Steele nodded. That was the mission.
Joker was in the motor pool, going over their vehicle. "She'll run?" Steele asked.
Joker patted the hood. "She'll run. If we need to move fast, she'll move."
"How fast we expecting to move?"
"Depends on how loud it gets. Best case, we're in and out clean. Worst case, we've got local militia on our ass and a ten-minute head start."
"Pack for worst case."
"Always do."
By 1400, they were assembled in the team bay. Six men. Full combat load. Rifles cleaned and zeroed. Magazines loaded. Medical kits stocked. Breaching charges distributed. Communications equipment tested. Ready.
Steele looked around the room. Saw the same focused intensity on every face. The shift that happened when training became operational.
"Erbil Air Base," he said. "We stage there for twenty-four hours. Rest. Final equipment check. Intel update. Then we're wheels-up for Mosul. Insertion is planned for 0200 local time. Low visibility. Limited moon. Nazari's security rotates at 2200so we're hitting them two hours into their shift when they're settled but not yet tired."
He pulled up the compound layout on his tablet. They all gathered close. "Breach sequence. Joker stays with the vehicle here, three hundred meters out. Engine hot. Ready to move on my call. Ghost jams cellular at H-minus thirty seconds. Bulldog blows the north gate. Hawk takes overwatch position here, southeast corner, elevated position on this building." He indicated a structure outside the compound wall. "Clear sight lines to the western office and main residence."
"What's the building?" Hawk asked.
"Residential. Two-story. Thermal shows minimal occupation. You'll clear it fast and get into position."
Hawk nodded.
"Once the gate's down, we move fast. Bulldog and I take point into the main residence. Ghost, you're on our six, monitoring comms. Risk, you secure the entry point, establish casualty collection if needed. Primary target is Nazari's office, ground floor, western wing. Intel suggests that's where he'll be at 0200 if he's working late. If not, we move to the master bedroom, second floor."
"And if he runs for the tunnel?" Bulldog asked.
"Hawk's got eyes on the western office. He sees movement toward the heat signature, he calls it. We redirect. Block the tunnel exit, force him back inside. I want him contained in the compound, not disappeared into Mosul's sewer system."
"Guard response?" Ghost asked.
"Eight on duty. Four perimeter, two gate, two inside. Once we breach, they're going to converge on the main residence. That's when things get loud."
"Rules of engagement on guards?" Risk asked.
"Hostile action or intent. They're armed. They're trained. They're getting paid to protect Nazari. If they engage, we putthem down. If they drop weapons and surrender, we secure and move past them. Mission is Nazari. Guards are obstacles, not objectives."
Bulldog leaned forward, studying the layout. "What about the residential wing? Wife and kid?"
"Pattern-of-life suggests they stay in the east side of the residence. We're entering west side, moving to Nazari's office. If we clear properly, we don't cross paths. If we do, Risk handles it. Secure them in place, keep moving."
"Secure how?" Risk asked.
"Zip ties. Put them in a room, close the door, keep going. They're not combatants. They're not our problem unless they become our problem."
Risk nodded.
Steele continued. "Extraction plan. Once we have Nazari, we move back to the entry point. Joker brings the vehicle to the gate. Load up. We've got eighty kilometers to Erbil. Route takes us through Kurdish-controlled territory. Local militia won't follow us across that line."
"Time on target?" Ghost asked.
"I want to be wheels-up and moving within fifteen minutes of breach. Any longer than that, we're gambling on militia response time."
"And if Nazari's not in the office or the bedroom?" Hawk asked.
