Thanks for taking the time to read the story and leaving comments. Truly appreciated. Skippy1967…silly question. You should know me by now ;)

Chapter 4

The driver pulled up to what appeared to be a campsite. The drive wasn't long but it left Callen with a headache and an overwhelming feeling of nausea. This was more than travel sickness…but he couldn't be distracted now. He took in deep breaths and focused on the situation at hand.

Hussein noticed Callen's stiffened posture, "I too was nervous the first time I met Raza. You'll be fine, friend."

Callen nodded with a smile, controlling the urge to beat the man to death.

The camp wasn't at all what Callen had expected. Nothing impressive. It was well hidden inside the side of the mountain that loomed over Wana. Apart from a few sentries and well-camouflaged areas, the place was very low key. There wasn't a fence around the camp and no designated security points. This made Callen doubt the intel Westerman had collected and it also made him a little nervous. But he couldn't let fear or anxiety get the best of him. He needed to be patient. He hoped that his credentials would get him well inside the organisation.

Hussein stepped out of the jeep and encouraged Callen and another man to do so too. "Gentlemen this way," offered Hussein.

Callen gave the other recruit a questioning look as they both followed. He watched as Hussein greeted soldiers left, right and centre. They walked past camouflaged Humvees, jeeps, assault helicopters and…tanks! They had tanks. Red alarm bells started ringing! This was not a rabble group that the security agencies thought…someone was backing these people, someone with a lot of money. His curiosity allowed him to lag behind Hussein, "Aziz, come Raza is waiting!" Callen picked up his speed and jogged into the cave behind Hussein. Callen looked around and marvelled at the engineering feat that had been created. These were open caves; maze like cavities dug out from the side of the mountain. There were recesses that resembled rooms and a flow through effect that would allow evacuation within minutes. Callen started memorising the layout: something that came easy due to his eidetic memory; and he also started counting the soldiers.

Hussein led them deeper into the cave maze as natural light seemed to diminish somewhat, until they reached a cavernous area where a group of men seemed to be having a heated discussion.

"They haven't responded Raza. They are planning retaliation…another rescue mission. We need to move our camp."

"I agree…we are not safe. Kill the marines or move location. A week has been too long already."

"Gentlemen I take you opinions on advisement. But my decision stands. We have decimated their elite SEAL teams. Our message has been very clear. They will negotiate. We stay."

Callen, the new recruit and Hussein waited near the entrance for permission to enter as the two advisors made their way out, grumbling and obviously very angry. Raza was left on his own for a while until he motioned to someone in the shadows. The man approached. Caucasian…maybe eastern European, tall, muscular. He looked familiar. Callen was sure he had seen him before. Raza leant in and spoke quietly, "Kill them both." The tall man nodded and left through the back exit.

Callen stopped himself from gasping. It wasn't the fact that Raza wanted to the two men killed, hell he'd do the same in his position. He was surprised that Raza had spoken in English with a perfect accent.

"Aziz…Aziz man come on," Hussein pulled Callen's arm waking him from his rampant thoughts.

Callen and the new recruit walked forward towards Raza. He felt Raza's eyes all over him and the other guy. He found it unsettling. But it was short lived as Raza warmly welcomed Hussein, "Brother welcome…ah I see you have found more that support our cause."

Raza recognised the other recruit, "So you are Akim's brother. Welcome. Hussein get him settled." Hussein didn't like being ordered like a dog, but he complied. Callen didn't miss Hussein's attitude and neither did Raza.

With the two men gone, Raza walked towards Callen. At first an uneasy feeling washed over him, "Aziz Umar…engineer and military man…thank you for joining our cause."

Callen bowed his head, "It's an honour."

"Aziz, we are all equal here. Come sit," Callen followed Raza and they sat at a small table. Raza pulled out some papers. "You're an engineer…mechanical?"

"Yes…" said Callen looking eagerly at Raza.

"I need a man, a good man to oversee the maintenance of the transport vehicles. There are a few men who can work on repairs, but there is no one who can be a diagnostician," finished Raza.

"That I can do Raza," replied Callen making eye contact with him.

Suddenly a charismatic smile appeared on Raza's face, "Good…good. Anything you need, Hussein will show you where we keep the supplies…if not we'll get them somehow."

Callen noticed a slight urgency in his voice, "Are we on a time limit?"

Raza didn't smile this time. His face was serious, "We are always on a time limit. We have two Humvees that aren't operational and they need to be."

"I understand. I'll get straight to work," offered a humble Callen.

"May Allah be with you in our struggle."

Callen was in. The duties Raza had given him allowed him a certain degree of freedom to move around the camp. He just needed to play it safe and bide enough time to free the hostages without drawing attention to himself.

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Sam Hanna was counting 5 days…5 days and nothing. The SEALS hadn't come. After the last 2 failed attempts, he knew they wouldn't. Sam knew there was only one person who could get them to safety, but he knew Callen wouldn't come. He wouldn't risk his life after the argument they had when Sam left.

The SEALS had been left in a room that allowed a ray of sunshine to stream through at a certain time of the day. Their hands and the legs were tied by unforgiving ropes that had dug into their skin. They were grimy and dirty. But they didn't cower before their captors. They held their heads up high. Sam led by example.

"Last time it was 5 days, Sam…5 days when they moved us," said Greg, a fellow SEAL.

"I know," Sam said sullenly, trying to remain calm.

"Something's different this time," piped up the youngest of the team, Harvey.

"Do you think they're preparing for something big? Do you think they might start…" Thomas stopped not wanting to voice his thoughts.

"What? Start to pop us off, Tommy?" asked Hank, the most outspoken of the team.

"That's enough Hank. We can't start doing this to ourselves. We need to stay alert and focussed just in case there's a moment, an opportunity to escape…and if we can't, we take them down no matter the cost 'cause we're SEALS," said Sam trying to keep up their morale.

"They destroyed two of our best teams, Sam. There's no one else…they were the two top teams…there is no one else!" said Leshawn, starting to raise his voice.

"NO! Don't do this Leshawn…don't! Someone will come. We need to stay hopeful, OK man!" reiterated Sam.

Suddenly the door opened. Four men stood at the door, two carried assault rifles while the other two brought in the food and untied the hostages' hands and feet. They didn't say anything and didn't make eye contact. They waited until the hostages had eaten. Then their hands were tied up again. The older soldier at the door spoke up before they left, "We take you outside for walk. Stand. You run, we kill you."

Sam looked over to his teammates, eyeing them to keep their cool and they followed his instructions. They walked out into the daylight shielding their light-starved eyes from the blazing summer sun. Each soldier walked around taking in sounds and smells. They looked around watching the Pakistani recruits; their instincts at their highest. Suddenly Sam found himself drawn to a man working on a Humvee. He kept his curiosity veiled. He recognised the stance…he recognised the way he cocked his head when he was puzzled but the man in front of him didn't look like G until he turned his head slightly, catching Sam's eye and giving him 'the smirk'.

No way Sam thought…no way. He smiled. He came!

Callen noticed Sam and his heart leapt for joy when he saw his partner relatively safe. He'd get Sam out…alive!

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