Serve in the Shadows Recruitment, page 21
Tapping his pen on the notepad, he started thinking back over their discussion.
Turning to the other computer screen, Hubble punched in the information for Mirzaki, Afghanistan. Wikipedia had almost zero information on that area of the Paktia Province, but Google Earth provided the one piece of information he needed without searching databases that could raise a flag.
38° 14’ 05N, 70° 58’ 40E
Oh, my God…
Chapter 68
Camp Marmal has a large base hospital with over eighty staff members, and after being completed in 2007, it has served the forces and civilian members quite well. At times, the local Afghanistan populace has been treated there, should the situation and the capabilities permit.
Derek lay back in the hospital bed with his eyes closed, resting. The last two days had gone by quickly, and the doctors had sewed up his wounds. The round had passed through cleanly with no signs of infection.
Freshly shaven and showered, Derek felt much better, despite wearing a gown and being restricted to the hospital. With his arm in a sling and secured, he could walk around and do most things, but he knew he had to rest up and take it easy.
Once word got out that he was doing well, a series of visitors began to come and go throughout the day, from the base commander to members of his team providing their good wishes for a speedy recovery. They had heard about his wishes to retire from the Rangers, and although he had not told too many people about the CIA position, the rumor mill on base was second to none. Most seemed to know or hinted that they knew about where Derek was headed.
The MOP strike had been very successful and once the area cleared, the satellite images showed collapsed tunnels for a great distance. The total extent of the tunnel network was not known, but it was very likely that no one in that area had survived.
Derek tried to struggle out his mixed feelings for the prisoner and if letting him go was the right answer or not. After debating it a few times, he decided there was no right answer.
“I can almost smell the burnt toast in here. You must be thinking up a storm.”
Grant said, as he arrived and sat back in a guest chair by the window.
“Not much else to do until they release me.”
“Heal up, you are in good shape, and your shoulder should heal nice and quick.”
“Hope so as well. You never answered me properly a few days ago. You were gone for a few weeks…where did you go?”
“Sorry, Big D, I can’t really say,” Grant had a sympathetic look in his eyes, with a little half smile. Derek knew that look; he had seen it most of his life. He would get nothing else from Grant on this matter.
“I will be leaving in the morning. Hubble has a flight scheduled for me instead of military transport.”
“You will do good with the CIA, and you have me to show you the ropes!”
Laughing at this, Derek smiled. “We do make a good team.”
With a knock at the door, a nurse poked her head inside. “Mr. Lawson, I have a Samantha Noland to visit if you are up for it?”
“I am doing fine, and I will see her. Thank you.”
With a quick smile, she left, and a moment later, Noland walked in carrying a large olive-green duffle bag.
“Serge, here is all your personal stuff from your quarters. Everything else is packed up and sent to the base quartermaster to be shipped home.”
“Thanks, Noland. You can just put it over by the chair.”
“I will see you later on. Have a good trip home!” Grant waved goodbye and with a quick look at Samantha, gave Derek a wink before disappearing.
“Can I ask you a question, Serge?” Samantha dropped the duffel bag on the floor.
“Sure, no problem and have a seat.”
“I heard you’re quitting the Rangers and joining the CIA.”
Samantha was wearing civilian clothes, and her dark brown hair still hung damp from the shower. Derek could smell the soap she used. Trying not to be distracted by her good looks, Derek noticed she seemed a little upset and had trouble meeting his eyes.
“I am … What’s wrong?”
Taking a deep breath, Samantha finally looked up into his eyes. For the first time, Derek seemed to notice that they were the same shade of green as his own.
“Does this have anything to do with me screwing up?”
Frowning, Derek thought about it for a second, before realizing what she was talking about, “No! This has nothing to do with that, and you didn’t screw up.”
Moving to sit on the edge of the bed, Derek looked her right in the eyes, “What happened to you was unfortunate.” Tapping his left shoulder, he continued, “Same here. What happened during that operation and personal choices are the reason I am leaving the Rangers. That’s it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Very. So, don’t let this worry you. It is just a time for a change.”
Giving a little smile in relief, Samantha stood up. “Okay. When you are doing spooky spy stuff, can we stay in touch?”
“I will do my best.”
Being careful of his shoulder, Noland stood up and leaned in, catching Derek by surprise with a quick hug goodbye.
Between the Rangers, deployments, and constant training, Derek has not been in any relationships for many years. Knowing he would soon not be in her chain of command soon, Derek put his right arm around her and just enjoyed the embrace for what it was. Just saying goodbye.
“Thank you for everything, Serge.”
With these words, Samantha quickly walked out of the room.
With a willpower he didn’t know he had to use, Derek didn’t turn around to watch her leave, but continued to look out the window.
His life would be complicated enough without throwing a relationship into the mix.
Chapter 69
Getting dressed in the morning proved to be a little difficult without moving his left arm too much, but Derek managed. Wearing his faded blue jeans and a grey t-shirt and running shoes felt slightly odd and uncomfortable. Even on off hours on base or between assignments, Derek usually wore his boots and combat pants with an issued green undershirt.
