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Disclaimer: I do not own JAG. However the members of the Israeli Special Forces unit and Lt. Colonel Jesse Danilov, Israeli Defense Force are my creation.
~ ~ ~ ~
Dramatis Personae:
Eight men against an army:
David Beditzko - A Jewish immigrant from Russia in his mid thirties and in command of Israeli Special Forces patrol Red Witch. He was the bastard son of a Russian Spetznatz commando and is now in his early thirties. Special Operations are his bread and butter.
Avi Makhal - An Arab-Israeli from Haifa, age 29, he is a strong, powerful man often called 'The Rock' for his rock solid determination and strength. An avid weightlifter his strong personality is complemented by his strong physique and contrasted by his gentle personality.
Ramon Hedaya - A former member of the Spanish Civil Guard at the age of thirty-five who immigrated to Israel to fight the Hamas terrorist group after his family died on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. His war is a personal war.
Martin Danilov - The most purposeful and determined man in the Special Forces, age 27. His uncle Jesse, an Israeli military lawyer is on an exchange tour in the United States at JAG. He is strong physically as well as mentally and is the son of a Catholic Ukrainian immigrant to Israel and his American wife.
Benjamin Ari - An idealistic nineteen year old from Tel Aviv who believes fully in the Israeli cause and a newcomer to the unit his youth belies his capabilities.
Gerard Prideaux - A thirty year old Frenchman who served five years in the French Foreign Legion then immigrated to Israel to fight the HAMAS terrorist group after losing his wife to one of their attacks.
Haru Ali - The second unit newcomer, a tall gangly youth who was a former student mullah until the September 11th attacks. He vowed he would punish the 'Al-Quaida dogs who have made a mockery of Islam.'
Andrew Whitehurst - The third newcomer is a former religious student and son of an American Jewish Orthodox Rabbi, he immigrated to Israel following the suicide attacks in Gaza in order to combat the plague of terrorism. He is a pale, bespectacled twenty year old who is deceptively stronger than he appears.
~ ~ ~ ~
Sinai Desert 01 May 2003 2345 Local Time
The forward operating base on the Egyptian/Israeli border was a beehive activity, as eight men gathered up their weapons and equipment. David Beditzko allowed himself a small grin as he watched the seven men under his command gather around their Humvee. They came from all around the world, from different religions and backgrounds. Despite their disparities, there was one Muslim, four Jews, and three Roman Catholics and countries of origin that ranged from France to Russia they fought together on many operations in the Gaza Strip and West Bank areas. There were three new men on the roster, all of whom were exceptional young soldiers in their respective units, and they had transferred into the Special Forces of the Israeli state. They had developed the close bond that only those who serve together in high stress combat units could.
At thirty-four years old David Beditzko, a bastard child of a Russian commando, was ironically following his father's line of work. A tough no- nonsense commander as well as a skilled warrior, he walked among his men with a jaded, confident air. He had been in the Israeli Special Forces for over a decade, serving in its various units and even served a brief exchange tour with the Australian Special Air Service.
The eight men of the Israeli patrol were under the call sign Red Witch and were out in the desert tonight to put a stop to the Egyptian 'missile accidents' that had been occurring over the past few months. The Egyptians were using mobile missile launchers to fire tactical cruise missiles with what they claimed were dummy warheads around the Sinai Peninsula. When one finally landed on an Israeli border outpost, Tel Aviv decided to take action. Using members of any number of Israel's Special Forces, the politicians realized they had a deadly tool at their disposal.
He inspected their kit and weapons which consisted of either the CAR-15 with the M-203 grenade launcher attachment (sometimes called the 203 for short) or the FN Minimi light machinegun, both of which used the 5.56 mm round. In addition they carried water, food rations, warmer clothing for the cold desert nights and the demolition kit distributed among the eight men of the unit.
"I hope you get blisters you Ukrainian bastard." Avi Makhal remarked. The hulking, muscular Arab was referring to his teammate's brand new Gucci desert boots.
"Oh piss off." Martin Danilov remarked, as he hefted his 203. He had spent quite a few shekels on a pair of desert combat boots from the Brigade Quartermaster's catalog, "I hope that new rucksack of yours tears a seam."
