Fueling the Rage Page 9

  “Do you speak English?” the Admiral asked.

  “Who speak here?”

  The Admiral and the man bantered back and forth until the Admiral convinced him he was for real.

  “Call you at your home number,” the man from the tower ordered, and the Admiral gave him his extension at Rota. The man at the tower added, “We soon call.”

  Five minutes later, the Admiral received a call from the General at Mac Dill AFB.

  “This is operations Mac Dill Air Force Base, can I help you Admiral?”

  “Yes, we have three wounded, unconscious men that you may be interested in.”

  “Will they survive?”

  “Yes, what can you tell me?”

  “Admiral, it’s highly classified and I trust you to clean up this mess when it is over. The two big men are Navy officers on a top-secret mission, and the other man is a very valuable prisoner. Make sure that all of your people receive direct orders to forget what happened. I‘ll be there in eight hours. Are there any questions, Admiral?”

  “No, I understand. I’ll start cleaning, and please call me when you arrive on my tarmac.”

  The Group landed in Rota seven hours later. The General, as instructed called the Admiral. A car met them as their G5 taxied to a stop. Ten minutes later, they were in the hospital’s administrative office. It was 0100 hours local time and the office was full. The two pilots, the medical Captain, the Admiral, the General, the CIA agent, and the Major stood in a circle in a meeting room.

  The medical Captain spoke first, “They’re all better. It would be best to let them sleep tonight and talk to them in the morning. We have moved the prisoner to a medical cell. He is in serious condition, but stable. He will recover from his chest wound. Lieutenant Anderson saved him by covering his wound during the flight.”

  The CIA agent was the next to speak. “I need to be in the cell with the prisoner as soon as possible.”

  The Captain picked up the phone and shortly a security guard appeared in the meeting room, “This gentleman needs to guard our prisoner. His orders are my orders.”

  The Admiral ended the meeting. “We are now under control, so let’s meet here tomorrow morning at 0900 hours.”

  Three days later, Sam and Bill had gained enough strength for the flight home, and ten days of total rest. Adella Ali had recovered nicely, and the CIA agent was taking him to Accra, Ghana, Africa. Even on the flight, the agent was having discussions with Adella about his future. With the right answers, he could do it the easy way and end up in a French restaurant in a little known French town. His other option was the hard way and either way was fine with the agent. He wanted an explanation of the Paris operation, and a name of his contact higher up the food chain. With those two questions answered, Ali would have a life. The hard way would be uncomfortable and had the small possibility that death would come before the answers. The rest of The Group flew back to Mac Dill, and waited for those answers. The SOD received his report, and responded with a well done. Each of the Group and the pilots received a ribbon, and Sam and Bill received Purple Hearts.

  The CIA agent got his answers and returned to Mac Dill. The Group once again flew to Langley, by way of Andrews AFB for another meeting. It was amazing to Bill how fast the extreme became commonplace. This time they all knew the route to the sixth floor office of the Director of the CIA. It was the same people and the same chairs, but this time the discussion took ninety minutes. The meeting ended with a new plan. The Group would go back to Mac Dill and fill in the details needed to carry out the plan. They required interaction with the French. The DCIA would request secrecy, approval and possibly assistance from his counterpart at the DGSE or General Directorate for External Security. Sam and Bill would not be part of the operation. The Director of External Security or DES was following the kidnapping of Adella Ali, and knew something was up. He considered the possibility of the Mossad doing the job. After the phone conversation, the DES sent his first assistant to Mac Dill for a meeting with the Group. Sam and Bill were not part of the meeting.

  The meeting took place in the most secure room on the base. In the basement of Building Six, there was a special meeting room. The Group and the Assistant DES sat at a long oak table. The ADES began the conversation in perfect English. The Group was not allowed to discuss the Africa operations, but gave the why and what of the Paris operation. After 9/11, the French changed their laws regarding DGSE investigations inside of France. America made many of the same changes that allowed sharing of information and data collection between different agencies of the government. The French have a large Muslim population. Some of that population was worrisome to the French government. The DGSE quietly collected data, and was turning over possible problems to the French police. In certain dangerous situations, the DGSE acted on their own, but they never admitted it.

  The meeting started and the CIA agent stood and summarized his findings. “Adella Ali freely and without any physical or harsh measures on my part, revealed the following information. He admitted blame for the planning and execution of the Tampa Mall attack. He was part of a small terrorist cell in Paris, France. They received and then funneled funds to certain African martyr groups to purchase two suicide units to carry out the bombings. Their reward for their success was additional and very generous funding. The cell set up three more suicide bombings. Ali told me that the next attack might be only three months away. The cell had five more members and one of them was a Frenchman named James Tolue. He was the only member of the cell that knew the locations of the attacks.”

  The lips of the ADES formed a smile. “I know Tolue. Better yet, I know the other men. I even know where they meet. We have a small group of police officers who follow them. It’s led by a friend of mine, Chief Inspector Rene Gualt and he’s also investigating the Ali kidnapping.”

  The French’s knowledge of the cell changed The Group’s plan. The General asked, “Would it be better if The Group could pick them off separately? The chance of a gun fight would be reduced.”

