Rice sat within the foliage near the top of Mount Bulmo, rubbing the pendant between his thumb and forefinger. He thought back to that night on the beach, the night he proposed to Rita, when this stone washed up by her feet.
I wonder what she'd think if she knew her little good luck charm might be our last chance to stop Thulgira and the North Koreans.
He pictured her in his mind's eye. What was she doing back in San Diego? Probably worrying herself to death over him. There sure as hell wasn't much good news regarding the war, unless you were North Korean. Did the Navy tell her about his injury? Did that make her even more afraid for him? God, what he wouldn't give to be with her right now, even for a minute.
You'll see her again.
He held on to that thought, let it give him strength, let it motivate him to help Gamera stop Thulgira once and for all.
Rice peered through the bushes at the sprawling urban landscape of Changwon. The city was blacked out, not that it mattered to his night vision goggles. He scanned the streets, clogged with all manner of vehicles. Many people opted to leave their cars and trucks and flee on foot. Probably to Pusan. It wasn't like there were too many other places for them to go.
His gaze shifted to the alluvial plain to the northeast. American and South Korean soldiers, tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and artillery stretched across the flat land. Bait for Thulgira.
Some bait. The troops and weapons down there represented the bulk of the US and ROK's remaining combat forces. Destroy them, and the North Koreans could easily march into Pusan and complete their conquest of South Korea.
Rice checked around him. Warthan, Myung-Dae, Soto and Engle also concealed themselves within the foliage. Candale and Mongkut were stationed further out, covering the approaches to his position. No longer his SEALS. Now his bodyguards. The thought didn't sit well with him. It made him sound weak. His job was to protect people. People didn't need to protect him.
Not that he could argue the point with the head of Combined Forces Command. And, while he hated to admit it, General Taylor was correct. Rice's pendant did make him the most important man in South Korea right now. They couldn't afford any harm to befall him.
"Soto. What's Thulgira's status?" The unit's communications specialist kept tabs on the monster via a live link from a Global Hawk.
"Still headed our way. The ugly SOB should reach the outskirts of Changwon in about five hours."
I am ready, Rice heard Gamera's thoughts.
Soon, buddy. Soon.
He stared past the mountains bordering the city, thinking of another group of SEALs much further north.
It's all on you, Kon. As a great philosopher once said, "Git 'er done."
XXXXX
The flight was more tense than Commander Kon would care to admit. The starboard engine constantly gave the pilots trouble, and came close to stalling at least four times. As low as they were to the water, there would be no time to recover from any stall.
Just get us there. Just get us there. Kon repeated the mantra in his head.
He checked on the other SEALs. Most sat hunched over, rubbing their hands together, lost in their own thoughts. Or probably, lost in just one thought.
Please don't crash.
The damaged engine also made the flight painstakingly slow. Kon doubted the V-22 Osprey had gotten over 230 miles-per-hour at any time. The tilt-rotor had a maximum speed of more than 340 mph. Kon wondered how far behind schedule they would be once they landed.
If we land at all.
A steady patter could be heard and felt throughout the Osprey. Kon groaned. That would be the rain Dokdo's meteorologist had predicted. It made the Osprey shudder constantly.
A loud cough from the starboard engine penetrated the cabin. Kon's shoulders tensed. He bit his lower lip until it hurt. He noticed many of the other SEALs do the same. They were definitely afraid. He was afraid.
But like him, they would rather die than show their fear.
Thankfully, the Osprey stayed in the air.
"Okay, Commander," Fitzsimmons contacted him through his helmet's internal communications system. "We are feet dry."
"Roger." Kon informed the other SEALs that they had just crossed the North Korean coastline. Several of them blew out long sighs of relief. Not long now until they reached their landing zone.
Another sick groan came from the starboard engine.
Everyone tensed again.
The Osprey remained airborne.
Minutes later, Kon heard Harrah say, "Transitioning to vertical flight."
The Osprey slowed to a crawl, then dipped to the right. Kon held his breath. Not now. Not when we're this close.
The pilots leveled out the aircraft. Kon still held his breath until he felt a soft bump underneath him.
They had finally landed.
More importantly, they had landed in one piece.
The rear ramp came down, revealing a driving rainstorm outside.
"In-Su," Kon called out to a tall, stout SEAL. With the death of Chief Petty Officer Park, Petty Officer First Class In-Su was now the unit's senior NCO.
"Yes, Sir."
"Get the men outside. I shall join you in a minute."
"Yes, Sir."
As the SEALs hustled out of the Osprey, Kon jogged to the flight deck.
