"The compound is self sufficient except for power. It comes in from the road." Harker used a laser pointer to indicate an electrical substation where the access drive made a T with the highway.
"He has to keep those buildings cool." Nick studied the image. Propane tanks and gas pumps were visible in the photo.
"Those are backup generators behind that last building, near the propane tanks. Big ones. It would take a few minutes to get them up and running if the power goes down. They're vulnerable from the rear."
Two men came out of the building next to the Humvees. One man carried an assault rifle. They climbed into one of the security vehicles.
"Not much cover," Ronnie rubbed his chin. The land around the compound was featureless.
"Nothing except jack rabbits, weeds and cactus," Harker said. "Steph, show us Texas."
A map of Texas appeared on the wall monitor. Dansinger's compound was northwest of Amarillo, off Highway 87 and a state highway linking two small towns.
"I can get you and your gear to Dyess in Abilene or Sheppard in Wichita Falls. You'll have to drive from there. We can't use helicopters for this."
"Looks like Sheppard and Dyess are about the same distance away." Nick studied the map. "The roads are more direct from Sheppard. 287 to Amarillo, then 87 north. Piece of cake. Get us to Sheppard."
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Nick poured wine for Selena, whiskey for himself. They sat at the counter in his apartment. He'd fixed a simple plate of snacks. Crackers, celery and cream cheese. Olives. Brie.
There was a comfortable silence between them.
"I've been thinking."
"About what?" He cut a piece of brie, smeared it on a cracker.
"Us. You and me." She sipped. "You want to move in together or not?"
There it was.
"Mostly."
"Mostly?"
"It might be a bad idea."
"Why?"
"I'm afraid I'll fuck it up."
"Me too."
"That I'll fuck it up?"
"That we both will. Maybe we should wait a little."
"You want some distance?"
"No, that's not it. I'm having a little trouble right now. With what we do. What I do."
"I know."
"I'm having nightmares. I think maybe I need to see someone."
"A shrink?"
"Or a therapist. Someone to help me sort it out. I'm having these dreams, someone's trying to kill me. I can't see who they are."
"Doesn't surprise me. I thought it would happen before now."
"What do you mean?"
"Everyone gets bad dreams who does things like we do. Soldiers, cops. Everyone. Except the psychos who love it."
"That's what bothers me. Part of me loves it." She picked up a cracker, nibbled it.
"That's because of the rush. Being on the edge. At risk. Am I right?"
She nodded.
"It's not the same thing as enjoying it the way the nut jobs do."
"So why the dreams?"
"When I came back from Afghanistan." He stopped.
"After the grenade."
"Yes. They made me talk to a shrink. We talked about this. It's called cognitive dissonance. The mind sets up a conflict between belief and reality."
"I know about that."
"We're brought up that killing people is wrong. Then we kill people. We believe we shouldn't do it. Reality is different." He shrugged. "Cognitive dissonance."
"So we get nightmares."
"Yup. PTSD is a nice catch all for a lot of different ways it shows up. Dreams is one of them."
"Doctor Nick. I still think I need a shrink."
"Maybe." He set his glass down. "I've got an idea for short term therapy."
"What about living together?"
"Why don't we talk about that later? After our therapy session?"
He took her hand and led her into the bedroom.
"Doctor Nick," she said.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Early next morning the team and Korov gathered around a flat table covered with satellite photos of the compound.
Nick began. "Harker's got the logistics locked down. Transport to Sheppard. Vehicles waiting for us there. That's the easy part. Steph dug up info on the opposition. They provide hard core security in Iraq and Afghanistan. There have been incidents with this group."
"What kind of incidents?" It was Selena.
"They shoot first and ask later. All combat vets, former Rangers, Marines, SOCOM. We have to assume they know what they're doing and will respond rapidly."
"They gotta be there to protect Demeter," Ronnie said.
"No other reason I can think of."
"Our weapons?"
"We'll take all that with us, Korov. MP-5s, side arms, grenades, ammo. Night scopes. You know the MP-5?"
The Russian nodded. "A good choice."
"We'll take Thermate-TH3 for the meltdown and C-4 just in case. All our personal combat gear. Vests and the like. Lamont, can you handle a rifle with that arm?"
"Yeah, with a bipod and a rest. Don't think I'd be much good in a running firefight, though."
"I'm thinking we take a Barrett .50 and give you an M4 for backup. You stick with the vehicles, set up and give us cover while we go in."
"That'll work."
Nick put his finger on the electrical substation at the junction of the highway and the access road.
"A big transformer fire will make a nice diversion. We'll take it out with a delayed charge and be in position when the lights go out. I'm betting they'll think it's a normal power failure. These guys have been sitting on their ass in the middle of nowhere for months with nobody shooting at them. They'll be dull. That will change pretty quick once they realize we're inside."
Selena said, "How do we go over the fence?"
"We don't go over it. We go through it with a plasma cutter. Easier and faster that way." He tapped the photo. "Here. In the rear, away from the guard shack and the barracks. Once we're in, we've got cover between the buildings. We'll get close before the power goes off."
Korov nodded.
Nick continued. "They won't see us. There's no moon. Weather says clouds, so no stars either. It'll be black as Hitler's heart out there. We'll approach from the back, beyond the lights. Lamont will set up to cover us with the Barrett. We crawl up close and go through the fence when the power goes down."
"And if the lights come back on while we're doing that?" Selena asked.
Nick was in leader mode. "We deal with it."
"Which building is the primary objective?" Korov studied the photo.
"Building Four. This one."
Building Four was in the second from the last row, in the back of the complex. That made it a little easier.
"Korov, what's your experience with demolition?"
"Extensive. I am familiar with thermite and with your detonators and explosives."
"Figures. Okay, you and I will go inside and set charges. Ronnie, you and Selena outside to cover us with Lamont as backup."
"What does this stuff look like?"
"Pepper, Ronnie. Just like pepper."
"Getting out?" Korov said. "The power will be back on with the fence."
"Lamont will take out the generators with the .50 when we're ready to leave. No need for quiet by then."
"When do we go in?"
"0300 hours. This whole thing depends on getting in without being seen. If they see us we're looking at a heavy firefight with some very pissed off people. But they're rusty. We're not."
"Forty of them?"
"Yep."
"Maybe ten to one odds," Ronnie said. "Makes it an equal fight."
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
"Be a good crop, this year. Better than last," Bob said.
Winter wheat laid a fresh green carpet across the Nebraska prairie. Billy Elroy and his brother Bob stood on the edge of the fields. Bob had 2000 acres in wheat and corn, handed down by hard work through five generations. Billy had come to help with the spring corn planting. Disking, fertilizing, getting the machinery ready.