Broken Borders, page 13
Within minutes, there were cruisers flying into the lot. Bobby and Bo lay back against Ramsey’s car side by side. Bobby pulled out his sat phone and called DC. He asked for General Perry. The white Navajo cop sat up suddenly and grabbed his chest. One of the FBI agents stripped his shirt off and they found three bullets in his Kevlar vest.
“Sir,” Bobby said, “Bo and I are alive and the dam is safe. Yes, sir. Gotta do some mopping and scrubbing. Thank you, sir. I will pass it on. Wilco. Thank you, sir. Bye.”
Bobby smiled at Bo and said, “He’s a happy camper.” Then he passed out.
Bo looked at Bobby and her eyes rolled up, and she fainted.
Ramsey took over and directed an ambulance and EMTs to the pair. Ramsey was called by Washington, and was told Bo and Bobby were to be taken to Bliss Army Health Center at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
Bobby was being treated, and called Ramsey over.
“I would suggest that we keep it quiet that Captain Devore and I are involved,” he said. “There are plenty of Americans who would get very concerned about soldiers shooting people on American soil.”
Ramsey said, “We are sending you to Fort Huachuca. I have a Flight For Life on the way.”
Bo was on the gurney next to Bobby’s.
Ramsey looked at her saying, “Captain, before you two came. I guess I was a little arrogant and thought, two army cops, big deal. I’ll tell you what. I would rather have you with me kicking in doors than any man I have ever worked with.”
A tear forming in the corner of her eye, Bo shook hands and smiled softly, saying, “Thanks, Agent. I enjoyed working with you, too.”
Bobby had a flare-up of jealousy and tried to catch himself. What is wrong with me? he thought. He wanted a drink more than anything right now.
8
BLISS TO BLISS
Minutes later, they were airborne in a renovated Bell UH- 1B Flight For Life helicopter, and both awakened mid-morning at Bliss Health Center, along with their legless enemy, who was barely clinging to life.
Each of them met with a major from Walter Reed in Washington, DC. He had flown in immediately on an air force jet, and was a surgeon who specialized in bullet wounds and had served several tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He had brought his surgical team with him.
It was reported in all the press that a combined drug task force led by the FBI had a vicious shoot-out with illegal Mexican nationals who had trucks loaded with chemicals to set up a giant methamphetamine lab. The media reported that the Mexican drug dealers resisted arrest and fired at the law enforcement officers with automatic weapons, and were all killed.
MPs from Fort Huachuca were assigned to provide heavy guard around Imaad Udeen. A team of surgeons were working on him to save his life after the amputation of his leg by Bobby’s shot.
Intelligence personnel from the DC-area agencies were already starting to arrive and hover like vultures waiting to catch his first words, hoping to get him to open up while he was on drugs, or to at least hear whatever he had to say before he died.
Bobby and Bo went into the operating room that afternoon, and both came out without complications.
Imaad Udeen also survived his surgery, and was stable when they moved him from post-op into the ICU. He was being treated like he was the President of the United States the way people hovered around him and checked on him left and right.
Bobby and Bo were sitting together in the hospital commandant’s office reading e-mails, and Bobby looked over, saying, “I don’t know about you, but I am in pain. But they transfused me to make up for all the blood I lost from the nicked artery. I don’t have any broken bones, so I just have to put up with some pain.”
Bo said, “I just had that chip out of my hip bone, but my wound is mainly soft flesh. Pain and soreness, too.”
Bobby said, “So you ready to get back to work?”
Bo said, “Absolutely, partner. I have to check on the items I signed for from the 19th Group before we do anything.”
Bobby said, “I already checked this morning. Ramsey secured everything, and it has already been returned to the 19th. He also got our video camera, and tapes have already been made from it and passed to each agency in the task force.”
Bo said, “Ramsey turned out to be a good guy after all. He is kind of cute, too.”
Bobby felt a little flame of jealousy again, and said, “He’s not your type.”
Bo said, “What do you mean, not my type?”