The nurse brought in his meal and quickly checked his bandages while readjusted his sling.
“I heard your ride is on the way, but you have plenty of time for a proper breakfast.”
Handing over a small white paper bag, she opened it up showing Derek two pill bottles.
“This is antibiotics, two pills twice a day after food. This is for pain and it will help you sleep if you are having problems. Any further issues you can see a doctor state-side.”
“Thank you.” Derek tucked the paper bag into his duffle bag which lay on the chair beside the bed.
“No problem. Have a good flight home.”
After she left, Derek finished his breakfast just in time as a knock sounded at his door.
A tall man wearing a dark blue suit with no tie and thinning short white hair opened the door, “Hi there, I am looking for Derek Lawson?”
“You have found him.”
Opening his wallet, the tall man showed Derek his identification, “Dan Thompson, with the CIA. I am here to drive you and escort you back home.”
Standing up, Derek walked over and shook his hand. “Please to meet you, I am ready to go.”
A quick glance at the photo ID showed the same man, right down to the slight burn scar on his left cheek.
“Let me help you with that.” Walking over, he picked up the army green duffle bag, casually throwing it over his shoulder.
“I have a Gulfstream waiting at a private airfield, not too far from here. Anything you need to do before we head out?”
Ready to move on, Derek shook his head. “No, I am ready.”
Opening the door with his other hand, he gestured for Derek to lead the way. “Sounds good. Let’s get out of here.”
Walking out the front of the hospital, Derek found a tan and brown Humvee sitting in the first parking spot across the main entrance.
“Sorry, there are few options here for transport.”
With a little laugh, Derek agreed and climbed into the front passenger seat. Mr. Thompson threw the duffle bag into the back seat before starting it up.
“We have a private airstrip just west of here. About a thirty-minute drive.”
They quickly made it off base and headed on a fairly built up road. The sign said AH76 west.
“How long have you been with the CIA, Mr. Thompson?”
“Thirty years in, and you are my last assignment. Retiring very soon.”
“Congratulations on your retirement.”
“I hear yours is just starting. I hope you enjoy it.”
“Looking forward to it.”
Soon they passed the town of Mazari Sharif and headed north on the A62, passing a few farms and various built-up areas.
After a while, Mr. Thompson pointed to a rough road heading east off the main paved road, “I am just going to pull over here and call us in. They don’t like unexpected arrivals.”
“I would recommend staying on the road. There are too many unexploded ordinances around here.” Derek had lost many friends and soldiers in Afghanistan over the years due to improvised explosive devices (IED’s) and roadside bombs, so moving off of the main roads made him a little nervous.
“No problem, just drove this way a few hours ago. Everything should be still good.”
Turning right on the road, he drove for a minute then stopped the Humvee in the middle.
“That should be fine. Just give me a minute to call us in. Will be right back.”
Stepping out of the vehicle, Mr. Thompson walked to the front and pulled out a satellite phone and made his call.
Not quite understanding the CIA need for secrecy, Derek mentally shrugged and looked around.
The CIA officer stood about twenty feet away, talking into his phone. Derek could see his footsteps in the dirt leading away with no other tracks on the dirt road.
Immediately, Derek started getting a deep sinking feeling in his gut. Grant appeared in the driver’s seat and looked around in disbelief with eyes wide open.
“Jesus Christ! What the hell are you doing?”
Heart thudding from being scared shitless again, he asked, “What are you talking about? I am taking a flight home with the CIA.”
Pointing in front of the Humvee, Grant yelled, “That is the guy that killed me, Dan Woodhill!”
Oh oh… oh shit.
Hanging up the phone, Dan turned and started walking back to the vehicle.
“He is the one that shot me, and he is here for you.” Grant trailed off in a whisper, there was nothing he could do to help his little brother.
Chapter 70
The United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) is the overseeing body of the Intelligence Community within the United States. The committee will go through the budget set forth by the president and perform various legislation requirements for the intelligence branches.
SSCI is composed of fifteen seats, representing various political parties and positions, and they are currently working on a foreign entity which may have been involved in the last presidential elections.
All sources from various Intelligence agencies were pointing to foreign involvement, and the task that lay before them seemed daunting.
With all the media pressure and intense scrutiny from the White House, the Vice Chairman of the Intelligence Committee, the Republican Senator John West from Virginia liked to get away at least once a week for a quick eighteen holes of golf at River Bend golf club.
Over the years, he never became great at the sport, but it certainly helped him relax and get the much-needed fresh air and exercise.
His friends from high school regularly joined him in their weekly rounds of golf, and at sixty-five years of age, they showed no signs of slowing down.
Walking off the eighteenth hole, they shook hands and made their way up to the clubhouse to clean up and have a quick lunch before they went on with their days. After walking almost seven thousand yards, they usually enjoyed some refreshments and a break.
Their decade’s old tradition of the worst score having to buy lunch continued as John signed for the foursome. Again.
