Page 23
Story: Handling Haven
Not waiting to see if it was the guy she was looking for, Frisco forwarded the info to his teammates. “Operation Cliffhanger. Corridor 8, heading for Loading Dock C. Repeat. Corridor 8, Loading Dock C. White, commercial van. Two possible tangos in the front seat. Unknown if anyone is in the back.”
Ghost and several other Deltas confirmed they copied the transmission. The mission leader rattled off assignments designed to block in the suspects before they could escape with their hostage.
“That’s him! Frisco, look! That’s him!” Haven was pointing at the passenger who had a scar on his left cheek. “He’s a lot thinner than I remember, but it’s definitely him.”
“I’ll be damned,” he muttered before speaking into his microphone. “Operation Cliffhanger, proceed with caution. Tango in passenger seat confirmed. Repeat. Tango confirmed.”
Haven widened the view of the camera lens just as the double doors to the mall flew open. A terrified-looking Reardon was shoved forward by a third suspect, the guy with the knapsack from the food court. Frisco alerted the team as the scarredterrorist climbed out of the passenger seat and approached his comrade and their captive, a little slower than expected. “Ginger on Loading Dock C with third tango. Don’t lose him, boys!”
He hadn’t needed to issue the directive, knowing his team wouldn’t let him down. Before the suspects had any idea what was happening, two dark SUVs raced in from opposite directions and skidded to a stop at the far end of the loading dock’s alleyway, blocking the van’s escape route. Trigger, Lefty, Oz, and Grover climbed out and aimed their weapons at the suspects’ vehicle. Blade, Beatle, and Truck, came running out from a main, public exit, and used the corner of the building at the entrance to the alleyway as cover. Carter, Jordyn, and another Delta did the same on the opposite side. Meanwhile, Ghost, Fletch, Coach, and Hollywood moved into position, just inside the double doors of the mall, preventing anyone from reentering. Up on the roof, several more operatives aimed their guns at the tangos below them. All avenues of escape had been effectively cut off in a matter of seconds.
Beside Haven, Frisco could practically feel the fear rolling off of her as she stared at her unarmed friend. The moment Scarface realized he was trapped, he grabbed Reardon around the neck andput the muzzle of his 9mm pistol to his head. He stood with his back against the outer brick wall of the building and began to shout in Arabic. The gist of it was he demanded they let him and his buddies go or he was going to kill his hostage. Frisco reached over and grasped Haven’s shaking hand in silent support. While he had the same sense of helplessness she had to be feeling, both of them had to trust their teams would bring the standoff to a swift end, with only the tangos ending up in body bags.
They were at a Mexican standoff—pun intended. The good guys just had to find a way to change the status quo in their favor. Scarface was still yelling his demands, but even he had to know this wasn’t going to end well for him and the other two suspects.
Suddenly, there was a burst of automatic gunfire as the driver aimed his weapon through the open window toward one of the SUVs blocking his escape. The attack was immediately countered by the operatives who had clear shots. The tango was riddled with bullets and when he was no longer a threat, the guns went silent again.
On the opposite side of the van, Scarface was still holding his hostage in front of him, banking on the fact his enemies wouldn’t shoot the redhead, as Ghost spoke in Arabic, trying to gethim to surrender. Most of the Deltas knew enough of the language to communicate if a translator wasn’t available. Meanwhile, the third suspect had realized he was a prime target, with nothing or no one to hide behind, and dropped to the ground, covering his head as if that would keep him from being killed.
From around the corner of the building, Carter spoke softly, “Someone give me the tango’s height, how far away he’s standing from the wall, and if I have a clear shot.”
Frisco’s eyebrows went up as he realized what the spy was planning on doing, even though he knew it was necessary. If they didn’t act fast, the cops would be there soon, adding to the chaos, and it would be impossible for them to differentiate between the good guys and bad guys.
Oz was in the best position to relay the information as he stood behind the open driver’s door of one of the SUVs. “Six foot one, not slouching, two-three inches max from the wall. Clean shot if you wait for my signal. Ghost, count to three and give him a distraction.”
