Bjjonesmylife. Book 2

After the calls, I went back to looking at the progress reports that were coming in. The campsite at Apple 1 was nearly complete. The bulldozer made quick work getting rid of the small trees and bramble between the runway and the pipeline.

The converted buses were easily parked in a row back far enough not to be seen and the food, shower and bathroom trucks were in the middle with ten buses on each side.

Poles, barbed wire and Concertina razor wire made several small compounds for prisoners – as they needed them. A small tent and army cots for ten in each compound. A 40 pound steel ball – courtesy of Texas Steel – with chain and ankle shackle ensured they would not go far or fast. A porta-potty was as good as they were going to get.

I didn’t think we would capture that many prisoners but each site now had ten. Tomorrow I would start trying to extract information from them.

Jim Jordan was pleased with the setup at Apple 1 and sent the bulldozer to Baker 2. The extra one hundred miles further away was making them run late on setup. Baker 2 was completed at dusk.

Things were on for an uneasy night. Andy, Paul Drake and Albert Simms were going to split the night up monitoring in the command center. I tried to force myself into the mix but they would not hear of it.

The girls left for the motor home at 2100. I stayed until 2300 and went to join them. Six could sleep comfortably in the big motor home and I did sleep.

At 0600 we were making breakfast. When I finished I went to the command center to see how many were there. I texted Marcy that I needed three more meals with eggs, ham, bacon and toast.

The night had turned out interesting. The bulldozer had made the parking site for the buses and logistics far from the runway and close to the pipeline at Baker 2. There was woods separating the camp from the runway.

Three drug planes had made their last landings at Baker 2. We had more drugs, pilots, the planes and money. They had just gotten one cleared away and an hour later another would show up on Brownsville military Doppler radar, thought to inbound.

The command center was called and the camp alerted. We had learned from our earlier ventures in Mexico that the cartel planes wanted to see headlights flash on the flyover and then illuminate the runway with their headlights in the direction they were to land. We also knew that someone was to come and meet each plane to make the exchange of drugs for money. Larry was waiting.

Larry had six beat-up Toyota pickups and jeeps that came to make the exchange with cell phones, more money and more prisoners.

Lorrie wanted to look at the planes before we allowed the DEA to take them. That was OK but not going to be worth her effort. The planes would have been stripped, no seating, only one radio, the rest of the electronics gone so they could carry more drugs and no records. Getting ownership would be challenge, even if they were worth it.

The girls and I rode to Apple 1 in a MRAP. I quickly remembered just how damn rough these things rode. Going to Apple 1 would be enough.

We had just arrived at Apple 1 when a new nuisance showed up – small drones. I suspected they were various news services. They were the new news scoop tools. For us they could be deadly, first we were flying aircraft in and out of Apple 1 and Baker 2. If one of these were to hit a plane or helicopter at a critical moment, they could down either of them.

The other issue was they could be the cartel looking for their planes, drugs or missing people or else looking at the layout of our camps for attack.

In the US it was illegal to fly a drone near an airport. There were no such laws in Mexico. If there were, there was no one to enforce them. It was also illegal to destroy and damage a drone in the US even if it was involved in illegal activity.

But this was not the US! ”Jim, I think there were some 10 gauge Browning automatic goose special shotguns packed with the spare hardware. Shoot down every drone you see as soon as you see it, starting now,” I said.

”Yes there were – we have been using them on the rattlesnakes and the copperheads,” Jim said.

A couple minutes later there were no drones flying – only junk on the ground.

”See if they have any identifying information on them,” I instructed.

We left in two Blackhawks for Baker 2. I had called Eric again to send agents to pick up the drugs seized last night. I wanted to get there before they did to see for myself the drugs, money and prisoners. Lorrie wanted to look at the planes.

I was told they would be at the camp at 13:00. We were there at 11:00.

The planes were out of sight, pushed into the edge of the tree line. The drugs were still stacked in boxes where the seats should have been. Grocery store bags full of money were from the previous stops. With the amount of money, it was apparent that this was the last stop.

The same was true in the other two planes. We were still looking through the planes when the DEA arrived. I was surprised to see Eric and Marty Coeburn were with them.

The agents started loading the drugs into two helicopters as I dumped the bags of money on the ground then re-bagged it. There were stacks of twenty’s, fifties and one hundred dollar bills all banded together.

I wanted to make sure there were no drugs in the bags and look for anything that could identify who was going to receive it in the end.

There were notes attached to the bundles identifying who they had come from. I took close up pictures of all of them.

Eric nor Marty said anything as I sent the bags to our Blackhawk.

It looked like a lot of money but this operation was costing a lot more.

”I don’t guess you have been looking at any news from Washington, but Loco Waco has gone ballistic since you crossed the border. She was on you like stink on poop over the France adventure. Now she is slinging the poop in your direction.”

”She finally manipulated, bullied – I should say influenced – the House un-American Affairs Committee to investigate you after you crossed the border into Mexico,” Eric said.

”How does the House un-American Affairs Committee have anything to do with American business and foreign contracts? I thought they were only after internal criminal enterprises detrimental to the US,” I said.

”That’s right; but they have the power to investigate anything they think they can connect to that direction. This is just a nuisance maneuver to go with her media grandstanding for attention,” Marty said.

Juanita Waco was a freshman congress person elected from Paladin County Texas. She claimed to be a descendant of Santa Anna with Spanish, Cherokee, Apache, Sioux and Navaho in her bloodline. She was an extreme liberal.

She entered bills in the house that would have declared any person of the Americas – Central and South America – to be citizens of the United States and entitled to all benefits of a citizen.

Another bill would remove all border security and eliminated all immigration courts.

Yet another bill would give twelve years of free college to all who applied regardless of age or nationality and provide free dorms and food.

College was one thing but to allow someone in their sixties – after retirement – twelve years of free college was insane. It would never make any change in their life – they would die before they used any of it. Plus, they would be taking space in classes a twenty year old desperately needed. The education would definitely make a difference in their life.

Another bill would ban all automobiles and trucks over ten years old from the highway. Old automobiles caused pollution.

And yet another bill would reduce the work week to thirty hours with government employees reduced to twenty four hours – just three days.

She was so radical that her colleagues had given her the nickname Loco Waco. Most Representatives and Senators tried to stay out of any pictures or videos with her. She was the darling of all the latest social media.

She traveled with an entourage, posting everything she did or said on all the social media. A makeup person traveled with her making sure every hair was in place and her makeup was perfect for every picture. She had perfected the art of the million dollar smile, frown or pout with the right amount of teeth and lip.

Every few days she had a new target of her fury to stay active in the social medial circles. I guessed it was my turn now. It didn’t matter as I would do what I had to do.

One thing I had to do was to get back to Fort Smith and make a decision on what to do with the Iranians I had in the Fort Smith jail. My group was leaving Thursday evening to go home; all of us needed to get back.

While I was dealing with Eric and his group, the teams patrolled more of the pipeline. It was no surprise when they reported in that we should come fifty miles south of Baker 2 to inspect what they had captured.

Fifty miles should have put them at the place where what appeared to be a building covering the pipeline.

Since there was no decent landing site, we rode again in the MRAPs to the site.

It was on this trip that I received the second round of bad news. This came from our attorney Curtis Warren, I had to be in Washington to testify before the Senate foreign relations again on Thursday; they refused to change the date or squash the subpoena.

We drove into the entrance covered by tree limbs and green big leafed vines supported by cables. No wonder the satellites couldn’t see anything other than the tents covering the pipeline.

We were looking at three Mexican fuel trucks, one of them a tractor trailer in good shape. The other two trucks were beat up local delivery type. Sitting a few feet away were four Mexicans in flex cuffs with the same on their feet. There were a couple of my men guarding them.

The captain who was in charge of this team met us, ”It’s back here that you need to see. The trucks were backed up close to the pipeline. The pipeline had three taps at this location; one was a small tap, half inch hose. The other two were big three inch valves and hose that were attached to a pipe system over the top of the trucks.”

It was self-explanatory; the small tap was to sample the fluid being sent through the pipe at any given time. When diesel, gasoline or kerosene was in the pipe the trucks would be filled and then sold.

The tractor trailer was marked 30000 liters, the other two trucks 15000 liters.

I took plenty of pictures to send to Juan Pedro Garcia; I was sure they would make his day.

Then I turned my attention to the four men I assumed were drivers.

Edit by Alfmeister
Proof read by Bob W.

We were in the RV at Texas Steel waiting. We listened to the company aircraft radios and had both ZNN and the one of the major independents that contracted with channel 34 – Hanna’s station.

After France, several major networks decided a contract was in order. The majors were desperate to compete with ZNN. Hanna with her inside connections to JBG and being always in the news was the ticket.

At 06:30 the majors went live. ”Breaking News.”

”This is Hanna Page, Channel 34 news. Today I am imbedded with JBG battalion Red 1, we just crossed the Texas/Mexico border at Brownsville. The immediate goal of Red 1 is to secure an illegal aircraft runway designated as Apple 1 used by the Central American terrorist organization known as the Cartel. This runway was an important waypoint for the cartel to fly drugs and high level cartel individuals into America.”

”This will be a jumping off point to patrol over one hundred miles of pipelines and Cartel trails into America. The cartel is stealing over thirty thousand gallons of fuel a day from the pipeline to supply additional funds to their operations.”

”This runway will become the staging area for three battalions of aviation, mobile armored infantry units and logistics,” Hanna said just as machine gun fire erupted off screen. The camera panned to the men clearing the area between the runway and the pipeline.

