Joe shook his head, "Olympus isn't interested in some petty two-bit wannabe dictator. That commander, Dante, told me that the President was only a means to an end."
Walsh nodded, "Exactly my line of thinking as well. We think, now that we have the first part of the binary Code, they have little use left for that country and withdraw back to the hole they came from. That is why we need to act fast."
That's not the only reason, thought Joe grimly.
Walsh pointed at the LED monitor, "We have a twofold mission ahead of us. CIA intel has located the second fortress right here." Yune picked up a remote laying on one of the tables and switched the control of the screen to himself. The screen zoomed up and then back down towards the country of Kazinistan, sitting north of Afghanistan. Like the satellite image, Walsh had shown Joe, the image on the screen focused in on a small blip on the map. Yune zoomed in closer until the satellite image was as close as it could go. The blown up image was that of a mountain fort similar to Fortress Bellum, but maybe half the size.
"This is Fortress Liberatio, Olympus's second base in Kazinistan. A reliable source has informed us that the second half of the Code is being formulated here."
Joe put his hand up. When Walsh acknowledged him, Joe asked, "Who is this 'reliable' source', Colonel?"
The Colonel smoothed his mustache, "For the time being, Sergeant, that will remain my little secret."
Joe snorted under his breath.
Walsh continued the briefing. "As with Fortress Bellum, Liberatio is a converted Russian fortress, though not as large. It is, however, harder to reach," Walsh checked his watch, "It is precisely 20:00 hours. Intel shows a mass amount of movement via helicopter and Olympus Hyperion VTOL transport aircraft throughout the day. We have every reason to believe that tonight is the last chance to infiltrate the base and steal the second part of this Code."
"...And rescue my men," added Joe, making sure the Colonel did not forget the most important part.
"I was just getting to that Sergeant," said Walsh irritably, "Here's how this Op will go down..."
The Sergeant nodded to Yune who keyed in another command into the LED monitor. The Satellite image immediately launched into a pre-programmed mission tutorial. The watching team members took everything in with practiced efficiency, leaning on every word of the mission brief as if it were life and death.
Walsh began his plan of infiltration, "A daylight attack is out so we will be going in tonight in precisely three hours."
Joe's eyebrows rose to the rafters. Tonight? Mount an incredibly dangerous op in exactly three hours?
Walsh continued, “Cordova, using our lovely new Stealth Black Hawk will drop our two heroes there—” he said gesturing to Krieger and Joe, "–two klicks due south of the fortress. The Black Hawk has been outfitted with a radar refracting stealth system, similar to the Barbarian. It will allow us to approach silently and drop our two boys off. Sergeant Braddock and...Mr. Krieger will then climb the south facing mountainside up into the fortress."
Joe's head started to spin. He raised his hand, interrupting the Colonel, "Colonel, it's been a while since I've climbed anything like what you are describing? How are we expected to get up there?"
Krieger chuckled at Joe's reticence, "What, can't climb little mountain now, intrepid Ranger man?"
Joe sneered at the Russian, "You want a fist in the mouth?"
Krieger made a come-get-some gesture.
Walsh interjected, "Calm down boys." The Colonel decided to give the interruption a pass. It was a fair question, "Our friends at the CIA have given me a lovely bounty of toys to play with Sergeant. Trust me, getting up the mountain will be the least of your worries." Walsh looked at the screen, having lost his train of thought, "Where was I...oh yes, Corporal Callbeck, hitherto to be referred to by his new callsign, Whisper, shall infiltrate the base from the air. Doc?"
Yune took over, "I have added a small upgrade into the Whisper suit infrastructure that will allow Corporal Callbeck to glide from a very high altitude and make a silent entrance onto the top of the mountain. The Barbarian will pilot near the fort at thirty-thousand feet, allowing Corporal Callbeck to make a high altitude glide onto the base."
Walsh stepped in, saying to Danny, "Yune will work with you further on this Corporal. Trust me, the suit will not you down."
Whisper nodded. If the Canadian was apprehensive about the op, he didn't show it.