"Such foul language, I do not think Allah will bless this patrol with such ruffians in ranks." Haru Ali remarked, as he hefted his Minimi light machinegun, "And with such heavy kit we need his blessing."
"Shut up." Martin joked back, glad the shy newcomer was actually speaking, "At least you're not carrying the patrol medical kit. If you guys get hurt, I'm patching you up."
"Yeah, we do the fighting Herr Rommel." Ramon Hedaya remarked, indicating his friend's peaked German Army field cap.
"You're in the Israeli Army and you wear a German military cap. That's funny." Gerard Prideaux remarked.
"I earned that from three months at the German Alpine Warfare course you moron." Martin replied.
"Three weeks of hot chocolate, a chalet and amorous German girls I bet." Avi replied, "So you polluted the Aryan race with some Slavic seed 'eh?"
"It wasn't anything like that crap for brains." Martin replied, "It was three months of mountain climbing, long marches along slippery, narrow mountain trails, and cross country skiing, which is exhausting by the way."
"Any idea why they give the radio man the machinegun? I can't exactly call for help when I'm providing a base of fire." Andrew Whitehurst replied.
Beditzko laughed and slapped him heartily on the back, "Don't you know that it's a frontovik tradition to give the new guys the heaviest gear?"
At this Martin laughed at the use of the old Red Army term for seasoned and crusty old frontline soldiers. Each of the men had nearly two hundred pounds of gear on his body. "I wonder if Danilov's lawyer uncle could shorten my term?" Whitehurst remarked.
"Even if he could, I'd tell him what a wuss I have for a team mate." Martin replied.
"And I'll fire back that his nephew is consorting with der Reichsfuhrer." Whitehurst replied, indicating the grayish brown field cap on Martin's head.
"Let's get going fellows." Beditzko said, "As much as I love bullshitting, let's go help those Egyptians with those 'accidental' discharges."
The eight men boarded their helicopter and the UH-60 Black Hawk flew off into the desert night with only the sounds of the rotors to mark its passing.
JAG HQ Fall's Church, Va 02 May 2003 0800 Local Time
"Attention on deck!" Tiner shouted as Admiral Chegwidden walked into the office.
"As you were." AJ Chegwidden remarked. Walking beside him was a stranger, a bespectacled and distinguished looking gentleman with a receding hairline in a foreign uniform, "This is Lieutenant Colonel Jesse Danilov, Israeli Defense Force Judge Advocate General Corps. He's here through the Personnel Exchange Program and is according to his CO a capable lawyer. Let's put him through his paces with a case or two."
"I can handle it sir." Danilov replied.
Commander Harmon Rabb watched the Israeli officer who walked with a slight limp. Catching himself staring he pretended to turn to his partner, Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie to ask, "Mac, anything new about the Petty Officer Crassovich case?"
"It's alright Commander, I noticed the stare." Jesse replied, "I have an inoperable bullet there from the Sinai in 1973."
"Caught in the act, eh sailor?" Mac asked Harm with a coy grin.
"In the wardroom back in Israel, every time I go into there, many of the young second lieutenants ask me what it was like to lead soldiers against the Egyptians." Jesse replied, "Lieutenant Colonel Jesse Danilov. Please call me Jesse."
"Commander Harmon Rabb, just call me Harm."
"Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie, or Mac."
Lieutenant Harriet Sims-Roberts approached them, "Sir, your office is over there."
Harriet led the battle hardened Israeli colonel to his office, which had been Mic's old office when he was at JAG. She saw him grin to himself, practically ear to ear, "You're kidding me?"
"Sir?" Harriet asked.
"You Americans. This office is palatial! I practically have the Prime Minister's office compared to my old one in Tel Aviv." Danilov replied, "And plus I'm not wearing a flak jacket everywhere I go because of those damnable terrorists."
"You're welcome sir." Harriet replied.
"And not to mention when I was a twenty-year old second lieutenant my office was a fox hole at the Bar Lev Line with thousands of pissed off Egyptians trying to take my side of the Suez Canal." Danilov replied.
As the day wore on, Danilov was putting some personal touches to his office. He was putting up pictures in desk blotters around there. "Your family?" Mac asked, while he was getting the place in order, she had walked in with some files for him.
