The Vagabonds (The Code of War Book 4) Read online

  Orchid had equipped her Whisper armor; the beetle-like helmet tucked under her arm. There were various incredulous murmurs from the Navy crewmen as they caught sight of the ultramodern suit.

  And standing beside the Japanese stealth soldier was their only hope in finding Lennox.

  Agrippina.

  Her equipment had been returned to her, as was agreed upon in her deal with Walsh. The raven-haired assassin was wearing her form-fitting black Rynohyde infiltration suit. Her twin wakizashi blades were sheathed on her back and two FN Five-SeveN handguns sat holstered on her thighs. The woman’s arms were crossed in front of her as she waited impatiently for the briefing to begin.

  General Walsh looked out at his men with his single good eye. “Welcome to the Caribbean Sea, ladies and gentleman. Our general mission operations will begin tomorrow at 0600, so follow the Navy crewmen into the ship, get some chow and shuteye and be prepared for a butt-load of work in the morning. Senior Peacemaker members stick around, everyone else dismissed!”

  The second tier Peacemaker operators followed their Navy minders into the bowels of the ship, while Joe and his mates awaited their orders.

  Walsh nodded and said, “Time’s wasting, so I’ll make this quick. Full details of this Op are available on your PDAs. It’s a half hour flight to the mainland, so you’d better study them damn well. Our initial incursion into the city of Caracas will begin immediately, consisting of Sergeant Braddock, Krieger, Agrippina, Rourke, and Orchid. During the flight here, our lovely assassin here has filled me in on the target for this mission. You are to locate and make contact with a man named Curtis Walker—a local gun merchant situated in the Petare barrios of the city. Agrippina will…negotiate with this Walker for the hiding location of Leo Lennox. By all accounts, this man Walker is a powerful player in the black market of the city, so there’s a good chance he’ll be well armed and less than enthused to receive guests.”

  Walsh motioned for Brick to take over the briefing. The Lieutenant stepped forward, arms behind his back and said, “Caracas has been called the most dangerous city in the world. From what we know, the Petare barrios have been reasonably quiet over the past few days, with conflict mostly being confined to the metro quarter. That doesn’t mean things will be easy. The district is home to gangs, criminals and every manner of lowlife you can imagine. Since our…friend here—” Brick’s eyes moved disdainfully to the Olympus assassin, “—has deigned not to tell us the exact location of Walker’s whereabouts until you have reached the barrio, you’ll be making a fast rope descent to the west of Petare, in the abandoned Unión Mérida football arena.”

  Brick had to stop his brief as an F/A-18 Hornet was launched from the carrier’s airstrip. Once the aircraft had disappeared into the night sky, Brick continued the spiel.

  “Satellite imaging shows the arena’s been deserted for some time. Once in, Agrippina will lead you to Walker’s location, which she says is relatively close by. The stealth Black Hawk will remain on overwatch above the city. Once the objective is completed, make your way to LZ Delta on your PDAs and call for extract. Overall mission time should be no longer than three hours.”

  General Walsh turned to look over the group. “Questions?”

  Rourke raised his arm, “Sir, who’s mission handler for this Op?”

  “Headcase will be your acting God for this one, Rourke.” Walsh nodded at the young auburn-haired mission analyst. “We’ll follow your progress on satellite surveillance. Also, Orchid will act as eyes and ears for your team, which will from here on be designated team Alpha. Anything else? Like I said, everything’s on your PDAs. Make sure you avoid civilian contact whenever possible. If unavoidable, use non-lethal methods to clear your way.” When certain there were no further questions, Walsh nodded. “I don’t have to tell you how important this Op is. The truth of the Code of War has never been closer. Good luck.”

  As Team Alpha loaded into the Black Hawk, Joe caught Walsh’s eye. Moving past the other Peacemakers, he joined the General away from the group for a moment.

  “Sir, I know I’ve said it before, but we’re putting a lot of faith in Agrippina in all of this. What if this is all a trick?”

  “I know you have your doubts, Sergeant, but you need to trust me—this needs to be done. We have to find Lennox and Agrippina is our only link to him.”