Walsh folded his arms in front of him as he went on, "Joe and Krieger will be carrying C9 detonation charges which you will lay at these following coordinates," The computer showed a top-down image of the central yard of the base, "You two sods... "Walsh pointed to Krieger and Joe, "...are in charge of placing the charges throughout the base. C9 is an experimental explosive compound that uses a highly compacted form of Composition 9; a massively powerful explosive. Four charges should be more than enough to collapse the base in on itself. We believe the prisoners are being held somewhere in this general area; a small building on the northern side of the base. Once the demo packages are planted, use stealth and make your way to the prisoner cells and release your boys."
"Concurrently, Whisper shall infiltrate the interior of the base and locate the server room and find the second part of the Code.
Walsh finished up the briefing by saying, "Once your men are out and the Code is located, call for retrieval and we will fly in the Black Hawk, where Sergeant Reynolds here..." he motioned to Brick, "...will provide overhead support with the side minigun. Evac on board the helo before blowing the det-packs."
The team was quiet for a moment. The sheer audaciousness of the plan was overwhelming. Joe put a hand on his neck, feeling a creeping sense of helplessness creep into his body. He had signed on to a suicide mission. But if there was even a remote chance of getting his boys out, he would take it, no questions asked.
Well, maybe one question. It had been bugging him for some time.
"Sir, how did Olympus get the equipment and weaponry it has? Jetpacks, RynoHyde armored suits, concussive rifles...where did all of that come from?"
Walsh turned off the LED monitor, "I've fought these guys for a long time now; sometimes on my terms, sometimes on theirs. One thing I have learned is they are the best funded Private Military in the world and have hidden away vast amounts of tech almost unheard of in the history of modern warfare. Believe me when I say we are only seeing a fraction of their true potential."
Joe sighed softly to himself. The Colonel hadn't really answered his question or assuaged his fears of facing Olympus once more.
Krieger spoke next, having been silent for a few minutes too long, "That is great! They have flying packs and supersonic jets and assholes in armor...what do we have, ser?"
Walsh answered with a curl of a smile under his bushy mustache, "We have you guys. You are all the best of the best and have proved yourselves capable against this group before. Now is the time to prove that wasn't a fluke."
Chapter 17
Into the Cold Fire
AFTER THE briefing, they all separated to their appointed tasks. Isabella went back outside to finish prepping the helicopter, while Brick and Doctor Yune led Krieger and Joe over to a large cabinet installed against the C-17's port hull. Unlocking it with a small key, he opened it to reveal an arsenal of two dozen different rifles.
"Take what you need, boys," said the Brit, his accent throwing Joe off for a second. It was a rich Cockney sound that Joe hadn't heard in some time. Krieger selected an MP5 submachine gun. Beneath the rifles were several handguns, each stored carefully with locks on the triggers. Both men selected 9mm Berettas as their sidearms. For his rifle, Joe reached for an M4 carbine; his old standby. Brick walked over to a stack of half a dozen small crates labeled Danger - Explosive Ordinance and unlocked them as well. He pulled out several magazines of ammo and tossed them to each man in turn. Brick also pulled out two pairs of night infiltration gear; black colored fatigues and long-sleeved like-colored shirts, as well as to pairs of
night vision goggles.
Joe accepted the getup and looked around for a change room.
Brick laughed, "What? Fraid we're gonna laugh at what you've got, little man?"
Joe sighed and stripped off his shirt. The week of downtime hadn't taken a toll on his body as his muscles were still well toned under his clothes. He removed the fatigues and pulled on the black stealth gear with no further complaint.
Krieger waved off the shirt but took the pants, saying "I wear my own shirt. Pants though haven't been changed in a while."
They finished dressing and Brick threw Joe a dark brown flak jacket. He accepted it, strapping it on immediately. Once again, Krieger shook his head at the offer. When they had a free moment, Joe told himself to ask the Russian what he had against bullet protection.
Lastly, Brick tossed them silencers, two survival knives, and four M-9 grenades each. Finishing up their kit checks, the two men prepped their weapons, screwing on the silencers to their individual rifles.
