retreated into the galley.
Chapter Thirteen - LNO
Isla de Bartolomé, CO
General McElroy was at first irritated that the three fugitives had managed to cause so much grief in so short a time span. The two Americans had been identified, but the guy who blew up the raid team had remained silent.
The MARSOC commander always traveled with a compact Iridium satellite phone. It buzzed and he immediately recognized the number.
“Hello, Felix, to what do I owe this pleasure?” The movement into Colombia had been cleared through the Colombian Armed Forces General Staff, but was otherwise kept on a need-to-know basis. Once General McElroy found out he would be crossing into COLMAR battle space, he had called to clear it with their commander and arranged to meet for dinner in Bogota, but the general had been busy and McElroy had left a message with his aide.
McElroy listened for at least three minutes straight, unable to get a word in. Finally, he managed to penetrate the monologue.
“Let me check.” He looked at his sergeant major, who never seemed to be more than a few steps away. “Do me a favor, Sergeant Major, and find out who that local national is they caught with Blackfox. It seems that a Colombian senator is raising holy hell with the COLMAR about the location of a certain Captain Marco Ramos.”
The sergeant major disappeared, then returned a moment la ter and nodded in the affirmative, confirming that their captive was indeed the missing Colombian Marine.
“It’s him, Felix, but he’s not being held. We’re visitors here after all. He just got swept up in us policing one of our own. I can drop him off where you want, but I have a couple of things to discuss with you while I have you on the phone. If I can get your approval in concept now, we can work out the
in Bogota this evening over a nice meal of bandeja paisa.”
The general paused for a moment, listened, and then a nswered. “Well, the long pole in the tent is this base. If we fly in a logpac, it should meet our needs and allow us to keep a lower profile than we anticipated. If I can get your approval, we would like to use it as a tactical operations center for the next couple of weeks.”
While McElroy listened to his COLMAR counterpart, it su ddenly occurred to him that Ramos might be useful. He was politically connected, quick thinking and a consummate mischief maker―just the kind of freethinker that MARSOC was said to covet.
“The other thing I wanted to discuss with you, Felix, is the need for a heavy hitter from COLMAR to act as a liaison officer (LNO). We need someone who can fix things when they have gone awry. I think I know a good candidate.”
The COLMAR commander readily agreed to the use of the base as it was hardly used anymore and it would give the North Americans the anonymity they so badly wanted to maintain. The decision regarding the liaison officer was just as straightforward. McElroy ended the call and smiled.
***
“Captain Ramos, front and center!” Colonel Hearth shouted into the C-Hut.
“Si, my Colonel,” shouted Ramos loudly while jumping to his feet and walking to the door.
“Got to hand it to you son, you move quick―get into a little hot water and a few hours later you have the commandant of the Colombian Marine Corps looking for you because a certain
Senator Ramos won’t stop calling him.”
Ramos didn’t even fight the urge to smile. “What can I say?
My father is an important man.”
“Let’s step outside so we can make a call.” The colonel handed Ramos the sat phone, instructed him to push send, and retreated a short distance away to give him at least the perception of privacy, as he didn’t want to miss the fireworks.
Ramos expected to hear the cultured, rapid-fire Spanish that his father had developed through years of political debate. I nstead, he was very much surprised to hear the guttural voice of General Felix
Chapter Thirteen - LNO
Isla de Bartolomé, CO
General McElroy was at first irritated that the three fugitives had managed to cause so much grief in so short a time span. The two Americans had been identified, but the guy who blew up the raid team had remained silent.
The MARSOC commander always traveled with a compact Iridium satellite phone. It buzzed and he immediately recognized the number.
“Hello, Felix, to what do I owe this pleasure?” The movement into Colombia had been cleared through the Colombian Armed Forces General Staff, but was otherwise kept on a need-to-know basis. Once General McElroy found out he would be crossing into COLMAR battle space, he had called to clear it with their commander and arranged to meet for dinner in Bogota, but the general had been busy and McElroy had left a message with his aide.
McElroy listened for at least three minutes straight, unable to get a word in. Finally, he managed to penetrate the monologue.
“Let me check.” He looked at his sergeant major, who never seemed to be more than a few steps away. “Do me a favor, Sergeant Major, and find out who that local national is they caught with Blackfox. It seems that a Colombian senator is raising holy hell with the COLMAR about the location of a certain Captain Marco Ramos.”
The sergeant major disappeared, then returned a moment la ter and nodded in the affirmative, confirming that their captive was indeed the missing Colombian Marine.
“It’s him, Felix, but he’s not being held. We’re visitors here after all. He just got swept up in us policing one of our own. I can drop him off where you want, but I have a couple of things to discuss with you while I have you on the phone. If I can get your approval in concept now, we can work out the
in Bogota this evening over a nice meal of bandeja paisa.”
The general paused for a moment, listened, and then a nswered. “Well, the long pole in the tent is this base. If we fly in a logpac, it should meet our needs and allow us to keep a lower profile than we anticipated. If I can get your approval, we would like to use it as a tactical operations center for the next couple of weeks.”
While McElroy listened to his COLMAR counterpart, it su ddenly occurred to him that Ramos might be useful. He was politically connected, quick thinking and a consummate mischief maker―just the kind of freethinker that MARSOC was said to covet.
“The other thing I wanted to discuss with you, Felix, is the need for a heavy hitter from COLMAR to act as a liaison officer (LNO). We need someone who can fix things when they have gone awry. I think I know a good candidate.”
The COLMAR commander readily agreed to the use of the base as it was hardly used anymore and it would give the North Americans the anonymity they so badly wanted to maintain. The decision regarding the liaison officer was just as straightforward. McElroy ended the call and smiled.
***
“Captain Ramos, front and center!” Colonel Hearth shouted into the C-Hut.
“Si, my Colonel,” shouted Ramos loudly while jumping to his feet and walking to the door.
“Got to hand it to you son, you move quick―get into a little hot water and a few hours later you have the commandant of the Colombian Marine Corps looking for you because a certain
Senator Ramos won’t stop calling him.”
Ramos didn’t even fight the urge to smile. “What can I say?
My father is an important man.”
“Let’s step outside so we can make a call.” The colonel handed Ramos the sat phone, instructed him to push send, and retreated a short distance away to give him at least the perception of privacy, as he didn’t want to miss the fireworks.
Ramos expected to hear the cultured, rapid-fire Spanish that his father had developed through years of political debate. I nstead, he was very much surprised to hear the guttural voice of General Felix
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