"Yes." Danilov replied. There was a picture of a thirty-four year old woman carrying a tiny infant with a shy yearling child clinging to her right thigh.
"That's my wife, Katya, and my two daughters. Annika is the one clinging to mother's leg and Amelia is the infant." Danilov replied, "They're back on our kibbutz in Israel."
There was another picture of another man, also wearing an Israeli Army uniform and standing proudly beside a younger man, in his early twenties standing beside two teenage boys and a woman in her forties. Both wore brown berets and the Israeli army uniform. "The older man is my brother, Peter. He has been fighting since I have, and is a full colonel. The other one is my nephew Martin. A noble, intelligent lad he is. Of my extended family it's him I'm most proud of."
"Why?" Mac asked.
"He was a student at Georgetown University here." Jesse replied, "Anyway, when the crisis started to broil up around here he packed everything away and went back to Israel to do what he calls his civic duty to his kibbutz. He wound up in the Israeli Special Forces, and assigned to my old post to boot."
Sinai Desert 2 May 2003 0930 Local Time
The rocky outcropping seemed the perfect hiding place for eight Israeli commandoes watching the desert road for Egyptian military traffic. It was too perfect, because just about half a mile away a massive Egyptian military convoy had camped there for the night. It was at least company strength, and Gerard had figured it to be at least battalion strength as he saw about eight trucks and an APC of Egyptian soldiers come.
"Whitehurst, call the IAF, this is serious." Beditzko replied.
"Yes sir." Whitehurst replied. Beditzko gave him that sideways glare that said, 'quit calling me sir, there are no sirs in the special forces though I'm an officer.'
"Got it Dave." Whitehurst said.
On watch Ramon Hedaya's eyes were closest to the top of the rocks. "Shit." He groaned as he saw a young Egyptian girl, with a herd of goats walking their way.
"Dave, you'd better get up here now." He hissed.
"Oh shit." David Beditzko groaned as the Egyptian child, who was maybe thirteen at the oldest, kept meandering closer to their hide.
"What is it?" Martin said, holding the clacker, the trigger to a claymore mine.
"It's a kid." David replied.
"What are you waiting for Ramon; use that knife at your side." David Beditzko said, with a bad taste in his mouth.
Ramon Hedaya paled, "Dave, I can't, let's just catch her, tie her up and release her when the mission's done."
"Ramon. I know it's a shitty thing to do, but you have to do it." David replied.
"She reminds me of my daughter." Ramon replied, from behind his Minimi, "I can't do it."
The child was within striking distance and Ramon leaped from cover. However his timing was bad and he missed her by inches. Terrified the girl ran towards the Egyptian soldiers.
"Damn it Ramon!" Avi shouted, "Grow some balls next time! You very likely signed out death warrants."
"Shut up." Martin growled.
"Alright." David said, "It's not the end of the world. Grab your gear, and we can scoot out of here before the Egyptians get anywhere near this place. Martin, stay behind and blow the claymore in the face of the first Egyptians that come anywhere near here. Avi, Ramon, Gerard, split up his rucksack and webbing."
Martin crouched down and he saw a detachment of a dozen Egyptian soldiers heading toward the rocks. He waited until they were within the kill radius then he squeezed the clacker.
The mine exploded, throwing shards of metal into the Egyptians, killing three and wounding six. Martin started running away from the wadi until he found the other seven members of the unit and reclaimed his gear.
The planned escape and evasion entailed the eight men of Red Witch turning around and heading for a less obvious destination other than the Israeli border. That destination was an area where American troops were conducting training exercises. It was a last ditch and risky plan, for if the Americans suspected they were spies or worse, Al-Quaeda, they were done for. It was either that or be captured on their way back to Israeli by an Egyptian battalion that wasn't exactly happy about having three of their men splattered by shards of ball bearings over the desert.
The snap of a bullet going past his head brought Dave out of any thoughts of walking west towards the American encampment, at least 180 miles away for the time being. The men dropped their packs as they saw an Egyptian APC and two trucks heading their way.
"Get the 66s up!" Dave shouted, referring to the 66mm disposable rocket launchers that each man carried.
