“Five. There will be two man teams in each truck with one to drive a follow-up van to provide the driving teams with escape from the dock terminal. They are to kill everyone in sight on the way out, firing randomly in the streets too so as to make authorities suspect a widespread armed assault by many soldiers.”
Nick placed thin skin stitching strips across Sidi’s wound, closing it somewhat. He then spread analgesic antibiotic cream over the wound thickly, followed by a field dressing. The relief from the pain of his wound nearly made Dabor pass out again. Nick forced him to take a few aspirin with water.
“It’s time for you to make some calls. Pray you do it well, Dabor.”
*
“Two cars, five men, Nick,” Clyde said from his safe-house vantage point screen. Networked into The Unholy Trio’s communication units for the rest of the operation, Bacall would be their eyes and ears during the entire operation. Video cams had been installed in the hallway across from the hotel perpetrators’ rooms. “The couples went down to the hotel bar and returned a few minutes ago. I have the Director on right now.”
“I know time is tight, Nick. We want no court cases or prisoners,” Paul Gilbrech said.
“Understood. We’re doing this in the warehouse. I had Dabor tell his buddies to come inside and go down into the cellar immediately upon arrival. It will be a bit messy.”
“No problem. I have a tactical team ready to clean the premises of everything stored there, including fertilizer bomb, electronics, and bodies. The same goes for the couples at the Harbor Hotel. No prisoners.”
“Five entering now, Nick,” Clyde broke in.
“Talk at you later, gentlemen,” Nick replied. He looked over at Gus and John in position to cover the truck drivers’ arrival with silenced MP5’s.
“We heard, Muerto,” Gus said. “Say when.”
“Ready, Muerto,” John added.
Nick glanced at the unconscious Sidi, propped in a chair under the lights near a computer terminal as if watching the screen. He looked good enough for the five men to walk deep into the ambush. The truck bomb drivers descended the steps in rapid succession. They reached the well-lighted landing and only hesitated for a moment when they saw Sidi at a computer terminal. Deeper inside the room while the front man called out to Sidi, the Unholy Trio popped up from where they were positioned. The executions were over in seconds.
“Hold fire,” Nick called out. He then approached the bodies and fired a round into each of their heads. “We’ll take Dabor with us to the hotel in one of their cars, Clyde. We’re done here. Give us ten minutes to clear the premises.”
“Understood.”
“Are you certain you want to risk using Dabor?”
“He’ll do fine, Paul. I need him only to gain entrance. If they have their dead bolt in place along with the rooms latch, I’ll have to get noisy going in. We don’t want that. I have no way of knowing how close they are to the weapons or what access they have to hand weapons. Gus and John will follow me in, but frankly, I have to get the job done in the first moment of assault inside the doorway. Entering is too narrow for more than one shooter. Let me handle this. Once we’re done, we’ll leave Sidi inside with his dead pals. I see no reason to keep him after that. I will give you the all clear the moment I have all five dead in the room. Do you want me to inventory the room?”
“No,” Paul answered. “You three exit and go about your business, book-signings and all. I’ll have the car you drive over in taken care of too. I would only ask that you stay in your rooms until you need to go out tomorrow. By the time that happens I should have everything smoothed over.”
“Understood. I’ll call when finished.”
*
Nick kept the group of four together, carrying bags, supporting Dabor, and carrying on a running chatter about the Cheers Bar near the hotel. On the approach to the Presidential Suite where the two couples were staying, Nick slowed for a moment.
“Turn off their security cams, Clyde. We’re going to work.”
“Done, Nick.”
Nick moved Dabor into position where only he could be seen. “Speak to them when they answer as you always do, but be anxious to have them open quickly. Stand straight and get one of those asshole scowls on your face.”
Dabor did as ordered. Nick knocked on the door for his captive. A voice asked in bored cadence. “Yes… what is it?”
Dabor suddenly screamed out a warning in Arabic. “Fire everything! It is a trap!”