Page 19 of Fear No Evil
“Yes, sir.”
“Any questions?” The commander tipped his head and waited.
Maggie’s curiosity got the better of her. “Have we met before?”
Several SEALs snickered, including Jake.
Strong sent her a humble smile. “I used to play quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys.”
“Ooh.” No wonder he looked familiar. Her father was a huge Cowboys fan. She’d probably grown up seeing his face on TV.
“One more question, sir.” Jake leaned forward. “Is there an escape-and-evasion plan in case something unforeseen happens?”
Maggie stiffened. Like what? Did Jake think she was going to fall apart on him?I can’t afford to.
The former quarterback thought a moment. “I think Lobo was working on that. Why don’t you check with him?”
They both looked at Lobo, who nodded.
“Will do, sir. Thank you, sir.”
“Good luck to both of you. Lena, it was nice to meet you.”
“You, too, Commander.”
Strong disappeared, replaced by a screen that readSpecial Operations Web Connectbefore Lobo scooped up the laptop and started clicking keys. Maggie hid her secret worries. She hadused the E & E protocol back in Morocco. She wouldn’t need it this time, not if Jake was with her.
When Lobo put the laptop in front of them again, Maggie guessed she was still looking at a satellite view of El Castillo.
Lobo leaned over with a finger on the keyboard. “Okay, if I zoom in on the top of El Castillo”—he spoke with softened consonants that betrayed Hispanic heritage—“you can see between the mountain’s twin peaks what’s left of a glacier. And right here”—he pointed out the blurred image—“are a couple of solar panels providing electricity to a radio station the FARC used to use to promote their Marxist views. These days, it’s used by a missionary to transmit his Sunday podcasts.”
“Missionary?” Jake sounded surprised.
Lobo kept talking. “If your comms go out, you could always use the radio station to broadcast an SOS. The FARC have a repeater up there for their handheld radios. Disabling the repeater would hamper their communication, since radio waves can’t bend around the mountain. If you need a quick exfil, it looks like there’s enough room on the shore of the lake on this side to land a rescue helicopter.” Lobo’s jungle-green eyes trekked toward the other three SEALs. “Should we firm this up as our E&E plan?”
One at a time, each man agreed, including Jake. Then they all looked at Maggie, who shrugged, surprised to be given a say in the matter. “Sure.”
Jake sniffed the air. “Do I smell food?”
Harm grinned. “Yes, you do, sir. The station chief insisted on feeding us tonight. Let’s eat!”
In the dining room, Whiteside was laying out paper plates and plastic utensils for the food he’d already set out. “Good. You’re done already. Come and eat while it’s hot. I’ve got four traditional dishes for you to sample.”
The men insisted Maggie go first in heaping food onto her plate. There seemed to be plenty to go around. A lighthearted banter flowed between the SEALs, making it apparent they were accustomed to each other’s company. With a twinge of envy, she imagined what it must be like having teammates to rely on.
As the meal wore on, Harm and Bambino helped themselves to seconds. But Maggie was stuffed, having eaten as much as she could. It might just be her last big meal for a while.
Whiteside brought in brownies from the kitchen. “Who wants dessert?”
As Maggie declined, Jake wiped his hands on a paper napkin. “We should probably head back to the hotel.”
All four SEALs at the table rose when Maggie stood.
“Luck to both of you, sir.” It was Harm who said this, his bright-blue eyes full of encouragement. “What’s that Irish blessing you taught us again?”
A smile danced at the edges of Jake’s lips.“Go n-éirí an bóthar leat.”
May the road rise to meet you.Maggie knew that Gaelic phrase, as well. But there weren’t any roads where they were headed, just an impenetrable mountain, drug lords, and rebel dissidents.