”I just received a text from Jim Jordan, commander of Red 1. ‘Apple 1 is secure, start the logistics, on the way’,” Andy said.

The green logistics and the orange security battalions would be on the way in a few minutes. With good luck a secure camp would be set up by nightfall.

The independent news anchor was trying to contact Hanna, ”Are you still here?” He had some audio but no video.
“Yes I am here,” as the video returned.

”What was the shooting?” Chuck Dodd the anchor asked.

”I just heard we now have prisoners. I guess they needed convincing that surrender was the right thing to do,” Hanna said.

”How many battalions are you with?” Chuck asked.

”There are four at this objective, with more coming in a few days,” Hanna said.

”Let me send you some film taken Saturday during operation’s planning and objectives selection,” Hanna said.

”You have been with JBG operations since Saturday? Did I understand you correctly?” the news desk asked.

”Yes, I got the call to be at Morton Field JBG’s aviation central operations center late Friday night,” Hanna replied.

”How do they handle that?” the desk asked.

”The caller directed me to pack a go bag, my passport and be at Morton Field at a set time if I wanted to go on a trip, no questions asked or allowed,” Hanna said.

”And you just went?” the desk said.

”Why not? The mystery is exciting and there is always action,” Hanna replied.

A few minutes later the stations were running filler from the barracks and archway Hanna had taken. Hanna had agreed to send a little every day. The news cycle for the rest of the day and in Washington was set. Every politician in Washington was going to get interviewed even though they knew nothing.

Ten minutes later ZNN went live. ”This is Melinda Schaffer of ZNN imbedded with JBG battalion Red 2 air cavalry unit. We are deep in Mexico to capture Baker 2 runway. This runway was actively used last night by several cartel planes to deliver drugs and terrorist destined for America – but no more. The cavalry has landed in force.”

”WHAT did she say, I didn’t know we had designated an airborne cavalry unit?” Vicky asked.
”I think some of the men on the helicopter were giving her pointers or answering her questions on the flight. That will no doubt raise some more eyebrows in Washington,” I said.

”Hundreds of JBG security forces are descending on this illegal airfield today,” Melinda was in front of several Blackhawks with rotors turning while unloading men as she was giving the report. There was active gunfire in the distance, some of it from the 802s; the mini-guns were distinctive sounding.

Twenty minutes later Green 2 and Orange 2 were on the way. Larry Thor had declared the Baker 2 runway secure. We could breathe a little easier.

The girls were ready to go to the north runway and spend another evening in a converted bus, but I would not allow it on day one. We needed to be here looking at maps, marking progress and ready to change plans and have immediate access to MTAC and VCATS.

An hour later reports start coming in from Apple 1. They had started the pipeline inspection teams – they were working both ways. One team working north to the border and back – checking both sides of the pipeline – and another working south.

They were told to confiscate all tools and equipment and mark the pipe in reflective paint so it could be checked. The location of the tap was to be logged on GPS.

Someone would send a report to Mexpo every day so repair crews could repair the pipes.

One 802 or Blackhawk was going to fly the pipeline every hour with night vision equipment to catch tappers. Both aircraft had orders to shoot anyone they saw working the pipeline in the dark.

I walked over to Texas Steel’s office to see if Bob had answered all their questions and to look at the blueprints myself.

I was too late; the prints were being transferred to the CNC computer that controlled the bending brakes, formers and shears. When they were finished there would be twenty sets of forms to make the prison we were going to need in the security zone.

Bobs Construction would put it all together once I decided where it was to be built.

A thirty foot wide concrete slab would be put down by a highway leveling machine, for as long as we needed. A 4” PVC pipe would be placed in before the cement was laid every place toilets needed to be. The forms had shapes for the walls and the correct angles for the concrete roof section. Holes in the precast sections would allow large anchor bolts to hold everything together.

The cells would be eight foot by eight foot with two foot concrete past the cell doors that Texas Steel was going to build. The concrete roof slabs would end at the end of the concrete wall sections.

Two rows facing each other would allow twelve foot trusses in the middle to cover the open section with a clear corrugated roofing panel to let in natural light.

A welded steel bed, stainless steel toilet and sink would finish out each cell. Texas Steel was making the cell doors to fit holes in the precast walls.

I was satisfied with the design. Bob assured me that once the pad was poured and pouring process started in the forms, his crews and a crane could install ten cell sections a day just like an erector set. Plumbers and electricians could follow.

I went back to the RVs to begin the chore of being a politician.

I first called President Martinez and Prosecutor Inez to inform them we had secured the first two objectives. They had been watching the operations unfold on TV.

The conversation lasted an hour as we talked about prisoners. I was going to hold them in makeshift jails until they could be interrogated. I also told them that under part D I was constructing a permanent prison that would be theirs at the end of the contract.

As per the contract Marcy was expecting the check for Phase 1 – control of the two runways.

Then I called Juan Pedro Garcia, president of Mexpo. That call lasted only a few minutes. Essentially I told him he could start repair crews at the border removing the illegal taps. I also reminded him his men needed to notify us their location and each time they moved and to include GPS coordinates. My aircraft and men had orders to shoot anyone around the pipeline and ask questions later.

Then it was Washington’s turn, starting with Ben.

”Are things quiet today?” I asked.

”You know damn well they are not; headhunters are coming out of the woodwork looking for you. I have a stack of subpoenas delivered today, they are wasting no time,” Ben said.

”Send the headhunters to me with them. My men are disappointed they don’t have enough targets to shoot at,” I said.

”No. You would do that – make a game out of it and not lose any sleep over it,” he said.

”You know it,” I replied.

”We have finished the interrogations of the five terrorists you brought from France. The two new men you supplied are good – not as good as you, but close. We did not question the other leaders as you requested. What are you going to do with the terrorists?” Ben asked.

”I would kill them but now I need to wait until I deal with the leaders, that international politics thing you know, ” I said.

”The leaders are screaming mad,” Ben said.

”They will get over it in time or carry it to hell with them,” I said.

”The President and his group are on the way down. I will warn you, they are antsy,” Ben said.

Troy was the first to speak. ”Did you take more lessons on how to piss people off? After France I didn’t think there was anyone left. I was wrong. You found a lot more,” Troy said.

”I was in a bad mood this morning, I guess it rubbed off on some people that far away,” I said.

”Is Eric there?” I asked.

”I will call him – he is upstairs – while you talk to the President,” Troy said.

”Good afternoon Mr. President, how are you today?” I asked.

”I’m good but it looks like you are going to be spending a lot of time in the hot seat in Congress. It looks like – from the reports – that you have made good progress for the first day.”

”Yes, we have made great progress. I was just told both airfields are under our control. Logistics are on the way to set up the temporary camps at both,” I said.

”I think some Generals might be jealous – they have been watching in the situation room, wondering how you are accomplishing so much with so little so quickly. One of them said you are already one hundred miles into Mexico,” the President said.

”I pay better is the answer. We are over a hundred miles into Mexico,” I said with a laugh.

”BJ, I’m here. What do you need?” Eric said.

”Do you have aviation assets in Brownsville?”

”I’m sure I can get some quickly if I don’t. What do you need?” Eric asked.

”Get it and a DEA agent on the way to Baker 2 ASAP. My men there seized a shipment of cocaine and fentanyl. They are saying about 1500 pounds. I want it gone, you can have it.”

”Have your aircraft contact Baker 2 on one thirty niner niner – our air command frequency – before they get close. Today would not be a good day to drop in unannounced. Do it before dark,” I said.

”Did you seize any money?” Eric asked.

”Plenty of it but I get to keep all that to keep Marcy happy. All this money going out, some has to come back in from somewhere. That brings to mind, where is your commitment on funds?” I asked.

”We’re working on it,” Troy said.

”While you are at it, work on that statement you are going to need to give when I close your border in a week or so if we keep moving. I am sure Congress will be wanting one,” I said.

Edit by Alfmeister
Proof read by Bob w.

The flight only took two hours and thirty nine minutes. I was clock watching – call it impatience, anxiety or enthusiasm – I wasn’t sure.

The 747-200 had already made the trip, leaving forty minutes earlier with the men from Morton.

When we landed the place was full of men and women, this time in JBG uniforms as it should be. Uniforms were part of discipline, moral, order and ended the preverbal question of who are you? Do you belong here?

This was what Fort Dean had been built for – to be used aggressively, not like the day we made the un-announced stop.

The road into Fort Dean had been paved as I had told Andy to have done. It was twenty feet wide with a double yellow stripe down the middle.

The archway was exactly what I had in mind, Fort Dean in big letters at the top of the arch that spanned the new roadway. The JBG security logo was on the left side, on the right was Cameron Parish, Louisiana – Southern and Central American command and training center.

Past the arch the road split with an armed guard shack in the middle and the one arm barrier controlled by the guards. Past the barrier were a double row of vicious tire spikes that were close enough that even a motorcycle could not pass; they dropped out of sight when the barrier was raised. On the departing lane was the same set of spikes controlled by the guardhouse.

The trash was gone and not one cigarette butt could be seen, the command center had been painted with new signage. The barracks had been painted inside and out with new windows, doors, a new roof and new AC units.
The fuel truck had been replaced with a new and bigger one. The fuel farm was expanded. Where there was only one fuel tank there were now six.

The command center was new inside – gone were all those worn out surplus military metal desks. There was a nice office for the Fort commander with a big flat screen and camera for MTAC and VCATS with any of our offices. There was a smaller office for his second in command.

