“We’ll take an hour’s break here, then move to the south along the reverse slope of this ridge,” Murdock said to the net.
Murdock called Jaybird, Sadler, DeWitt, Lam, Domingo, and Juan together.
“We’ve spotted a river to the south that looks like it could be the one that leads up the valley toward the cliffside hostage keep. It’s now about 1300. Any suggestions?”
“We still planning on a night attack?” DeWitt asked.
“Unless someone has a better idea,” Murdock said.
“So we need to move down the ridge until we can find the fucking place,” Jaybird said.
Murdock nodded.
“We find it, then recon the compound and pick out any weak points, check the guard force, and look for an attack point,” Lam said.
“Yes, but will that need to wait for darkness?” Domingo asked.
“Be better to get there in the daylight,” Lam said. “Get a better feel of a place that way. Motorola will get the info back to you quickly.”
“Still a silent hit for as long as possible,” DeWitt said. “If there are obvious guard posts, do we take them out with the EAR and risk hitting the hostages?”
“Yes,” Sadler said. “We can wait for the sleepers to wake up if we hit any, or we can carry them to the choppers. Big question is, how do we communicate with the Air Force to get a lift out of here?”
“There are telephones at Lebak,” General Domingo said. “After we capture the place and free the hostages, I’ll run up there and call the base.”
“It’s thirty miles, Domingo,” Murdock said.
“I’m a marathoner, Commander. No sweat. I’ll take Lam along for company. We might even find a motorboat along there someplace or a fishing boat.”
“Fine with me,” Lam said.
“So, our commo problem is solved. What’s next?”
“Wait for intel from our recon squad and then work out our attack plan,” Juan said. “I’d like to go down with Lam on the recon.”
“Done.” Murdock looked around. “Anything else?” There were no more comments. “Eat your bananas. Juan says he can get all we want.” He looked at his watch. “We leave in thirty-five minutes.” The planning session was heard by all on the Motorolas.
An hour later, the SEALs and friends looked across the ridge and downslope five hundred yards at a frame and stone house that had been built on a flat area at the end of a gentle slope. The flat place was still five or six miles up a winding road from the valley below.
Part of the land around the house had been used to build a large dormitory-type building. It looked temporary, and was made of pine logs with a nipa-thatched roof and woven leaf panels for the walls. It was one story and covered a big area.
“Plenty of room for sixty people,” Sadler said after taking his turn with the binoculars. The jungle growth came within twenty feet of the buildings. So far they had seen no sign of any guards or rebels.
“The rebel guards have to be there,” Lam said. “Our job is to find them. I’d like to take an EAR along just in case we get in a firefight.”
“Done,” Murdock said.
“We’re moving,” Lam said. He switched weapons with Bill Bradford, who had carried two guns, and waved. He and Juan vanished in the jungle growth at once, and hard as Murdock tried, he could not see a single branch or palm frond move to indicate where the pair was.
“We wait,” Murdock said. He studied the area, then went on the net. “DeWitt, I want you to take your squad and move south along the ridge one hundred yards. We need a pincers movement here, or at least two attack points. Take an EAR with you. Alpha will remain here or go another thirty yards south, and we’ll all hike down the slope and get in an attack position before we hear from Lam.”
“I heard that,” Lam said.
“We’ll stay back twenty yards from the compound if we don’t run into any security down there. They could have some trip wires to set off alarms, but they must feel too secure for that. Your objective will be the buildings to the left of the house and the garage or whatever it is. Alpha will try to get into the hostage barracks and secure that, then take down the house. Comments.”
“We can move down and get in position,” DeWitt said. “Oh, yes. Now I see guards. Six just came out of the two buildings which may be guard housing. Both look like garages, but one may be a caretaker’s house. They are our targets. My estimation is that there are no hostages in there so they’re legitimate targets for our twenties.”
“Agreed,” Murdock said. “Yes, I have the guards. They seem to be spreading out, three going to the front and three to the back. Ideal targets for the EARs. If we agree, coordinate with Lam to use the EARs both at once on the three guards.”
“Roger that. Should we be moving out now?” Ed DeWitt asked.
“Let’s do it,” Murdock said. “Remember, stay back twenty to thirty yards from the target and get fields of fire if possible. No firing into the hostage barracks.”
“Got it. We’re moving.”
“Alpha Squad. On me, single file. Let’s chogie.”
Halfway down the slope, Murdock stopped and called Lam.
“Nothing so far, Skipper. You saw the six guards. Three in back. My suggestion. We take down the hostage barracks first. There’s a back door I didn’t see before. It’s fifteen feet from the jungle cover. Suggest that Alpha come to that door and we take down the hostage area, then work the main house.”
“Agree. DeWitt, you copy?”
“Right, we’re in reserve until you take the hostages. Then when you go for the house, give us the word and we use twenties on the rebels’ sleeping quarters and attack with our teeth bared.”
“You got it. Watch the twenties. Interior bursts would be best. No more than three rounds.”
“Should do it.”
“Alpha, we can’t do any more here,” Lam said. “Come on down.”
Murdock had held his men at the halfway point. Now he clicked the mike twice, and Alpha Squad moved on down the hill. Murdock was in front with his Bull Pup set on 5.56mm rounds. He paused at the thinning foliage and looked ahead. One of the guards walked a post within ten feet of where Murdock lay. He let him go. He and Alpha Squad were thirty feet from the hostages’ door. He let the guard get farther away, then saw that he would meet another guard at the center of the clearing.
“Take them with the EAR,” Murdock said. Almost at once two whooshing sounds came. The two guards Murdock could see went down in a heap of flailing arms and legs and lay still.
“Two guards down,” Lam said on the net.
“Third guard down,” DeWitt said.
“Let’s move, Alpha,” Murdock said. He lifted up and ran hard for the rear door of what he hoped was the hostage compound.
18
Murdock sprinted once he was out of the vines and trees, and skidded to a stop beside the door handle on the rear entrance to the hostage barracks. He waited for three more SEALs to come beside him; then he turned the knob slowly.
Not locked.
He edged the door outward an inch so he could look inside. It was surprisingly light. He saw rows of double-decked bunks; then he saw people. He nudged the door another inch. He couldn’t spot any guards inside. He opened the door a foot and slipped through. Nearest him was a man wearing shorts and a T-shirt. He looked about sixty. He looked up and scowled. Murdock gave him a thumbs-up sign, and he looked confused.
Four more SEALs edged past the door and inside; then a man from near the front of the barracks ran back. He was thin, white-haired, and wore glasses.
“Who are you, and thank God you’re here,” he said. “I’m Philpot, English.”
“We’re Americans. Where are the rebel guards?”