Doctor Yune passed each man a small five-inch computer tablet, explaining, "These are Operation Tablets or OpTabs, as we call them. They are extremely rugged and the reverse sides are bulletproof. They will provide mission information at your request. Take the time during the trip to get to know them."
Joe took his tablet and slipped it into his backpack. Next, Brick handed each man a collection of climbing tools. Joe had been trained how to climb in the Rangers, but hadn't done any for a year and had never climbed at night.
Brick talked as he helped Joe and Krieger suit up, "The mountain under the fortress ain't particularly high, but it is steep. You'll be needing this lot of equipment to make your way up in time."
The equipment included state of the art anchors, cords, and carabiners, as well as a set of spiked boots. As Joe and Krieger packed up their gear, Doctor Yune passed each of them two very odd looking devices resembling short pickaxes.
"These are CIA developed T-22 Climbing Axes," said Yune, handing the two men the pickaxes. Joe turned the ax over in his hand feeling the weight. He noticed a strange button near the top of the grip on both tools.
"What's this for?" asked Joe.
"Whatever you do don't press that," answered Yune.
"Why?"
"When you do, the ax tip will be instantly superheated to six-hundred degrees. If used during a cut, it will flash melt the rock that the hammer hits, allowing for an unparallel grip into the mountainside."
Joe looked at the ax, a bit more cautiously this time, "I'll keep that in mind."
"Trust me, Sergeant, it will allow you to climb easier and faster. You'll be happy to have it. There is a safety worked into it, and requires the touch of your skin to activate it; so don't worry about it being turned on by accident."
Joe shrugged and packed the tool away.
Brick handed them each a backpack, "Each pack has two charges of Composition 9, rigged to explode via remote. There's also two smaller charges of C4, in case you need to blow the door of the prison."
Krieger eyed the SAS trooper suspiciously, "Who has remote for C9 charges?"
Brick looked the Arab-Russian straight in the eye, "I do. Once we're all on board the helicopter, we blow the base an' everyone in it. Nuff said."
As Joe and Krieger finished their equipment check, Walsh made his way through the cabin towards his new recruits, "Well, you two almost look like you belong in my unit. Remember to act quickly when you're in that fortress - we have no idea how many troopers are located in the bowels underneath the mountain. Get in and get out."
Outside of the aircraft, the Black Hawk had finished its rotor fold out and flight check. Joe heard the sound of the engine igniting and rotor blades spinning to life. Remarkably, the Black Hawk was about fifty percent less noisy than the hundreds of such aircraft Joe had flown in the past several years. Joe checked his watch. 21:30 hours. It would be a three-hour flight from Bagram to Kazinistan via the helo. They would be cutting it close.
Walsh nodded as the men finished up. "So remember boys, check your Operation Tablets for the advanced briefing and map layout of the area. You have three hours to become experts of the four-kilometer radius of the Pamir Mountains where you're being dropped. Be prepared."
Joe and Brick nodded. Krieger scratched his neck.
Walsh gestured outside the plane, "Your ride's waiting, gentleman."
They saluted the Colonel before proceeding down the ramp towards the waiting helicopter.
AS JOE, Krieger and Brick piled into the stealth Black Hawk, they stowed their equipment under the seats for the three-hour trip. Joe took one last look around the airport before slamming the side door. In the pilot seat, Isabella did some final liftoff preparations before getting under way. Her copilot, an ex-Marine corps flyer who Isabella introduced as Chief Collins, took the seat beside Cordova to begin the flight check. Joe took the time to get to know their new companions.
"So how did the Colonel rope you two into this little group?" he asked both of them.
Brick answered first, "Long story mate, probably better for another time."
Joe pressed the question, "Come on, it's a three-hour flight. How much time do you need?"
"Let’s just leave it for now that these PMC sods have screwed me in the past. The Colonel gave me a good deal to face them on my own terms. I took it, know what I mean?"
Krieger set his silenced MP5 butt-first on the floor of the aircraft, yelling over to Isabella, "What about you honey pie? What is story with Marine pilot joining up with outlaws like me?"
