The argument in the back seat subsided as each one tried to get a better view of the town.
"Ok, looks like we made it to Jelsa. First things first, we secure a safehouse, get dry and wait for dark to move to the harbor and do some recon. We have lots to do and I need everyone rested for tonight. This will be a full 48hrs into the conflict which means we should have friendlies showing up soon, I don't want to shoot any of them. Rooster will find us a good spot and we can get out of this sardine can."
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Rick slowed the car down and scanned out the windows for unfriendlies. Utah quietly read the road signs, looking for the street name he had memorized from the intel sheet Shelia had given to him back in Hvar before she disappeared. They setting sun behind the clouds made everything seem darker and more meanacing, as they passed the old stone and wood buildings on the outskirts of town.
Utah kept Rick on the southern edge of the city as the made their way to the shore.
Utah spotted what he was looking for and pointed Rick down a narrow alley like street, with several three story red roofed buildings surrounding it.
At the end of the alley was a narrow but tall three story building, with no windows on the main floor, large heavy wood double doors facing the alley made it look like a small castle than a house, Utah liked the look.
" Alright, we reache Vela Banda."
He announced like everyone knew what he was talking about.
"Cover me, I'll open the doors and you pull the car in, give us some extra room if you can once we get inside."
Rick nodded.
" You been here before ?"
"Nope. You ?"
Utah responded then jumped out the door and into the rain, the Criss .45 cal across his chest. Scanning the area around him and finding all clear he ran up to the right side of the door and found the wooden panel described in the report.
Pulling it up he tapped in the code and waited for the click of the dead bolts releasing themselves from the weathered false wood doors. He swung them open revealing a small boat shop, complete with a half built wood fishing boat and stocked tool bench running the length of the left side of the building.
Rick quietly pulled the car right up next to the boat, while Barett came into the right side, pulling the scooter around to face back out again. Utah qickly shut the door behind them, the whole act taking less than 30 seconds.
Soon the whole group was standing around on the ground floor of the building one bare bulb illuminating the windowless space.
"Lets clear and secure the building then get some chow and dry clothes, it won't be long till its dark."
Utah wiped the water from his gun and flipped on the flashlight, on the criss, casting a bright beam around the dusty work shop.
Rick and Barett gave Utah the look, the one saying you had better let us in on what you know.
It didn't work, he simply ignored them.
Maria and Bianca were starting to feel the effects of thier injuries and Utah decided to assign them the detail to stay in the warehouse area and secure the car and door. Rick and Utah took the top floor and Barett the Princess and Carla took the second floor.
Heading up a set of narrow wood stairs the group seperated on the second floor, Utah taking lead up to the top floor.
"Try not to use flashlights around windows, lets keep this on the down low."
Utah whispered as they departed.
Then flicked off his flashlight and disappeared into the darkness of the stairwell followed by Rick.
The second floor was a large open space filled with more tools and equipment, work benches and desks. The farside held a office, and a single bathroom. All was clear, the filtered light from the high windows allowing them to move quietly around and see all that Barett needed to.
Utah and Rick crept up to the third floor and into a wide hallway lined with a series of doors.
Rick came up next to him as they paused at the first corner taking cover.
"So you going to tell me how you knew about this place or not?"
"Yep." Responded Utah flatly.
"Well...." Rick whispered back.
"Not now...But I will let you and Roach know shortly. Lets get this done and get some rest, Ok."
"Ok, but I expect some details."
Rick tapped him on the shoulder for the all clear and they moved forward clearing each room as they went.
They soon had the third floor cleared, the series of small offices and storage areas proving to be mostly unused, and had been for some time, based on the dust.
Rick paused on the far side after they had done the sweep and looked at Utah.
" Ok, I'm game, what is this place really, the main double doors are reinforced ballistic steel, yet nothing in here indicates it's anything more than a custom boat repair shop. So where is the hidden underground lair ?"
Rick used his calm, I'm your brother voice.
Utah motioned to the attic roof area.
" It's a Listening station, abandoned a few years ago as a active operation, but maintained as a safehouse...according to the intel. Theres a weapons locker under the work bench on the main floor, and some remote radar and computer relay equipment in the attic used for gathering satellite communications out of Africa. I was hoping we can rest, load up on ammo and see if we can get a signal or make contact with control back in the UK. Later when the girls are sleeping we can go the attic and see what you can rig up for us with Roach to make a call out. There is supposed to be signal jamming equipment operating in this location, I hope it will block the GPS and tracker and give us a short reprive."
Rick looked back surprised at the information.
"Hell of a Ace to be holding up your sleeve, what made you wait ?"
" It risks a lot to expose this location, a major operation gets killed by us being here, now lets keep this quiet till the girls are asleep."
Utah commanded, more than asked. As the team leader and eldest brother he was trying to direct the mission, but he knew that Rick and Barett had their own ways. He couldn't strong arm them, just help direct thier own special talents and violence.
