Free Countdown: The Liberators-ARC by Tom Kratman Page B

have to hit it in or near a port, preferably as it's leaving, so I'll need the ship's schedule some time in advance. Also architectural drawings, arms, a way to get there, NVGs"-night vision goggles- "preferably PVS-21's-"
    "I can get you PVS-7s," Gordo interjected, "or something just as good. But 21's just aren't to be had on the open market."
    Biggus thought about that before agreeing, and then adding to his shopping list, "I'll need scuba gear for four, a boat, a padded extending ladder, a . . . "
    "Just give me your list," Gordo said. "I'll see what I can do."
    Bridges looked decidedly skeptical.
    Ralph waved a finger. "Chief," he said to the SEAL, "don't be so sure how easy this will be. Bridges has traced back all of the Galloway's stops and routes for the last couple of years. I think they're not just a carrier for hire. I suspect they're AQ Navy, either owned or leased."
    Al Qaeda Navy, so called, was a collection, some suspected a very large collection, of merchant vessels owned or crewed by that terrorist organization.
    "Really," the SEAL's face was lit with a feral smile. "In that case, what was professional has just become personal." He faced Stauer and asked, "Sir, if I find, after boarding, that they are AQN can I terminate the lot of them?"
    Over that Stauer didn't hesitate a moment. He had his own grudges. "Yes. Or anything else you can imagine."
    "You know," Gordo said, "if we're going to off the crew we could save a few million by taking over the Galloway, rather than buying our own."
    "It's tempting," Stauer conceded. "But I think it drives up our chances of being compromised. Better just to scuttle it at sea. If, that is, it really is AQN."
    Kosciusko wandered over and said, "Forget using Galloway; it's not big enough for our purposes.
    "Oh, well," said Gordo. "How will you know if it is AQN?" he asked of Biggus.
    "I find a mosque on the ship," the SEAL answered, with a shrug, "that's no big deal in itself. But if I find a crapload of Al Qaeda literature, weapons over and above maybe two rifles and a pistol, anything remotely smelling of explosives or detonators, money much in excess of what a ship normally carries in the safe, a dungeon, complete with chains, code books, how-to make a suicide vest videos, CDs with Daniel Pearl's or Fabrizio Quatrocchi's heads being sawed off . . . "
    Gordo held up his hands, palm out. "I get the picture, Chief."
    "Slave girls being transported are also not uncommon indicators," Thornton finished.
    Bridges, who had been silent for some time, took the opportunity to say, "Most of what you've asked for, Chief, even if Gordo can get it for you, you can't take it with you."
    "Why the hell not?" Biggus Dickus asked.
    "The Euros are often quite sensitive to things with military potential, even if they're not actual weapons. Night vision is one of those things, for example. And firearms are really touchy. Once you have something on a boat or plane it isn't that much of a problem; it's getting it from one to the other."
    "Shit! I've always been used to travelling under orders, with whatever we need on hand. This is . . . different."
    "We'll figure out something for you, Chief," Stauer said, then turned his attention to Welch. "Terry, yours is in most ways a tougher mission, even though we know where Victor's being held. How are you going to do it?"
    Welch frowned. "We can get his lawyer to set up a hearing at which Victor will have to be present. That gives us a time certain he'll be outside of the jail and a probable or certain route. The problem will be getting him out of country after that."
    "I don't want any Burmese police killed," Stauer said.
    "Makes it tougher, of course," Terry said. "Not impossible, just tougher. It will also make getting him out of the country tougher. I'm going to need an airplane and a pilot, or, better, a helicopter and pilot, both to bring us in and to bring us out again."
    "Mike Cruz isn't due in for another two days," Stauer said. "He's going to be