SEAL Team Bravo: Black Ops IV (28 page)

Boswell smiled. “That’s great news, Sir.” He looked at Nolan. “Are you okay, Chief? I thought you were supposed to stay in that hospital overnight?”

“And let you guys have all the fun? No way, Lieutenant. Captain Noguchi and I are going into the town to locate Danial’s son. He’ll be able to lead us through those tunnels to the target. When we have him, we’ll meet up with you at the LZ and guide you in.” He looked at Jacks. “Admiral, we should be making a start for J-Bad. We have a lot to organize there, and we need that truck, pronto.”

“Sure. Randall, would you go with them and fix everything up? They’ll need transportation and so on, and someone the other end to take care of things.”

“Sure, I’ll do that. In fact, how about we move our operational control to J-Bad, so we’ll be on the spot?”

“Sounds good to me. You go ahead and fix it up. I’ll make arrangements for the infil. They can leave direct from here in a C-17. They can’t fly out of J-Bad, so I’ll see them off and join you after I’ve fixed up the helo and escort for the return. Yeah, it’ll have to be Chinook with that number of people. I’ll detail one from here and travel over to Jalalabad when Bravo has left. I’ll meet you on the ground tomorrow about midday, and we can go over the final plans. Anything I’ve forgotten?”

Weathers shook his head. “I think that covers it.” He nodded at Nolan and Mariko. “I’ll get that truck arranged before we leave for J-Bad. We need to make certain we sync your infil and the HAHO drop so you link up okay. This is important. When you locate the target, we can assume the mission is close to completion. I want you to call it in, and we’ll get our people on standby.” He thought for a few moments. “No, call it in as soon as you begin the assault on the compound. We’ll be ready for you, whatever you need.”

Nolan grinned at Boswell. “We’ll meet you at the LZ, Lieutenant. Take it easy, and don’t be late.”

“You too, Chief. Try not to get lost.”

They shook hands and left. Weathers barked orders at his Marine aide, who arranged for an available Black Hawk to carry them across to Jalalabad. The operation took on the characteristics of a whirlwind. Everything happened so fast once the brass had made up their minds to go. They stood by as Weathers picked up the phone and made the arrangements for them to be received at J-bad. He left the office to hustle his people into finalizing the arrangements, and the Black Hawk was soon spooling up to transport them to their destination. They boarded the helo, and an hour later, they were eating lunch in JSOC’s compound at J-bad. The Joint Special Operations Command
had its own chow hall, gym, operations center, and a number of wooden huts, one of which had been allocated to them. Mariko glanced across the table at Nolan. Her eyes were troubled.

“Do you think we can pull this off, Chief?”

He took his time answering. “Exactly what are you worried about, Mariko?”

Her face was pale. “It’s just that getting in there is one thing, but we have to locate the utilities company, find the person in charge of records, and persuade him to give us Danial Masih’s address. He may not be there; he could be on vacation, off work with the flu, not even work there, who knows? And all the while, we’ll be in a hostile town with a strong police presence. They’ll be checking out everything. I could even wind up incarcerated in a Pakistani prison, and for a woman that’s not good.”

He tried to reassure her. “It’s normal to get last minute worries, especially on an operation like this. Don’t worry about it. We’ll find the place, go in there, and I’ll persuade them to tell us what we need to know. That’s all there is to it. And there’s one other thing.”

She looked up. “What’s that?”

“You’ll have me to take care of you. I won’t let any harm come to you, trust me.”

“You mean that?” Her eyes met his. “You really mean it?”

She was holding in her fear, and right then, he appreciated the courage of this woman for even thinking about going disguised into the cauldron of Abbottabad.

“I do, Mariko. Any girl that’s with me, well,” he shrugged. “No one gets in the way. You hear, no one. Period.” He relaxed, and smiled. “Besides, when we went in for that recon you did real well. You’ve nothing to worry about, you’re a pro.”

She regarded him for a few moments. “Since that time, I’ve had a dream, a nightmare really, that they’ll catch me disguised in a burqa and torture me as a spy. They’re not kind to women, the Muslims.”

“No, they’re not, but as long as you’re with me, you’ll be fine.”

She nodded. “Yes, I think I will be. Thank you, Kyle.”

They finished their food. He wanted to check out the progress of acquiring the jingle truck, but she suggested they go look out their disguises first. He nodded.

“Sure, if you want. I’ll need some extra stuff, a false beard, and something to darken my skin. I can pick up some sunglasses from the store later, but the skin coloring is essential, even if I’m to pass at a distance. Remember, it’ll be daylight.”

“First off, we need to check to see that the ethnic clothes look right. I don’t want you going over there wearing something several sizes too small. Or even an outfit that’s entirely wrong for the region.”

They walked over to the wooden hut they’d been allocated at J-Bad. Inside it was pretty basic, just a couple of beds, two chairs, and a rickety closet. The place smelled of damp and mildew, the smell of Asia. She stared at him.

“Take off your clothes, Kyle. I need to see how that costume can be made to fit better.” Her voice was throaty.

He stared back at her. The previous time he’d changed in his own quarters.

“Are you sure about this?”

She stared back, and when she spoke, her voice almost cracked. “I’m sure.”

There was a world of meaning in those two words. He abruptly realized how slow he’d been. So preoccupied with the mission and with calming her fears, that he hadn’t understood the signals she’d been sending him. It was by no means unusual for troops going into danger to want to feel the warmth and intimacy of sexual contact.
 
