Brady Hawk 17 - Code Red Page 2

  “Well, I wouldn’t believe it unless I saw it with my own eyes,” Stone said.

  “Gotta move now,” Hawk said. “There’ll be plenty of time for you to gush about your surprise.”

  Stone didn’t move, instead grinning and pointing at Hawk. “Noah put you up to this, didn’t he?”

  “We really need to go right now.”

  “Who are you? CIA? Navy SEALs? Army Rangers?”

  “I’m Hawk, and this isn’t a game, Lieutenant Colonel. But I think you know that.”

  Stone shook his head. “You’re right. It’s not. But if there aren’t more of you, we’re screwed.”

  “How come?”

  “There are a dozen men who watch this facility twenty-four seven,” Stone said.

  “There are only eleven now.”

  Hawk led Stone into the adjacent room and pointed at the dead guard.

  Stone grabbed Hawk by the arm. “I’m serious. There are plenty more men roaming the halls of this place with guns. They’re not going to ask questions. They’re just going to shoot.”

  Hawk grinned wryly. “That’s exactly what I’m hoping for.”

  He knelt down and removed his pack from his back.

  “What are you doing?” Stone asked. “We don’t have time for this. Someone is going to be in here any minute now.”

  Hawk tossed a hard hat at Stone along with a pair of coveralls, matching that of the mine employees.

  “What’s this for?” Stone asked.

  “That’s your plan B in case we get separated. There’s going to be a chopper waiting for us at an extraction point on the north side of the mountain in about half an hour from now.”

  “I’d rather have a gun.”

  Hawk dug through his bag and retrieved another weapon. “I figured you might. Now put on that uniform so we can get going.”

  While Stone got dressed, Hawk alerted Alex that it was time to send the helicopter. Then the two men ventured into the main corridor of the Al Fatihin hideout.

  “So you’ve tried to escape before?” Hawk whispered.

  “Several times, but this place is like a maze—and it’s heavily guarded.”

  “So where is everyone today?”

  Stone shrugged. “Beats me. But I wouldn’t be so sure that you’ve entered at just the right time.”

  They crept along without incident until they reached the exit.

  “You ready?” Hawk asked.

  Stone nodded.

  Crouching low, Hawk went first and checked in both directions. With the coast clear, he signaled for Stone to join him. They moved stealthily toward the corner and peered around it. Hawk noticed two guards walking toward him.

  “We’ve got two hostiles heading our way,” Hawk said. “I take the one on the right; you take the one on the left.”

  “Roger that,” Stone said.

  “On my mark.”

  When Hawk gave the order, both men swung out around the corner and hit the unsuspecting men before they had a chance to fire back. Hawk and Stone stripped the guards of their guns and checked to make sure they were dead.

  “That’s funny,” Stone said. “I don’t recognize either of these guys.”

  “Are they not Al Faithin?”

  Stone slid one of the men’s right sleeve down his arm and held it up for Hawk to see. Etched into his wrist was a tattoo with the words “Al Fatihin” written in Arabic and a shamshir.

  “We got the right guys, but I’ve never seen them before.”

  “Is that unusual?”

  “I knew most of the Al Fatihin operatives by name. It was always the same group of men—and sometimes the woman.”

  “Evana Bahar?”

  Stone nodded.

  “Let’s keep moving,” Hawk said.

  They navigated toward the stairwell, where they found another lone Al Fatihin agent. Hawk shot the man in the chest at point-blank range before he could react.

  “The chopper is two minutes out, Hawk,” Alex said over the coms.

  “We’re almost there,” he said. “Are we still clean outside?”

  “Clean as a whistle.”

  Hawk and Stone hustled up to ground level and exited on the north side of the mountain where the CIA helicopter was stirring up a small dust storm. Glancing back one final time to make sure there were no Al Fatihin soldiers behind them, Hawk gestured for Stone to run. Hawk followed suit, jogging backward with his gun trained on the door in case any agents spilled outside.

  Once Hawk and Stone were safely inside, the pilot took off and peeled away from the mountains to safety across the border in Afghanistan.

