Run With The Brave (20 page)

Dawn broke under a leaden sky, thankfully without rain. Ryder stirred after little sleep, silently suffering the cold and discomfort. Not much was said as he and the others gathered equipment, chewed on dried meat, and prepared to leave the ridge. When all were ready, Ryder decided he could not delay confronting Hellmann any longer; no way was he about to go into that mountain with a killer loose.

“Corporal Hellmann.”

The Israeli stopped what he was doing and turned to face Ryder as he approached.

“Why did you—?”

“Hold it right there,” a voice suddenly shot out of the semi-darkness with such menace it made Ryder and the others turn to where it came from.

A beam of light blinded the group.

“For fuck's sake; turn that off!” Ryder shouted. “You crazy? A patrol could home in.”

“That's the idea, Frank.”

Sicano!
He'd singled out the wrong man.

All reached for rifles.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you,” said the American, firing a few rounds into the ground making them all jump back, the sound reverberating loudly through the valley.

“Believe me, it would be a pleasure to blow you away, but you'll be more valuable to my colleagues. I will, however, if I have to – be warned.” Sicano then fired more rounds into the air.

“You motherfucker… you son-of-a-bitch,” Kellar snarled, looking completely stunned. “How the fuck can you do this? What the hell's in all this for you?”

“Nothing you would understand. But for the record: there was no way I could let you get into that base.”

Desperation gripped Ryder; he hoped patrols were not nearby. So he had been wrong about Hellmann; one problem had gone away at least, but a much bigger one had taken its place. It must not end like this, not now, not after all they had been through. He had to find a way to disarm Sicano; keeping him talking for now was all he could do. “Why are you doing this?” he asked, still trying to come to terms with what was happening. “Who're your masters?”

“Shut the fuck up, Brit. Keep outta this,” he spat back.

A long silence as the American sergeant seemed to consider the question.

“On second thoughts I'll answer your question, Brit – it will amuse me while we wait.” He let off another burst and when the noise died he continued, “Just to make sure my people have no difficulty in locating us.”

“So, in the pay of the Iranians,” Kellar said, voice more under control.

“You got it, and have been for some time; one of a number in your Armed Forces. We all do our bit, some shoot people in your military bases, others like me feed out information that might be considered useful to my country.”

“Did you betray Overflow?” he pressed coldly.

Sicano hesitated, “No, but if we hadn't been in lock-down from the get-go, I would've.”

“You shit, you can't take us all,” shot Kellar.

“Bear, rest assured, I can and I will if you continue to provoke me.”

“Why did you suffer in that shit-hole of a prison?” the American barked. “Why not tell your friends then about the dams?”

“Would've thought that obvious,” Sicano came back. “Until there was proof I wasn't the enemy, any explanations would fall on deaf ears. Same reason I'm not going into that mountain; they'll shoot first and ask questions later; same reason I kept quiet at other opportunities like at the bridge, the dam and when we stumbled on the patrol. In that shit-hole of a place as you call it, I told them just enough to establish my bona fides which were verified. The interrogating officer was not far enough up the chain to know my full cover. Anyhow, to your first question: I didn't. To your second: I did. How d'yer think they knew about the dams?”

“Why the killing spree the day we left when they already knew everything from you?” growled Ryder.

“As I told you, I didn't tell them everything, and as the psycho said, he couldn't wait any longer. He wanted total confessions and wanted all the glory of breaking you completely. Your confessions televised around the world; and he would've gotten it.”

“Fucking traitor!” shouted Kellar, moving towards Sicano.

“I wouldn't if I were you, Sergeant,” he snarled, firing a few rounds into the ground at Kellar's feet.

The American stumbled back. “You motherfucker!” Kellar hissed. “Why put you in the truck?” he fired, looking as if he was about to launch himself again at Sicano.

“It had to look, to you and the rest of the world, that I was still one of the team. You'd eventually confess at the new camp and I would've too. Once we were exchanged, which was the plan, I'd carry on as before. The landslide changed all that and when the Israelis told us about the possible missile base, saying they were going on alone to find it, I wanted to go just in case one existed and the Israelis survived to tell. Now we've proved it you cannot be allowed to tell anyone, or destroy it.”

“Why wait till now?” asked Ryder, bitterness to his voice.

“Never thought we'd get this far. I left messages, used the transmitter, but it seems you were too good at keeping one step ahead.”

“So, we can expect a welcoming committee?”

“More than likely,” the sergeant replied with a malevolent smile. “You saw those trucks full of troops heading for here; probably part of the reception, but you won't get to meet it now though.”

“Assuming the messages were found,” countered Ryder.

“No matter; for you it's now all over.”

“As well as the Iranian, you caused Jed's death, too,” said Kellar, hatred clear in his voice.

“Yeah, kept the rope just tight enough so the Brit couldn't reach the rifle… as for the Iranian, he'd gotten too inquisitive; wanted to know why I was searching the packs.”

“And why were you?” shot Ryder, ready to spring at the American.

