PRIMAL Fury (The PRIMAL Series) (42 page)

Aleks opened their gear bags and started assembling the two sniper rifles on the table. Kurtz’s Windrunner .408 was ready first, the heavy sniper rifle set on its bipod legs pointing toward the window. With the suppressor screwed on, the long barrel almost touched the flyscreen. It took him a few more seconds to snap his semiautomatic G28 together and place it next to the heavier weapon. Then he set up a tablet computer between the two rifles; on its screen was an overhead view of their position and the casino. Ranges were marked on the image, along with the location of CCTV cameras. On the right-hand side of Kurtz’s weapon he set up another tablet, this one showing the location of the quadcopter drone. It was currently sitting behind their previous location, ready to launch on command.

The PRIMAL operatives donned their tactical vests and headsets, and laid their ammunition out on the blanket next to their weapons. Kurtz sat behind his sniper rifle, lifted the scope to his eye, and started scanning the building. Within seconds he had identified potential targets, armed gunmen on almost every level of the building.

“Bishop, this is Kurtz. Overwatch is established. I confirm, overwatch is established,” Kurtz broadcast over his iPRIMAL.

“Roger, we are ready,” Bishop’s voice came through over their communications network. “Kenta, what’s happening on the police net?”

“It sounds like the SAT is waiting; there is talk they might pull back.”

Kurtz focused on looking through the upper levels of the building and down to the front gate. He could see the armored vehicle and black-clad SAT. “I have observation on the front gate. There’s no sign of movement from the police.”

“Damn, looks like we might have to encourage them,” said Bishop. “OK, let’s put the contingency plan in motion.”

“No problem.” Kenta pulled out the mobile phone Bishop had given him and dialed the police emergency line.

Simultaneously Aleks removed the suppressor from his G28 and leveled his crosshairs on the SAT armored car.

“Sir,” one of the SAT officers got Inspector Hyuman’s attention. “The sniper teams have reported men armed with military-style weapons.”

“How many?”

“Less than five so far, all inside the casino complex.”

Hyuman turned to Baiko. “So, there may be some substance to your intelligence after all. Do you have any more updates from your source?”

Baiko shook his head. “As far as I’m aware they’re stockpiling the weapons for their war with the Yamaguchi-gumi. My contact will report if he finds out more.”

“Sir,” the SAT officer interrupted again. “I’ve got someone on the line who wants to talk to you from inside the casino. He’s been put through from the one-ten number.”

“Your man?” the inspector asked Baiko.

The investigator shook his head.

“Put it over the speaker.” Hyuman reached out for the man’s headset.

“This is the SAT commander, who am I talking to?”

“Names are of no concern, Commander. What is of concern is that you are sticking your nose in where it does not belong. No one needs to get hurt, but your people need to leave now.”

“Here’s the thing. You’re in there with some serious weaponry, weapons I’m not going to allow you to keep. Now I might consider letting you leave if your men place all of their guns in front of the building and walk out with their hands on their heads.”

“You and I both know that’s not going to happen. This is Yakuza business and you have no place being here. It’s in the best interest of your men and your career to leave now.”

The line went dead.

Hyuman’s mouth hung open for a long moment. “The arrogant fuck!” he growled at last.

Almost on cue, gunshots sounded from the direction of the casino. “Shots fired! Shots fired!” announced one of the officers. “Assault team Alpha is taking fire.”

“Anyone injured?”

“Negative, the armored vehicle has been hit by multiple shots.”

“Those fucking Yakuza punks are trying to scare us off! Alert the Air Team, bring their notice to move down to two minutes. I want them turning and burning. Give the sniper section authority to engage anyone displaying hostile intent.”

“Yes, sir.” One of the officers started issuing the orders over the radio.

“And tell Alpha team to push forward. I want to know what’s going on in there.”

CHAPTER 78

“Situation report,” Bishop broadcast.

He and Saneh had left the van and were moving toward the casino’s perimeter fence, dressed in their makeshift SAT outfits, complete with black Nomex hoods and fake helmets. Behind the apartment block they had slipped into an irrigation ditch and were making their way between two rice paddies.

“Kenta made the call and we engaged the armored car,” Aleks replied.

“Have they taken the bait?” Bishop asked.

“It looks like it,” Kurtz said.

Kurtz had launched the drone once Kenta had made the call. The tiny craft was hovering high above the location, its powerful sensors focused on the lead SAT team.

Bishop reached the fence line at the outskirts of the casino and took cover in a ditch. He glanced at the drone feed displayed on his iPRIMAL. The ten-man police section was slowly shuffling forward behind a Komatsu light-armored vehicle. The wedge-shaped vehicle carried four men, including a gunner armed with a light machine gun. Black-clad officers armed with MP5 submachine guns and wielding ballistic shields marched behind the vehicle. They resembled Roman legionnaires advancing into battle.

Saneh slid in next to him. “What the hell are they doing?” She used the cuff of her jumpsuit to wipe the sweat from her face.

