“Which is why I’m giving it to you.”
Dombroski didn’t respond to that, but said, “Ready to copy.”
Brodie recited the coordinates from memory, then said, “If the extraction is delayed or otherwise compromised, see if you can send a military aircraft for us.”
“Understood.”
Taylor said to Brodie, “Ask about Luis.”
Brodie nodded and asked, “Did our driver Luis from Caracas call you?”
“He called me General. Your idea?”
“No, sir. Language problem. He’s okay?”
“He and his family are in the hands of ICE. You and Ms. Taylor can vouch for him when you get here.”
“Good. Okay, there’s more to discuss, but my battery is low.”
“How many times have I heard that?”
“This is not my sat phone.”
“Call me from the airstrip.”
“Will try.”
“Or from the air, as you were supposed to do earlier.”
“Will do.”
“Excellent work. I will inform General Hackett.”
“Someday, thanks to me and Ms. Taylor, you’ll be sitting at his desk.”
“Someday, thanks to you, Brodie, I’ll be sitting at the desk next to yours.”
“It would be my pleasure.”
“Not mine. Godspeed.”
Brodie shut off the phone.
Taylor said, “Did I understand that Worley never told Dombroski that we had been captured and were being held in Mercer’s camp?”
“It may have slipped Colonel Worley’s mind.”
“He was going to leave us here to die. Or worse.”
“I think what Worley was going to do was try to get a fix on Camp Tombstone and blow it and Mercer off the face of the earth.”
“And us.”
“High explosives solve problems.” Brodie added, “If Dombroski knew we were in the camp—and maybe even if he didn’t—he would have pushed for a Delta Force raid to capture Mercer alive. Which is why Worley never mentioned the phone call.”
Taylor nodded, then said, “And now Worley is going to send a plane to rescue us and Mercer.”
“Now that the secret is out with Dombroski, Worley has no choice.”
