Page 57 of SEAL's Angel
Chapter 13
Cam and his K-9, Halo, took point as the team moved with precision focus deeper into the tree-covered hills of the Badakhshan Province. It would take about an hour to reach the hidden compound. The terrain was rocky and difficult to navigate even with their NVGs. They needed to get into the compound, find Azfaar, and call for extraction before the sun rose over the horizon.
If it took them longer, it would exponentially increase the difficulty of the mission. It was a plan they’d carried out many times in the past, and Jake expected the same this time.
They’d traveled about four klicks from their drop-off point in fifteen minutes, carefully running through the mountainside undetected.
“Eagle 1, we’ve got company.” Cam said over his comms. He and Halo were about a half a klick ahead of the rest of the team.
“Copy that, Eagle 5. Sitrep.” Jake needed to know if Cam was in immediate danger.
“Four tangos, heavily armed. Patrolling about a quarter klick ahead of you,” Cam replied.
“Good copy, Eagle 5. Standby.”Fuck.Not really a surprise, but Jake had counted on it happening a lot closer to the compound. Hopefully, just random assholes trolling the mountain and not part of Azfaar’s group.
“Copy that, Eagle 1.”
Jake repeated Cam’s info to the rest of the team. “Eagle 5 is here,” Jake said, pointing out the location on his wrist-mounted computer. “Eagle 2 and 3, circle around behind the tangos, here. Eagle 4, you’re with me. We’ll approach from the side and surround them.”
“Copy,” the men acknowledged.
“Eagle 5, any change?” Jake asked as they made their way toward Cam’s location.
“Tangos are maintaining position.”
“Copy. We’ll be in place in two mikes. Be ready,” Jake said.
“Eagle 5 copies.”
The tangos didn’t have NVGs, and it allowed the team to surround the four men before they realized they were in danger. Cam maintained his location with Halo as the other SEALs approached the tangos and eliminated the target, slicing their necks with their KA-BAR knives.
Verifying that it was just the four tangos, the team dragged the bodies into a more secluded area. With any luck, it would keep them hidden long enough to complete the mission.
Soon, they made it to the next the checkpoint, and Jake alerted Command.
“Eagle 1 to Command, we are just past checkpoint bravo.”
“Copy that, Eagle 1. Falcon 1 passed their checkpoint all clear,” Knox responded.
Jake had avoided contacting Quinn. The Red Falcons’ route was more exposed, and they had the possibility of Hekbar watching them.
“Copy that. Heading toward checkpoint Charlie. Eagle 1 out,” Jake said. Since Knox hadn’t said there was new intel, they stuck to Plan A. “Let’s go, boys, we have places to be and assholes to capture.” Jake chuckled. It released some of the adrenaline coursing through his bloodstream.
“Hell yeah, it’s way past time to show that motherfucker who is boss,” Murph said, causing grins all around.
Jake hoped Murph would never grow out of being their class clown. He’d wondered if settling down with Sky would change him, but it hadn’t. None of his men had changed in their commitment to the teams or each other. They’d just added their women to their team family.
“Eagle 5, let’s move it,” Jake ordered.
“Copy that,” Cam replied.
Soon, they’d have Azfaar. It sucked balls that they couldn’t take him out, but orders were orders. If the CIA followed their usual procedure, they’d question him and then he’d be transferred to Guantanamo.
They hurried over the terrain that changed between rocky and tree-covered. When they were about a klick away from the next checkpoint, Jake finally heard from Quinn.
“Eagle 1, do you copy?”
“Loud and clear, Falcon 1. Sitrep?” Jake asked.