  “As far as ops go, that was rather uneventful,” Stone said.

  “Too uneventful,” Hawk said. “Something doesn’t seem right.”

  “Are you clear now?” Alex asked.

  “We’re clear,” Hawk said. “Get the message to the president that we’ve got Stone.”

  Hawk patted Stone on the back. “Rest up. You’ve got a long journey ahead of you, and a lot of people want to talk to you.”

  CHAPTER 2

  Puyuhuapi, Chile

  TITUS BLACK INHALED the fresh mountain air and slung his pack across his shoulders. He checked his weapon to make sure it was loaded before beginning the long climb up the gravel road. To his back was a stunning view of the Puyuhuapi fjord where the sun glistened off the turquoise water.

  Not a bad place to hide.

  With Hawk dispatched to fulfill President Young’s request to extract an American agent right from underneath the noses of Al Fatihin, General Van Fortner was still on the lam following the shooting at the National Security Complex in Langley. The Phoenix Foundation head J.D. Blunt ignored Young’s pleas to concentrate all of the organization’s resources on bringing home the CIA operative. According to Blunt, Fortner was the new key to unlocking the mystery of Obsidian and finding a way to infiltrate the group of people pulling the strings, particularly learning more about the fastest-growing social media platform in the world, Sermo, and its Russian billionaire owner Tanya Starikov.

  It had taken nearly six weeks to get a potential location for Fortner, but when Blunt received one, he immediately dispatched Black to take care of the general.

  The road up to Fortner’s hideout was steep, resulting in a leg burn even for someone in as good of shape as Black. A light fog drifted over the chaquiro pines and Andean oaks covering the mountainside, providing an ethereal feel to the hike. Patagonian sierra finches chirped their morning melodies, providing a peaceful soundtrack, which Black found to be an odd prelude to what was sure to be a violent confrontation.

  After a half hour, Black crested a hill and reached a small terrace. A small wooden cabin was situated on the far side of the property next to a pond fed by a stream trickling down the mountain. As the sun fought through the dispersing clouds, Black noticed a man fishing from the dock.

  In an effort to maintain the element of surprise, Black ducked into the woods. He was astonished to find Fortner living so freely, devoid of any armed protection. Surely he could’ve afforded such a necessity. But from Black’s initial survey of the area, Fortner lived simply—and lived alone.

  A small bush hog and a tractor were scattered across the property along with bales of hay and a fenced in pasture for a horse. Instead of working his way from object to object in search of cover, Black retreated into the forest encircling Fortner’s land.

  Black eased into a position where he had a clear shot. Confident that there was no way the general could work the situation to his advantage, Black walked out into the open with his weapon trained on Fortner.

  “Keep your hands where I can see them,” Black said.

  Fortner chuckled and continued clutching his fishing rod. “I hope you can see what I’m holding onto here. It’s certainly not a weapon, but I’ve actually got my first bite of the day.”

  “Drop it,” Black said.

  Fortner remained defiant. “If you want to shoot me, go ahead. I couldn’t stop you i
f I wanted to, but I wouldn’t advise that.”

  “Of course you wouldn’t, General. We all know you do whatever it takes to save your own hide or fatten your pocket, whatever the case may be.”

  Fortner looked over his shoulder and sneered. “You don’t know anything.”

  “I’m going to shoot it out of your hand if you don’t put the rod down on the dock now.”

  Fortner sighed and finally obliged. The pole didn’t move.

  “Must’ve been one helluva fish,” Black said. “It couldn’t even drag your rod into the water.”

  “I didn’t say it was a keeper,” Fortner said, raising his hands and turning around slowly to face Black. “So, what took you so long? I figured you would’ve found me weeks ago.”

  “Sorry to damage your ego like that, but we have bigger fish to fry,” Black said.

  “What do you want from me? Because if you wanted me dead, I imagine I would already be floating in that pond right now.”

  “I want you to come with me,” Black said. “You need to answer for what you did, for your treasonous acts, for your unwillingness to stop a hostile force attempting to infiltrate our government. That enough for you?”

