Interdiction - W.Addison Gast (great novels TXT) 📗

people and will have some live feedback during this conference I’m confident. There’s more. For some time we have been trying to make contact with an asset we have had in the group of young men recruited for this mission back in Iraq. One of the photographs taken of the group when they came to the rooftop across from our OP indicates that our asset is still with this cell but evidently can not make contact..Three hours ago our airborne surveillance unit Eagle found the white Volkswagen in an area approximately sixty K from the underground room. The area has been used as a training location and had several bunks and well as mess facilities. In one of the mattress of one of the bunk beds, there was a quickly scribbled sheet directed to CENTCOM by our asset. He indicates that in addition to the LA Metro mission, there is an alternative mission close to a college in Texas. No details except that he will try to make contact should they get to the US shore. This is the first we have heard of an alternative target and believe it to be priority data.”
“Any indication on what College or town in Texas?” Asked DJ.
“None. We suggest that your people working over that intel you found in the subterranean room keep an eye out for anything that might direct us.” Replied Penny.
“I have everything that was in that room or passageway up out of the room and in a secured tent area where our technicians can make a prelim analysis of the data. Miss Buckley” Replied DJ
“Yes, Lt. we have received several patches from your people there just this morning. It would appear that what you have uncovered there is a major link to the theatre operations of the Al Queda organization. Nice work.”
The camera panned over to Danny Nero as he asked; Lt. what kind of computers was in that rat hole? Do you know the make?”
“Not sure Dan but they are French I believe not a US brand from what I remember. Is this important? I can get the info to you while we are talking here.”
“We are just having an interesting exercise in getting into the cashe area of the hard drives is all. The French explanation may be the key. Those guys do the store process a lot different than US computer manufacturers do.”
The general broke into the conversation and after the camera panned over to him he continued.
“I’m bringing Colonel Miller of the 103rd expeditionary forces online here in a minute so we can get an update on the bunch that left for Faisalabad. The colonel is on the ground at Faisalabad and has a detail searching the airport and checking the flight schedules for names that match those used in this last flight. Its not unusual for these tangos, especially the ones with any covert training to use several different passports and identities. While we are waiting on the colonel, Lt. would you give us an account of the operation where you took out the location? I’d like to hear it in your own words if you please.”
DJ looked over at Cowboy and scorpion with a somewhat puzzled expression and began to give a complete blow by blow account of the way they let the Israeli Mossad go into the tunnel after they interrupted DJ’s planned operational take down. As he was explaining the part where colonel Nagel assaulted the house direct and had lost one of his men and suffered two wounded, Brigadier General Jacobs smiled over at the CIA liaison sitting to his left and commented;
“So you let the Israeli group do the frontal attack and you waited outside and rounded up the tangos as they tried to escape?” Asked the general.
“Pretty much so General. We did have some contact with the individuals as they attempted to escape. “
“So Lt. you remained at the observation post and held command by communication with your troops from there?”
“Until sir, it was obvious that we were going to need as many personnel on the ground around the outside of the house to catch the fleeing insurgents. I left the OP and joined in the roundup so to speak.” Said DJ.
“Anything else Lt?” Asked the general.
At this point he felt as if he was back standing in front of his mother and father explaining why he stayed out two hours past his curfew when he was age fourteen.
“No Sir. I have not had time to complete my after action report but it will all be in there.”
“Very well Lt. Not to beat this operation to death but we are still waiting on the colonel in Faisalabad to establish communications so I want you to hear what Lt. Colonel Davis, the base commander at Mazar I Sharif put in his after action report. As you may well know, he is the commander of the unit that assisted you in this tactical operation. Here is what he has passed on to this agency along with most of what you just described. The following is in his summary”
At exactly 0530 this morning units of the Afghan police force in Mazar I Sharif led by their U S Army instructors engaged several Taliban operatives in a tactical assault on enemy headquarters. The operation concluded with the live capture of five of these operatives who are now being detained by US forces on the base here at Mazar I Sharif. The actions of Lt. David Wesley Jacobs and his non commissioned officers exhibited the teamwork that personifies cooperation of international forces. In this action, Lt Jacobs was wounded but continued command of his unit until they were in a clean-up mode. For his leadership and courage exhibited in this operation Lt. Jacobs is recommended for the Global War on Terrorism medal and the Purple Heart.”
DJ could hardly believe his ears and what he was hearing.