"Alright, sounds like a plan. You have some other ideas about how to turn this all around ?"
"Yep....just need to see what we have available here, and find a way to Lighten our load."
Utah quipped darkly then started back down the stairs.
Everyone was back down in the Workshop area by the time Rick and Utah came back down the stairs. Everyone just looked at Utah, he could see the questions racing through thier minds. He had no intention of answering any of them. The little fiat sat dripping into ever increasing puddles on the old stone and brick floor, worn smooth through years of wear. The radiator made the familiar clicking of metal cooling, the faint smell of burnt oil and brake pads from the ride down the steep and winding road, eminated from both the car and little scooter.
He decided to start talking and givethem some direction before the questions started.
" All right, we should be safe for a time here, find a spot anywhere on the main level here, dry off and get some food in you. I know you all have lots of questions, most of which I can not answer, so lets play a game of 'Don't ask, Don't tell' if you can.
Rooster, Roach and I will cover the first watch, get some sleep if you are able."
Utah could tell that he was going to be asked in private all the questions he was avoiding, so he disappeared back up the stairs the second he was done speaking, leaving the others to talk amoung themselves about his strange behavior and the seemingly direct way he had lead them to the safe house.
The problem with a group full of spies, operators and ex-patriots/mercs. is everyone knows that everyone else is something or someone else, and no one is willing to tell. Utah knew it was time to reduce the amount of people in tow, but he didn't know how, he needed time to think and plan, he needed space.
Jelsa he hoped, would provide that space.
Utah reached the third floor and headed down to the bathroom in the partial darkness. Opening the door he eased himself into the 1940's style 1/2 bath. The room was typical european style from the floor to ceiling tile and almost to small sink to the high toilet tank mounted halfway up the wall.
He closed the door and stood in the total darkness and quiet for a few seconds, enjoying the solitude.
Flicking back on the flashlight on the end of the Criss .45 he stripped down to his boxerbriefs and dryed off, checking his body for wounds or damage. The wound on his head was clotted, and starting to heal, only a dull throb was left from the almost deadly blow.
Hanging his cloths from any spot he could and turning on the small small heater fan combo, to help dry the stuff out. Turning the light off and taking a deep breath. He eased back out the door in only his underwear, and a .45 cal H&K pistol.
Sneaking quietly down the hall to the utility closet where the attic access door was located.
He was just reaching for the doorknob when he saw Sophia staring at him from one of the office like rooms. She was down to just her bra and panties, clothes thrown over chairs and shelves in an attempt to help them dry faster.
It was a ackward moment, and they just stared at each other for a few seconds in the shadows, the grey light from outside framing them like some strange calvin klein undewear ad in cosmo magazine.
Utah paused for a brief second.
She was a beautiful women, with long strong legs and a flat stomach. Her curves accentuated by the black silk, thong cut panties and lace trimed pushup bra. While he was looking her over, she was doing the same to him. Utah was a narrow hipped, broad shouldered guy. His years of training having leaned his body down to less than 5% body fat. Scars ran at regular paces across his arms and legs, and his chest and shoulders, it almost seemed decorative the way they accented his muscles, much like tatoos. As for them, he had none, always figuring the scars were the reminders enough on his body, besides being part of his religious beliefs about not purposefully marring the body.
He broke the silence.
"So, you like black to ?"
She smiled and nodded back.
"Care to join me for a powerbar and some water."
She was throwing more charm his way, it would have worked on most men, if the situation was different, he would have let it work on him, but he didn't.
"Maybe later, I need to check some things out first."
"ok, maybe later."
She sweetly replied, then turned her back to him and removed her bra letting it fall to the floor in front of her.
Utah just opened the closet door and stepped in, not looking back. He wished there was time for such distractions, and knew if he stuck around he would loose valuable time, doing something he might regret later, but not while doing it.
This whole trip he had been regretting the female distractions and temptations that littered the mission. It was bad enough to watch Rick endlessly seduce and bed women, including Maria. But to have it repetedly and blantanly thrown his direction was almost aggrevating. He wondered how Barett handled all this in his missions with Rick and Dave. He would try to ask him that question when they had some down time.
Flicking back on the small flashlight he'd taken off the Criss. He stared at the wooden ladder nailed to the back wall of the closet, which lead to a locked attic hatch.
He quietly climbed to the top and snapped the lock clasp from the wooden frame in a act of controled anger and frustration. Letting the pieces fall to the floor.
Easing the heavy wood hatch open he peeked over the edge and into the dark attic.
The door below him to the closet suddenly flung open lighting up the floor below.
Sophia stood there naked, save for her black thong panties, a look of concern on her face.
"Are you ok, I heard a loud noise and metal banging?"
Utah stared a little to long at her mostly naked body, before responding.
" Yeah fine, just knocked some crap down, no worries, You uh...might want to put something on, before you catch cold..or something."
She smiled back at him, glad that she'd finally caught his attention.
"I'm quite comfortable, so where are you going ?"
