Eyes of the Hammer (The Green Berets) Read Online Free PDF Page B

meters and they'd be at the fence.
     
    1:48 A.M.
     
    Powers guided the truck as it backed up to the F-111. He nodded to himself as he checked his watch. With six men they could easily remove one of the bombs slung under the aircraft and heave it into the back of the truck.
     
    1:49 A.M.
     
    Riley piled his men into the van and ran around to the front. He threw his web gear onto the floor and slammed the door shut. "Let's hit the road."
    The driver roared out of the parking lot and turned toward the Northway.
    Riley held up a hand. "Whoa! Slow down, man. We don't want to get stopped by cops."
    As if that was the cue, the flashing lights of a state police patrol car came on a hundred meters behind the van. The big man turned to Riley. "What do I do now?"
    "We stop."
     
    1:53 A.M.
     
    The two-and-a-half-ton truck pulled off the flight line and onto the road heading toward the main gate. Powers allowed himself a brief smile, but it was wiped off his face as the driver slammed on his brakes and Powers's head barely missed the dashboard.
    "Shit!" Powers looked up. Two air police cars with lights flashing were straddling the road in front of the truck. With drawn pistols, the drivers stood behind the vehicles, aiming at the truck's windshield.
     
    1:54 A.M.
     
    Riley watched the state trooper approach the van warily. The driver rolled down his window. Riley slouched in his seat trying to appear inconspicuous—a hard task considering his darkened face and dirty camouflage fatigues. He crammed his AK-47 under the seat and tried wiping some of the burned cork off his face with his shirt sleeve.
    "Would you step out, please?"
    The driver obliged. Riley slid lower in his seat.
    "You, too, over there on the right."
    Riley sighed. He opened his door, got out, and walked around the van. The policeman stared hard at his appearance. The trooper's right hand unclipped the tie-down on his pistol. His fingers rested warily on the butt. "Open the back."
    The driver shot a pleading look at Riley. Riley shrugged and nodded. Shaking his head, the big man led the state trooper around to the back. He unlocked the door and swung it wide open.
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER FIVE
     
    FRIDAY, 23 AUGUST
    LANGLEY, VIRGINIA
    8:00 A.M.
     
    Hanks didn't say a word as Strom entered and took a seat across from him. He simply leaned forward, putting his chin in his hand, and waited for his deputy director to speak.
    Strom flipped open his ever-present file folder and studied his notes for a second before beginning. Hanks felt it was all part of an established little performance. He wanted to see how good this one was.
    "The secretary of state met with the Colombian ambassador this morning for approximately forty-five minutes. The ambassador again denied any knowledge of who the people might be behind the assassination of Judge Santia. Nothing new there." Strom flipped a page. "The FBI's investigation is—"
    "Hold your horses for a second." Hanks sat back in his chair. He was going to enjoy putting Strom in his place. "That's all you got out of that meeting?"
    Strom sensed something was amiss and used the time-honored defense of removing himself one step from the information. "That's all my source relayed."
    Hanks smiled. "There was quite a bit more to that meeting than protestations of innocence by the Colombian ambassador. In fact, a deal was offered. A deal that we are probably going to be very involved in if the president buys off on it."
    Strom frowned, obviously wondering how Hanks could be privy to information that he wasn't aware of. "What kind of deal, sir?"
    "President Alegre is offering a way for our two countries to meet mutual goals. We get to strike back at the drug cartel and reduce their production. Alegre has a dangerous internal problem in the form of a powerful criminal element attacked."
    "Strike back how, sir?"
    Hanks decided he would play with Strom a little longer before dropping the bombshell. He liked watching Strom dangle in