The Zimo Hunt, Book #2 of the Asps Series - Asps to lend a hand to Tony.

Today’s excerpt is from The Zimo Hunt, Book #2 of the nine-book Asps Series.  After getting approval of their boss, the Asps agree to help MI6 agent Tony Henry on a mission.  Enjoy and have a fantastic day. 

m.j.

 

Later that same day, Bruce was sitting next to the monitoring gear, when he and the others heard a door slam shut and one of the two occupants of the now bugged house barged in.  “That idiot el-Minyawi blew up himself and his bomb plant.  I went there to see how he was progressing with the diversion bombs.  Obviously not well.  Now, what do we do?  We have no diversion to cover our raid on the interrogation center.”

“We will have to come up with something.  Our orders are very clear.  Taufic Baroom is to be rescued, or killed.  He must not be tortured until he talks.  His information is too valuable.  Our raid will go forward tonight, as planned.  We will simply have to find another diversion.  We will still get our men together by midnight.”

Harry sighed.  “Bruce, turn that up a bit.”

Bruce nodded and did as asked.  He looked at Tony, “Any indication what in the hell they’re talking about?  I thought Baroom was in Iraq.  We’ve got people looking all over hell and gone for him there.”

Tony cleared his throat, looked skyward, sighed, and muttered, “I’m afraid I do, old chap.  The Pakistanis have him in one of their little…um…questioning centers.  That al-Qaida knows where he is confirms what we already know…they have friends in the Pakistani intelligence community.”

“Will al-Qaida be able to bring off his rescue, or elimination?”

“Very good question, Bruce.  I’m afraid the answer is, they probably can…especially with inside help, which it seems they must have.  We really can’t let him slip through our fingers.”

Harry asked, “What do you have in mind, Tony?  I noticed you said ‘we’.”

Tony smiled.  “So I did.  Would you chaps like to help me liberate Baroom from the custody of the Pakistanis, and ask him a few questions?”

Harry shook his head and answered, “Not without Glenn’s approval.  You agree, Bruce?  I mean...we could get in all kinds of crap here.  What if we wind up killing someone in Pakistani intelligence?  Man-o-man—that would be a nightmare.”

“Not too bad, if they thought it was al-Qaida.”

Bruce grumbled, “Tony, you’re certifiable.”

“Come again?”

“You’re nuttier than a fruitcake.”

“Now, now, is that any way to speak to an old friend?  Turn that noise down, so we can concentrate.  You are taping what they’re saying, are you not?”

Bruce nodded, and turned down the sound of the monitoring gear.  “I’m willing to listen, and I’m sure Harry is, too, but it better be good…damn good.  You want to tell us exactly what you have in mind?”

Tony told them, and when he finished, Bruce looked at Harry and shrugged.  Harry called Glenn Burgess to tell him the situation.  First he filled Glenn in on their activities since the last time they had spoken on the phone, just prior to the raid on the village.  When he finished, Glenn told him to pass the phone to Tony.  As he listened, Tony nodded several times, then cleared his throat.  “I hereby formally ask for the assistance of the Asps in a matter of joint concern, since I have no suitable assets available in the time allowed.”

After his request, Tony listened a bit more, then handed the phone back to Harry.  “Okay, Harry, if you guys want to help with this operation, go ahead.  You are now seconded to SIS again.  I suggest if you do help and are successful, you all get the hell out of Pakistan, immediately after you get Baroom.  And you can tell Tony something I forgot…tell him he spent too much time around Jim Scott.”

Off the phone, Harry relayed Glenn’s comment about Jim to Tony, then looked at his team and asked, “You all game?  Glenn gave us back to SIS, if we’re willing.”

Everyone on the team, having heard Tony’s plan, agreed to join in the operation, though Dusty put in.  “I think your plan needs some refinement, Tony.”

 

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