Corps Justice Boxed Set: Books 1-3: Back to War, Council of Patriots, Prime Asset (65 page)

“If you think you can handle it…okay. But
you make sure he knows that if he slows us down even a bit, I’ll
tie his ass up and leave him on the mountain.”

Daniel knew his boss wasn’t that cruel, but
he also knew Cal was deadly serious. He wouldn’t stop until Neil
was rescued. Daniel needed to have to have a good talk with
Lance.

Chapter 19

Camp Spartan, Arrington, TN

5:35am CST, September 28th

Travis Haden walked into the conference
room. Dunn, Haines and Dr. Higgins looked up from their
discussion.

“I just got word from Cal. They’re heading
into the mountains soon.” He walked over to the coffee pot to fill
his mug.

“What are they doing with their prisoner?”
asked Dunn.

“He’s going along for the ride. Cal doesn’t
think the guy will give them any trouble.”

“Do you really think that’s a good idea?”
asked Haines.

Travis shrugged. “It’s Cal’s operation, and
I won’t stand in his way. The good news is that by taking him the
whole team will be together.” Travis took a sip of his coffee. “Do
we know when the FBI investigators are arriving?”

As the point person for the audit, Haines
answered. “They should be here at seven.”

Travis looked down at his watch. “That gives
us just under two hours. I’m not worried about them finding
anything with our contracts. Have we taken care of our little
leak?”

“He’s on his way to his very own private
cell in the middle of nowhere, Skipper,” responded Dunn. “Doc
Higgins made a call and thirty minutes later a delivery van showed
up at the gate and took the little shit out of here.”

“Are we covered in case the Bureau asks
questions about Mr. Zheng’s whereabouts?”

“We’ve got the story all ironed out. He’s
taken a leave of absence due to mental instability,” smirked Dunn,
clearly not worried about the possibility of the story being
dissected by the FBI.

“Good. Marge, who’s running the show for the
FBI?”

“A man named Jack Malone. I’ve checked with
my contacts and he’s got a good reputation within the Bureau. He’s
a thorough investigator but well-liked by his peers. Agent Malone’s
moved up the ladder swiftly over the last ten years. We’re not the
first security contractor he’s audited. I don’t think he’ll be a
problem.”

Travis was still worried. Why had the FBI
chosen this very moment to investigate SSI?

“Have they given you any indication as to
why we’re under the microscope?”

Haines shook her head. “Malone made it sound
pretty routine. He even told me not to worry about it, that it’s
just our turn.”

Something was wrong. Travis could feel it in
his bones. “I want you to have their entire team monitored. Cell
phones included.”

Dunn looked at his boss cautiously. “You
sure that’s smart? What if they find out?”

“I’m not taking any chances right now, Todd.
If they catch wind of it, tell them we monitor all non-SSI
personnel. If they really press it, have them talk to me. Something
stinks about this whole thing, and I’ll be damned if I let another
rat into our house.”

It was a risky move, but they all knew he
was right. The sooner the FBI left the better.

Chapter 20

Teton Village, Jackson Hole, WY

5:08am, September 28th

Cal’s team loaded into the SUVs. They were
taking enough cold weather gear and rations to last at least a
week. Cal hoped they wouldn’t have to test the duration.

The team would drive twenty minutes to the
trailhead for Phelps Lake. To casual observers, the warriors would
look like a group of hunters taking an extended trip into the
Tetons. It wasn’t one of the normal routes for gamesmen to take but
not completely out of the ordinary.

Lance Upshaw was equally fitted with gear.
Luckily, SSI’s supply chief had sent some extra, just in case. Each
man would carry a large mountaineering backpack with skis and
snowshoes strapped to the outside. Due to the possibility of
running into park rangers, they’d elected to bring along a mix of
civilian hunting rifles and side arms. Each man also carried a
collapsed H&K submachine gun in their packs. It wouldn’t be the
best thing if they were ambushed, but they’d have to make do.

Every man would be carrying around one
hundred pounds on his back. It wouldn’t be the easiest trek, but no
one would complain. They’d all been through worse.