Smart new cubicles were occupied by others. On them were new flat screens and laptop docking stations with all the bells and whistles Robert’s group thought they needed.

On one wall was a really big flat screen that everyone could see by turning around.

Andy had torqued someone when he left to see my orders – his orders completed.

The barracks was full; all six hundred men were there for final briefing and assignment to the six battalions. Andy, Paul Drake and eight of Andy’s top men he trusted were put in command.

As soon as these six hundred were in Mexico, four hundred more from the call up group were assembling at Fort Dean for backup or to begin Part D of the contract. By the end of the week we would have ten battalions in Mexico – the one thousand man limit in the original contract.

Battalion red one and red two were – for the lack of a better term – mobile infantry units. Each unit had fifteen MRAPS, fifteen Humvees and a total of one hundred men each.

Battalion blue one and blue two were the aviation support for red one and red two. Of the four 802s two were equipped with a mini gun and rockets, the other two with mini gun and Hellfire missiles. Four Blackhawks were with each group to quickly get advance men to the two airfields. With the aviation support group there were fifty men in each of those battalions.

I was surprised to see Robbie with the aviation support group.

”How did they get you away from the shop?” I asked.

”So much going on I just wanted to be here, be a part of it and to see what you do,” Robbie replied.

Green battalions one and two were logistics – the freezer tractor trailers with frozen foods, ten eight thousand gallon potable fresh water trucks with a slight taste of chlorine. There were cooks, portable messes, tents, sleep buses and portable showers and toilets; latrines were out of the questions.

The last thing I needed was an environmental waste scandal to hit the media in several months. There were two sewage trucks to remove the sewage from the sleep buses, showers and toilets. It was to be trucked back to the Brownsville treatment plant.

There was a front end loader, a grader and a small bulldozer loaded on trailers to help set up the two camps. The two battalions were one hundred and fifty men. If things moved quickly I doubted that would be enough.

Orange battalions one and two were camp security with fifty men each. They were also responsible for any prisoners – and I wanted prisoners. There were two doctors and two nurses courtesy of Doc Burns.

I let Hanna and Melinda take a camera sweep in the field house with the men assembled and still shots of the entrance to use on reports after we were in Mexico. They would need filler to keep what we were doing in the news cycle.

All day long the men were drilled on what groups they were with and vehicles they were to be assigned to.

The aviation unit was under command of a former unit commander just back from Iraq. He worked over and over with the pilots on flight patterns and ground support that had a mix of helicopters and fixed wing working the field together.

The pilots didn’t really need it; they had all been there in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria. But the refresher may save a midair collision.

I wanted Mexico in the news cycle to distract the media from the French – Iranian growing problem.

The Iranians were internationally pissed that France had denied their demands to interview the prisoners and view the dead. One problem with viewing the dead was that they were buried – the next day as was the Muslim custom.

Iran was demanding a full UN assembly meeting to file a grievance against France and JBG. France as a permanent member of the Security Council voted to table the grievance but abstained when Iran reentered the grievance against JBG.

It would be a first in UN history for a non-nation to be the brunt of a full UN assembly action.

The President and supreme leader of Iran were coming to New York and going to personally address the full assembly. They were demanding a full UN war crimes inquiry into the JBG raid. They wanted UN interrogations of the prisoners after they were transferred to an independent third party Muslim country. All this was to happen in three weeks.

I wanted Mexico to fill the media, depriving Iran and putting them on the back page. Politics on an international scale – and I still hated it – but I was learning how to play it.

I had learned enough that when Dick James called he could offer no suggestions any better than I already knew.

We spent the night at Fort Dean. Sunday morning the men started flying to Brownsville International. The 747-200 made the first trip. Then the 747-400 carried the rest. Leased charter buses carried the men to the Texas steel site.

Hanna and Melinda were allowed to take more filler of the departure and arrival at Texas along with an overview of all the assembled equipment. There were fifty sleeping buses that had been completed, up from original twenty.

Both ladies toured the armored sleepers and took a lot of film of them being explained by Lorrie. It was a joint project by her and Andy – it was her pet project – and she was the most informed with Andy busy.

Once Texas Steel and Fabrication got their act together, Lorrie decided thirty more would give us a lot more flexibility as the mission progressed.

Today was a test of the logistics to feed the men and how the sleepers would work out – we were sleeping in them tonight. The cooks with the food trucks were feeding supper and breakfast tomorrow morning as a final test run.

Tomorrow would start at 04:00, breakfast at 04:30. At 05:30 – unless there were troubles – the units would be on the road crossing the border. The aircraft would be over the first runway and the Blackhawks putting the first of the men on the ground.

Bob Jackson of Bobs Construction called just before supper time. His engineers had finished the blueprints I has asked for. Both of the building and of the forms to precast them. After a lengthy discussion I had him fax all the blueprints to Texas Steel and Fabrication.

Monday morning Bob was going to call to them.

Even though there were the RVs on the lot, the girls and I slept in one of converted buses. I wanted to know just how much the men were going to have to rough it.

The conclusion – they were far better than a tent and bunk roll in sand.

Field cooked supper and breakfast needed improvement and that would come once the battalions were separated and in a more manageable size.

At 05:30 Hanna and Melinda were filming the men heading out the gate. The Mexican border guards had orders from Federal Police Inez not to stop any of our convoys. Hanna loaded up in the last MRAP with Red 1 to the first airfield.

Melinda was in one of the Blackhawks flying to the airfield Baker 2 and would arrive close to the time the MRAP and Humvees pulled onto the first one.

All the Blackhawks were carrying men to Baker 2 – a change from last night’s planning. The night vision from the DHS showed early traffic and then quiet at the Apple 1 airfield Red 1 was hitting.

It was a different story at the Baker 2, six planes had done the rodeo, land and take off. There were still cartel on the ground at daylight. The first two 802s were told to strafe and use the rockets on everything that they could see. Then return to Brownsville International, refuel and rearm then proceed to cover Red 1 while the other two 802s were to stay and provide cover for Red 2 if needed.

I told Hanna and Melinda then they could go live when they arrived at the airfields and I approved all but a couple minutes of the filler they had filmed, which they immediately cut out.

Let the games begin – Pawn to D4.
Edit by Alfmeister
Proof read by Bob W.

Tuesday morning was spent with Andy’s group going over all things Mexico. The logistics plans were complete; MRAPS, trucks, food, the sleeping buses, the 802s, water, fuel. The men were given times for assembly and locations.

We had been working on logistics for the security zone and getting materials and equipment ready for it. We had everything ready to go including three staging points near troublesome border areas.

Our agreement said that we had to complete part one before starting on the security zone. We initially thought it would take a month with the first plan.

With the success of the Paris and Oklahoma operations – maybe I was over confident – but I thought two weeks was all that were needed for the first pipeline part.

The first runway designated ‘Apple 1’ and the second one ‘Baker 2’ – a hundred miles further south – would be taken at the same time on the first day. The men split up into four groups.

The planning was interrupted by a frantic call from Louis and French President Spaghettis.

”The Iranian embassy is demanding that they be allowed to interview all the prisoners. It seems they are missing some VIPs that should have been at the training center or the mosque,” Louis said.

”Not only no but Hell No,” I said.

”First, they just admitted that the government of Iran is sponsoring terrorism in France and Europe. They did that by saying their VIPs were there just hours before the terrorists were scheduled to go forth and commit mayhem on innocent civilian across the continent.”

”Second, they are implying that the prisoners are Iranian citizens, not French citizens. Once upon a time sending Iranians to carry out organized terrorist attacks in France would be considered an act of war.”

”Third, tell them that the prisoners are being held under control of the Pact Security group. That is JBG and France cannot authorize visitations or interviews without authorization from me,” I said.

”Did you take facial pictures for identity of all the dead with their IDs as I requested?” I asked.

My men had done the same thing for our benefit but I wanted to make sure Louis had done the same thing.
”Yes and the same thing with the living prisoners,” Louis replied.

”Good. Assemble the information on the dead and living in two notebooks. Worst case scenario we may let them look at the notebooks.” I said

” Just tell them to contact me as head of Pact Security, ” I said.

”How can they do that?” President Spaghettis asked.

”They have used the Pakistan Ambassador Fazel Al Farsi in Washington to voice their displeasure with me before,” I said.

Louis was laughing so hard he knocked something over on the table.

” I should have known after the air show incident there would be a method. Ok – I can do that but that is not the only problem that may be happening. Lawyers are coming out of the woodwork demanding to see their clients. Several have filed court papers to see them.” Louis said.

”How do they know any of their clients are under arrest? You followed Pact rules and released no names of prisoners. Didn’t you,” I asked.

”No names have been released,” Louis replied.

”Under the Pact laws you can hold them for suspicion of terrorism for sixty days before any court appearance or legal consul. You did charge all of them under the pact laws didn’t you?” I asked.

”Yes, but the lawyers are questioning the validity of the Pact agreement as a treaty and if the court rules the Pact is in violation of the French constitution and not enforceable,” Louis said.

”It would seem to me that the courts first have to decide the validity of France’s participation in the Pact and if it is indeed a treaty which is stated multiple times in the agreement. Your current houses of government ratified it as a treaty.

”That alone should tie the matter up in the courts for months before the question comes up of the terrorists’ rights in court proceedings,” I said.

”It should but a superior judge could rule it is unconstitutional and order the lawyers immediate access to the terrorists. He could order them available for bail and release pending appeals until the constitutional matters are settled,” Louis said.

”How long before all that takes place?” I asked.

”As early as three weeks,” Louis said.

