Wilco- Lone Wolf 8 Read online

  I smiled. ‘Bean counters make it to the top, eh. Heard anything from Bob?’

  ‘Not allowed to, and he’s not allowed to call. Stupid really, he was good at the job.’

  ‘But could have left himself open to blackmail...’

  ‘That is the party line, yes,’ he said with a sigh, and I knew there was more to the words than was said.

  A knock, and we entered a familiar office, the guy standing to greet me, appearing to be in his fifties. He was very average, I considered, average in most every way, and disarming, light brown hair that looked like it would not sit where he wanted it to. And he did not look like a confident man, rather one that had struggled with being average.

  ‘Ah, the man himself,’ David began. ‘We shook. ‘Tea?’

  ‘Never say no,’ I quipped.

  Tea sorted, I sat facing him as if an underling, which I basically I was, his new assistant off to one side, notepad in hand.

  ‘Lot to go through, hope you don’t mind,’ he began.

  ‘Since many people believe that I work for you ... why would I mind?’

  He forced a smile. ‘Indeed, yes, but it is not a direct relationship, and there are a few nervous MPs who will make sure that it never is. But how did it work with Bob?’

  ‘He never shouted down the phone that I had to do something, unless that was to be careful and to limit casualties. He would ask me if we could do a job, fitness and injuries, and the practicalities of it, but on occasion he pushed the panic button and told us we had to deploy, but that was when the Cabinet Office was giving orders on things like the coup in Sierra Leone.’

  He nodded. ‘I’m almost up to speed on everything, all the small detail, budgets, and there is a sizeable budget for you and your team that seems to be in reserve, as well as MOD contributions above the normal. And ... a certain bank account in the Cayman Islands.’

  ‘Tomsk put some money in.’

  ‘We need to be very ... very careful as far as that matter goes, nothing written down.’

  ‘Well you’re the super spy. If you can’t keep it secret, who can?’ I teased.

  ‘Yes, quite. But we get audited, and have oversight, and we answer to the select committees.’

  ‘Then you’ll have to practise lying,’ I told him. ‘Can’t wind back the clock.’

  ‘No, quite. And how do you see this relationship with our friend in Panama developing?’

  ‘You tell me what you want done ... I do it. So, what do you want from that relationship?’

  ‘Not an easy question, not least because the French and Americans would be most upset about anyone souring that relationship. They, and us, are enjoying the seizures of drugs and guns, and the politicians think we’re better than we really are.’

  ‘Then why don’t we just do nothing for now,’ I suggested.

  He regarded me for a moment. ‘Your new relationship with the dictator in Monrovia, and how you started that relationship, caused me to question the detail at length, then sit down with a stiff drink. If one of my best field agents achieved something like that I would be staggered, but for you...’

  ‘I was just lucky,’ I suggested. ‘No big deal.’

  ‘No big deal? If our highly trained men could pull off something like that then we’d be as good as those novels about us, not have men sat languishing in prisons around the world.’

  ‘Since I work for you, technically, you can claim the credit.’

  ‘As well as the blame, unfortunately, and various British and American oil companies are hopping mad.’

  ‘No evidence of our involvement,’ I pointed out.

  ‘No, just by implication of where the oil ship anchored.’

  ‘Since their survey was illegal ... fuck ‘em.’

  ‘That is the one factor we can play.’ He eased back. ‘This new Colonel, Dean – you get along with him?’

  ‘He calls me and asks for advice. He’ll bend over backwards to help us.’

  ‘That’s always a benefit, and a first, an SAS colonel wanting to assist us. And the reasoning behind a troop of his on the base?’

  ‘Nothing sinister – he wants my good habits to rub off on the Regiment, not for them to influence me. He wants to copy me and work with me, not get rid of me – unlike Rawlson.’

  ‘Quite a turnaround..?’

  ‘I met him in Sierra Leone, and we had a long chat. We’re now best mates.’

  ‘One less area to worry about. And you have the police with you at the moment..?’

  ‘Yes, and this batch are shit hot, a few stars in there ... should you wish to pinch them away.’

  ‘You ... think they would make the grade?’

  ‘Four of them, yes.’

