Alpha Threat (49 page)

Hugo smiled even wider.
 
“I guess I’m like an ol’ huntin’ dawg.
 
If I’m not out front, I don’t want to go.”

Lee and Nell joined the group on the front porch.
 

“You guys ready?” asked Nell, taking Dane’s empty cup from his hand.
 

“Yeah, we will be leaving within a few minutes,” answered Dane.
 
His thoughts were of Dana and Randall.
 
Here he was on this quiet morning ready to launch an assault on a military-like fortress deep in the Amazon where his baby sister and her husband were being held.
 
Damn.
 
What happened in the last few weeks to bring us to this, he thought.
 

At the same time Dane was worried.
 
He was worried his skills were not good enough to bring out his sister alive.
 
Sure, he and Hugo were well trained once, but he inwardly wondered if they had lost their edge.
 
Not only that, but they were going into this with Ben, who was even more out of tune, and Tim, who seemed to be ready and willing but unproven in Dane’s eyes.
 
He hoped and prayed the four of them and several of Tecal’s men could pull this off.
 
He hoped they still held the element of surprise although he doubted it.
 

When they absconded with the two captives they probably caused enough of an issue at the Fortress to sharpen the Nazis’ resolve.
 
Even though they learned a great deal from them, they still didn’t understand the actual size of the force they were up against.
 
This could be a bloodbath or a trap.
 

His thoughts turned to his parents.
 
Far away in the state of Washington, they had no clue as to what was happening.
 
Dane purposely made sure they didn’t know.
 
It was several days since he’d talked to them.
 
He knew they were worried enough about Dana and Randall.
 
He didn’t want to add to that worry.
 

“A penny for your thoughts,” said Hugo quietly, smiling at Dane.
 

Dane smiled back and looked at his buddy Hugo and hoped he was not leading them all to doom.
 

“I’ve seen that worried look before, old man,” said Hugo, looking whimsically out across the river.
 
“We can do this.
 
We will do this.
 
We will go in, get Dana and Randall and get out, all according to plan.
 
This I know.”

Before Dane could answer, Tecal stepped up to the porch.
 
“We go now?”

Hugo jumped down to the ground.
 
“Yes, sir, Tecal, we go now.”

Dane realized this was Hugo’s way to take control of a worrisome moment.
 
Hugo’s MO was when in doubt, jump in.
 
What a great friend.
 

Ben turned to Lee and gave her a peck on the cheek.
 
“You hold down the fort, sweetheart.
 
Remember, you guys are our backup.
 
Monitor that radio 24/7.
 
You never know when we may need you.”

“Don’t worry about us,” said Lee.
 
“Between me, Nell and the doctor, we can man the guns here.
 
You all take care.
 
God bless you all.”

“Amen,” added Dr. Nance.
 
“I’m not normally a very religious man, but in this case I will be saying prayers for you all.
 
God go with you all.”

“Thanks, Doctor,” said Dane.
 
“We may very well need your prayers before this is over.”

The men gathered around the supplies that Tecal and his men organized.
 
Each hefted their burdens and grabbed their guns.
 
They all set their individual comm sets and adjusted the tiny boom microphones and earpieces.
 

A quick burst of static on the comm channel had everyone adjusting their volumes.
 

“Test, test, test.
 
Do you read?” asked Dane.
 
Everyone waved a hand in acknowledgement.
 

“That’s a rog.
 
Reading you 5 by 5,” answered Hugo.
 

After a minute or two of tests and adjustments, all was ready.
 

“Okay, guys,” began Dane, “use your comm units sparingly and always on the private channel.
 
We do not want these guys to tap into our communications.
  
Also I want strict noise discipline.
 
No talking unless it is absolutely necessary.
 
And when you do talk, make it short and to the point.”
 

Hugo, Tecal and two of his men started out across the road and down the trail.
 
As they disappeared into the jungle, the three Americans crossed the road followed by three natives.
 
Within a minute they too were swallowed up by the jungle.
 
Lee, Nell and the doctor stood in front of the hut hoping this was not the last time they would see these brave men.
 
Quiet tears welled up in Lee’s eyes.
 
She knew this was dangerous, damn dangerous.
 

After four hours of trekking through the jungle, Hugo stopped the group for a quick rest and a radio check with base.
 
Dane wanted to make the reports to base camp very quick; no more than twenty seconds long.
 
This prevented the Nazis from determining their location if they did pick up their transmissions.
 
This operation was to be run as if they were at war.
 

They rested for five minutes and were away again.
 
Hugo knew the trail almost as well as the natives since this was a return trip.
 
They continued for eight more hours through the hot, unforgiving jungle.
 
There was no contact and Hugo didn’t see any signs of the Nazis.
 
All was well.
 

They continued long into the night.
 
Dane and Hugo’s plan was to camp well outside the Fortress’ perimeter area.
 