After cleaning up in the locker room and changing into his dress shirt and tie, the senator made his way outside to his pride and joy, a red 1964 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray convertible. Just having got the car back from the shop, John was very pleased with the upholstering job on the bucket seats.
Turning north on Walker Road, the senator opened up the engine a little, enjoying the warm weather and the light traffic while he turned up the radio.
Tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to the music, he began to sing along to an old Eagles song.
As soon as he turned west on Beach Mill Road, John noticed something unusual. A large white, four-rotor drone kept pace with him over his left shoulder, just above the tree line. With the area being mostly residential, the speed limit was low, and as his car approached the S-bend in the road ahead the speed limit dropped to 15 miles per hour.
Looking over his shoulder again, John couldn’t see the drone, as the trees and underbrush blocked his view. Feeling reassured that it is most likely kids with their new toy, John slowed down going into the curve of the road, enjoying the way the Sting Ray hugged the corner and handled the turn.
Jesus Christ!
Braking suddenly, the senator tried to steer around the drone as it flew toward him up the middle of the road, but he came up short as the drone exploded just before hitting the front of the Corvette.
With four pounds of C-4 explosives attached to the drone, his death was nearly instantaneous as parts of the car exploded into the trees on either side of the road, and a large secondary explosion from the gas tank sent flames and car parts burning into the brush up to two-hundred feet away.
Chapter 71
The older Humvee’s were not able to be locked from the inside, and the new models had combat locks installed, but with his left arm in a sling, Derek wouldn’t be able to get over and lock the doors in time.
Releasing himself from the seatbelt, Derek reached down by his right hip and pulled up on the door release and stepped outside.
Grant appeared at the front of the vehicle. “He is armed, Beretta 92 in a left shoulder holster.”
“Everything okay? We are cleared to go on in.” Dan stopped walking with the hood of the Humvee between them, and his eyes frowned.
“Just needed to stretch my legs and take care of some business. Too many coffees, if you know what I mean.”
“Gotcha! When you are ready, we will go.” Dan jumped back into the Humvee and started it up again.
Moving to the rear of the vehicle, Derek pretended to fumble and have difficulty relieving himself, but at the same time, he looked around at the landscape.
The nearest farmstead they passed was about three miles back, and nothing was visible to the north. The dirt track led east, and there was no sign of any tire tracks or footprints.
“Which way, Grant?” Derek whispered while continuing to look around.
“South-east looks the best, rugged terrain… he is looking at his phone again. Go!”
Trusting Grant, Derek turned and started sprinting away off the trail and into the brush, heading for the outcropping of rocks as fast as he could go. Each time his heels hit the ground, pain shot out of his wounded shoulder, radiating throughout his body.
Bringing up his right hand, he cradled and held the left arm tight against his body to try and prevent it from bouncing around.
Keeping pace beside him, Grant yelled, “Zig-zag, he is pissed and aiming his gun!”
Darting to the left for three paces, then to the right for four paces, Derek kept up the evasive maneuvers drill while giving it his all, as he heard a round go off and hit the dirt ten yards in front of him and off to the left.
With almost a right turn, Derek put on the speed and made his way to get the outcropping of rock between them.
The echo of another round sounded as Derek turned behind the rocks, and a ricochet sound reverberated as a bullet went off a large stone that was very close.
Derek could hear the door of the Humvee slam closed, and the engine roaring as he dropped it in gear.
On the other side of the rock outcropping, it dropped off three feet into a dry creek bed and started a meandering course westward.
With the morning sun at his front, Derek quickly ran along the rocky bottom of the little gully, making sure of his footing so he would not turn an ankle on the rocks.
The engine noise grew steadily louder.
Hearing a loud crashing sound, Derek glanced at the area behind him and saw the Humvee fifty yards away. It was very close to being on its side, as the passenger door scraped along the side of the creek bed, and the driver’s side tires were almost at the top of the slope.
With a screeching noise, the passenger mirror and mounting bracket ripped off on a large rock.
“Derek, up here.”
Grant stood on the south side of the dry creek bed, where it appeared to be steeper.
Gritting his teeth in pain, Derek reached up and while grabbing a scrub brush and pulled himself up the side.
Looking back at the Humvee, Derek could see Dan smiling in joy as he thought of his victory. Turning the wheel hard to the right, he tried to drive up the incline on the opposite side of the creek bed.
The loose dirt and rocks caused the passenger side wheels to rip up the ground and the tires to snap to the right. The Humvee almost made it, but it fell crashing onto its right side at the bottom of the creek bed, with cracking glass and the hard top crunched against the far side against the rocks. The engine shut down, and Derek could hear muffled cursing from within.
Reaching down, Derek grabbed a hardball sized rock and waited.
Knowing that those doors weighed a lot, Derek could tell Dan wouldn’t be climbing out the passenger side. Seconds later, two shots were fired from inside the Humvee shattering the driver’s front window. The lamination on the windows prevented the bullets from going through, but the spider web cracks throughout weakened it enough that a healed kick from Woodhill caused the window to pop out of the steel frame, enough for him to crawl out.