  He glanced at his assistant, who made a note. ‘Useful to know, and we do recruit from the police often. And we’ve had some successes with your Lone Wolves, a few jobs pulled off without incident, so we’re hopeful for the future there.’

  ‘Another intake planned?’ I asked.

  ‘Not just yet, we have all the warm bodies we need for now. But tell me, this police team; what do you see as being the next step?’

  ‘Colonel Dean knows that for the SAS to have men in London means a waste of time for those men, fitness lost, skills lost. If the police take over that role then the SAS go back to green-field soldiering and small wars, whilst having teams ready for a major incident, foreign terrorists, or a plane highjack. He need only keep one troop in London.

  ‘What I suggested to him ... was that his lads and mine rotate, and that we offer a support role to the police. If they ask for a sniper, we give a sniper. If they ask for a door to be blown in, we do that, but we don’t interfere. Their job, their blame, but we support when asked.’

  He nodded. ‘Best of both worlds; the police kept happy, the SAS happy. And at your base you have this man Sasha and his team...’

  ‘Yes, training hard, keeping fit, practising their Russian.’

  ‘Bob had high hopes for them.’

  ‘They could mimic Russian gunmen well enough, and fight as a team, a double benefit. They can even parachute into a place.’

  He nodded. ‘And this new troop of regulars with you gives you more men, so you can do more.’

  ‘Yes, so if you have a job for us ... don’t be shy. But let me ask; what do you ... see as the future direction of Echo?’

  He made a face. ‘I would hope ... more of the same, hostage rescue when it’s needed, counter insurgency and the like, as well as selecting and training men for us. But now that you’re growing closer to the regular SAS, we may be wary.’

  ‘No difference in the blabbing levels from then to now,’ I assured him. ‘And they know not to upset me. They saw us training the Lone Wolves, the French, now the police, so if a group of men turn up for some training you can label them as police or something, no one will know – or query it.’

  ‘That is the one good thing, the various groups, so we can disguise our men well enough. Are there ... any problems or concerns we need look at?’

  ‘None, it’s all going well, nothing for you to worry about in your first week. Wait till next week, something will probably go wrong.’

  ‘Well, let’s hope not. Do you ... want us to try and find some hostages?’

  ‘What Bob would do ... would find them and make a judgement as to whether we could get them out and get a good newspaper headline. So when you feel that you want a pat on the back from the Prime Minister … go find some hostages.’

  ‘But should it not be the case that we prioritise those held longest, the largest numbers.’

  ‘That would make sense, if we lived in a world where hostages mattered. They don’t, other than to me. There are tens of thousands of hostages the world over, so how would you prioritise them, and would it just be a British effort?’

  ‘Then I guess we wait for the FCO to mention British hostages somewhere ... and do what we’re paid to do.’

  ‘Don’t wait too long, my men get bored. Find some and let us
go get them, at least once a month.’

  ‘Seems odd, rescues based on publicity and men getting bored.’

  ‘It’s how the system works, so you’ll need to get used to it. Bob was a snake, and good at it, so perhaps you can lower yourself a little and emulate him.’

  He cocked an eyebrow, and stared back. ‘I guess ... I will bring my own style to job as time goes on.’

  ‘If you need any advice on how it was done previously, I’m just a phone call away.’

  His phone went, and he answered it. After listening, and giving me an odd look, he told whoever was down the phone, ‘Have the details brought in, team meeting in ten. Thanks.’ Phone down, he faced me. ‘A group of Europeans have been kidnapped in Kota Kinabalu -’

  ‘A safari trip to the volcano?’

  ‘How the hell did you know that?’

  ‘Read it in the papers last week, two French abducted in the same spot, Filipino communist bad boys.’

  ‘And ... how would you handle it?’

  ‘With my French counterparts, and the Yanks. They have surface ships and helos nearby.’

  David glanced at his assistant, who made a note. Facing me, he said, ‘Please return, and get ready to deploy.’