The six-foot-four-inch Deimos spy stepped away from the brick wall he’d been leaning against and then turned to face it. Bringing his weapon up so it was seventy-three inches above the ground, hepatiently waited. About twenty feet into the alleyway Scarface was pissed and getting desperate. When Ghost insulted him by saying “Lick my ass, you shit,” in Arabic, the suspect swung his weapon away from Reardon’s head and aimed it toward the double doors his tormentor was hiding behind.
Immediately, Oz gave the go order. “Now!”
As Avery, Haven, Frisco, and the colonel held their breaths, staring at the screen, Carter took a wide step to the right into the mouth of the alley. As soon as the muzzle of his gun cleared the corner of the building, he fired. Scarface’s head snapped to the left as he was shot about an inch behind his right temple. A burst of blood, bone, and brains splattered everywhere as the bullet exited the other side of his skull. Reardon let out an involuntary scream, as the dead man’s arm fell away from his throat.
The operatives swarmed into the alleyway, as Ghost barked orders. Oz grabbed Reardon, who was frozen in shock, the left side of his face covered in Scarface’s blood, and practically threw him into the nearest SUV. Trigger, and Lefty jumped in, too, and within seconds they were hauling ass away from the scene. After confiscating his 9mm and frisking him for other weapons, Carter and Jordyn did the same thing with the third suspect, who wasstill lying face down on the ground, begging for his life. With Truck at the wheel, the American spies disappeared with their captive who would be interrogated as soon as they got him to a secure location. Back in California, where he’d been listening in and watching the live feeds, Gene McDaniel ordered his computer geeks to erase the last ten minutes of the recordings from the mall’s security cameras.
Through the comm units, Frisco heard the sirens announcing the approaching first responders. The pandemonium in the crowded parking lot, where people were still running for safety and trying to figure out what had happened, would, hopefully, give the operatives a few more minutes before the cops reached the loading dock. Some people undoubtedly heard the gunshots and would point them in the direction they came from. If the team was lucky, no one had been aware of what had been happening in the alleyway or close enough to use their cell phones to record a video during those few minutes. While Beatle took photographs of the two dead men, Blade worked quickly to scan their fingerprints into a small, portable device Jordyn had given him, as Haven explained to him over the comm unit how it worked.
Ghost and Fletch checked the interior of the vanfor the bomb, even though it was doubtful the suspects had brought it with them. Ghost confirmed that theory moments later. “No suitcase. Repeat. No suitcase. But there are a few more pipe bombs.”
“Copy that,” Frisco responded, before glancing over his shoulder at the colonel.
The older man muttered a curse, then said, “Have them sterilize the van for anything to do with the nuke, but leave the explosives for the Mexican authorities. Then start helping with the injured. It’s a good thing my men decided to have lunch in Nuevo Laredo after a training session over the border, and interrupted the bombers’ escape plan.”
Frisco passed on the orders and cover story to Ghost, as the colonel stepped over to where a secure phone sat atop the wooden desk on the other side of the room. The president and director of Homeland Security were waiting for an update from him.
Pushing her chair back, Avery stood as if the past few stressful hours happened every day. “While you all finish up in here, let me go check on my roast beef.” She glanced across the room, then back at Frisco, who was surprised to see a blush stain her cheeks. She cleared her throat and then said in a low voice, “Um ... if the colonel wants to ... um ... stay for dinner,there’s plenty.”
The corners of his mouth ticked upward as he nodded once. “I’ll let him know.”
As she hurried out of the room with Roxie on her heels, he turned his chair just enough to see his superior. His grin grew wider when the divorced, older man subtly checked out Avery’s shapely ass before she disappeared into the hallway. “I’ll be damned,” Frisco muttered.
“What?” Haven’s voice had him spinning his chair back around to look at her. Tapping away on her keyboard, she gave him a quick glance and repeated her question. “What?”
“Nothing,” he responded, shaking his head. “I’ll tell you later. In the meantime, let’s find that nuke so I can take you out on a real date that doesn’t involve shop talk. Deal?”
She smiled for the first time since she’d awakened from her nightmare. “Deal.”
