Primary Directive. Don Pendleton

lose such a valuable member of the team. Schwarz remained a critical component in this operation given his familiarity with the system coupled with his expertise in electronic surveillance.

      Schwarz removed some cold cuts and bread acquired from a nearby deli and went about the task of making a hoagie. After his lunch he got back to business. The system modifications had proved more difficult than he originally assessed but finally the algorithms were complete and he had transmitted them to Kurtzman. It was now basically in the hands of the Farm’s cybernetics experts to complete the original interface. That’s where the real expertise would come in. Schwarz didn’t try to be self-effacing about his abilities but he was generally a hardware man; Kurtzman, Carmen Delahunt, Akira Tokaido and Huntington Wethers were the main players in Stony Man’s technological arsenal, and a hell of an arsenal it was.

      Schwarz added some notes to the schematics he’d been studying, then looked at his watch for the fourth time in an hour.

      “Come on, Bear,” he muttered. “Call me back.” The harsh ring of the landline startled him and he studied the phone a second before picking it up. “Were your ears burning?”

      “What’s that?” Kurtzman replied, although he caught the reference. “Sorry, it took a little more time than I thought.”

      “Understood.”

      “You got the call from Ironman?”

      “Yeah,” Schwarz replied. “Just hung up maybe twenty minutes ago.”

      “Barb told me you should be extra careful,” Kurtzman said.

      “Tell Mommy I’m fine. Really.”

      Kurtzman paused for effect. “Maybe I’ll leave you to tell her that.”

      “Chicken.”

      “No, smart.”

      Schwarz chuckled. “Okay, so give me the scoop.”

      “All right, we ran your computations through our database. I also had Akira program some additional software algorithms into the graphics-rendering engine, so that should help you with the analysis part.

      “Your idea to mount the tracking domes to the sides and top of that van and run them from a multibattery-supplied power unit’s brilliant. You can then pipe the wireless signal back to us as you follow the designated route and we’ll get that data into the system pronto.”

      “How long do you think it will take us to pinpoint their base of operations?”

      “Well, if our logistical calculations are correct about what’s a practical geographic boundary for al Qaeda to operate in, I’d be willing to say we can find them within a two-mile square radius in less than eight hours.”

      Schwarz whistled his amazement. “Not bad at all, Bear!”

      “We aim to please.”

      “What about the operation itself? You guys got any further developments on that?”

      “Barb’s still running down possible angles that could give us a better idea of Bari’s movements over the past few months, but you already know we’re not sure how soon that will develop some tangible leads, if ever. She did want me to tell you we think he left Washington, D.C., by private transportation headed for Chicago where he then got on the train for Albuquerque.”

      “So there’s little doubt he’s heading up this operation.”

      “Right.”

      “Okay then.” Schwarz sighed. “I’ll get my equipment gathered up and get it transferred to the van. Then I guess it’s wait on Ironman and Pol.”

      “When are they scheduled to be there?”

      “Ironman said he thought shortly after midnight.”

      “Well, you just watch it until then.”

      “Okay,” Schwarz replied. “Oh…and, Bear?”

      “Yeah?”

      “Tell Barb and Hal—No, check that. Ask them to get rid of the watch detail parked outside my motel. I’m sure they’re attracting more attention than helping and I don’t really need a babysitter.”

      “I’ll pass the word but I can’t promise they’ll do it.”

      “Understood, and thanks. Out, here.”

      Schwarz disconnected the call and stared at the phone for a minute. An old clock on the wall ticked through the seconds—loud and annoying in the silence of the room. Schwarz reached his arms overhead, stretched and yawned, then closed the lid on his laptop and disconnected the cord attached to the unit power adapter from the wall socket.

      He stood and pulled back the edge of the curtain to check on the two federal agents in the unmarked sedan he’d spotted parked there on his arrival early that afternoon. He didn’t know which agency they were with. NSA? U.S. Marshals Service? Military Intelligence? The sedan sat in the same place, but Schwarz couldn’t see the faces of the occupants because they were beneath a streetlight and the light reflected off the windshield. He let the curtain fall back and returned his attention to his laptop.

      Schwarz lifted the computer from the table and then froze. Two trained agents who were assigned to a protection detail would never park their sedan under a streetlight. It would give any enemy observers the advantage because they could see the target was under observation and come up with some alternate plan, not to mention the fact it put the agents at risk.

      Schwarz dropped the laptop and rushed to the front door. It swung inward with swift and violent force, and the edge caught Schwarz unawares in the shoulder. He bounced off it like a tennis ball. The Able Team warrior staggered backward but training took over and he rolled onto his back and kicked his right leg over his left shoulder as he tucked chin to chest. He continued through the backroll and came upright on one knee as four al Qaeda thugs charged through the doorway.

       CHAPTER EIGHT

      Schwarz didn’t have time to go for his Beretta 92-F in shoulder leather.

      Fortunately, the first terrorist in line offered up his own weapon, an Italian-made Spectre submachine gun. The guy leveled the SMG at the Able Team warrior’s head, but he came a little too close in the effort. Schwarz grabbed the weapon and yanked downward as he sprang to his feet. With the terrorist off balance, Schwarz changed the direction and swung the man in a circle so that they now faced the man’s three comrades. The electronics wizard jammed his right thumb against the terrorist’s trigger finger and sprayed the unprepared trio with a swarm of 9 mm Parabellum rounds.