”So you are telling me that in three weeks a judge favorable to the terrorist cause or a corrupt judge could begin releasing the terrorists,” I said.

”Where are the negotiations with the Pact on the super max prison? The last meeting we had it was stalemated. Has there been any progress behind the scenes at all?” I asked.

”No, none – none of the countries want the prison in their country,” he said.

”Obviously another crisis is just over the horizon,” I said.

”How much does it cost France to hold a prisoner in a maximum security cell for a year?” I asked.

”Fifty thousand Euros, about the same in all EU countries,” Louis replied.

”Would the pact consider contracting out the prison no one wants for say forty thousand Euros per prisoner?” I asked.

”Who knows but something has to happen and soon. I will start making calls and see if I can get something moving,” Louis said.

For someone that looked like he had things together he surely does not, I thought.

I went back to looking over the plans for the pipeline operation.

Starting tomorrow Eric and General Ingram were going to start feeding drug traffic information to Fort Dean, along with Eric’s direct feed from the DEA aviation surveillance wing and the border patrol.

General Ingram from the Army and National Guard’s air wing that were temporarily stationed at the border.

Eric, Frank, Marty and General Ingram were all on board with my ideas to stop the drug traffickers in the security zone. Interrogation without lawyers and interpreters coaching would get us to the bosses faster. I could do that in the security zone.

Robert sent several from EIT to set up camp in Fort Dean while we were in France. The communications were up and running. The 802’s had run test flights along the border checking for dead spots and transmission delay hiccups.

I intended to shut down as much cross border drug traffic on Sunday morning as I could when the operation began. I wanted a maximum pressure campaign on the cartel. With enough pressure from enough directions they would get careless, sloppy, and desperate and make mistakes.

I walked back to the office. Bobs Construction draftsmen and engineers were here every afternoon. They were continuously updating the master plan and blue prints for the Fort Polo residential town.

I told them what I needed and how fast I needed the completed blue prints. I was going to possibly kill two birds with one stone – one for sure.

Wednesday I sent the other two RVs to Texas. They were going to be our command center once we crossed the border.

Thursday and Friday went fast – things coming and going on everywhere – it seemed that no JBG site was exempt.

Friday night I called Hanna and Melinda on a conference call, ”Hey girlfriends, what have you planned for the next few days?” I said.

”I had plans but I will cancel them,” Melinda said.

”I was going to the Ocean City for a few days,” Hanna said.

”I will see that you get your feet wet with salt water warmer than that at Ocean City and a lot cleaner. Be at Morton at 0700, pack for a few days.”

I was going to object to all the girls going but was quickly shot down.

”Every one of us has a part in this operation. The legal department and HR have worked on the contracts and legalities, Lorrie has worked getting aviation and finding good locations, Ching Lee and Vicky have worked with Andy in shuffling our best experienced men into the battalions. Marcy has worked miracles with money, suppliers, getting equipment and keeping the logistics flowing.”

”WE ARE ALL going to be there. This conversation is over,” Jenny said.

”OK! Good, I’m glad you feel that way. Make sure you have all your gear and if you haven’t done so, hit the gun range with your Glocks and M16s,” I said.

”We have all packed and ready,” Marcy said.

Saturday morning all of us without the youngsters flew first to Fort Dean.

Edit by Alfmeister
Proof read by Bob W.

Sunday morning started off quietly with mostly good news. The men that had been hurt in OK had all been released from the hospital. The DHS and FBI had interviewed all the JBG men Ching Lee and Vicky had on duty there for the attack.

Many would be interviewed a second and third time as the feds wrote and rewrote the reports of the event.

Monday all of them would be returning home – where ever that happened to be. Ching Lee, Vicky and Paul Drake were coming home Monday.

The plane that was going to pick them up was taking new weapons to the Oklahoma security group. It would be weeks before the alphabets were done reconstructing and testing to their satisfaction. They had copies of all the video tapes, and two unexploded vests. They had raided every address connected with the group that had been so elusive for us to find.

It would take weeks and months for some things and all the collected evidence to be evaluated, analyzed and put to any use. Anyone – not already in jail – connected to the cell would be long gone.
We had done all we could do. We had stopped a massacre and had lost only two students as collateral damage. I hated that part but I had to accept it. I know Ching Lee and Vicky were bothered badly that it happened under their watch.

All the Sunday talk shows were filled with opinion heads giving uneducated opinions about both Paris and Oklahoma. Radical Candy Brown on ‘Sunday Morning Washington Live’ was really livid that JBG had the major forces in both.

At 1100 I called Arthur Kennedy of ‘Sunday Morning Washington Live’ while they were on the air just to see if he would answer his cell phone while he was on the air. I knew he kept it on the table beside him.

”I have to answer this. Hello Ambassador Jones, is this really you? You’re live on speaker,” he said.

”It’s not my ghost because I’m still alive much to Candy’s dismay. You are not doing a very good job of countering her whimsical offerings and keeping that balanced program you advertise,” I said.

”Well there have been a lot of things going on with you and JBG the last few days. It had some people on the edge. It’s a big job sometimes, more than I can handle by myself. I need help,” Arthur said.

”Unless you are a terrorist, support terrorist financially or materially and terrorism in general, there is nothing to be on edge about. On the other hand if you fit into those categories, you better grow eyes in the back of your head. Sooner or later we will get you. You are running out of places to hide.”

”The Paris operation was a clear example of new cooperation and new laws between the Pact countries to fight terrorism,” I said.

”Just why did JBG have so many men involved in a French operation? France has a large military, couldn’t they have handled it?” Candy said sarcastically.

”JBG is the unifying security force supporting the Pact countries and drawing together police and their military when necessary only in terrorist matters. JBG allows the appearance of normalcy in domestic affairs by doing that and maintaining secrecy. In this case – by luck – we even had operatives inside. Less than one hundred French military knew about the operation and most of them less than 24 hours in advance,” I said.

”It is reported that you had two battalions there. How many men are in a JBG battalion?” David Little asked.

”Depends on the operation. Our new command and control structure can handle up to five hundred in a battalion,” I said.

”Just how many battalions of fighters do you have?” Candy asked.

”You are asking for something about the actual numbers that is JBG classified. If you are looking for a number for a talking point, ten could be that number or it could be twenty – or it might even be thirty worldwide,” I said.

”There is no way you can justify having that many mercenaries,” Candy said.

”They are not mercenaries, JBG does not work for dictators or want to be dictators or anyone trying to overthrow a government. We only work with stable governments and what we do for those governments is classified by them and by JBG,” I said.

”We’re out of time. I really want to continue this heated conversation another time,” Arthur said.

”Three weeks from now. Lots of things are going to happen before then that we will be able to talk about. Wear your iron pants because I intend to kick some ass. I am not going to let you bash me without repercussions,” I said.

”There you have it. Three weeks from today Ambassador Jones will be here. And I don’t get the impression she will be wearing boxing gloves,” Arthur said.

Monday morning Marcy and I were on our way in the G5 to Thimble Shoals Pirates Bank for the board of directors meeting. This time I carried ten of the large bags of diamonds and twenty five more gold bars.

Before the meeting the bags and the gold were carried in for assessment while I was in the directors meeting.

There were two different meetings; the first one was on the legitimate banking of the Thimble Shoals National Bank – the deposits and transfers. Then there was the part on the monies of the national casinos – the income and expenses. There were reports, Island payroll and employment that were the National Bank (the island government) responsibility.

I learned I was limited to voting on business of the Pirates Bank. Mr. Olgermeir’s term still had another year. The directors served two year terms then switched to the other bank.

During the second meeting I learned a lot about the world of illicit banking at Pirates Bank. A list of new numbered accounts with the owners were read with the amounts of the transactions. Then a list of accounts that had changes in the last thirty days. And finally the profits of both banks to be divided among the directors.

It was after these reports and during the following break that Director Maurice Gaston asked if I were open to buying another directorship. If I were, could the same price and payment arrangement that Olgermeir had received apply?

”How is that going to affect the bank votes if I owned two director positions?” I asked.

”One position would be in the National Bank and the other Pirates Bank. The two positions could never serve on the same bank board. But you could put that other young lady in the other Director position,” Maurice said.

”Us owning twenty percent of the Thimble Shoals Bank would not cause any problems?” I asked.

”I will bring it up for a formal vote after we have the open discussion and we will discuss it. If it is approved, are you are agreeable to the terms?” Maurice asked.

”Yes,” I replied.

Turn about is fair play I figured, Marcy and Jenny had connived me into my position. It was my turn.
I had a topic I wanted to discuss in the open business discussion, it would help change our gold around and possibly let us sell a little bit of it over time that I was not opposed to.

The open discussion lasted three hours. When it was over Marcy was a director of Thimble Shoals National Bank. Maurice Gaston was now retired and much richer. At least he was young enough to be able to enjoy spending some of it.

At the airport waiting for a cart to carry us to the G5, I saw three senators exiting one of the casino vans.

”Well Senators Ross, Davenport and Hartford, how badly did you lose?” I asked.

”How do you know we lost?” Hartford asked.

”Winners get carried to the airport in a limo with champagne, not a second rate van,” I replied.
”So you have won some here then,” Hartford replied.

”I don’t gamble – I only go with things that I have control over. But I know how it works,” I said.

”That’s not the worst of it. Our plane doesn’t leave for three hours and they threw us out of the casino, so no free booze or food,” Senator said.

”Wow that is bad. The terminal is not friendly – lot of broke beggars there trying to find a ride home after they bet their tickets,” I said with a laugh.

