Missions of the Retrieval Team - Land of the Kilts

[davedove]

Scene 40

Jungle Outpost in the Guyana Highlands

Long ago my team developed a set of code words to use in situations that were not under our control. The code word ‘slip-knot’ is used in situations where we are seemingly surrounded and outgunned. I brief everyone that I work with about this procedure so they are ready when the time comes.

Upon hearing my command, Ms. Swan slipped straight down out of the guards grasp and away from the gun pointed at her. Immediately, she again straightened and drove her shoulder against the gun to knock it away. Her hands shot out and drove into the guard’s throat. As he collapsed, she grabbed the man’s knife from his belt.

I spun around to grab the rifle of the guard immediately behind me. I pulled the barrel away from me and towards another of the guards. Unfortunately for this other guard, the man holding the rifle instinctively pulled the trigger, firing off a short burst directly at the second man. I twisted and the rifle left the guard’s grip. I swung the rifle up, catching the man’s head with the butt of the weapon.

Greg and Jock also moved to attack their guards, grabbing their rifles and pulling. The guards were caught by surprise and were flung into each other. The three of us quickly formed a circle around Ms. Swan as she used the knife to cut her bonds.

“Ready!” she declared when her hands were free.

I saw that Lieutenant Secuaz had fallen back with a couple of other guards, surprised by our actions. They were fleeing to one of the buildings.

“That way!” I ordered and pointed towards Ms. Crane’s location. My team immediately began running towards the jungle. We would have to regroup and reevaluate our plan.

Ms. Crane covered us as we fled towards her, but no one fired in our direction, nor did anyone shoot at us. When we flung ourselves behind the rocks, I turned to observe the camp.

Secuaz and his men had entered the building and were now dragging out a young girl of about twelve or thirteen. One of the guards pushed her to her knees and Secuaz drew his handgun, pointing it at her.

“Enough of this nonsense!” he yelled. “You will all come out the jungle without your weapons or I will kill this girl!”

We hesitated, not sure how to proceed.

“Now!” he demanded and cocked the hammer of the weapon.

“Okay, we’re coming out!” I answered. We rose and threw down our weapons.

“Move!” he demanded.

We started to walk slowly towards him and he smiled in satisfaction. He thought he had won.

But I saw something in the jungle behind him. When we developed our plan, we had divided into teams. Two teams, Alpha and Beta, were to act as decoys in the jungle. My team, Gamma, was to attempt the rescue of the women. We had failed at that task because Secuaz had moved the women and set a trap.

As I drew closer to Secuaz, I smiled at him. “Very good, Lieutenant, you have chosen a tactic that I cannot counter. You know that I will not risk that girl’s life.”

My smile widened. Coming out of the jungle was my fourth team, held in reserve, Delta.

“Look behind you, Secuaz. I have allies.”

Keeping his pistol against the girl’s head, he glanced around and saw what I was talking about. Coming out of the jungle were two dozen giant rabbits, each with a native rider holding a spear. Walking up behind them were another fifty or so natives, each holding a drawn bow.