Utah was caught, he had only two choices as far as he could tell.
Let her come up into the attic where the communication equipment was supossed to be, or head back down and let her seduce him.
He climbed down the ladder.
"Just making a final check on the building, I remembered this after getting my wet cloths off and wanted to check it right away."
He lied and stepped in close to her, gently grabbing her elbow.
"How about that powerbar now, starting to feel a little hungry myself ?"
She brightened right up at that and kissed him on the check. Spinning around she dragged him by the arm back into the office and closed the door.
The first night on the Yacht Utah had slept on the floor, letting her have the bed and letting everyone else think they had hooked up, he was after all a gentleman, of a sort.
She had agreed to the ruse, out of practicality and Utah's persuasion.
But now she was intrigued by his ressistance to her flirting and brazen attempts to catch his eye. She was used to getting any man she wanted and to have him display such restraint and aloftness only seemed to make her want to bed him more now.
Utah's mind was running a million miles a minute, he needed a escape. Not that she was unworthy to bed. But this was not how he wanted such things to happen, and he still didn't trust her completely, and didn't need his mind or emotions clouded by such things as having a physical relationship would do.
She turned to him, rubbing her bare chest againest his. His arrousal was noticable, and only encouraged her behavior. She started kissing him passionatly and pushed him back againest the desk.
Utah was about to succomb to the direction things were going when he heard Baretts distinct footsteps come down the hall and stop at the door.
There was a loud knock and then he just entered in his own brazen way.
Barett stood there barefoot in a pair of cargo shorts and tan t-shirt, a H&K .45 cal with Surpressor in his hand.
"Whoa, wow didn't take you two long to get busy, nice....But look I need Deacon now, you can have him back later."
Barett said brazenly, staring straight at her chest, not even bothering to conceal what he was looking at.
Sophia stomped her foot and pointed to her face.
"My eyes are up here you trogledite."
She spat out at Barett.
"Yeah, I don't need to look at your eyes to hear what your saying, my ears work just fine without my eyes. Besides looks like I choose the correct place to stare."
He baited her, waiting for the standard arguement to start up, but Utah interjected.
"What couldn't wait 5 seconds, that you needed me so badly.?"
He was secretly glad that Barett had interupted, but mad at the same time.
"Seems like the place is haunted, we need you for a little conference...just the three of us, savy?"
Barett said causually, like they were hanging out watching TV, the whole time his eyes following Sophia as she turned her back to him and bent over to pick up her bra. He smiled, and Utah frowned at him, then winked.
"At right, quit your gawking, let the lady have some privacy."
He feigned anger and pushed Barett out the door and into the hall towards the stairs.
"So what do you have ?"
"I don't know yet, Rooster wanted you down to the garage right away, something he was getting from his laptop is all I know right now."
Barett lead the way, jumping down the stairs two at a time in a playful manner.
Barett had mentioned Haunted, code for spooks or spies around, or the place being bugged. No surprise to Utah really, it was odd that Barett seemed excited about that. Perhaps it was the fact he had just got a free show from the princess, some times Barett was hard to read that way.
Rick sat at a shop stool, his custom laptop sitting on the workbench. His wet cloths spread out around him, hanging from drill presses and other machines. On the second floor work area, only wearing some combat shorts and boots, all bare chested and muscular. Maria curled up under the bench by him trying to sleep, a emergency blanket pulled up over the top of her.
" What's so urgent ?"
Utah stated right off, then stared at Maria's form under the blanket, nodding his head that direction.
Rick pointed to the screen.
A short encrypted message only a few hours old from Shelia was there.
It read.
" Christina O, in port at Jelsa. Ok'd to engage and detain, by whatever means available. Over."
Rick looked at Utah and then to Barett.
"What is our reply ?"
Utah stared at the screen for a full minute before saying anything.
Barett and Rick stayed quiet, not moving or speaking, waiting on Utahs move.
" Alright....reply this way: 'Acknowledged...Enroute, Out'
Nothing more."
Rick typed the reply in quickly, sent it through the encryption program and hit the send button. It blinked for a few seconds then showed it was sent succesfully.
"Looks like you get your wish Roach, time to make a run for the big boat. Rooster what is the intel from the outside world tell us, whats the current Situation ?"
Utah ignored Maria's moving form, cat was out of the bag anyway.
" Total disorganization, lots of pointing fingers. Totals for humanoid casualties under 20,000. Dollar figure is in the hundreds of billions for economic damage, and equipment, no way to really tell till the markets open up in a few days, if they can. IT networks that were not affected are all overloaded. Luckily there was a direct satellite hook up here I was able to use, or we would be dead in the water as far as communication goes."
Rick was just about to continue when the computer beeped, a incoming message popped up on the screen.
"...Proceed..with Extreme Prejudice..over and Out..."
Utah smiled, that was what he was hoping for. Extreme Prejudice was the only way to handle this situation, that made him free to do as he wished. Barett interrupted his thoughts.
