Jen stood there rubbing her hands together, trying to get some warmth back in them when Sam turned and, with a serious look on her face, dug out her pistol, pulled back on the slide and then handed it to her.
“In case this fails,” said Sam soberly.
Taking the pistol, Jen felt its weight in her hands. She had never used a weapon in her life. Jen knew that if their plan failed that there would be no other way to stop the mercenaries and she did not intend to die without fighting back.
Jackson, his hands gripped tightly on ATV’s handlebar, had expected a welcoming committee the instant they sped out of the tunnel. The bright sun rising up in the sky momentarily blinded him; however, the path in front of them was empty. Hearing the sound of firing off to his left, Jackson jammed his foot down on the gas pedal. His friends were in danger and he was not going to slow down for anything or anyone.
“Over there,” called out Mitchell as he pointed towards the gaggle of men using a large tractor for cover as it closed in on the tower.
“Hang on,” said Jackson as he turned the handlebar hard over, the wheels of the ATV clawing at the icy ground as it slid sideways for a few meters before suddenly gripping the rocky path that led down from the volcano towards the destroyed mining camp.
Speeding past the still smoldering remains of the two police helicopters, Mitchell changed the magazine on his pistol and then looked up at the tower. He knew his friends were fighting desperately to protect Jen. Kicking at the floor of the ATV, Mitchell cursed at the vehicle to move faster. He wanted to be in the fight before it was too late.
Cardinal was trying his best to ricochet rounds under the spade of the tractor, hoping to hit the driver. He doubted he was doing anything but wasting ammunition, but he had to try something. Ejecting his empty magazine, Cardinal could see that the tractor was less than one hundred meters away and closing. Quickly jamming a new magazine home, he decided that he would make his stand with Sam on the floor below. Crawling back on his stomach, Cardinal quickly made his way to the stone staircase and then dashed down below, only to have a pistol unexpectedly thrust into his face.
“Jesus, you should have said you were coming down! I could have shot you,” said Jen as she slowly lowered her pistol. Her hands were shaking so much that she thought she was going to drop the gun.
“Sorry,” replied Cardinal, his heart still jack hammering away in his chest.
“I suggest everyone lie down on the floor as I’m not sure if this is going to work,” said Sam as she held up a remote detonating device in her hand.
Cardinal and Jen dove to the floor.
Taking one last look out of the window, Sam saw the tractor looming large.
“What are you planning to do?” asked Cardinal.
“This,” replied Sam as she depressed the button on the remote. In the blink of an eye, the C4 inside the cannon detonated, sending the rock flying out of the barrel and straight at the uplifted shovel. First striking the top of one of the 45-gallon drums, the rock easily sliced through the metal and then tore a hole into the top of the shovel, sending razor-sharp shards of metal flying into the face and neck of the driver, killing him instantly. His foot slipped off the gas pedal. A few seconds later, the tractor came to a shuddering halt about fifty meters short of the tower.
Chang saw the blood trickling down the side of the tractor and knew that his driver was dead. Shaking his head in anger, he was about to climb up and over into the cab, when a man behind him called out in pain and dropped to the ground. Turning his head, he could not believe his eyes as an ATV came charging towards them, the driver and the man beside him firing away like mad men. His blood boiled when he recognized Mitchell. At that moment, he knew the plan to detonate the bombs had failed. With bullets cutting men down where they stood, discipline among his men evaporated in an instant. They had had enough. Men dropped their weapons and ran for their lives, some foolishly towards the tower, only to die in a deadly barrage from Sam and Cardinal, while others tried running back towards the camp. They never made it either as they were shot in their tracks by the men in the ATV. Throwing himself under the tractor, Chang crawled out of sight. It was over. He did not see the point in dying when he did not have to.
“Don’t stop,” yelled Mitchell over his shoulder at Jackson, as he emptied his pistol magazine into the panicked crowd of mercenaries.
Jackson had no intention of stopping. Firing his weapon on automatic, he sprayed the area in front of them with bullets.
In seconds, it was over. Not a single mercenary was left alive.
Tearing past the stopped tractor, Jackson brought the ATV to a sliding halt in front of the tower. Both men instantly leapt from the vehicle and ran towards the open door of the building, met by Jen, Sam, and Cardinal as they made their way outside.
Seeing Mitchell still alive, Jen, with tears welling up in her eyes, threw her arms around him and pulled him in close.
“Ow,” mumbled Mitchell as Jen crushed his broken wrist in her vicelike grip on him.
“Is that all you’ve got to say?” said Jen as she let go of Mitchell and then wiped the tears away from her face.
Mitchell smiled. Jen’s face may have been covered in tears and dirt, but to him she was still the most beautiful woman he had ever met. “We can talk later,” he said as he looked over at Sam. “Get Yuri and Fahimah here ASAP.”
Nodding, Sam dug out her phone to make the call.
The sound of rotor blades made Mitchell look skyward. With a smile on his face, he watched five V-22 tilt-rotor Ospreys came in to land.
“God bless the United States Marine Corps,” said Jackson.
“Come on, let’s go and greet our party crashers,” said Mitchell.
46
“Mister Mitchell, I presume?” said a short, broad-shouldered Hispanic-American Marine Colonel wearing full battle gear.
“Yes sir,” said Mitchell, offering the man his left hand in greeting.
“Looks like we arrived a little late,” said the colonel as he looked around at the smoldering remains of the camp, and the several dozen bodies strewn about. “Some fight. My headquarters told me to pass on that General O’Reilly sends his regards. My name is Colonel Robert Santiago. Are the bombs secured?” asked Santiago anxiously.
Mitchell was relieved that General O’Reilly had been able to get someone to listen to him about the bombs. “Sir, unfortunately we only managed to defuse one,” replied Mitchell.
“It’s down the tunnel and to the left,” said Jackson. “You’ll find a cranky little Russian tied to it,” he added.
“The other bomb?” asked Santiago.
“It was armed before we could stop it,” Mitchell said.
“I have a top-notch bomb disposal team with me; they have experience from Afghanistan. They can disarm it,” said Santiago.
Mitchell shook his head. “Sir, I’m sorry, but it won’t be that easy. It’s not a complex IED. It’s a nuclear bomb with an encrypted arming device on it that’s set to be remotely detonated,” explained Mitchell, pausing to choose his next words carefully. “Colonel, no disrespect to your men, but they will most likely trigger it before disarming it.”
Santiago looked up towards the immense volcano. “All of this is sheer madness. I still don’t understand what the hell is going on.”
“Sir, I’ll gladly tell you what I know,” said Mitchell, “but in order to save millions of lives, I’m going to need your help.”
A puzzled look grew on Santiago’s face. “Son, this is a military operation now,” said Santiago. “Fill me in and my people will deal with it.”