False Friends Read Free

obviously locked on the inside. He kicked it hard, several times, and it rattled but remained obstinately closed.
    Al the Seals from Helo Two had moved some distance away because the main rotor was stil turning. Henderson leaned into the bel y of Helo Two and briefed the crew chief.
    When he’d finished talking a soldier holding a Heckler & Koch put a hand on his arm. ‘What’s happening, Guy?’
    The soldier was English, the only non-American on the team, and although he was there as an observer he had been issued with a Glock pistol and Heckler & Koch MP5 carbine complete with suppressor.
    ‘We’re going ahead, but through the gate,’ said Henderson. ‘We can’t risk losing the second helo.’

    The crew chief appeared at the Black Hawk’s side door. ‘Chinook’s on its way. ETA five-zero minutes.’
    ‘Roger that,’ said Henderson. He nodded at the Englishman. His name was Dan Shepherd and he worked for MI5, the British intel igence agency. It was MI5 who had provided much of the intel igence on the interior of the compound and they had insisted that they were represented on the mission. Shepherd had been chosen because he had a special forces background with the Special Air Service, the nearest thing the Brits had to the Seals. ‘I’ve got to talk to Adam, stick with me.’
    Henderson jogged over to Croft with Shepherd fol owing closely behind. Croft looked up as they reached him. ‘What’s the story?’ he asked.
    ‘Chinook’s on its way, ETA fifty minutes. What’s the plan, Adam?’
    ‘We breach the compound,’ said Croft. ‘Then in through the front door.’
    ‘What about my team?’
    ‘Four men to secure the perimeter; you and the rest fol ow me.’ He waved at a short, squat Seal who was standing looking at the downed helicopter. ‘Get the C4 out, Tommy,’ he said. ‘Blow this fucking gate in.’
    Tommy was the leader of the unit’s three-man demolition team and they hurried over to the gate and started unpacking C4 charges from their backpacks.
    ‘You think it’s a good idea to take everyone in through the front?’ asked Shepherd.
    ‘We can’t risk crashing the second helo so rope drops are out,’ said Croft. They were al wearing night-vision goggles so it was impossible to read their faces, but it was clear from Croft’s tone that he wasn’t happy about having his orders questioned.
    ‘Let’s move, Dan,’ said Henderson, turning towards his team.
    Shepherd stood where he was, staring at Croft. ‘I get that, but do you think it’s smart to send everyone in through the gate?’ he said. ‘They’l know we’re coming and if they start shooting it’l be a massacre.’
    ‘We can take fire,’ said Croft.
    ‘I hear you, but the smart thing to do would be to move in on two fronts.’
    ‘I only see the one gate, and we’re not using the helo. Now get out of my face and let me get to work.’
    ‘Come on, Dan . . .’ said Henderson, putting his hand on Shepherd’s shoulder. He tried to move Shepherd away from Croft but Shepherd wouldn’t budge.
    ‘You could send a team over the wal at the side,’ said Shepherd. ‘If you go through the main gate you only get to the first courtyard by the guest house. You stil have to get into the courtyard where the main building is. That’s going to slow you down. But if you send men over the west wal they’l drop straight into the main courtyard and they could move around the west side of the house. If you come under fire they could deal with it.’
    Croft took out a smal laminated map of the compound and realised that Shepherd was right. But he stil didn’t appreciate having his orders questioned. ‘Last time I looked that wal ’s eighteen feet high,’ said Croft.
    ‘There’s a stack of oil drums over there by the cowshed and we can pul down some of the planks of wood. That and the ropes from the helo should get us over.’
    ‘That would work, Adam,’ said Henderson.
    The two Seals stared at each other, looking for al the