Chapter 8: An outstanding warrior
"I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own".
United States Navy Seal Code
Ma'anit
After about an hour, now it's getting dark. They approached the small town of Ma'anit. On the right side of the road, there is a large wooded area, which now looks black, the weather is pleasant, but Steve is still nervous.
They have sent three messages to Jenny without there has been response. Knowing that he must heed his instincts, Steve asks McCallister to stop the car "We will walk from here" says with a serious tone and orders, "follow this route and we'll see you in Haifa".
The seven SEALs get out of the car, loading their backpacks, but leaving their own cell phones and some non-essential packages in the vehicle. They go towards the trees to start walking. The SUV has go a few hundred yards when they heard a strong explosion and the car flies through the air. In the middle of his huge surprise, Steve thinks, "someone had to say... If not, how the hell they knew where...? They should know..."
Lehrer's first instinct is to run towards the fired SUV, but Steve stops him pressing his left biceps. "Wait... We don't know if someone is watching. We cannot put ourselves in their line of fire". Steve orders them to hide behind trees and wait, just to be sure. Three minutes later, they hear the unmistakable blades of a helicopter approaching. The chopper flies over the area, descending almost to the top of trees, for a minute or two, then it moves away at full speed.
Steve and his team remain in silence. Until Crackerjack suddenly says, "they had to set bomb by time, to make sure that we all were in the vehicle". Evans simply mumbles "poor McCallister!" Steve seats and says, "We can do nothing for him now, as soon as we can, we'll send someone to bring him back home." Then, knowing he must take control of the situation, says, "We have to move. The house in Haifa is probably part of the trap, but we have to make sure. For now, let's walk a bit and set up a camp. Then, three of us are going to take a look at the house".
After walking several hundred yards, and make sure that nobody is watching them, they find a place to set up camp. The guys begin to work, review MRE, water and medical supplies, verify weapons and set up a tent.
Meanwhile, Steve meditates on what could have happened. "I don't understand," he thinks. "The only person who knew that we were heading to Haifa was Michaels. She must have been who gave information about the plans of the team and the route that we would take. Damn it! Now we don't know who can we trust". Takes the sat phone Green gave to him, turns it off and removes the battery. He assumes that they are not traceable, but just in case.
He continues his musings, trying to think of a plan to solve the situation "The first thing we need is transportation. There are about 24 miles to Haifa and we don't have time. We could walk to the town and see if we can get any type of vehicle, to reach Haifa and check the house as soon as possible"
Once they installed the camp, Steve raises the following actions. "Evans and Gordon. You have the first surveillance shift. Lehrer and Anders, take care of the computer and verify the connections and set all digital security actions, we need to be sure. Crackerjack, Lynx and I will come closer to the town, to see if we can get a vehicle and will go to take a look at the house. Everybody left the cell phones in the SUV, right?" The men nod in silence. "Excellent, we cannot risk to be tracked"
Anders gives Steve a new GPS navigation device and type the location of the house on it. "Aaron" Steve calls Lehrer, "you're in charge. We'll be in touch ".
The three SEALs place a tiny intercom device on the right ear, load their weapons and begin to walk towards Ma'anit.
They walk relatively fast, hidden among the trees and conveniently surrounded by the darkness of a moonless night. The three SEAL have their night vision goggles, to not risk to be seen due to the light of a flashlight. Fifteen minutes later, they reach Ma'anit. They see a small shed, stealthily approach the entrance, make sure there is no one in the surrounding area and break the lock to open the sliding door.
Once inside, they found an old pickup truck . Steve approaches and try the door "It is open. Lynx, let's see if you can turn it on" Steve asks. Lynx turns the engine on and they get out in the truck heading to Haifa. Twenty-five minutes later, they located his target, hide the truck between the trees and move towards the house.
"We see the house," Steve says, pressing his right ear. Immediately hears Anders response by the earpiece, "be careful. Although they think that we have been eliminated, they won't low the guard".
Steve makes a silent sign to Crackerjack to wait on the edge of the trees. Lynx and Steve surround the house in a wide perimeter, to avoid being seen. It is a two or three room small house. The main facade has two windows. There is a couple of armed guards at the front door, but they don't seem particularly alert. They are smoking and talking in a casual tone. In the interior, the lights are on. When they walk along the left side, can see a single window. They reach the back, there is a small terrace and a closed door. Outside there are two chairs and a table, but there are no guards. On the right side, a couple of windows. Apparently, there is no one else outside the house, in addition to the two guards.
Suddenly, a woman comes out from the front door. Her face looks about 40 years old and her head is covered. She gives a steaming cup each guard and goes back to the inside.
Steve and Lynx return with Crackerjack, and Steve says, "Thermals showed three people in the house, right?" "Yes, Sir" Anders replies "but we cannot be sure there is no one else now". "Okay, let's take a look" Steve says.