Joe rolled his eyes. Sexist prick.
Completely unruffled by the rude statement, Isabella responded nonchalantly, "Just wanted to lend a hand, so dumb Russian meat heads like you can go and get their heads shot off. So stow it!"
"I think we just made new friends, eh Joe?" Krieger leaned back in his seat, not saying anymore.
In the cockpit, Isabella heard the OK come through her radio. She spoke briskly, "Roger Peacemaker One, liftoff in ten seconds."
Joe looked over at Brick, squinting in the barely lit cabin of the helicopter. He asked the SAS trooper, "What's with this Peacemaker thing?"
Brick looked confused at the question, "Didn' the Colonel mention it? That's his name for our unit."
Krieger didn't understand, "Peacemaker? Never heard name before. What does it mean?"
Joe answered, "It's a military phrase for those that keep the peace; who stabilize the war zone. They bring peace in a conflict."
Brick almost laughed, "Actually, the Colonel choose it cause it's the name of his favorite gun, the Colt Peacemaker."
The Black Hawk lifted off of the Bagram runway apron and into the starry Afghan night, moving towards the north. As he sat in his seat, looking out the window at the rapidly diminishing airbase, Joe reflected on the past week and how he'd come so far. He hoped he hadn't made a terrible error in joining this group of unknowns in a battle that would surely test him to his limits. He set the dark thoughts aside. All that mattered was getting his boys out. Everything else was second.
AS THE C-17 flew three times as fast as the Black Hawk, Walsh delayed their takeoff by another hour. They would have plenty of time to reach the infiltration position and the added delay gave Corporal Danny Callbeck some needed time with Doctor Yune to go over the suit's new modifications.
"Like I said earlier," explained Yune excitedly, "there have been multiple upgrades to the suit’s inner and outer structure. The first and most important being the flight suit."
Danny had pulled on the awkward suit and was more than ready to flip the switch and feel the amazing power it gave him. Danny still wore the Ocular glasses that gave him limited sight; allowing him to see what the Doctor was talking about. Limited, until he could wear that helmet and see once again. Danny was so excited, he could barely pay attention to Yune's briefing.
"Oh...you need the helmet for it to work properly." The Doctor picked the helmet up from the desk. Whisper removed the Ocular Glasses and set the
m on the table beside him. Yune placed the helmet on Danny's head and clamped it firmly in place. The Doctor then switched the Accretion Device on. It was far less dramatic this time around, as the suit no longer needed to affix itself to his endocrine system. A loud humming sound sped through the suit as the Accretion Module jolted the many layers of the outfit to life. Danny felt the familiar, awesome build-up of strength charging through his muscles as the suit powered on. The helmet tapped into his ocular nerves and his vision returned. I am Whisper once again.
Danny grinned inside the helmet.
Yune made a few adjustments, talking as he worked, "You control the flight suit like any other device. Just hold out your arms like so." Yune held out his arms in a full T-shape. Danny did as he was asked. As he held out his arms, a fan of web-like fabric folded out from the suit's arms, legs and torso.
"Very cute Doctor," rasped Danny sarcastically.
"Trust me, Danny, it really works! The webbing, in essence, acts as a patagium; a membranous extension of the suit that creates an artificial parachute. It is the same principal of a flying squirrel."
"Has it ever been tested Doctor?"
"Well yes, at about two-hundred feet."
"And how high will I be jumping?"
"About thirty thousand feet."
Whisper scoffed inside the helmet. That figures.
"Trust me, Danny, it is a sound principal. You will be able to freefall nearly fifteen thousand feet and extend the patagium even at terminal velocity. It really will work!"
"Is there some sort of backup? A parachute or something?"
"No. Why would you need a parachute when we have a patagium?" The Doctor responded so matter-of-factly, it appeared that the thought had never entered his mind.
"Perfect. What else did you add to the suit," asked Danny, trying to take his mind off the suicide webbing.
"Right. I adjusted two important elements in the suit's offensive capabilities. The first are in your wrists. Clench your fists tightly, holding your arms away from you and think the phrase Extend."