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“Skipper, Jewell found something.”
“Put Cobra One on this, too,” Ronan said.
“Copy. Cobra One, you’re online with Skipper.”
“Got yah. Go ahead.”
“Jewell found the money.”
“Miller?”
“Not only Miller. He had help. Mathias Gentry.”
Ronan swore, “What? Explain that.”
“Miller and Gentry were connected back in the States. They owned a construction company together. They sold it and made a killing, but the people they sold it to have open charges against them for massive fraud. And guess what? They tookjobs overseas but aren’t employed by an NGO any longer. They’re there without permission, working as if they still had the jobs done away with when the NGO they were working for stopped operations in the country. None of the other NGOs knew Dupre and Gentry weren’t employed and just kept doing what they’d been doing. So, basically, they’re invisible.”
“What about their families?” Deacon asked.
“Neither of them has any immediate families.”
“Fuck. Mathias said he had daughters. How much money have these fuckers earned by selling these people and information on the convoys?”
“Millions, and get this, Tink and I worked with Con last night tracking this shit down. The camp hasn’t been closed by anyone. They’ve arranged to purchase the land the camp is on via a shell company. They’re buying it for the mineral rights under the valley.”
“The host country is allowing them to buy land?” Deacon sounded as confused as he was.
“Nope. They formed a foreign-registered company. The person buying the land is a local national named Habib Hamza. Dupre and Gentry own the company, and Habib is their agent of record.”
“Habib?” He turned to look at Wraith. The man frowned at him and mouthed,What? Ronan held up a finger. “The local militia rep is called Habib.”
“Fuck.” He could hear Dude’s fingers flying across the keyboard. “How did I miss that?”
“I don’t think I ever told you. There was no need.” Ronan swore. To Wraith, he said, “Floor this bitch.”
The trucks took their cue from Wraith and flew down the deserted highway. Deacon asked, “Can you get eyes on the camp?”
“No, sir.” He could hear the pain in Dude’s voice. “Not for another two hours.”
“Call them,” Ronan said. “Al is working the comm center. I need to make sure Fleur and Shelly know what the hell is going on. Al can get them out of there and keep them safe until we return.”
“Initiating sat phone call, I’ll put him on the line with you, Skipper.”
Ronan waited for what seemed like hours before he heard Al’s voice. “Al, this is Ronan. It’s Miller and Mathias. They’ve been confirmed as the agents inside the fence. Get Fleur and Shelly and get them out of the camp. I’ll meet you where we met before.”
“I copy.” The line disconnected.
“Skipper, incoming!” Wolf’s voice cracked over the comms. “Shots fired from our six.”
Ronan tapped his comm device and yelled, “All drivers, we have incoming!” They knew what to do, and those massive trucks slammed on their brakes at the same time. When he could, Jug pulled his truck sideways in the road. Wolf and Stryker shot around them and turned. Wolf lifted to the affixed machine gun and strapped himself in. Stryker hit the gas as Ronan strapped himself into the brace attached to the machine gun on his Jeep. Wraith floored it as he drew the charging handle back. The drivers of the trucks deployed, and Jug dropped the canvas on the truck, concealing the fifty-cal.
“On your right. East side.” Deacon’s voice snapped Ronan’s attention to the east. Five vehicles flew up at a breakneck speed.
“We’ve got east,” Ronan said as Wraith veered off the paved road.
“We’ve got south,” Stryker said. The sound of the M-240 mounted on the other Jeep barely made it to his ears as they raced toward the vehicles. A rocket flew past them and exploded into one of the vehicles.
“Take that, fuckers.” Deacon’s words hit him right before another missile flew past. It exploded between two of the trucks, making both swerve. One rolled, and the other driver managed to savethe vehicle. Ronan hit the trigger and started spraying the vehicles with armor-piercing bullets. The faction returned fire, and another missile exploded. Ronan spun and shot at three men who were firing at them. The sound of bullets hitting the Jeep registered, but Wraith kept the vehicle going. Ronan spun and sprayed bullets as they barreled past the vehicles.