Freedom's Promise: Task Force 125 (4 page)

Will set his utensils on his dinner plate and took a drink of wine before continuing.  "We have a helicopter arriving to pick us up in two hours.  It'll take us directly to the island and drop us off.  The pilot is Leo, a Navy buddy of mine, so it should be comfortable transport, and he knows to keep it on the down low.  Once he drops us off, we'll have access to everything we'll need, including several modes of transportation, which Brian will handle.

Brian grinned.  “Excellent.”

“There is a fully equipped office for Chris and some of Jason's favorite things to keep him busy.”

Jason bobbed his head and replied in the tune of an old C&C Music Factory song.  “Things that make you go
boom
.”

Will flashed him a look that said “stop.”  “There will also be some literature for all of us to examine.  From there, we'll get in touch with our broker in
Saudi Arabia
."

Sarah understood what he meant to say, but didn’t for fear of nosy staff.  They'd have safe transport to a secure facility where they would have access to vehicles, arms, state-of-the-art satellite technology, and secure communication.  Their “broker” was Mark Davidson, the only Agency guy willing to help them rescue Vince.  Davidson had called Will out of the blue at Sarah’s new home in
Italy
to inform them Vince had been kidnapped. 

~~~

The team waited in the lounge on the roof of the Burj al Arab, drinking overpriced bottled water in blue designer bottles.  The porter waited outside on the helipad with their luggage on a brass rolling cart. 

The helicopter landed at exactly eleven p.m. according to the new Chopard watch Sarah'd bought from a shop in the lobby.  The chopper touched down without the slightest rocking on the big painted "H."  Will stood and straightened his silk suit jacket, closing the buttons he'd loosened when he sat.  He strolled onto the helipad just outside the lounge and up to the pilot's door, which opened as he reached it.  Sarah watched through the lounge window to see Will’s pilot friend, Leo, was a bear of a man, complete with a Grizzly Adams beard.  He wore blue jeans and a black T-shirt, a look that inspired dismay in the porter’s face.  Sarah chuckled.  She imagined nobody ever landed at the Burj al Arab wearing anything so casual.  Leo stepped out of the chopper and gave Will a half handshake, half man-hug.  They exchanged words and nods.

Will waved them outside as the pilot showed the porter where to stow their luggage.

Sarah took a moment to admire Brian, Chris and Jason all suited up, starched, and
lightly bearded
with fresh haircuts.  They really did look the part of wealthy investors. 

Wealthy investors who can kick ass.

Sarah checked her reflection in the glass.  She looked her part, too, from her Prada pumps to her midnight blue Versace dress accessorized with the twenty thousand dollar pearl necklace Vince had given her.

Sarah took the hand Will offered as she stepped up into the helicopter.  She nestled into one of the ultra plush, velour seats in the back.  Jason sat in the one next to her. 

Chris and Will sat in the middle row while Brian sat in the copilot seat.  After liftoff, Brian and Leo talked the whole flight to the island. 

Sarah couldn't make out what was said, but she gathered most of it was pilot talk and coordinate speak. 

They flew mostly low and over the Gulf.  It was somewhat disconcerting to be flying so close to the water at night but Sarah trusted Will's judgment in choosing the pilot.  Everything Will did was first class, and she had no reason to believe this was any different. 

She gazed out over the inky blackness, excited to finally know the rescue mission was in motion.

Hold on, Vince.

Chapter Eight

Less than a half hour after they left the Burj al Arab, they set down on a dark helipad on what seemed to be a completely uninhabited island.  Sarah could make out a few buildings in the faint moonlight but thought it odd there weren't any security lights. 

All of the buildings on the island were dark.  The place looked deserted and that was probably a good thing.  Leo stayed in the chopper while the team disembarked and retrieved their
luggage,
pulling it clear before waving goodbye to someone they might never see again.  They watched the helicopter lift off quickly and buzz away quietly into the night.  In a few moments, it was out of sight.

Suddenly, a zillion watts of floodlight shocked Sarah like a deer on a country road.  No matter which way she turned, there was blinding light in her eyes. 

Will’s voice boomed.  “Hit the deck!”

Someone tackled Sarah and threw her to the ground. 

Adrenaline shot through her veins as she tensed to fight.  She heard Jason's voice in her ear, "Be ready." 

He had thrown her to the ground and lay over her like any good bodyguard would.  He pressed the handle of a Bowie knife into Sarah's palm.

A man's voice cut through the night.  "Lie down on your bellies and put your hands behind your backs.  You're on my island, so do it now, bitches."

Sarah heard Brian growl.  "This ain't right, Will.  These were our coordinates."

Will mumbled back to Brian.  "I know.  This is Vince’s island and whoever this squatter is, he's going to have some serious explaining to do."

"Cut the chatter and tell me just what the hell you think you’re doing here!"  The stranger’s voice had moved. 

Will's voice shot out with indignance.  "Wait one damned minute.  I know that voice! 
Guinea
Man?
  Is that you, you son of a bitch?"

The man's voice came from another direction this time.  Whoever he was he could move like a tactical machine.

"Who's askin'?"

"Will
Adams
."

The stranger's voice lifted. 
"Billy boy?
  Well I'll be damned!"

Some of the lights went out and made seeing a little easier. 

Will stood and brushed off his suit.  "Get up, guys."

Jason gave Sarah a hand.  "Sorry about that tackle."

"That's okay, Jase."  She rubbed the sand from her hands before she started brushing it from her dress.  If they had been attacked, Jason would have taken a bullet for her and that tackle proved it.  "It was quite thoughtful, really."

Sarah took stock of the damage to her clothes as the rest of the team recovered and dusted off their suits.

Will smiled as he greeted a thinly built man in his late thirties wearing old jeans and a white T-shirt. 
"You son of a bitch.
  I'd know that down east accent anywhere.  I thought you were dead!"

The stranger ran a hand through his shoulder length, dark hair but it flopped back into his eyes in spite of his effort.  "Yeah, well the stories of my demise were grossly exaggerated but let's just keep that our secret.  Vince is letting me stay here on the sly.”  He glanced at Chris, Brian, Jason, and Sarah—then did a double-take on Sarah.  “Who are these bums?"

"Don't worry.  They're cool.  Can we cut these lights and talk inside?  It’s as bright as the sun out here, and we'd rather not draw any more attention while we're here."

"Sure.”  He tilted his head toward the house.  “I take it you're gonna tell me why Vince isn't here with you?"

"Yep."
  Will picked up his bags and motioned for everyone else to do the same.

The guy Will called Guinea Man pulled a remote from his pocket, pushed a button and all the lights, other than the security lamps went out.  Sarah took a moment to adjust to the darkness again.  Something on her shoe caught her eye. 
"Damnit!"
  The tumble to the tarmac had taken a giant gash out of her Prada.

What the hell is going on here? 
I'm liking
this less every hour.

Sarah and the boys picked up their bags and followed Guinea Man along the concrete path, through a modestly landscaped yard to the house. 

He held the front door open as they filed into the large, stucco mansion.  He did his best to undress Sarah with his eyes as she walked through.  "You always travel with your girlfriend, Billy, or is she for me?"

Will spoke over his shoulder.
  "That's Vince's girl,
Guinea
.  I'd think twice about making a move on her if I were you.  If she doesn’t kill you for trying, he will."

Guinea Man followed a little too close behind Sarah for her comfort.  "Aw, she couldn't hurt a flea."

Will's voice came across loud and clear.  "There are some dead guys who might disagree."

Guinea Man gaped at Sarah.  "No shit?"

Sarah glared at him and spun the big knife in her hand at eye level.  "Yeah, no shit, dickhead."

Jason lunged between them and grabbed the knife.  He tucked it away in a sheath under his jacket and smiled at Guinea Man.  "Best not to let her have these when she's pissed off.  Vince's ex had to learn that lesson the hard way."

How does Jason read me so well?

Guinea
man took a wide-eyed and cautious step back.  "Bet you're a real alley cat in the sack."

Sarah took a deep breath as she tried to keep a cap on her rising anger.

"I know you've been out of circulation a while,
Guinea
, but some of our agents are female now.  Show a little respect.  Sarah's earned it."

"You gotta be kidding me, Billy."

Sarah really wasn't feeling any love for this guy.  The only thing between him and becoming hamburger was Will's goodwill toward him.

"Okay, normally I'd let her fight you because it would be quicker to prove, but she's still recovering from a gunshot wound so I'll give you the tally instead.  She took out two pirates who had all of us at gunpoint, cut the throat of a guy who was about to execute Vince, cut the heart out of a guy who shot Vince, took a bullet meant for either me or Vince in our last op and…stop me when you've heard enough."

Guinea Man waved his hand dismissively at Will. 
"Yeah, yeah.
  I get it.  She's an American badass."  He smirked at Sarah and shrugged.  "You're still a babe.  You want some coffee?"

Sarah looked the guy over.  He was old school, and she could respect that.  In her years in the Air Force, she'd met very few women who could hold
their own.  They certainly hadn't made it any easier for her.  She nodded.  "Yeah, coffee would be a good start."