Bobby could not believe he’d blurted that out, and now he was stuck explaining himself.
“He just did not seem like he would be strong enough for you,” Bobby replied.
Bo said, “Now, what in the world do you mean by that, Bobby?”
She thought to herself, “Is he jealous?”
Bobby said, “Look, we have terrorists to fight. Let’s get the hell out of here.”
Bo said, “Sounds good to me. How? The major is not going to release us.”
Bobby called a nurse over and asked if the surgeon was around anywhere.
Five minutes later, he showed up.
“Are our wounds life-threatening now, Doc?” Bobby asked.
The surgeon replied, “Probably not, just painful, but you both are healing very well. Why?”
Bobby said, “Doc, we are involved in a top secret mission involving our national security, and it is much more important than us being comfortable. We have to leave and get back to work ASAP.”
The major looked at his notes and then out the window.
He said, “Major, Captain, you both will be in pain, and the more you do, the more pain you will be in. You need to let your injuries heal, but I will clear you for discharge. Where are you headed now?”
Bobby said, “Fort Bliss.”
The doctor said, “Is that in El Paso, Texas?”
Bo said, “Yes, it is.”
The surgeon looked at his Blackberry and punched something in.
He said, “If you need anything, you go to Beaumont Medical Center at Fort Bliss. They have a pharmacy, too, so you can get your medication refilled there. Good luck. You can leave within the hour.”
They all shook hands.
Bobby called Task Force headquarters and then ten minutes later, got a call from General Perry.
“What is this crap I hear about you and Captain Devore checking out of the hospital, Major?” the general said.
Bobby replied, “Sir, is this a secure line?”
“Roger, it is scrambled.”
Bobby went on. “We have nukes to find, and we cannot find them sitting on our asses in hospital PJs, General.”
“Good point, son,” the general replied. “You are headed to Fort Bliss?”
“Roger, sir,” Bobby came back. “Needed a military jumping off and resupply point.”
The old man said, “When will you arrive?”
Bobby said, “Haven’t left the hospital yet, sir, but we’ll take the next flight we can get.”
General Perry said, “Well, I’m in my car now with the SECDEF and FBI director. Several of the task force heads are coming, too. I already called the CG of Fort Bliss and the command conference room is being set up for us. We’re flying into Lackland outside San Antonio and are being brought in by Blackhawk from there.”
“We’ll get there ASAP, sir,” Bobby said.
General Perry said, “Well, we can take care of you there, too, Major. There is a 305th Rescue Squadron, an Air Force Reserve unit, and an HH-60G ‘Pavehawk’ search and rescue helicopter is on its way from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson. They’ll fly you back to Davis-Monthan, and a C130 Talon is waiting there to fly you to the El Paso International Airport. A Blackhawk from Biggs Army Air Base at Fort Bliss will pick you up and bring you right to the Charley Gulf’s (CG, Commanding General) helipad. The Talon will wait for you and be secured at El Paso.”
“General,” Bobby said, “why can’t I borrow some stars to wear sometime so I can get things done like this?”
“God help us!” the army chief of staff said. “I’ll see you later today.”
Bobby related all the information to Bo. They packed and found out where the helipad was, and went there to wait. In a half hour, they were on board an air force rescue helicopter heading toward the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, home of the 355th Wing of the air force. As they approached, Bobby and Bo noticed a lot of flight activity by A-10 Warthogs.
He pointed the strange-looking jets out to Bo, and said, “Now there is a great close-in fighter jet. Those puppies saved my bacon more than once.”
Bobby remembered one operation where his USAF-SOC Air Force Special Operations Controller painted a target for Bobby and his team with his laser designator. It was a sand-colored bunker filled with bad guys in the middle of the desert. Bobby and his men were getting ready to enter the bunker, which they thought was abandoned, when all of a sudden one of his team members took a burst from an SKS and the team ended up against the back of the building where there were no windows. They could not throw grenades in the shooting portals, and could go nowhere, because any movement would bring fire from one of the firing ports in the building. They figured the bogies inside had been asleep until they were ready to enter the building, then awakened and started firing.