”I think we have three empty seats. I can get you back to Morton and a rental car to Washington if you need it,” I said.

Marcy tried her best not to smile but it didn’t work. We did have three extra seats. There were the two of us plus six of our security so there were more than three seats.

The flight back was quiet. The losers were brooding about their losses. Our flight attendant did offer them a beer or a wine cooler.

I had a VCATS with Lorrie, Ching Lee, Jenny and Vicky. I had sent them a text about Marcy’s new job. They were ribbing the new director. We had a small conversation about Oklahoma State. I again told them how proud I was of the success of their operation planning and leadership.

The senators had someone waiting at Morton when we landed.

Edit by Alfmeister
Proof read by Bob W.

At 0900 Eastern the first text from Ching Lee hit my phone, ”The attack has started – they are assembling in the parking lot and have started moving towards the court yard entrance. Black hoods, weapons and some look to be wearing a suicide vest,” it said.

It was 0800 in Oklahoma City. The terrorist timed the attack to hit when the courtyard would be full of students heading to class.

I logged into our college cameras on my laptop and selected Oklahoma State. I locked the screen to those in the court yard and those around it and watched.

I sent a text of my own to Jenny, ”Get the G5 ready to fly to Oklahoma as soon as we land – and get through the formalities; I want to take off. All of us need to be there.”

Then I sent a text to Eric and Marty, ”Oklahoma State under terrorist attack. Get your people there to assist Ching Lee and Vicky. The local law is not our friend nor on our side.”

I went to the PA mike and informed the men, ”Attention Attention. A few minutes ago a terrorist attack started at Oklahoma State, a JBG college security site. We expected a retaliatory strike and all JBG sites worldwide were put on high alert yesterday morning. The terrorist cell at Oklahoma was connected with the Paris terrorist cell. The attack is ongoing and as soon as more information is available we will try to get it to you.”

At 0945 Eastern the seat belt light went on. We had been coasting for quite a while from forty thousand feet saving fuel as we descended. A few minutes later the gear went down after a series of turns.

Another text from Ching Lee, ”Attack is over- we won, some injuries in our ranks – nothing life threatening, healing will take a while. Twenty three terrorists dead six injured and alive.”

”Stand your ground with the locals – DHS and FBI are both on the way, so are we,” I sent.
Out the window I could see the bay bridge and the city of Annapolis past it. It was a clear fall morning on the eastern shore.

We landed on the runway from a southerly approach. The 747 was able pull right up on the tarmac near the terminal. We waited while the portable stairs was positioned.

”Men, it has been great, let’s plan to do another one next week. Oklahoma is over! Ching Lee sends that we won the shootout at the OK Corral with only minor injuries to our people and the loss of two innocent students,” I said. I was the last to depart of the Morton group.

The baggage men were already unloading our bags. It only took a few minutes to get 75 bags out of the baggage compartment. It was going to take a lot longer to navigate through the maze of reporters and on lookers and then there was customs to deal with.

I quickly brushed off the reporters’ questions as the pilot put my bags on the G5. Andy was not going, he had other things to deal with that were as important.

The 747 was taxiing to take off as I was speaking to the reporters; its next stop was Fort Dean.
But first I needed to survive the attack of two little boys who could run the thirty yard dash in two seconds flat. I crouched down to meet them with hugs.

”We saw you on TV a lot and mommy was afraid you were going to get hurt. We are glad you didn’t. How do you do all those long speeches? I would forget what I was going to say,” JJ said.

”Oh, I don’t think you would run out of something to say. Either of you. Let’s go see mommy and get on the other plane,” I said.

Two and a half hours later the gear was touching the runway at Oklahoma International. Four cars from the MAAR site were parked outside the general aviation terminal. It took that many with the security that went with us.

We pulled into the college after driving through a maze of congestion. As we walked towards the college courtyard I was glad I had put on my gear. Heated conversations were going on.

We forced our way through the crowd of EMTs and officers to find Ching Lee, Vicky and Paul Drake with a group of uniformed Oklahoma City police and some suits.

”Well the big boss is here. Eric said you were coming. That was some operation you pulled off in France. Three hundred terrorists, all those weapons and explosives, damn.”

”I don’t know if you remember me – I was at the seminar you gave about the new terrorist weapons a couple years ago. I’m Vince Albertson, vice director of DHS here in Oklahoma City.”

”The city police chief has finally agreed to allow DHS and the FBI to take over this investigation. It has been touch and go for a while; they were insistent they were going to run the show. They wanted all the video from all the cameras, and want to interview all the men individually. They want to collect all of our weapons,” Vicky said.

“”It’s normal for them to collect all the weapon, make sure you have Franklin Hammonds record the type and serial number of every one they get and make them sign a receipt. No interviews are to be given without one of our attorneys present so they will have to set times to do the interviews,” Jenny said.

”That’s no problem – we will work with security personnel,” Vincent Albertson said.

”We are waiting on the bomb unit to get here with their robot to move the two we think are wearing un-exploded vests,” Ching Lee said.

”BJ, we lost two students. We tried everything to get everyone clear but we just didn’t make it in time,” Ching Lee said.

”Ching Lee, as bad as it seems, from the number of terrorists and the weapons they had and the potential casualties they could have caused, only two deaths and the other minor injuries is a miracle,” I said.

”BJ, the press is waiting for a statement. Do you want to give it?” Vicky asked.

”No, you two have more facts than I can give. I will stand with you, just don’t give away intelligence information or that we suspected an attack was going to happen. The informant we had in the Paris cell gave us enough information to predict Oklahoma State would be the next likely target. Just say we were on high alert after Paris,” I said.

The news conference lasted an hour with the Oklahoma City PD trying their best to look good at the beginning and the end. Ching Lee, Vicky, Paul Drake and I knew better. Before they were finished the DHS would know; the master file on the Oklahoma State contract had copies of all the correspondence from the Oklahoma City PD – and some of them were real pieces of work.

Ching Lee, Vicky and Paul needed to stay until the interviews and investigations were finished. We stayed long enough for Ching Lee to spend time with Takeo. She gave us all the milk she had pumped in the last few days. Takeo was in good hands and she knew it. We said our good byes and headed back to Morton. I was way past ready to sit somewhere other than on an airplane seat.

Since Ching Lee was busy, Jenny wrote up a statement and posted it on the corporate web site and also sent an email to all employees on the flight back.

We had a money conversation on the flight back. It was inevitable; we were spending money like the proverbial bucket had a hole in it. In our case there was no bottom in the bucket.

We decided that it was time to spend some of the proceeds from the mining operation. It was time the books should show some revenue from that venture. In fact, the accounting division was saying that showing no revenue could jeopardize some of the deductions; startup deductions only went so far.

It was decided we would sell the diamonds. It didn’t make sense to sell the gold when everyone in the world was holding gold as a hedge against an economic collapse. Gold would be a lot easier to sell if that happened than diamonds – cut or uncut. It didn’t make sense for us to keep them unless the diamond price fell dramatically.

I would carry several bags of the diamonds each time I went to the monthly bank directors meetings at Thimble Shoals. The diamond department could make the decision to market them as cut or uncut – whichever market gave them the most value.

Then the funds could be deposited in the Thimble Shoals National Bank and then transferred out to our Midwest account to make the mines show revenue and keep everyone happy.

It would also give me a valid reason to be traveling to and banking on Thimble Shoals.
By the time we were finished and were landing, I was holding Takeo in my lap making baby faces to his expressions.

It was late when the wheels hit the runway sleep came easy with Lorrie as my bed partner. We went to sleep listening to Sara breathe.

Edit by Alfmeister
Proof read by Bob W.

”General Bashir has gone on a rampage and he is furious! He points directly at you by name for the attack and apparent obliteration of his Paris cell. He has ordered the attack at Oklahoma City to happen tomorrow in retaliation to muddy the reputation of JBG.”

”Tiam has repeatedly tried to contact the Paris group with no success. They are looking for four special guests who were supposed to be in the training center or mosque. A short while ago Tiam issued a general broadcast that all attempts to contact the Paris cell be halted,” Robert said.

”Robert, the G5 will be landing in a few minutes. It has the nine people they are looking for onboard. Four of them are in the highest levels of the Iranian government. A security team is going to place them in separate cells in the Morton jail.”

”Max Grover has a box with all their cell phones and all the papers that were on the four of them. Agents from the CIA and NSA are meeting the plane; they are to bring the box to you and help break down the information. I don’t have to tell you how time critical it is.”

”Have you notified Ching Lee, Vicky, Paul Drake and Frank Hammonds?” I asked.

”Yes, as soon as the communiqué was deciphered I called them. They are moving everything into place tonight,” Robert said.

”OK, that is all we can do, I will bring Andy up to date in a few minutes,” I said.

I called the office to check in with Marcy, Lorrie and Jenny.

”Arthur Kennedy of ZZN Sunday Morning Washington has called the office several times – he wants you to appear on the show again,” Jenny said.

”At one time I would have said no right off but with the direction the security department is going, it increases the possibility that my time in the White House is short. The publicity may be to our advantage,” I said.

”I have his number; I will unblock it and set it up to happen in a few weeks,” I said.

”The media is in the lobby waiting on a statement,” Jenny said.

”Give them one. Tell them the mission was a success and of the five hundred JBG employees involved in the raid there were only minor injuries, none serious. Also add that the bulk of the men will be returning to their assigned operating centers within forty eight hours. They are currently going through post engagement debriefing,” I said.

