation with the sniper. It did not take long for circumstantial evidence to add up to reasonable suspicion. It was obvious that this was a Special Forces team and that they were looking for Kasdan. From the shot that Glass had taken at Jake while they were crawling toward the rock, it was also obvious that they intended to kill him on sight. Matt could not have been more pleased with that and decided to stop asking questions about their mission. Apache Point was undoubtedly connected to their presence here, and that meant Dr. Durant knew about Kasdan. It was something he would cover with the physicist when they returned to their own time. Until then that was the end of it.
"I think it's well that we don't disclose any more details about our respective missions than necessary, Major," Matt said to Kriss. "You have your orders and we have ours. It just happens that at the moment one of our objectives is mutually shared: that being John Kasdan. Where he's concerned, my primary interest is in the rescue of Taylor Griffin, the woman he kidnapped and took to the Fir Bolg fort. I think that in some way he intends to use her as a hostage in the upcoming battle with the Tuatha de Danann."
Kriss looked puzzled. "Tuatha de Danann?"
Matt nodded, determined not to reveal any more about the Vryanians than he had to, and certainly not the fact that they were aliens. "Yes, a race of people from another country who have invaded Fir Bolg territory. They've been at war for a long time, and it looks like the final battle may be coming up tomorrow."
Kriss pursed his lips, hesitated for a moment then said, "I see. But how do you plan on carrying out a rescue inside that fort? It's a very large place with plenty of guards."
"You're right, it would be an impossible task given the time frame available now. I don’t think she's in any immediate danger from Kasdan; it's me he wants. She's just being used to lure me into a place where he can try to kill me. We might have overtaken him while he was still on the moor, but Sergeant Glass held us up." He gave Glass a sideways glance. "Since we were not able to do that, I'll have to wait until the battle lines are formed and see what he has planned. I don't like it, but that's the hand I've been dealt."
Kriss blew out a breath. "I see your dilemma. And I agree that we have separate but mutual objectives. However, to retain mission integrity my team will have to work independently. You understand that if the opportunity arises, we'll have to take him out, no matter the circumstances."
Matt didn't like the sound of that, but there seemed to be nothing he could do about it at the moment. "You just make sure you hit the right man this time, Major. If anything happens to Taylor I'll send a team after you." He did not smile when he said it.
Kriss laughed. "Don't worry, sir. Even Sergeant Glass can tell the difference between a giant man and a woman." Glass blushed. That made all of them break out in good-humored laughter.
"Just as information," Kriss continued, "we'll be set up on the ridge that overlooks the fort. If the Fir Bolg move out before our target appears, we'll travel along somewhere out in front of them." He shucked off his pack, reached inside and produced a small walkie-talkie which he handed to Matt. "It has two frequencies and a toggle switch marked 1 and 2. Toggle one is our general radio to which we all listen and use during an operation. Everyone can hear what everyone else says. Two is for private transmissions. Keep it on toggle two at all times. I don’t want anyone listening to what my team is doing, so number one is off-limits unless I authorize it. Use the keypad on the front to contact me if an emergency arises and you need to speak with me. My code is 1212. If we learn anything about Miss Griffin I'll contact you, so keep the radio on at all times. You understand?"
"Yes," Matt answered. He stuck out his hand and shook with Kriss. "I'll be heading back now. If we don't see each other again, good luck, Major." Without further talk, he turned and struck out at a trot back toward the dome city.
After he was gone, Kriss turned to his two men and said, "I didn't want to say anything in front of him, but he's right about catching up with Kasdan. He might have done it if he and his friend hadn't hit the trip wire. It's not our fault, it was just circumstances, but I think we owe him a little help if we can carry it out." He blew out a long breath and turned to Childs. "Doug, do you think you can get into that fort tonight and take a look around? Maybe see something to indicate where the woman is being held?"
Childs face broke into a wide grin. "Are you kidding, boss? They don't call me the Ghost for nothing."
Kriss slapped him on the shoulder, and they started back toward the Fir Bolg stronghold.
Jake stumbled along for over two hours before one of the vreels spotted him. A Vryanian exited the ship and helped him aboard. He was relieved to see Rael at the controls. Seeing that he was injured, she jumped to her feet and went to him. "You are hurt!" she exclaimed in alarm. "What happened?" She started to examine his leg, but he took her hands and squeezed them affectionately.
"The leg's no big deal. Just a little soreness. I'll fill you in later," he said. "But right now you can discontinue your search. The man who kidnapped Taylor managed to reach the Fir Bolg fort before we were able to catch him. Please notify the other ships to return home, and let Dbarr know of the current situation. Also, set a course southward toward the fort and be looking out for Matt."
Rael gave the order and turned the vreel toward the southeast. She set the altitude to a thousand feet and increased crystal rotation to where the ship's hull became transparent. Within ten minutes they found Matt heading north. After he was aboard, he briefed Jake on his meeting with Kriss.