"Best save that directive some place safe, you know how these things go, we may need proof later that we were given the go ahead."
Utah nodded in acknowledgement of what he meant.
"Make it so, Rooster."
Utah's brain started working in overtime, trying to come up with a plan.
The Rain blew in sideways againest the portals on the Christina O', as she steadily bobbed in the bay of Jelsa. The Captain had the side stabalizers on to hold her steady even with the main anchor down, as he had been directed by Roman, allowing the helicopters to come and go without worry of the boat moving to much. The Large Eurocopter Puma was the one that made the captain the most nervous, its huge blades snapping way to close to his bridge for comfort. The ex-russian military pilot seeming to enjoy making the captain nervous, waving maliciously each time he came in, buzzing the bridge. The Puma had made three runs to the island already, each time it landed the crew was cleared off the deck while the Mercs inside unloaded black plastic locked containers, then brought them back empty each time and headed out again. Only the Captain, Roman and the four Mercs were around to see this. Based on how much the men struggled to get the containers off, and how easy they went back on. Something heavy was coming and going from the island, but he had no idea what Roman would take such risk and expense to move during such a storm.
The Weather reports were two days old that he had, but charting showed this storm to be quite large, and could last several days. There was nothing he could do, but stay on the bridge and hold the boat as steady as possible till night fall. They had been to three ports already on the small island today, Roman had indicated that they were going to port in Jelsa, but he didn't say for how long.
Right now the Puma sat idle on the helipad, while the men ate dinner and drank, they were so loud that he could hear them laughing and shouting as they headed back out to the helipad. But this time they didn't carry the plastic crates, each man was dressed in black, weapons and munitions in packs slung over thier shoulders, night vision goggles on military helmets, all the high tech things for a night raid strapped to thier armor. A cold shiver ran down the captains spine for some reason he couldn't explain. But instinct told him, these men were up to something very dark and evil.
Utah went down to the main floor and headed over to the heavy wood work benches running along the wall. pacing out from the front wall he counted out 15 steps and stopped in front of the large castiron anvil, sitting on a welded steel frame. Used for forming metal and the like it must have weight 500 plus pounds.
Utah grunted and moved the whole anvil bench and all, making a horrific screeching noise, as it dragged slightly across the floor, and then a loud thump as it came back down.
Everyones head popped up from where they were, as all eyes stared at him. Barett and Rick stood casually at the base of the stairs watching him. Sophia came running down the stairs a oversized t-shirt and socks on now. She stopped just short of Barett and watched.
"Need some help ?"
Rick chidded in.
" Or just showing off for the women folk ?"
Utah just grunted, giving him the middle finger and started picking at the floor by the outside wall. After a few seconds he hollered over his shoulder, the flashlight sitting on the floor in front of him, giving a erie backlighting, and casting shadows across the far wall.
"Find me a couple of crowbars or something to wedge in this stone."
Rick and Barett wandered over and picked up tools along the way, at the sign of them moving closer the girls started easing themselves around the brothers to see what Utah was up to.
Under the Anvil bench was a newer stone about two foot square with a recessed lip. Utah jammed the flat steel bar Rick handed him and pryed it up. The stone resisted then gave way under the pressure, flipping up then back, revealing a metal lid with a lock underneath.
"Whats in there?"
Maria said outloud.
" And how did you know if was here ?" Sophia questioned.
Utah turned and smiled.
"Weapons and money cache, this should turn the tide for us."
He placed the edge of the hardened steel rod under the lock and twisted it hard. The lock snapped with a loud crack and fell into two pieces.
Utah triumphantly tossed them to the side and proudly pulled the lid off.
Everyone gasped then leaned in closer.
" I don't see anything, it looks empty to me." Bianca interjected.
Utah looked in with the flashlight, then ran his hands around the inside of the deep box. But it was stone cold empty.
He let out a long list of swear words in several different languages. Then jumped up and started running up stairs to the attic. Everyone followed in a mad dash to keep up with him.
Utah took the stairs four at a time, jumping up them like a vaulter. He was up the ladder into the attic and standing in the filtered light from the vents and cracks when Rick, followed by Barett then the rest entered the dusty attic.
Cut wires and empty racks littered the area, only two flat gray satellite dishes, two big to get out the attic hatch remained, everything else was gone.
Utah started swearing again, the string of profanity from his mouth was intense, it even made Maria a little nervous. Smashing his fist down on the top of a empty metal cabinet, crushing the top, he stopped suddenly.
Everyone started talking.
"What was all this, what are you so upset about?" Sophia questioned, a hint of fear in her voice.
"Wheres all the equipment gone, how did you know to look up here ?"
Bianca was saying at the same time.
" What is wrong, mr. Deacon ?" Carla was calmly saying, along with the others.
Utah grimanced, then kicked the pile of cables by his feet.
" According to the intel I was given, this was a safe house, with weapons, cash and communications. Unfortunately Mr. Murphy has come along and the intel was bad, or old, the place has been cleaned out...so it's not safe, we need to leave right now."
