Echo Six: Black Ops 7 - Tibetan Fury by Eric Meyer Read Free Book Online Page B

that might be dirty or dangerous. You saw the two bodyguards check out the briefing room?" Talley nodded, "He made them a condition of coming out here, to Bagram. He's normally based in the Embassy at Islamabad, ever since the Taliban mortared the American Embassy here in Kabul, strictly a deskman. He keeps his wardrobe neat and clean, too."
    "We noticed," Talley smiled.
    "Yeah, you couldn't miss it. He's a snappy dresser, that's for sure. You wouldn't be pleased to have him along, believe me."
    What makes you think I'm pleased about taking a combat rookie along? But you're altogether too pretty to say it to your face. At least you'll be decorative.
      She gave him a challenging look, almost as if she could read his mind. Before he could press her further, an Air Force NCO poked his head around the door.
    "They want you."

    * * *

    Garrick gave them a sour look as they walked in, and made a show of checking his watch. Brooks had taken a seat away from him and was watching from the side of the room as if to say, 'Don't include me in your particular brand of bullshit'.
    "Now that you're all back, we can get on with this." He looked at his watch again, "I really don't have time for this. Now..."
    "Mister!" Talley said quietly.
    "You mean me?"
    "You. We just came off a hard mission that was screwed by intelligence types. Men like you. Two of my people didn't make it back. So stop looking at the watch, and cut the crap. The way they feel right now, these men will kick your ass back to Langley as soon as look at you, and don't think your CIA mercs out there will save you. We eat mercs like that for breakfast and spit out the hard bits."
    The CIA man stared at Brooks for a few seconds, as if inviting him to intervene. The Admiral stayed seated. Garrick nodded; looking flustered and a little scared. After a few moments, he went on.
    "Er, yes. Right, where was I?"
    "You were nowhere," Brooks called to him, "Spit it all out, man, infil, exfil, what they're after, what they're up against, the works."
    "Yes, Admiral. We have a smuggler's route into Tibet; it's a track that runs over the mountains from Nepal, in the south. It's a three-hour flight from Afghanistan to Nepal, and you'll have to parachute into Nepal to avoid coming to the notice of the authorities. They're wary of the Chinese, and could well tip them off if they thought you were about to cause trouble."
    "We could HAHO jump direct into Tibet," Guy Welland pointed out.
    "That's true, but they've made Tibet a war zone since all the trouble they've had there lately. Constant patrols, gunships, fighter aircraft, radar, listening stations on the ground. They took the country by force, remember; they don't want someone to take it back from them. It has to be the overland route. We'll have someone meet you in Nepal, and they'll ferry you over the mountains by truck. It's a narrow track but passable, and down into Lhasa, the capital. It's a journey of about two hundred kilometers. Once inside Lhasa, we have a safe house you can use. The prison is close by, and Grace can show you everything. She knows her way around."
    "How do we get into the prison to break him out?"
    Garrick looked blank. "I've no idea. I was rather thinking you'd work that one out when you get there."
    Talley stared at him, lost for words. Finally, he murmured, "Great."
    Brooks broke the tense silence. "Men, this is a tough job. I don't say otherwise. But once you reach the outskirts of Lhasa, you'll be in and out in the same night. A fast run across the border into Nepal, and if the gods are on our side, you'll be home and dry and cleaning up ready to shake the President's hand."
    Rovere managed to have the final word. "And all the gods go with you! Upon your sword sit laurel victory! And smooth success be strew'd before your feet!"
    Brooks nodded. "Yeah, that's what I meant."

    * * *

    They walked up the ramp of the Boeing C-17, the same C-17 Globemaster that had dropped them over Kashmir. The aircraft Captain