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

The General never knew I was hired until I walked into a briefing room the second day I was there.”
“So, how did they get in contact with you?”
“Your background check amigo. The agency was still conducting some final checks on your package , you know, who your friends are, etc? When they saw my education and background as well as language capabilities, they picked up the phone,- I answered.
“How totally cool man. Here is a hit for you, that sure takes care of the carpool aspect of the job from here does it not?”
They both laughed, high fived, low fived and bumped hips
When DJ and Abdul arrived at the Homeland Security headquarters, they separated. Abdul was relegated to running interview interpretations and non classified field reports until his security clearance was authorized. DJ passed thru the three security check points by eye scan and fingerprint recognition and joined Dan and Penny in the main office.
“Welcome home, Lieutenant “ Was the cordial greeting from Penny.
“Thank you. Good to be here.”
“Debrief in ten. Want some coffee?”
“Yes-I guess I’m falling into the caffeine routine for this job. It takes about a gallon before noon to get me started.”
“You have a pri-one international message from a Col. Nagel in Tel Aviv that just came in. you want to take it now or wait till after the de-brief?”
“Save it for the de-brief. We’ll save some time if we all get the data at the same time instead of repeating it again in the de-brief.”
“DJ was about to enter the bubble room when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see the General smiling at him and as he greeted DJ with a warm Good morning he gave the stubble on DJ’s face a short tug.” Don’t shave it. I think this will become part of your uniform of the day young man. Call your Mom when we get out of here. She needs to know that you are working hard and do not have much time for family social occasions.-OK?”
“Check that Dad. I’ll call her . What do you think of Abdul’s latest move to becoming the all American boy?”
“The opportunity was there and he took it by the horns DJ, I had nothing to do with it.”
“I know that Dad. We had breakfast this morning and came into the office together. The fact that he and I are roomies is all that anyone needs to know about his relationship with the family in my opinion.”
“That’ll work. Let’s get things started in here and get our day in gear. From what I hear from Kabul and Dan & Penny, this thing is getting to become combustible. We need to have some answers when we are asked.”
With that, the Lt. General opened the door to the bubble room and immediately started greeting people and at the same time reading urgent notes that were in place at his station at the table .The teleconference screen came alive and the seal of Homeland Security filled the 72 by 96 monitor. Just below the seal in large Roman type were the words DEPARTMENT OF COOPERATIVE INTELIGENCE SOURCES.
The Lt. General opened the de-brief and noted that the people that needed to know were there. No more. The room was darkened and the glass changed color as the one-way sight feature took place. You could see out into the outer offices and cubicles but no one would see in or see what was on the teleprompter. Each station at the huge table had a microphone and input jacks for audio-video quips or data from individual lap tops that would be presented on the large 72 by 96 inch screen at the end of the table. A small desk lamp lit the work area in front of each station.
“Penny, give us a synopsis on this, chronologically -mode from the take down in Mazar I Sharif. That will give us a background on what we have here today. Everyone please hold your questions until she is finished.”” The General requested of the young woman everyone referred to as the “Google-Lady” because of her unlimited sources of information.
