Chapter 4

(Olmstead Ranch, Present)

Before the flight over the Gulf of Mexico, Bud and his two companions spent the night in San Salvador after 17 hours in the air, the day before. With fuel and meal stops in Vera Cruz, Mexico, and Harlingen, Texas, they arrived at Olmstead at 1530. After a shower and change of clothes, Lance and Brian, met them to bring them up to date on the Neal Handley situation. The bomb had killed one of Handley's young playmates. Since the mystery crew had set the booby traps, her death was ruled as accidental. There was no discussion of any reason, since the local drug lord Handley was with controlled the area.

However, further investigation into the drug lord revealed he was involved in heroin traffic originating in southern Afghanistan, with funds going to support Taliban/Al Quaida operations.

His name was Hector Allende, and the black SUV apparently belonged to him. Allende also supported Hamas, and the mysterious man who gave the orders in the SUV was formerly one of Yasser Arafat's bodyguards, named Abu Nadiri. Thus, they had good reason to fear Massad involvement.

"You guys were being watched by an acquaintance of mine from Massad," Brian said. "When I found Abu Nadiri in the database, I contacted Benjamin. They were in Esquel as well."

"Blue and white Aviat Husky with skis," Bud interrupted. "Four men and two women?"

"You met?" Brian asked.

"No," Bud replied, "We managed to keep our distance."

"They thought you were Agency," Brian explained. "CIA?"

"Are we compromised?" Grady asked.

"No," Brian answered, "but they will take over on the Allende and Nadiri end. If they catch Handley alive, they will hand him over to us."

"How did you find this stuff out?" Deke asked, "The bug on the Land Rover was tracking only, right?"

"Human Intelligence," Brian said, "Benjamin has a man inside Allende's compound."

"So now we do what next?" Bud asked.

"The Citation X jet will be at AHR tomorrow morning," Lance began. "Leave the 185 here, and Pat and Ted will take you in the Caravan at 0800 tomorrow, while they equip the jet."

"Equip how?" Grady asked, "I thought that is what they were doing in Alaska."

"Only the bays, auxilliary fuel tanks and defensive systems," Ted interjected, having come in from the other site just minutes earlier with Pat. "The Jet has a low-observable, radar absorbent coating. It will be armed with six Mach 4 air-to-air missiles that switch between radar, IR, or laser guided, and it can carry two specially designed 500-pound JDAMs. I almost forgot, there is a bigger version of the LR in fore and aft mounts!"

"And we need an arms dealer?" Grady asked, "Or he needs us?"

"He thinks we need him," Brian replied.

"So do we pick a war with the Chicoms?" Bud asked.

"No but if things go badly," Ted answered, "we'd like for you to escape with the plane. They do have F-8 fighters based there, and I am sure some SA-6 SAMs as well"

"I guess we need briefing on the weapons systems then?" Gray asked.

"As backup, yes," Ted replied, "Luke and Sandy will be operating the weapons systems. Hopefully we will not need them, and can make our exit with Nuk Huang as our guest. Finding out who he has been selling what to, will be our top priority. I suspect he is the source of that suitcase nuke those three were headed to Amarillo with, as well as some others we have encountered."

"It looks like Luke's friends did help after all," Grady added.

(Flashback; AHR the evening of the encounter)

It isn't every day one has the pleasure of meeting seven-foot tall people that aren't in the NBA. Sarek and Karenar had known the Garretts while they were at Area 51, before Sandy's injury. The injury was caused by a group of "Grays" from the Zeta Reticulans that snatched her one day and implanted her with three Reptilian embryos, then proceeded to place her in an incubation chamber to accellerate the gestation period to six hours. When Luke couldn't find her, he became frantic, since Karenar had told him the Grays were not to be trusted.

He and Karenar located her two hours into the gestation process, and halted it, freeing and reviving Sandy. The Alien embryos had begun to devour her reproductive system from the inside out, and Karenar quickly sent her to the mother ship, where they were removed and the damage halted. The high radiation levels given off by the Reptilian embryos caused Sandy to lose her hair temporarily, and she would never have children. Shortly afterwards, they were both separated from the service with admonition not to speak to anyone about anything.

The Grays left the Area 51 compound as soon as Sandy was discovered, and retreated to another underground base near Dulce, NM in the Four Corners area. Their genetic experiments created some highly unusual hybrids, which don't normally survive more than a few days. As far as anyone knew, Sandy had Cancer and had a total hysterectomy with complications afterwards. It wasn't anything either of them cared to talk about, or relive.

Serak asked to see the new Laser Rifles and upon examining them and the scope, complimented Luke on its efficiency. "You can reduce the power by a factor of three of four, and have the weapon stun by adding a green Di-Lithium crystal," Serak told them. "That information does not help you gain a more lethal weapon, but rather a less lethal one."

"Conversely, a violet crystal, and increasing the power makes it more so?" Luke asked.