  I stood. ‘You need to send a note to the JIC and the cabinet Office, for them to send orders to the UKSF Directorate, who rubber stamp the mission and sort planes and things. The MOD need to send a note to the FCO – who organise permissions to enter Malaysia and the Philippines, a note to the French and the Yanks. You send a note to your counterparts, a friendly request to join me in my efforts, being careful to mention me in bold letters.’

  His assistant smiled widely, getting a look from David.

  ‘Was useful having you here,’ David admitted with a false smile.

  ‘I’ll get the men ready, you get us a plane. And ... good luck with the new job,’ I offered.

  ‘You asked about houses,’ David’s assistant put in. ‘We can secure two year lets at a price over the odds, basic rent to the families as per MOD standards.’

  ‘Make the rent less than MOD standards, I need them motivated to fucking move. First six months rent free, use my budget – excess budget, as you just told me.’

  He made a note.

  David asked, ‘What do you see ... happening to that money?’

  ‘I see ... some kit for the lads, things like this when we need it. Rest is yours to use.’

  ‘And Tomsk..?’

  ‘Would put more in if I asked him to.’

  In the car, I called the base, getting O’Leary. ‘It’s Wilco. Halt all training, get everyone kitted for a live job, in the jungle – Far East. We’d deploy as soon as they aircraft are ready. I’m on my way back, be an hour or two.’

  I called Credenhill, getting through to the Colonel. ‘Sir, we have a live job on, Philippines, so put two troops on standby, jungle gear, they may come along. Maybe lads in Kenya.’

  ‘Philippines means the separatists in the south.’

  ‘Yes, sir, they grabbed tourists.’

  ‘I’ll be all over it, but don’t I wait till the UKSF Directorate send me a note?’

  ‘Yes, sir, but I just got the advance warning.’

  Next call was the Air Commodore. ‘Wilco my lad, staying out of trouble?’

  ‘Never, sir, what do you take me for.’

  He laughed. ‘What are you after?’

  ‘Got a big job, Borneo, western hostages, so put 2 Squadron on standby, and your medics, plus a Tristar – when you get the note from the MOD of course.’

  ‘Of course,’ he mocked. ‘Leave it with me.’

  Holding my phone, and staring at it, I called Colonel Dean again. ‘Sir, the place we’re going, it’s seen both Australian and New Zealand SAS in action in the past, so how about you contact them as a courtesy and pretend to seek advice – then let them join us.’

  He laughed loudly. ‘You are such a sneaky little shit.’

  ‘Thank you, sir.’

  ‘I’ll get on it.’

  When we got back the base was a hive of activity, but my first stop was my house, and to get into something suitable for the jungle, despite not knowing when we’d deploy. In uniform, pistol on, I jogged over to the hangar in jungle stripes, the metal crates out, kit being checked.

  I ducked in to see Captain Harris. ‘I want a map of Borneo and the southern Philippines, Mindanao, and a lecture on the separatist movement.’

  ‘When?’ he complained.

  ‘As soon as, we may go tomorrow.’ Outside, I shouted, ‘Briefing room, ten minutes, get everyone.’

  Inside the briefing room I grabbed a tea and drew a simple map on the white board. Men started to appear and sit down, and soon we had a full room, Signals and Intel at the back, Robby and his troop sat together.

  ‘OK, listen up. We have a live job, hostages were grabbed, tourists, a mix of Europeans, quite a few Brits.’ I faced the board. ‘The northwest part of Borneo is controlled by the Malaysians. The south is controlled by the Indonesians. The north east comes close to disputed islands, and the Filipino communist separatist bad boys make a claim that the various governments don’t agree with, and they grab hostages to make a dollar.

  ‘Here, to the east of Borneo ... are just over a million small islands, just to make our lives difficult. Be hard to say where the hostages are, so that’s where signals intel comes in. Any small island with a sat phone going may be worth a look, after we get permission from the Philippines Government.

  ‘We’ll invite the Americans along, and they have planes with infra-red cameras, so maybe they can help, and maybe they know something about the islands in use.’

  ‘We go in by boat?’ Rocko queried.

  I sighed, loudly. ‘How we go in ... will be difficult and dangerous, and boats could be shot up from the beach. Parachuting is an option, but these islands have lots of trees, and the wind hardly ever drops – it’s the tropics. Helicopter would be an option, but a loud one. What we have, gentlemen, is a headache. So, we need good intel, a good plan, and some suitable transport.’