  The ADES had a better idea, “The police could simply pick them up for questioning. We change their immigration status, and deport them. We could use our port at La Havre for their exit. What happened then would no longer be French business. I will put Chief Inspector Rene Gualt in charge of the action.“ The Group stood and applauded the ADES.

  The CIA agent stood and said, “We need another name so that we can keep going up the knowledge tree.”

  The General whispered to the Major. “We need to get Sam and Bill stronger fast. There are three more groups they need to kill.” Then he stood and addressed the meeting. “We thank ADSE and your government for your cooperation and assistance in this matter. I will be sending reports to the DSE and DCIA, and your recommendations will be highlighted. That concludes our meeting.”

  Heroes tread in dangerous places

  And family seems a distant past

  Seeing all the friendly faces

  Blurs the lines he drew too fast

  Chapter 7

  Sam and Bill were watching TV in the officer’s lounge. Sam could still feel the damage to his hip. Bill was now running five miles each morning, but Sam was only able to walk. Doctors told him that he needed to reduce his activity at least one more month before getting off light duty. Bill’s right shoulder was not broken. The bullet grazed the bone, changed direction, and exited. His right arm was in a blue sling and still healing. He also needed a month of reduced duty, and they would not be part of the operation. Sam learned to stand back. Training his Seal showed him he was no longer able to keep up with the younger Seals. His men could go further physically than he could, but he knew how to get them there and back.

  Bill was proud to wear his Navy uniform with all his ribbons. For over eight months, he had not rested for more than a day and was learning to think on the job. He knew there was much he needed to learn, but despite having a bullet hole in his right shoulder, he was happy with his life.

  The Major walked in
to the lounge. “Bill, you are going home and we need to talk about a few things first.”

  Bill had a strange feeling. It may have been the fear that his parents would not like him. Bill realized he knew his job, but no longer really knew who he was. He opened his wallet. His driver’s license and his Visa card had his name as Robert Krane. He reviewed his situation with the Major.

  “I own nothing. I don’t wash my clothing, but I am given new clothes. I have never received a paycheck, but I always have a thousand dollars in my wallet. I am a Lieutenant in the US Navy and that is just one rank below yours, Major. How many creeps have I killed in the last three months? What can I talk to my parents about?”

  In a calm voice the Major answered, “First, your pay is being deposited in a special account. Second, you must admit it’s been fun, and third, you’re not a Lieutenant in the US Navy.”

  Bill’s eyes questioned the last fact. “We are now the same rank. Congratulations, you are now a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy. Here, put on this new uniform. The pay checks that you’re not getting have just gone up.”

  Bill put on his new white Lt. Commander uniform and returned to the TV room. The Major gave the news to Bill. “Here’s a suitcase with the clothes you will need. It is Wednesday and your parents are home. They now have a secret clearance, and know the rules. They are expecting you and a car and driver is outside Building Six. So go, but you need to carry these.” He handed Bill a holster with a silenced Glock 23, and a secure cell phone. “You never can tell what is out there.”

  Sam walked Bill to his car. “We’ll see you in a week.” Bill or Robert got in the car and headed for Wesley Chapel, Florida for a visit to his old life.

  When his car arrived at his old home, his parents and grandparents were waiting for him. The six of them fought for the suitcase that he was carrying. His mother won the prize and all of them walked up the path to the safety of the home. The Chief was the first to see his uniform and his side arm.

  “What the hell is that?” First, he pointed to his rank and then to the Glock 23, which was in plain sight.

  “You made Lt. Commander in less than a year?” It was more of a statement than a question.

  “They liked my skill sets.” Bill repeated the historic words of the Major. “I am in law enforcement and that’s about all I can say about the pistol.” Bill just loved his answer because it took him in a direction that was logical.

  The Chief came back with another observation. “You are a Seal!”

  The Chief looked at his grandson and his mind raced. “You are a Seal with the rank of Lt. Commander, and carrying a side arm in public.” Then his grandfather noticed his Purple Heart. “You were wounded, and all this happened in eight months?” He looked at Bill’s body. “How much do you weigh?”

  “I weigh about two hundred and forty pounds.”

  His mother interrupted, “That’s enough questions for now.”

  It was not long before family small talk replaced the questions about Bill. Within an hour, Bill opened his suitcase and found shorts and a polo shirt. His mother took his gun and holster and placed them on a small table in the living room. They were away from the conversation, but they were within reach. Within two hours, he felt at home.

  His father told him of his first visit, as a new doctor, to the Chief’s home in Key West. Initially, he felt that he did not belong, but then he realized the feelings came from the fact that, like his father, he had become an adult. As with most southern families, the men gathered to talk and the women went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. All conversation stopped when dinner was ready.

  Dinner began with a prayer. Henry Saval, Alice’s father, blessed the food and Bill’s presence. Then he added a tearful few words about how Mira. They were passing the plates of food around the table when Bill spoke from his heart.

  “I can’t say much about what I do, but it’s also important that any ideas you have about my job are kept secret. I can only say that I have the task of bringing justice to the monsters that sponsored Mo and Ike. My friends and I have had some success, but there is more to do and there is no place on God’s earth for them to hide. We will get Mira’s killers. All of them.”