"Back blast people, remember the back blast." Martin said in the chipper British accent of one of unit's sergeant major, a former member of No. 4 Commando, British Army, he was renowned for impersonating Sergeant Major Simmons with ease.
"Jawohl Herr Rommel." Ramon replied and fired the rocket. It struck the APC, taking out one of its treads.
The vehicle remained where it was, a mobility kill. Its machineguns were still deadly however and far reaching and what was at the minimum a reinforced platoon of Egyptian infantry was rapidly on their tails.
"One up!" Dave shouted.
At this Avi and Haru sprang forward, while the others fired a base of fire towards the advancing Egyptian soldiers. They dropped down and fired their 203 and Minimi weapons towards the Egyptians as Whitehurst and Danilov advanced, doing the same, leap frogging towards the Egyptians who were paralyzed with shock that eight men would try to rush them.
An Egyptian fired his AK-47 in a long burst from the hip and Martin put him down with two rounds to the throat from his 203. David was closest to one of the trucks and before the Egyptian soldiers still in the cab could reply he emptied a couple bursts of gunfire into it.
Beside him Avi threw a white phosphorous grenade into the back of the truck which must have housed fuel oil of some sort because three Egyptian soldiers jumped clear, cloaked in flames. With accurate shooting from his Minimi, Haru neutralized them.
Meanwhile Ramon, Benjamin, Martin, and Gerard were taking on the second truck and the APC. Gerard threw a grenade into the cab of the truck while Benjamin fired off a burst from his Minimi into the bed, killing the occupants.
The APC's back hatch opened as the Egyptian soldiers crewing it grabbed their AK-47s to try and fight off the attackers. Too late, Martin lobbed a grenade into the inside and slammed the hatch shut, feeling half a dozen panicked Egyptian soldiers slamming against it in the desperate last three seconds of their lives. The grenade exploded and Martin let go of the hatch with Ramon aiming his own Minimi. There was no threat, only the smell of burned meat, phosphorus and cordite.
"Go! Clear out!" Dave shouts as they ran back for their rucksacks, knowing any minute now that the Egyptians would wonder why they were suddenly a platoon, an APC, and a truck lighter than they had been before.
06 May 2003 JAG HQ
Fall's Church, Va. 1030 Local Time
"Colonel Mackenzie, Commander Rabb, the Admiral would like to see you in his office right now." Tiner said, poking his head into the bullpen.
"We'll be right there Tiner." Harm replied.
"What do think this is about? We already have the Wickwire court martial on our hands." Mac asked.
"I don't know Mac. But whatever it is..." Harm replied, his right hand brushing lightly against Mac's left. It was an honest accident but it was enough to make his nerves tingle and forget what he was about to say.
"Whatever what is?" Mac said, wheeling on him. God why did her eyes have to be so beautiful?
"Whenever the Admiral calls us in we've either screwed up, have another trip somewhere far off and exotic or..." Harm said as he knocked.
"We're about to find out." Mac replied, finishing his sentence.
"Commander, Colonel. You have until 1300 to brief Commander Sturgis and Lieutenant Colonel Danilov on the Wickwire court martial." AJ Chegwidden began.
"Sir, where are we going that is so important that Captain Wickwire's case needs to be handed off?" Mac asked.
"I was getting to that Colonel. About three hours ago, local time, a soldier claiming to be a member of US Army Special Forces arrived, looking like he had just been spit up from the depths of hell itself at an American unit doing desert warfare exercises in the Egyptian desert near the Suez Canal." Chegwidden began, "We later ascertained that the soldier was an Israeli."
"Why do they need us sir?" Harm asked.
"Apparently the Egyptians aren't happy about Israeli soldiers in their territory. But they've been having accidental discharges of Scud missiles which coincidentally land at the border or just inside Israeli territory. I want you two on the next flight to Cairo and finding this Israeli soldier and getting some information out of him. Get him back to Israel as safely as possible. Dismissed."
"Yes sir." Both replied with the same questions on their minds. Egypt? Israeli covert ops?
~ ~ ~ ~
So which of the eight Israelis got away? What happened to the other seven? What exactly will Harm and Mac find in the Middle East? Coming next chapter. Whenever I can post that is.
