Part 5 (1/2)
”I should have reached out to you earlier,” said Nichols. Stuart's stomach clenched as the major general continued. ”I a.s.sumed he got in touch.”
”Not since before the convoy left,” said Stuart, afraid to ask what had happened.
”Here's what I know. All four vehicles were hit simultaneously by Javelin missiles, about twenty-five miles east of El Centro.”
”Jesus. Javelins?”
”David survived, along with the Fishers. The details are sketchy, but I don't think David's wife made it.”
”s.h.i.+t.”
Blake muttered an obscenity, pounding the steering wheel.
Stuart turned his head and whispered, ”David's fine.”
”The platoon supporting the convoy lost more than half its Marines.”
”I'm sorry, Larry. Jesus, I'm really sorry,” said Stuart, the general's words sinking in. ”What do you mean the details are sketchy? Is David in Yuma?”
”No. Apparently, a group of mystery soldiers arrived by dune buggy and-get this-parachute, turning the tide. The platoon sergeant in charge of the convoy said this group saved their a.s.ses.”
”Parachutes? No idea who they were?”
”None, but David and the rest left with them voluntarily-last seen headed south.”
”With Alison?”
”All we know is that she was. .h.i.t at some point during the ambush. Witnesses say she went down hard, but we can't confirm. David took her body when he left with this mystery group,” said the general. ”Some of the Marines reported hearing fluent Spanish, so I'd say Mexico is a good guess.”
”This is unbelievable. All of it,” said Stuart. ”Smith's Marines aren't talking?”
”We're still sorting through their limited statements. They're very protective of your son. He was well respected and admired throughout the battalion.”
”Right. Thank you,” he said, understanding how the Marines would be hesitant to share information that might get David into trouble. ”Did your Marines take any Cerberus operatives alive?”
”The recovery and removal operation was handled by Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. They're processing the scene for now. I'm told they have taken a few unknowns into custody, along with a dozen or so unidentified bodies. We'll be taking a hard look at these folks. You can rest a.s.sured of that.”
”This radically changes things,” said Stuart, his mind swirling with scattered thoughts. ”Thank you, Larry. I'm racking up one h.e.l.l of a debt here. I don't know what to say about your Marines other than I'm sorry.”
”It's an inevitable part of war, and make no mistake, Stu-we are at war with whoever did this,” he said. ”I'm accelerating First Marine Division's deployment to Yuma and points east of the Colorado. Lieutenant Colonel Smith's battalion will be the tip of this spear. I antic.i.p.ate armed reconnaissance missions ranging into western Arizona by late tomorrow night.”
”Sand Devil? I thought we were a still a few months from pulling the trigger on that.”
”Someone pulled the trigger on First Marine Division, so I'm b.u.mping up the timeline.”
”This wasn't the Sinaloa cartel,” said Stuart.
”Nothing goes down near the border without the cartel's knowledge. Smith's Marines are going to make some noise out there. See what he can scare up. You never know how things are connected. When you get in touch with David, let him know he has friends in western Arizona. Keep me posted. Sorry to cut you off, Stu, but I have to run.”
”Copy that, General. I'll make him aware of the battalion's presence. That's good news.”
”Semper Fi, brother. Good luck with whatever crazy-a.s.s plan you have brewing.”
”You know me too well,” said Stuart. ”Semper Fi.”
He lowered the phone and turned to Blake, who shook his head solemnly. Stuart felt helpless, sitting in a car more than a thousand hostile miles away. He knew about loss and the slippery slope it left behind. Stuart's wife, Liz, had been taken from him prematurely but not unexpectedly. Her cancer had moved fast, but they'd made their peace with it by the time she pa.s.sed. A reluctant, tenuous peace on his part, but the acceptance they had built together kept him from sliding off the deep end during the dark months that followed. Alison's sudden death would take a catastrophic toll on David, smothering him in darkness. He needed to get in touch with his son as soon as possible.
They drove for few more minutes, Blake giving him some mental s.p.a.ce to let everything sink in. Stuart could use more time, but that was the one thing they couldn't afford to waste.
”Mexico?” said Blake.
”Sounds like it,” said Stuart. ”I'm not sure where that leaves us.”
”Leaves us with a road trip to Meh-hi-co.”
”Did you understand what I meant about making David aware of the battalion's presence?”
”More guessing than understanding.”
”Major General Nichols is sending David's battalion into Arizona, and he implied they could be counted on to help.”
”That could come in handy, considering there's only three of us. I a.s.sume this deployment is part of a legitimate military operation. Sand Devil?”
”Const.i.tutional scholars might shy away from the word legitimate, but yes, Sand Devil has been in the planning phase for over a year. Long overdue, if you ask me,” he said, stopping to stare at the flat expanses of land beyond the SUV's windows.
”You gonna tell me about Sand Devil, or is that cla.s.sified?” said Blake, taking a hand off the wheel to make an air quote.
”Hold on,” said Stuart, picking up the phone.
A few seconds later he had connected with Jon Fisher, verifying his ident.i.ty with their code.
”The boys are safe,” Stuart said. ”So are your daughter-in-law and grandson.”
”Thank G.o.d,” said Jon, continuing after a noticeable pause. ”What about Alison?”
”Doesn't sound like she made it. According to Major General Nichols, details are a little sketchy. David's platoon is tight-lipped about what happened. They lost a lot of Marines out there.”
”Son of a b.i.t.c.h,” said Jon. ”I'm really sorry to hear about Alison.”
”Me, too. This is going to crush David.”
”I don't doubt it. All the more reason to get our a.s.ses down there. Please tell me the Marines are getting involved. This is getting out of control.”
”Nichols is moving part of First Marine Division into Arizona, ahead of Operation Sand Devil.”
”Sand Devil? Never heard of it.”