The Raid

The Raid
Purchase the epic poem, Dylan, inspired by The Raid from www.Lulu.com.

            The room was quiet when Dylan walked in at 14:59.  The walls were bare reflecting the oppressively Spartan nature of the room.  A screen was pulled down across the far wall and a projector hummed where it hung from the ceiling.  Rows of chairs sat empty.  The three other members of his team were sitting near the front and two officers stood by the screen.  Dylan walked through the isle and took a seat with his team.  The Colonel gazed silently at Dylan, he then nodded to the Captain and suddenly a photo flickered onto the screen.  It was satellite imagery of a luxury yacht.

            The Captain addressed the room, “Gentlemen thank you for arriving promptly on such short notice.  You have been called here because of a hostage situation that has rapidly developed in the harbor.  What you are looking at here is a photo taken by satellite of the Santa Cristo, a luxury yacht owned by a man named Dennis Miller.”  The screen changed to a driver’s license photo captioned Dennis Miller.

            The Captain continued, “This morning the Coast Guard noticed the Santa Cristo sitting idle near a shipping lane.  A Coast Guard vessel attempted to reach the Santa Cristo over the radio.  When no response was received a zodiac was launched to inspect the Santa Cristo.  As the zodiac approached the starboard side of the Santa Cristo it came under heavy small arms fire and was forced to retreat.  Petty Officer Ryan Wilson was severely wounded in the altercation.  The Coast Guard attempted to communicate with the Santa Cristo a second time over the radio.  It was after this that a man and a woman were paraded onto the deck by two armed men.  The man, who we believe to be Dennis Miller, was shot in the head and his body dumped over board.  The woman, whose identity is currently unknown, was led back inside and has not been seen since.  A radio call then went out from the Santa Cristo to the Coast Guard demanding that fuel be delivered to the Santa Cristo by unarmed men in a zodiac by 18:00 or they would kill the woman.  A Coast Guard Cutter has been deployed to the scene.  You members of Alpha Team have been called in to perform an amphibious assault on the Santa Cristo terminate the threat and rescue any hostages.”

            The Colonel then began to speak, “For this mission you will utilize the Submersible Delivery Vehicle.  The SDV will carry a four-man team underwater and re-surface at the starboard side of the Santa Cristo.  Two team members will swim under the Santa Cristo and board from the stern.  These two will then commence with the assault on the Yacht’s bridge.  One operator will board from the starboard side to provide support.  The final team member will remain with the SDV to guard the extraction point.  Once the threat has been neutralized and the hostage secured the team will load the hostage onto the SDV and return to the Cutter.  Alex and Mark will perform the assault, Dylan you will provide support, and Dean you will stay with the SDV.  Remember, we have an unknown number of bad guys, two have been confirmed but there could be more.  One of them is carrying a Kalashnikov so we know they mean business.  Remember to stay alert and make sure that the element of surprise is on our side not theirs.  Are there any questions?”

            Dylan looked at his fellow team members are saw the grim look of determination on their gaunt faces.  He swallowed hard attempting to somehow fill his heart with courage by the action.  The team returned their gaze to the Colonel who was as unreadable as an ancient text.  The Colonel carried on, “The chopper departs to the Coast Guard Cutter at 16:30 and go time is set for 17:15.  Good luck gentlemen.”  Having finished, the Colonel turned and left the room leaving Alex, Mark, Dylan, and Dean to prepare for the mission.

            Dylan walked into the staging room sailing the satellite photo of the Santa Cristo through his mind.  There are two entrances to the bridge, one on the starboard side and one on the port.  One of the two pirates that had been seen on deck was now guarding the stern of the ship.  Alex and Mark would board from the stern, take out the guard, and assault the Bridge from the port side.  Dylan would board from the starboard side and secure the starboard hatch to the bridge.  The entrance to the living quarters was in the stern. That left the other known pirate about on the bridge with the female hostage.  There were so many unknowns with this mission.  No one new how or why armed men had taken hostages on the Santa Cristo, but they had, and Alpha Team had been called in, come what may.

