Hearths of Fire (42 page)

*

Neal waited for
Gunny’s signal to the team that they could continue their advancement through the compound. After having studied the cult members’ movements and obtaining verification through the two men earlier today, the Ashes’ followers obeyed a strict lights-out policy by twenty-one hundred hours. Their schedule seemed to be run like a business, but since no one went against the Ashes, it ran flawlessly.

The team was dressed in green digital Marpat, which had been standard battle dress for them when they were in the Marines, with the addition of type IIIA vests. Type IIIA vests were rated to protect them from most types of pistol rounds and nearly all fighting knifes. Communications were top of the line keyless mic headsets with Motorola encrypted multi-channel burst transmission radios. Every man on the team carried his personal choice of .45 ACP firearm. They didn’t have to be the same make, but they had to all shoot the same caliber round for logistics’ sake.

Due to the nature of this particular mission, most of the team had forsaken their usual complement long guns, which had been staged in the transport with the boss. Starr remained back in a nondescript rental van monitoring comms and tracking each team member’s movement via GPS meta-data transmitted on an alternate channel on the same radio they used for voice traffic. As the team moved over the terrain, their position accurate to one meter was transmitted in real time back to Starr’s node where it was displayed on a contour overlay map displayed on her laptop.

That was the magic of burst transmission—it was capable of transmitting voice, tons of data, and had the added benefit of having a very low probability of intercept. Add some encryption and the bad guys have a hard time even knowing someone is transmitting in the immediate area while the operations and plans guys maintained excellent situational awareness.

Meanwhile Gunny led the hostage rescue ground extract team through the open terrain and around the supposed guards that were protecting the property. Daegan was the only team member not present, having already made his way across to an over-watch position that would give him an overall view of the compound through his 4-15x50mm Gen3 low light image intensified rifle scope. His position would also be able to pinpoint any movement that the team didn’t have a visual on themselves. This information could be reported verbally to the team or transmitted via data link to a situational awareness app loaded to the team’s ruggedized tablet that Gunny carried in his load bearing gear. All this data or none of it could be crossed-decked via Starr’s node or gated as necessary due to mission requirements or compromise.

“Clear.”

Starr’s digitized voice came through the team’s earpieces as she continued to monitor the heat and ground movement sensors that were deployed by earlier reconnaissance missions from her position about one and a half clicks to their east. Gunny held up a fist, telling them to hold their location and then used two fingers to indicate they were to move forward at a slower pace. Moving in a staggered line while maintaining proper separation, they waited for Gunny’s hand and arm signal to branch out in front of the makeshift church.

Robert and Patricia Ashe had retired for the evening over an hour ago, along with Garreth—although his bedroom light had stayed on for an additional ten minutes. Being the messiah must give him special privileges. Glancing toward the main house, nothing seemed out of place yet Neal got the feeling that something wasn’t right. The older member that had been of help had been extricated by early evening and he was now in a safe place where the Ashes wouldn’t be able to touch him. The man’s name was Dennis Wilkens and though there was no telling if he would ever get a dime back from what the Ashes had taken from him, he was willing to start his life over on his own terms.

The team had worked in unison for most of the day and it didn’t come as a surprise that after months of training, they were able to meld together as a unit effectively and efficiently. The church doors were locked shut, so Stick went forward and popped the lock off the hasp with a pair of bolt cutters. It wasn’t long before the door was breached and Gunny once again took lead through the door.

Their headsets integrated a new state of the art spiral enhanced night vision goggle which permitted them to see without the aid of ambient light. The inside of the barn and what the Ashes had done to convert it into an altar was right there in front of them. There were benches on either side of an improvised aisle that contained a runner of some sort that led to a large podium. The platform contained an altar that consisted of two high backed chairs, a sacrificial stone, and candles which were currently unlit. After the area was cleared, the team rushed the door inside which Dennis claimed would be one cult member with a two-way radio in his possession, guarding a trap door that led to the underground complex…where they would find Becky Garson.

There was no time for nerves, no time for doubts. In less than three seconds Trigger was able to access the small room after Stick forced the door. Trigger’s skill in close combat was second to none amongst elite military operators and within moments, the lone cult member was on the floor with his hands and feet zip-tied behind his back rodeo style. Diesel was left behind guarding the team’s six as Neal and the rest of the team searched for the trap door.

“Ashes to Dirt will lead us—”

No more words came from the man’s mouth as Trigger used the butt of his weapon against the back of the man’s head. The last thing they needed was to bring attention to themselves before their mission was carried out. Dennis stated that he’d never been permitted to enter this room so he wasn’t quite sure where the entrance to the underground room was located. These cultists weren’t that skilled at hiding things from people who knew what they were looking for. Gunny quickly located the concealed trapdoor and Neal descended through it into the crude underground complex.

In the HD digitized night vision monocular, Neal immediately spotted Becky curled up on a mattress in the corner of a side room. Her hair was hanging down over her hunched shoulders as her eyes tried to figure out where the sounds were coming from in the dark. She pulled her legs tighter together and wrapped her arms around them to protect herself from whatever might be coming for her.

“Becky, it’s Neal Bauer.” He kept his tone low, focusing on his target. His team would have his six and alert him to any threat that would make this conversation speed up. As it was he didn’t know her state of mind and he needed to ensure that she was physically and mentally capable of walking out of here on her own two feet. “I’m here to take you home.”

“Neal?” Becky whispered his name as if she was terrified someone would overhear them. He didn’t blame her. She was reaching an arm out to him, falling short of her goal. “I can’t see you.”

