call you in at such short notice, but we have an urgent situation and very little time to bring you up to speed. Here’s an overview of what we have so far …’
He had spent the past two hours collating their objectives, the fledgling assault plan, the vast array of intelligence documents retrieved by Cain, and his own thoughts and recommendations into what he hoped was a logical and concise briefing dossier.
It was still rough, strewn with typos and dangerously vague in places, but it was the best he could do in the time available. Any gaps would have to be filled with verbal questions and answers as they went.
For the next twenty minutes, he outlined in broad terms what had happened thus far, what their objectives were, how they were to be carried out, as well as everything he’d been able to learn about Khatyrgan Prison.
‘So to summarise, our goal is to find an operative answering to the name
Maras
, secure her and get her back to US soil as quickly as possible. The entire operation has to be carried out with total deniability. Questions?’
Frost wasn’t shy about voicing hers. ‘Is this for real? I mean, launching a covert op against Russia? Parachuting into a maximum security prison?’
‘It’s very real,’ Drake confirmed. ‘Next question.’
Dietrich was next. ‘Who exactly is this woman?’
Drake glanced to his right. Cain, along with Franklin, was sitting in on the briefing. Officially they were present to review Drake’s plan and give it the green light, but he suspected Cain was simply there to keep a handle on what was being discussed.
‘Her identity is classified,’ Cain answered.
‘You’re asking us to risk our lives for her. I think we deserve to know.’
Cain gave him a look that would have made most men squirm in their seats. ‘You’re not in a position to make that call. If that’s not acceptable, you’re free to leave any time, Mr Dietrich.’
At this, Dietrich simmered down a little. Even he knew when to back off.
Drake cleared his throat, carrying on with the briefing. He was quite happy to watch Cain tear him a new one all day, but they were short of time already. ‘Needless to say, if any of us are caught or captured, the Agency will deny all knowledge of our existence.’
‘Surprise me,’ Keegan remarked with dry humour.
‘I’m serious,’ Drake cut in. ‘Before we go any further, I want everyone to be clear about what they’re getting into. If anyone wants to back out, this is the time. Nobody will think less of you.’
He looked at each of them in turn, giving them all a chance to voice their thoughts. Frost looked uneasy but determined. Keegan was smiling, as if amused by the whole thing. Mason was his usual composed and implacable self, while Dietrich’s face betrayed no emotion at all.
None of them said a word.
Drake nodded, satisfied. ‘All right. Now, let’s move on to the plan of assault.’
In his briefing dossier, he’d outlined five major challenges that needed to be overcome if the operation was to succeed:
1. Getting to the target area.
2. Making entry to the prison.
3. Neutralising the guards and security measures.
4. Finding and extracting Maras.
5. Getting out of the target area.
‘Phase One, getting there,’ he began. ‘Because of the time constraints and the nature of the target, we can’t approach by land. Our only option is insertion by air.’
‘We have an MC-130 transport standing by,’ Cain chimed in. ‘Our jumping-off point will be Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska.’
Drake moved over to the map he had pinned to the wall behind him. ‘The plan is for our transport to fly as close to Russian airspace as possible, right along the coast here. We then exit and parachute towards Khatyrgan Prison,’ he explained, indicating the rough drop zone on the map, and the proposed descent route.
He then switched his attention to the prison blueprints. ‘Phase Two, making entry. Our aim will be to land on or adjacent to
He had spent the past two hours collating their objectives, the fledgling assault plan, the vast array of intelligence documents retrieved by Cain, and his own thoughts and recommendations into what he hoped was a logical and concise briefing dossier.
It was still rough, strewn with typos and dangerously vague in places, but it was the best he could do in the time available. Any gaps would have to be filled with verbal questions and answers as they went.
For the next twenty minutes, he outlined in broad terms what had happened thus far, what their objectives were, how they were to be carried out, as well as everything he’d been able to learn about Khatyrgan Prison.
‘So to summarise, our goal is to find an operative answering to the name
Maras
, secure her and get her back to US soil as quickly as possible. The entire operation has to be carried out with total deniability. Questions?’
Frost wasn’t shy about voicing hers. ‘Is this for real? I mean, launching a covert op against Russia? Parachuting into a maximum security prison?’
‘It’s very real,’ Drake confirmed. ‘Next question.’
Dietrich was next. ‘Who exactly is this woman?’
Drake glanced to his right. Cain, along with Franklin, was sitting in on the briefing. Officially they were present to review Drake’s plan and give it the green light, but he suspected Cain was simply there to keep a handle on what was being discussed.
‘Her identity is classified,’ Cain answered.
‘You’re asking us to risk our lives for her. I think we deserve to know.’
Cain gave him a look that would have made most men squirm in their seats. ‘You’re not in a position to make that call. If that’s not acceptable, you’re free to leave any time, Mr Dietrich.’
At this, Dietrich simmered down a little. Even he knew when to back off.
Drake cleared his throat, carrying on with the briefing. He was quite happy to watch Cain tear him a new one all day, but they were short of time already. ‘Needless to say, if any of us are caught or captured, the Agency will deny all knowledge of our existence.’
‘Surprise me,’ Keegan remarked with dry humour.
‘I’m serious,’ Drake cut in. ‘Before we go any further, I want everyone to be clear about what they’re getting into. If anyone wants to back out, this is the time. Nobody will think less of you.’
He looked at each of them in turn, giving them all a chance to voice their thoughts. Frost looked uneasy but determined. Keegan was smiling, as if amused by the whole thing. Mason was his usual composed and implacable self, while Dietrich’s face betrayed no emotion at all.
None of them said a word.
Drake nodded, satisfied. ‘All right. Now, let’s move on to the plan of assault.’
In his briefing dossier, he’d outlined five major challenges that needed to be overcome if the operation was to succeed:
1. Getting to the target area.
2. Making entry to the prison.
3. Neutralising the guards and security measures.
4. Finding and extracting Maras.
5. Getting out of the target area.
‘Phase One, getting there,’ he began. ‘Because of the time constraints and the nature of the target, we can’t approach by land. Our only option is insertion by air.’
‘We have an MC-130 transport standing by,’ Cain chimed in. ‘Our jumping-off point will be Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska.’
Drake moved over to the map he had pinned to the wall behind him. ‘The plan is for our transport to fly as close to Russian airspace as possible, right along the coast here. We then exit and parachute towards Khatyrgan Prison,’ he explained, indicating the rough drop zone on the map, and the proposed descent route.
He then switched his attention to the prison blueprints. ‘Phase Two, making entry. Our aim will be to land on or adjacent to
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