CHAPTER 18
Three days later,Jordyn, Carter, and Kenny relaxed on Haven’s patio as she made sure everything they needed was on the outdoor dining table. Satisfied she hadn’t forgotten anything, she eyed Frisco tending the barbecue. “Do you need any help?”
Ghost and several other Deltas confirmed they copied the transmission. The mission leader rattled off assignments designed to block in the suspects before they could escape with their hostage.
“That’s him! Frisco, look! That’s him!” Haven was pointing at the passenger who had a scar on his left cheek. “He’s a lot thinner than I remember, but it’s definitely him.”
“I’ll be damned,” he muttered before speaking into his microphone. “Operation Cliffhanger, proceed with caution. Tango in passenger seat confirmed. Repeat. Tango confirmed.”
Haven widened the view of the camera lens just as the double doors to the mall flew open. A terrified-looking Reardon was shoved forward by a third suspect, the guy with the knapsack from the food court. Frisco alerted the team as the scarredterrorist climbed out of the passenger seat and approached his comrade and their captive, a little slower than expected. “Ginger on Loading Dock C with third tango. Don’t lose him, boys!”
He hadn’t needed to issue the directive, knowing his team wouldn’t let him down. Before the suspects had any idea what was happening, two dark SUVs raced in from opposite directions and skidded to a stop at the far end of the loading dock’s alleyway, blocking the van’s escape route. Trigger, Lefty, Oz, and Grover climbed out and aimed their weapons at the suspects’ vehicle. Blade, Beatle, and Truck, came running out from a main, public exit, and used the corner of the building at the entrance to the alleyway as cover. Carter, Jordyn, and another Delta did the same on the opposite side. Meanwhile, Ghost, Fletch, Coach, and Hollywood moved into position, just inside the double doors of the mall, preventing anyone from reentering. Up on the roof, several more operatives aimed their guns at the tangos below them. All avenues of escape had been effectively cut off in a matter of seconds.
Beside Haven, Frisco could practically feel the fear rolling off of her as she stared at her unarmed friend. The moment Scarface realized he was trapped, he grabbed Reardon around the neck andput the muzzle of his 9mm pistol to his head. He stood with his back against the outer brick wall of the building and began to shout in Arabic. The gist of it was he demanded they let him and his buddies go or he was going to kill his hostage. Frisco reached over and grasped Haven’s shaking hand in silent support. While he had the same sense of helplessness she had to be feeling, both of them had to trust their teams would bring the standoff to a swift end, with only the tangos ending up in body bags.
They were at a Mexican standoff—pun intended. The good guys just had to find a way to change the status quo in their favor. Scarface was still yelling his demands, but even he had to know this wasn’t going to end well for him and the other two suspects.
Suddenly, there was a burst of automatic gunfire as the driver aimed his weapon through the open window toward one of the SUVs blocking his escape. The attack was immediately countered by the operatives who had clear shots. The tango was riddled with bullets and when he was no longer a threat, the guns went silent again.
On the opposite side of the van, Scarface was still holding his hostage in front of him, banking on the fact his enemies wouldn’t shoot the redhead, as Ghost spoke in Arabic, trying to gethim to surrender. Most of the Deltas knew enough of the language to communicate if a translator wasn’t available. Meanwhile, the third suspect had realized he was a prime target, with nothing or no one to hide behind, and dropped to the ground, covering his head as if that would keep him from being killed.
From around the corner of the building, Carter spoke softly, “Someone give me the tango’s height, how far away he’s standing from the wall, and if I have a clear shot.”
Frisco’s eyebrows went up as he realized what the spy was planning on doing, even though he knew it was necessary. If they didn’t act fast, the cops would be there soon, adding to the chaos, and it would be impossible for them to differentiate between the good guys and bad guys.
Oz was in the best position to relay the information as he stood behind the open driver’s door of one of the SUVs. “Six foot one, not slouching, two-three inches max from the wall. Clean shot if you wait for my signal. Ghost, count to three and give him a distraction.”
The six-foot-four-inch Deimos spy stepped away from the brick wall he’d been leaning against and then turned to face it. Bringing his weapon up so it was seventy-three inches above the ground, hepatiently waited. About twenty feet into the alleyway Scarface was pissed and getting desperate. When Ghost insulted him by saying “Lick my ass, you shit,” in Arabic, the suspect swung his weapon away from Reardon’s head and aimed it toward the double doors his tormentor was hiding behind.
