The Last Operation (The Remnants of War Series, Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

those two hostages at any cost."
    "Who's holding them and where?" asked Daniels.
    "Diego Durand and his brother Hector in Guadalajara, Mexico. They.."
    "Are you shitting me? The Durand brothers?" Daniels interrupted. "You want a team to take on the Durand brothers? You don't need a team, you need a Marine Regiment."
    Richard Daniels was aware of the Durand brothers. They were well known in the intelligence and military community and among mercenaries. Their business was buying, selling and transporting drugs. Their organization had risen to the top of the sewer by sheer viciousness in a business noted for its violence. They'd gotten very big and very powerful. They had kicked the Columbian Cartels out of the distribution business and controlled the product that came out of Medellin and Cali. It was known that their influence and power in Mexico was immense. Rumors had it that the Chief of the Mexican Federal Police, roughly equivalent to our FBI, had received two calls for an immediate meeting the same evening. One was from the Prime Minister of Mexico, the other from Hector Durand.
    He met with Hector Durand.
    "We have had their Guadalajara compound under constant satellite surveillance," said Taylor. "We have two reliable informers on the inside. They have been willing to join on our side. They will be extracted as part of the rescue plan and will be placed in the Federal Witness Program. We have been working and running computer simulations. The Agency has been consumed with this problem."
    Now it was Rollie's turn to laugh.
    "Computer simulations. You guys are something else. You think this is fucking Microsoft? You're going to pull a raid on the Durand brothers with a computer simulation?"
    "Relax," said Taylor, "we have the most powerful computers and programs in the world, but in this case it is only used to confirm the plans our top analysts have devised. These people are experienced field agents like you."
    "Good," replied Daniels, "let them go. You can count me out."
    "Wait," said Taylor. "You've got to hear the rest."
    Taylor placed a photo on the table. "This is James LeCount. He is the primary agent who created and operates the distribution pipelines, he was kidnapped by the Molaca gang in Mexico City five weeks ago. The kidnapping took place during a scheduled meeting with our contact man. Our contact was also captured. The Molocas work for the Durands. They were taken directly to the Durand's compound in Guadalajara. Our inside informers confirmed they are still held in that location. Satellite surveillance gave us this photo of one of the hostages exercising in a courtroom of the compound. I believe you know him."
    As he spoke, Taylor removed a large photo from a pouch and placed it in front of Daniels. The camera caught the man stretching, looking up. On either side of him stood men holding machine pistols. His feet were manacled and dark bruises showed in his face as shadows in the grainy satellite photo. Daniels grip tightened on the checkered tablecloth as he recognized the prisoner.
    It was "Loony"
    His real name was Oscar Velez. He'd been the youngest member of the Special Ops team Daniels had commanded in Afghanistan. Velez wasn't much more than a kid who'd found the Army as the only escape route available out of the Barrios of Los Angeles. The young man had taken well to Special Forces training and somewhere down the line, probably because of his penchant for practical jokes someone tagged him with the moniker of Loony.
    The name stuck. He turned out to be one of those guys always there when needed. Never ducking or shirking duties, he pulled up the morale of the team immeasurably. He finished his combat tour and re-enlisted. He and Daniels had kept in touch for a while. After his second tour he married and moved his family, including his parents, from LA to a nice suburb of San Diego. Daniels had visited him a few years back. Nice wife and two wide eyed cute kids. He told Daniels at the time he worked