Disclaimer: I do not own JAG. However the members of the Israeli Special Forces unit and Lt. Colonel Jesse Danilov, Israeli Defense Force are my creation.
~ ~ ~ ~
Dramatis Personae:
Eight men against an army:
David Beditzko - A Jewish immigrant from Russia in his mid thirties and in command of Israeli Special Forces patrol Red Witch. He was the bastard son of a Russian Spetznatz commando and is now in his early thirties. Special Operations are his bread and butter.
Avi Makhal - An Arab-Israeli from Haifa, age 29, he is a strong, powerful man often called 'The Rock' for his rock solid determination and strength. An avid weightlifter his strong personality is complemented by his strong physique and contrasted by his gentle personality.
Ramon Hedaya - A former member of the Spanish Civil Guard at the age of thirty-five who immigrated to Israel to fight the Hamas terrorist group after his family died on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. His war is a personal war.
Martin Danilov - The most purposeful and determined man in the Special Forces, age 27. His uncle Jesse, an Israeli military lawyer is on an exchange tour in the United States at JAG. He is strong physically as well as mentally and is the son of a Catholic Ukrainian immigrant to Israel and his American wife.
Benjamin Ari - An idealistic nineteen year old from Tel Aviv who believes fully in the Israeli cause and a newcomer to the unit his youth belies his capabilities.
Gerard Prideaux - A thirty year old Frenchman who served five years in the French Foreign Legion then immigrated to Israel to fight the HAMAS terrorist group after losing his wife to one of their attacks.
Haru Ali - The second unit newcomer, a tall gangly youth who was a former student mullah until the September 11th attacks. He vowed he would punish the 'Al-Quaida dogs who have made a mockery of Islam.'
Andrew Whitehurst - The third newcomer is a former religious student and son of an American Jewish Orthodox Rabbi, he immigrated to Israel following the suicide attacks in Gaza in order to combat the plague of terrorism. He is a pale, bespectacled twenty year old who is deceptively stronger than he appears.
~ ~ ~ ~
Sinai Desert 01 May 2003 2345 Local Time
The forward operating base on the Egyptian/Israeli border was a beehive activity, as eight men gathered up their weapons and equipment. David Beditzko allowed himself a small grin as he watched the seven men under his command gather around their Humvee. They came from all around the world, from different religions and backgrounds. Despite their disparities, there was one Muslim, four Jews, and three Roman Catholics and countries of origin that ranged from France to Russia they fought together on many operations in the Gaza Strip and West Bank areas. There were three new men on the roster, all of whom were exceptional young soldiers in their respective units, and they had transferred into the Special Forces of the Israeli state. They had developed the close bond that only those who serve together in high stress combat units could.
At thirty-four years old David Beditzko, a bastard child of a Russian commando, was ironically following his father's line of work. A tough no- nonsense commander as well as a skilled warrior, he walked among his men with a jaded, confident air. He had been in the Israeli Special Forces for over a decade, serving in its various units and even served a brief exchange tour with the Australian Special Air Service.
The eight men of the Israeli patrol were under the call sign Red Witch and were out in the desert tonight to put a stop to the Egyptian 'missile accidents' that had been occurring over the past few months. The Egyptians were using mobile missile launchers to fire tactical cruise missiles with what they claimed were dummy warheads around the Sinai Peninsula. When one finally landed on an Israeli border outpost, Tel Aviv decided to take action. Using members of any number of Israel's Special Forces, the politicians realized they had a deadly tool at their disposal.
He inspected their kit and weapons which consisted of either the CAR-15 with the M-203 grenade launcher attachment (sometimes called the 203 for short) or the FN Minimi light machinegun, both of which used the 5.56 mm round. In addition they carried water, food rations, warmer clothing for the cold desert nights and the demolition kit distributed among the eight men of the unit.
"I hope you get blisters you Ukrainian bastard." Avi Makhal remarked. The hulking, muscular Arab was referring to his teammate's brand new Gucci desert boots.
"Oh piss off." Martin Danilov remarked, as he hefted his 203. He had spent quite a few shekels on a pair of desert combat boots from the Brigade Quartermaster's catalog, "I hope that new rucksack of yours tears a seam."