Dane figured the Nazis would be ready for them; but where?
 
That was the ten million dollar question, the answer to which they all wanted to know.
 

The group continued their journey.
 
Another full day passed as they made steady progress toward the complex.
 
Always vigilant, Hugo lead the group deeper and deeper into the jungle.
 
With all of their experience, each man watched continuously for signs and sounds of clues to the Nazis’ presence.
 

The next morning the group was on its way by dawn traveling swiftly through the early mists of the jungle.
 
They stopped briefly to check in with base camp.
 
Dane decided this was the last check-in until the mission was complete.
 
He did not want to risk being detected.
 

Hugo was now in full point man mode.
 
Both Dane and Hugo felt confident the Nazis were expecting them.
 
The Nazis would expand their perimeter far beyond their normal patrol areas. It was very late in the day and they were getting close to the Fortress’ location.
 

Hugo stopped the group and everyone circled around Dane.
 

“Okay.
 
We are close.
 
If I were them I would expand my perimeter.
 
That includes where we are now.
 
According to my calculations, we are about four and half to five hours from the area we first encountered these guys.
 
So this is where we split up,” whispered Dane.
 

All eyes were now on Dane.
 
The sounds of the jungle resonated in their ears.
 
Even then each man listened for any noise that might not be akin to the jungle, a noise that might reveal unwanted visitors in the jungle about them.
 
They made their final checks and broke into two groups.
 
Ben and Tim moved ahead directly toward the entrance that Hugo and Dane used before.
 
The danger would be most intense in that area given they thought the Nazis expected them.
 
Dane and Hugo, on the other hand, planned to move toward the helicopter landing area where they watched the black helicopter take off during their first visit.
 
Ben’s job was to create a ruse that they were the main thrust of the action.
 
With that distraction, Dane and Hugo hoped to find a way to slip into the complex through the heliport without being detected.
 

As the two groups split up, each was acutely aware of their roles in the grand plan to rescue Dana and Randall.
 
Everyone wanted to do their best, do their job and be a success.
 
The sun rose higher in the sky burning off some of the early morning mist.
 
All assumed danger lurked everywhere.
 
With their senses as sharp as a razor’s edge, the two groups proceeded to their goals.
 

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Fortress Alpha;
 
9:00 a.m.

It was several days since the security breaches.
 
Maas ordered increased surveillance and his men were on high alert.
 
He wanted to make damned certain the incursions would not happen again.
 
The jungle patrols were increased and extended further than normal.
 
Maas expected the Americans to return.
 
But there were no sightings since the two captives were taken.
 
He reviewed the nightly reports from the check points.
 
No mention of any unusual activity although one patrol reported several natives of the area on an apparent hunting trip on the far northeastern perimeter of the complex far from the exterior hatch compromised earlier.
 

Maas needed more information.
 
Exactly who were the Americans?
 
Why were they here?
 
Were they looking for the American man and woman they had captured over a week ago?
 
Damn, he thought to himself.
 
If he only knew these answers they could better prepare for any more clandestine intrusions.
  
There was only one way he knew to get the answers he needed, the old-fashioned way.
     

Maas picked up the telephone on his desk.
  
“Have the Americans taken back down to a holding cell below and wait for me there,” he told his guard on the line.
 
“Place them both in one cell and do not harm them in any way.
 
Do you understand?”
 
Maas received the acknowledgement from his guard and placed the phone back in its cradle.
 
He would put a stop to this game right now.
 
After all, the life of the Fortress was at stake.
 
And the Führer made it clear his life was at stake as well.
 

Maas stood and left his office for the conference room just down the hall.
 
Damn weekly meetings, he huffed to himself.
 
Maybe this one would be short.
 

Maas arrived with the other heads of the various departments in the Fortress.
 
The Führer, as always, was late.
 
It was one of her ways to show how important she was.
 
Nothing could begin without her.
 
Women… Maas loathed women.
 

Within minutes the Führer entered flanked by her personal bodyguards and her secretary.
 
Everyone in the room rose and saluted her arrival.
 

“Be seated, please,” she said without any emotion.
 
Everyone sat together as one.
 
She looked over at her secretary and nodded an order to proceed.
 

“Report on security,” the secretary ordered.
 

Maas stood and relayed the information regarding increased surveillance and the continuation of a high alert status for the complex.
 
He reviewed the highlights of the various reports for the week.
 
He made no mention of the two captive Americans or the kidnapping of the cook and technician.
 
The Führer looked at him with stern eyes and reluctantly nodded her acceptance without comment.
 
She was infuriated he did not tell the group the entire story, but decided to deal with him later.
 
Maas sat down relieved that the Führer did not take the opportunity to grill him further about the breaches and the missing personnel.
 
He breathed a sigh of relief.
 
But when he glanced over to the Führer, her eyes were still on him.
 
She was not happy.