"Gentlemen," he said to the Marine pilots. "I thank you for getting us to our objective safely, in spite of the damage to your aircraft. Your flying was truly exceptional."
"Thank you, Sir," replied Captain Harrah. "Honestly, I think it was more luck than skill that got us here, but we'll take the compliment."
Kon grinned briefly. "What will you do now?" The original plan called for the Ospreys to fly back to Dokdo, refuel, then return for the SEALs once they completed their mission. But Dokdo was likley at the bottom of the Yellow Sea, along with the other Osprey, and Kon doubted this Osprey would survive a second trip here.
"The closest ship we can land on is the George Washington," said Harrah, "and she's probably a hundred-fifty miles south. No way we're gonna make it there in this bird. The best we can do is get as far from the coast as we can, ditch, and hope our side picks us up before the bad guys."
Kon's jaw stiffened. That was extremely risky, but he couldn't see any other choice for the Americans.
"Good luck to you." He shook both Harrah's and Fitzsimmons' hands.
"Same to you, Commander," said Harrah.
"Good luck, Sir," Fitzsimmons added. "Kick some ass for us."
"We intend to, Lieutenant."
Kon shook hands with the crew chief and wished him good luck before exiting the Osprey. The other SEALs waited for him by a clump of trees. He was completely drenched by the time he reached them.
The Osprey rose into the dark, rainy sky as Kon pulled his sealed orders from under his fatigues. He tore open the packet and pulled out the documents, each one covered in a clear waterproof folder. Using an infrared flashlight, he read each one, with In-Su and a few other SEALs hovering around him. The documents gave him names and photos of their contacts near Kaesong, along with a map and GPS coordinates for their rendezvous point. He also memorized the code phrase and response for the contacts.
Kon stuffed the documents back into his fatigues and ordered the men to move out. He sent two SEALs, Young Ho and Kyu Bok, forty yards ahead to scout their path and watch for enemy patrols and treacherous terrain.
They encountered no North Korean troops. The terrain, however, gave them some challenges. A few slopes had completely turned to mud and slowed their progress. More than a few SEALs slipped and fell. Aside from some cuts and bruises, none were seriously injured.
Three miles into their march the thumping of rotorblades carried over the sound of the rain. They ducked behind trees and under bushes as a helicopter with a bulbous fuselage flew overhead. A Z-5, a Chinese-made copy of the old Soviet Mi-4 Hound.
The helicopter shined a searchlight into the woods. Apparently it didn't spot any of the SEALs as it continued on. Kon observed it as its bright white searchlight grew smaller. He thought back to the Osprey's rough flight through the rain, and wondered if the ancient Z-5 fared even worse in this weather.
He hoped so. Then maybe it would crash.
The SEALs resumed their trek. The rain didn't let up. Kon was soaked to the bone. He felt the weight of his gear more and more as he walked. The muscles in his legs grew leaden. He had no doubt the other SEALs felt as he did.
Still they kept going. Kon did not order any breaks. They couldn't afford to.
An eternity later, Young Ho's voice came through Kon's radio. "Commander. We've spotted two Zil trucks parked just inside the woods. They are at the same coordinates as our rendezvous point. There is one guard with an AK-74 rifle in front of the lead truck. He matches the photo of the contact named Hyo."
"Roger. Hold your position. I shall make contact with him. In-Su, I leave you in charge. If you hear any gunfire, go in, eliminate everyone in the trucks, and continue on with the mission.
"Yes, Sir."
Kon set out toward the trucks, his boots squishing in the mud. He passed Young Ho and Kyu Bok. Both concealed themselves in the bushes, covering the rendezvous point with their compact Daewoo K1 carbines. The man by the trucks stiffened as Kon approached. He didn't raise his AK-74, but looked ready to if the situation warranted.
"Lee Man-Soo is the greatest player in the history of Korea Professional Baseball," Kon stated.
The man with the AK-74 took a step forward. "If he was so great, how come the Samsung Lions only won one championship during his entire career with them?"
Kon let out a short sigh of relief. The man had given the correct response. He walked up to him. "Commander Kon."
"I am Hyo."
Kon doubted that was the man's real name as he shook his hand. He then radioed the rest of his SEALs to join him.
"I thought there would be more of you." Hyo's brow furrowed as he took in Kon's unit.
"There were. Our ship was torpedoed by a North Korean submarine. We managed to get off. The rest of my team . . . was not so fortunate." Kon's teeth clenched as he recalled the shattered Osprey containing Chief Park and the others plunging into the sea.
