Prologue
Even though Palmer was only wearing a
T-shirt under his bulky tactical vest and that the sun had gone down over six
hours ago, he was still covered in sweat. It didn’t help that he was carrying
30 pounds of gear while traipsing through the Burmese jungle. His rough skin
and considerable biceps were shrouded with dirt and camouflage paint. He was
the essence of a warrior.
“Skyscraper, this is Hiker 1,” he
whispered into his headset. “Give me a sitrep.”
“Hiker 1, this is Skyscraper. In position
now. I have vantage point on the target and the place is quiet.”
“Roger, Skyscraper. Hiker 2, Hiker 3, Hiker
4 report in.”
Palmer took a knee next to a palm tree to
minimize noise. He wiped the sweat off his hands and tightened his grip on the
HK G36C Commando assault rifle.
“Hiker 1, this is Hiker 2. I’m one klick
from the entry point. ETA 20 minutes.”
“Roger.”
“Hiker 3 here,” came a man with a British
accent. “I’m just southwest of Hiker 2. Currently in position and awaiting the
go code.”
“Roger that, Hiker 3.
“Hiker 1, Hiker 4. I’m in position, no
tango in sight.”
“Roger. Check in again in ten.”
The four other members of his team
acknowledged the order and Palmer resumed his walk. He normally wasn’t nervous
when on an operation. Combat had a way of soothing him because he was in his
element. He didn’t know how to bake a cake or rebuild an engine or paint a
sunset in watercolors, but he was an expert in the art of war.
However, everything was different on this
mission. For the first time in his life, he had a personal stake in the
outcome. He wasn’t assaulting some terrorists he knew to be bad on paper. He
wasn’t protecting some nameless dignitary or corporate shill.
No, he was rescuing Kathleen Rhinebolt
who had been kidnapped by bandits and taken deep into the dead zone of the
Myanmar backcountry.
He tried to push her out of his head but
it was impossible. For months she had been his number one priority, always
nearby, always moments away from doing something dumb or careless. And now she
was in trouble by no-fault of her own. It was his own stupidity that had gotten
her kidnapped.
He snarled at the blackness of the night
and picked up speed. The jungle was still, even the animals were asleep this
late at night. It was great to listen for enemy movements but the opposite was
also true. The rebels would be able to see him coming, though that was
unlikely.
He couldn’t hear the helicopter, which
was a good sign. It was his first time working with the pilot, a young Indian
guy who had recently discovered the private sector paid more than the armed
forces of India. So far, he was proving to be a good asset.
He had seen action with the other members
of this team. Skyscraper, the sniper currently lying face first in the dirt up
in the mountain, was former Marine Force Recon. Hiker 2 used to be Canadian
Special Forces while Hiker 3 was one of his best friends, a decorated ex-SAS
operative. Hiker 4 had been a Navy SEAL until a fistfight with an officer had gotten
him discharged. Palmer had hand-picked them because tonight he needed the best.
Kathleen needed the best.
Ever since the junta had been thrown out
of power, the country was in disarray and people who had been in command,
viscous killers who had been given free reign, had taken to the jungle to
regroup. They smuggled precious stones, ran weapons and drugs, and kidnapped
the few foreigners who dared venturing so far in country.
In hindsight, what had happened was
inevitable. What had been less predictable was how Palmer felt at the moment.
It was troubling him that he was taking it so personally.
It was troubling him that he felt so
strongly about Kathleen.
He chased his feelings away and picked up
speed. There was no telling what they would do to her before they made their
ransom demands. He was so focused that he barely noticed when it started
raining.
Chapter 1
THREE MONTHS
Even though Palmer was only wearing a
T-shirt under his bulky tactical vest and that the sun had gone down over six
hours ago, he was still covered in sweat. It didn’t help that he was carrying
30 pounds of gear while traipsing through the Burmese jungle. His rough skin
and considerable biceps were shrouded with dirt and camouflage paint. He was
the essence of a warrior.
“Skyscraper, this is Hiker 1,” he
whispered into his headset. “Give me a sitrep.”
“Hiker 1, this is Skyscraper. In position
now. I have vantage point on the target and the place is quiet.”
“Roger, Skyscraper. Hiker 2, Hiker 3, Hiker
4 report in.”
Palmer took a knee next to a palm tree to
minimize noise. He wiped the sweat off his hands and tightened his grip on the
HK G36C Commando assault rifle.
“Hiker 1, this is Hiker 2. I’m one klick
from the entry point. ETA 20 minutes.”
“Roger.”
“Hiker 3 here,” came a man with a British
accent. “I’m just southwest of Hiker 2. Currently in position and awaiting the
go code.”
“Roger that, Hiker 3.
“Hiker 1, Hiker 4. I’m in position, no
tango in sight.”
“Roger. Check in again in ten.”
The four other members of his team
acknowledged the order and Palmer resumed his walk. He normally wasn’t nervous
when on an operation. Combat had a way of soothing him because he was in his
element. He didn’t know how to bake a cake or rebuild an engine or paint a
sunset in watercolors, but he was an expert in the art of war.
However, everything was different on this
mission. For the first time in his life, he had a personal stake in the
outcome. He wasn’t assaulting some terrorists he knew to be bad on paper. He
wasn’t protecting some nameless dignitary or corporate shill.
No, he was rescuing Kathleen Rhinebolt
who had been kidnapped by bandits and taken deep into the dead zone of the
Myanmar backcountry.
He tried to push her out of his head but
it was impossible. For months she had been his number one priority, always
nearby, always moments away from doing something dumb or careless. And now she
was in trouble by no-fault of her own. It was his own stupidity that had gotten
her kidnapped.
He snarled at the blackness of the night
and picked up speed. The jungle was still, even the animals were asleep this
late at night. It was great to listen for enemy movements but the opposite was
also true. The rebels would be able to see him coming, though that was
unlikely.
He couldn’t hear the helicopter, which
was a good sign. It was his first time working with the pilot, a young Indian
guy who had recently discovered the private sector paid more than the armed
forces of India. So far, he was proving to be a good asset.
He had seen action with the other members
of this team. Skyscraper, the sniper currently lying face first in the dirt up
in the mountain, was former Marine Force Recon. Hiker 2 used to be Canadian
Special Forces while Hiker 3 was one of his best friends, a decorated ex-SAS
operative. Hiker 4 had been a Navy SEAL until a fistfight with an officer had gotten
him discharged. Palmer had hand-picked them because tonight he needed the best.
Kathleen needed the best.
Ever since the junta had been thrown out
of power, the country was in disarray and people who had been in command,
viscous killers who had been given free reign, had taken to the jungle to
regroup. They smuggled precious stones, ran weapons and drugs, and kidnapped
the few foreigners who dared venturing so far in country.
In hindsight, what had happened was
inevitable. What had been less predictable was how Palmer felt at the moment.
It was troubling him that he was taking it so personally.
It was troubling him that he felt so
strongly about Kathleen.
He chased his feelings away and picked up
speed. There was no telling what they would do to her before they made their
ransom demands. He was so focused that he barely noticed when it started
raining.
Chapter 1
THREE MONTHS
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