  Fortner shrugged. “Maybe, but I’m not going anywhere.”

  Black steadied his hand on his gun. “General, that’s not a wise decision. I’ve been authorized to take you out if necessary.”

  “So, I’m already seen as expendable?” Fortner asked before taking a deep breath and then exhaling slowly. “That’s not a way to encourage me to work with you.”

  “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to persuade you with physical force.”

  Fortner paced along the dock, his hands still raised in the air. “It’d be a shame for you to resort to such action, at least it’d be a shame for your sister.”

  Black narrowed his eyes. “My sister?”

  Fortner held up one hand while he eased the other toward his pocket. “Don’t get jumpy. I’m just reaching for my phone. There’s something you need to see.”

  Fortner produced his cell and held it out gingerly to Black.

  “What’s this?” he asked.

  “Have a look for yourself,” Fortner said. “I’m sure you’re smart enough to figure it out.”

  Black grabbed the phone before backing away. He glanced between the screen and Fortner, trying to discern the nature of the image on the screen. The picture was so still that Black was convinced it was just a photo. That is until the woman lying on the bed moved. She rolled over, and Black immediately recognized his sister’s face.

  He glared at Fortner. “You took Laura? You sonofabitch, I ought to shoot you right now. You know she’s got nothing to do with any of this.”

  “Of course I do,” Fortner said. “But this is how you play the game if you want to stay in it. I could tell you why I’m doing what I’m doing, but you won’t believe me, so I have to resort to other methods to maintain the upper hand. Unfortunately, your sister is just collateral.”

  “Her name is Laura,” Black said with a growl. “Laura. Say it with me.”

  “I’m well aware of her name.”

  “Then say it!”

  Fortner ignored the demand. “You’ve said it enough for the both of us. I’m not interested in playing your mind games where you try to humanize everyone. I’ve been through the same training you have, probably more. And it’s not going to make any difference if I say Laura out loud or not.”

  “What do you want?” Black asked.

  “I want you to lower your weapon. Let’s talk about your future.”

  “I want to talk about you letting Laura go.”

  Fortner nodded. “Perhaps we will, but in the meantime we have more pertinent matters to discuss, like you joining forces with Obsidian.”

  Black chuckled and shook his head. “I thought you knew what kind of man I am, General. If you did, you’d certainly know I’m not the kind to betray my country.”

  "I'm not asking you to betray your country. I'm simply extending an invitation for you to be on the ground floor of a world takeover that will leave you on the outside if you don't get in now. Laura is simply my way of ensuring you choose wisely. So how do you want this to play out?"

  “Doesn’t sound like I have much of a choice,” Black said.

  “You don’t,” Fortner said. “But I’ll give you twenty-four hours to consider it. I’ll ring you tomorrow morning at the village hotel, which is where I assume you’re staying. You can let me know your decision then. And it should go without saying, but don’t tell a soul.”

  Black flung the phone back at Fortner, hitting him in the chest. He pocketed the device and picked up his fishing rod off the dock.

  Black walked backward, clutching his lowered weapon. While mustering all the restraint he could, he refrained from filling Fortner with lead.

  * * *

  WHEN BLACK RETURNED to the hotel, he received a call from Blunt inquiring if the operation had gone smoothly.

  “Do you have Fortner?” Blunt asked.

  “It was a dead end,” Black said. “Must’ve been some bad intel.”

  “Damn it,” Blunt said. “Fortner needs to answer for what he’s done. We’re still groping in the dark when it comes to Obsidian. We need him.”

  “I know. You have no idea how disappointed I am.”

  “When are you coming back?”

  Black sighed. “I already missed the morning plane out of here for Santiago, so it’ll be tomorrow that I’ll begin the journey home, unless you can send your plane.”

  “Hawk and Alex have it. Just keep me updated if anything changes or someone in the village talks.”

  “Roger that,” Black said before he hung up.

  He slammed his fist into the bed and let out a scream. Black hated lying almost as much as he hated being coopted into helping the enemy.