The AFSOC leaned out carefully and painted the front firing port on the side of the building and learned he had a pair of A-10s on station. He asked them to wait for Bobby’s team to boogey out and then bring in their ordnance.
As Bobby tossed smoke grenades all around the bunker, the controller told his Warthogs that the team was scampering away from the building. When Bobby saw the first A-10 coming in from overhead, he thought the pilot figured his team were the bad guys, but in actuality, when they were far enough out that the concussion of the five-hundred-pound bomb would not hurt them, the jet put the bomb right through the front firing port. Many bad guys went to see Allah that day.
At Davis-Monthan, they were picked up in a limo by a really friendly brigadier general in a flight suit, who Bobby knew just had to be a tough old fighter pilot. He took them directly to a waiting MC-130E “Combat Talon I” Hercules, the army’s workhorse for so many years. The MC-130E “Combat Talon I” is a specially equipped “Herk.” The E-model has more instruments designed for covert operations. It can fly infiltration/exfiltration missions or can air-drop or air-land personnel and equipment in hostile territory. They also aerial-refuel special operations helicopters, and usually fly missions at night-with aircrews using night-vision goggles. The “Combat Talon I” also has an electronic countermeasures suite and terrain-following radar that enables it to fly extremely low, counter enemy radar, and penetrate deep into hostile territory.
Bobby and Bo ran up the ramp in the back, chocks were removed, and they started taxiing immediately before the ramp was even shut. The C130 Combat Talon I is powered by four Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop engines generating 4,700 horsepower, and additionally has two jet takeoff assists on the side of the fuselage. Within minutes, they were airborne with those jets firing and the big plane rising quickly into the Southwestern U.S. skies.
After they leveled out, Bobby and Bo went forward to meet the flight crew, and he pointed out two A10s flying escort.
Bo said, “What are they accompanying us for?”
The copilot said, “We were told two VIPs would be on board, ma’am, so I guess that is you. You two related to a senator or something?”
Bobby grinned, saying, “Nope, we are the government contractors who supply all the liquor for air force officers clubs.”
The pilot was wearing earphones, so the copilot relayed Bobby’s words. The pilot started laughing.
The pilot removed his earphones and said, “Very funny, Major. I read about both of you and saw your pictures in Newsweek and in The Army Times. I am very honored to be carrying you both. I would like to get a picture with you both for my son when we land. I also want you with me if a terrorist ever wants to blow up my craft.”
Bo said, “Thank you. We are deeply honored.”
In less than an hour’s time, they were on the Blackhawk helicopter headed toward Fort Bliss, taking off on that C-130 climbing to altitude, then almost gliding in—if you can call four-hundred-plus miles per hour gliding. Minutes later, they set down on the commanding general’s helipad at Fort Bliss.
Two MPs met them and escorted them into the three-story Post Headquarters, down two hallways, and into a double-doored conference room with armed MPs posted at the ends of the hallways and outside the doors. They came to attention as the pair approached, and came to port arms saluting them as they entered the conference room.
As Bobby and Bo walked very gingerly through the doorway, General Perry was already standing, and walked right over smiling and stuck out his hand. Both snapped to attention and a jolt of pain shot through Bo’s hip and up her spine. Her leg collapsed and she started to fall sideways, but a man in a blue suit jumped from the table and caught her. She looked up and smiled. It was FBI Agent Ramsey Keats. He smiled at her and looked into her eyes. Bobby felt the flames again.
Bo came back to attention, and General Perry said, “As you were. Relax, Captain, sit down.”
Bo said, “I apologize, sir. No disrespect intended.”
“Bullshit!” Perry laughed, “Damn women heroes showing up all of us men. She is probably carrying twenty pounds of shrapnel in her hip.”
Bobby Samuels shook hands with the general, saying, “No, sir. Captain Devore is a drama queen wanting to get attention from Agent Keats.”
“Doggone, Bobby,” he thought, “why don’t you just rent them a hotel room, idiot?”
