“Sir,” Stansell cut in, “why don’t we let Captain Bryant complete the debrief? Dewa made a checklist of items to go over and it’s all in the intelligence appendix of the OPORD.” He had said the right words … Mado considered the operations order to be etched in stone.
Thunder gave a silent thanks that Stansell was there and that the plan was a good well-thought-out document — thanks to Stansell — and Mado in calmer moments. Mado nodded and continued to pace while Thunder started through the questions. He was interrupted by a knock on the door. Brenda Iverson, Kowalski’s copilot, was closest and opened it. A lieutenant colonel in a flight suit was standing there with three other men behind him.
“We’re Delray Five-One,” he announced and came into the room. “I think you want to look at our mission results.”
“It could have waited,” Mado said. “You were to remain on-station until twenty-one hundred Zulu.”
Nelson, not the least intimidated by Mado, said, “But when Scamp One-One deviated from the briefed mission profile I decided that you needed the results more than us boring holes in the sky turning JP-4 into noise.” He looked around the room, picking Kowalski out. “You the aircraft commander?” She nodded. “It was a close one. The Iraqis almost nailed you.” Without waiting he went over the mission from their perspective, pointing out how the Iranian air defense net had been totally passive and the Iraqi’s alive and well. “One question, Captain,” he concluded, “why did you head for Iraq instead of flying a low-level back through Iran to Turkey? Iranian air defense is like a sieve.”
“I thought for sure the Iranians would pick us up when we dropped off the airliner and wanted them to think I was an Iraqi heading for home. I figured we could sneak through Iraq and they wouldn’t catch us. A calculated risk.”
“A bad decision,” Mado said. “Now we’ve got Romeo Team on the ground and—”
“I acted on the best information I had at the time,” Kowalski said.
“Excuse me, sir.” It was Stansell. “I thought that was the idea … Getting Romeo Team on the ground. Maybe it didn’t happen exactly like we planned, but we met the objective—”
“Colonel, our plan is coming apart,” Mado said. “We’ve got to advise the Command Center and have them reconsider our situation …”
Gregory had been sitting at the back of the room taking it all in. “General, we need to talk. In private.” Mado stared at the army lieutenant colonel, surprised by the steel he heard in the man’s voice. He nodded and walked out of the room and into a deserted office. “Sir,” Gregory began, “I’m your ground commander and I made a promise to my men. I told them I’d get them out. And, sir, I’m going to do that. Please don’t misunderstand me on this. If you get in the way, or don’t do everything you can, I’ll tell the world that you’re a fucking idiot and then I’ll break your neck — personally.” The general couldn’t take his eyes off Gregory’s huge hands. The lieutenant colonel turned and walked away, back to his Rangers.
Mado’s breathing was ragged as he struggled to regain his composure. Finally he walked back into Intelligence. “The question before us is”—his voice strained but calm—“has the mission been compromised to the point we cannot continue? Colonel Gregory recommends we launch as planned. Your recommendations.”
“Go as planned,” Stansell said. Goddamn, he thought, we’ve been through this before. He’s starting to hedge again. What does it take to get the man to make a decision?
“Go,” Thunder said.
“As planned,” Kowalski said. It was fairly obvious that Mado was big on following plans.
“If you’re worried about the Iranians,” Nelson said, “there’s no indication they’re awake. But the Iraqis probably know something is going down. No way they’ll tell the Iranians, though.”
Mado jerked his head and returned to the command post. They all followed him into the big room. The command post’s Emergency Action Controller handed him a message. “From the Pentagon’s command center,” she told him. “The team is on the ground and have established contact.”
Again, the general studied the status boards in front of him … “Launch as planned …”
They could barely hear it.
“What now?” Thunder asked.
Stansell said, “Launch in three hours.”
“For sure?” Kowalski asked. They were all studying Mado.
“That’s a definite maybe,” Stansell told them, face tight.
CHAPTER 41
The hill Kamigami was moving toward was further away than Jamison had estimated. The big sergeant major maintained a steady dogtrot and the young lieutenant was having a hard time keeping up. He wanted to drop some of his equipment and lighten his load but Kamigami had told him to carry it all and keep moving. Jamison was thankful when they moved up a shallow ravine leading to the crest of the hill and their pace eased. Suddenly Kamigami stopped and listened. “Goats.” His voice was soft and quiet. Jamison listened but couldn’t hear a thing.
The sergeant looked around him and pointed to a shadow on the side of the ravine. It was a little more than a crack or animal burrow. Kamigami dropped his equipment and started to sort it out, pushing what he didn’t want into the hole. Jamison did likewise and was about to shove his gas mask in after his parachute when Kamigami grabbed it and handed it back. When they were finished Jamison threw some loose dirt and stones over the equipment while Kamigami carried a big rock up from the dry steam bed and dropped it over the opening.
With their equipment sorted out they made the crest of the hill in a few minutes. It was barren, with little vegetation and no rocks to hide in. The two men flopped down on their stomachs for a break. “Over there, to the east,” Kamigami said. They could see a glow of lights beyond another set of hills that marked a large town. “Got to be Kermanshah.” He spread his map and set his compass on it, starting to get his bearings.
“I can hear the goats now,” Jamison whispered.
“Goatherder’s around somewhere.”
Jamison touched the sergeant’s shoulder and pointed to the headlights of a car moving in the night. “That must be a highway running east to west. I’d guess we’re two to three miles north of it.”
“Closer to five. Okay, I’ve got our position. We’re ten miles due west of Kermanshah. On this hill.” He pointed it out on the map, carefully shielding his light. “About fifteen miles from the DZ. We head there.” He pointed to the next set of hills to the east of them, toward the glow and Kermanshah.
“Should we try to make radio contact?”
“No, the range is too great and the goatherder might hear us.” Kamigami shoved his map and compass in a pocket and moved out with a speed that surprised Jamison. The big man disappeared in the dark. Jamison hurried after him, stumbling over the rough terrain. A hand reached out and steadied him. “Tanks make less noise,” Kamigami said. “Keep up.”
CHAPTER 42
The key grated in the lock and the guard had to twist it back and forth to slide the bolt back. It gave Mary time to sit at attention and pull the canvas bag over her head. The guard turned the light on and closed the door behind him.
“Please take the bag off.” The man was speaking in English and his voice was routine, matter of fact. Mary did. The man was holding a bowl. “Please eat.” He handed her the bowl and she took three quick spoonfuls of the stew-like concoction before she slowed.