"I am sorry."
"Thank you." Kon nodded. "You have the information we need?"
"Yes." Hyo looked over his shoulder and hollered, "Lee! Shin! Min Ho!"
A short, slender woman emerged from the cab of the second truck. Her damp clothes clung to a very shapely figure. Three more people jumped out the back of the truck. Two of them, one lanky, the other muscular, gripped a slight, trembling young man by the arms. They half-walked, half dragged him over to Hyo and shoved him to the ground.
"Please don't hurt me," the young man's voice quivered. "Please. I told you I'd do whatever you want."
Kon approached the scared young man and studied him. He wore a pair of pajamas, soaked by the rain. A couple bruises stood out on his child-like face. He couldn't have been more than eighteen.
"Who is this?"
"Private Sang Min of the Korean People's Army. He is with one of the supply units that service your target. Lee was able to use her . . . charms to put him at ease before we captured him."
Sang Min looked over at Lee, whimpering, a hurt expression on his face.
Lee's face was as unreadable as stone.
"We 'persuaded' him to give us everything he knew about the complex." Hyo reached into his tunic and produced a piece of paper covered in clear plastic. "Thanks to his information, we came up with this diagram."
Kon checked it over with his infrared flashlight, concentrating mainly on the lower levels of the complex. A few areas were left blank. No doubt restricted areas. One of them had to be the place where Barznav controlled Thulgira.
Speaking of which . . .
He pulled out the photo of Barznav and held it in front of Sang Min. "Do you recognize this man?"
"Yes, Yes. He is the scientist."
"Does he stay on the base?"
"I don't know. I heard there are places in the sub-levels where the important people stay. They have big beds and sofas and microwave ovens there."
Kon nodded. He thought it unlikely Barznav would live off-base. With a war on, the so-called Great Leader would want him as close to the devices that controlled Thulgira as possible.
"How many soldiers guard the base?"
"A-A hundred or more. Maybe a hundred-forty or a hundred-fifty now, with the extra anti-aircraft guns and missiles there."
"Regular army or Special Purpose Forces?"
"Regular soldiers."
"What about other personnel? Technical specialists? Support staff?"
"Yes. Yes, they are there. Other scientists. Cooks. Clerks."
"How many people in total at the base?"
"Two-Two hundred. Two hundred twenty, maybe."
Kon folded his arms across his chest, processing the information from the trembling Sang Min. He figured they were facing at least a company of regular soldiers. Add to it maybe another three or four dozen manning the anti-aircraft systems.
"Are the support personnel armed?"
"I think I saw a couple of them carrying pistols."
Kon responded with a barely perceptible nod. So even the support troops are armed. But how many of them were proficient with pistols or rifles? They would also be slower to react than troops trained specifically for combat.
"What about the scientists? Are any of them armed?"
"Not the ones I saw."
That was good. They'd likely surrender the moment they saw a carbine aimed their way. One or two might try to be a hero. A three-round burst to the chest should discourage any others from doing the same.
Twenty SEALs versus upwards of 220 people. They would have to strike fast with maximum violence and kill as many soldiers as possible to have any chance of success.
He called over all his SEALs. They stood in a circle as he went over the plan for their assault.
"We would like to help if possible," Hyo said.
"You have already helped us with this information," said Kon.
"No, I mean we wish to join you in your attack on the complex. We all have the necessary training and experience for this. And with your team at half-strength, you will need all the extra bodies you can get."
"But what of your cover here in the North? It will be compromised if you join us."
"We know why that complex is so important. If it is not destroyed, the country we serve will no longer exist."
Kon's face scrunched in thought. He didn't like the idea of adding four strangers to a group who had spent months, in some cases years, working and training together. But he couldn't argue with Hyo's logic. His unit was undermanned for this mission. The more guns at his disposal, the better.
"Very well. I accept your offer."
Hyo, Lee and Shin, the lanky spy, joined the SEALs, while Min Ho, the muscular spy, watched the young North Korean private. After working out their plan, they gave Sang Min a fresh uniform and boarded the trucks.
"Please let me go," Sang Min begged Kon. "I helped you. I did what you wanted. Please let me go."
"We can't. We need you to drive the truck to the complex. The guards will recognize you."
"I'll do it. I'll do it. Then will you let me go?"
Kon paused. "Yes."
Sang Min smiled. He scrambled into the driver's seat of the first truck, and waited for Kon to climb in before starting the engine.
"Don't try anything." Kon held up his SiG-Sauer P226 pistol, a suppressor attached to the barrel.
