Jack Terral - Battleline (2007)

"But how did the Israelis learn about it?" the President asked.

"The Mossad has its eyes and ears in a lot of hidden corners throughout the world," Joplin said. "And if Israel says there is a big arms buildup in Iran for the invasion of Afghanistan, you can rely on it completely and irrevocably. And they are going to destroy it with an aerial attack."

"Oh, Christ!" the President said. "And not a thing we can do about it."

"Sir," Watson said, "the CIA has a suggestion. It is official and I've been authorized to pass it on in this meeting."

Bentley, the White House Liaison Officer from the FBI, finally spoke up. "The Bureau is aware of this suggestion and concurs, Mr. President."

"Don't keep us waiting, damn it, Edgar, I am not a patient man this afternoon!"

"Alright, Mr. President," the CIA man said. "We recommend that the Brits join us in aiding the air raid. We have our AWACS aircraft, and the Royal Air Force has aerial refueling capabilities in the area."

"I second the motion," Joplin said. "It's going to happen anyway, so let's join in and make it easier for our Jewish friends."

The President sighed. "Alright. Do it."

Joplin wasn't finished. "Sir, there is one way we can take advantage of the situation. After the Israelis bomb the hell out of the place and level it, I advise you to send in some of our SPECOPS people to mop up and try to capture some EPWs."

"Yes, Watson agreed. "If these captives were shipped off to Barri Prison in Bahrain they will prove most invaluable. We have an interrogator there who could ring them dry in record time."

"That seems a good idea," the President allowed. "Is it feasible to expect a group of our guys to be able to get in and out of there fast and accomplish that mission?"

"Of course, sir," Arlene said. "That's why they're called Special Forces."

"It would require the best of the best then," the President said. He leaned back in his chair and became thoughtful for a moment. "Who should we deploy?"

"Only one outfit I know of, Mr. President," Joplin said. "Brannigan's Brigands."

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USS DAN DALY

12 SEPTEMBER 0900 HOURS

THE letter from S-4 of Station Bravo in Bahrain came through the official mail, and after being offloaded with the regular shipment from the Seahawk, it was inserted into the ship's administrative distribution system. An hour later, a mail clerk made his deliveries to the various command and staff sections of the vessel and dropped it off in the SEAL in-box at the small office maintained by SCPO Buford Dawkins. He pulled it from the container and ripped the envelope open. After reading the missive, he broke into a wide grin.

Ensign Orlando Taylor's suggestion to have PO Chad Murchison write a letter filled with ambiguity, confusion, and logical illogic had paid off. Station Bravo's supply officer sent a statement taking away all responsibility for the missing desert patrol vehicle that had disappeared during Operation Rolling Thunder. The DPV was now written off, putting it into that great logistical obscurity in the sky. Randy Tooley at Shelor Field would never have to give up that gift from Lieutenant Bill Brannigan as a token of appreciation for a job well done.

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1130 HOURS

WEAPONS maintenance had been the main activity that morning. All the M-16 rifles, M-203 grenade launchers, M-249 squad automatic weapons, and even the AS-50 sniper rifles had to be detail-stripped and given thorough cleanings. This included submersion in boiling water to make sure the grit and grease that had worked into the smallest of the moving parts was dissolved. Afterward, after a complete wipe-down as the residual water evaporated, light coats of oil were applied.

It was not really a messy job, but hands got oily and dirty and were wiped as much on BDU trousers as on the rags furnished by the ordnance division that serviced the ship's weaponry. Ensign Taylor had been in charge of the activity, and he gave the men some extra time to wash up for chow. When they returned from the head to form up for the trip to the mess deck, they stepped into the compartment and halted.

Commander Tom Carey and Lieutenant Commander Ernest Berringer stood with the Skipper, Lieutenant Jim Cruiser, and SCPO Dawkins. They were obviously waiting for them.

"Uh-oh!" said Mike Assad.

"Oh, shit!" uttered Bruno Puglisi.

"This portends lugubrious developments," Chad Murchison stated.

It was the senior chief who made the announcement. "You won't be going to chow. Box lunches will be sent up to the ready room. So go there immediately if not sooner. There's business to attend to."

ONCE again Brannigan's Brigands were scattered among the seats in the ready room, as they had been several times in the past. The officers and senior chief situated themselves off to one side, while Carey and Berringer stood at the front of the room.

Carey didn't waste any time with salutations or an introductory statement. He cut to the chase. "Mission statement," he announced. "You will do a mop-up operation on an Iranian Special Forces camp after it has been bombed and strafed by the Israeli Air Force."

The awe and shock at the announcement was shown on every face.

Carey continued, "I want to emphasize from the very get-go that this is a highly--I say again--a highly classified mission. It is illegal, immoral, and reprehensible." He paused and grinned. "In other words, right up your alley."

"Ha!" Puglisi said with a laugh. "What brought this shit down?"

"I'm just about to tell you, Petty Officer Puglisi," Carey said. "The Iranians have secretly--they think--reneged on engaging in negotiations regarding their Afghanistan and nuclear ambitions. They are planning a full-scale invasion of Afghanistan, complete with tanks, armored infantry units, self-propelled artillery, and close air support. They fully expect they can be hundreds of kilometers into the country before the coalition forces will be able to react."

Monty Sturgis, like the others, could hardly believe what he was hearing. "Where do the Israelis come in on this? Are we coordinating our efforts with them?"

"I'm sure they'll be provided with some sort of clandestine aid, but that's just my opinion," Carey answered. "But all that is separated completely from what you're going to do. They will inform us at the last minute of the exact time of their attack, and at that point you will board USAFSOC choppers for a quick trip into Iran to the site of the action."

Ensign Taylor was also not quite catching on. "Just exactly what is this 'mop-up' aspect of our mission?"

"Exactly that," Carey said. "You will unass the choppers, form up as skirmishers, and move through the mess the Israelis made. Your mission is to police up any EPWs among the survivors or anything that may be of interest to our intelligence people."

"How long are we expected to be on the ground?" CPO Matt Gunnarson asked.

"No more than twenty minutes," Carey replied. "The Air Force helicopters will be waiting for you with rotors turning. The Iranian Air Force will undoubtedly send some recon flights over to see what happened. So as soon as you've made your walk through the debris, return immediately to the aircraft for evacuation back to Afghanistan."

"What part of Afghanistan?" Dave Leibowitz wanted to know.

"The same place where you'll take off from," Carey said. "That will be the LZ behind your former positions where you faced the Zaheya forces. The Air Force is going to pick you up here on the Daly's flight deck."

"What're we gonna be toting in with us?" the SAW gunner Tex Benson asked. "Is any special equipment called for?"

"Everyone will carry one M-sixteen rifle, two bandoliers of ammo, and a canteen,"

Carey responded. "You'll leave the SAWs behind, along with the grenade launchers." He glanced over to where Puglisi and Miskoski sat. "No calls for snipers on this trip."