Utah was in Commander mode now, snapping out orders to those around him.
" Two minutes everyone, thats all you have. Be dressed and ready to play, by the Vehicles, Two minutes.
We are not safe here any longer. Move, Move , Move."
He looked at his watch. Twenty five minutes had passed since they rolled into Jelsa. Darkness was encroaching on the town early thanks to the clouds and storm, Utah feared that complicated things, instead of helped.
He didn't mind the darkness, just what it tended to bring on this island.
Rain beat down on the tile roof, creating a background noise that increased the tension. Barett was standing in his damp armor and cloths, backpack and poncho on, checking out the scooter. Rick was at the Fiat checking out its motor, the small hood braced up with a chunk of wood.
Utah sat on the stairs, staring at the small black smart phone thing taken off the man in brown earlier, the Kriss .45 cal on his legs. The phone blinked a steady green dot on the screen.
Sophia walked down the stairs behind him, back in her mismatched combat gear scavanged off the Yacht. When she got right next to him the dot turned red, blinked fast, then went to a steady orange.
"What's that ?"
She asked, pointing to the small phone.
He figured it was time to let her in on the gig, because it looked like she was the intended target.
"A tracking device I took off the Brown man. Looks like they were looking for you. Know any reason why so many resources and people were after you?"
She showed genuine concern, or faked it very well. Utah didn't care either way.
"How long have they been tracking me?"
She stared at the screen reaching for the device.
Utah held it closer, but tightly, not letting go.
" I would think the whole time, why are they tracking you?"
Utah let it dangle, the last word hanging in the air.
Barett and Ricks hearing picked up on this conversation and they went quiet, waiting for the reply.
Sophia hesitated, biting her lower lip and cocking her head to one side.
"Well, you see...my brother was letting Romans guys use our families private port at night for refuels on his ships on thier way out to the atlantic, and back..I found out and we decided to split the money, to help fund some debts without our oldest brother and father knowing. I was here to pick up a cash, well gold coins, payment from Romans guys. I have this phone my brother gave me to wait for the call."
She handed Utah a small White phone in a leather case.
He motioned for Rick and Barett to come over. Handing the phone to Rick and the tracking device he stared her down.
" You endangered everyone here with this, why didn't you tell us before ?"
" I was in contact with a government agency that had blackmailed me into helping them, they said they would help me get rid of Roman and his goons, who were starting to threaten us to. If we would help them, they promised us protection, but I was sworn not to tell anyone...I assumed you were my rescue force, but I was told only to discuss this with my contact. I've never meet her face to face, only by phone and e-mail."
She sat down and started sobbing, Utah just stood by watching and thinking.
"What do you think Rooster ?"
Rick looked the phones over and pulled the back off the one that Sophia had. Looking closely at the circuit board and case he whistled softly and pointed to two small round discs, with added leads to the battery terminals.
"This baby has two different tracking devices added to it, plus a upgraded reciever, its not stock. Also the two tracking devices were not done at the same time or by the same person."
Utah looked at Rick, giving him the ok, so what does that mean look.
"Dumb it down for the rest of us and give me your theory on it then."
"Two seperate tracking devices, are sending out two different signals to two different people. The first I'm guessing comes from Romans E.o.H contacts based on the technology. The second is European design, or ours. That would explain the e-mail, the zombies, you finding Sophia and just about everything that is going on now. We are being tracked, possibly eaves dropped on through this phone and the tracker, by two different groups, and if they were good, could use the camera to get visual signals."
Utah nodded, his expression serious, the urge to swear coming up through his gut to his throat.
"Give me best case, worse case and a possible solution."
"Under ear shot of these things ?"
" Give it to me Wrath of Khan, Kirk style." Utah quipped, referencing the movie where Captain Kirk knew they were being monitored and had Scotty use code to relay the information. Rick knew the reference, and thought for a second before answering.
Rick crinkled his brow and thought.
"We could "Gilbert Grape" It which is my preference, seeing we don't know who's playing shirts or skins. Or we could simply pull a D.B. Cooper."
Rick wanted to torch and destroy the tools or simply dissappear without a trace. Utah didn't think either idea was bad, but they were both the same.
" O.k. then." He said loudly,
Edging over to the safe box in the floor he set the phones in the bottom and slide the top over them. Finding the anvil and some lead weights he covered the lid.
" We have a situation that is Critical. We can't Gilbert Grape it,that will draw to much attention, but a modified D.B. Cooper will be best."
" What's a D.B. Cooper?"
Carla asked, lighting up a ciggerette from her case.
"Just follow my lead, I'll explain later." Utah wheeled around.
"Nothing Personal, but we need to do a search of all equipment, and check for any other bugs....this will only work if we abandon all electronic devices and phone, and all personal equipment."
"No cavity searches then?" Bianca quipped.
"That is still a option."
Utah replied darkly.
Barett looked at Carla and smiled.