”That’s sounds good. I will write it up and give it. I will send Maggie out and tell them a statement will be given in ten minutes,” Jenny said.

”Do you have any updates on the equipment at Brownsville for the Mexican operation?” I asked.

“Yes, all the MRAPs are completed. The mechanics had plenty of help after the temporary job postings at the military bases. They had to replace two engines and two transmissions to get all of them ready.”

”Did you know a rebuilt Allison transmission of one of those things was fifty thousand dollars a crate and the engines were forty five thousand each? Those things better get a lot of use.”

”The last two buses will be completed on Monday. The pictures they have been sending look really good and the guys we sent are satisfied with them. Everything on your list is complete or nearly complete.”

”All the air tractors and Black Hawks are at the Brownsville executive airport in a hangar I rented,” Marcy said.

”Black and Bear will be back from the Middle East Tuesday with a rough agreement for us to look at and the possible logistics locations. They called several times for guidance on cost and policy. I padded the cost heavily based on the cost of buying new patrol boats and the OPEC countries are to furnish fuel,” Marcy said.

”Anything on the boats?” I asked.

”Port Arthur Marine Works developed and patented the fast boat design we looked at. They have built thirty of them in the last year, all of them for export except the ones that we bought with Black Bear. They have partnered with two other shipyards to build them to get that number.”

”Schmidt Marine and Industrial Manufacturing in Bremerhaven, Germany and Yosef Tamar Marine Shipyard at Netayna, Israel are the other two builders.”

”Port Arthur says if we secure the contract they will increase production to deliver three boats a month at the Port Arthur yard after a sixty day build up to production period. The other two ship yards will also increase production,” Marcy said.

”There are differences in the builds, Port Arthur used Detroit Diesel power plants. The German are using Deutz power and the Israelis are using Cat Power,” Marcy said.

”That is not such a bad thing. I would hate to have a whole fleet of boats with a potential engine problem on all of them because of a manufacturing or assembly problem. Sounds like we just have to wait on the contracts,” I said.
It was time for me to go get ready for the post briefing party. Back at the barracks I filled Andy in on my conversation with the girls. We talked about a day to kick off the Mexican excursion. It would kick off early Monday morning with a multi-prong offensive plan yet to be determined.

I showered and put on a clean set of camo – this time without the stars – and went over to the cafeteria. All the men had been told to be there 1830 sharp.

I had paid the chefs plenty to prepare a victory dinner; the best steaks, porter house, T bone, filet and big ones – eight, ten, twelve ounces – they were for real men. Sweet potato, baked potato, multiple vegetables and all kinds of desserts were also available.

The only thing I didn’t like was some had to be cooked ahead and served buffet style to feed this many men. But then the chef had called in extra staff to cook and opened another section of the kitchen.

Louis and the French OPS drivers joined us in line. After the first course was completed I stood for a short speech.

”This is only going to take a few minutes while the chefs are putting out dessert. All of you did an excellent job today and I include our French partners in these comments; we suffered no casualties or serious injuries. A real general would get and give medals after a successful operation like this. I cannot give you medals, only my thanks. I am proud to call you my men and associates. This dinner is to show you my appreciation,” I said.

”Tomorrow at 0800 we leave France to prepare for a much larger and longer mission. We will remember the friends we have made here and hopefully meet them again under better circumstances. Again I thank you.”

”Let’s make the doctors mad and finish off this great meal with plenty of dessert,” I said.

For two more hours we talked and laughed and discussed politics in a jovial way and over did it on the desserts.

I walked with Louis and we found the French OPS drivers. I thanked each of them personally. Not long after that I had one of the medics give Melinda a couple of Tylenol with codeine to help her rest comfortably through the night. She was already in pain.

I packed everything but clothes for tomorrow, I called it a day and wondered when the hell would hit air over Iran’s missing VIPs. I was asleep in minutes.

At 0600 I was up and testing the fresh pastry before carrying my gear to the 747 400 for the trip home. One last walk-through of the barracks to make sure everyone was packed and ready to depart.

Some of men had gone out in search of souvenirs and night life after the meal was over. At least they were smart enough to go in groups.

A while later I was in the seated in first class with Andy, Melinda, Hanna and several of the majors as the wheels left the runway for home. First class allowed me more room to review the hundreds of emails that had flooded my account over the last few days and waited for any news from Oklahoma.

I didn’t want to sleep on this flight; I needed to reset my clock to Eastern daylight time. A long day today would be a good start..

Edit by Alfmeister
Proof read by Bob W.

I started with the first most important one; the President. At least it was not MTAC – it would be one on one, or so I thought.

The President was in the situation room on a speaker phone with all his staff.

”Looks like your mission was a success. Embedded reporters; now that is some confidence. How long are you going to be there?” the President said.

”It is going to take a few days to clean up this mess,” I replied.

”Frank, Ben – are you in this conference?”

”Yes we are here.”

”My G5 left here two hours ago with VIP prisoners – they are not your concern and best if you stay as far away from them as you can. But – the box that pilot Max Grover is in charge of is. Have your agents carry the box to Robert and help him unravel the mystery the box holds – send your best electronics agents to meet the plane. You have little time before all hell breaks loose and it will lose all value,” I said.

The phones from the VIP prisoners and all the papers on them was in a lead-lined box. I was afraid to pull the batteries out of the phones and didn’t want them tracked, the lead-lined box would stop that. The numbers in the phones and any text messages could speak volumes to the right people.

”When will you be back?” Ben asked.

”I am hoping Sunday but it will probably be Monday. The Mexico operation is a go for the end of next week. My time is limited,” I said.

”I guess you know Congress is coming your way with a handful of subpoenas. The Congressional crying committees have already let everyone know their panties are in a twist. It amazes me how you being just one person can piss off so many people in such a short time,” Troy said.

”Practice makes perfect and I am still learning,” I replied with a laugh.

”What else is new? They may ask a lot of questions, but they are getting few answers. I have told my lawyers to fight every subpoena that does not involve the task force all the way all to the Supreme Court,” I said.

”I have to go – get back to you later.”

The media was wanting another news conference with the French President and now Louis with his cabinet were more than willing to bask in the spotlight. Even though they had wanted to stay away as far as possible, they were now more than willing to be in the media glow. Politics as usual no matter where one went.

Andy – still at the training site – sent updated statistics that I gave when it was my turn to speak.

”With the counts tallied there are a total of two hundred and thirty prisoners. The number of dead – including those killed when the suicide vest was detonated – is at seventy four killed in the two buildings.”

”The number of suicide vests between the two buildings stands at two hundred. There were one hundred and eighty various weapons and an estimated fifteen thousand rounds of ammo.”

”Unfortunately there were thirteen civilian deaths that were trying to halt the advance of the two battalions conducting the raids and thirty civilian automobiles were damaged or destroyed.”

”JBG International Security in partnership with the Pact Countries has to consider this a successful operation. There were several important goals that were met.”

”One was to capture or kill the majority or the terrorists of this cell and with the number of prisoners and dead, I believe we have done that.”

”The second was to stop the attacks that were planned, and with the number of captured IEDs, suicide vests and weapons I think we have done that as well by depriving them of the weapons to carry out future attacks. There may still be lone wolf attacks but this operation has to temporally cripple their abilities for large scale attacks in the region.”

”The third was the collection of information. The swiftness of the attacks meant there was no time to destroy records. We should have wealth of information on the human and weapons smuggling operation and be able to end that for the time being.”

”The fourth goal and one that we failed at was to get the leaders alive. They died in the gunfight or turned the guns on themselves to avoid capture. They carried the real information we needed to their graves.”

”Overall I believe this operation to be a success. Once the prisoners are interrogated and details of what they were planning and weapons evaluated there will be enough information released to the public for them to come to the same decision,” I said.

We had collected all the information we thought pertained to the leaders and left the rest for Louis. The French police and agencies needed something to do to feel they were part of the process. I had stepped on too many toes as it was.

I overheard some of the grumbling as various high level police officers made their way through the scene collecting evidence.

I needed to get to the US embassy for an MTAC with the President, Frank and the Secretary of State Dick James. As soon as the powers to be in Iran figured their VIP’s were missing, all hell was going to break loose. They needed to be prepared to respond, not hit with a broadside because of my connections to the administration.

And then there was the needed VCATS with Robert and my mates.

By 1500 the fun and games were over; I turned the sites over to Louis and the National Police. The streets were clear of protesters not long after the news was filled with pictures of captured weapons; they disappeared. Many of the news teams had left. They had enough materials to fill several days of broadcast time.

Hanna and Melinda ‘talking softly’ were giving interviews to news stations at home one right after the other about their experiences and about Melinda taking a hit in the vest that she was still wearing.

Melinda had turned down a visit to the doc for x-rays and a checkup. I knew she would regret that decision later tonight when the excitement wore off and the pain took over.

I had the situation covered in a way. Five of the men in the battalion were former medics in the services and had agreed to act as the same for JBG on missions if needed. The Doc had worked to have them recertified in the state of Maryland. The Doc had put together the same medical and drug boxes that were carried on ALS ambulances. If Melinda needed pain meds in the night, they had them.

I ordered all my men back to the barracks to clean up and rest for a bit before dinner tonight. I asked Louis if the drivers could stay with us for dinner.

I had paid the chefs plenty extra to plan a big American dinner for all of us tonight. Louis and his aides were also invited. It was to be a farewell for the French drivers and a thank you for a job well done for the men. At 0800 tomorrow morning we were all going home.

I had them carry me to the US embassy where I could use the secure MTAC to call Washington.