+++

Twenty minutes later, the caravan pulled
into the dirt parking lot at the trailhead. The sun was starting to
peak out over the mountain range. It was the last sunlight they’d
probably see for days. On Cal’s last weather check it looked like
the snowstorm would blow in around nine in the morning. It was
imperative to make as much progress as possible before it hit.

The limited visibility would hamper their
ability to travel and watch their flanks. It would’ve been a lot
easier to take a helicopter, but every pilot they’d contacted had
already grounded their aircraft because of the storm. Their only
option was to hike in. It wouldn’t be an easy journey, but they’d
all endured far worse. Ponder’s mountaintop headquarters was
perfectly situated for its seclusion. Cal worried that the hideout
was also an ideal stronghold.

They’d be humping up through the aptly named
Death Canyon, then make their way toward Battleship Mountain. From
the information headquarters had provided, it looked like Ponder’s
place was situated at the base of the northern side of Battleship
Mountain.

It took five minutes for the men to strap on
their packs, inspect their teammates and move out. Gaucho took
point against Cal’s request to be up front.

“We can do this without you, Boss. Let me
get shot at first,” the squat Hispanic said with a wink.

As they stepped off toward their
destination, Cal could only hope that they wouldn’t be too
late.

+++

At almost the same moment, the buyers’
representatives were starting a similar journey from the west side
of the mountain range. They’d prepped for the journey at the small
Best Western in Driggs, Idaho the night before. None had slept. The
small group of men was used to operating without sleep. Even their
leader was a former commando and well-trained in cold weather
warfare. Their country had fought for years in high altitudes.
These men were the representatives sent by their homeland to
deliver a new weapon that would transform their battle on a global
front. Handpicked by their leader, each man was ready to die for
their cause. Preparations had already been made in case they should
perish.

The five operatives parked their two rented
vehicles at the Teton Canyon Trail Head. Three minutes later they
departed on foot toward Battleship Mountain.

+++

Nick Ponder and Trapper were huddled over a
topographic map of the area when the phone rang. Ponder answered
with a grunt, listened, and then replaced the receiver.

“That was our buyers. They’re on their way,”
Ponder muttered, deep in thought.

“You know when they’ll be here?” asked
Trapper.

Ponder shook his head. “They just said
they’re coming in on foot.”

“I don’t like it, Boss. It’s bad enough that
we’ve got the SSI guys headed our way. We don’t have enough men to
guard every pass leading into this place.”

Ponder slammed his fist on the desk. “I
know, goddamit! Just give me a minute to fucking think!”

Trapper held his tongue. He knew better than
to press the point when his employer was upset. The man had a
legendary temper, and Trapper wasn’t in the mood to take a tongue
lashing.

“How many men do we have?” Ponder asked for
the fifth time.

Trapper stifled the urge to exhale before
answering. “We’ve got twenty two, not including you and me. I
figure we should keep at least half of them here at the complex.
The rest we can break into two-man teams and post them on the most
likely ingress routes.”

The two men looked at the map again, and
Ponder pointed to the positions he’d already selected in his
mind.

“I want a team here, here and here. Make
sure they’d got good radio equipment. I want to know as soon as
they spot movement.”

Over the years Ponder had secretly hoped for
an invasion of his mountain lair. He’d prepared cave positions in
strategic locations to serve as forward outposts. Ponder had played
the scenario over and over again in his dreams. He was pretty sure
some of his ancestors had died defending castles from invading
armies. It was in his blood.

Ponder was sure that his small army could
hold off anything but a full-scale assault by an overwhelming
force. Even now his men were mounting heavy machine guns and other
defensive weapons around the perimeter of his compound. Tucked into
the side of Battleship Mountain, Ponder’s headquarters was a
perfectly designed fortress. It was well concealed and afforded a
perfect view of the large mountain basin to the northeast. The only
way to assault the stronghold was from the basin. It was possible
to skirt the ledge that ran from northwest to southeast, but it
would also be suicidal considering the perfect field of fire
possessed by the defenders. Ponder at one point thought it was
possible for an invading force to come over Battlefield Mountain
and walk down the mountain. That was until two winters before when
he’d tried it himself. He’d almost died trying to traverse the
steep slope. Knowing that, Ponder had designed a beautiful kill
zone right in his front yard. The SSI assault team wouldn’t have a
chance.

