ACV's 1 Operation Black Gold (54 page)

‘No, but I can have some flown in, say 20 - 30 minutes.’

‘Then the games afoot gentlemen, could you put us back to your Med-centre?’

‘No problem I hear your surgeon’s already making a difference.  Good luck.’  The screen switched back and Davie took over.

Half an hour later a big bird arrived with a cargo net full of crates.  Mike was standing scratching his head.  ‘We can’t carry that load in.’

‘There actually quite small, it’s the crates that take up all the room.  General Morris do you have any black bags and masking tape?’

‘Should do.’

We set up a production line emptying the crates, filling the black bags and putting them onto the helicopters.  The pilots were watching a gauge in the cockpits and eventually called a halt as they’d reached their weight limit.  I went to grab Davie but was stopped on route by General Morris.  ‘I’m afraid you’re going to have to wait a little longer.  An order has just come through from the Prime Minister, there’s a news crew on route you’ve to take them with you.’

‘Oh fit!’ 

They didn’t take long, but there was a big team of them.  I offered to take two, which caused a big argument, but I put my foot down.  ‘Every second you people stand here arguing another man dies out there, you have two minutes to sort it or stay here.  End of.’

In the end, the anchorwoman and the smallest cameraman were voted to go, but we had to redistribute the loads.  Mike reckoned if both machines dumped some fuel we could still get there without having to leave any missiles, but we would have to refuel on the rigs.  While the soundmen hooked them into our system, Mike dumped the fuel into an empty fuel bladder.  By the time, I came back with Davie we were ready to go.  The helicopters took off with a deafening roar, but the sound was almost lost as the loadmaster closed the door.  I could feel the blood begin to course as once again we faced death and mutilation.

‘What’s in the black bags?’

‘Medical supplies and keep your camera off them.’

‘Oh OK.’

It was as simple as that.  The newswoman was small and a very good-looking brunette.  ‘Could you tell me what’s happening here please?’

‘It’s quite simple; someone’s trying to hijack our oil rigs.’

‘Do you know who?’

‘So far we haven’t received any official confirmation as to whom is responsible for this attack but I’d be fairly insulted if you gave me three guesses.’

‘So you think the Americans are behind it.’  I just looked at her.  ‘Tell me Lt Murison, why are you involved?’

‘Jim, my name’s Jim and were involved because there are seriously wounded men out there.  Wounds that are beyond the skills of the medical team on site.’

‘What will happen if you don’t reach the rigs?’

‘They’ll die.’

‘Oh I see.  What kind of wounds are they having difficulty with?’

‘Head wounds.’  I pointed out Davie Whitton who was sitting beside the loadmaster or winch man or just whatever job he happened to be doing at the time.  ‘That’s Davie Whitton, apart from being a good general surgeon; he also is one of the country’s top neurological surgeons.  If you want to know any more about the men’s conditions I’d advise you to ask him.’

So she did and they talked for a good five minutes before Mike called for silence.  ‘OK, can it you lot.’  Silence ensued.

‘What’s happening Mike?’

‘We’ve been lit up like a Christmas tree, top down radar.’

‘Eye in the sky job?’

‘That’s the one.’

‘What about ship’s radar?’

‘No not yet, they’ll be downloading their information from your eye in the sky.’

‘What’s happening?’  Asked the woman.

‘Shh,’ I warned.

‘They’re picking up speed trying to intercept us.’

‘OK Mike, don’t let him overlap with the next ship over.’

‘Roger.’

I turned to a tag at my sleeve.  The fear that was beginning to show in her eyes induced me to explain our situation to her.  ‘We’re heading for a gap between two ships in the blockade but they’re trying to close the gap.’

‘Are you going to get involved with the fighting?’

‘Not if we can help it, we’re primarily a medical unit and will only retaliate if fired upon.  Now be quiet if you want to talk to your camera man do it off our system OK.’

‘Yes, OK, thank you.’  I watched her switch off and talk excitedly into the camera.

‘They’re beginning to interfere with our own passive systems now.’

‘Would your own radar work better?’

‘Yes of course.’

‘Then switch it on.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘We’re not hostile are we, why hide.’

‘Good point.’

‘Can you download the information from ours to the other one?’

‘At this range no problem.’

‘Then do it, there is no sense in giving them two targets to lock onto.’

‘I got that Mike.’

‘OK Gordon.’

‘Are they listening in too?’

‘Aye, and were a sick ó hearing your voice Murison.’  It was Gigs who was in charge of the other unit.

‘Good by the time we get there ye should be puking fine style.’

‘OK stand by to manoeuvre,’ Mike warned, ‘on my mark, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, now.’  He banked hard right increasing speed.

*

‘Jesus Christ,’ exclaimed the radar operator aboard the USS Rockwell.  ‘Captain, Captain.’

‘What is it radar.’

‘That inbound bogey has just turned, Sir, its doubled its speed and it’s now inbound at almost 400 knots.

Rubbish man, they don’t have anything that can fly that fast and neither do we!’

‘Well they do now Sir.’

‘Where are they going?’

‘Behind us Sir.’

‘Helmsman come about 180 degrees.  Flank speed, Com's inform the Admiral.’

*

‘They’re coming about to try and intercept us Jim, they’re transmitting a signal.  Bruce.’

‘Hold on, got it, we’ve fixed their frequency.’

‘Good work boys patch it in.’ There was a tugging at my sleeve; it was the reporter.  ‘Yes.’