"I won't. I swear I won't."
They drove onto the highway, the wipers fighting a losing battle against the rain pounding the windshield. No other traffic passed them. Hyo told them very few traveled on this road, especially at night.
"I don't like him, you know?" Sang Min blurted.
"Who?"
"Our Great Leader. I don't like him. Really, I don't. He is evil. He sent my aunt and uncle to a camp. I don't know if they're alive or dead. My mother and father, and my little sister, they starve. I starve! I deliver so much food to this place, but me and my friends, all we get are a few handfuls of rice or some watery broth. You should go to Pyongyang and kill him."
"Mm-hmm." Kon wondered if the young soldier said all that out of fear, or because he truly believed it. Maybe a combination of both.
Not that it mattered to him.
Sang Min said nothing else until the complex came into sight. Kon sat up straighter, peering through the heavy rain. A pair of guards stepped out of the little shack near the front gate. On either side of the entrance was a sandbagged machine gun nest.
His heartbeat picked up. Kon took a few slow breaths, trying to settle down.
"Remember," he said in a low, menacing tone to Sang Min. "Do nothing to arouse their suspicion."
"Uh-huh." The private nodded emphatically.
One of the guards held up a hand. Sang Min slowed to a stop a couple feet from the gate. Kon watched the guard walk toward the driver's side door, while the other stood near the shack.
"What is it, Private?"
"I have a delivery." Sang Min picked up a clipboard and handed it to the guard. Kon had no idea what was written on it. Hyo had given it to Sang Min before they headed here.
The guard read over the papers, rain dripping off his helmet. Nothing in his body language indicated he was suspicious.
"Everything seems in order, except you are not scheduled to make a delivery at this time. I will have to alert the duty officer."
The guard turned.
Kon brought up his SiG-Sauer. Two muffled claps echoed through the cab. The .357 rounds tore through the base of the guard's neck, severing his spinal cord. He toppled forward, dead before he hit the ground.
The second guard just stared at his fallen comrade, the shock evident on his face.
Kon's first shot shattered the windshield. The next two caught the guard in the chest.
"GO! GO! GO!"
He heard the SEALs scrambling out the back. The North Koreans in the machine gun nests hollered and readied their weapons. Kon glanced at the rearview mirrors. Three spherical objects flew into the machine gun next on the right. He knew the scene would be repeated on his left side.
Several sharp bangs rattled the air. Flashes of orange and red lit up the machine gun nests.
"Drive!" he shouted at Sang Min.
The private nodded and stomped on the gas. The truck rolled through the gate, followed by the second one. SEALs jogged alongside both vehicles. Several raised their carbines. A steady string of crackles filled the air. A squad of North Korean soldiers collapsed. Another soldier near an SA-6 SAM launcher fell against the flat chassis and slid to the ground. The distinct bang of a LAW anti-tank rocket pierced the sound of gunfire. Seconds later a ZSU-23 anti-aircraft vehicle erupted in flames.
"Turn left!" Kon ordered Sang Min.
The private twisted the wheel left. Kon watched the second truck speed toward the hangar-like building. A pair of North Korean soldiers ran out of the entrance, then stumbled and fell, no doubt shot down by one of the SEALs. The truck stopped in front of the entrance. Ten SEALs jumped out the back and stormed into the building, followed by the two in the cab.
"Stop!"
Sang Min stomped on the brake.
Kon noticed an old truck carrying two SA-3 Goa missiles twenty-five feet away. A soldier stood by the bed, clutching a Type 56 rifle, head whipping to and fro.
Kon holstered his pistol, threw open the door and brought up his K1 carbine. The North Korean soldier spotted him just as Kon squeezed the trigger. Three rounds nailed the soldier in the chest. He fell on his side.
The passenger side door of the Goa launcher opened. Kon caught sight of a soldier running away, but didn't have a good shot at him.
He turned back to Sang Min. "Leave. Now."
The private nodded, relief washing over his face. He turned his back to Kon and opened the door.
Kon brought up his K1 and fired. Sang Min's head split in half, blood spraying in all directions. The young North Korean tumbled out of the cab and fell to the ground.
A pang of guilt went through Kon. Any other time, he might have considered letting Sang Min go. But he couldn't take a chance on the young private running into his superiors and providing them details on his unit, or returning with a gun to fight them.