“I want you here with me coordinating
everything.”

Trapper made a face at his boss’s order.

“What is it?” Ponder growled.

“I was kinda hoping you’d let me go find the
SSI guys.”

“By yourself?” Ponder asked
incredulously.

Trapper smiled. “This ain’t my first rodeo,
Boss.”

Ponder knew the man was right. They called
him Trapper for a reason. He had a talent for finding and getting
rid of people no matter the time or place.

“So you know where they’re coming from?”

Trapper nodded with a sly grin.

“Are you gonna tell me?” Ponder
solicited.

“Let me make sure, and I’ll call it in as
soon as I’ve got eyes-on.”

Although Ponder trusted his Lieutenant, his
gut was telling him to order Trapper to stay at the compound. He
shook the thought off as quickly as it had come. He’d be a lot
better off if one man could decimate the SSI band.

“Fine, but make sure you take care of
deploying our men before you go.”

They finalized their campaign and toasted
their victory over a welcomed shot of Jack Daniels.

Chapter 21

Camp Spartan, Arrington, TN

7:00am CST, September 28th

The FBI contingent arrived precisely at
7:00am. Four black Chevy Suburbans rolled through Camp Spartan’s
front gate and headed to the SSI’s headquarters.

Travis, Todd and Marge met the investigators
in the entryway. An average-looking man in his early forties led
the way. His thinning hair and deep bags under his eyes belied his
stressful position. He walked right up to Travis and offered his
hand.

“Mr. Haden, I’m Jack Malone. Thanks for
meeting us.”

“Please, call me Travis.”

Introductions were made and the group made
its way to the large conference room reserved for the occasion.
There was coffee and a mixed assortment of breakfast food arranged
for their guests.

“Thanks for the food and coffee, Marge,”
Malone offered. “We don’t always get the best reception during our
audits.”

Haines gave the agent a thin smile. “There’s
no reason for us not to be cordial. We know that this is just one
of the requirements of being in the security business.”

Malone smiled and grabbed a glazed donut. “I
hope you don’t mind if I grab a bite while we talk. I didn’t get a
chance to eat anything earlier. I’m starving.”

He quickly devoured three donuts and washed
it down with some coffee. The others took seats around the
conference table as they ate.

Still standing, Malone wiped his mouth and
addressed the SSI leadership. “Like I told Ms. Haines over the
phone, we’re here to do a routine audit. Somehow you’ve avoided the
list all these years.” He smiled at his joke. “We’ll try to make it
as painless as possible. Starting with your accounting department,
my crew will dig into your operations over the past five to ten
years. As long as there aren’t any discrepancies, we’ll be out of
your hair in a day and a half, two tops.”

Travis wasn’t worried about the FBI
uncovering their covert division. There were no files. All their
equipment was purchased with cash or handled through one of the
many offshore accounts administered by Neil Patel. Haden’s only
concern was not being able to actively monitor Cal’s team out west.
Cal was on his own.

“Just let us know what you need to look at
and we’ll get it to you. I’ll be in my office if you need me,”
Travis said.

“Thanks. Okay then. Let’s head over to
accounting.”

Travis pulled Marge aside as the rest of the
entourage filed out of the room.

“Let me know if you hear anything. I’m about
to put in a call to one of our friends in D.C.”

“Who?”

“Zimmer.”

Congressman Brandon Zimmer was a first term
representative from Massachusetts. He’d recently been involved in a
nasty encounter with a group of Japanese imperialists looking to
relive Japan’s glory days. Cal’s team had helped Zimmer uncover the
plot by Zimmer’s now deceased father, Senator Richard Zimmer, to
claim the Presidency. The younger Zimmer had proved his worth by
eliminating his father before the President could be killed.
Brandon was now part of a very secretive group of retired
politicians known as the Council of Patriots. Only a handful of
people in the world knew of the Council’s existence.