Part 31 (1/2)
”Timings. After these orders I want the teams to look at the plans and sort themselves out. By fifteen thirty five hours the I.A. 's ready.
The first deadline is at sixteen hundred.
”Vehicle group, at fifteen-fifty everyone needs to be on the wagons, ready apart from respirators. We will then I move in slow time to the start 1- e. Tango One will lead, in and I'll show you the way.
The team will be stood to at the start line at fifteen.fifty-five hours.
”Heli group, at fifteen fifty-five you need to be on board, rotors turning. Steve, if you are not told otherwise, close down at sixteen-ten. Any questions? No?
Right that's it.”
The formal stuff over with, I then talked with my team and mulled over the plans.
”Dave,” you make ohtry. I'll go in number one-Tim Two, Fat Boy Three, and Dave Four. Once we clear the hallway we will go left and take the large room, then this one here by the stairwell. Once we are all clear I want you, Tim, to link up with Three Alpha at the bottom of the stairs, then clear to the first landing and RP with Two. Any questions?
Good, let's sort our s.h.i.+t out and load up.”
That was all there was to say because everybody knew the rest.
We walked out of the briefing area to the two Range Rovers, Tango One and Tango Two, that were going to take us -on to the target.
”h.e.l.lo, Alpha, this is Three,” I said on the net.
”That's Tango One and Two moving to the start line.
Over.”
”Alpha, roger that, moving to the start line.”
”Alpha” was the coordinating call sign for our base, which would be in the briefing area and manned by the scaley. ”Alpha One” was the commander.
The blokes were sitting all over the outside of the vehicles. All Don, the driver, could see was two pairs of black legs that belonged to my team, who were going to take the first floor. As we moved to the start line under police escort, I could hear the Agustas' rotors starting to wind up.
I got out of the Range Rover at the corner of the row of buildings and watched as everyone put his respirator on and ”checked camber”-pulling the working parts back slightly on his weapons so that he could see there was a round ready to fire.
The two drivers quickly turned up to the corner and got down on their stomachs. One of them peered around with just a quarter of his face and one eye so he could look up the drive and get a mental picture of the run-in. As soon as Tango One's driver had had a look, he got out of the way and the other fellow got down.
”Alpha this is Three, that's Two and Three stood to, over.”
”Alpha, roger that, One acknowledge.”
”One stood to, out,” the pilot said.
In the background of his radio message I could hear the rotors turning.
The squadron O.C would be with the senior policeman, listening on his radio and explaining everything that we were doing and confirming that the I.A was stood to. If the X rays started killing the Yankees, it was the police, not us, who would decide that we went in.
We were there to supply military aid to the civil power, that was all.
All the team sat on the wagons and in the helicopters, listening on their radios and waiting for the deadline.
Engines and rotors were running.
It was now approaching the deadline. The snipers were watching and listening intently.
”Alpha-Sierra One, that's shouting and movement on White One-One,” came one.
Each window and door had a color and number. I knew he was referring to the far-left bottom window.
”Alpha, roger that, shouting and movement on White One-One.”
All the team could hear this on their own radios.
”Alpha, Sierra One, that's White One-One opening, wait wait..
. that's one X ray, possible male, black ski mask with a green combat jacket carrying an AK wait he's shouting and pointing to the control area, over.”
”Alpha, roger that, out to you. Tango One, acknowledge.”
”Tango One.”
”Tango Twoll ”Tango Two.”
”One?”
”One, roger that,” Steve said. The rotors were still turning.
”Alpha One?”
”Alpha One, roger.”
It was the last chance for a check. Is my pistol held in correctly? Is the flap over the pistol so it's not going to fall out?
Are the magazines secure?
The people with the window and door charges were checking them, starting with the clacker: Is the clacker on correctly? Is it nice and secure?
Then, all the way up, following that line. Is the det on securely? Is the det on securely to the det cord? Is the charge all complete?
Is the respirator on right? Is the seal tight between the respirator and the coveralls? You don't want to start getting gas down you because it hurts. Gas doesn't only affect the breathing system and the eyes; it affects the skin, it stings severely. Are the gloves on tight? If they were baggy, I might have a problem as I went to draw MY Pistol or started manipulating my MP5 or pistol.
Everything was secure. I was holding on to the vehicle, waiting for that ”Stand by!” to go.
We heard, ”h.e.l.lo, One and One Alpha, move to your holding area, over ”One, One Alpha, roger that, out.”
The helicopters were starting to go up; within the forward control room the senior policeman must have been a bit concerned about what was going on. He hadn't handed over control, but he was saying: ”Get the helis up to save time, so at least once they're in the holding area we can start running them in.”
At the same time all the snipers were coming on the net.
”h.e.l.lo, Alpha, this is Sierra One. That's still more shouting.