Free Web NovelThe operations room at the Iraq branch was busy and chaotic, with staff conducting meetings and others reporting incoming information all mixed together.
“You’re here, Boss!”
Yuri, who had been in a meeting with other staff, spotted me and stood up from his seat.
I gave a small nod and asked him,
“Have you heard from Igor?”
“Yes. He should have arrived at the operation area by now. When we last communicated, he said they were almost there.”
I sat down with Jessica and Chief Ma.
“You’ve pinpointed their location?”
Yuri nodded and proceeded to share the details of the ongoing operation at length.
I listened to everything, asking questions from time to time, and he answered everything he knew.
“If they escape into Syria, that would be a big problem.”
“Igor thinks the same way. If it becomes known that they crossed the Syrian border......”
After glancing briefly at Jessica, Yuri continued,
“Even the United States wouldn’t be able to just let that slide.”
Syria already held a critical stance toward the Iraq War.
We also knew that Syria was covertly supporting Iraqi resistance forces.
However, the United States didn’t want an escalation, and so, despite knowing all this, it chose not to make a major issue out of it.
“He’s right. We can’t overlook a problem with Syria. No matter how much it happens during an operation.”
Jessica confirmed her negative stance on a clash with Syria.
“Syria...... even if Syria is backing that terrorist group?”
In Afghanistan, Pakistan had acted as the Taliban’s patron.
In Iraq, Syria played that role for the resistance forces.
Well, that was precisely why the region had become IS’s main sphere of influence.
Shaking her head, Jessica answered firmly.
“We’re aware that Syria is backing the Iraqi resistance. We also know there are forces providing them with weapons and financial support. Even so, a wider conflict with Syria would be a burden for us as well.”
To avoid a clash with Syria, we had to ensure they had no chance to escape in the first place.
“Does Igor know this as well?”
“Yes. We’ve already identified the nearby Syrian military garrison and passed the location on to him.”
I tapped the table, lost in thought.
Iraq and Syria had once been comrades born from the same Baath Party roots.
The Syrian Baath Party ruled Syria, and the Iraqi Baath Party ruled Iraq.
At one point, the two nations had been blood allies—brother states.
But they quickly split apart, and now both governments claimed legitimacy while fighting each other.
It was a uniquely Middle Eastern factional struggle where politics and religion were inseparable.
“If a clash were to occur and we had to clean it up afterward, how do you think the U.S. would react?”
There was no guarantee that an operation would succeed one hundred percent. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm
Someone could escape during the firefight, or others might flee through underground tunnels.
I intended to wipe them out completely this time.
“......The Syrian government is notorious for being impossible to reason with. Their stubbornness is particularly extreme even among Arabs. More importantly, Syria played a decisive role by providing intelligence during the Iraq War, so Washington absolutely can’t pretend a conflict with Syria didn’t happen. The intelligence agencies like the Syrian government.”
Ah—come to think of it, Jobs was Syrian as well.
I immediately understood why Jessica said they were stubborn.
In any case, even if Syria was secretly supporting the Iraqi resistance, it outwardly appeared cooperative with the United States, leaving everyone stuck in an awkward position.
“Then we’ll have to eliminate them completely within Iraq.”
After organizing my thoughts, I spoke to Yuri.
“Yuri. Get me a line to Igor.”
Yuri gestured to the communications officer.
Following Yuri’s instructions, the officer adjusted the channel on the radio and attempted to establish contact.
A moment later, he handed the device to me.
— This is Igor.
“Igor. It’s me.”
— Boss. You made it back safely.
“Thanks to you.”
Pleasantries could wait. What I wanted now was an update on the operation.
“How is the extermination operation going? Any major changes from the plan?”
— A variable has come up.
Igor reported in a troubled voice.
A variable? Was it related to Syria?
We always tried to eliminate as many variables as possible when planning, but once you were in the field, issues like this inevitably arose.
“A variable? What kind of problem?”
— The terrorists’ families are staying in the camp as well. Their wives and children, too. If we proceed with the extermination as planned, they may also suffer heavy casualties.
The methods of terrorist groups never changed. ƒreewebɳovel.com
Wasn’t this just another tactic—using civilians as shields to deter attacks?
After glancing briefly at Jessica, I asked,
“Are you certain they’re family? Not civilians being held as human shields?”
— They appear to have close relationships with the terrorists. Based on intercepted conversations using equipment supplied by the U.S. military, we concluded they are family members or at least close relatives.
“Would it be difficult to carry out the operation while excluding them? They’re unarmed.”
— It would be difficult. The camp itself is essentially a fortress. It might be possible if we push hard, but in that case, we expect significant casualties on our side as well.
The lives of Igor’s team and the lives of the terrorists’ families were not equal in weight.
And just because someone was a woman or a child didn’t mean they were innocent or naive.
How many soldiers had died after being deceived by appearances like that?
Everyone fighting this war in Iraq knew that.
I steeled my resolve and gave the order.
“Proceed as is.”
— Are you sure, Boss? If the U.S. finds out about this, there could be considerable backlash.
“Black Bear’s been criticized plenty of times already.”
The American media had demonized Black Bear rather than the U.S. military.
Attacking a private military company was more sensational than criticizing their own troops.
— Understood. We’ll carry out the operation in a way that minimizes damage as much as possible. The extermination will begin at midnight.
“Come back safely. We’ll have a vodka when you’re back.”
— Yes, Boss.