He pushed Sang Min's death out of his head and jumped from the truck. He dashed across the complex, catching sight of Jung-Su, their sniper, climbing the ladder to the top of the water tower. One of the SEALs fired another LAW. An S-60 anti-aircraft gun turned into a fireball. The big spy, Min Ho, fired an RPG-7 at one of the troop barracks. The explosion tore through the thin metal wall of the Quonset hut-style building. Two SEALs, Dong-Sun and Nam-Kyu, rushed up to the barracks and used the grenade launchers attached under the barrels of their K1s to pump fragmentation and high-explosive rounds through the windows. A few North Koreans stumbled out of the doors, many in their underwear and sporting bloody wounds. Chung-Hee, the unit's machine gunner, cut them down with his K3.
"It appears we've killed all the sentries," Hyo reported as Kon approached him. "Many of the SAM operators ran away when the shooting started."
Kon nodded, then turned to the barracks. Smoke and flames gushed from the windows. Two North Koreans emerged from one of the barracks, hands over their mouths, coughing. Chung-Hee opened up with his K3. Both of them spun and dropped to the ground.
"Jung-Su," he radioed the sniper. "Do you see any more enemy soldiers?"
"Just a few scaling the fence to get away. No sign of any sentries. You are clear to the target."
"Roger." Kon looked to the others. "Move!"
They hurried across the wet concrete, splashing through puddles. Kon swept his rifle left and right, alert for any threats. He almost couldn't believe that the gunfire had completely stopped. How long would it last?
His gaze fell on the huge antennae fifty meters away. His chest tightened. That was it. That was what sent out signals that ordered Thulgira to destroy his country.
Rage bubbled up inside him. How many friends and family had died because of that damn monster? How long would it take The Republic to recover? Could it ever fully recover? A vision of him putting a three-round burst into that SOB Barznav's head played in his mind. Why not? He could always tell his superiors the man pulled a gun on his and his SEALs. Barznav surely deserved die more than poor Private Sang Min.
Kon suppressed those thoughts. Suppressed his anger. He couldn't afford them on a mission this –
"ZSU!" Jung-Su voice exploded in his earpiece. "Coming up on your left! Dammit, it was in a blind spot!"
Kon swung his head left. A squat tracked vehicle with a flat turret and four slender cannons rolled out from behind the corner of a building.
"DOWN! EVERYBODY DOWN!"
Kon dropped to his stomach. So did the other SEALs and Hyo's spies.
Except Min Ho. He got on one knee and shouldered his RPG-7.
A rapid-fire popping came from the ZSU-23's cannons. Tracers slashed through the rain. Kon tensed as cracks and zips filled the air above him.
Min Ho's head and left shoulder vanished in a geyser of blood. The ravaged body toppled onto its back. The RPG clattered on the damp concrete.
The ZSU-23 rolled forward.
"Dong-Sun! Nam-Kyu!" Kon shouted into his radio. "Put smoke grenades on the ZSU approaching our position!"
"Yes, Sir," they both replied.
He glanced to his right and spotted the two grenadiers dashing toward them. He gritted his teeth, hoping the rain and the dark obscured the vision of the ZSU-23 crew.
Though if they were using night vision devices . . .
Dong-Sun and Nam-Kyu both dropped to one knee. Soft pops came from their grenade launchers. Two orange flashes erupted on the quad-mounted 23mm cannons. A cloud of thick smoke blotted out the turret. The ZSU-23 rolled to a stop.
Kon scrambled to his feet and hurried over to Min Ho's corpse. He grabbed the fallen RPG-7 and hefted it on his shoulder.
The loud BANG drilled into his skull. An orange flare burned a few feet in front of him as the projectile's internal rocket ignited. It shot through the darkness. A gusher of flames tore through the smoke-shrouded turret. Bright orange sparks exploded from the ZSU-23 as its ammunition cooked off.
Kon dropped the RPG-7 and ordered everyone forward. Once they reached the antenna, he and several other SEALs pulled out blocks of C4 and attached them to the supports. After sticking in the blasting caps, the SEALs and spies retreated behind a sheet metal building 120 meters away.
Kon pulled out the detonator and flipped a switch. "Detonator armed." He took a quick breath. "Fire in the hole!"
His thumb mashed the red button.
Loud, sharp crashes shook the air. Red and orange fireballs consumed the base of the antenna. A loud, grinding sound covered the entire complex. The antenna fell forward, and kept falling until it slammed into the ground. Tremors raced under Kon's feet.
Several of the SEALs let out a cheer. Kon wanted to as well, but decided it would not be the appropriate thing for a senior officer to do.
Besides, only one part of the mission was completed.
His thoughts turned further south, to Lieutenant Commander Jim Rice.
It is up to you now, my friend.
TO BE CONTINUED