Lost Voyage (14 page)

“Could be nothing, sir. The detector picked up on something, but it’s nowhere near the size of what we’re looking for.”

Hunt looked at the reading with curiosity. “I’ll have the pilot do one more flyover just to be sure.”

As the jet flew back over the area, they huddled over the gravimeter and watched with great interest to see if any strong readings would come from this pass. Reaching the point where the last ping came from, they stared at the readings as the blip on their screen grew larger and larger.

Looking at each other, they smiled as they knew the reading was large enough to be only one thing.

“We found it!” Mercer could hardly contain his excitement. “I can’t believe we actually found it!”

Unable to control the emotion of the moment, he grabbed Hunt and hugged him. Both men shared a laugh as Vigil suddenly awoke, seeing his two friends in a warm embrace. Unsure of what to say, he got up and looked at the gravimeter.

“What’s all this?”

Hunt, still smiling like a child in an ice cream store, replied, “That, my dear Pat, is the faith I was telling you about.”

23

The atmosphere in the hotel room was one of celebration and relief. Mercer grabbed a few beers from the fridge and gave one each to Vigil and Hunt.

While handing out the beverages, he commented, “I guess the only thing to do now is figure out how we get ten thousand pounds of gold out of the jungle without being noticed.”

“Well, there is that,” said Vigil. “But, it’s also the company we’re going to have while we try to do it.”

“I was thinking about that too. And I think I have an idea.”

Hunt looked up. “I’m all ears.”

“There’s no way Vallejos is going to find the gold unless he digs up the entire countryside, which we all know he’s incapable of doing. He may be out there looking for it, but he also may just be biding his time waiting for us to find it.”

“And then?” Hunt curiously asked.

“And then,” Mercer stated, “He’ll probably try and kill us and take the gold for himself.”

Vigil took a swig of beer. “Well, I for one do not like that option. What’s rattling inside your brain, buddy?”

Mercer thought for a quick moment before responding. “Colonel, you take the team and start digging for the gold. It’s about two miles away from where the cartel is searching, so that buys us some time. In the meantime, Pat and I will head further south and set up a dummy digging site and we can draw them to us. That’ll give you more time to dig.”

Vigil tilted his head with a confused look in his eyes. “So just to be clear, you want the entire Nicaraguan cartel to descend upon us? Just us? And nobody else?”

“That’s pretty much the gist of it, yeah.”

Vigil slowly nodded his head and clapped his hands together. “Well, I don’t really see how that’s fair to the cartel, but I’m in.”

Hunt smiled at the comment, but knew the severe risk his men were putting themselves in.

“Sean, I can’t ask you to do that. We’ll get the gold. There’s no reason for you and Pat to be put so blatantly in harm's way.”

“Sir, Pat and I have fought our way through thousands of insurgents in Iraq. Those were trained soldiers. These are just thugs with guns who have minimal training. We can handle ourselves. We’ll be heavily armed and we’ll have a strong perimeter set up. I didn’t make this decision lightly or without thinking it through.”

Hunt contemplated the statement. “I have no doubt you’ve thought this out, Sean. Let me know what you need and you’ll get it.”

“Just get to the gold. We’ll handle the rest.”

Hunt acknowledged with a nod and stood up. “On that note, it’s time for me to retire, gentlemen. I’ll meet you at the airstrip in the morning. There will be a Jeep ready for you with all the equipment you need. Get some rest tonight. Tomorrow, we dig.”

They exchanged goodnights and Hunt departed, leaving Mercer and Vigil to discuss the plans of their operation. For well over an hour, they discussed what course of action they would take if any number of scenarios came about. In the back of their minds, they knew there was no way to plan for the unexpected, but they were also well versed in the art of combat and knew they could handle themselves in the toughest of situations.

Vigil decided he had engaged in enough serious conversation for the night. “Remember that night we got back to the States from Iraq?”

Mercer smiled. “How could I forget? We got off the plane with those two stewardesses and tore up the town.”

“Yeah. What a night, huh? I think I was hung over for two days after that. Why did you let me drink so much?”

Mercer smiled. “As I recall, you didn’t turn down one drink I offered you that night. And besides, you earned it after what you did for me.”

Vigil returned the smile. “The only thing I did for you, my friend, was to let you have the hotter stewardess that night.”

Mercer knew his friend wouldn’t be humbled outwardly, but there was an unspoken bond created from the incident that took place leading up to their dismissal from the Army. He would never be able to repay the debt for what happened in Iraq, and he knew his friend wasn’t the type to make a big deal out of what he had done. But, he also knew he wouldn’t hesitate to do it again if the circumstance arose.

“Don’t worry, big guy. Your secret is safe with me.”

“What secret?” asked Vigil.

“You know… the one that tells everyone what a big softy you are.”

They shared a few more beers before turning in for the night. Mercer grabbed a set of headphones out of his bag and placed them over his ears, knowing the sound of music would be more soothing to fall asleep to than the loud grumblings and snoring of his friend.