“Needed something to write on – get another message out. The stupid fuck thought I was stealing food, so I shut him down.”

“Why didn't you take out Bear when you were alone with him up on the mountain and again here with Afari over the last few days?”

“Yeah, I thought about it but decided against. Finding a base was unlikely from where I stood despite all that shit about troops and the garrison. Why jeopardise my cover when we'd soon be on our way to the Gulf? Wrongly it seems now, but at the time I thought if I'd turned myself in telling them I was on their side – an Iranian spy,” he chuckled, “who would have believed me in this remote fucking place; more likely I'd been shot before my bona fides could be verified. Now that still might be the case.” He paused a moment or two, as if reflecting, then, swinging the rifle in an arc at the feet of the stunned group he said, “Another thing, it would not have helped my cover when exchanged as planned if I was the only one to have survived all this; someone back in the States might just have soon gotten suspicious. Anyhow all this doesn't matter now. Fuck America!”

Ryder caught Hellmann's eye and guessed what the corporal was thinking. The Israeli's hand moved almost imperceptibly down towards knife strapped to thigh. He had to keep Sicano talking.

“What made you change sides?” he asked coldly.

“Money… what else?”

“You did it for money!” shouted Kellar. “You betrayed your country for fucking money!”

Sicano looked menacingly at Kellar. “What the fuck do I care about America.”

“They gave you a career you could've been proud of,” he shot back.

“That's your opinion.”

“You told us your mother is American, father, Turkish,” said Kellar. Then suddenly, it dawned, “Your father's Iranian; you're a fucking sleeper – a spook!”

Sicano did not answer straight away, just stared emptily at Kellar then spat, “You call it what you like; I don't give a shit. You fucking Americans killed my father on an oil rig in the Persian Gulf. What would you know about the pain and suffering after losing him and watching my mother suffer so bitterly; revenge is sweet and what I'm doing now is even sweeter. My countrymen will now take over to deal with you as they see fit. One thing's for sure: you'll not see the land of your birth again.” He quickly glanced at Afari and Fehed, “That excludes you two, of course, but your days will be numbered, too.”

Corporal Hellmann's hand was now at his thigh, only inches away from the sheathed knife.

Ryder had to risk getting Sicano's full attention. It was now or never.

He lunged sideways for rifle. At that same moment, Afari dived for hers, momentarily confusing Sicano with the two bodies, a blur flying in opposite directions. The American fired at Afari first, she screamed, then he swung and fired at Ryder sending a bullet whizzing past his ear. But before he could fire off another, Ryder had rolled and, in one swift movement, grabbed up the rifle, turned and shot the sergeant cleanly through the head milli-seconds before Hellmann's knife sunk deep into the American's heart.

Ryder sprang quickly to Sicano's convulsing body and kicked the rifle away, then ran to where Afari lay holding her neck.

“You okay?”

She nodded and he gently removed her hand, relieved to see the bullet had not penetrated the skin but left a raw-looking welt; she was lucky to still be alive. Had she not distracted the American when she did he doubted he would have reached the rifle alive.

“It's a surface wound. You'll be fine… that move was perfectly timed. I owe you.”

She gave him a weak smile and he returned to the American.

Sicano coughed once, blood flowed from his mouth and vacant eyes stared blankly into space. The convulsions stopped and he lay still.

“Is he dead?” hissed Shiron.

“All but,” Hellmann replied, as Sicano took his last gasp and the Israeli pulled out the knife with a single jerk to wipe it clean on the American's shirt.

Fehed and Afari looked coldly down at the dead body; Saad had been avenged.

Ryder was now anxious to get away. “Let's move; we've got a truck to catch.” He glanced at Kellar. “Take the body. We'll dump it away from here. You,” he looked at Hellmann, “untie the Iranian and give him a rifle and pack.” As Ryder turned away, Hellmann asked, “What were you going to ask earlier, Frank?”

“Forget it; it was nothing.” He dared not think what the consequences would have been had he accused the wrong man. If the American had held off just a little longer from making his move it might well have been a whole different story. However, his immediate concern now was to avoid patrols coming this way alerted by the gunfire.

Without wasting another moment the five unkempt, bearded men and Afari fled the ridge and headed swiftly down the slope towards the road; Ryder, relieved the traitor problem had gone away and that he could now fully focus on the highly dangerous task that lay ahead.

Keeping up a gruelling pace eastwards after escaping the knoll ridge, it was early afternoon before Ryder decided to wait concealed in a ditch that ran parallel and below the level of the tarsealed road connecting the towns of Kahbar and Javazm. Strong, gusting winds under an oppressive sky buffeted the group as they huddled together. The stretch of road to the right was relatively straight for a fairly long way and to the left disappeared around a sharp bend that led into a ravine; an ideal place to wait and hijack a vehicle. Sparse traffic passed and Ryder worried that it might be difficult to remain unseen should anyone come by on foot.