“An old technique known as recon by force.”

“What? Are they trying to get shot at?”

“Yep, I think that’s exactly what the plan is.”

“Alpha team, do you have anything to report?”

“Not yet. Moving forward. No more shots fired.” The Alpha team leader spoke into his radio from where he was crouched behind the SAT armored vehicle.

“Acknowledged, proceed with caution.”

The armored vehicle started rolling forward again. The team leader and his men walked behind it. Every second man was carrying a heavy ballistic shield. They angled them outward to protect from any potential threat. Inside the phalanx of armor, a dog handler and his attack dog walked alongside the team leader.

The dog barked, pulling on its harness.

Automatic fire shattered the silence and bullets slammed into the armored vehicle. The gunner in the turret responded instinctively, wheeling his weapon toward the threat. The rattle of his M249 added to the chaos as he sent bursts of fire into the casino.

The upper levels of the building exploded into a frenzy of flashes. Gunfire rained down on Alpha team as they hunkered behind the armored vehicle.

“We’re taking heavy fire!” screamed the team leader. “We need immediate support.”

Rounds smashed into ballistic shields, tearing them from gloved hands. Bullets ricocheted off the armored hull of the Komatsu LAV.

“BACK UP! BACK UP!” the team leader screamed into his mike. The LAV started reversing at a walking pace. Alpha team’s officers fired their weapons in the direction of the casino, attempting to disrupt the onslaught. SAT sniper pairs engaged in support as the initial onslaught died down to sporadic gunfire.

A bullet hit one of Alpha’s officers in the arm, and he grunted in pain. One of his colleagues grabbed him as another wrenched open one of the heavy side doors of their armored vehicle. The wounded man was bundled inside as the other officers kept up the suppressing fire.

From the fifth level of the casino came a puff of smoke. The 66mm rocket screamed past the armored vehicle and slammed into a container.

“We’re taking rocket fire,” the team leader yelled. “Sniper section, we need cover.”

“We’re engaging multiple targets,” the sniper section leader confirmed. “Heavy weapons are the priority.”

“Alpha, this is the commander.” Inspector Hyuman’s voice came through over the radios. “I have authorized air assault, ETA eight minutes.”

Another rocket screamed down from the upper levels of the casino. This time it hit the sloped hood of the LAV. There was an almighty bang and the rocket’s shaped charge blasted a hole straight through the engine block.

“I’ve lost all mobility,” the team leader reported. “We’re going to be lucky to be alive eight minutes from now.”

“Bishop, the armored car has been mobility-killed. That team is not going to last long. Request permission to engage hostiles.”

“Engagement authorized,” Bishop replied. “When you get a chance I need you to take down those cameras in front of us.” Bishop and Saneh were lying in the ditch a few feet short of the fence, waiting for the best opportunity to infiltrate the building site. From their position they could hear the intense gunfight raging on the other side of the casino.

“Acknowledged,” Aleks replied.

On the top levels of the casino the Mori-Kai’s foot soldiers were unleashing everything they had at the police below. PKM and AK fire rained down on the men hunkered below, punctuated occasionally by the blast from a high-explosive rocket. The gunfight was savage and one-sided. The police dog bolted, running away from the maelstrom of noise and violence. Gangsters fired at the animal, bullets lashing the dirt around it, but it escaped.

Kurtz’s first round hit one of the gunners. The Korean was using a spool of cable to prop up his machine gun. The heavy .408 round hit him between the shoulder blades, tearing through his spine like wet paper. He toppled forward and fell seven stories. By the time he had hit the ground, Kurtz had worked the action of his sniper rifle and killed another gunman.

Aleks fired rapidly aimed shots through his lighter G28, blowing CCTV cameras off the side of the building. “All clear,” he reported a moment later and continued to monitor the side of the building overlooking Bishop and Saneh’s approach. He need not have worried; the Mori-Kai’s men were focused on the police on the other side.

“We’re on!” Bishop hooked a charge onto the wire fence in front of him.

“Four seconds!” he announced as he slid back into the ditch with Saneh.

The explosion wasn’t loud enough to block the sound of the gunfight but it split the chain-link fence from top to bottom.

Kurtz’s voice came through his earpiece. “Bishop, police snipers have engaged from the north and we’ve successfully neutralized any Mori-Kai capable of influencing your approach. The roof is now free of hostile elements. Switching fire to lower levels.”

“Roger, how are the cops faring?”

“Another team has pushed up and they’re extracting their wounded.”

“OK, we’re moving now.”

Saneh had already sprinted through the fence, making a beeline for the fire exit closest to them. Bishop caught up, slapped a charge on the door, and joined her off to the side.

The blast threw the heavy door into an internal stairwell and Saneh charged in, the Tavor tucked into her shoulder.

“We’ve made entry,” Bishop reported.

Saneh consulted her iPRIMAL to locate Karla’s anticipated location on the digital map. “We need to head upstairs.”