"Only the most famous US hijacking ever. The dude totally hijacks a domestic flight, gets ransom money and then jumps from the plane with a parachute. Guys never found, just disappears and is never caught. Totally crazy, genuis stunt."
" So they never caught him, don't know who he is ?"
Carla askes surprised.
"Yep, lots of theories, but he just vanished into the night. Lots of copycats tried to pull the same stunt but got caught, or died trying, he never did. It's the story criminals tell their kids at night, the ultimate heist, sticking it to the man."
"Interesting, so what is pulling a D.B.Cooper then ? Some sort of magic trick, we all just disappear ? I don't understand."
Carla pulled in a long drag on her slim, exotic ciggerette and blew out a slow column of smoke.
"So how does dissapearing help us out, seems like thats what we have been trying to do for the last 24 hours with no luck ? "
Bianca seemed frustrated and scared about all the running and shooting and dying around her, she was reaching her emotional and physical limits.
Utah was hoping to do a field evaluation of everyones condition and status with Barett, hence the equipment search. He needed the one on one to decide who was going to join them on the hunt. They were not going to disappear for long. HE had a job to do, and as far as he could tell the very fate of the free world may hang in how well he did it. It was a little too hollywood for him, but quite possibly it was true.
Utah decided to do the search personally, and started with Sophia.
She was a little rattled as he walked over to her and gently grabbed her arm in his right hand and her bag in his left.
"We need to do this in front of everyone, so we can all trust each other. Are you willing to do that ?"
She nodded meekly, her eyes down cast. She was broken now, ready to do whatever Utah asked of her. The shame of being the cause of so much trouble and death was etched in her face, making her seem much older than she was.
Rick spoke up from his position by the car.
"I'm not worried about her, so I don't need to watch, I trust you both."
He turned his back to her and fiddled with the motor on the car.
His act of Gentleman like manners and trust inspired Barett to do the same.
" I'm with Rooster on that."
He turned and started to work on the scooter.
Maria, Carla and Bianca did the same.
Utah smiled at her and nodded towards the others.
"Looks like you've made some friends here. Lets get this done quickly so we can move on, and get some payback going."
The search yielded nothing else of interest. Utah had a collection of standard cell phones and Rick's laptop. It was decided that they would go low tech anyway on this job and removed the batteries from the phones and returned them. Hoping that wuould slow down any tracking going on, and double check the for bugs. Rick gave Utah the battery to his computer and packed it safely back into his pack.
"So what now ?"
Rick said indicating that everyone was now standing around the car waiting on Utah, as he placed all the batteries into his pack.
"We leave now, and head down to the docks.Disable the cars, but still allow us to come back and get them running if needed and since we are low on Explosives, rig only the main door, just for fun. Roach, head to the attic and get me some intel on possible routes and safehouses, Rooster do the vehicles, and I'll do the door. The rest of you get us a count on weapons and ammo, we need to know what we have and what we need. When we leave here it will be on the buddy system. Sophia is with me, Carla is with Roach, Maria and Bianca are with Rooster."
"How come Rooster always gets the threesome ?"
Barett chimed in.
"Because he's better looking than you."
Utah shot back with out a pause.
"Ok lets get moving, we are pushing the envelope for a replacement attack."
Utah pulled some special explosives out of his pack and went to work on the main mandoor next to the reinforced overhead door. Barett moved up the stairs without a word, scoped rifle in hand as Rick started removing the distributor cap from the Fiat. The girls stood around for a few seconds until Utah glared at them, then Maria picked up a pack and started going through it.
Meanwhile on a black Helicopter flying on quiet mode over the city, the men in black spoke Russian back and forth to the pilot as they stared out the windows down onto the darkened city below, random lights left on before the Zombie invasion still dotted their view.
The six man team peered out with the infrared goggles looking for targets below. The team leader in the copilots seat was scanning a Ipad looking device that was emitting a low beep and flash of green, he kept rotating it and holding it up to the windsheild to get a better signal as it faded and died each time he pulled it back towards him.
In a thick accent to the pilot he commented.
"Bring me down closer, this device is getting to much interference. Not quality one like from Fatherland."
The pilot only nodded, and dropped the helicopter another 20 meters closer to the ground.
They had put a red cross on the bottom of the helicopter in colored ducktape to disquise what they were doing, he was loath to use such tactics normally, but it had given them a advantage over the last two days he could not deny.
The light blinked faster and he signalled for the pilot to head south, till the light blinked red and stopped.
Throwing up his fist and giving the signal for a go the team opened the doors and threw fast ropes out.
Counting down to one on his fingers the first two jumped from the Helicopter and fast roped down to the roof of a old stone warehouse on the south side of Jelsa.
Utah was taking a nap when Rick woke him. The sky was completly dark outside now, the clouds covering the moon and stars, but having ceased thier relentless release of rain.
