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Iceman nodded as Preacher stood and walked over to the screen. “I would say that we should breach in three places. Here as well.” He pointed to a spot near the cabins. “If they have the hostages in one of these cabins, we’re going to be too far away to stop them from killing them or getting them to the chopper. If they get to the helo before we can destroy it, we’re screwed.” He studied it further. “I think overwatch here and here would be better placed to cover all three breaches. Break?”
“Yeah, I agree that’s a good plan for snipers. Me and you, Preach?”
“I’d rather have Preacher on the ground. GQ and Break, you’ll be overwatch,” Iceman said.
“Copy that,” GQ said.
Iceman studied the map and then zoomed in. “Looks like two guards on this cabin. Probably where they’re keeping the hostages.” He looked at Preacher. “You, Skull, and Boomer will breach here closest to the cabins. You’ll need the dog for sniffing out the hostages, and Boomer for blowing the door if necessary.” He set his hand on his hip. “Hazard, you’ll go in at the far south area and neutralize the guards, then join up with me and Kodiak to assault the main building.”
“Be advised,” Rose said, standing up, “we will have Shadowguard on site. They weren’t part of the main plan, but since they supplied us with the Savic intel, they are assisting.” She advanced the pictures and Volk and Karasu’s pictures popped up. “They are heading to the compound for advanced recon. We’re going to helo you in just after midnight and drop you about two mikes out.”
So, it was confirmed. Karasu hadn’t been on this op for sure, but he still didn’t know if she had been sanctioned by the CIA or had gone rogue. He guessed, at this point, the CIA didn’t care since she’d snagged the whereabouts of not only one wanted man, who was holding two Americans hostage, but two dangerous criminals. They already had the green light from the Prime Minister to take out Vak. They considered him a threat to Bosnia/Herzegovina as a whole. Vak’s predecessor, Darko Stjepanic’s and his criminal activity had corrupted the previous government and they wanted him, and his ilk eradicated.
Easier said than done. There was always another rat to scurry in to fill the void left by a crime boss. It was a never-ending cycle. They were ordered to rack out and wait for the mission time to go.
Right around twenty-three hundred, Iceman came into the rec room. “Let’s jock up and get moving,” Iceman ordered.
Preacher and the team, faces painted, were ready and waiting when the chopper landed at the Banja Luka airport. He couldn’t seem to stop thinking about both Karasu and Striker. Unfinished business with both of them. The chopper flew over the Vrbas River, the rapids visible from the low flying vehicle. It twisted and turned its way into the far-off distance, shining against the mountains, black masses in the dark landscape.
The town stretched out far as he could see, lights twinkling. The Kastel Fortress looked so medieval, centered in the heart of the town and on the left bank of the Vrbas River and on the other side by the Crkvena River. The stone structure and its towers were connected by two bridges. As a tactical guy, he could see how well laid out it was.
The chopper banked away from the city and dropped lower, the skilled pilot doing a nap-of-the-earth maneuver to keep their bird off any type of radar that might be used by the crime lord.
They raced along the ground at one hundred and fifty miles an hour. “One minute out,” Iceman said into the mic. Preacher braced himself for the set down. GQ and Breakneck were out first, taking a knee, ready to head to their overwatch positions. Preacher joined up with Skull, Bones, and Boomer. Iceman and Kodiak were close to each other, and Hazard was poised with them. They would circle around the compound, Hazard breaking off to neutralize any guards farthest from the lodge and cabins.
The chopper lifted and then raced away into the distance. They had an hour before it was back for extraction, and they had a two-mile hump ahead of them. As soon as the team was free of the rotors, they took off in formation at a jog.
After a couple of minutes, the mic came alive. “Fuck running,” Kodiak growled. The guys laughed.
“I bet you’d move that big ass of yours if there was a keg and barbeque at the end of this trek,” Hazard said.
Kodiak replied, “Damn straight. I’d beat all you tiny bastards there and be chowing down before you could catch your breath.”
“It’s all that muscle, man. You need to shrink down,” Skull said.
“That’s not what the ladies say,” Boomer said.
“Yeah, no guy wants to hear a damn thing about shrinkage, ah, unless you’re in cold water and that’s just biology,” GQ said.
Iceman held up his fist after they had been running for twelve or so minutes. They all stopped and crouched. Iceman said into his mic, “The compound is just in front of us. GQ and Break, get into position and let me know when you're set.”
Another few minutes passed, and Preacher heard GQ say, “In position, boss.”
Then shortly after that, Break’s voice sounded. “Ready.”
Iceman responded with, “Copy that.” He looked to their left and said, “Let’s go. You three stay here until we’re ready to all breach together.”
Preacher said, “Copy.” Hazard, Kodiak, and Ice rose and headed east of their position. He, Boomer, Skull, and Bones were tucked into some trees and turned, aiming to cover their backs as they got out of the range of Preacher’s NVGs.
Aware time was ticking down and the door to rescue their targets was narrowing by the second, Preacher waited for the word from their boss.
The order was soon in coming. “In position. Breach in three, two, one. Execute.”
Preacher moved forward with the two men and dog at his back. He slowed his approach. The dark outline of the buildings was blacker against the night sky. A pale, cool mist wove around the treetops, coalescing above the canopy. The yards were overgrown. When they reached the barbed wire, Boomer pulled out wire cutters and they were through in no time.
They crouched when GQ said, “Hold.” Then there was barely a sound as the guy who had materialized from the direction of the cabins dropped to the ground. “Clear.”
Preacher moved toward the cabin at a fast walk, scanning the area for guards. Hazard’s voice came over the radio. “Don’t these guys believe in mowing? It’s so overgrown out here, they can’t see me coming. Four down, Ice.”
