Speakers on the wall crackled then three figures appeared on the split-screen monitor—Bentley and Fontaine on one side, Gregg Kaplan on the other.
“What’s up, Scott?” Wiley sat next to Jake and spoke into the three-winged audio device in the middle of the oval conference table.
Bentley was the first to speak. “Good and bad news to report. The good news is we’ve located Isabella Hunt. Jake, Mr. Wiley has agreed to assist me on this mission, which includes having you help rescue Isabella. Something you said you wanted to do.”
“Yes, sir. Very much.” Jake said.
“We’ve put together an extraction plan but due to terrain, some logistic issues, along with the political unrest in the region, this will have to be a night op with no chance for detection. Gentlemen, this is a hostile country so this mission is silent in, silent out. We can’t afford any blowback. The United States will disavow any involvement. This is totally unsanctioned, if anyone gets caught, they’re on their own.”
“I hope that was the bad news too.” Jake said.
“I’m afraid not, Jake.” Bentley glanced at Fontaine then back at his camera. “Gregg will brief you on the bad news. Go ahead, Gregg.”
“We located and detained one of the locals who knew about Isabella and the al Qaeda cell here in Yemen.” Kaplan paused. “After some…enhanced interrogation, we’ve learned that the cell has already left Yemen and is enroute to Western Europe. We don’t know where but apparently Isabella does. That’s why it’s imperative we rescue her ASAP before al Qaeda attacks and a lot of people die.”
“George.” Bentley said. “You take it from here.”
“According to Gregg’s source, Isabella is being held in the Hajjah Palace.” Fontaine and Bentley disappeared from the screen and a satellite view of Hajjah appeared. “The palace is here.” A circle electronically drew around a building.
“As you can see, the palace is surrounded by a rock wall and the front gate is well guarded twenty-four hours a day.”
The screen rotated and a topographic view of the area popped up. “Our problem is that there is literally no level ground in Hajjah. It is built on a mountain.”
The view expanded outward. “The highway passes at the base of mountain leaving only one road in and out of town.”
“That confirms what our inside source told us.” Kaplan said. “She volunteered to assist us with our infiltration.”
“As you can see here,” Fontaine continued. “With all the roadblocks and checkpoints along the highway, access or exit by vehicle is out of the question. With all the political turmoil in the region, we’ve determined that our only option is to drop you in from overhead. You’ll have to locate, extract Isabella, and escape on foot undetected.”
Bentley and Fontaine reappeared on the screen.
“What if she’s injured and unable to travel on foot?” Jake asked. “We can’t just leave her there.”
“We can’t take that risk.” Kaplan said. “Figure something else out, I’m not leaving her there.”
“George?” Wiley spoke for the first time since the conference call started. “There might be another way.”
“If you have an idea, I’d like to hear it.” Bentley said.
“Is there any place in town that’s remotely level, like a large parking area or a field? I only need four or five-hundred feet.” Wiley asked.
“There is one area where kids play kick ball or soccer games. It’s about fifty feet wide and maybe, repeat, maybe four hundred feet long. It isn’t totally level, it has a gentle slope toward the edge of the mountain.” Fontaine brought up the satellite image again and electronically circled the area. “It’s a dark area at night, no lights at all.”
“Can you zoom in, George?” Wiley asked.
“Sure.” The image zoomed in closer. “How’s that?”
“Good. Now tilt the topo so I can get an idea about the side of the hill.” Wiley said.
The image rotated. The
“What’s up, Scott?” Wiley sat next to Jake and spoke into the three-winged audio device in the middle of the oval conference table.
Bentley was the first to speak. “Good and bad news to report. The good news is we’ve located Isabella Hunt. Jake, Mr. Wiley has agreed to assist me on this mission, which includes having you help rescue Isabella. Something you said you wanted to do.”
“Yes, sir. Very much.” Jake said.
“We’ve put together an extraction plan but due to terrain, some logistic issues, along with the political unrest in the region, this will have to be a night op with no chance for detection. Gentlemen, this is a hostile country so this mission is silent in, silent out. We can’t afford any blowback. The United States will disavow any involvement. This is totally unsanctioned, if anyone gets caught, they’re on their own.”
“I hope that was the bad news too.” Jake said.
“I’m afraid not, Jake.” Bentley glanced at Fontaine then back at his camera. “Gregg will brief you on the bad news. Go ahead, Gregg.”
“We located and detained one of the locals who knew about Isabella and the al Qaeda cell here in Yemen.” Kaplan paused. “After some…enhanced interrogation, we’ve learned that the cell has already left Yemen and is enroute to Western Europe. We don’t know where but apparently Isabella does. That’s why it’s imperative we rescue her ASAP before al Qaeda attacks and a lot of people die.”
“George.” Bentley said. “You take it from here.”
“According to Gregg’s source, Isabella is being held in the Hajjah Palace.” Fontaine and Bentley disappeared from the screen and a satellite view of Hajjah appeared. “The palace is here.” A circle electronically drew around a building.
“As you can see, the palace is surrounded by a rock wall and the front gate is well guarded twenty-four hours a day.”
The screen rotated and a topographic view of the area popped up. “Our problem is that there is literally no level ground in Hajjah. It is built on a mountain.”
The view expanded outward. “The highway passes at the base of mountain leaving only one road in and out of town.”
“That confirms what our inside source told us.” Kaplan said. “She volunteered to assist us with our infiltration.”
“As you can see here,” Fontaine continued. “With all the roadblocks and checkpoints along the highway, access or exit by vehicle is out of the question. With all the political turmoil in the region, we’ve determined that our only option is to drop you in from overhead. You’ll have to locate, extract Isabella, and escape on foot undetected.”
Bentley and Fontaine reappeared on the screen.
“What if she’s injured and unable to travel on foot?” Jake asked. “We can’t just leave her there.”
“We can’t take that risk.” Kaplan said. “Figure something else out, I’m not leaving her there.”
“George?” Wiley spoke for the first time since the conference call started. “There might be another way.”
“If you have an idea, I’d like to hear it.” Bentley said.
“Is there any place in town that’s remotely level, like a large parking area or a field? I only need four or five-hundred feet.” Wiley asked.
“There is one area where kids play kick ball or soccer games. It’s about fifty feet wide and maybe, repeat, maybe four hundred feet long. It isn’t totally level, it has a gentle slope toward the edge of the mountain.” Fontaine brought up the satellite image again and electronically circled the area. “It’s a dark area at night, no lights at all.”
“Can you zoom in, George?” Wiley asked.
“Sure.” The image zoomed in closer. “How’s that?”
“Good. Now tilt the topo so I can get an idea about the side of the hill.” Wiley said.
The image rotated. The
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