Read Online The Point Team by J.B. Hadley - Free Book Online

took the job or not, was enough to persuade him to take a short trip to New York, all expenses
     paid.
    “I understand that you have pursued a military career of sorts since you left the Special Forces.”
    “I’ve been a mercenary, soldier of fortune, call it what you will.”
    “Where?”
    “Africa, the Middle East, Central America—I’d prefer not to get too specific.”
    “I understand,” Vanderhoven said. “How long were you in the Special Forces in Vietnam?”
    “Four years. Not all in Vietnam, of course. There were forays into Laos and Cambodia.”
    “I’m sure you don’t want to be too specific about that, either. Have you been back in Southeast Asia since the war ended?”
    “No.”
    “Care to go back?” the old man asked casually.
    Mike hesitated. “I imagined you had something in Africa for me …”
    “You are avoiding my question.”
    Campbell shrugged. “I’d have to give it serious consideration.”
    “Good. I’m pleased to hear that. Because I don’t want any gung-ho amateurs or reckless heroes in my affairs. What I tell you
     now I expect you to keep confidential even if you are not interested. Agreed?”
    “Agreed.”
    Vanderhoven began to speak in a dry neutral voice. “I have a grandson in Vietnam …” He told Mike the whole story in as few
     words as possible and without emotion until he summed up his narrative by saying, “These totalitarians demand that we
both
apologize. Vanderhovens apologize! I hadn’t realized I’d treated the boy unjustly—I’d never considered him a
real
Vanderhoven—until Katie Nelson described his attitudes to me and then my assistant Boggs confirmed the fact that the boy
     is standing up alone—at the age of thirteen—to these … these inhuman communist robots. I want him out, Campbell! I want you
     to go in there and bring him out! I don’t care how you do it, and I don’t care how much money it costs. Understand? Bring
     him out, and I’ll leave him every penny I possess.”
    The force and passion in the octogenarian’s voice took Campbell by surprise. He said, “People you suddenly develop an affection
     for after not noticing for years may not live up to your great expectations.”
    “I am used to people falling short of my expectations, Campbell,” Vanderhoven said in a flat, ironic voice.
    “You’re certain that this boy Eric wants to come? That it will be a rescue, not a kidnapping?”
    “I’m absolutely certain.”
    Mike shifted in his chair. “If money’s no object, I can bring a team into Vietnam for you and bring the boy out again. The
     part I’m not happy about is making contact with him. A unit of heavily armed Westerners can’t wanderabout looking for an American youth. There’s no tourist trade, so we can’t wander about with cameras and Bermuda shorts,
     either.”
    “Katie Nelson is more than willing to return to Vietnam. I understand the communists were very pleased with her American TV
     program and will let her back in anytime she pleases.”
    Campbell shook his head. “The media will blow the whole thing. They’ll put us on the seven o’clock news while we’re still
     behind enemy lines and announce to the world exactly what we’re doing and where we’re going. Forget her.”
    “She knows the boy, Campbell. And she can move inside Vietnam with much more freedom than you can. You can’t do without her
     help. Plus she demands the exclusive TV news rights to your escape story in exchange for her cooperation.”
    Mike laughed. “You can’t be serious! Not only do you want us to go into the middle of communist goddamn Vietnam and grab one
     of their citizens, who happens to be a minor and may not want to come for all I know—not only all that, now you want me to
     take along a TV crew to cover the action. What do we do, pause for commercial breaks? Coming to you live from Vietnam, via
     satellite, Mad Mike Campbell abducts a rich American’s grandson from under the very nose of Russia’s