Technical Threat (Westin Force #4) - Julie Trettel Page 0,76
plans. We identified a safe landing zone for him to jump to, and then found the weakest points for quick exits. We have three routes and that made us both at least feel a little better about walking into this situation. Going in blind was not an option either of us were willing to accept.
“Okay, here’s the plan,” I said as I relayed our findings to the others.
“You’re not jumping,” Painter said.
“It’ll be a lot easier than taking an eagle’s nest,” Ben insisted.
“Guys, these are allies. We aren’t going in hot here.”
“We’re not what?” Grant asked. “Why would they send all of us then?”
“I don’t know, but we have to trust that Silas and O’Connell know what they’re doing,” he insisted.
We all looked around the room awkwardly. None of us were good at that level of trust.
Painter’s satellite phone rang, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.
“Yeah?” he answered. “Okay. Good to know. Thanks for the update.”
When he hung up, he turned to face the rest of us. “That was Elliot. We’re cleared for landing. He’ll meet us there. Stand down on this one, boys.”
It would be a cold day in hell before Ben and I stood down when it came to the protection and safety of our team. That was our job and something we both took very seriously.
A few hours later the plane landed, and we hesitantly stepped outside. Ben argued to stay on the plane when armed soldiers waited to frisk us on the tarmac. Painter refused to let him. It pissed us both off.
“This is ridiculous,” I muttered under my breath. I didn’t care that they were supposed to be the good guys and allies. I didn’t know them, so I didn’t trust them. Trust was something earned, not just handed out like candy on Halloween.
My shoulders were stiff, and I was on full alert. I didn’t expect to relax at all on this mission. Heck, I didn’t even know what this mission even was. So, it surprised me when I did calm down a little when Elliot jogged over to us all smiles. There were zero signs of concern or fear in his motions.
I may not know the other men on that base, but I knew Elliot and more importantly, I trusted him.
He greeted me with a handshake before pulling me in for a hug. “It’s been too long. Great to see you, man.”
“You too. Now, you want to tell us what the hell we’re doing here?”
His laugh was always so easy and infectious. “They didn’t tell you? Wow you and Ben must be ready to crawl out of your skin then. Nothing? Really? That’s messed up. Come on inside and I’ll fill you in.”
“Nice place you got here, Elliot,” Grant said.
“I like it well enough. Check this out.”
He led us into a closed area. There was only one entrance and exit in the room which immediately set my fox on edge.
“Take a seat. I’m going to play a short video that should help a little and give you an idea of what we’re working with.”
“Oh, so we’re not on a mission. We’re on a field trip,” Baine joked causing everyone in the room to laugh.
“Smartass. You’re here for training.”
“Training?” Painter asked. “I wasn’t informed of any training. I was only told to meet up with you to obtain a package.”
“A package you need training on first. Just watch.”
The room darkened and the screen lit as we all watched with open curiosity.
It was a new surveillance device. It came in multiple modules that picked up accurate heat signatures deeper down than anything I had ever seen before.
“You can go below ground with this?”
“Absolutely. Ten stories is the most I’ve tested and that was in one of the most heavily fortified facilities I know of,” Elliot confessed. “Amazing what modern technology can do, eh?”
“This is incredible. If we’d had this back on that mission Painter got shot, we’d have known it was a setup and been able to cut off their escape.”
“Exactly. I hear you have a big extraction coming up and Silas was determined you’d have the best state-of-the-art equipment possible. Now the handhelds are great for inside. Grant, Painter, Taylor, probably even Baine, you guys will be carrying those. I’m going to have Stanley come in and get you thoroughly trained on your units. Tarron and Ben you guys are with me. We’ll go to my office where I’ll show the really fun stuff.”