Denke frowned and rolled his eyes. “Okay, sir, whatever.”
Jazz stood and left.
That did not go well, he thought.
As he walked back to the IED classroom Jazz realized that his initial reaction to the IED incident in San Patricio was just as Denke described. The new OIC called one of his Master Technicians, Chief Keating. Keating trusted him to react properly. Keating thought Jazz could perform on his own. Now Jazz wondered which of his chiefs was right.
Yurwitz asked the detachment to lay out all of their IED equipment in the front of the classroom before he began his lecture. Jazz surveyed their gear as Quinn and Sinclair laid it out. He recalled being taught how to use each of these tools in the IED division at Indian Head.
The det’s response pack was the first item used by any Tech when downrange on an IED problem. The pack held all of the “Hollywood” tools. There were clamps, cutters, drills, and miniature sized screwdrivers and pliers. It had various rolls of tape, different sized magnets, and special metal containers for carrying blasting caps. Next to the pack, Sinclair had laid the det’s portable x-ray and the remote operated dearmer. These were the bread and butter of IED work. Often, sophisticated devices could only be stabilized using the response pack. The P1 had to use his x-ray and dearmer to render the device safe.
The portable x-ray was invaluable to determine the layout and design of the improvised explosive device when fully enclosed within a container whether it was a cardboard box, a suitcase, or a pipe bomb. The Tech placed the x-ray on one side and a film cartridge on the other. After shooting the correct number of electromagnetic pulses through the device the P1 would return to the CP with the film cartridge. Each det possessed a portable developer to go along with their x-ray unit. In minutes the whole team could be studying the contents of the suspect package within the safety of their command post.
The remote operated dearmer was meant to destroy an IED’s electronic components from the safety of the command post. The tool was in essence, a cannon, that spewed water at extremely high speeds into the suspect package. The energy imparted upon plastic, wood, and even metal by the first H2O molecules cut a hole through which more water could travel. As the water passed through, wires severed, timers imploded, and circuit boards became demolished.
The beauty of this technique was that high explosives may break apart under the force of a water jet, but the friction was usually not enough to cause detonation.
Jazz thought the dearmer was phallic-looking and apparently at least one other Tech agreed with him. Two cases housing the det’s dearmers were labeled “HOLMES” and “JEREMY.”
The classroom phase was complete at lunchtime the next day. Now Det Four would be given practical drills to demonstrate their proficiency. After returning from the base chow hall, the det waited in and around the classroom for their first drill to begin. Any minute they expected one of the instructors to come in and role-play a police officer, beginning their IED problem.
Quinn had his head on his desk, eyes closed. He slept soundly. T-Ball read a book. Ash was outside the IED classroom on his cell phone. Jazz noted he spent every free moment on the phone.
“Who’s going to be the P1, LT?” Denke asked.
“I am.”
“I advise against that, sir. It would be best if you were in the CP.”
“I’ll learn more as the P1, besides I need the signatures for my Senior Tech PQS. In fact there are four line items, so I need four signatures as the P1 on an IED to advance to Senior Tech.”
“LT, you’re the OIC and as such you belong in the CP. No offense, but I’ll never let you go downrange on an IED problem. Chief K will back me up on this. Right, Chief?”
Keating was in an awkward position. Jazz knew he also had to develop a good relationship with his fellow chief.
“Well, Senior Chief, LT does have a point about his PQS. This is a great time and place to learn, he should take advantage of that.”
“Hell, we can teach him, we’ll coach him along in the CP,” Denke.
Jazz knew Denke was disguising an attempt to gain footing against him. The OIC clenched his jaw. Then he asked, “Will you sign my PQS for P1 on an IED problem if I do it in the CP?”
Jazz already knew what the answer was. It was clear when Denke provided no response.
“Then I guess I’ll be the P1.”
“Well, sir, just because you’re the P1 does not guarantee you a signature. I’ll only sign you off if you prove yourself to me.”
Denke’s tone was harsh, not quite disrespectful, but there was anger behind it. He stood and left the room. The rest of the team returned to silence.
Jazz wondered what his men thought of him right now. Keating seemed genuinely interested in training the OIC, almost paternal. Denke was obviously ready to embarrass him.
Don’t fuck this up, Jazz he thought to himself.
Ashland walked in the room carrying his cell phone with Grover Denke following behind him.
“So what did your broker say?” asked Quinn.
“Broker? I thought he was running a 1-900-horny diver phone service with that thing,” said Sinclair.
Ashland ignored his teammates.
“LT, I just got a call on my cell phone. Sounds like an IED issue.”
Jazz looked at Ashland puzzled.
Ash lowered his voice as if telling a secret. “I gave Potter my cell phone number the first day here so they could get a hold of us if needed…. they are obviously using it.”
Jazz took the phone and opened his IED Standard Operating Procedure binder. The SOP was used as a guide for conducting the IED mission.
“Lieutenant Jascinski, here.”
“Sir, this is Sergeant Squid of the Virginia Beach Police Department.”
The OIC asked the standard questions and provided “Squid” with the Standard recommendations outlined in the SOP. After Jazz gathered all of the pertinent information he briefed his det.
“Okay guys, we just got a call from Virginia Beach PD. There is a local politician who has been getting threats, all of them documented with VBPD. This morning the politico comes out to his car to find a bomb in it. Specifically, he opened a gym bag he keeps on the passenger seat and saw a device inside.”
“Is he sure that it wasn’t an egg timer and a couple’a road flares?” Quinn quipped.
Everyone chuckled, including Jazz. “No, we’re pretty sure it is a bomb. VBPD is faxing us a map to their location. Let’s load up and head out.”
As the other men moved toward the door, Denke approached Jazz.
“Lieutenant, if you are going downrange as the P1 at least give me the binder so I can act as OIC.”
Jazz handed it over.
“Sure, Senior Chief.”
He noted that Denke had relieved him subtly.
The fax directed Det Four to the demolition range a short distance behind the training unit. All of the response gear was loaded into Det Four’s HUMMVEE, with the CP gear in the dually. Jazz drove up in the HUMMVEE with Delgado, the others followed behind.
The IED instructors were waiting in their HUMMVEE next to a gate that was closed to block the demo range from traffic. A red flag was displayed next to it identifying the range as “hot.”
As Denke got out of the det’s Dually he called out, “You guys from Virginia Beach Police Department?”
Chief Potter stepped forward.