Jake shook his head. "There's no doubt, Matt. They're some kind of search and destroy team. Durant must have somehow found out about Kasdan and sent them to get him before he gets us. The best thing we can do is avoid them and let them do their job. If they're successful, it could save you the trouble of doing it."
"I agree. We didn't exchange much information, but we've got to find Taylor and get her out of that fort before they kill him. As long as he's alive he'll keep her close. Even though he's a maniac, I don't think he'll harm her or let anyone else do it. Not that he cares about her welfare, it's just that he always has some warped reason for everything he does."
"We're running out of time, Matt," Jake said in a kind voice. "I don't see how we can get in there, find her and get out in the time frame we're locked into. If you're right, and he plans to use her as a hostage to draw you out, he'll have to show his hand tomorrow. Remember, he's the one who set the deadline and the place for
the clash between the Vryanians and Fir Bolg. The battle has to be connected with all this, and unless I miss my guess, he and Taylor will be situated in the front battle line where you can see her."
Matt thought that over for a while then said, "You're probably right. But just remember, whatever happens, our primary responsibility is to Taylor. Agreed?"
"Without reservation," Jake responded. He gripped Matt's shoulder and squeezed it. "When we get back to the domes we'll start working on a certain plan I have in mind."
Dbarr was waiting for them when they arrived. He was standing at the foot of the ramp as they exited the vreel. "Rael has informed me about what happened, Matt. I'm sorry you were not able to overtake Taylor's abductor before he reached safety. I sincerely hope that no harm has befallen her. You know that we will do everything in our power to rescue her."
"Thank you, Dbarr. I believe she's safe for the time being." Two Vryanians that he had not seen before were with him. Both appeared to be a little older than Dbarr.
"Matt, Jake, I would like to present Tykel and Sedan. They've just arrived from Vryan and will be directing our men in battle if it comes to that." He sounded hopeful that it might not happen. "These gentlemen are what you would call generals in your language. They will be reporting directly to Jake in formulating our response to the Fir Bolg threat."
Matt and Jake nodded their greetings to the two generals.
Tykel, stepped past Dbarr and said, "This is a great pleasure, Mr. Leahy. I can't begin to tell you how grateful my people are for what you and your friends are doing for us. I do not know if Dbarr or Rael has told you, but Vryanians never forget such things. There is nothing you can ask that we will not gladly give." He held out his hand. "Dbarr tells me that clasping hands is a form of greeting between friends." He shook with both Matt and Jake. As their hands met and held for several seconds, Matt saw sincerity and genuine gratitude in Tykel's face.
"Please call me Matt," he responded. Tykel nodded, smiled and stepped back.
Dbarr turned to Jake. He sounded eager to get started. "Both of you must be starved and exhausted. We have food ready for you. Our leaders are assembled and ready to receive your instructions after you've rested."
"There's no time for rest," Jake said in a commanding voice. "We can eat while we work. But before I lay out our strategy, we'll need a large aerial map of the battlefield location referred to in Kasdan's note. Since I wasn't able to see the actual site before Taylor's kidnapping, I'll need to study it before I meet with your people." He glanced at Rael, who was standing nearby. "Will you pilot me to the location, Rael?"
The girl stepped forward. "I'm ready, Jake." She stood tall and straight, her blue eyes bright.
He looked at her for several long seconds. A butterfly fluttered in his stomach. This must be what Matt feels when he looks at Taylor, he thought. "Good. Let's get 'er done." he said.
By late afternoon, Dbarr had processed the photographs of the Plain of Moytura into the Vryanian version of a PowerPoint presentation. Interpreters, the two generals, and eight group commanders were present as the photos were displayed. Jake insisted on calling their groups 'legions,' since each commander would have command of approximately a thousand men and one vreel.
The photos showed a wide expanse of uncultivated land, roughly a mile square, with a wide stream twisting through the southernmost part. The western side sloped gently upward to a grassy ridge about five hundred feet high with heather and low shrubs growing along its summit. Large boulders and rocky outcroppings lay interspersed in the vegetation. The stream made a curving sweep around the southern edge of the ridge then continuing toward Lough Corrib. To the east, the plain rolled on, rising and falling in gentle swells toward a range of low hills.
"From a tactical viewpoint, they couldn't have picked a better location to restrict maneuvering by an opposing army," Jake explained to the group. "But we're going to use that aspect to set a trap for them and capture their leaders; maybe even King Eochaid himself." He walked up to the wall where the image of the plain was being shown. Standing to one side with a long pointer, he began to explain how the eight legions would line up, and how they would maneuver when the battle commenced. When he finished, the commanders asked a number of questions. Finally satisfied that the plan was workable they fell silent, except for Tykel.
"How do you plan on getting them to line up the way you propose?" the general asked. "What's to keep them from crossing the river and bypassing that location altogether?"