~~~

They all stood around the island in Vince’s gourmet kitchen drinking the coffee Guinea Man had already had brewed.

Chris stirred a spoonful of creamer into his coffee.  "Were you expecting somebody or do you always have a pot of coffee on?"

Guinea
shrugged.  "I like my coffee.  Besides, I usually take a walk around the island every few hours and like to take a cup with me.  It's always been a peaceful walk until tonight."  Guinea Man pulled a travel mug out of an old M-16 ammo pouch hanging from his belt.

Will nodded.  "That's
Guinea
.  Don't mess with his coffee or his smokes.  You still smoking?"

"Hell yeah.
  I'm dead already so why quit?"

Sarah sniffed the warm coffee, recognized the aroma, and took a gulp.  "This tastes just like Dunkin Donuts coffee."

"Yeah, I get it shipped in by the case.  If you're gonna be stranded on a deserted island, you might as well have good coffee, right?"

Sarah and Jason both nodded.

Brian seemed agitated.  "All right, I hate to be rude and interrupt the coffee klatch here, but we've got important shit to do and time’s a wastin’  so let’s get down to business and exchange some information."

"Brian is right."  Will
pointed
at Guinea Man.  "I already know your story, but why don’t you tell the gang?"

Guinea Man nodded and looked around the kitchen at each team member as he spoke.  "The Agency burned me.  I didn't have a backup, so I staged my death and Vince had some friends willing to move human cargo.  I've been hanging out here for the past six months while I work out a new identity and figure out a strategy."

Will cocked his head at
Guinea
.  "What's the holdup?  You like playing old man and the sea or what?"

Guinea
smiled and looked down at his feet for a moment.  "Turns out choosing a name and inventing a back story aren’t as easy as I'd thought.  I still haven't come up with a name."  He looked over at the rest of the team.  "You can call me
Guinea
."

Everyone nodded.  It was a reasonable story, and
Will
could vouch for the guy.

Will took a gulp of his coffee, set the cup on the marble countertop, and then placed both hands firmly on the counter.  "Vince has been kidnapped.  The Agency gave us bad
intel
on our last op, and a Russian Mafioso took him somewhere in
Saudi Arabia
.  The Agency buried it and left him twisting in the breeze so we're off the clock and the reservation on this.”