Then he started wondering why he was worrying about who his partner dated. None of his business.
The secretary of defense got up and walked over and shook hands with Bo and Bobby, who both jumped to attention again. This time Bo was okay, but Bobby had every muscle tense ready to grab her first if she fell.
The general took over and explained they had to make plans for the next concept of the operation. First, he explained to Bobby and Bo that both could have flown into Biggs Army Airfield, next to El Paso International Airport, and it could even accommodate a B-52 bomber, but he felt that of all military bases in the U.S., Fort Bliss was probably the most closely monitored by enemies lurking south of the border. He did not want to call too much attention to their arrival. Bobby and Bo would be leaving by the same C-130 Talon I, but it would pick them up and take off at night using night-vision equipment and absolutely no lights at Biggs.
The general asked the CG of Fort Bliss to summon an orthopedic surgeon, and wanted Bo and Bobby examined immediately. He explained they were going to make a night parachute jump into Mexico, but Bo falling over really bothered him. Bobby’s adrenaline kicked in and he was excited, readying himself mentally for battle. To that end, he excused himself to go to the latrine. Whenever Bobby knew he was going to go into combat, make an important jump, rappel, or do anything dangerous, he would have to void his bowels and bladder right away.
One night at Fort Bragg at the 82nd Airborne Officers Club Annex, he shared drinks with a major who was an army psychiatrist, who spoke with him about it at length. He said it is normal and comes from the warrior instinct for Type-A personalities. He said that Bobby was psychologically readying himself for battle, lightening the load so to speak. Emotionally, the shrink explained, he was shedding himself of all excess poundage that would encumber him during battle, and added that this phenomena even manifests itself before giving a speech or chairing a business meeting.
Bo wondered why Ramsey was there, and that was explained soon enough when the secretary of defense said, “Ladies and gentlemen, we have assets on the ground in Mexico who are keeping us apprised about any attempts to smuggle those nukes into the U.S. When we do get a hot lead, FBI SAC (Special Agent in Charge) Ramsey Keats here will be infiltrating Mexico by parachute along with Major Samuels and Captain Devore at night to meet with our assets on the ground. Agent Keats’s mother was from Mexico, and he grew up with Spanish spoken all the time in his household, so he will also serve as their interpreter.”
Bobby thought to himself, “I want a drink.”
Bo gave Ramsey a flirtatious look. He smiled in kind.
Bobby got mad at himself again for his thoughts, and then he figured he was just being protective about his partner.
Then he thought, “Man, we are making a night combat jump, and I have to baby-sit a civilian.”
Just then, the SECDEF said, “Agent Keats already knows how to parachute, as he was a Navy SEAL and served in Iraq.”
Without realizing it, Bobby moaned out loud, and everybody looked at him. To cover up, he immediately grabbed his wounded leg and held it a second.
General Perry said to his aide, “I want Major Samuels checked thoroughly, too. These two fine soldiers were just wounded and should really be in hospital beds, but they are both too damned stubborn, and they realize the threat to our nation and the world.”
The secretary of defense went on. “One of the most porous places in the United States for illegal border crossings is right here at El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. We have Fort Bliss, of course, White Sands, and I can go on and on. Besides our reports about the backpack nukes, we have to also stand watch for this base, the army’s headquarters for air missile defense, and White Sands. Additionally, we have identified NORAD in Cheyenne Mountain, north of here in Colorado, as well as Northcom; and in addition, for the psychological effect, the U.S. Air Force Academy, also at Colorado Springs. We have reports of serious activity south of us, folks, and we are prepared to move ASAP, but we think it will be right here.”
The meeting went on, and it was learned that housing and BOQ (bachelor officer quarters) were hard to come by at Fort Bliss. Many people were billeted at the Inn at Fort Bliss, but it was filled up, so Bo, Bobby, and Ramsey would be given rooms at an Econo-Lodge that was just one mile from Fort Bliss and one mile from the El Paso International Airport. Bo hoped it had a pool, and it did, outside.