***

Vallejos and Esperanza returned to the compound in order to gather some additional Intel after the day's events. Geovany Rojas was also waiting with information about the NESA jet they had seen hovering over the area while out on their reconnaissance mission.

The portly gentleman began the conversation. “One of the clerks at the hotel did a bit of eavesdropping outside their door and he overheard talk about a recent find. It would appear they have indeed found what seems to be a large underground mass. There can only be one thing large enough to satisfy their curiosities out in the middle of nowhere.”

Vallejos took it all in. “Very well, then. At least we don’t have to spend countless hours looking for it ourselves anymore. It appears they have done all of the work for us. You have done well, Geovany. Now please, get some rest. I will be in touch soon.” Rojas showed himself out, while Esperanza stayed behind.

Noticing an eerie look in the eye of his employer, he asked, “What do we do now, Andres?”

“Now….we let them dig up the gold. Then we kill them and take it for ourselves.”

Vallejos stared out the window while he considered possible courses of action to take. Unable to fully concentrate, he decided to take a walk.

“I will return shortly, Kervin. Until then, stay close by.”

Esperanza nodded in acknowledgement and retreated to his quarters to devise a plan of his own.

Vallejos stepped out from the doorway, looking up at the moonlit sky and twinkling stars lighting up the galaxy. Lighting a cigar he pulled from his breast pocket, he slowly made his way down a path towards the soldiers sleeping area. The grounds were quiet without the usual banter and commotion of the soldiers, and it gave him a brief moment to collect his thoughts while strategizing for the next day’s events. He also found himself feeling something he had never experienced before – a sense of uneasiness about his vulnerability.

A man who had always gotten what he wanted, no matter the cost, now felt a shame that he would not dare show outwardly as not to appear weak. After years of being the most powerful man in all of Nicaragua and defeating countless opposition, he now felt helpless against two Americans he had grossly underestimated.

He knew the only way to make amends within himself was to get the gold and kill the NESA agents who had caused him so many grievances over the past few days. The next steps would need to be planned carefully if he was to take back the upper hand in the cat and mouse game being played between the two adversaries.

***

Morning came earlier than they had hoped for. The grogginess took a while to wear off due to the beers from the night before, but Mercer and Vigil were up and ready to go at sunlight just as Hunt had requested. They stopped at the local market to grab some fruit for breakfast, as well as other provisions to last them through the day.

Arriving at the airport, they were greeted by their employer, who showed them to their Jeep. The cache of automatic weapons and handguns at their disposal was nothing short of spectacular. Lifting a tarp in the back, Hunt revealed a decent amount of dynamite that Mercer had requested. Other explosives and gear were all accounted for, so preparations were made to set out.

Hunt spoke directly and to the point when addressing his men. “I don’t think I need to emphasize the importance of what you two are about to take on. All I’m going to say is be careful and come back in one piece. I’ll be in touch on the radio once we’re ready.”

Mercer knew the task at hand was a tough one and it wasn’t being taken lightly by him or his partner. “We’ll only be a few miles away. If this works, you should have a good head start to dig up the gold before Vallejos has a chance to figure out what’s going on. Good luck, Colonel.”

“Good luck to you as well.”

He hopped into the passenger side of the Jeep and Vigil drove off. Hunt waited for them to be out of sight before he boarded the truck convoy that would take him and his team to where the large underground mass was detected. He gave the order to move out and the fleet of vehicles was heading down the road in the opposite direction of his operatives within seconds, leaving nothing but a dirt trail in its wake.

As the convoy disappeared from sight, a man sitting in a car at the edge of the airport picked up a two way radio.

“He’s heading your way. Be ready.”

24

While his partner was unloading the Jeep, Mercer took a walk to survey the area and search for a tactical defensive position. When Vallejos and his soldiers decided to make their appearance, they would be met with a wide perimeter of mines and other explosives.

The goal was to lure in as many of them as possible before setting off any explosives, so he knew the focus at first would need to be on firearms and tactical combat. He was well aware this fight would be brought directly to them, and the only chance they would have to make it out unscathed would be to keep the upper hand.

Having spent enough time handling explosives during their military careers, he and Vigil were fully aware of the consequences of improperly handling the equipment. They had disarmed more devices than they cared to remember and saw firsthand the raw power that could be exerted by these devices if not handled with the utmost respect.

Their time served together formed the friendship that existed between them today, and the hardships of war and their same ideological views is what made that bond stronger. Growing up in the same part of the country gave them a common ground on how to fend for themselves and treat others.

The two comrades followed and lived by the same ethical code, and although Vigil was rarely serious on the outside, Mercer knew he was the most trusted and honorable person he would ever know.

While in Iraq, they discovered they were not in fact being sent on missions to uncover WMDs, but instead on wild goose chases that quickly turned into cover-up operations for seek and destroy missions. It was this unveiling that sent Mercer over the edge.

After an incident in which he struck a superior officer, Colonel Hunt was able to save him from a court martial, and a guaranteed prison sentence. He refused to take his men out on any more of the bogus missions, much to the dismay of a Brigadier General who was infuriated that his orders weren’t being followed.