Sicano's body had been dumped well away from the knoll and no patrols had been encountered, although activity could vaguely be seen through binoculars back on the knoll away in the distance. He worried that security would be intensified after what happened and should they find the body. If road blocks are set up on the way to the base, thoroughly searching all vehicles, all chance of succeeding with the mission would certainly end. Ryder went over the plan again. He looked at the Israelis. “You two, position yourselves down the road at least twenty or thirty yards over there,” he pointed along the straight stretch of road, “and signal if the last truck is carrying troops. Give the ‘clear' signal as soon as you can. We'll abort if carrying troops or if the trucks are too closely bunched and await the next.”

“Preceding trucks should tell,” said Shiron.

“Agreed, but the last could be carrying supplies.” Ryder turned to the Iranian, “Fehed, you move closer to the bend and wait. If we get the clear, and as soon as the second to last truck disappears around the bend, you halt the last. I don't care how you do it, but don't fail. Me and Bear will take out those in the cab. We'll use knives.” He turned to Afari, “You wait for the all-clear then jump into the back with the others.” After a short pause he ended, “The side road turn-off towards Abbasabad I calculate is less than ten miles from here and Kahbar more than fifteen miles further on. If we take a truck let's hope it's heading for the former.”

They spent the next several hours mostly in silence, listening, before the growl of diesel engines came on the wind from the right – the direction of Javazm. Scrambling to road level Ryder saw through binoculars in the fading light a convoy of six trucks approaching less than a mile away, headlamps ablaze. He scanned the line of dark-green vehicles.

Shiron did the same, telling Ryder they looked like supply trucks. He ordered the Israelis and Fehed to take up positions.

The convoy drew nearer until, with a deafening roar, the first of the big trucks rumbled past, followed by the rest at some 50-yard intervals.

Ryder waited, adrenaline pumping, counting the vehicles as they passed.

Shiron signalled the last was not carrying troops.

When the fifth eventually disappeared around the bend, Ryder signalled Fehed to make his move.

The Iranian sprang from the ditch and ran towards the sixth truck in its path, arms waving.

The driver slammed on brakes; a hiss of compressed air and the truck began to skid across the surface before coming to a screeching halt only feet away from where Fehed had thrown himself to the ground.

Ryder, with Kellar close behind, dashed across the tarseal and vaulted onto the running board on the driver's side, wrenched open the cabin door and pulled the startled man out. As he fell to the road, Ryder stabbed him through the heart before dragging the body to the ditch and throwing it in. Kellar did the same with the co-driver on the other side.

Running back to the truck, Ryder clambered up into the driver's seat and slammed the vehicle into gear as Kellar scrambled in beside him. Through the rear window of the cabin he could just make out the two Israelis with Afari and Fehed hoisting themselves and equipment over the tailboard. He pressed down hard on the accelerator; the idling engine roared into life and gathered speed towards the bend. Crunching through the gears, he swung the vehicle around the bend into the ravine and soon caught up with the rest of the unsuspecting convoy; the whole process had taken less than a minute. At the speed they were travelling, he estimated they would reach the turn-off to Abbasabad in less than fifteen minutes.

In the rear, Shiron, Hellmann and Fehed forced open several timber crates to reveal machine parts, blankets and, surprisingly, army uniforms and rope. The uniforms would help get them into the base and the rope may well come in handy once inside. Hurriedly they discarded smelly fatigues, including Afari, not caring about modesty. Uniforms were passed through the cabin window to Ryder and Kellar, who awkwardly helped each other to change and still keep up with the convoy whilst sharing the steering and accelerator. The crates were then resealed and stacked to form a cavity behind the cabin big enough for the four in the back to conceal themselves in the narrow gap.

The convoy took the turn-off to Abbasabad, much to Ryder's relief, and eventually, after a bumpy ride on a long, winding road, entered the village as full darkness descended. Ryder drove down a dimly lit main street before coming to a small central square surrounded by single-storey dwellings. Here he became concerned by the number of troops milling around, fuelling fears that a reception committee would be at the base. If a garrison compound was the convoy's destination they would have to abandon the vehicle before reaching it; once inside they would be trapped.

The convoy passed through the square and approached what looked like a military compound enclosed with a high barbed-wire fence and double-gated entrance leading off from the road they were on. By this time Ryder was worried; any thought of abandoning the truck now, with the presence of so many troops along the roadside, had gone. Ahead he watched fearfully as headlamps of the leading truck swung left towards the compound entrance followed by the second then the third – anxiety levels doubled.

The fourth and fifth trucks in front began to slow. He decelerated, changed gear and glanced quickly at Kellar. “Hold on Bear; we take off at those gates,” then he yelled at the others in the rear to prepare for action.

Suddenly, the fourth truck increased speed, passed the entrance, followed by the fifth, and before Ryder could fully appreciate what had happened, they swept by too. Hope surged; could the trucks now be heading for the base?

“Holy shit!” exclaimed Kellar, amidst shouts of jubilation from the rear.

Ryder grinned, “Now for the big one.”