They are divided to surround the house again, Steve goes on the right and Lynx on the left. "If you can look through the window to see if you find someone else" orders in a low voice "but be very careful. We will meet on the other side". They stealthily border the house, looking furtively through the windows. When they are next to the rear terrace, Lynx said, "I think there is no one else" Steve nods and says, "Miranda is not here".
Then, they return with Crackerjack and go the way back to the truck. Fifty minutes later, they are back in the camp, after having returned the truck to the shed. Sit on the ground. Gordon starts to deliver them MRE packs and for a moment, everyone eats in silence. Steve is still meditating. "I can't make decisions if I cannot trust the people in Washington," he says finally. "But, I think there is something I can do." He stands and walks a couple of yards into the trees. Takes the satellite phone from his pants pocket. Turns it on and begins typing a message.
Ten minutes later, he sighs deeply and dials a number, waiting for the answer. "Williams", the response is heard from the other side.
Steve emotionally breathes a couple of times and finally says "Danno...". Listens Danny's quick breath, who finally responds "Steve... Oh my God! I thought... I thought you were..."
"Wait a second! calm down Danno!" Suddenly the thinks "How can Danny know that so soon? The explosion was just two or three hours ago! Focuses to hear what Danny is saying "The President called and told me that you were... dead!"
"Tom called you?" Steve asked incredulously.
"Yes, someone called him about you" Danny can't believe Steve is alive. "Steve what is really happening?" he questions, slightly raising the voice.
"Certainly, I don't know. It seems that there is a leak of information. We were driving to find a house. We supposed our suspect was in there. The SUV in which we were traveling exploded only a few seconds after we got out." Steve explains quickly about the helicopter and tells him they were now camping, hoping to develop a plan of action.
"Hey, hey. One minute. Where are you? Why are you calling this number?" Danny continues his tirade of questions.
"That's what I 'm trying to tell you," replies Steve to calm him down "at the moment I don't know who I can trust. I suspect that a Naval Intelligence Lieutenant from Washington is behind this. But we don't know if there are more people involved. That's why I cannot take risks. For now, we can only communicate by this phone. This line is 100% safe. Is that clear?" The voice of Steve does not lead to more aftershocks. "I need you get the team together and go to a safe place. Maybe the restaurant. Don't go to my place. We cannot know if there are cameras in there or in the headquarters. Nor do we know if the phones have been tapped. I'll spare no precautions", Steve continues his orders "all of you, go to the restaurant in 30 minutes and I'll call you again. Don't explain them nothing yet. It's better that way, if there's someone watching you. Make sure you make them believe that you guys still think I'm dead, right?"
"Okay" Danny's voice sounds calmer, "Hey..."
"Yes?"
"I am glad you're alive!"
"Me too, Danno, me too. I'll call you in 30" Steve ends the call.
His mind is already developing a plan, but he needs help and reliable intelligence to be able to accomplish the mission.
For just one minute, when Danny told him that the President had called him, a shadow of doubt about the possible Tom's involvement in the plot, had clouded his vision. "No! He would not play with his daughter's life!" Steve knows it. "They must be cheating him too. We have to find out who is behind all this." He is not so naive to think that Yahdad is acting without the support of someone in the upper echelons in Washington. That is what worries him. Who is helping Yahdad? He knows, almost for certain, Lt. Michaels is involved, but something tells him that she is not the only one.
Walks back to the camp, where the guys are sitting in silence. They haven't lit fire to not draw attention, although no fire is needed, due pleasant weather. Sits next to them saying, "We now have a secure line".
"Five-0?" Lynx questions smiling. "Yes" Steve says calmly. Lehrer and Gordon wave head and finally Aaron asks, "How do you know that you can trust them?"
"I trust them with my life," Steve says simply. "They will help us. We now have a line of communication and intelligence clean to be able to accomplish the mission. I have to call them back in 25 minutes".
Honolulu
Danny ends the call. Barely, he can contain his feelings. Steve is alive!
He quickly returns to HQ and enters Lou's office, who looks at him surprised. "Something happened, right?" Lou questions. Danny simply tells him "I'll see you at the restaurant in 20. Take Jerry, Tani and Junior with you", without further explanation, leaves the office, gets off the building and goes to the Camaro. Turns the engine on and drives out to the road, feeling nervous, but also feeling a happiness that he believed impossible an hour ago.
Eighteen minutes later, Danny opens the restaurant doors. There is a huge disaster of ladders, paint cans and tools everywhere, but the workers are not in there. Quickly he takes some chairs and benches, put them facing the bar and sits down waiting. Three minutes later Lou, Jerry and the kids appear by the door. "What's going on Danny?" Lou asks hastily. When Danny is about to answer, the sat phone rings again.
"We're all here. You are in speaker" Danny answers. On the other side of the line, they hear Steve's voice greeting them, "Hey guys! All of you are there?"