I sent a text to Troy ”MTAC thirty minutes. You, the President, Dick James, Frank Love and Ben Smith – no recordings or stenographers.”

When the screen went live, ”I needed a private conversation with you is the reason for this call. I wanted to give you a heads up,” I said.

”Has my plane arrived yet?” I asked.

”No, the agents just called, the flight board shows it as thirty minutes out they said,” Frank replied.

”OK, the plane is not going to stop at the terminal building, it is stopping on the back taxiway behind the large hanger first. There will be several Suburbans there to remove the prisoners and deliver them to the jail at Fort Smith,” I said.

I read the list of the prisoners and who they were and then waited for a response. And waited.

”That’s not a fire, that is a gasoline fueled inferno ready to drop in your lap. What are you going to do with them?” Dick asked.

”I intended to interrogate all of them before the capture. For now I am just going to interrogate the five terrorist leaders and hold off on the others until after they are finished; by then I will have a solution. We did not know that level of VIPs were going to be there.”

”Their bodyguards stormed out firing. After the guards were dead there was little left to do but take them into custody and get them out of there. The French do not know I have them. And it is best that you deny knowing anything about them,” I said.

”I do not know who or what you are talking about,” the President said. The others quickly agreed with his assessment.

”I do have one issue you are going to have to deal with. The chairman of the White House press corps is demanding that you use a lottery system to determine who the imbedded reporters are going to be on future missions,” Troy said.

”Just tell them I do not gamble – so no lottery. This is not a government operation so the reporters that go along will be of my choosing,” I said. “I am surprised they would ask after Melinda got hit, eight inches higher and she would be dead. I give them no assigned protection.”

My phone signaled a text, it was from Robert, ‘‘Call me 911.”

Edit by Alfmeister
Proof read by Bob W.

At 0400 we were in the mess in line, today with better food that was more appealing and a dozen chefs working to keep up. They must have used Google because eggs, sausage, bacon, and stacks of pancakes were coming off the griddle.

The grumblings from the French OPS drivers only increased as they saw the food we were getting. They walked past the pastries and asked if they could get in line with my men.

”Sure, you are working with us for the next day or so,” I said.
Andy, Louis and I fell in line behind them.

”Aren’t you worried that all this food is going to make the men lazy and slow?” Louis asked.

”In full gear in today’s heat and the adrenalin rush plus the 14 hour day they will put in, they will burn three thousand calories or more,” I said. ”Just wait until you see what they eat for dinner.”

At 0600 all the men were in the conference room and the details of the raids began for everyone.

Louis passed out the routes to the French drivers. Then the video was played of the tactics the cell had and were using against the police attempts to make arrests and restore French law. Those tactics involved blocking the roads then crowds rushing the police in an organized fashion.

Then I explained everything we knew about the cell and the plans for mass attacks against all Europe in three days with suicide bombers, vest explosives and shootouts with automatic weapons. I emphasized the importance that this had to be a successful mission.

The drivers were told they were to not to stop and let nothing get in way of getting their vehicle to the assigned position. They were to push blocking automobiles out of the way and run over anyone trying to block the way. Collateral damage today would be nothing compared to the mass casualties we were expecting if we failed.

”I know these are difficult orders to follow and if you cannot follow these orders, you need to stand and asked to be replaced. Our hope is that the size of the force and speed at which it will be moving will surprise and confuse them and these blocking tactics will be minor. I will allow you ten minutes to discuss the issue,” I said.

Ten minutes later I asked if anyone wanted to leave. No one stood up.

”OK, final instructions, pick up a face mask from the box. They are to prevent your identity from being plastered on the net, prevent facial scans and being photographed. French drivers, pick up a JBG security vest to identify you as part of the raid. Friendly fire incidents are un-acceptable for any reason of stupidity.”

”Everyone is to pick up a couple black hoods with the draw string and flex cuffs – all prisoners are to be hooded and cuffed. No, the draw string is not to choke them with though I know you would like to.”

”There are two video news units imbedded – one in each battalion – they have strict instructions not to film your faces, the faces of anyone captured or of any dead. They have been instructed they are to stop filming when directed to do so by an officer. See to it they follow those instructions in a nice way. They have worked with us before,” I said.

I passed out the pictures to the majors and captains of the four terrorist leaders, ”Look at these faces – we believe they are the leaders. I want these four people alive for advanced interrogation at Fort Smith.”

‘‘Let’s gear up the works, full body armor. Red battalion 1 – you know who you are – we have the last 14 armored vehicles. Each of you are to get six thirty round clips, do not ride with one in the chamber.”

We headed back to the barracks to gear up. I pulled my duffle bag off the storage rack. As I opened it, I instantly became mad.

My helmet had five stars on it. My shirt I was to wear had five stars on the upper arm sown permanently to the Velcro rank line. On the right front were five stars over my name ‘General Jones’. Andy had made me a freaking primary target.

With the helmet and shirt in hand I started towards Andy, this was his doing! No wonder I had not seen the gear until now, it was already packed for me in the duffle bag.

He put his hands up and started backing up. ”Wait a minute, I was following instructions. Your mates told me to have five stars put on your gear. They said the big boss at the top always had five stars and that was you,” Andy said.

”And I suppose you didn’t argue with them?” I said.

”I was outnumbered and the tone said it was not a debate,” Andy replied.

”I have three stars on mine for snipers to home in on so don’t feel too bad about it,” Andy added.

”What happened to four stars?” I asked.

”I have no comment, you will have to take that up with them. I refuse to incriminate myself,” Andy said.

”OK, I get the picture, double wet noodle treatment when I get home,” I said.

I pulled on the light vest, shirt, pants and boots then the military grade body armor with five stars painted on it and a Red horizontal patch.

I went over the instructions with Melinda and Hanna and the camera men one more time. I gave them a general idea for a news breaking story as soon as we the stopped at the sites and the operation began.

I received a text from Max Grover, he and Toby Nash were at the Bagnolet Air Force base in my G5. I wanted it there to spirit away any important prisoners before the French lawyers and courts could get involved.

At 0830 Andy with Blue battalion 1 was the first to pull out with the twenty four armored reinforced personnel carriers and the two hundred and five men. Louis was ordering the various intersections closed to allow us to make a fast approach to the training center and mosque.

The drivers sped through the intersections. We turned off at the mosque and Andy’s group continued on to the training center a block away.

The first four vehicles turned to block the east and south streets that bordered the mosque, the next four north and west streets. Once stopped the men exited the vehicles and some faced the mosque and others the opposing streets.

The next five vehicles crashed through the gate onto the court yard, the men crashing through the doors. I was in the last vehicle and the last group to enter the building. Ziva, Farah, Abra, Sanaz – the four former Mossad – and Jack Winslow were with me, with Melinda and Nick Cote following.

I heard a muffled explosion in the distance and gunfire.

The men that went in ahead of us were separating into smaller groups checking rooms. Abra and Sanaz had just started into a side room when a door flew open from a room straight ahead, then six Arab men ran out firing.

I took a round in the armor but kept shooting. It hurt like hell and I knew I would be bruised, but it was not the first time. I heard the thud of a round hitting another vest behind me.

”Oh god I’m hit,” and then – “Keep filming, I’ll be OK,” it was Melinda.

I wondered how she knew she would be OK.

I was firing my MP5 hitting the first two on the left. Ziva shot the first two on the right. The last two were firing as the bodies were falling. Farah and I each took another one.

When the firing stopped there was yelling from inside the room in Persian, ”We surrender – stop shooting, we surrender.”

I yelled at Nick to kill the camera.

”Come out with your hands in the air,” I ordered.

Six men came out, ”Turn, face the wall, hands against the wall,” I said.

Ziva and Abra searched them, recovering documents and anything else while Jack checked the room out for more. They quickly put the bags over their heads. Then they turned them and installed flex cuffs.

I turned to Melinda, her face described the pain she was in.

”Let’s get this gear off you and see how bad it is,” I said.

”Film it Nick – the two of you will get a Pulitzer for her taking the hit,” I said.

With the gear, her shirt and bra off Melinda had an ugly bruise on the sternum; I was sure it was broken. The shooters had been trained for heart shots.

Nick was filming as we talked and evaluated.

”Put the gear back on, you won’t be wearing a bra anytime soon but you will live. We can get the bullet out of the gear and have someone make a necklace out of it for a keepsake. I will try find you an ice pack and will get you to a doc for an x-ray as soon as I can,” I said.

”You have the brother of the supreme leader of Iran, Aman Awad and his son Fawzi. You have son of the supreme leader Bahri Awad and the son of the President of Iran, Karem Marwan. The other one is Fatin Bashir, brother of the General and Abdul Jamil, the other Iranian operative you were looking for,” Ziva said.

Andy called on my radio, ”we have Butros Tayfur, Omar Alhalmi and Maged Alsabahi. The others are dead.”

”What was the explosion?” I asked.

”Suicide vest, a dozen are dead. There are more than a hundred vests here – possibly two hundred – and more than a hundred AK47s and thousands of rounds of ammo,” Andy replied.

”Do you have the three prisoners bagged and cuffed?” I asked.

”Yes.”

“Get them in a vehicle and send them back to the air field, the G5 is there. We have six prisoners here I will send to the field – the pilots will have orders to leave for Morton as soon as we get them there,” I said.

”How many other prisoners are there?”I asked.

”Two hundred by the first count,” Andy said.

”Damn!”

”Cover the bodies where they are – they are Louis’s problem as are any other prisoners. Safely get all the weapons displayed on the floor and have Hanna film them. We will do the same here. I will call Louis and tell him to bring the media for show and tell and vans for the prisoners,” I said.