Jake smiled. "That's easy. We're going to get there first, so they won't be able to bypass it. By 5:00 a.m. I want the first legion to be in place, lined up on the north side of the river. As I instructed, the rest will be deployed one hour later. You should assemble your troops now and start transporting them to the site right away. Just remember, the vreels are to show no lights, and under no circumstances are they to be seen by the Fir Bolg. After the troops have been transported, I want you to line the vreels up out of sight at least a mile north of the river. Do you all understand?"
They nodded and answered affirmatively. When they had gone, Matt and Jake were alone in the room. "I hope this works like you planned, Jake. A lot of lives depend on it."
"Relax, Matt. History is on our side, remember?" he asked.
"Yeah, but history is a little fuzzy about this time period, especially this particular battle. And I'm concerned about Taylor. Suppose he puts her out in front of his troops? There's no way I'm going to allow her to be placed in peril at the start of a battle. If he wants to exchange her for me, I'm ready."
Jake nodded and placed a hand on Matt's shoulder. "I know you are. And I know she'd do the same for you. But neither of those things is going to happen. Except for Kasdan, they'll probably all break and run when they see the Vryanian power I've got lined up."
"I pray you're right, Jake." He blew out an audible breath and started toward the door. "I'm going out with the first group. I want to be as near as possible to where the fight is supposed to take place. If I'm there, maybe I'll figure out some way to get her out of that fort."
Jake shook his head, alarmed at Matt's tone. "Promise me you won't do anything foolish. Let's give my plan a chance to work. Just remember, it's not Taylor he wants, it's you."
Matt smiled at his friend and left without answering back.
Chapter 25
The Ghost
Childs waited until midnight before entering the town. Though the moon had not yet risen, the land was powdered with starlight. Wearing dark clothing and black stain on his face and hands, he was all but invisible. His soft-soled rubber shoes made no more noise than a stalking cat. Not even the night insects fell silent at his approach. He carried a razor-sharp, ten-inch carbon-coated knife with a serrated blade designed to rip through flesh and sever arteries. A twenty-four inch wire garrote, capable of slicing through an enemy's throat, hung from his belt. To be used as a last resort, he carried a silenced .40 caliber pistol loaded with subsonic hollow-point ammunition. When conditions required, Childs, also known as the Ghost, was a cool-thinking killer of men.
Kriss and Glass waited in a stand of oak trees a quarter mile away. If Childs ran into trouble, they planned to create a diversion by firing their weapons into the air then circling away to come up on the backside of the fort. However, neither Kriss nor Glass expected Childs to call for assistance. It was not his way. When he returned, they intended to move to their permanent position on top of the rocky ridge west of the Moytura plain. Matt Leahy had called them by radio earlier in the evening and suggested they use that location. He also provided details about the upcoming battle. Based on that information, the ridge seemed the most strategic position for acquiring a clear shot at Kasdan if he survived Childs' nocturnal visit. It had been decided that if the Ghost made contact with him while attempting to extricate Taylor, he would kill him at that time, and if conditions permitted, proceed with the rescue attempt.
Childs climbed the southern wall of the enclosure and dropped
inside. He remembered the approximate location where his team had observed the big man dressed in barbarian clothing walking down the main street and began making his way toward it. His plan was to move along behind the huts lining the street, checking each one as he passed until he either found the woman or ran out of time. If he found her, he might also find Kasdan.
At this hour the street was relatively quiet, most of the town's inhabitants having retired to their huts right after nightfall. A number of watch fires tended by guards were scattered at various locations along the street, but Childs took no notice of them. His primary concern was not the guards but the presence of loose dogs that might pick up his scent. At present, he enjoyed a favorable breeze blowing in his direction. The smell of burning peat filled the cool air and would help mask his odor should the wind change.
When he arrived at the first hut, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a tiny camera equipped with a rubber eyepiece and twenty-inch flexible lens extender. Kneeling, he withdrew his knife and made a small incision in the thatch wall just large enough to accommodate the lens. He inserted the tube and scoped the interior. A small fire with low flames scattered dancing light across the floor and walls. A number of people lay sleeping close by. Childs counted one man, a woman, and three children. He withdrew the lens and proceeded to the next hut, which produced another failure. The next five yielded the same results. He was moving toward the seventh, when a man carrying a spear suddenly appeared from around the corner of that hut.
Childs froze. Even though he was out in the open between huts, the man failed to see him. To the naked eye he appeared as a darker spot against a dark background. The barbarian wore a furry cloak across his shoulders but looked naked from the waist down. When he reached the rear of the hut, he turned toward the wall and urinated. Finished, he stood for a few seconds looking at the stars then went back toward the street. Childs remained motionless for a full three minutes before moving closer to the hut. When he reached the wall, he waited another five minutes, listening. He heard some muted talk from within, then the voices fell silent. He inserted the lens and observed a half dozen men, apparently asleep in their fur beds. The fire looked as though it had just been stoked. Bright flames provided a clear view of the floor. The woman was not among them. He checked his watch and noted the time, 12:18 a.m.