Two hours earlier they had left the safehouse, and made thier way to this house one block in from the coast. Barett had been watching the Christina O' from the attic vents on the third floor keeping a eye on the Puma Helicopter sitting precariously on the Helo-pad. Along with the rest of the ship. Everyone settled down and was getting some rest when Barett signalled to Rick to wake Utah.
He could hear the low thumping of the blades againest the humid air.
They guessed it was going to be used for something bad, Seeing the guys coming and going from the boat. Barett was itching to shot the helicopter from the sky, but he had other plans for it. Plus he wanted some weapons and ammo before making a run at the boat. Utah was hoping to drive them like rats in a maze, right to where he wanted them.
Before they had left the building Utah had booby trapped the safe under the anvil. But he had used only a small charge. It should only wound a few of them, but not kill everyone. That should force the helicopter to find a place to land which if they were paying attention would be the plaza right in front of the house they were staying in. Then it would be ambush time.
Rick, Barett and Utah stood in the dark by the backdoor to the house waiting for the helicopter to move away before they stepped outside to set up the ambush. Knowing that they were outnumbered and out gunned they were going for speed and surprise.
When the Puma was far enough away Utah gave the signal and they moved quietly out the door. Barett set up behind some trees and shrubs covering the alley way from the Warehouse to the Plaza. Rick cover the other alley leading in from the main street. Utah slinked around to the other side of the cobblestone area and hide under a old delivery truck parked on the street, H&K .45cal with surpressor in one hand, combat knife in the other. The cool wet ancient stones pressed againest his face while they waited. Five minutes later the helicopter changed pitch and started back towards the city. The charge was so small they didn't even hear it from where they hid. But the effects were the same. Wounded men needed to be evacuated, and that meant the Puma needed to land. Utah held his breath and waited.
The steady thumping of the rotor blades broke the erie and dark silence as the brothers waited.
The Puma came in high, banked around the plaza and held steady off the ground at about 100 feet.
Utah was betting on the new fancy combat gear and armor they were given. In theory it was like the stealth paint on aircraft. It was supposed to hide your heat signal and other such things, making you invisible to most infared and thermal imaging equipment. This was not the enviroment he wanted to test it in, but such was combat, make do with what you have, and pray a lot.
The damaged helmet was sitting low on his head, the black balaclava only revealing his eyes. Almost every inch of his body was covered, even the ripped gloves on his hands were supposed to have this hi-tech material weaved into them. Utah was praying fast and quiet that this would work, they could use the break.
He waited, muscles tense and ready to spring the minute the helicopter touched down.
No one was to make a move unless they were discovered or until Utah made his run for the Puma.
The seconds ticked by as the Puma Eurocopter circled above, seeming like hours as he lay face down squeezed under the motor of the truck.
The Six man team came down the back alley towards the plaza. Stopping in the dark cover of the building to hold position. One of them was being carried by the two biggest guys, another guy was limping along. Utah had gotten his wish, they were evacuating the wounded by helicopter, now it all came down to how fast and good they were. It was a two to one advantage to the Mercs.
Time to change those odds.
Utah waited until the helicopter came between him and the Mercs, before moving. The blades were kicking up dust and debris like mad, making the whole area a low visability enviroment, along with the noise from the engines and props they never heard Ricks and Baretts first few shots. Utah had made it unseen all the way to the open door on the far side and put a bullet in the pilots shoulder before the mercs started return fire.
Barett and Rick were engaging the remaining four, after thier first surprise shots downed two, in close quarter combat the muzzle flash lighting briefly the area before casting it into darkness again. It was like some twisted dance hall strobe light. Utah was behind the pilot now, his knife close to the mans throat, his free arm shutting down power and controls trying not to crash the Helicopter.
The Puma swung wildly in the plaza the front tipping forward and the blades briefly clipping the cobblestones, sending sparks flying.
The pilot took this oppertunity to fight back at Utah, throwing a backwards fist at him. Utah spun left and slid back into the passenger area the knife being ripped from his hand and bouncing across the deck and out the open door, the pilot killed the motors causing the helicopter to drop quickly to the street, bouncing badly and knocking him back againest the metal frame inside.
The surpressed sounds of gunfire echoed through the plaza as bullets richocheted off stone and brick in every direction.
It was total mayhem now, a barroom brawl with automatic rifles.
Utah shook the knock to the head from the metal framing and rose as the Pilot swung around with a 9mm pistol in hand, firing rapidly. The bullets ripped through the air at him, one after the other, typical Russian philosophy accuracy by volume. He weaved and dove out the open door, grabbing onto the rail on the door and flinging himself under the body of the helicopter. Sliding roughly across the ground, and pushing himself like a beached walrus across the road. Coming up on the opposite side of where he came out and pulling the small frame .38 revolver out of the small of his back he fired at the pilot looking out over the edge down at the ground where Utah had been mere seconds before.
They were less than eight feet apart, almost point blank range. The .38 kicked twice in his hands, the snubb nosed gun all fire and lead, spitting its deadly venom across the helicopters passanger compartment.The special teflon coated bullets fllowed one right next to the other, center mass right between the shoulder blades.