  The General’s words did little to soothe the doubt in Joe’s mind. Walsh regarded Joe for a moment before saluting and saying, “Good luck, Sergeant.”

  Joe returned the salute before rushing toward the Black Hawk. Jumping aboard, he slid the door shut behind him. He took a quick whiff of that familiar helicopter smell, not wanting to admit how much he missed it. In the pilot seat, Packrat powered on the engines as he conversed with the Harbinger control tower in preparation for takeoff.

  Krieger sat back in his seat, chewing on a piece of gum. Joe sat beside the beefy Russian, checking his weapon. He’d been able to secure his old reliable M4A1 Carbine for this mission. It was his second good luck charm, his first being Danny’s Inuit necklace. Kitted out with an LWTS Thermal Rifle Scope, suppressor, and M-203 grenade launcher, the rifle had served him well in Zimbala, Syria and other hotspots.

  Krieger carried an AA-12 Automatic Shotgun strapped to his back. With a twenty round drum magazine loaded with 12 Gauge ammunition, the gun was the big Russian’s preferred method of dealing justice to Olympus Centurions.

  Rourke, a sniper true, had chosen a Mk Enhanced Battle Rifle as his primary weapon. The 7.62mm marksman gun was a variant of the venerable M14 rifle that saw more than its share of war during Vietnam. For a supporting weapon, the former SEAL had strapped on his back a UMP45 Heckler & Koch submachine gun, also fitted with a suppressor.

  The STF suits the men wore were well equipped, with grenades, combat knives, and other various pieces of survival gear.

  Joe hadn’t had time to become familiar with the armament on Orchid’s new suit. He’d been amazed at the redesign Dr. Cairncross had crafted and couldn’t wait to see it in action.

  Beside Orchid sat the Olympus harpy, legs crossed and arms folded. Agrippina looked out the window of the Black Hawk as it lifted into the air, banked sharply and headed over the water toward the south.

  As the team members each studied their PDAs, Joe found his eyes wandering to the alabaster-skinned killer in their midst. It was still confounding to him that they were trusting this creature with so much. The General seemed hell-bent in his certainty that she would follow along with the mission and lead them to this Walker character. All Joe could do was trust in the wisdom of his CO.

  The assassin sensed Joe’s eyes on her as she snapped her head around quickly to catch his gaze. “Do you see something you like, Sergeant?”

  Joe sniffed. “Not particularly. In fact, if you weren’t so important to this Op, I’d be fine dumping you out over the ocean right here.”

  Krieger and Rourke looked up from their PDAs, the brewing conversation pulling their attention. Orchid continued to read, seemingly uninterested in what was going on.

  “This is a marriage of convenience,” Agrippina said, flexing her black-gloved fists, “We can each help one another in this game we play.”

  Joe scowled, “You may have the General fooled, but don’t get cute with us. You do anything, anything to make me doubt you’re in any way less than straight with us—” Joe slammed the magazine he’d been loading into his rifle with hard emphasis.

  “I take your point, Sergeant.” Agrippina smiled, her eyes glinting in the low light, “Trust me, you may not even get the chance. The Petare district is one of the most dangerous places on earth. And now with Olympus moving up their patrols in that region…well, let’s just hope our luck holds before we reach our Mister Walker.”

  Krieger raised an eyebrow. “So who exactly is this Walker person?”

  Agrippina shrugged. “Don’t really know. I’ve only met him a handful of times and it was Lennox that did most of the talking on those occasions.”r />
  “What makes you think Walker will help us find Lennox?” Rourke asked, turning off his PDA and securing it within a pocket of his STF suit.

  “Walker relies on Lennox and the Vagabonds for his weapon sales to the VPA,” Agrippina explained, “Without them, he’s out of business. The man is a money hound…he travels the world plying his trade. Venezuela is just the latest in a series of war zones the man has exploited for his own gain.”

  “What’s he like?” Joe asked, curious to meet the enigmatic gun runner.

  Agrippina seemed amused at the question. “Walker isn’t your typical arms dealer. He can be a bit…uncouth when dealing with others. You’re probably best leaving the talking to me.”

  Krieger snorted. “Fat chance!” The Russian leaned over and whispered to Joe, just loud enough to be heard by the assassin, “Don’t you think the General is trusting her too much?”