  ‘Are there sharks?’ Tomo asked.

  ‘Yes, so no swimming. Get shot and land in the water and you’re a tasty snack for a big Tiger Shark.’

  They exchanged worried looks.

  I added, ‘If we are going over water, which is a guarantee, put diesel oil on your boots and legs, sharks don’t like it. Then all you have to worry about are the jelly fish – one touch and you’re dead.’

  ‘Pleasant fucking spot,’ Dicky noted.

  ‘And it’s 30 degrees day and night, warm and sticky. OK, we don’t have a plane booked yet, so sort the kit, and pack a dinghy or two from the boat shed, plus a few life vests. Mister O’Leary, chat to Brize Norton, we’d want our chutes, and life vests, and say four parachute instructors to hand.’

  ‘How long is the flight?’ Moran thought out loud.

  ‘In a Tristar? Twenty to thirty hours with stops.’

  They all moaned, loudly.

  ‘In a Hercules?’ Rizzo asked.

  ‘It would take a month to get there,’ I told him. ‘We’d not go by Hercules. OK, carry on packing the kit, hot jungle and some ocean to cross, and have a look at the maps tonight. Pack the puri-tabs, antiseptic cream, it’s a shit hole. Oh, Henri, call Major Liban, there are French hostages.’

  My phone went, so I stepped out.

  ‘Wilco, it’s Chuck, just got a wire about the Philippines.’

  ‘You guys going to assist us?’

  ‘Are there American hostages?’

  ‘Maybe, don’t know yet. Are you ... happy with the tip-offs Tomsk is giving you?’

  ‘You trying to strong arm me, Buddy?’

  ‘I’d do that face to face, this is friendly incentive time.’

  He laughed. ‘I’ll pass it up the line; they’d not want to piss you off. But listen, is there going to be a good headline here for us?’

  ‘If there are American tourists involved, and you assist, then we cou
ld do the hard work and your boys pick up the hostages by helicopter.’

  ‘Sounds like a plan, so I’ll send that up the line as well. What’ll you need?’

  ‘A Hercules in the region -’

  ‘Fucking loads of them in the region.’

  ‘A ship, and some helicopters.’

  ‘Got a whole battle group there, drinking beer and fucking the local skinnies. Might give them something to do.’

  ‘Your advisors still there?’

  ‘On and off, down to the dickwad in the White House, but they’ve just about given up trying to dislodge the commies. When there are elections in the Philippines they always promise a new offensive, which lasts a week. As soon as it rains they go home.’

  ‘I could do with some intel and maps, Buddy.’

  ‘I can get those, they ain’t secret.’

  ‘Do so in a hurry, please.’

  ‘Chat tomorrow.’

  Phone away, it went almost immediately. ‘Wilco.’

  ‘David Finch.’

  ‘Right, Boss.’

  ‘Was that genuine, or facetious?’

  ‘It was genuine, but tinged with irony.’

  ‘I see. Well, we have a Cabinet office rubber stamp and the UKSF and JIC have been advised, so I guess it’s all by the book.’

  ‘And permission from the Philippine Government?’

  ‘Highly unlikely, since they did, apparently, sign a peace deal a few hours ago.’

  ‘And the hostages were grabbed..?’

  ‘Day before.’

  ‘How convenient,’ I quipped.

  ‘Yes, odd timing.’

  ‘We go anyway?’

  ‘Yes, because there are no Philippine forces in the area, and we got a hint that they would ignore us then condemn us when the job was done.’

  ‘And why do they not ask for the hostages back?’ I posed.

  ‘Because they’re still waiting for more than a hundred of their own men back, and won’t pay.’

  ‘Bloody marvellous.’

  ‘We’re arranging flights, and we have the full cooperation of the Malaysians, who are terrified of losing tourists. There is an old airfield in the right spot, and the first job will be to secure it, a few bad boys in the area – same ones that grabbed the tourists and passed them on I guess. You’ll refuel in Cyprus or make it straight to Diego Garcia, that way no one will see you.’