Tecal grinned. “They are dead now.” He said it so matter-of-factly that Tim swallowed hard and looked at Ben. Tecal turned and seemed to glide away, disappearing almost immediately.
“I told you Tecal’s men are good,” explained Ben. “They are experts at hunting and killing their enemy before they are aware of their presence.”
“I’m glad they are on our side,” said Tim stoically. “They are some of the best weapons I have ever seen. And that includes many of the guys I served with.”
“Don’t let their size fool you. They are extremely good,” said Ben. “Let’s move.”
About twenty minutes later Tecal appeared again in front of Ben.
Ben listened to Tecal. “Hatch is just ahead,” whispered Tecal. “There are many men in black around. There are four in a bunker within sight of the hatch and several more patrolling around in twos. We will get the ones walking.” Tecal‘s pronouncements were chilling. “You wait here.”
Ben flashed a thumbs-up and motioned for Tim to join him under a large pair of bushes.
“We’ll rest here while Tecal’s men do more work,” said Ben quietly. “They found the hatch. It’s just beyond those trees. But Tecal says there are four guards in a bunker watching the hatch. There are also several patrols roaming around. Tecal and his men will take care of them. All we have to do is hit the bunker.”
“All we have to do?” questioned Tim, shaking his head with a smirk. The two checked their gear and weapons. The MP-5s with silencers they carried were deadly, especially at close range. Ben drew out a rough diagram of the bunker and hatch for Tim as described by Tecal.
“Once we get the okay from Tecal, we will split into two groups and move into position on two sides of the bunker. Once in position, we should be able to take all of them in one swift blow. Then we will hide the bodies and move in on the hatch. By then I hope to hear something from Dane or Hugo,” explained Ben. “It’s our job to cause havoc on this side to take the heat off of Dane. So we have to make a big splash. That’s when we will take off these silencers and make some noise!”
“I’m following your lead,” said Tim. “Point me in the right direction when the time comes.”
Ben reached into his pocket and took a quick look at his watch. It was nearly eight o’clock in the morning. He was slightly worried. He had not heard from Dane or Hugo. He hoped they were okay and on schedule. By this time they should be inside the Fortress and moving toward rescuing Dana and Randall.
Tim saw Ben look at his watch. “How are we doing on time?” he asked. “It’s getting much brighter. It must be close to nine by now.”
“Just coming up on eight,” responded Ben. “I’m getting a bit worried that we haven’t heard anything from Dane. I’m hoping no news is good news, although if they were captured we would never know it.”
“They are all right,” said Tim with authority. “Those guys are amazing. It’s us I worry about.”
Ben snickered. “I know what you mean. I know why we are here but at the same time I wonder why we are here.”
Fifteen minutes had passed since Tecal and his men disappeared into the jungle to hunt down the patrols in the area. As Ben and Tim sat patiently under the bushes, they imagined they heard someone several times. Each time they sat quietly, their weapons at ready, waiting for action if need be. Still no one came.
Thirty seconds later Tecal and two of his men appeared out of the bush beside them. Tecal squatted and began to tell Ben about the patrols they saw. He was just finishing his report when one of Tecal’s men stopped suddenly as his chest exploded. Blood flew everywhere. He fell like a sack of potatoes. They never heard the gunshot.
“Down!” screamed Ben as he pulled Tim and Tecal down to the ground, one in each hand. Tim rolled over and raised his weapon scanning the jungle where they thought the shot originated. A second shot smacked into Tim’s canteen strapped to his hip. The force rolled him over.
“Shit,” cried Tim. “This guy has our range. We gotta move!”
Tecal looked over at his man. He had died instantaneously, the shot piercing his heart and tearing through his chest. Tecal placed a hand on him seeming to both say goodbye and bless his body to their god. He picked up his weapon and shot into the jungle. Tecal was mad as hell and someone was going to pay. Ben and Tim crawled over to the right behind a large tree.
“You get a sight on him?” asked Tim.
“He’s over there somewhere; he’s using a silencer! He’s a good ways out and closing,” answered Ben. “Tecal went after him. Let’s stay here and try to pick up on the shooter.” Tim raised his head slightly and looked in the direction of where the shot came. After a minute, his eagle-eye caught movement about fifteen yards out moving through the bushes. Tim raised his weapon and took aim and glanced at Ben.
“You see him?” Ben asked whispering.
“Yep, I think so,” answered Tim quietly, trying to get a good shot. A second later Tim watched as Tecal and his remaining man sprung upon the shooter and stabbed him repeatedly. Tim blew out his breath, stood down and turned to Ben.
“They got him.”
“Great,” said Ben. “We know there are more out there so keep sharp.” There was a noise to their right and both turned swinging their weapons and taking aim. Tecal and his last man popped out of the bush and took a knee. Tim noted that Tecal’s man had the shooter’s ears tied around his waist.
“Is that… ” asked Tim, pointing to something bloody hanging from Tecal’s man’s waist.
Ben placed his hand on Tim’s shoulder and interjected. “He has the man’s ears to take back to the family of the man killed. Here in the jungle when someone kills someone part of the payback is to bring the family the ears of the man who killed their loved one.” Tim nodded wide-eyed. He understood but it was still mighty weird.
“Let’s move over to the bunker by the hatch. We will take the bunker so we can have some cover and watch the hatch,” said Ben, getting up to one knee. “But keep sharp. We can’t afford to lose anyone else. The ruthless guys are out there. We know that. We have to get them before they get us.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
“Bingo Alpha.” A message came in over the listening post’s speakers. The technicians leaped into action. Recorders were checked to ensure the messages were being properly recorded for further review.
“Bravo, go.” Another transmission came almost immediately. The security technicians were monitoring several frequencies and their scanning equipment was excellent.
“Sir, we have a contact!” one of the technicians cried. The security supervisor stepped over briskly.
“Report,” he said.
“We picked up two transmissions within the last minute. Both were transmitted in the open. Here is the transmission.”
“Bingo, Alpha.”
“Bravo, go.”
“Where did the messages come from?” asked the supervisor.
“Hard to say, sir,” replied one of the senior technicians. “Both messages were too fast to get a hard contact location, but they appeared to be close.” The supervisor checked the written report offered by the technician. With a quick scan he concluded there was a transmission of some kind and it was from close range. Both messages were transmitted on a very low frequency but strong signal strength suggested the intruders are close. The supervisor knew this was a problem since the fortress was miles from other radio sources.
“I want you to stay on this,” he told the technicians collected around him. “I have to assume we have intruders very close to us. And they are talking to each other. Using Alpha and Bravo, I believe we have two groups. What their intentions are, I do not know. That is not my call. I will report this contact immediately.” He turned and began to walk away. “Very good work,” he said encouragingly.