‘Anyone who approaches is to be shot, I don’t care if they are local or Jacob’s people.’
Everyone understood clearly, the threat of Enzi and his accomplices was clear even to the local hired guns. Thorpe and his men remained silent, listening and ensuring they were clear on Enzi’s positions.
‘Sergeant Thorpe, I would like you to stay at the bottom of the wall, a roaming patrol, keeping watch on our perimeter.’
‘Certainly Mr Enzi.’
Thorpe put his radio down, and nodded to the four men in his charge, the driver of the boat was oblivious. Just as he had predicted, Enzi had freed him to rove, and this would ease the execution of his mission.
THIRTY SEVEN
La gente de la luz azul were obviously knowledgeable in concealment, they had been watching the archaeological dig for weeks, without anyone becoming aware. Osvaldo had met them on the beach near La Tola, the hovercraft came to rest on the shoreline.
‘Debra, this is the remainder of my group.’
As Osvaldo Roderigo introduced them, they stepped forward, offering firm handshakes to Debra and anyone else.
The first was Augusta Fabiola Gutierrez Garcia, about fifty years old with black and grey wiry hair; she was stocky build, with a rifle slung over her shoulder. Osvaldo Roderigo informed Debra that Augusta Fabiola was their main recruiter, which surprised Debra considering her formidable appearance. The second woman was younger dark brown hair, and huge eyes, Dalia Maria Aguilera Hurtado, the mathematician of the group. The third was the youngest, only eighteen and just recruited on her birthday two months before, Ana Lucia Erazo Roldes, still being instructed in the ways of the group, and nervously laughed as she shook Debra’s hand. The last, like Ana Lucia young and a recent recruit, inheriting the position from his grandfather, who had recruited Osvaldo Roderigo.
Lucio Andres Correa Alvarez, looked like a very young Enrique, and already had the attention of the women in the group.
They were all dressed in appropriate camouflage, and all had rifles with telescopic sights, and handguns.
‘I am impressed by how prepared you are.’
‘We have all worked with local military to track and assist in the destruction of drug factories on the border with Colombia.’
‘Well that is going to help. Can you help my other people conceal themselves on site?’
‘As long as none of them are wearing bright pink camouflage or something.’
Debra laughed at Lucio Andres joke, ‘You would be very popular back home I am sure.’
With introductions completed, the group loaded up the hovercraft and were enroute to the complex soon afterwards, Debra explained the plan, using aerial photographs and scans taken by Katherine. She overlaid the predicted positions of Enzi and his men, and their locations to give effective fields of fire, and dispersal to avoid all being taken out in one attack.
Debra and La gente de la luz azul arrived on site hours before anyone else. Teddy dropped them by hovercraft, He was only a call away, five minutes at full speed, but in a fire fight she knew five minutes was too long. Teddy had made two runs, the first with Osvaldo Roderigo’s people, the remaining La gente de la luz azul members, the second with volunteers, most of whom had little or no combat experience, but could use weapons accurately. With Archer’s help and tactical awareness, Debra would implement a defensive strategy for the complex, to ensure that Enzi’s people did not secure or hold it. Any soldiers would be more of an issue. Archer hoped that Mastasson would not send any, as he wished this complex and the amulets to remain secret.
Debra heard boats pull up at the improvised landing piers, just two large trees, secured with rope to roots on the riverbank. She used her scope to confirm the number of men and arms, and that Enzi was among them. She saw his tall elegant body climbing from the boat, his suit notably absent, but still wearing long canvas trousers and a shirt. She did not radio Jacob or Archer to inform them, or open fire on the group while they were exiting the boat. Archer was clear in his instructions. He wanted them unaware of Debra’s presence, to allow Mastasson to arrive unimpeded.
Debra saw Thorpe’s men exit, they stood out, full combat fatigues, facial camouflage, correctly equipped for jungle warfare. She knew they were the real threat, and not expected. These five men spread out along the trail adjacent to the wall, scattered over twenty feet apart, in single file, ensuring any ambush would not take out the whole squad. They disappeared into the jungle, as the rest of Enzi’s men clambered clumsily up the complex’s wall. Three men stayed with the boats, to secure Enzi’s escape, Debra signalled her colleagues and two of them moved into position to target the boat crew’s.
When they arrived on site, Michael had sent a small remote controlled drone up over the complex to survey it, and check for existing threats. The quadcopter had four small fans looking more like the top of a cooker than a robot. It was easily controllable and the high definition camera on its belly gave excellent coverage and clarity of picture.
They dispersed in small groups, concealing themselves at the base and top of the wall, using the collapsed areas to get down into, still having good line of sight with the opposite side. Michael had brought a group of old and hastily modified robots with him, Teddy helping him wrestle them into position. Teddy complained that such a poor constructed man could build such large and strong machines. Without Teddy’s strength, Michael would never have got the machines on site.
There was no radio contact, no transmissions to disclose their position or intentions, Archer had been clear on that. As Debra waited she unexpectedly intercepted The General’s transmission to Enzi. She put her earpiece in and used the new intelligence to update her maps. The only reason she was to call out, was if they were in dire trouble and needed support, which Debra knew would never come fast enough.
She focused back on the boats, and observed Enzi and a taller man, instructing men where to locate, Jones. Then Jones disappeared into the jungle with two men. The local henchmen that had been supplied were complacent and lazy, no sooner had Enzi left, they were lighting cigarettes and some of them even went to sleep.
Within minutes Debra had documented all their positions on her laminated diagram of the complex, as Michael’s drone drifted unnoticed over their heads. She instructed everyone near her to move and re-position themselves, Michael was to get help carrying the improvised munitions to their firing points, as quietly as possible, hiding their mechanical assassins. She knew in thirty minutes she would be ready, but was unsure if they would all survive.
THIRTY EIGHT
The clouds over the jungle had darkened, indistinguishable layers of sky merged. Mastasson checked his automatic weather updates on his display, no storms of this size were predicted today. He changed course to come in away from the storm clouds and approach the clearing from another direction, it was longer, but safer. Laurent had been very quiet, Mastasson suspected fear, rather than politeness.
‘Laurent, are you not curious to see what power these amulets can unleash?’
‘Yes, but at what cost?’
‘Cost? The only cost is to those who will pay me not to use them.’
‘You would use this relic to blackmail countries?’
‘Now you of all people should appreciate that manipulation of an advantage is something to be admired, surely?’
‘Yes I but only when it is an advantage for me alone.’
‘You are not just agreeing to stop me from killing you?’
‘If I answer that as yes, do you kill me anyway?’