  And he had no choice but to do both.

  CHAPTER 3

  Tangier, Morocco

  FRANK STONE DABBED his face with a towel before settling onto a small bench just outside the showers. When he finished, he was in the middle of pulling on a pair of boxers when he looked up and jumped.

  “What’s wrong with you people?” Stone asked. “Can’t I get just a moment of peace and get dressed before you start interviewing me?”

  Hawk shook his head. “I wish I could, but time is of the essence. And I swear you took an hour in there.”

  “I could’ve stayed in longer. You have no idea what filthy is until you’ve been captured by those animals.”

  “Unfortunately, I’m all too familiar with what that’s like.”

  “What a minute,” Stone said, pointing his index finger at Hawk, “are you the guy who took out Karif Fazil?”

  “Guilty as charged. And a lot of good that did. The newest iteration of Al Hasib has returned with a vengeance.”

  “And some unlikely bedfellows.”

  Hawk’s eyebrows shot upward. “This sounds interesting.”

  “I’ll tell you all about it after I get dressed. Now, do you mind?”

  Hawk sighed. “Five minutes. Your buddy Randy Wood from the CIA is here. He’s less patient than any of us.”

  “Five minutes, I promise.”

  * * *

  HAWK SETTLED INTO his chair at the table and informed the rest of the people in attendance that Stone would be out momentarily. Joining Hawk for the interview was Wood, who was the deputy director of the CIA, along with Martina Bingham, the CIA’s station chief for the Middle East. Alex and Blunt were listening in via speakerphone on a secure line.

  “Stone was teasing me with some information, so I’m hoping we get something good out of this,” Hawk said.

  “Me too,” Martina said as she tucked her straight brown hair behind her ears.

  Wood was slouched in his chair, chewing on a pen and finger combing his graying mop of a hairdo. “I wish he’d hurry up. We seriously need to get moving on this. Every minute we wait—”

  “Randy,” Stone sai
d as he entered the room. “I bet you couldn’t wait for me to get here.”

  “I couldn’t, but not for the reasons you think. What were you thinking getting yourself in that situation with Al Fatihin? We warned you that such brazen behavior was going to expose you. Fortunately, we escaped your debacle without the loss of any assets.”

  Stone settled into a seat directly across the table from Wood. “I also escaped with some amazing intel that should help us capture Evana Bahar and put an end to this terrorist organization once and for all.”

  “Frank, are you okay?” Martina asked. “You don’t have to do this right now if you need some more time.”

  Wood shot a glance at Martina. “Are you crazy? We absolutely need him to share this information with us right now.”

  “Sorry for trying to be—I don’t know—a human,” she said.

  Hawk leaned forward in his chair and eyed Stone. “Why don’t you proceed?”

  “I’m fine, Martina, and I hope Brooke and the children are too,” Stone began.

  She nodded. “Everyone’s good and looking forward to seeing you when you get back on U.S. soil.”

  “Which is never going to happen if we continue at this pace,” Wood said, slamming his pen on the table. “Evana Bahar may very well rule the world by the time we find out this big secret that you have.”

  Stone sighed. “Fine. I’ll tell you what I know.”

  “That’d be refreshing,” said Wood, scooting up in his chair before sliding a notebook in front of Stone.

  “So, there’s a lot to unpack from my time both infiltrating the organization as well as my time in captivity,” Stone said. “But I’ll skip to the most important part first: Evana Bahar is heading to Istanbul tomorrow to meet with Russian arms dealer, Andrei Orlovsky.”

  Wood cocked his head to one side and furrowed his brow. “How do you know this?”

  “Because I heard them talking about it two days ago,” Stone said.

  “You heardthem? Who talks about plans in front of a prisoner?” Wood asked, eyeing Stone carefully.

  “Just in case you’ve forgotten, I was being detained in a hideout located in a mine,” Stone said. “And if you know anything about mines, it’s that they are very well ventilated. I assure you I could hear everything as if I were sitting in the same room with them.”