"Such foul language, I do not think Allah will bless this patrol with such ruffians in ranks." Haru Ali remarked, as he hefted his Minimi light machinegun, "And with such heavy kit we need his blessing."
"Shut up." Martin joked back, glad the shy newcomer was actually speaking, "At least you're not carrying the patrol medical kit. If you guys get hurt, I'm patching you up."
"Yeah, we do the fighting Herr Rommel." Ramon Hedaya remarked, indicating his friend's peaked German Army field cap.
"You're in the Israeli Army and you wear a German military cap. That's funny." Gerard Prideaux remarked.
"I earned that from three months at the German Alpine Warfare course you moron." Martin replied.
"Three weeks of hot chocolate, a chalet and amorous German girls I bet." Avi replied, "So you polluted the Aryan race with some Slavic seed 'eh?"
"It wasn't anything like that crap for brains." Martin replied, "It was three months of mountain climbing, long marches along slippery, narrow mountain trails, and cross country skiing, which is exhausting by the way."
"Any idea why they give the radio man the machinegun? I can't exactly call for help when I'm providing a base of fire." Andrew Whitehurst replied.
Beditzko laughed and slapped him heartily on the back, "Don't you know that it's a frontovik tradition to give the new guys the heaviest gear?"
At this Martin laughed at the use of the old Red Army term for seasoned and crusty old frontline soldiers. Each of the men had nearly two hundred pounds of gear on his body. "I wonder if Danilov's lawyer uncle could shorten my term?" Whitehurst remarked.
"Even if he could, I'd tell him what a wuss I have for a team mate." Martin replied.
"And I'll fire back that his nephew is consorting with der Reichsfuhrer." Whitehurst replied, indicating the grayish brown field cap on Martin's head.
"Let's get going fellows." Beditzko said, "As much as I love bullshitting, let's go help those Egyptians with those 'accidental' discharges."
The eight men boarded their helicopter and the UH-60 Black Hawk flew off into the desert night with only the sounds of the rotors to mark its passing.
JAG HQ Fall's Church, Va 02 May 2003 0800 Local Time
"Attention on deck!" Tiner shouted as Admiral Chegwidden walked into the office.
"As you were." AJ Chegwidden remarked. Walking beside him was a stranger, a bespectacled and distinguished looking gentleman with a receding hairline in a foreign uniform, "This is Lieutenant Colonel Jesse Danilov, Israeli Defense Force Judge Advocate General Corps. He's here through the Personnel Exchange Program and is according to his CO a capable lawyer. Let's put him through his paces with a case or two."
"I can handle it sir." Danilov replied.
Commander Harmon Rabb watched the Israeli officer who walked with a slight limp. Catching himself staring he pretended to turn to his partner, Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie to ask, "Mac, anything new about the Petty Officer Crassovich case?"
"It's alright Commander, I noticed the stare." Jesse replied, "I have an inoperable bullet there from the Sinai in 1973."
"Caught in the act, eh sailor?" Mac asked Harm with a coy grin.
"In the wardroom back in Israel, every time I go into there, many of the young second lieutenants ask me what it was like to lead soldiers against the Egyptians." Jesse replied, "Lieutenant Colonel Jesse Danilov. Please call me Jesse."
"Commander Harmon Rabb, just call me Harm."
"Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie, or Mac."
Lieutenant Harriet Sims-Roberts approached them, "Sir, your office is over there."
Harriet led the battle hardened Israeli colonel to his office, which had been Mic's old office when he was at JAG. She saw him grin to himself, practically ear to ear, "You're kidding me?"
"Sir?" Harriet asked.
"You Americans. This office is palatial! I practically have the Prime Minister's office compared to my old one in Tel Aviv." Danilov replied, "And plus I'm not wearing a flak jacket everywhere I go because of those damnable terrorists."
"You're welcome sir." Harriet replied.
"And not to mention when I was a twenty-year old second lieutenant my office was a fox hole at the Bar Lev Line with thousands of pissed off Egyptians trying to take my side of the Suez Canal." Danilov replied.
As the day wore on, Danilov was putting some personal touches to his office. He was putting up pictures in desk blotters around there. "Your family?" Mac asked, while he was getting the place in order, she had walked in with some files for him.
