Echo Six: Black Ops 7 - Tibetan Fury (18 page)

They watched the last of the light fade, and each man knew in a few minutes they'd be entering the jaws of the lion. No one spoke. Even the nuns were talking in quiet murmurs, and they darted nervous glances around the grain store.

They're scared. It's all very well, this karma stuff, fate, and reincarnation, whatever you like to call it, until the shit hits the fan. Until it's time to go out and pit all your strength, everything you have, against an enemy that’s legendary for the cruelty they use on their own people. Anyone captured can expect to suffer unimaginable brutality, something beyond their worst nightmares.

He glanced out for the last time. Almost dark, twilight was turning to night.

"It's time to lock and load. Get the civilians loaded on the trucks!"

They filed out through the rear door and helped the nuns, who were somewhat short to climb up to the high cargo space of the trucks. They boarded their own vehicles, and Talley waited while Grace said her goodbyes to the civilians who remained in the grain store.

* * *

Lobsang Cho had decided to stay behind with the refugees. When it had been suggested he leave Tibet, he'd refused.

"This is my home, and this is where I am needed, to help these people. I'll stay." He looked at Campbell, "You must leave, Davaika, and carry the message of what is going on inside Tibet to the rest of the world."

"And if the rest of the world won't listen?" the American asked. He spoke with a slight lisp where one of the blows he'd suffered had injured his jaw.

"Someone, somewhere will listen. If it is only one man, it is one more than is listening now."

Talley had overheard them, knowing the political realities.

Cheap Chinese imports, consumer goods, iPhones, computers, all the paraphernalia of our modern lives. Are they going to risk those to help a bunch of unknown Tibetans? They haven't so far. Will they ever? I doubt it. Besides, when people behave like savages, there's only one message they understand. It comes out of the barrel of a gun, and they'd need a lot of bullets to persuade the Chinese.

He took a last look out on the street, then ran back and climbed into the cab. Kaz drove away along the track and out onto the main highway. It was the start of the journey home, the first stage into Lhasa and the Ministry of State Security Headquarters, and hopefully then on to Tama Air Base. And if they were still alive after their attempt to steal an aircraft, a short flight to Kathmandu. He smiled to himself.

Simple, just a few million Chinese standing in the way!

The street was busy, mainly trucks and jeeps bustling along the tarmac. At one intersection, they noticed a tank parked at the side of the road. As they approached, the barrel of the main gun swiveled to point straight at them, but when they went past, the barrel didn't follow.

Thank Christ for that!

He turned to Grace. "How far is it?"

"About two kilometers, as far as I remember."

He thought about Brooks. Earlier, the Admiral had made up his mind to use the satcom in an attempt to arrange help to get them out of the country. He was still uneasy about taking a plane.

"You know what it would mean, an act of war against the People's Republic? I don't know if it's a good idea."

Talley had grimaced. "You're right. It's not a good idea, but it's the only one we have. If you make that call on the satcom, the word will reach Garrick. Do you want to take the chance of his involvement?"

Brooks thought about it long and hard. Finally, he shook his head. "No, you're right. We'll do it your way."

He watched the road ahead carefully, looking for any sign of trouble. As they neared their destination, there were more and more troops patrolling the streets; most were on foot, entering and leaving buildings. A few herded prisoners away, and it was obvious they were rousting the entire city in the hunt for the fugitives. He saw Grace looking nervous every time they went past a bunch of soldiers and tried to ease her mind.

"You don't have to worry. The one place they won't think to look is where we're headed. MSS Headquarters."

She smiled, but it was an effort. "That's does worry me."

They reached the huge eight-story concrete structure that was the nerve center of the apparatus of repression inside the country. MSS Headquarters. There was a double gate, protected by a pole that would be raised to allow vehicles to enter and leave. There also four soldiers armed with assault rifles. Two men would have been more normal to guard a gate, so they'd doubled the guard in this place. It wasn't unexpected. He shrugged inwardly.

No one said it would be easy.

"How do you want to play this?" Kaz asked him.

"We'll have to use the back door. Drive around the block and pull up somewhere quiet."

"Roger that."

He watched the sentries stare at them as they drove past. It was dark enough to hide their faces, and it was unlikely they would realize the people inside the trucks were not Chinese. Kaz threw a left, traveled a hundred meters along a narrow street, then took another left, and stopped. He put on the brake and shut down the engine.

"I reckon this is it, Boss."

Talley glanced around up and down the street, and at the gaunt, gray-brown stonewalls standing three meters high to secure the rear of the building. A few meters away, a Tibetan family was camped in the snow. A ramshackle canvas and timber structure gave them some protection from the elements, and several wooden pallets kept them off the damp, icy surface of the snow. It was a depressing sight, their abject poverty, and the way they stared across at the men in the trucks without interest, without hope.

He looked back at their destination, surveying the first obstacle, the high wall. Rovere, the former Alpinist, was waiting for the order, and he nodded to him.

"You'd better go over and see what we're up against."

The Italian gripped the rough stone of the wall and climbed up, almost like a squirrel climbing a tree. Two seconds later, he disappeared over the top. Another two seconds, and he called in.

"This is Echo Three. The rear of the building is in darkness, and there's no one around. Wait… he spoke again in a whisper, "Yeah, there's a patrol coming around. Give me a minute. I have to go to ground."

They waited for two minutes, and he called again, "We're clear. Two soldiers, both armed with assault rifles. It looks as if they're circling the building, just a routine patrol. I guess we have about five minutes before they come back."

"Copy that. Hold your position."

They were clustered around him, watching and waiting. Waiting for the order that would send them into the heart of the Chinese security apparatus.

