Mark Young - Off the grid

“So has the war, Colonel. Hard to know which side you’re on anymore.”

“Amen to that. We should make contact with the bird in about five. You all set, Marine?”

“Yep. Locked and loaded.”

Jack gave a smug smile. “That’s want I want to hear.” The colonel eyed Alena in the rearview. “Want to wish you both a lot of luck. They will be waiting for you.”

Alena met the colonel’s eye. “Don’t believe in luck, sir. God will protect us if it is His will. And if it is not His will…that’s fine with me.”

Jack looked over at him and then back to her for a second before turning his attention ahead. “Whatever toots your horn, lady. Just be careful.”

Alena stared out the window.

At times like this, Gerrit just put everything out of his mind except the mission. Never pondered about the what-ifs. Living and dying became just something that happened. Actions he had no control over. Right now, wasting time on concepts was counterproductive to the mission. Alena’s statement, however, seemed almost fatalistic-whatever will happen will happen. She appeared to accept whatever God dished out.

Life or death. Good or evil.

He and Alena seemed worlds apart. He could never relinquish control over his own destiny if given a choice. And if control were taken away, he’d just fight to get it back. Alena seemed willing to accept whatever came her way. It bothered him to see how this might translate into survival tactics in combat. He needed her willing to fight to the death if need be. Passive acceptance was not an option.

He would have to watch her carefully.

Up ahead, Gerrit saw muted lights through the darkness. As they pulled closer, he whistled under his breath. “I never saw one of these in Afghanistan.” A sleek, lightweight helicopter, equipped with rockets and vertical propellers, sat poised on the landing pad.

Jack glanced in the rearview mirror again. “A prototype that Defense is testing for combat-particularly for Special Ops. It’s fast, leaves a minimal heat signature, and offers unbelievable maneuverability. Between this bird and Willy’s computer, we can drop you on the roof in seconds and pull away before their ground sensors even start recording movement. They will not know what hit them when you touch down.”

“They’ll signal you when Alena and I are clear of the bird?”

“That’s right. Then me and Redneck will move in to cover you from the ground while Willy does his thing.”

“Just give us body heat locations as quick as you can. Need to know where they’re stationed in that building.”

“You got it. We’ll light them up before you touch ground floor.” He caught Gerrit’s look in the mirror. “And the tools you need are in the truck. Got enough firepower in there to start your own war.”

Gerrit smiled. “That’s exactly what we want them to think. Before they have time to react.”

Jack nodded. “Just like old times, huh?”

Gerrit shook his head. “Before, I knew who I was shooting at. Now…” He swung the car door open and stepped out as the trunk popped open. Alena came around the other side as he grabbed an assault rifle-an H amp;K MP5 as requested-and a sidearm, handing them to her. He reached in and gathered the same firepower, then shouldered a backpack that weighed heavily on his back.

Gerrit slammed the trunk closed, then tipped his head at Jack-standing next to the driver’s door, hands on the roof-before he and Alena crossed the pavement and climbed into a side door of the helicopter. A moment later, the engines fired and blades began to turn. The sound seemed muted and quiet, nothing like the Black Hawks they used overseas.

His earpiece crackled and Jack’s voice came through. “Son, just remember. This cannot be a military operation. No in-country in the ol’ U.S. of A. That would start a firestorm up on the Hill. That bird will not use its firepower unless absolutely necessary. Torch and burn anything left behind. We can’t leave any evidence.”

“Roger that, sir. Over and out.”

The pilot lifted off and the craft immediately shot forward with a burst of speed. They seemed to effortlessly slide through the night toward their destination, the rotors quieter than a silenced gun firing at a target.

Collette sat in the chair, resting. Her eyes felt heavy and she felt herself starting to nod off. She raised her arm to check the time. 4:30 a.m. Her back felt stiff and her eyes wanted to close for a spell. She shook her head and rose, fearing if she sat here for another second she might fall asleep.

Looking over at the console, she saw the technician with his head resting on folded arms. “What are you doing?” she yelled, causing the man to jump and fall out of his chair. “This is not the time to fall asleep, you moron. They could hit at any time.”

A squelch came across Collette’s portable radio, then a man’s voice cut in. “Boss, you’d better come to the front lobby. We’ve got visitors.”

She angrily pressed her transmission button. “I don’t have time to screen people. You take care of this.”

“You may want to check it out. We have a medevac helicopter setting down in the parking lot. They think we have a medical emergency of some kind.”

“Have all units converge there. I want that crew taken down at gunpoint. Search the chopper-now!” If this flight crew worked for the enemy, they’d never leave this place alive.

Gerrit and Alena slid down the ropes and landed on the roof. The aircraft dipped and slipped away into the night. As it quietly disappeared, Gerrit heard another helicopter’s blades noisily beating the night air at the front of the complex.

“They took the bait, Mr. G. I ordered up one medevac chopper. They are attacking that flight crew right now at gunpoint. Looks like you got your window of opportunity. Better use it quick.”

Gerrit smiled. “I read you loud and clear. Remember, these transmissions might be monitored.”

“No way, Mr. G. Joe and I put an encryption on these babies that only God can break.”

“Fine. Right now, you’re our eyes and ears. Give me a read on any bogies in the area. We’re at the target location and need about five minutes.”

He turned toward Alena and pointed to a housing vent a few yards away. “There is our way in. I’ll have that removed in a jiffy. Just cover me.”

She nodded, taking up a position that gave her a full view of the rooftop.

Gerrit pulled out his tools and had the ventilation cover off several minutes later. “Let’s go.” He lowered himself down the vent. “Just follow my lead. This heads right to the lab.”

Alena moved to the edge, watching his descent. “Come on, slowpoke. We haven’t all night.”

He started to retort, then saw her smile. “Just try to keep up, or I’m leaving you behind.” Reaching the ninety-degree angle in the vent, he moved farther into the shaft to give her room. She joined him seconds later.

“Come on,” she said. “I’m getting old here.”

He turned without saying a word and moved down the aluminum vent until he reached another ninety-degree turn downward. There was a filtered cover across the face of the downward shaft. Using a penlight, he quickly removed the vent cover and set it aside. “This fast enough for you?”

She moved past and lowered herself down the shaft. “Here, let me show you how it is done.” In one swift move, she pushed through a second vent cover and dropped to the floor below, rolling to one side. She whispered up, “Don’t hurt yourself, old man.”

“Nice move. You made enough noise to set off every sensor in this building.”

“We will be long gone before they ever reach us. Now do your thing, jarhead.”