Penny began; “Eighteen days ago at 1530 hours in the city of Mazar I Sharif Afghanistan, units of the local Afghan police force under the control and direction of US trained instructors discovered what was thought to be an operating Al Queda communications cell. The operation was structured as a real time training exercise and used a series of new equipment in the action forecast calculation. One such item was the use of Infra red (IR) image scanning. When the discovery of several additional images was made, the team leader, a Sgt Tom Preston decided to call off the take down and use the location as an information platform. Results from additional IR scans and RF emissions verified that this was indeed a high value target. Because of the language dialects and the urgency for immediate interpretation, Lt Jacobs was ordered to the area where he assumed command of the event. Data discovered in the actual take down of the cell location by Lt Jacobs and his team indicated a conspiracy of international proportions. During the tactical operations we captured three of the operatives working in the sub terrain room that have been an information source ongoing. Lt. Jacobs physically captured a known international terrorist by the name of Raj Al kayev. Lt. Jacobs was wounded in the confrontation yet managed to detain the insurgent and two operatives. Intelligence obtained from the two operatives led to the discovery of a plot to use a biological formula that was to be transported to the United States and used in two geographical locations. The group responsible for the transport and use has been known to this agency for over three years but up to this time, they have done nothing with the exception of receiving al Queda training that would permit us under international law, to detain them. This group has been trained in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan over the past four years. A fourth individual joined the group while they were being trained outside Mazar I Sharif. “Penny then showed the photo of Badra in several situations. One of the photos was the actual killing of the research scientist Sadqua in the university laboratory. Several others followed including the photo taken at the airport by the security camera when the group was leaving the airport. “We believe that this woman is carrying the bio-threat article with her at all times. During an accident while the group was moving to cross the Paki border into India, one of the containers broke injecting the formula into the waters of a river that flows into the city of Lahore, Pakistan. The result was that one of the terrorist operatives known as the actor was killed when the formula injected into his body. Downstream from the accident and in the city of Lahore, there was a disaster of atomic proportions. As of this date the Pakistani government has reported 12,489 people dead from the exposure to this formula. The operative shown in the previous photos claimed responsibility for the action on behalf of Islamic Muhadeen warriors and warned of additional threats to come.” Penny then played the video of Badra speaking into the stolen video camera in Lahore. After Badra had finished her fanatical rants and the video quit, the next scene was beside the river in downtown Lahore where hundreds of people had come to cool off and enjoy the afternoon in the river. There were bodies of men, women and small children all long the banks where paramedics and doctors were loading them onto stretchers to take them to the local morgue or crematorium
It is our belief that the group left Lahore and changed transportation mode and crossed the mountains into the western border area of India. This was confirmed this morning when the CENTCOM headquarters in Kabul sent us a flash report that indicated that the group is now on a farm in western India or on their way to exit the country. Kabul has a take action request pri-one to take out the farm while the group is still there. As of this point in time we are awaiting the green light from the VP and state to go ahead with the take down of this wheat farm. The proposed mission for that operation is somewhat ouside of the box so to speak but I’ll go into detail on that provided we get the light in the next few hours. Some of what I have just presented is new data to you Lt. Jacobs and I apologize if we broadsided you but events are moving fast here and it would appear that this take down will present the only immediate alternative to terminating this threat . I’ll take questions now.” Penny remained standing at her position.
The general was the first to speak.
“Thank you Ms. Buckley and please, be seated and be comfortable. We are going to need to use a lot of brain cells here to whip this program back onto track and get those individuals. Let me ask; These people have now crossed three borders and obviously changed vehicles, identification and who knows what else to stay on the move. Is this an indication of what type of an organization Al Queda has in this area? Where is all this support coming from?”
Penny listened to the question and held back a very deep sigh as she answered the boss.
“Sir it is almost beyond comprehension how Al Queda has financed and controlled this one single operation. The finance we know comes from a banking organization that is tied very closely with the Saudis but because of political ramifications, we , at this time in our agency can only keep track and stay aware of the methods used. In respect to the ground operation of moving these individuals from Afghanistan to India? That was directed and controlled from this wheat farm we have previously discussed in India. According to intel from an operative we have there, the farm is a serious supplier to the Muhadeen in all those boarding countries. Kabul CENTCOM has tracked over three hundred IED explosive charges, detonated and not detonated as coming from this location.”
The voice came from the side of the room where three figures had entered while Penny was giving her presentation. It was feminine and deliberate as well as very audible.
“That is exactly why we have given the order to CENTCOM to proceed with operation stingray. “
“Attention on deck. Vice President of the United States entering!”
The general called the group to attention as the lights went up showing the vice President of the United States approach a seat by the general.
“Please, everyone be seated. Within the hour I expect to have a video direct real time from the DELA, a Direct Energy Laser Aircraft on our screen here. They will carry out the mission without NATO being informed or the Indian government. What we are about to see here ladies and gentlemen may be the way that stealth tactical operations are conducted in the future. I would like to introduce the gentleman that entered the room with me who will explain the use of the ATL but for security reasons, I shall not. Suffice to say that this individual has dedicated the major part of his engineering career to what we are about to witness. The VPOUS then asked if there were any input that should be given at this time and when there was no response, she then announced;
“While we are waiting on the CENTCOM hook up and some fresh coffee, I would like to congratulate Lt. Jacobs here on