The Pilot stumbled and fell out the open door, the pistol still clutched in his hand. Utah dropped to the ground looked at the dying man trying to raise the pistol at him, and fired one last shot between his eyes.
His arm going limp and the blood flowing freely on to the cobblestones. Utah surveyed the rest of the scene.
The helicopter blades were beating slower and slower as they motors emitted a dull clicking sound, metal cooling on metal. The occasional flash of surppressed gun fire lighting the dark alley way, until Rick gave the all clear sign to Utah and Barett and him stepped out into the plaza clearing, dragging the bodies of the Russian Mercs.
Utah had pulled the helmet off the pilot quickly and removed the head set and mic. He had already put his weapons away and was restarting the Puma when the girls poked their heads out the door. Utah gave them the all clear signal and went back to the controls on the helicopter. It was a top of the line machine, with all the wonderful gadgets and accesories a pilot could dream of.
Rick and Barett were stripping equipment off the dead mercs when Bianca hopped into the back of the Puma. Utah looked up, nodded then went back to checking out how much damage the recent fight had done.
Bianca was rummaging through the co-pilots gear when she started talking to herself loudly, then punching excitedly at Utah's shoulder to get his attention.
" What is it, I'm very busy here trying to get us the Hell out of here." He shouted at her, while flipping levers on the dash.
" This ," She said excitedly, pointing at the log book, hand written in Russian. " is their log book, it describes how much rare earth minerals they have put on the Cristina O'."
"yeah, so what, these guys are moving pounds of minerals." Utah quipped not even looking up from the dash.
"You don't understand, if this log is even half right, they have billions of dollars of material, used to make all those fancy batteries and phones and computers. You know E.o.H type of equipment."
Bianca paused.
"This isn't a invasion, its a robbery, he must have stolen this stuff from the E.o.H, no wonder none of it makes sense."
Utah stopped flipping switchs.
"Did you say Billions, with a B?"
Bianca Looked back at the log book.
"Yeah, Billions with a Big old B."
She wrinkled her brow, then thumbed through the other pages, the concern on her face growing.
Utah looked up at her, forgetting the helicopter controls for a moment.
"Ok if that's the good news, give me the bad news."
The overhead blades had started to spin again as the motors started their warm-up cycle. The hum starting to grow louder inside the cockpit.
"I'm just guessing here now, and I do this kind of threat and risk analysis thing for a living, but this stuff is really hard to come by, hence the term 'Rare Earth Minerals'. But this is the kind of thing that starts international wars, that and asassination of Royalty, or invasion of sovereign nations, or in our case, all three.
So if you ask me, we are witnesses to the beginning of the next World War."
Utah stared at her for a second, and motioned for her to hand over the log book. He couldn't read Russian really, but that didn't matter, if it was true, this became evidence and they weren't going to be able to just fly off into the sunset.
The paperwork looked legit, so did Bianca's face.
"What do you think we should do with this information?"
She looked back at him surprised, and scared.
"I don't know, but we can't just let them leave with all of it, we have to do something."
The Puma was humming along good now, as the motors beat their familiar tune. There was a bullet hole in the windshield on the passengers side, but it was not a problem. Other than that one issue, the helicopter was in perfect flying shape.
Utah looked at the fuel gauge, up from staring at the Russian logbook.
It read just over three quarters full. Based on loose calculations they could go three hundred miles. Far enough tonight to get them away from this mess, and on their way back to London.
He sighed loudly, knowing what he needed to do and turned the switches to the motors off. The hum suddenly changed, lowered and started creeping away as the rotors eased themselves to a stop.
Rick poked his head into the back door looking concerned.
"Problems?"
Utah nodded, and pointed to the log book then Bianca, who was staring off into space, lost in deep thought, her nose crinkled, and here brow furrowed.
"She hurt ?, Helicopter damaged ?, I don't understand what's wrong, it was the perfect ambush."
Rick could taste the uncertainty and fear from Bianca, but the whole thing was still lost on him.
Utah and Bianca laid the whole situation out to everyone. They looked to Bianca then back to Utah. He nodded his head acknowledging that it was all true.
" So there are Billions of dollars of stolen E.o.H rare earth minerals on that ship sitting in the bay, that could sway this international conflict one way or the other."
Barett stated flatly, as he could.
"This is a make or break situation then. We can't let that ship fall into the wrong hands, we can't just blow it up, and we can't just steal it...right....I mean we could just steal it?."
Utah shook his head sadly at his brother. The thought had just crossed his mind earlier, but it was unfeasible.
"No we need to capture and interrorigate everyone we can on this, making sure that the boat and its cargo are secure for future reinforcements to recover and remove to the proper location."
Utah wasn't very excited about the possibilities or the options, it was a sure suicide mission.
He paused and opened up his arms, hands palm up.
"I'm open for ideas....what do you have?"
The group fell quiet.
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