Piranha (Oregon Files 10)

From their prone position on a rocky outcrop, she and Eric had a clear view of the cement plant five hundred yards to the east where it abutted the coastline. There was virtually no breeze to ruffle the water reflecting the scattered clouds being illuminated by the morning sun.

They had left the PIG a mile away and hiked to this spot through uninhabited country. Linda scanned the vista with a pair of Steiner 20×80 military-grade binoculars. There was enough light now for her to see the gravel road coming in from the west and paralleling the power lines from the nearby hydroelectric dam. She could make out several men on security detail and others walking between buildings.

“What’s the force projection?” Eric asked.

“I count at least ten so far, but those buildings are big enough to house a regiment. How is the PIG looking?”

Eric tapped on his control pad, then looked at his watch. “Everything checks out, but I can’t drive and operate the weapons systems simultaneously. If Hali and MacD don’t get back soon, you’re going to have to switch between observing the factory and firing the weapons.”

A bush rustled behind them, momentarily sending Linda’s heart rate into the stratosphere. She whipped around, bringing her assault rifle to bear.

“Our ears were burning,” MacD said. Hali was right behind him.

Linda lowered her weapon. “Did you get the package set?”

MacD took up position next to her with a Barrett .50 caliber sniper rifle. “We put it where no one will spot it even if they’re standing on it.”

“The tracker is activated,” Hali said as he lay down. “The Chairman shouldn’t have any trouble finding it.”

“From down there,” MacD said, “this ridge looked almost like it did in Lutzen’s picture. Except for the whole clear-cutting thing.”

“Without any other fuel source, the residents have stripped the forests bare for firewood,” Linda said. “With few trees to hold the soil, the lake is filling up with silt and causing the dam to lose power.”

“Looks like they have plenty left over to light up that cement factory.”

“And power the neutrino telescope,” Eric added. He swept the area with the thermal scope. “I’m picking up excessive heat signatures pluming off that building next to the dome.”

Linda raised the binoculars and saw what he was talking about. In the growing light, she could see crude vents cut out of the roof.

“That must be where the diesel backups are. They wouldn’t be depending solely on the power from the dam, not when it’s so spotty. According to the CIA, the turbines can go down for hours at a time.”

“So that’s target number two?” Hali asked.

“Yes.” Linda looked at her watch. Seven a.m. on the dot.

She lifted the radio to her mouth. “Dragonfly, this is Groundhog. What’s your position?”

“Dragonfly here, Groundhog,” came the Chairman’s reply over the sound of the MD 520N’s pounding rotors. “We are right on schedule. The mission is a go.”

“Copy that, Dragonfly. The package has been delivered.”

“Understood. If you haven’t heard from us in forty minutes after landing, abort the mission.”

Not only was that a lot of time to keep Bazin and his mercenaries occupied but the Chairman’s margin of error for his part of the mission was razor thin. Linda glanced at her team. MacD actually shook his head. She shared the sentiment, but she was also an officer. “Acknowledged, Dragonfly.” It was bad luck in the Corporation to wish someone good luck, so Linda signed off by saying, “Happy hunting. Out.”

“Okay, Eric,” she said, “start the fireworks.”

He nodded to Hali, who had his own control pad and screen at the ready. Eric pushed the stick forward and the camera showing the view from the front of the PIG slewed around until it was aimed dead center at one of the power line poles.

“Fire one,” Hali said, and tapped on the control pad.

A rocket shot out from the PIG’s launcher and blew the pole apart. The lines came down in a shower of sparks. The boom followed a few seconds later.

“And the light switch turns off,” Hali said.

Linda trained the binoculars on the cement plant. The lights flickered off for a moment and then came back on. The few mercenaries who were visible milled around in confusion.

“Proceed to next target,” Linda said.