PRIMAL Vengeance

Chapter 53



Abu Dhabi International Airport, United Arab Emirates



The Lascar Logistics terminal at Abu Dhabi was extensive. Rows of heavy cargo aircraft waited to load and unload. A fleet of ground support vehicles assisted in the process, moving cargo back and forth from a freight terminal. The maintenance hangars were huge, large enough to fit the big four-engined Ilyushins. To the outside observer it all looked legitimate, another air freight operator conducting day-to-day operations.

Mitch landed the PRIMAL tilt-rotor just after sundown. They came in fast with navigation lights turned off, landing vertically in the middle of the apron reserved for Lascar aircraft. Mitch taxied Dragonfly to the last unmarked hangar. The giant metal doors slid apart and they nosed in next to a business jet.

Dragonfly's rear hatch slid open, a set of aluminum stairs unfolded and Bishop stepped tenderly onto the polished concrete floor. The rest of the team followed, heading across to the briefing room. Behind them the hangar doors had shut. The Priority Movements Airlift hangar was secure.

Bishop slumped into a sofa as Aleks made a beeline for the refrigerator. It was well stocked with beer. "Cold one, comrade?" he asked.

"Hell yeah, mate, all I want is a beer, a shower and to hit the rack!"

Kurtz, Mirza and Mitch all filed into the room and the Russian handed them cold beers as they passed the fridge.

"So now we work out how to kill that Chinese bastard, ja!" said Kurtz as he sucked back an Einbecker.

"Not me." Mirza shook his head. "I need to get back to Africa and help Jonjo take care of Garang."

"I'm with Kurtz," said Aleks. "The girl was killed by Chinese. Chinese needs to die first!"

"It seems like you've all got vengeance on your mind," Mitch commented as he dropped into the couch next to Bishop. "What about you, Bish? You're the one that took all the hits. Who gets it first?"

Bishop took a gulp of his beer and stared at the wall. "They'll all get what's coming to them, mate. I want payback for Jess more than anyone here, but the mission comes first and that means forcing Zhu to withdraw all military aid to Sudan. I'm guessing that's why we've got his son, yeah?"

"That's Chua's plan," said Mirza. "We've got orders scheduled for 1100 hours local tomorrow to discuss the next phase."

"So where's the kid now?" asked Bishop.

"No idea," said Mirza. "All I know is Saneh's babysitting him."

Bishop raised an eyebrow.

Mitch slapped him on the knee, "I don't think you've got much competition from him, champ. Right now he's probably sitting in the corner of a room terrified out of his mind as that woman of yours field strips a pistol whilst hanging from the roof blindfolded."

They all laughed except Bishop, who drank the last of his beer, then stood up. "Team, we've got six hours till the orders group with the Bunker. I for one could do with some sleep. Let's reconvene here at 1030 tomorrow, OK?" Bishop dropped the empty beer bottle in the trash as he left the room.

"How's he doing, Mirza?" asked Mitch when the PRIMAL operative had left the room.

"Bit bruised but he's OK." Mirza had given Aden a full physical on the trip back from Khartoum. "You know what he's like. He'll bottle up the emotion until he can focus it on the bad guys."

"I want to see him tear the arms off that Chinese bastard!" growled Kurtz.

"Da, like those people-smuggling pieces of shit in Budapest!" agreed Aleks.

Before joining the Sudanese recovery operation, the German and the Russian had been tracking down a people-smuggling ring based out of Hungary. Now that Bishop was safe they were keen to kill Yang and get back to work. Both were heavily invested, emotionally, in the European operation.

Mirza got up next. "The Bunker will confirm what's happening tomorrow. I suggest you all get some sleep as well." He threw his own bottle in the bin and left the room.

Kurtz and Aleks followed, discussing some of the finer details of what they'd like to do to Yang. Finally it was only Mitch left in the room. He let out a sigh, kicked his legs up on the sofa and set his alarm for an hour's time. Five hours should be enough to get Dragonfly ready for any future tasks.