Hunt knew his men were becoming increasingly frustrated. Before being sent out on their final mission, he demanded full disclosure from the source providing the Intel which suggested a large supply of WMD’s was being stashed at a facility within the city.

When he was told the source was to remain classified, he told the General he could head out into the field himself and that he was done sending his own men on suicide missions. The General became enraged at a Colonel’s defiance to his rank and threatened the entire squad with a court martial if they didn’t follow his orders.

When Mercer found out about the threat, he stormed into his superior’s quarters and angrily pronounced that if any of his men were hurt or killed while coming up empty once again, he would personally stick his fist down the General’s throat.

The General tried to have him arrested for the insubordinate act, but Hunt intervened and was able to calm the situation before it escalated further out of control. Mercer agreed to go out on the mission in the event it did uncover the weapons they were searching for, but told the General he better be prepared if his squad came to any harm while out in the field.

The General shrugged it off as an idle threat from a frustrated soldier who was spending too much time in the field. Hunt warned him not to underestimate his Chief Warrant Officer and that every word of the threat was meant wholeheartedly.

Mercer understood the risks of a combat environment and all that it entailed when it came to defending his country. He simply didn’t believe they would ever find any of the weapons caches or biological warheads his own government said existed.

He took his team out that night and once again found nothing. They encountered resistance on the way back and a firefight ensued, taking the lives of two Corporals. He kept to his word when he returned back to base and headed straight for the General’s tent.

Hunt was unable to get there in time before Mercer took his frustration out on the Commanding Officer. By the time he arrived, the General was lying on the ground from the blow he had just received. Vigil witnessed the entire incident, but never said a word to implicate his friend. He stuck by Mercer’s side through the end and never wavered in his friendship or loyalty, even though it meant a demotion in rank and the eventual discharge of his own service.

Now, they were fighting another war together and Mercer knew there was no other man he would want by his side when the inevitable firefight ensued.

The rest of the morning was spent setting up claymores and other explosive devices that could be used to counterattack the ambush from Vallejos and his men. When everything was in place and ready to be deployed, the two comrades began digging a hole ten feet in diameter.

It took them just over two hours to reach a safe depth for the dynamite charges to be set. The explosives would create a blast loud enough to bring anyone within a few miles that was curious about the commotion. Mercer knew the only person who would come inspecting the loud noise was the same man who had held them captive, and that particular individual was more than welcome.

Sharing very little in the way of conversation, they meticulously placed the dynamite into the large crevasse. Paying close attention to the handling of the explosive devices, they wanted to ensure there was no accidental discharge. Once the dynamite was packed into the crater, they sat in silence and waited for the call from Hunt.

***

The blindfold was lifted from his eyes and he conducted a quick scan of the room. The large desk in front of him was quite elegant, but this was no time for admiring office furniture, he thought. There were two men in the room with him and the man sitting directly behind the desk had a large scar on his right cheek. He sat in an oversized chair with his hands clasped and held up to his chin, looking as if he was doing a mental assessment of his prisoner. The person standing to the left of the desk was a giant man who towered over everyone else in the room.

“I trust that your ride here was not too unpleasant,” said Vallejos.

Hunt stared at his captor without responding. The back of his head was throbbing from where he had been hit and knocked unconscious. The last thing he remembered was a stalled truck in the middle of the road. He gave the order to stop to see if the driver needed any assistance, and that’s when the chaos ensued. His own driver had gotten out offering help, but the man standing next to the stalled vehicle pulled out a pistol and shot him twice in the chest.

Reaching for the handheld transmitter radio attached to his belt, he felt a sharp blow to the back of his head. His vision was suddenly clouded and he was overcome with dizziness before finally blacking out. He regained consciousness on the trip back to his current location, but was unable to see the landscape or where he was being taken as a result of the blindfold.

He looked his kidnapper directly in the eyes and stated, “Whatever it is you hope to achieve by bringing me here, you are wasting your time.”

Vallejos could tell he was dealing with a man as stubborn as his two previous captives. “Very well, Mr. Mercer. Or should I say, Mr. Alan Hunt?”

Hunt smirked with an ear to ear grin, knowing the manager at the hotel had been the one to reveal his presence. “Well, it must have taken your entire army to crack the code of my true identity. I didn’t think your people were bright enough to solve that enigma.”

“It seems that arrogance and cockiness runs plenty in your organization, Mr. Hunt.”

Hunt could tell he was getting under the skin of his abductor and decided to keep poking at him. “Oh, you must be referring to Sean and Pat. Well, if they could escape from your clutches, I don’t see why I should have any problems finding my way out of here soon enough. I have a good twenty years on them when it comes to dealing with psychotic dictators like you.”

Vallejos was losing his patience with the blatant disrespect of the statements being uttered. “Choose your next words very carefully, Mr. Hunt. I will not be as kind to you as I was to your cohorts when they arrived here.”

Hunt, still smirking, replied, “Do what you must. My men will come for me.”

Vallejos returned a smirk of his own as he stared Hunt directly in the eyes.

“That is exactly what I’m hoping for.”