The transmission ended with Igor’s reply.
I set the radio down and asked Jessica,
“They say the terrorists’ camp includes their families. There may be casualties among them.”
“They’re definitely family?”
I nodded. Even after hardening my resolve, the thought of civilians being caught up in it left a bitter taste in my mouth.
“It’s an unavoidable part of operations, but......”
“It’s fine. If we can eliminate them, minor incidents that occur in the process can be overlooked.”
On the surface, I remained silent in agreement, but inwardly, I couldn’t help clicking my tongue.
‘They condemn civilian casualties so fiercely when criticizing other countries.’
It was hypocrisy—an extremely American trait, endlessly lenient when it came to their own interests.
* * *
From a hill, Igor was surveying the camp of the One God and Holy War using infrared equipment.
“Commander.”
At his subordinate’s call, Igor took his eyes off the device and turned his head.
Except for the three teams that had moved to other operational areas, everyone stood behind him fully armed.
“It’s almost time.”
Igor checked his wristwatch and nodded.
“Connect the radio.”
A communications officer waiting nearby handed him the receiver.
“Sergey. It’s Igor. Are you ready?”
— This is Sergey. Team One is fully ready.
The disciplined voice answered with confidence.
Satisfied, Igor nodded and contacted the remaining two teams before setting the receiver down.
Then he addressed the team in front of him.
“This operation leaves no one alive. But I want to finish it without a single casualty on our side. So don’t push yourselves unnecessarily.”
After checking his watch again, Igor spoke to his adjutant.
“Alright, let’s start by using the cute little toy the U.S. gave us.”
Igor walked slowly toward the trailer vehicle.
When he stopped in front of it, other mercenaries opened the trailer door.
Inside the dark trailer, numerous monitors were lined up.
The mercenaries seated in front of them greeted him only verbally, never taking their eyes off the screens.
One of them was gripping a joystick.
After returning the casual greeting, Igor asked,
“Where’s our little cutie right now?”
“It’s circling about five kilometers from here.”
One mercenary pointed at the monitor he was staring at intently.
Igor stepped inside the trailer and focused on the indicated area.
“Good image quality.”
On the screen was the live feed transmitted by the U.S.-prided MQ-1 Predator.
It was equipment purchased from the U.S. military for this operation.
Originally a strategic asset not sold even to Black Bear, they had transferred one drone specifically for this extermination mission.
“No wonder the U.S. is the world’s strongest. You remember the area we identified as the command center earlier, right?”
They had already reconnoitered the camp extensively using the Predator.
The footage received through its high-performance camera and sensors was exceptionally clear.
“Yes. The coordinates have already been programmed into the drone. Once you give the order, it’ll fly there and fire the missiles.”
Igor nodded and issued orders to the team.
“Everyone return to your positions and prepare. Once the missile strikes the command center as planned, begin the extermination simultaneously.”
After confirming the team was moving swiftly, Igor took a seat behind the mercenary controlling the drone.
“Begin.”
“Yes!”
At Igor’s command, the mercenary immediately operated the console, moving the control stick with his right hand.
Soon, the drone’s camera began focusing on the camp.
“Target lock.”
The mercenary aiming at the presumed command building turned his head to look at Igor.
“Fire.”
At Igor’s authorization, he pressed the missile button.
A Hellfire missile launched first, followed by a Stinger missile.
Both missiles struck their targets precisely, clearly visible on the monitor.
At the same time, a massive explosion echoed from outside.
Kuuung!
On the monitor, the devastation caused by the missiles appeared vividly.
Flames surged as high as the blast was powerful, and the building collapsed in an instant, leaving almost nothing behind.
A moment later, chilling warning sirens began blaring throughout {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} the terrorist camp.
Wiiiiing!
“Keep watching and report who escapes and where they go.”
After patting the drone operator’s shoulder in encouragement, Igor exited the trailer.
Anti-tank rockets began flying toward the camp from multiple directions.
Watchtowers and buildings struck by the rockets were engulfed in flames.
Thick, choking smoke covered the sky.
After checking his equipment, Igor began walking slowly toward the battlefield himself.
* * *
Just past midnight, I kept checking my watch, anxiously waiting for Igor’s report.
“The operation should be starting now.”
Chief Ma set down a cup of instant coffee he’d brought from Korea in front of me.
“It’ll be fine, Boss. Igor will never fail.”
Holding the coffee Chief Ma had brought, I let out a quiet sigh.
“I’m not worried about Igor failing. If there are no variables, he’ll deliver exactly the result I want.”
Igor had never disappointed me even once.
What worried me was that the extermination was taking place in an area bordering Syria.
Even if the garrison was fifty kilometers away, reinforcements could arrive within thirty minutes.
We couldn’t attack terrorists once they crossed the border.
And if a clash with Syrian forces occurred, there was no telling what would happen......
Looking at Jessica, I asked,
“What do you think are the chances that Syrian forces will cross the Iraqi border to help them?”
Jessica answered in a firm, confident voice.
“None at all. Zero. Syria is in no position to defy the U.S. military right now.”
Seeing her speak so confidently, I nodded slowly.
Right. All I could do now was trust Igor—and trust Jessica’s words.
“I’ll take your word for it, Jessica.”
Time dragged on endlessly.
About an hour passed when the communications equipment in the operations room rang loudly.
Yuri quickly grabbed the receiver.
— This is Igor. Extermination complete.
