“Yup.”
On screen they watched Gavin Kony get out of the chopper and greet a man. Axel assumed he was the one the thugs had been waiting to question him yesterday.
“Add to that,” Sage pointed to the screen, “this dude has known ties to not only illegal activities with the mob, but ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartelin Colombia. Those diamonds he buys will not only fund wars here, but drugs for US streets.”
“You were here for him anyway?”
“Pretty much.”
“So, I won’t get to find out what happened to my sister?” Axel’s fingers opened and closed into fists, scratching against the tablet he held in his hands.
“Don’t know.” Sage answered, “That’s up to the Boss.” He pressed the button for his communication device, “Lynx One, this is TOC, you mind moving your ass about ten steps to your nine o’ clock and get your ass away from that forest cobra?”
“There is a fucking snake?” Castello’s voice came through softly, “Why is there always fucking snakes? Thanks for the heads-up, TOC.”
“Better than you screaming like a kiddo and giving away your position.”
Sage deadpanned.
“Y’all aren’t like what I imagined a military unit would be like.”
“Nah,” Sage shook his head, “We are a family, when we aren’t on a base or a fruit salad from further up the chain isn’t around, as long as we are respectful, we are good.”
“Fruit Salad?”
“Dude with a chest full of colored ribbons, the ribbons look like the colors of a fruit salad.” Sage shook his head, “although I suppose some of us could be classified as one.”
“I—”
Sage held up his hand for silence again, cutting off what Axel was about to say. “All Stations, TOC, on my count.” Sage held up his hand, two fingers
folded, three standing vertical, even though the guys on the field couldn’t see him, “Three.” He dropped one finger, “Two.” He dropped the second finger.
“One. Execute. I repeat, Execute.”
***
On hearing the order from Sage, Castello launched himself forward, Zack on his left, headed directly to the cockpit of the helo. Castello reached the bird in about ten steps and wrenched open the rear door. His weapon was aimed at Gavin Kony before the slam of metal against metal signaled the door sliding back into the frame of the helo. “Drop your weapon, drop your weapon.” He blew out a breath of relief when the asshole dropped the handgun he carried and held both hands over his head.
“I’m right on your six, Boss.” Connor muttered in his ear. Castello kept his weapon trained on Kony until Connor moved past him and secured the man’s hands to a seat with flexi-cuffs. Out of the corner of his eye, Castello saw the pilot’s body crumble in a heap to the ground. He launched himself into the helo, his weapon still trained on Kony.
“Move your asses,”Zack’s growled order came a split second before the helo once again hovered for takeoff. As soon as his guys all climbed in, Zack was lifting it into the air. All in all, their capture of the civilian bird took less than forty-five seconds. By the time the people on the ground realized what was happening, the chopper was flying out of firing range over the rainforest.
“TOC, this is One,” Castello refused to give either the Lynx call sign he still preferred to use, or the Task Force Ambra one, in front of a Tango. Kony would never know their names. None of them wore tabs or insignias to identify which branch of the military they were associated with. The only sign they were even American was a US flag on the inside of one boot. Nope, working off grid in this part of the world, it was better that they did not announce who they were working for.
“Who are you?” Kony finally found his voice, “I can pay you in diamonds if you let me go.”
Castello snorted, “The diamonds are ours already if we wanted them.”
He told him. Clicking on his comms unit, he called Sage again. “TOC, this is One. We have the package and are on route to exfil location one. Get your asses there, stat.”
“Roger that, Sir.”
***
Axel helped Sage gather the gear, watched as Sage closed the laptop, and after a quick glance around the caves to see that he had left nothing behind to indicate Americans had been in the location, they headed for the exit tunnel.
“I’ll boost you up,” Sage cupped his hands, “put your foot in, once you’re up, I’ll hand you up the gear.”