He’d felt that way himself in the early days. It was clear she felt it too. He finished undressing, removing his pants to strip down to his underwear. She’d pulled out the blue burqa and was stripping off her clothes too, but not to put on her disguise, not yet. He watched her strip off until she only wore her bra and panties. She stared at him.

“Kyle, please. Come to me, I need you.”

He went to her and pushed her down on the bed. She wriggled out of her underwear so that she was naked, and she helped him out of his shorts and took hold of his engorged penis. He looked at her face and saw she was smiling.

“My word, Chief Petty Officer Nolan, show that to the enemy, and they’ll be terrified. It’s a large caliber weapon.”

He chuckled. “I appreciate the thought, Captain Walker, but I’ll be showing them something a bit more useful than this, like my Sig.”

“It’s useful enough for me, don’t worry. Fuck me, Kyle. Oh, God, I need this. I need you.”

“Anything to oblige a lady.”

She guided him. She was already soaking wet with arousal, and he slid inside. She quivered in ecstasy, catching her breath in a gulp as she felt the full hardness of him slide right up inside her. Then they fucked, a long, slow sensual joining that for a brief while took her mind off the terrors that had assaulted her. And for him, it was a chance to be a man, a man with a beautiful girl, maybe for the last time. Despite his words, neither of them had too many illusions. If they were caught by the Pakistanis, and wearing disguise, the end would be long and painful. As Mariko had said, Muslims were cruel to women, and to spies.

Afterward, she dressed quietly.

“Do you want me to put on my ethnic gear, see how it looks?” he asked her.

She smiled. “Sure, if you want. I’m sorry…”

“Hey, don’t apologize. That was fantastic, and Mariko…”

“Yes?”

“You’re fantastic. I’m a lucky guy.”

He kissed her and felt her tongue sliding inside his mouth. He responded, and felt the familiar feeling returning to his loins. He broke away.

“I think we’d better get the show on the road before we get too carried away again.”

She looked at him, but before she could reply, there was a knock on the door.

“You’d better find somewhere to stand out of sight, and I’ll see who it is.”

He grinned and stood behind the door. Mariko opened it, to see a Marine corporal stood there.

“Ma’am, message from Colonel Weathers. I’m to take you across to the operations room for a briefing.”

“Right now?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Give us a few minutes, Corporal. We’ll be right out.”

There was a short silence as he digested the meaning of ‘we’. Then he cleared his throat. “Er, yes, Ma’am.”

The door closed, and she grinned at him. “Better get your gear on. We’re needed. Now the whole base will know what we’re up to.”

He shook his head. “Only JSOC, I’d imagine. What comes in here, stays in here.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Weathers had taken someone’s office to use as a temporary operations room at J-Bad. First off, he went over the infil and exfil once more, using huge maps he’d pinned to the wall. Then he got down to specifics.

“A couple of CIA operatives here in Jalalabad have bought the jingle truck. It’s stored in a downtown warehouse. The word is it’s as new and reliable as they could get without arousing suspicion. I want you to get over to the warehouse after dark. You can get some rest inside and leave town before first light, so no one sees you leave. They’ve arranged for the extras you wanted, the secret compartments and the weapons, and we transferred your Mk 11 rifle over there so they could make everything fit. They’ll be waiting for you when you get there, and they’ll have everything you need, the money, and the satphone. They’ll give you a verbal briefing on the route, as well as anything you’ll need to be looking for when you go over. Whatever you do, stay out of trouble. Just get to the town, find the son, bring in Bravo Platoon, and go take out Riyad.”

“What can we offer this guy, Sir? I mean if he’s not that enthusiastic about helping us?”

“Anything! This is too important to fail. Anything at all.”

“Like a new life in America?”

Weathers sighed. “Why the hell do these people fight us, when all most of them want is to come to America and share our lifestyle, the benefits of a free, Christian society?” Neither of them answered. There was no answer. “Okay, yeah, whatever. If he wants it, he can have a Green Card and a few dollars to settle him when he gets there. Anything else?”

“Rules of engagement, Colonel.”

He nodded and smiled. “Yeah, that’s the real question. I take it you’re referring to the Paki cops, military, and so on.”

“That’s right.”

“We don’t have a choice. If anyone gets in the way of this mission, you take them out. I don’t care if it’s the fucking Pakistani national cricket team, no one, but no one gets in the way. If they do, it’s too bad. They go down. Is that clear enough for you?”

They both nodded.

“Good. It’s not long to dark, so go back to your room and get some rest. I’ll have an Afghan civilian vehicle pick you up in a couple of hours and take you to the truck. One of the CIA people in the warehouse is an escape and evasion specialist. He’ll have all the stuff you need to be convincing when you go across.” He came toward Mariko and Nolan. “Good luck to both of you. I’ll be here, controlling the operation at first hand, and Admiral Jacks will be joining me. I’m expecting him at first light tomorrow.”

He shook their hands, and they left to walk through the JSOC compound to their quarters. Neither made any comment on the fact that Weathers obviously knew about their temporary bunking arrangements. But it was as Mariko had said; there were few secrets in a place such as this. They lay on the bunk, fully dressed, and he held her until their transport arrived, occasionally whispering words of encouragement into her ear. When the knock came on the door, she held on to him briefly, and then let him go. He stared at her inky-black eyes, shining in the gloom like two black gemstones.

“Are you gonna be okay?”

She nodded.
 
“Just don’t wander too far away. Stay with me, Nolan.”

“I’ll be there.”

They climbed into the enclosed truck and suffered a bumpy journey into downtown Jalalabad.