  Agrippina smiled mischievously. Joe sighed and shook his head.

  “I trust Walsh. We wouldn’t be doing this if he wasn’t certain about her loyalty. Just keep your eyes open.”

  For the first time since they entered the aircraft, Orchid spoke. “Don’t worry about that boys. If our little lady here decides to go it alone and screw us—” She clenched her gauntleted fist and out sprung a six-inch tapered blade from the wrist socket, “—it’ll be her last move on the face of this earth. Right, Aggy?”

  Agrippina sneered and returned her gaze back to the black sea below.

  Krieger laughed. “Aggy! I like this name. Orchid, you are funnier than you look, da?”

  * * *

  Venezuelan Airspace, October 5th

  THE FLIGHT from the carrier to the coast of Venezuela took half an hour. Below them, scattered offshore were massive oil rigs, built to exploit the country’s vast reserves. It was obvious what Olympus saw in this place, Joe thought to himself as the helicopter powered over the Venezuelan beachhead. If Olympus was able to quell the people’s uprising, the PMC could have ready access to as much energy as they needed from now until the end of time.

  A few minutes later, the city of Caracas came into view—a sprawl of lights spreading up from the hilly north region of Venezuela.

  Packrat spoke through the cabin intercom, “Two minutes to drop off. Get ready.”

  Slinging his rifle, Joe moved up and opened the starboard door of the helicopter. A rush of air filled the cabin as he watched the sporadically lit homes of the shanty town area of Caracas move by below him. According to the PDA brief, most of the fighting had yet to spill into the poorer areas of the city. Olympus would soon begin drone patrols, similar to what they had done in the past in cities they’d been contracted to pacify. The civilians would be brought back in line once the PMC’s powerful war machine gained ground. Joe thought of the lives that would be lost among those innocent to the conflict. War always scarred those tertiary to it in one way or another.

  This mission isn’t about those people.

  Joe had faced the hard realization that Venezuela’s problems were far more deep rooted than anything a small team like the Peacemakers could ever solve. That wasn’t why they were here. Lennox was all that mattered. Finding him and learning the secrets he knew about the Code of War—

  —and Danny Callbeck.

  Joe clenched his teeth, firm in his belief that what they were doing was the last hope he would have of finding his friend. All of his battles and attempts to learn Callbeck’s fate would finally be validated.

  He pulled a pair of night vision goggles over his eyes. Sweeping the ground below, his gaze was drawn toward their destination: the abandoned college football stadium known once as Unión Mérida. It would provide a safe, soundproof cover for the Black Hawk’s descent. As the Black Hawk maneuvered over the stadium, Joe prepped the FRIES (or Fast Rope Insertion Extraction System) for the drop. Behind him, Rourke did the same on the port side of the aircraft. Joe could hear Orchid fastening her helmet and activating the Whisper suit.

  As the aircraft drew lower over the city, Joe girded himself.

  Are you ready for this Braddock?

  Joe’s body tensed as he prepared to return to the fray.

  Time to find out.

  Packrat’s voice came through the intercom. “We’re at a hundred feet. Drop ropes.”

  Joe and Rourke released the plaited lines and prepared for the plummet.

  “Deck is clear. Deploy, repeat, deploy.”

  Joe clasped the nylon rope and began his descent. Feet clasped around the other end of the line, he lowered himself down to the ground. He was followed—a bit too closely—by Krieger, who nearly collided full force on top of him. Rourke hit the ground on the other side, followed by Agrippina, who swung down the rope like a pole dancer—landing on a dime.

  Joe saw Krieger look up at the hovering helicopter. “Where is Orchid?” the Russian asked.

  He was answered when Orchid jumped out of the aircraft, falling the entire hundred-odd feet to land on the arena field. The leg compensators of the Whisper armor absorbed the stress of the fall. Standing back up, Joe could see her scanning the field with the advanced sensor system Doctor Cairncross had built into the helmet.

  “Detecting anything?” Joe asked, readying his M4A1.

  After a brief moment, Orchid looked at Joe through her beetle-shaped helmet. “Just some homeless in the upper bleachers. Nothing else notable.”