“Any count on collateral damage?” I asked.

”Ten cars were destroyed, several dead,” Andy replied.

”Bad but not as bad as we thought,” I said.

Louis was shocked at the information I gave him on the counts. By the time I had finished talking to him my inside men had collected all the weapons and had them in the hall. There were only twenty vests here and fifty rifles plus the six machine guns from the dead.

I looked at all the film that Nick had recorded and gave the OK for it to be sent after he had filmed the captured weapons found here. He had done as I instructed and instantly stopped recording. There was no evidence of the prisoners we had taken. He did have excellent film of the firefight with some good audio.

I did get to look at the first piece that Melinda had sent, ”This is Melinda Shaffer imbedded with JBG Red Battalion 1 on the first JBG Pact anti-terrorist raid in Europe. Hanna Page is imbedded with ‘Blue Battalion 1’, I will see if I can get a report from her later. Gun fire and explosions are going off all around us. More to come in a few minutes when it is safe.”

The film showed my hooded men and me as we were getting out of the armored vehicle, entering the building and the sounds of battle with the firefight where the six had died. Oh joy was about to start and it was only 1100.

Melinda even sent the recording of her evaluation to the ZNN office.

”Tell them they can blur out my parts and run it,” Melinda said to Nick.

Louis showed up with an army of French media and the French President along with dozens of police to take the prisoners and their wounded. A media tour of the mosque and all the captured weapons was live for the European community to see.

Then there was the big impromptu news conference that I nor anyone else was prepared for, carried live for the world via ZNN and channel 34 on unaffiliated media links. Hanna was making grand-dad lots of money with the normal linking fees and she was the free lance star of the European media, helmet and body armor included.

There were hundreds of questions in a several languages about the raid, the intel, how did we know. I was still trying to preserve our intelligence link but I was sure that it was gone.

”JBG has had operatives in this cell for months; in fact one of our operatives was to wear a suicide vest in an attack in the next few days. JBG has some of the most dedicated people of any organization – military or civilian – in the world in the fight against terrorism. Anyone who will agree to wear a suicide vest to gain information is a hero. A hero who will never be recognized outside of our organization,” I said.

“Ambassador Jones, when did you become a general? Is that a new job for you?” a reporter asked in German.
”A little over four hours ago is when I found out about it. Certain individuals in my organization planned it behind my back, they know who they are. I know I am going to get ribbed badly for it,” I said.

”How many men participated in the raid?” Melinda was asked.

”We came over in a 400 passenger 747 jumbo jet and it was full. There were at least two more aircraft involved. I don’t know how many men are in two JBG battalions,” was her reply.

It was 0500 in Washington and Washington was alive and screaming. My phones had been ringing through the news conference. I looked at the missed calls. Let the fun begin!

Edit by Alfmeister
Proof read by Bob W.

Wednesday morning Andy and I reviewed the latest communiqués from the General and Tiam. Things were heating up with all kinds of plans under discussion. The General was being a general. He was suggesting specific areas in France, Germany and England that he wanted suicide bombers placed for better political impact.

After saying goodbye to the girls and boys, the next stop was Morton Field. Many of the men were already there with their gear. I got there just as the customs agent was setting up a table to stamp the passports of the men and ladies.

It did not take long to stamp the seventy five passports but the 200 was going to be a mess. The 747 was 15 minutes out when I finished.

The fifteen minutes gave me time to hunt down my gear. Andy had taken all my gear along with all the girls’ gear to have the Velcro sown on the upper arm. Andy said since we all were in the field or had the potential to be in the field, our gear should be marked.

It was in the traditional big duffel bag. I put it on the top of the baggage cart. They were keeping the Morton group in a separate storage bay for easier unloading and sorting. That gave me three bags to control, one with the gear, my go bag with four days of camo, panties and socks and my portable office.

Andy’s group had found several seamstresses who brought their industrial sewing machines to the new offices and had all of the men’s uniforms altered over the week. The Velcro was put where the new unit and rank system was to be attached. The ranks were to be painted on helmets and safety gear.

On the shirt was the only permanently attached name and rank. It was on the right front – over the pocket – the same as the military used. My gear was camo but all of the security people were issued brown as it was not as hot as black uniforms. In the sun black uniforms cooked you – good in cold weather, not so much in hot.

All the other parts were also sewn to Velcro so they could be changed as needed.

There were six from customs who went up the stairs into the 747 with Lorrie and me. They started down the aisle first, stamping passports as they went and we followed. Thirty minutes later we were done and the seventy five from Morton were finding seats. All the gear had been stowed in the baggage compartments, including mine along with Malinda’s, Hanna’s and their camera men.

There were the final hugs and passionate kisses for my mates at the bottom of the stairs; all of them had shown up even after the goodbye at home and pecks on the cheeks for two little boys who were pouting because they could not go.

Ten minutes after that I walked up the stairs with a handful of notes from Eric and Dick James that had arrived by special messenger for the final time.

After we leveled off at 40000 feet I walked through the plane talking with men I had never seen before. They seemed like a good group of men, none seemed like I needed to worry about turning my back on them. My first impression was that Andy had chosen well.

After four hours of making the trip through the plane, speaking with everyone, I finally settled into my seat and read the notes Eric and Dick James had sent. There was nothing in them that I had not known about yesterday.

We were flying back in time; it was 1400 in Paris when we took off, it would be 2000 when we landed. Louis was going to have buses pick us up on the tarmac and carry us to the barracks a mile and a half from the runway.

I leaned my seat back and went to sleep. I doubted there would much sleep after we arrived. If there was, it would be a short night.

I was awakened by the landing gear going down and a few minutes later the screech of the tires contacting the runway.

There were ten buses carrying us back and forth to the empty section of the humongous barracks. France – as all European countries – had been downsizing their military for decades saving the money to pay for social programs.

This barracks was half empty. The airmen occupying the other half had spent the last three days cleaning it. It smelled of disinfectant and chlorine and the windows were opened to air it out. It was a good thing France was having an Indian summer like Maryland or this place would be cold.

The bunks were not made but there were clean sheets, blankets, pillow case, a towel and a face cloth stacked on the mattress. We had to make our own bunks – not a big deal, five minutes max.

The bunks were six rows wide and twelve long with storage above them – a piece of plywood. Then there were the open bathrooms; twenty four thrones with doors – that was a surprise – and open showers. It was a room with hooks on one wall to hang clothes and a dozen shower heads stuck out of the wall with 1940’s controls below them. A lot of chlorine had been used in here.

On the other side of the bathrooms were another seventy two bunks and building – a repeat of the other side.

Ziva, Abra and Sofia had picked six bunks in the corner for us girls. Andy and a bevy of his officers took the bunks around us. For now I threw my three bags on the upper storage. It was time to find something to eat; the plane food only went so far.

There was another building fifty feet away that doubled as a cafeteria / conference room center. There was plenty of coffee and the chefs readily obliged with whatever the men wanted.

It was too late for me to eat a big meal. I made a sandwich that made me want to laugh; German bologna, Italian ham, Swiss cheese and coffee in a French military barracks. There were French soldiers at other tables drinking coffee and eating pastries. I wondered if any of these were the drivers for the raid.

We headed back to the barracks where I made my bunk and found a gym tee shirt and shorts in my go bag and then I emptied my pockets into my go bag and headed for the showers with my men.

At 0700 all my men were in the cafeteria for breakfast. Pastries just was not my kind of food to start the day. I managed to talk the chef into making me eggs and bacon. I wasn’t alone; he ended up making several more.

At 0800 Andy announced the team leaders were now called majors, the unit leaders called captains and the squad leaders called lieutenants. I went over the general outline of why we were here.

That was new information for most of all of them – they knew they were all part of a mission that require French and Persian speaking men. They also knew we had chosen special ops persons who would follow orders to the letter and not let conscience or morality get in the way.

At 0900 Louis and several of his closest aides came for a scheduled meeting and to compare the latest intel for a final decision. I wouldn’t have the latest from Robert for a couple more hours. But yesterdays was enough for now.
Louis had updated info from the subway system and the transit traffic had picked up into the training center blocks. The transit buses had counters and so did the subway stops. Traffic was up thirty percent yesterday in the two block area where we were going to conduct raids.

Robert sent today’s translated intercepts at noon; it was 0530 at home. Robert and his group had come in early to get us these intercepts.

A final review locked in the raid. It was now 1300. Now for the final prep work.

Andy and I laid out the route we were going to take to get to the training center and the mosque. The mosque was assigned to Red Battalion 1 code name ‘Red 1’ under my command with fourteen heavily front end reinforced vehicles, one hundred twenty men and the Mossad ladies plus Melinda Schaffer and her camera man.

The remainder, two hundred and five men, were assigned to Blue Battalion 1, code name ‘Blue 1’ under Andy’s command with Hanna Page and her camera man using twenty four more armed vehicles.

The forty heavily front reinforced vehicles were outside the barracks with the drivers that were going to drive them.

We began the process of installing JBG decals on them, covering the French Army logos. The French drivers were not happy. The only thing Louis and a French one star General could tell them was that all would be explained tomorrow morning at 0500 when the mission was to be detailed. Breakfast was to be at 0400.

Their orders were that they were temporally assigned to JBG and were to bunk in our barracks. The second part of that order was a communications blackout. From this time until the mission was complete there were no phone calls – cell or otherwise.

Edit by Alfmeister
Proof read by Bob W.