Neal reached out for her hand, feeling dirt and grit on her skin. Had the Ashes kept Becky down in this hole the entire time? He didn’t see any plates or bottles to indicate that she’d been fed or hydrated, but maybe Robert and Patricia had her meals on a schedule. Becky used his hand and the wall behind her as leverage to stand.

“Are you physically hurt?”

“N-no. Please…get me out of here.”

“That’s what we’re going to do, but you need to listen and follow everything I say. I’m going to place your hand on my back. Grab hold and don’t let go as I lead you out. I need it to stay there until I tell you otherwise. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” Becky’s teeth started to chatter and echo through the small chamber. Her hand tightened on his, and when Neal finally turned she did as he asked and made sure her handhold on his cartridge was solid. “T-they want Mandy.”

“I know,” Neal replied, making sure she could hear him but needing to get her to safety before they had this conversation. “You can tell us everything once we’re away from here.”

Neal caught sight of Trigger walking behind the steps that led to the exit and recognized the large opening for what it was. It was a tunnel that wasn’t on the original blueprint and although it confirmed their belief that the Ashes had another way off of the compound, it made Neal wonder if the tunnel had branches to other housing structures on the land. Gunny hadn’t located any exits on the other side of the acreage. Neal’s inquiry would have to wait to be answered at a later time. At the moment their first priority was getting Becky to safety.

“Incoming. I have a multi-passenger van approaching the property from the east.” The team remained still until they were given enough intel to make the decision on whether to proceed with the extraction or if they needed to change their course of action. “Contact is slowing down as it approaches the compound and has now stopped outside of the entrance gate a half click out from the property.”

Neal could hear Becky’s ragged breathing and feel the pressure of her hand encouraging him to move. The young girl couldn’t hear what was taking place and had to be wondering why everyone had stopped their movement. He could just imagine how frightened she was. He whispered over his shoulder that she needed to trust them to get her out of here, but they also needed her to remain quiet. He felt a slight pat on his back, signaling that she understood.

In those few moments Daegan had rattled off the plate number of the vehicle that Starr had identified as a threat. It wasn’t long before she announced the name of the owner—Sally Jenkins. It was seconds after her announcement that Daegan came across their earpieces with information that had Neal’s heart stopping in his chest and his blood rushing through his ears.

“Charlotte is inside the vehicle. I repeat—Charlotte is inside the vehicle with two Tango subjects.”

“Take the shots,” Neal ordered, doing his best not to raise his voice inside the small space. He could barely contain himself to stand still while knowing that Charlotte was within five hundred meters of his current location and very likely in serious trouble. She wouldn’t have left the store for any reason. “Now.”

“Negative,” Starr countered, her deadpan voice coming across the airwaves. “Complete the extraction.”

Neal bit off expletives as Gunny gave the gesture for them to exit. Trigger spun on his heel and slowly climbed the wooden stairs. Neal knew he was next, followed by Becky, and he damn well did his job regardless that he wanted to be the ones with eyes on Charlotte. Stick and Gunny brought up the rear. Diesel was in the same place they’d left him and it wasn’t until Trigger gave the shepherd a hand signal that he then fell in line by his side. The male subject that was still out cold on the floor would be recovered after Rebecca Garson was safe and the proper authorities brought in to make the appropriate arrests. It would be a hell of a night for these cult members, but Neal didn’t know if he would be here to witness it. In all likelihood Sally Jenkins and another Tango had Charlotte in their clutches. They wouldn’t for long.

It took less than five minutes to make it off the grounds of the compound, multiple things occurring within that time. Starr had alerted the feds since it was their warrant that had given the team access to the property. She had included state authorities in on the prior warning order, but she’d intentionally excluded the local police for security reasons. Because everyone had been put on notice, the agents and state police should be surrounding the compound at any moment. Unfortunately the vehicle in which Charlotte was contained in had suddenly driven off and Starr had made the call to allow it to happen. Neal felt rage consume him at her pronouncement and by the time he reached her location, far enough away from the compound that it wouldn’t interfere with the federal authorities, it hadn’t diminished any.

“Use your head,” Gunny engaged, coming to stand in front of him before Neal could descend onto Starr like the hounds of hell. They’d both pulled off their headsets and Becky was now with Starr, who had her arms wrapped around the young girl providing some comfort. She’d covered Becky with a blanket and led her to the back of the rental van they were using, where the girl would wait for her parents along with a federal agent who would take her to make her statement and have the hospital check her out. Couldn’t Starr see that they were wasting time? “Starr made the right call. Our mission was to rescue Rebecca Garson with no casualties. We did that.”

“Daegan could have taken those shots and you know it,” Neal said through gritted teeth, feeling the onset of terror at what Sally’s intentions were against Charlotte. There was a reason Sally had brought Charlotte here and Neal turned to face the property where already the feds and staties were rounding up the cult members. Had they already detained the Ashes? Had they ordered Charlotte’s abduction because they couldn’t get their hands on Mandy? “Don’t give me the bullshit that Starr will likely spew.”

“Starr didn’t know their intent and she damn well didn’t know if the man in the back of the vehicle had a weapon aimed at Charlotte’s head.” Gunny’s large frame stood before Neal, cutting his vision of the compound. Neal breathed deeply through his nose, his adrenaline still coursing through his veins. “I get where you’re coming from. I do. This is personal and I’m sure as hell not one to talk considering the next mission we take will be for my personal benefit. We’ll regroup and consider our options—and by that, I mean we’ll get her back.”