Sahara (Dirk Pitt 11)

"They work well," said Pitt admiringly. "When you landed, I didn't hear a thing until the tires touched down.

"You might call it a stealth factor for covert landings in places we're not welcome."

"Do you also sneak in without lights?"

Levant nodded. "Without lights."

"Is your pilot equipped with fancy, high-tech night vision equipment?"

"No, Mr. Pitt, nothing fancy. Four of my men drop by parachute on the Tebezza airstrip, secure it, and then place a series of infrared lights to guide our pilot onto the runway."

"Once down," said Pitt, "covering the ground between the airstrip and mine entrance in the black of night won't be an easy chore."

"That," said Levant grimly, "is the least of our problems."

The plane was in a gradual climb and banking to the south when he unfastened his seat belt and stepped to a table with an enlarged satellite photo of the plateau above the mines. He picked up a pencil and tapped on the photo.

"Landing helicopters onto the plateau and rappeling down the canyon walls to the mine entrance would have greatly simplified our problem and given us a higher level of surprise. Unfortunately, there were other considerations."

"I understand your dilemma," said Pitt. "A round-trip to Tebezza is beyond helicopter range. Setting up fuel depots across the desert would have cost additional delay."

"Thirty-two hours according to our estimates. We considered leapfrogging our small copter squadron, one carrying fuel while the other carried men and supplies, but we ran into complications with that plan too."

"Too complicated and too slow," said Giordino.

"The speed factor also favored the use of this aircraft," said Levant. "Another important factor of using an airliner over a fleet of helicopters is that we can carry our own transportation. We also have space for on-board medical facilities to tend the large number of people you stated in your report that are in dire need of attention."

How many make up your assault team?" asked Pitt.

"Thirty-eight fighters and two medics," Levant answered. "After we land, four will remain to guard the plane. The medical team will accompany the main force to care for the captives."

"That doesn't leave much room in your personnel carriers to transport everyone."

"If some of my people ride on the roofs and hang onto the sides, we can evacuate forty prisoners."

"There may not be that many left alive," Pitt said solemnly.

"We'll do our best for those who are," Levant assured him.

"And the Malians," Pitt asked, "the political dissenters and enemies of General Kazim. What about them?"

"They will have to remain," Levant shrugged. "All food stores in the mines will be opened to them, and they'll be armed with the guards' weapons. Beyond that, there is little we can do for them. They will be on their own."

"Kazim is sadistic enough to demand their mass execution after he's learned his prize slaves have flown the coop."

"I have my orders," Levant stated simply. "And they don't include saving local criminals."

Pitt stared down at the blowup of the desert surrounding the Tebezza plateau. "So you intend to land the airbus in the dead of night on a desert airstrip, drive over a road that's tough to trace in daylight, assault the mine, carry off all foreign prisoners, and then rush back to the strip and take off for the lights of Algiers. We may be biting off more than we can chew with the limited resources at your command."

Levant saw no disapproval in Pitt's expression, nor did he sense sarcastic criticism. "As you say where you come from, Mr. Pitt, what you see is what you get."

"I'm not doubting the fighting quality of your people, Colonel. But I had expected a larger, better equipped force."

"I regret the UN does not lavishly fund our Response and Tactical Team with expansive manpower and ultrasophisticated equipment like most special operations forces. But our budget is tight and we must work within our limits."

"Why a UNICRATT team?" asked Pitt curiously. "Why not a British or French Foreign Legion commando unit or one from American Special Forces?"

"Because no other nation, including yours, wished to risk dirtying their hands on this mission," explained Levant wearily. "We were volunteered by Secretary General Kamil."