need,” Nathan said. “It’s bad enough these people are dirt poor. I don’t want to contribute to anyone’s misery. Let’s try offering some money. I have a feeling it might go a long way. You’re Tobias’s son. From what you told us, the town thought highly of your father. You wouldn’t be perceived as a complete outsider. I’m willing to bet some of them want to see his murderer brought to justice.”
“I’ll try it your way first,” Estefan said.
Nathan continued, “We just need to convince them they have nothing to fear from talking to you. You can use some of the info in your father’s letters to gain their trust. If they realize you’re on their side, they might cooperate.”
“Macanas is their employer,” Harv said.
“You think they’ll protect him to keep their jobs? That’s entirely possible. We won’t know until we make the attempt.” Nathan looked in Lyle’s direction. “Harv and I didn’t get here on our own, and we need to relay our change in plans.”
“Will she be okay with it?”
“She?” Harv raised his eyebrows.
Estefan kept a neutral expression.
Nathan knew it was common knowledge a woman sat in the director’s chair of the CIA. Before he could deny Estefan’s comment, he heard a low whistle. Sergeant Lyle issued a hand signal to form up.
“I’ll be right back.”
Harv stayed behind as Nathan wove his way through the ferns to Lyle’s position where the radio transmitter operator had a small keyboard deployed. The backlit screen was dimmed to a super-low setting.
“We’re up,” Lyle said. “We just received this.”
Nathan bent down to read it. The small screen displayed one word.
STATUS?
Nathan said, “Send this: Situation stable. Messenger familiar. Extraction delayed. Expect further contact within twenty-four hours.”
Lyle’s RTO typed the message and sent it. A few seconds passed before a new message arrived.
COPY. NO UNNECESSARY RISKS. DO NOT ENGAGE.
“Copy that, please,” Nathan said.
Lyle’s man complied.
“We’d like to get off this mountain,” Nathan said. “I don’t know how far away our ride is, but I’ll find out. We’d appreciate a tail if you have time.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem, sir.”
“Thanks, sergeant. Did our man have NV goggles when you intercepted him?”
“No, sir.”
“Do you have a spare set?”
“Yes, sir, we always carry extras.” Lyle motioned to one of his men. The recon came over and took a knee. Lyle accessed the man’s pack and pulled out a pair of goggles—an expensive gift. “Do you have plenty of ammo? Do you want anything else? Some stun or frag grenades? We’ve also got a couple of Claymores.”
“You know, that’s not a bad idea, but we don’t have a lot of backpack space. We’ll take a few stuns and frags. They might come in handy.”
Back at Estefan’s position, Nathan handed him the goggles and gave the explosives to Harv.
“Nice,” Harv said, packing them away.
“Okay, we’re bugging out. How far is your truck?”
“About a mile to the south.”
“Lyle’s team is going to escort us.”
Estefan adjusted the NV visor to fit his head.
Nathan nodded at Estefan’s hip. “Your handgun isn’t suppressed.”
“Understood.”
“Okay, let’s move out.”
They shook hands with Lyle and his men and started down the mountain to the south. Nathan hadn’t asked how Lyle and his men were going to be extracted. It wasn’t something he needed to know and asking would’ve been inappropriate. He had no doubt the recons would exit Nicaragua as covertly as they’d entered.
Nathan and Harv maintained a five-yard separation; Estefan followed twenty yards behind. Even though they had a recon escort, they’d still make a stealthy approach to Estefan’s pickup. The passage of the two trucks ten minutes earlier had probably been harmless, but it was tactically sound to remain on high alert. One or more men could’ve exited the vehicles and set up an ambush. Nathan
“I’ll try it your way first,” Estefan said.
Nathan continued, “We just need to convince them they have nothing to fear from talking to you. You can use some of the info in your father’s letters to gain their trust. If they realize you’re on their side, they might cooperate.”
“Macanas is their employer,” Harv said.
“You think they’ll protect him to keep their jobs? That’s entirely possible. We won’t know until we make the attempt.” Nathan looked in Lyle’s direction. “Harv and I didn’t get here on our own, and we need to relay our change in plans.”
“Will she be okay with it?”
“She?” Harv raised his eyebrows.
Estefan kept a neutral expression.
Nathan knew it was common knowledge a woman sat in the director’s chair of the CIA. Before he could deny Estefan’s comment, he heard a low whistle. Sergeant Lyle issued a hand signal to form up.
“I’ll be right back.”
Harv stayed behind as Nathan wove his way through the ferns to Lyle’s position where the radio transmitter operator had a small keyboard deployed. The backlit screen was dimmed to a super-low setting.
“We’re up,” Lyle said. “We just received this.”
Nathan bent down to read it. The small screen displayed one word.
STATUS?
Nathan said, “Send this: Situation stable. Messenger familiar. Extraction delayed. Expect further contact within twenty-four hours.”
Lyle’s RTO typed the message and sent it. A few seconds passed before a new message arrived.
COPY. NO UNNECESSARY RISKS. DO NOT ENGAGE.
“Copy that, please,” Nathan said.
Lyle’s man complied.
“We’d like to get off this mountain,” Nathan said. “I don’t know how far away our ride is, but I’ll find out. We’d appreciate a tail if you have time.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem, sir.”
“Thanks, sergeant. Did our man have NV goggles when you intercepted him?”
“No, sir.”
“Do you have a spare set?”
“Yes, sir, we always carry extras.” Lyle motioned to one of his men. The recon came over and took a knee. Lyle accessed the man’s pack and pulled out a pair of goggles—an expensive gift. “Do you have plenty of ammo? Do you want anything else? Some stun or frag grenades? We’ve also got a couple of Claymores.”
“You know, that’s not a bad idea, but we don’t have a lot of backpack space. We’ll take a few stuns and frags. They might come in handy.”
Back at Estefan’s position, Nathan handed him the goggles and gave the explosives to Harv.
“Nice,” Harv said, packing them away.
“Okay, we’re bugging out. How far is your truck?”
“About a mile to the south.”
“Lyle’s team is going to escort us.”
Estefan adjusted the NV visor to fit his head.
Nathan nodded at Estefan’s hip. “Your handgun isn’t suppressed.”
“Understood.”
“Okay, let’s move out.”
They shook hands with Lyle and his men and started down the mountain to the south. Nathan hadn’t asked how Lyle and his men were going to be extracted. It wasn’t something he needed to know and asking would’ve been inappropriate. He had no doubt the recons would exit Nicaragua as covertly as they’d entered.
Nathan and Harv maintained a five-yard separation; Estefan followed twenty yards behind. Even though they had a recon escort, they’d still make a stealthy approach to Estefan’s pickup. The passage of the two trucks ten minutes earlier had probably been harmless, but it was tactically sound to remain on high alert. One or more men could’ve exited the vehicles and set up an ambush. Nathan
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