Immediately, Oz gave the go order. “Now!”
As Avery, Haven, Frisco, and the colonel held their breaths, staring at the screen, Carter took a wide step to the right into the mouth of the alley. As soon as the muzzle of his gun cleared the corner of the building, he fired. Scarface’s head snapped to the left as he was shot about an inch behind his right temple. A burst of blood, bone, and brains splattered everywhere as the bullet exited the other side of his skull. Reardon let out an involuntary scream, as the dead man’s arm fell away from his throat.
The operatives swarmed into the alleyway, as Ghost barked orders. Oz grabbed Reardon, who was frozen in shock, the left side of his face covered in Scarface’s blood, and practically threw him into the nearest SUV. Trigger, and Lefty jumped in, too, and within seconds they were hauling ass away from the scene. After confiscating his 9mm and frisking him for other weapons, Carter and Jordyn did the same thing with the third suspect, who wasstill lying face down on the ground, begging for his life. With Truck at the wheel, the American spies disappeared with their captive who would be interrogated as soon as they got him to a secure location. Back in California, where he’d been listening in and watching the live feeds, Gene McDaniel ordered his computer geeks to erase the last ten minutes of the recordings from the mall’s security cameras.
Through the comm units, Frisco heard the sirens announcing the approaching first responders. The pandemonium in the crowded parking lot, where people were still running for safety and trying to figure out what had happened, would, hopefully, give the operatives a few more minutes before the cops reached the loading dock. Some people undoubtedly heard the gunshots and would point them in the direction they came from. If the team was lucky, no one had been aware of what had been happening in the alleyway or close enough to use their cell phones to record a video during those few minutes. While Beatle took photographs of the two dead men, Blade worked quickly to scan their fingerprints into a small, portable device Jordyn had given him, as Haven explained to him over the comm unit how it worked.
Ghost and Fletch checked the interior of the vanfor the bomb, even though it was doubtful the suspects had brought it with them. Ghost confirmed that theory moments later. “No suitcase. Repeat. No suitcase. But there are a few more pipe bombs.”
“Copy that,” Frisco responded, before glancing over his shoulder at the colonel.
The older man muttered a curse, then said, “Have them sterilize the van for anything to do with the nuke, but leave the explosives for the Mexican authorities. Then start helping with the injured. It’s a good thing my men decided to have lunch in Nuevo Laredo after a training session over the border, and interrupted the bombers’ escape plan.”
Frisco passed on the orders and cover story to Ghost, as the colonel stepped over to where a secure phone sat atop the wooden desk on the other side of the room. The president and director of Homeland Security were waiting for an update from him.
Pushing her chair back, Avery stood as if the past few stressful hours happened every day. “While you all finish up in here, let me go check on my roast beef.” She glanced across the room, then back at Frisco, who was surprised to see a blush stain her cheeks. She cleared her throat and then said in a low voice, “Um ... if the colonel wants to ... um ... stay for dinner,there’s plenty.”
The corners of his mouth ticked upward as he nodded once. “I’ll let him know.”
As she hurried out of the room with Roxie on her heels, he turned his chair just enough to see his superior. His grin grew wider when the divorced, older man subtly checked out Avery’s shapely ass before she disappeared into the hallway. “I’ll be damned,” Frisco muttered.
“What?” Haven’s voice had him spinning his chair back around to look at her. Tapping away on her keyboard, she gave him a quick glance and repeated her question. “What?”
“Nothing,” he responded, shaking his head. “I’ll tell you later. In the meantime, let’s find that nuke so I can take you out on a real date that doesn’t involve shop talk. Deal?”
She smiled for the first time since she’d awakened from her nightmare. “Deal.”
CHAPTER 18
Three days later,Jordyn, Carter, and Kenny relaxed on Haven’s patio as she made sure everything they needed was on the outdoor dining table. Satisfied she hadn’t forgotten anything, she eyed Frisco tending the barbecue. “Do you need any help?”