"Yes." Danilov replied. There was a picture of a thirty-four year old woman carrying a tiny infant with a shy yearling child clinging to her right thigh.
"That's my wife, Katya, and my two daughters. Annika is the one clinging to mother's leg and Amelia is the infant." Danilov replied, "They're back on our kibbutz in Israel."
There was another picture of another man, also wearing an Israeli Army uniform and standing proudly beside a younger man, in his early twenties standing beside two teenage boys and a woman in her forties. Both wore brown berets and the Israeli army uniform. "The older man is my brother, Peter. He has been fighting since I have, and is a full colonel. The other one is my nephew Martin. A noble, intelligent lad he is. Of my extended family it's him I'm most proud of."
"Why?" Mac asked.
"He was a student at Georgetown University here." Jesse replied, "Anyway, when the crisis started to broil up around here he packed everything away and went back to Israel to do what he calls his civic duty to his kibbutz. He wound up in the Israeli Special Forces, and assigned to my old post to boot."
Sinai Desert 2 May 2003 0930 Local Time
The rocky outcropping seemed the perfect hiding place for eight Israeli commandoes watching the desert road for Egyptian military traffic. It was too perfect, because just about half a mile away a massive Egyptian military convoy had camped there for the night. It was at least company strength, and Gerard had figured it to be at least battalion strength as he saw about eight trucks and an APC of Egyptian soldiers come.
"Whitehurst, call the IAF, this is serious." Beditzko replied.
"Yes sir." Whitehurst replied. Beditzko gave him that sideways glare that said, 'quit calling me sir, there are no sirs in the special forces though I'm an officer.'
"Got it Dave." Whitehurst said.
On watch Ramon Hedaya's eyes were closest to the top of the rocks. "Shit." He groaned as he saw a young Egyptian girl, with a herd of goats walking their way.
"Dave, you'd better get up here now." He hissed.
"Oh shit." David Beditzko groaned as the Egyptian child, who was maybe thirteen at the oldest, kept meandering closer to their hide.
"What is it?" Martin said, holding the clacker, the trigger to a claymore mine.
"It's a kid." David replied.
"What are you waiting for Ramon; use that knife at your side." David Beditzko said, with a bad taste in his mouth.
Ramon Hedaya paled, "Dave, I can't, let's just catch her, tie her up and release her when the mission's done."
"Ramon. I know it's a shitty thing to do, but you have to do it." David replied.
"She reminds me of my daughter." Ramon replied, from behind his Minimi, "I can't do it."
The child was within striking distance and Ramon leaped from cover. However his timing was bad and he missed her by inches. Terrified the girl ran towards the Egyptian soldiers.
"Damn it Ramon!" Avi shouted, "Grow some balls next time! You very likely signed out death warrants."
"Shut up." Martin growled.
"Alright." David said, "It's not the end of the world. Grab your gear, and we can scoot out of here before the Egyptians get anywhere near this place. Martin, stay behind and blow the claymore in the face of the first Egyptians that come anywhere near here. Avi, Ramon, Gerard, split up his rucksack and webbing."
Martin crouched down and he saw a detachment of a dozen Egyptian soldiers heading toward the rocks. He waited until they were within the kill radius then he squeezed the clacker.
The mine exploded, throwing shards of metal into the Egyptians, killing three and wounding six. Martin started running away from the wadi until he found the other seven members of the unit and reclaimed his gear.
The planned escape and evasion entailed the eight men of Red Witch turning around and heading for a less obvious destination other than the Israeli border. That destination was an area where American troops were conducting training exercises. It was a last ditch and risky plan, for if the Americans suspected they were spies or worse, Al-Quaeda, they were done for. It was either that or be captured on their way back to Israeli by an Egyptian battalion that wasn't exactly happy about having three of their men splattered by shards of ball bearings over the desert.
The snap of a bullet going past his head brought Dave out of any thoughts of walking west towards the American encampment, at least 180 miles away for the time being. The men dropped their packs as they saw an Egyptian APC and two trucks heading their way.
"Get the 66s up!" Dave shouted, referring to the 66mm disposable rocket launchers that each man carried.
