Free Waterkill (Dave Henson Series) by Mark Donovan

to boot,” added John.
    “So I agree with your theory,” responded Dave, “But how can I help? Do you have any of the weapon material to analyze?”
    “Not yet,” responded John. “However, we think we know where there is a sample of it and we hope to recover it soon.”
    “So why do you need me now if you don’t have any of the material yet?” questioned Dave as he looked at the two men.
    “Because we need you and NSurv’s surveillance expertise to help locate the material,” responded McDonald.
    “How specifically can I or NSurv’s technology help you find this material?”
    “Last week a small aircraft went down over east-central Alaska,” responded McDonald. “We believe on board the aircraft was a member of Al Qaeda who was carrying a sample of the cholera weapon. Fortunately, and unfortunately, the aircraft went down in the middle of a blizzard in mountainous territory.”
    “So if you know where the aircraft went down why haven’t you recovered the weapon?”
    “We do not know precisely where the aircraft went down,” responded John. “Air traffic control radar lost the aircraft’s position shortly before it went missing.  The mountainous terrain, coupled with the heavy precipitation at that time, created so much interference and clutter that ATC lost radar lock on the aircraft.”
    “What about the aircraft’s electronic locating transmitter?”
    “The aircraft’s ELT was not working or was turned off,” replied John.
    “So Dave, we need for you and your company to help us locate the aircraft,” summarized McDonald. “And time is of the essence. Al Qaeda radio and internet chatter since the aircraft went down has been elevated. Al Qaeda is trying to locate the aircraft itself. We need to find the aircraft and their weapon sample before they do.”
    “Do you have any idea what the bioweapon is contained in?” asked Dave.
    “Based on a suspicious corpse found just a few kilometers southeast of the small Yemen village, we believe the weapon may be being transported in a small metal cylinder,” responded John.
    There was a momentary pregnant pause in the room before McDonald broke the silence, “So can we count on you and NSurv’s support Dave?”
    Dave looked at both men and nodded his head in agreement while he scratched his chin with his thumb and index finger. He was already formulating a search plan to find the missing bioweapon cylinder. “You have my full support,” responded Dave. “In whatever capacity you’d like to use NSurv and my services, they are at your disposal.”
    “Thank you Dave,” responded McDonald. “The Department of Homeland Security is convinced that Al Qaeda was planning to infect a public water supply in the United States with the cholera weapon sample that this aircraft was transporting. Besides the lost aircraft situation, we also have intelligence that Al Qaeda has impending plans of deploying this cholera type weapon at other targets in the United States and Western Europe. So again, it is imperative we locate the downed aircraft and weapon sample before Al Qaeda does. If we can get a hold of the weapon sample, we can study it and possibly find a way to detect and neutralize any additional deployments of it.”
    “So when do we leave for Alaska?” asked Dave anxiously. “It sounds like we don’t have a lot of time.”
    “We have already deployed a search and rescue Border Patrol Special Ops Group to the eastern mountains of Alaska,” responded John. “Unfortunately they’ve had no luck so far in locating the aircraft. The search area is massive. Based on its altitude and air speed when ATC lost radar contact with the aircraft, it could be anywhere in an area the size of the state of Connecticut.”
    “We’d like to get you on a military jet to Fairbanks by tomorrow,” said McDonald.
    “I’ll need to pick up some equipment at NSurv headquarters,” replied Dave. “I’d also like to bring along my colleague Ron Blackwell if that is