  Joe looked up and waved to the Black Hawk.

  “Package has been delivered,” Packrat’s voice came through on the comm in each of the Peacemaker’s ears. “Heading back to overwatch.” The FRIES system severed the ropes, where they dropped to the ground in a heap. With the small team inserted, Packrat took the helicopter back up into the skies above Caracas.

  Joe tapped the comm unit and said, “Headcase, this is Alpha Team Leader. We’re on the deck, repeat, we are on the deck.”

  The voice of the mission analyst came through over the radio, “This is Mother Hen. We have you on satellite, Alpha Team. We’re showing a few heat signatures in the general area. Proceed with caution.”

  “Copy that. We’re heading out. We’ll see you on the other side.”

  Joe signed off and led the team away from the stadium field. The arena was severely damaged by disuse and vandalism. Moving through the interior of the stadium, they made their way toward the vestibule. There was no power inside the stadium, so the team had to rely on infrared, save Orchid and Agrippina, whose artificial red eye could see in the dark.

  As the team reached the front box-office of the stadium, Joe called a quick halt. Taking a knee, he brought the team down for a quick meet. Krieger kept watch, the AA-12 shotgun held tight at the ready.

  “Okay, we’re here,” Joe said to Agrippina, “It’s time for you to fess up. Where is Walker’s HQ from this position?”

  Agrippina scoffed, “Don’t tell me you still don’t trust me?”

  Orchid swatted the assassin on the shoulder, none too gently, “Answer him.”

  The Olympus harpy glared at the armored soldier but held back her rebuttal. “About six blocks from here, right on the west border of the Petare barrios, you’ll come to a four-story shopping mall. It’s been closed for years and condemned. The area is protected by the Infierno Cartel, who don’t allow the Government Forces anywhere near the area. Cops historically steer clear of the neighborhood, fearing the drug dealers.”

  “If the neighborhood is so heavily guarded, how will we get near it?” Rourke asked as he checked his Battle Rifle.

  “You won’t. I’m known to the Cartel. They should allow me to approach and when I do, I tell them you’re with me. From there, they’ll take us to meet Walker.”

  Orchid made a mocking noise in her helmet. “You mean you want us to let you approach by yourself so you can inform your drug dealer friends to kill us?”

  “They aren’t my friends,” Agrippina retorted, “I said they know me. There’s a better than average chance they’ll stick a gun in my mouth and blow the back o
f my head off.”

  “It’d be an improvement…” Orchid sneered.

  “That’s enough you two!” Joe snapped, “If Aggy says Walker’s in this mall, I believe her. Agrippina will take point and lead us through the streets. Stick to alleys whenever possible. Orchid, you’ll get to a high elevation as soon as we’re out of here. Keep an eye out and mark any tangos. Everyone else stay low and out of sight, got it?”

  “Can we get going?” Krieger grunted, “My butt is twitching here.”

  Standing up, Joe moved to the doors of the stadium. They were heavily chained, though that hadn’t deterred looters from breaking in via the glass windows surrounding the doors, leaving a perfect exit onto the streets of Caracas.

  The Petare barrios spread out before him in all their nighttime splendor. A sea of ramshackle shanties, clustered together like a vast Lego city, the barrios were an urban planner’s nightmare. Home to some 400,000 people, the shanty town was a maze of alleys and pathways. In the brief Braddock had read during the flight, he’d been surprised to learn most of the electricity had been disabled in this region. The Government of Venezuela knew much of the VPA resistance originated here in the barrios and were logically uninterested in letting them see at night.

  The parking lot of the stadium was empty, save for some old cars whose wheels and engines had long been pilfered. Joe signaled an all clear for the team, who quickly joined him. Agrippina stepped up to take the lead. Before they left the cozy safety of the stadium, Joe caught her arm—drawing the harpy close for a quick word.

  “Remember, we’ve got eyes out. Don’t make me regret trusting you.”

  A seductive smile stretched across Agrippina’s mouth, her alabaster skin looking particularly pale in the sparse moonlight.

  “Wouldn’t dream of it, sweetie.” She clicked her teeth together before taking off toward the east. Joe shook his head and motioned for the team to follow.

  Chapter 12

  Walker