"Back blast people, remember the back blast." Martin said in the chipper British accent of one of unit's sergeant major, a former member of No. 4 Commando, British Army, he was renowned for impersonating Sergeant Major Simmons with ease.
"Jawohl Herr Rommel." Ramon replied and fired the rocket. It struck the APC, taking out one of its treads.
The vehicle remained where it was, a mobility kill. Its machineguns were still deadly however and far reaching and what was at the minimum a reinforced platoon of Egyptian infantry was rapidly on their tails.
"One up!" Dave shouted.
At this Avi and Haru sprang forward, while the others fired a base of fire towards the advancing Egyptian soldiers. They dropped down and fired their 203 and Minimi weapons towards the Egyptians as Whitehurst and Danilov advanced, doing the same, leap frogging towards the Egyptians who were paralyzed with shock that eight men would try to rush them.
An Egyptian fired his AK-47 in a long burst from the hip and Martin put him down with two rounds to the throat from his 203. David was closest to one of the trucks and before the Egyptian soldiers still in the cab could reply he emptied a couple bursts of gunfire into it.
Beside him Avi threw a white phosphorous grenade into the back of the truck which must have housed fuel oil of some sort because three Egyptian soldiers jumped clear, cloaked in flames. With accurate shooting from his Minimi, Haru neutralized them.
Meanwhile Ramon, Benjamin, Martin, and Gerard were taking on the second truck and the APC. Gerard threw a grenade into the cab of the truck while Benjamin fired off a burst from his Minimi into the bed, killing the occupants.
The APC's back hatch opened as the Egyptian soldiers crewing it grabbed their AK-47s to try and fight off the attackers. Too late, Martin lobbed a grenade into the inside and slammed the hatch shut, feeling half a dozen panicked Egyptian soldiers slamming against it in the desperate last three seconds of their lives. The grenade exploded and Martin let go of the hatch with Ramon aiming his own Minimi. There was no threat, only the smell of burned meat, phosphorus and cordite.
"Go! Clear out!" Dave shouts as they ran back for their rucksacks, knowing any minute now that the Egyptians would wonder why they were suddenly a platoon, an APC, and a truck lighter than they had been before.
06 May 2003 JAG HQ
Fall's Church, Va. 1030 Local Time
"Colonel Mackenzie, Commander Rabb, the Admiral would like to see you in his office right now." Tiner said, poking his head into the bullpen.
"We'll be right there Tiner." Harm replied.
"What do think this is about? We already have the Wickwire court martial on our hands." Mac asked.
"I don't know Mac. But whatever it is..." Harm replied, his right hand brushing lightly against Mac's left. It was an honest accident but it was enough to make his nerves tingle and forget what he was about to say.
"Whatever what is?" Mac said, wheeling on him. God why did her eyes have to be so beautiful?
"Whenever the Admiral calls us in we've either screwed up, have another trip somewhere far off and exotic or..." Harm said as he knocked.
"We're about to find out." Mac replied, finishing his sentence.
"Commander, Colonel. You have until 1300 to brief Commander Sturgis and Lieutenant Colonel Danilov on the Wickwire court martial." AJ Chegwidden began.
"Sir, where are we going that is so important that Captain Wickwire's case needs to be handed off?" Mac asked.
"I was getting to that Colonel. About three hours ago, local time, a soldier claiming to be a member of US Army Special Forces arrived, looking like he had just been spit up from the depths of hell itself at an American unit doing desert warfare exercises in the Egyptian desert near the Suez Canal." Chegwidden began, "We later ascertained that the soldier was an Israeli."
"Why do they need us sir?" Harm asked.
"Apparently the Egyptians aren't happy about Israeli soldiers in their territory. But they've been having accidental discharges of Scud missiles which coincidentally land at the border or just inside Israeli territory. I want you two on the next flight to Cairo and finding this Israeli soldier and getting some information out of him. Get him back to Israel as safely as possible. Dismissed."
"Yes sir." Both replied with the same questions on their minds. Egypt? Israeli covert ops?
~ ~ ~ ~
So which of the eight Israelis got away? What happened to the other seven? What exactly will Harm and Mac find in the Middle East? Coming next chapter. Whenever I can post that is.