“Kidnapped, sir?” Murdock asked.
“Strange set of circumstances. The day before the invasion, the governor and five of his people went on a reality retreat where they were going to test themselves and to do some hard planning for the year ahead. It’s a primitive camp high up on Red Hill, the highest point on Maui. It’s surrounded by a national forest reserve and a lot of woods and open spaces.
“The place is called Hardship Camp, and it’s used by some of our juvenile courts and church groups and by some big business firms for a total confrontation of personalities.
“There is no electricity, running water, or sanitary facilities whatsoever at the camp. The only access is a five-mile hike from the end of a horrendously crooked two-lane road leading up the north side.
“None of the campers were permitted to bring along cell phones, radios, laptop computers, any type of communication devices. They wanted to be isolated for four days so they could get some heavy work done.”
“What about the operators of the camp?” Murdock said. “They must have some kind of communications.”
“If they do, no one knows about it. Two ex-nuns run the place. They do a lot of meditating and prayer, and don’t hold with modern conveniences.”
“How do we know they’re still there?” Ed DeWitt asked.
“The Chinese told us. They brayed it on their radio and in English so we all could get the message. The press picked it up. It’s in tonight’s papers and on the TV and radio. It’s a huge story.”
“How did the Chinese get in there?” Senior Chief Dobler asked.
“We assume by helicopter. In and out middle of the night.”
“So they might have only twenty or thirty men there,” Murdock said.
“A Lieutenant Hing of the Chinese Marines claims that he has a hundred men surrounding the top of the mountain. He says he can hold off a battalion of attackers.”
“Realistically, how many men do you think he has?” DeWitt asked.
“My Marines say not more than fifty, maybe thirty-five. It’s an easy spot to defend.”
“So we go up and dig him out,” Murdock said.
“My people suggested some kind of a silent approach and a surprise.”
“I’d guess the mountain is forested,” Murdock said. “Not a good spot for a parachute landing. That cuts down on the element of surprise.”
“We could go in by small helicopters that wouldn’t make much sound,” Dobler said. “Slip in on the off side of the mountain from the camp and work around to it.”
“They’ll have at least two layers of outpost security,” DeWitt said.
“We go around or through them,” Murdock said. “I like the idea of the smaller choppers at night. If there isn’t an LZ up there we can rope down. I’d guess you’d want us to be up there tonight?”
“First dark if you can make it, Commander.”
A commander at the side of the room came up and gave Murdock a letter.
“Show that wherever you need to and you’ll have complete cooperation. This covers any supplies, services, or aircraft and vehicles you need.”
“Thanks. Admiral, we better get moving. We have some planning and resupply to do. Can the choppers be at Hickam by 1800?”
“Should be no problem. Work that out with Commander Philder.”
“Thank you, sir. We’ll do our best.”
“That’s all we ask, Commander. That’s a valuable package up on that mountain. Let’s hope that there is no damage to any part of it.”
“Yes, sir.” Murdock said. The SEALs did about-faces and walked out the side door followed by Commander Philder.
They settled on one Sea Knight that was available at Hickam for use by the Navy. It took another two hours to check out the SEALs and work out resupply needs. They took extra ammo loads that would come in drag bags.
The retreat was on the south slope of Red Hill two miles from the end of the road, which came almost to the summit and dead-ended there. The roadway came up a rugged route from the north.
The SEALs checked out the maps in their quarters at Pearl.
“Looks like we can come in from the north and even in the Sea Knight we have a good chance they won’t hear us on top,” Dobler said. “We’ll be about a mile down and land on the road. Quick on and off so we won’t bother any midnight traffic.”
“We take the twenties?” Holt asked.
“Two of the Bull Pups and two EARs,” Murdock said. “Regular weapons as well. We don’t know what we’ll run into up there, or just where the hostages are kept.”
“The description of the retreat brags that there aren’t any permanent buildings, only a few tent floors and frames,” DeWitt said.
Commander Philder came in and told them it was set with the Marine flyboys for transport. “The Sea Knight can do a hundred-and-fifty-four-mile-an-hour cruise speed, and the run over to Maui is only ninety-two miles. So you get there in little less than a half hour. The Sea Knights have plenty of range to return to base without refueling.”
“When does it get dark?” Murdock asked.
“This time of year, about 1900 unless there’s a rain squall. Then it’s earlier. When do you want to leave Hickam?”
“Liftoff at 1830,” Murdock said. The commander nodded and hurried outside.
The liftoff came on time, and it was still light enough that they could see most of Molokai as they slanted past it. Then some weather closed in and they missed Lanai. They came in on Maui on the southwest coast, and began climbing due west up to Red Hill. By the time they crossed into the Kula Forest Reserve, it was almost dark. The pilot had vectored them in slightly north of the peak so he could find the road from the north.
He nailed it, then followed it in the moonlight at a hundred feet over the wash of the ages-old spread of volcanic debris. They were at the very edge of the Haleakala National Park. It encompassed the huge caldron of the dormant Haleakala volcano.
It was almost dark now, but below they could see a wild variety of native trees, eucalyptus trees, and fields of cactus. The darkness closed in and the pilot dropped down lower. He came soon to a flat spot on the paved road, and set the chopper down on the blacktop. They could see no car lights either way.
“Pilot says we’re a mile from the top, so all ashore,” Murdock said as the wheels touched and the crewman let down the rear hatch. The SEALs moved out slowly, each with a drag bag filled with ammo and goods they might need for a stay of several days. They grouped well out of the rotor wash, and watched the bird button up and lift off, going back the way it had come.
“Welcome to Maui, ladies. Let’s take a hike,” Murdock said. They hiked up the road until they could see lights of the visitors’ center. They went into the brush there and bypassed the center, then worked slightly downhill as they moved around the west side of the mountain. They had planned on avoiding the Skyline Trail, which wound around to a recreation area well below. The retreat was supposed to be two miles south from the summit on a small peak and with a flat place around it. Murdock figured the clients of the retreat walked in on the Skyline Trail.
As they moved through the darkness, the landscape changed. The towering eucalyptus trees gave way to brush and more rain-forest-type vegetation. Murdock had seen on one of the maps that this was a forest reserve. The wood and brush became thicker. Evidently this side of the island received more rainfall than the other side.
Murdock called a halt after a half hour. They had been scrambling along the side slope of the mountain, which made it tougher going. Each SEAL had his usual jungle cammies, floppy hat of the same design, and his weapons and ammo. The average load for this trip was from sixty to seventy pounds depending on the weapon and ammo. Four of the men carried two weapons, the Bull Pup or the EAR gun and their usual shooter. Add a forty-pound drag bag of ammo and supplies, and the men carried a load.