  Henry said, “Amen.”

  Then everyone at the table said, “Amen.”

  Bill’s first day home was over. He was in his room on his old bed staring at the ceiling. He thought, I have been cut off from the things that normal people do. Sometime, in the future, I need to close the gap between my home life and my job. Bill was able to sleep that night.

  On Saturday morning, his grandparents left for their Florida homes. The house was quiet and he was in the family room watching TV when his father appeared.

  “You haven’t seen my new car.”

  They walked together to the garage. Brian was not normally a big spender, but times were good with his practice. Bill was impressed as he ran his hand over the hood of the white BMW.

  “It’s a 750Li. We can take it to dinner this evening. Maybe I’ll let you drive.”

  They planned to go to their favorite Italian restaurant near their hospital. From his suitcase, Bill pulled a pair of tan slacks, a white dress shirt, and a blue microfiber sports coat. His last action was to pick up the Glock 23 from the table, where it had been sitting for the entire visit. There was a round in the chamber.

  His father tossed Bill the pod for the BMW. ”You drive.”

  His father put the address of the restaurant into the car’s navigation system. Bill pushed a button to start the engine and the lights came on. Carefully, he backed the big BMW from the garage and headed the short distance to the Southern Italian Garden restaurant. They had a late dinner reservation. A friendly voice gave turn-by-turn directions and Bill followed them.

  When they arrived, he stopped at the entrance and dropped off his parents. His dad said before exiting, “Bill, please park away from the other cars so I don’t get a door ding.”

  Bill followed the instructions and drove to the far edge of the large parking lot. He pushed the off button and opened his door. Still seated, but with his feet on the pavement of the parking lot, he spent a few seconds reviewing the beautiful interior of the 750Li. The automatic lights went off and he shifted his weight to stand, when two black men approached.

  Bill was a Seal and instinctively, he reviewed the situation, and developed a few plans. The shorter one to his left had a knife. Bill was not wearing his sling. They barked commands as he pulled the Glock from his holster with his right hand. He held it hidden from view in the dark car.

  “I don’t want any trouble.”

  The short one screamed, “Get out!”

  Without warning, he thrust a knife towards Bill’s chest. Bill raised his left arm and with an open hand deflected the forward movement. He then rotated his hand, grasped the shorter man’s bare arm, and held it. The taller man raised a pistol and Bill responded with two quick shots from the Glock. He was worried about possible collateral damage in his line of sight so he aimed his first shot at the underside of the taller man’s jaw. His second shot was safer, and entered the space between the eyes of the shorter attacker. Bill could feel the life quickly drain from the short man, but the taller man was still holding the pistol. Bill lowered the Glock, pointed in an upward direction, and put four more shots into taller man’s chest. Both men dropped to the ground.

  Bill stepped from the car and analyzed the scene. There were no cameras in the parking lot. Could he face the police? This was clearly a justified action, but who was he? He pulled out his cell phone and called the Major. The Major ordered him to move the bodies to the other side of the car, take an hour for dinner, and to keep his cell phone on vibrate. Bill pulled the bodies to the very dark grassy area on the other side of the BMW and joined his parents.

  They had been waiting and he apologized. “I had a phone call from my office.” Bill ordered a bottle of red wine and settled in for a nice dinner. With desert came the vibration of his cell phone.
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br />   Bill answered, “Yes.”

  The response was, “All clear.”

  They finished dinner and the check arrived. His dad paid for dinner and they headed out the door.

  “Wait here, I’ll get the car,” Bill said.

  Bill saw the blue Air Force van parked next to the BMW. The passenger window was open. It was the Major.

  “Nice weather we’re having and you can give me the Glock.” The Major then drove the van away.

  Bill pushed the start button, drove to the restaurant entrance, and picked up his parents.

  His father smiled and said, “Nice dinner. I know it must be good for you to just relax and enjoy life for a few days.”

  “It’s hard to get away from the kind of work I‘ve been doing.” The pleasant voice guided him back to their home. As he drove, he felt for the Glock 23 and the empty space on his right hip made him a little uncomfortable.

  The General and the Major discussed what a dangerous world it was. They felt that the chance of this happening was almost impossible, and the chance of it happening again approached zero. After careful deliberation, they decided the chance was not zero. Sunday morning an Air Force car delivered a package containing a new silenced Glock 23 to Bill’s home. His mother unpacked it and placed it back on the small table in the living room. His fears of going home were gone. He felt rested from the visit and his shoulder was feeling better.

  There is a federal law that crimes against federal agents are federal crimes. The FBI investigated the attempted carjacking of a federal agent, and deemed the killings as self-defense and justifiable. They attempted to return the two bodies to their next of kin, but none of their relatives wanted the expense of the burials. The FBI sent the cremated remains and a standard “We are sorry for your loss card” to their mothers.

  Tuesday evening Bill said goodbye to his parents, and entered the Air Force van for the drive to Building Six. During the drive to the base, he realized the importance of his family. He thought, those uncomfortable feelings about going home were crazy. The Group is my family, too.