Chapter thirty seven,
When breaching a heavily guarded property you need a distraction. A large explosion blowing a hole through the perimeter wall will get their attention. The more spectacular the better. Cutting the power limits their vision and sabotaging their means of communication adds to the general confusion. Soldiers work as a team, cut them off from that support they become vulnerable, easy targets if you know what you're doing.
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It had taken Jerry the whole of the previous night to set up his equipment. Tapping the phone lines, hacking the computers, gaining access to the power generators and wiring them to blow. Had all taken time.
He had spent the day listening to the bugs planted throughout most of the house. Dealing with any calls that were trying to get through to the house. 'I'm sorry Agent Callaghan is too busy to come to the phone. I can pass on any message you have for him. Yes he is busy with the prisoner, I'm sure he'll have news soon.' Then there was Callaghan's call out, he had quite enjoyed playing director Fayes very helpful assistant.
His last call once he knew it would happening tonight was to the local police, informing them of a training exercise taking place, in case they got any calls about explosions and gunfire. Hopefully it would be enough to keep outside forces away.
Finally though he had got the go ahead, and he started flicking switches. With the power cut, and the cell jammers working at full strength. Jerry waited for Larry's bombmaker to do his job. The explosions were what he expected, loud and messy. After the second boom, he hit a button that sent feedback through the communication system.
His job was done, quickly he began packing away his equipment. He had a flight to Rome booked to take off in four hours. Time to go home and pick up his cases before going to the airport. He didn't want to be in the country when all this came to light.
...
The power went out, for those outside it meant the flood lights were gone. The commander spoke into his comm. "The lights are out, out here." He got no further with his report, as his body automatically dropped into a half crouch as part of the perimeter wall disappeared with a deafening bang. Lumps of concrete flew out in all directions. "We're under attack!" He shouted into the tiny microphone, then straightened up to join his men, rifle at the ready.
A second explosion came less than a minute later, a different section of wall came down just out of sight of the first breach, how many men were they about to face. The commander had no choice but to split his forces leaving three of his men to guard the first breach he was about to send more to the second when the loud screech of feedback came through the ear pieces. The defenders ripped the ear pieces out.
Then to add to the confusion, the rain that had been threatening to come down for the last hour now arrived. A heavy down pour, the rain bouncing off the ground. The noise making communication even harder and the sheer amount of water making it impossible to see more than ten feet in front of you.
…...
The flood lights went out, Simon froze in place a body held tight in front of him. He ignored the man's death throes only removing the knife from the man's belly when the first explosion rocked the ground. Throwing the still twitching body away from him, Simon dropped the knife onto the floor and picked up the dead guards rifle. No need to be stealthy any more.
The second explosion didn't faze him in the least, not even bothering to hide any more. Simon stepped out confidently. They were looking for the attack to come from outside, the first three men he came across went down in a hail of bullets not even given time to register what had happened. Once the men were down, Simon approached each one in turn, putting a bullet into the head of the fallen men.
Body armour, keeps you alive if you're hit in the body. But the shock still puts you down. Leaves you helpless for a few minutes.
The rain was coming down hard now giving him even more cover. God was definitely on his side. Aiding his efforts, sending him forward at greater speed. With a bit of his God given luck, Larry would step into his path sooner rather than later. A flash of lightening, followed almost instantly by a clap of thunder, Simon saw two more men coming towards him. He laughed looking up at the sky. Thank you. He mouthed the words and then turned the rifle on the approaching men.
It was one of the best things about working on your own. Everyone who came near you was an enemy, there was no such thing as friendly fire.
…...
The power went out. Everyone in the house froze for a moment. "Positions, the emergency gen.." Callaghan's voice was drowned out by a large explosion, the floor shook, and the metal shutters rattled.
Michael grabbed at Fiona's arm. "My mom." Fiona was already on her feet.
"Madeline!" She shouted and darted towards the kitchen. The sound of another explosion, had everyone inside the house heading to their posts interior doors were slammed shut and locked, then they moved into position guarding the outer doors.
"Phones are out." Came another shout. Michael looked to where Fiona was pulling his mother towards one of the bathrooms. He could just make out Callaghan's men all stiffen and then rip out their ear pieces.
"They've got into the comm system as well." Came the unnecessary bit of news.
Carefully Michael swung his legs out of the bed, he took a couple of deep breaths preparing for the next move. Slowly he lowered his legs onto the floor, taking all his weight through his arms he did his best to ignore the pain building in his chest. He was upright standing on his own, his chest felt tight he fought to keep his breathing steady. It distracted him slightly from the pain shooting through his leg. If he was going to move he had no choice, the crutches were out of his reach. Pulling the tubing from round his face, he dropped it onto the floor as he prepared himself to walk unaided.
He flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder Doctor Cohen was beside him. "Wait a minute." The doctor switched off the oxygen at the cannister, and then handed him his crutches. "You should stay in bed."
"Not a chance." Michael replied, already moving away. Fiona was coming out of Callaghan's office carrying a rifle. Hopefully she had something for him.
"Over to the sofa, no further you may think you're feeling better but you're not as well as you think." Cohen was moving the pressurize cannisters out of the way. Reaching the sofa, Michael flopped down as Fiona reached his side. There was the sound of more gunfire out side.
"Michael?" She gave him a questioning look, her face close to his. "Are you ok?"
"What have you got me?" He ignored her question.
She handed him a hand gun and two spare clips. "A H and K, it's loaded, and the safety is off."
"My mom?"
"In the bathroom just like we said, she locked the door when I left and has promised to stay in there until one of us tells her it's safe to come out."
He nodded, she was as safe as they could make it for her. He held the gun loosely in his hand. The doctor was right, he wasn't as strong as he thought he was. All the shooting had stopped, the only sound the rain hitting the shutters.
…...
While the sentries are being distracted by a few well placed devices it is easy to slip in through a now unguarded part of the defences. Knowing what you are walking into is a big help, preparation is essential.
Larry timed a third explosion to fit in with the strike of lightening and roll of thunder. This one wasn't a distraction, this was a quiet entry in a corner faraway from where all the action was taking place. He wasn't positive about what Simon was up to, but he was sure the man was around somewhere, trying to take down as many of the sentries as he could as quietly as he could. Hopefully he was running into some heavily armed, very nervous guards about now.
Once inside the perimeter, Larry stepped carefully over the rubble he had created and moved towards the house. He was dressed all in black, including a bullet proof vest. A rifle hanging by it's strap on one shoulder, a handgun on his hip were the only visible weapons, he carried a case in one hand and a rucksack on his back.
As expected he remained unnoticed, he smiled when he heard a burst of automatic fire. Ah there was Simon. Then three individual shots. With a bit of luck Simon would save him the problem of having to clear a path out. Reaching the house Larry crouched down partially hidden by some bushes in case anybody came out side.
Placing the case he carried onto the ground he opened it and pulled out a thermal imaging camera. Holding the camera up he checked on the position of the men in the house. He counted eleven bodies by the doors, they would be ten Fed's plus Callaghan. It would be Michael sat on a sofa, Fiona next to him. The figure hunched in the corner of a bathroom, that would be Michael's mom. The man wheeling tall cylinders around placing them up against various walls, that was his associate. Some one was missing, he checked again, satisfied Axe had to be among the main group of men watching the doors.
Putting the camera away and sliding the case under the bush he started moving around the outside of the building. He spotted what he was looking for, a small piece of cloth hanging out under a metal security shutter. Using a knife blade he eased the shutter open, underneath he discovered the window had not been locked. With a smile he climbed inside the house, pulling the shutter, then the window shut behind him.
Putting his ear to the door he listened carefully, he hadn't been heard. Slipping the rucksack he carried off his shoulders he started to prepare for the party to start.
...
Simon looked around, the plans he had stolen off Larry had shown that there should be ten men outside. He ran through the numbers in his head seven, three left. They could have been killed or injured by the falling debris. He looked towards the house, Larry would be in there by now. He looked back towards the perimeter. There was possibly three men out there stalking him, but Larry was close by and he really wanted to kill Larry. With an angry shake of his head he turned his attention to the three men left.
When you worked alone you have no one to watch your back. If you are worried about whose behind you, you're not going to be concentrating on what's facing you.
He moved quickly ignoring the rain, one more search of the area then he was going after Larry. A quick check of the rifle in his hand told him it was nearly empty. Discarding it, he picked up two from the bodies lying at his feet.
…...
As he moved the cylinders around the doctor kept watch on where Callaghan was placing his forces. So far nobody was questioning what he was up to, they were all to busy and the low level emergency lights made it easy for him to place the cylinders where they would do most good.
Westen's mother had been put in the bathroom, he had heard the click of the door being locked. The Glenanne woman had done just what Larry told him she would. She had armed herself then handed Westen a handgun. It had saved him a job, now he just had to make sure Westen did as he was told.
With the cylinders in place he carefully unlocked his bedroom door, it had been checked once, nobody would suspect he had unlocked it. It was time to move on with the plan, unbuttoning his jacket he moved towards Westen, the poor man was looking exhausted and in pain.
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A/N: I know the story hasn't really moved on that much but I have to get Simon and Larry in place some how. I'm already writing the next chapter so hopefully I'll post that tomorrow.