Jerry falls down in one of the chairs, while Lou asks "Steve, oh my God! Are you ok? We all are here". Tani and Junior look each other, surprised. "Yes, buddy. I'm... we are okay" Steve replies "Listen, I face a court-martial for what I'm about to reveal you, but at the moment I can only trust you. What I'm about to tell you is classified information, you must proceed with much discretion and, above all, for the moment nobody can know that I'm still alive" speaks clearly to make sure that everyone understands him, and begins his explanation. "As Danny already knows, a few days ago I received a phone call from an Admiral of the Navy, telling me that I was called from the reserves. They sent me to Washington, where I met President Huxley. His daughter, Miranda was kidnapped during their visit to Israel last week" Steve's voice sounds rushed. "I was sent to command a SEAL team and organize the rescue." Anticipating the question, which surely is forming in Danny's overloaded brain, Steve says, "The President and I served together. He was my CO in some of my early deployments as a SEAL, we trust each other, that's why he called me".
"Kidnappers had contact with you?" Danny asks
"Yes. They sent some pictures to the President's private cell phone, the same day of the kidnapping and some other yesterday, along with some messages that made us think of a personal vendetta. I'm sending them to you right now to your personal email Danny, download and delete them from the server." Steve answers.
"Then this is not an attack by a radical group or about any political reason?" Jerry asks.
"I don't think so, Jer, but the FBI is investigating those possibilities. We're focus on the vendetta issue, and figured out some things. Particularly about a guy named Itzhak Yahdad. His son was killed accidentally in a clash between a SEAL team and an extremist group, on the outskirts of Jerusalem, in 2008."
"A SEAL mission..." Danny mumbles "By chance, Thomas Huxley and you were involved in that mission?" Danny asks.
"Yes. We were the commanders of the mission" Steve replies.
"Now I see what revenge" Tani says and asks "How did happen... all what happened?"
"Yesterday we received intelligence from Washington, warning us of a house in Haifa, where the kidnappers could retain Miranda. We were on our way there, when the vehicle exploded. Luckily, we just got out from the SUV, to finish the journey on foot. I'll tell you the details when I return to Hawaii, beers are on me. For now, I need help. I cannot trust people of Naval Intelligence in Washington, the officer in charge is Lieutenant Michaels. She and my team were the only ones that knew where we were heading and why. Obviously there is a leak of information and my suspicion is that Lt. Michaels is involved."
"How can we help, Sir?" Junior questions with anxious voice. "I'm glad that you ask", Steve jokes. "Junior, I need you and Tani find out everything you can about Lieutenant Jennifer Michaels from Naval Intelligence. Search her personal story. I don't think that this is related to her military career. I want to know where she was born, her family, interests, tastes and travel. All. It is likely that you have to contact Joe White to access her file. But don't reveal him anything about the mission. Simply tell him that it's a case that Five-0 is following".
"Jerry?" Steve asks.
"Yes, Captain America" Jerry replies.
"I need you to find out everything you can about Itzhak Yahdad, alias Jason Papst. We have some information provided by Lt. Michaels, but I want to confirm that. In addition, I want access to his financial statements. I need you to identify important transfers or withdrawals. I'm not sure, but if someone in DC is helping him, there may be money involved".
"You got it!" says a confident Jerry.
"Lou?" Steve calls the captain, "I want to know if there is something about Miranda we don't know. There is something bothering me. According to Michaels, Yahdad entered twice to US, as Jason Papst, in December last year and January this year by visiting University of Pennsylvania and met two teachers. Miranda studies at Penn, I want to know if this visits are related to her, and therefore, if those teachers gave Papst information about her, so you'll may have to make a visit", Steve ends.
"All right" Lou says.
"A little thing more. We can't use Five-0 equipment or resources, until we are sure that there is not hack over them. Jerry, please check thoroughly the smart table, the desktop computers and all the laptops, to be sure there is not remote surveillance software installed. Also, I need you to review, under any maintenance pretext, to see if they are microphones or cameras hidden in the Five-0 offices. Meanwhile, the restaurant can be your meeting point".
"Okay boss" Tani says.
"Only one more question Steve", Lou says, "How would we handle the information about your 'death'?"
"At the moment, Navy won't make a statement or prepare any ceremony. Since they don't have a body, I'm officially 'Missing in action'. Leave like that, for now. If you informed the Governor, probably she will try to coordinate with the Navy for a funeral", Steve replies.
"Fine but... Mary, what I should tell to her? What I should tell Grace, Charlie, Will, Samantha and Renee? And the others, Kamekona, Nahele, Flippa... all of them?" Danny questions.
"The same. Tell the guys and Renee that you had not contacted me, and know nothing about me. If Mary calls you to ask, tell her the same thing, but only if she calls. I think that would be better not to tell the kids anything".
"Well guys, thanks for everything, I'll be in touch" Steve replies finally "Danny, I have a special work for you" Steve says, his voice implies that he must turn off the speakerphone.