"I will niether confirm or deny this, although you have seen the similar weapon aboard the vessels that were at the site." Serak replied. "The last leader broke the treaty with us when he was untruthful in so many things. We withdrew when he made treaties with the Draconis and Zeta Reticulans against our advice. The most recent leader knows nothing of those treaties. The weapons your leader knew the Terrorist nation to have were taken by the Grays in order to discredit your President and facilitate a change in leadership."

"So THOSE weapons are not in the hands of the terrorists?" Ted asked Serak.

"Others are," Karenar replied, "from other sources."

Serak paused, then spoke an alien language into a comlink. "We must go now," said Serak. "We shall be observing you. May the Force be with you."

The Nordics in their asociation with the human race were familiar with the "Star Wars" series, yet commented very little about the digital technology. They knew Earth was nowhere near as technologically advanced as the movies depicted. It amused them greatly, and frequently, they quoted lines from the movies, thinking the Force being with them was a way of wishing well. Only they knew for certain. Or did they?

(The next day; Antelope Hills Ranch, NM)

After landing at Antelope Hills Ranch, Pat taxied the Cessna Grand Caravan off of the airstrip and using what could be called a garage door opener, opened the hangar door to reveal the Citation X jet. She taxied the Caravan inside and closed the door behind her. Splendid in its four-tone gray and black finish, the jet looked like it was moving fast even on the ground. Capable of Mach.91 the Citation X was reputed to be the fastest private jet built.

From that point on, trips to South America or Europe would take far less time. The disadvantge was that it could not go where the bush planes could. That was why the Win Dx team had the different aircraft. The Citation X had been funded in part by the proceeds from a Smuggling Coyote with 12 Chinese men in the back of a truck. They had paid over 14 million to bring them into the US with their equipment, which was also now in Win DX's possession.

Intercepted at night along Highway 3 between Encino and Duran, based on information Brian had recieved, the thirteen were guests of Doctor Fred Olson for five days. Then they were locked in the back of the truck in the searing heat, assisted from two sides by two six-foot mirror-lenses until they all died of heatstroke. Many smuggled illegals die from being locked in the back of a truck or rail car each year. The smuggler was found two miles from the truck, dead from snakebite.

Turning the prisoners over to Homeland Security involved several risks. First Win DX would be exposed, and possibly face prosecution by a future administration. Secondly, bound by rules of International Conduct, the government could possibly release them to, or allow contact with an embassy, and expose the operation in that manner. Finally, they either intended to cause, or assist someone to cause harm to innocent bystanders. In that case, they were combatants, and fair game to be taken out pre-emptively.

(Flashback; Olmstead Ranch, after the two ATF men from Arkansas were killed)

It was decided after many days of debate that nobody captured could be released alive. True, the team was made up of better people than the enemy was, but total secrecy from all governments was critical to the success of Win DX. It was a hard choice, but all agreed the consequences of their actions in a Human Rights Court would be severe. No consideration was ever given for the terrorist victims' rights. All they did was be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The people Win DX interrogated and eliminated were combatants on missions. Win DX merely intercepted them before their targets could be struck. It was no different than shooting down an enemy plane on its way to attack your base.

Eventually, the cells would notice that their operatives were not successful in their missions, and blamed it on the Homeland Security Department, and made accusations of innocent people being ethnically profiled. That they were transporting Anthrax, and nuclear weapons, or smuggling known PLA soldiers into the country with portable SAMs, anti-tank weapons, and more CNB weapons wouldn't matter unless they actually used them. Then it was too late. When the US Government could not account for the missing terrorists, Massad was blamed.

Chris Olmstead compared it to arresting someone because they might commit a crime. Grady countered with how her brother and husband would be alive if someone had taken out their killers before. It's not a perfect world, and they would need to use the best judgement possible. Sadly they were dealing with hostiles and pausing a millisecond too long could mean their death, rather than the enemy's.

Sniper shots tended to be messy in that they left proof of how the target was killed, then there was always the report of the rifle. With the LR's they could quietly take down targets from far away and be gone before they were found. Then they left bodies and a corpse could provide no Intel.

(Antelope Hills Ranch in preparation for meeting the arms dealer.)

Rather than risk having the jet confiscated, arrangements were made to meet Nuk Huang in San Salvador for a preliminary discussion. The Ops team consisted of Ted, Bud, Grady, Deke, Fred, and Bobby. Patricia would pilot the jet and Sandy and Luke monitor the weapons systems. Brian was along as a translator. The hotel courtyard where the team stayed at on the return from Esquel was used as the meeting place.

Bud and Grady would position themselves on the roof of the hotel with the LR's, Deke was to stay with the plane to protect it and the crew, while Brian, Fred and Ted Morrison met with Nuk.

Fred and Brian would all carry tranquilizer dart guns, while Ted carried the "phaser". The Citation X was very nice inside and comfortable to fly in. It was at maximum load to get airborne from the AHR strip, so they would stop in Mexico City to top off the Auxilliary tanks as well. It was armed only with defensive weapons against hostile aircraft.

In true Socialist fashion, Nuk arrived with four AK-47 armed bodyguards, who wanted the team disarmed. "You will surrender your arms, Mr. Martin," Nuk stated.