‘May I ask what’s happening now?’

‘We’ve been trying to pass through a gap between two vessels but they’re getting too close together.  We've now swung round and are trying to get behind the vessel that’s almost directly in front of us, but he’s following us round.  So we’re going to try and contact him to ask him to move aside.  Did you follow that?’

‘Yes I did, thank you.’

‘Hello, unknown vessel at-----------.’  Mike attempted to make contact.  He had to repeat himself a number of times before he got a reply.

‘Charlie, Victor, Nine, this is the USS Rockwell state your current position over?’  Mike replied to my nod.  ‘You are currently inbound at 400 knots, confirm?’

‘That’s confirmed Rockwell.’

‘CV9 you are entering an area of conflict, turn around and leave the area immediately, if you come within 50 nautical miles of our position you will be shot down over.’

‘Negative Rockwell we are a casualty evacuation unit on response to an urgent request for help, we’re also carrying a surgeon on board over.’

There was a pause.  ‘There is a communications blackout on this area CV9, how could you receive communications over?’

‘There are communication cables laid within the pipelines in case of emergencies Rockwell.  We are currently in communications with all our rigs.  Now move aside and let us through over.’

‘This is the USS Rockwell turn around now or you will be fired upon.’

Mike shrugged at me.  ‘It’s OK I’ll take it from here.’  I keyed my mike.  ‘USS Rockwell this is CV9 call sign 9 speaking.  We are an ACV unit Rockwell the A stands for armed, now turn about and get out of my face.’

‘That was subtle Jim.’  Mike half turned in his seat.

‘Aye Jim’s good at subtle.’  Gigs quipped from the other unit.  It brought a short laugh that was sorely needed in the growing tension.  An older commanding voice spoke in our ears.

‘I would moderate my tone of voice if I was you.’

‘Would you really, well I’m very sorry but I’ll talk how I like to a bunch of thieving, murdering pirates like you.  But I’m a fair man Rockwell let us pass unmolested and we’ll leave you be, fire on us and we’ll spread you all over the fucking ocean.’

‘They’re trying to get a lock on,’ Bruce interrupted.

‘Are you sure your equipment can fry their missile guidance system Mike?’

‘Positive.’

‘OK take no offensive action at this time.’  A buzzing filled my ears.

‘They have a good lock on,’ shouted Bruce.

‘This is your last warning CV9.’

‘Fuck off Rockwell,’ I replied.

The buzzing turned to a screech.  ‘They’ve fired, they’ve fired.’  Bruce cried.

‘OK Mike next course charge.’  The helicopter pulled hard left.

‘What’s happening?’  Asked a small-frightened voice.

‘It’s OK they’ve only fired at us.’

‘What, that’s OK, where are we going now?  Have we turned back?’

‘No lass we’re heading right down their fucking throats.  OK Mike?’

‘Yes I’ve got them.  Oh Christ they’ve fired 10 missiles at us.’

‘Can you handle that many?’

‘We’re about to find out, brace yourselves.’

‘One mile out.’

‘Hit them.’

‘Oh shit...’

A few seconds later the aircraft juddered sharply as the fixed armament fired and then we were bucked violently as we flew through an explosion.  Mike settled her back on course.  ‘Before you ask we missed one, but we got it with the ‘Gat.’  Can’t you shut her up?  I can’t think straight.’

The newswoman was screaming with her hands covering her face.  I squatted beside her and placed my hands over hers.  I gently prized them open.  She stopped screaming, tears streamed down her face, but the panic cleared from her eyes a little.  I smiled.  ‘Frightening isn’t it?’

‘Yes,’ she took a deep breath, ‘Yes it is.’

I was rewarded with a small smile, which made me smile even more.  Impulsively I kissed the back of her hand.

‘Jim get back to it.’  Mike called.

‘OK.’

There was a tiny click as I reopened the frequency.  ‘Naughty, naughty Rockwell, although it was an impressive fireworks display.’

‘What the hell do you mean?’

I laughed down the microphone.  ‘They all seemed to bump into one another about half a mile out, anyway I presume that was a declaration of war.’

‘Jim.’  Mike cut into our transmission.  ‘We have a transmission coming in on a narrow band from Osprey.’

‘Patch it through.’

‘CV9, CV9 this is Sunray Oscar One, over.’

‘CV9, send over.’

‘Sunray 01 we now have eighteen casualties, four critical, two of these are American’s over.’

‘CV9, roger do you have the names of the Americans Over.’

‘Sunray 01, roger wait, wait, Lt Colonel Roger Grant, head wound, survivable if you have that Neuro-surgeon with you and Sergeant Renato Gonzales, multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, over.’

‘CV9 roger out to you, did you catch that Rockwell?’

‘Roger that.’

‘That puts me in a bit of a quandary Rockwell instead of shooting you I’ll invite you to send over a medical team of your own 2 doctors, 2 armed escort.  Choose Rockwell.’  The buzzer started again, then came the screeching.  ‘Fine if that’s the way you want it.  Stop fucking about Mike, kill them.’

‘Roger that, CV1 stand by to manoeuvre, weapons free, weapons free.’

‘CV1.  Roger out.’

‘Two salvos of 5 incoming.’

‘Roger, ready countermeasures.’

‘Ready.’

‘Now.’

‘Five down….  Second five down.’

‘Ready fireflies, fire.’

The cameraman jumped to the window as igniting rocket motors lighted it up.  I gritted my teeth as they drowned out the sound of the engine for a moment.