“To this citation Lt. All of us here want to say to you Bravo Zulu”
DJ heard the room behind the general break out in a round of applause as the camera changed scene. This one was a Marine colonel standing outside the entrance to the Air Afghan ticket counter. There were over thirty troopers in full combat gear moving through the area looking in shops and rest rooms.
“Good morning Colonel.” Said General Jacobs forgetting that it was twenty three hours later where the colonel stood.
“Good evening sir.” Politely corrected the colonel.
“As of this time Sir we have the terminal covered as well as the service areas with crews that have the photographs and descriptions of the people you are looking for. Checking the flight information you gave us earlier, the aircraft landed, the passengers departed with their baggage. We are inspecting any baggage that is being transferred to any other destination for suspicious appearance”
“Did you talk to the flight attendant on that flight from Mazar I Sharif to Faisalabad? Did they remember the people?”
“Not much help General. They said that majority of the passengers were asleep and the overhead lights turned off during most of the flight.”
“Colonel, we have some other actions we need to start on this end but we will keep the communications contact and live streaming video of your search of the terminal. Contact us immediately if you have anything. Out” With that the General turned to Penny Buckley and asked for a file. As he leafed across the pages he looked up at the camera and asked;
“Lt Jacobs. I have here a request for a C-130 aircraft from you for a priority mission to Kabul. It says only prisoner transfer. Can you give me more detail?”
“Just that Sir. I need to get these prisoners away from the possible diplomatic fiasco that this colonel Nagel could start to get his hands on one of them. It will also aid in the questioning procedure I have in mind to get these tangos to start talking. He explained his plan to the General and the general replied that it had his approval. They would contact DJ when the C-130 was on the inbound approach to Mazar I Sharif.
“May I speak to Penny Buckley before we end this conference?” Asked DJ.
The face of Penny Buckley came on the teleprompter and a gentle voice replied; “What can we do for you Lt?”
“I need some background info on this X437 stuff that you think this Talabanni is carrying. What is the antidote or how do we handle it if we find them and they have this crap?”
“I do not have all the particulars from the research lab as yet but I can assure you Lt. that it is a deadly item that is to be treated with caution.”
“Any kind of description or how they may try to use it?”
“None that I can find at this time DJ all we know at this point is that it is a very high density toxin that can be diluted to only three parts per million and still be lethal.”
“Three PPM?” Jesus Christ Penny, did I hear you right?
“Right DJ, you heard me correctly. Just one eyedropper of this injected into a typical city water tower could kill the entire city population.”
“Do we have Atlanta and USAMRIID working on this?”
“Yes-both and more. DJ be aware that its not necessary to ingest this stuff according to USAMRIID, it can kill just by skin exposure or contact. Do not attempt to touch any container or package suspected of having been even close to this.”
“Don’t worry, we will stay a football field away from this stuff if we find it is in the area.”
DJ ended the conference video but left the contact hot while the Marine colonel did his search of the Faisalabad air terminal.
“Scorpion –any luck on the pigs?” DJ was asking the master sergeant that he had given the request to earlier.
“Sir—I located five that are on base here but they belong to the CIA guys. They use them for bartering with the hill tribes.”
“Ok, have the station chief call me and arrange to have all five brought over her to the compound.”
“In here sir?”
“In here sergeant. You afraid of a few pigs running around like house pets here to keep us company?”
“Where should we put them Sir? Do we need to build a pen outside in the back?”
“No, bring them in here and put them in the last cell back there on the right. I saw that there is a back door to that area and a water hose so we can wash down the deck in the cell when we finish with them.”
“Lt. Sir don’t tell me you are going to put them in with the prisoners. They will freak out.”
“You catch on quick Scorp. Incidentally in that regard, when you send the detail to get them from the spooks, make sure its all our guys that go for them. Do not send any of the Afghan police-some may be Islamic-OK?”
“Roger Lt. I’ll get on it right now.
“Scorp—you and cowboy secure after you bring that detail here and meet me back here at 0500 to transport the prisoners”
“Roger on the secure Sir. We have made arrangements to feed our guys here and to birth them as well so there won’t be any chance of those Israeli dudes knowing where on base we are. So cowboy and I are going to be right here in this building. We have quarters prepared for you as well sir. Let me know when you are ready to use them.”
“Way to go Scorp—I can see you on the short track to Sergeant Major in no time at all thinking like that.” Smiled DJ as