"Guy, we'll split into four fireteams. I want four men to stay here and guard the trucks, Kaz, take care of it. And look after the nuns. We don't want them getting into any trouble. If State Security discovers we have two truckloads of renegade nuns parked behind their headquarters, they'll go ape. The second fireteam is our fire support, two snipers and the two Minimis. Admiral, you'll be in charge. Your job will be to cover our infil using the snipers, and cover our withdrawal with the machine guns if necessary. Snipers, both of you should keep in mind the object is to keep the General alive. Anyone else, ace the fuckers."

"You're spreading us thin," Guy objected.

"We don't have any choice. When we go in, I want you to cover the first floor. If we lose control of that, we'll never get out of that place. I'll take Rovere, Buchmann, and Jackson up to the top floor to locate and secure our target."

He stared at them. "Remember where we are, and make certain the hostiles don't get off a shot. If the shooting starts, we're finished. They'll come crawling out of the woodwork. The only exception is if we are forced to make a hot withdrawal. In which case, all bets are off, and we'll hit them with everything we have."

He stopped as Rovere called again.

"Echo One this is Echo Three."

"Go ahead."

"I can see the electricity substation that supplies the building. It's only thirty meters from where I'm hiding, behind a crate of vehicle spares. How about we take it out and go in with our night vision gear?"

He exchanged a grin with Guy, and his hopes soared. Until that moment, they all knew they were up against a task that was almost impossible. Now, everything was about to change. Like Special Forces everywhere, they owned the night. He keyed his mic.

"Domenico, that's what we'll do. I guess you need Drew to rig something up?"

"I never was much good with demolition charges," he replied, "Send him over, and we'll get it set."

Drew was already checking his pack. "It's okay. I can put something small next to the main distribution unit and pack some material around it. They won't hear it further than twenty meters away, but it'll take them hours to repair the damage."

"Do it. Heinrich, help him over the wall."

It was a maneuver they'd done before. The huge German stood next to the wall, Jackson took a short run toward him, put his boot into the step Buchmann made with his two hands, and the next moment he was launched into the air. He had to hold onto the wall to stop being thrown completely over. Seconds later, he reported he was safely on the ground with Rovere.

Talley turned to Brooks. "Admiral, we need those snipers to give us cover. I'd suggest they go over the wall next."

Brooks nodded. "Roger that. After you've gone in, I'll position the trucks closer to the wall, and we'll mount the Minimis in the hatches on top of the vehicle cabs."

"Good. Let's do it."

The snipers went first. Buchmann helped each of them over the wall to find their stands for the essential and silent support they'd need during the operation. Talley went next, then Guy, and the rest of the men. Buchmann was last. He took a run, launched himself in the air, and pulled himself over the wall like a huge gorilla. He dropped down next to Talley and waited. They were almost ready.

"Pull on your NV goggles. The lights are about to go out."

He pulled his own goggles into position and switched on. The spill of light from the building worked to prevent the goggles from operating, but it wouldn't be for long.

"Drew, are you ready?"

"On your order, Boss."

"Do it."

"Fire in the hole."

When it came, the tiny explosion was almost inaudible. If anyone did hear it, they'd almost certainly put it down to the backfire of a car engine. God only knew there were enough crappy engines in this communist paradise for backfires to be a common occurrence.

The lights went out, and as the electronics in their goggles began to compensate, they were able to see the building. For some reason they had no emergency lighting installed. It was pitch black, perfect conditions for an assault. After a few seconds, a couple of flashlights flicked on, and the glow of candles could be seen in some of the windows. Someone started shouting orders from the front of the building. It sounded like an NCO, the voice carried as if it was on a parade ground. He continued to look at the darkened building.

The Chinese export 21st century technology to the entire world, and in their own backyard they use candles. The must be a moral there.

Guy's voice cut in on his thoughts. "The two guards are on the way back."

"Roger that. Vince, Jesse, take 'em."

He heard the barely audible 'phut' as each shot fired, and the louder noise as both soldiers crashed to the ground close to the wall.

"Let's go."

He led the way, sprinting across the yard to stand beneath a window with his men. Guy's team waited nearby. He looked around to make sure they were with him.

Rovere,
Buchmann, Jackson, and...shit!

"Grace!" he whispered, "You were supposed to wait with the trucks."

"I'm the only one who understands Chinese. You'll need me."

He didn't reply. Women had that annoying habit of preparing arguments in advance, ready to disarm you. Sometimes they were even right.

"Okay, keep with us. And stay at the rear, don't get yourself killed."

"Of course not."

The window was locked from the inside, closed against the cold, like every other window in the building. He nodded to Buchmann.

"Open it."

The big German put two hands on the wooden frame, tensed, took a breath, and pulled. The entire window came out in one piece. He could have had a career as a burglar if things had worked out differently. Rovere obviously thought the same.

"There shall be done, a deed of dreadful note."

Heinrich glared at him. "You don't like it, you use the front door."

Rovere put on his most disarming smile. "My friend, I love it. Anything that means we avoid the front door is a worthy prize."

The German grunted and stood aside as Talley climbed over the sill. The rest of them followed. They were in a kitchen, rank with the smell of cooking fat and stale, rotting food. Buchmann slipped on a pool of spilled fat, but Rovere caught his arm and stopped him falling to the stone floor. In this place of enemies, noise was their greatest fear. Talley went to the door and looked out. A soldier stood only three meters away. He was staring at his reflection in the glass window of a door, adjusting his uniform. Probably called on duty in a hurry when the power went out. He ducked back inside.