Page 3 of Operation: Silent Angel
“Holy mother fucker,” Shanahan groaned. “Circles, we found the mother-load stash of weapons.”
There were more bursts of gunfire. Their scene was not secure yet. At Shanahan’s request, Dupont called in reinforcements, including additional medics and a chopper to medivac the wounded out of what had become a hot zone. As it turned out, the plateau was indeed a rough underground bunker where twenty-one troops were dug in. The interrogation of one of the survivors would later yield valuable intel. Though four of Shanahan’s men were killed, and three were injured, the mission was deemed a success as eighteen enemy combatants were killed, two were injured, weapons were recovered, and intel was obtained.
After it was over, and what was left of the team had been rescued, Yvette tapped Dupont on the shoulder. “I’m going to step out and have a smoke.”
Dupont nodded but didn’t reply. He’d step out after she was back. He’d never smoked cigarettes before arriving at this base, but had quickly picked it up, along with a shot of something strong after a shift. He’d taken this assignment as a steppingstone to station chief one day. But seeing the carnage firsthand had cured him of that career path.
It was much warmer outside than it had been before her shift when Yvette stepped outside. The sun was blazing in the mid-morning sky. It would be a hot one today. She lit up and then sagged to the bench, closing her eyes for a brief moment. The normal sounds of the base filled her ears. She took another drag without opening her eyes.
“Those will kill you, you know,” a familiar voice that shouldn’t be there said, snapping her out of her zen-like state.
Yvette figured she must have drifted off. That voice didn’t belong here.
“And when did you pick that habit up?” the voice continued.
Yvette’s eyes snapped open, and she stared at the figure looming over her. “Lieutenant Colonel Sam Shepherd,” she exclaimed, rising from the bench. Then she noticed the rank insignia in the center of the body armor over his chest. “Or rather, ColonelShepherd,” she corrected herself. She hadn’t heard he’d been promoted, though it was definitely earned.
“I’m still just Shep to you,” he said. He presented his hand. “Nice to see you, Control.”
Yvette shook his hand. “It’s nice to see you too, sir. So, you’re the Colonel from D.C. we were expecting?”
Shepherd nodded.
“And here I thought we were expecting some desk-jockey out on a field-trip.”
Sam Shepherd was no desk-jockey. He’d spent his entire career in the special forces, leading missions on the ground as a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, also known as the Army Rangers, after he’d graduated from West Point. He’d worked his way up through the ranks and was respected by all who knew him, Yvette included.
“What brings you to our little corner of hell?”
Shepherd’s lips tipped into a grin. “You.”
“Me?” she asked, more than a little surprised.
“Can we talk?” Shepherd asked.
“I need to let my Ops partner know I need to step away.”
After she returned, he led her to the base commander’s office, where he made himself comfortable at the small conference table to the side of the desk. He motioned for Yvette to join him. “I’m recruiting a special team to work outside of normal channels. We’ll have our own Operations Center, and I have a place for you in it.”
“Who is in your direct line of reporting?” she asked.
“I’m an independent, but I’ve worked out a dotted-line reporting structure to SecDef and all the deputy directors of all the alphabet agencies, who will feed us cases. Everyone on my team will earn and carry federal credentials to give us standing when operating domestically.”
“Domestically?”
“We’ll carry out a variety of missions at home and abroad.”
Yvette knew what type of team he would lead, but she had to ask so she’d know exactly what she was getting herself into. Of course, she was going to accept his invitation to join his team. “Black Ops or in the gray zone?”
“Both.”
“Will I be allowed to keep my credentials?”
“Yes, I’ve already run it up your chain of command. You’ll retain your creds and standing at the Agency and officially be on myteam if you accept. But you’ll officially be mine. The agency will have no claim over you or your assignments. I have it in writing.”
She liked that, and of course he had it in writing. Shepherd never left anything undefined. “So, the agencies have agreed to your team carrying creds?”
“Earned through an accelerated remote program,” he said. “I’ve already qualified for mine. I carry Homeland Security creds. Cooper has earned his as well. CIA. But for anyone earning them in this fashion, they’re only valid while on my team.”
