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Reality no longer existed. Pitt felt as if he were fighting a war. A grenade went off, a crushing explosion that deafened him by its closeness. A body fell on top of him, and he was caught off balance and thrown backward.
His head struck against a steel pipe and an expanding ball of fire flashed inside his head. And then, like a wave breaking in the surf, the nightmare swept over and smothered him.
The Special Operations Forces landed and regrouped behind the ore tracks that shielded their approach from the mine buildings. They quickly spread out in a loose battle formation and waited for the command to move in. The snipers established their positions around the mine, lying flat and watching for movement through their scopes.
Hollis, with Dillenger at his side, crawled up to the summit of the tracks and cautiously peered over. The scene had the look of a graveyard.
The ghost mine was an eerie stage for a battle, but the cold rain and barren mountainside seemed an appropriate backdrop for a killing ground.
The dull gray sky fell and gave the decaying buildings the look of a place that didn't belong to any world.
The firing had stopped. Two of the outer buildings were blazing fiercely, the smoke rolling into the low overcast. Hollis counted at least seven bodies littering the road on one side of the crushing mill.
"I hate to sound mundane," said Hollis, "but I don't like the look of it."
"No sign of life," agreed Dillenger, peering through a pair of small but powerful binoculars.
Hollis carefully studied the buildings for another five seconds and then spoke into his transmitter. "All right, let's mind our step and move in-"
"One moment, Colonel," a voice broke in.
"Hold the order," snapped Hollis.
"Sergeant Baker, sir, on the right flank. I have a group of five people approaching up the railroad track."
"They armed?"
"No, sir. They have their hands in the air."
"Very good. You and your men round them up. Watch for a trap. Major Dillenger and I are on our way."
Hollis and Dillenger snaked around the mine takings until they found the railroad and began jogging along it toward the fjord. After about seventy meters, several human figures took form through the pouring rain.
Sergeant Baker came forward to report.
"We have the hostages and one terrorist, Colonel."
"You've rescued the hostages?" Hollis exclaimed loudly. "All four of them?"
"Yes, sir," replied Baker. "They're pretty well worn out, but otherwise they're in good shape."
"Nice work, Sergeant," said Hollis, pumping Baker's hand in undisguised exuberance.
Both officers had memorized the faces of the two presidents and the United Nations SecretaryGeneral during the flight from Virginia. They were already familiar with Senator Pitts appearance from the news media.
They hurried forward and were enveloped in a great surge of relief as they recognized all four of the missing VIPS.
Much of their relief turned to surprise when they saw the terrorist prisoner was none other than Rudi Gunn.
Senator Pitt stepped forward and shook Hollis's hand as Gunn made the introductions. "Are we ever glad to see you, Colonel," said the Senator, beaming.
"Sorry we're late," mumbled Hollis, still not sure what to make of it all.
Hala embraced him, as did Hasan and De Lorenzo. Then it was Dillenger's Turn, and he went red as a tomato.
"Mind telling me what's going on?" Hollis asked Gunn.
Gunn took grim delight in rubbing it in. "It seems you dropped us off at a very critical point, Colonel. We found almost twenty terrorists at the mine, along with a hidden chopper they planned to use in clearing off the island. You didn't see fit to include us in your communications, so Pitt tried to warn you by sending a runaway train down the mountain into the fjord." Dillenger nodded in understanding.