            Dylan began to methodically put on his dive suit and body armor.  He watched his teammates did the same.  Each man was left to his own thoughts throughout the quiet routine.  They were professionals.  This was what they were paid to do.  This was what they were born to do.  Now each man needed this time to gather his thoughts and focus his energies on the task ahead.  Dylan began to assemble the gear on his vest checking each item off in his mental list.  His training had prepared him for this.  He would be ready this day.

            Alex pulled the lid off the crate carrying the weapons.  Dylan walked over and pulled out a Heckler and Koch MP-5.  He cleared the chamber and loaded a magazine.  He grabbed a silencer and slowly screwed it onto the barrel of the gun.  At his hip hung a 9mm and his dive knife, always at the ready.  Extra ammunition was in his vest and on his belt.  His wet suit felt warm and smooth along his skin, his body armor was tight around his chest.  He carried his weapon and gear and followed his team out the door.  They marched straight to the helipad where the Blackhawk was waiting, rotors spinning, waiting to take off.  Dylan threw his gear on board and then climbed on himself.  The rotors began to spin faster.  He felt a shot of adrenaline course through his body.  The helicopter lifted off and began to fly its course over the softly crashing harbor waves.

            The blueness of the sea always entranced Dylan.  Out here in the helicopter the deep blue sea met the heavenly blue sky with the most delicate of touches.  The thumping of the rotor blades forced power into Dylan’s heart.   His body coursed with chemicals and anticipation.  His focus pushed everything not critical to the mission out of his mind.  Dive with the SDV and approach the Santa Cristo.  Board the starboard side of the yacht.  Secure the hatch to the bridge.  Support the rest of Alpha Team as becomes necessary.

            The Blackhawk approached the Coast Guard Cutter from the Southeast.  It carefully descended onto the deck.  As the rotors began to wind down Dylan and his team exited the helicopter.  They were directed to the stern of the Cutter where the SDV was being readied.  Alpha Team approached the SDV with a stern grace that reflected the mission at hand and the special abilities that had selected them for it.  They began to put on their dive gear, checking their masks and their re-breathers.

            Finally, it was time.  One by one Alpha Team slipped into the ocean.  First went Dean then Alex, Mark, and finally Dylan.  Dylan grabbed the handholds on the starboard side of the SDV.  Dean took the controls at the rear.  The SDV began to slowly dive into the ocean.

            They dove down with the SDV to a depth of fifteen meters.  Then, they started the motor to propel them swiftly through the water to the Santa Cristo.  Travelling at a speed of ten knots it would take them fifteen minutes to reach the yacht. Dylan took steady breaths through his re-breather.  He focused on each inhalation and exhalation in turn to keep calm.

            As they closed in on the Santa Cristo the SDV began to slowly rise.  It broke the surface of the ocean just as they reached the starboard side of the ship.  It now appeared to be just a zodiac floating alongside the yacht.  The starboard side of the ship was devoid of movement.  Alex and Mark dove again and swam under the ship to its stern.  Dylan counted to thirty while they did this.  When he was done, he swam up next to the ship then kicked himself up out of the water.  At the apex of his upward travel he reached out and grabbed the side of the yacht.  It was at that time that he heard Mark say, “Tango Down,” over the radio.  He pulled himself up and onboard the ship.  He was now on the Santa Christo and the silence was deafening.

Dylan walked slowly along the side of the ship, carefully pointing his weapon before him as he listened for any hint of a threat.  When he reached the hatch to the bridge he knelt down.  He waited to give Alex and Mark the chance to commence with the assault.

At that moment, the hatch opened before him.  Half a second later the barrel of an AK-47 appeared on the other side of the hatch.  Time slowed down for Dylan.  He raised his submachine gun.  The barrel continued to emerge, then the magazine, and finally the hands holding it.  Dylan pointed his weapon.  Suddenly, a head appeared.  Recognition swept over the man’s face just as Dylan lined his sights up on it.  He let go of his breath and squeezed the trigger.  Dylan felt the fire spit from the barrel although the silencer kept him from hearing the force of it.  Blood spurted from the face in front of him and the body fell to the deck.  Dylan called into the radio, “Tango Down.”

He heard shouting from the other side of the ship.  Over the radio he heard Alex say, “Dylan, if you can get over to the port side of the ship do it, we need your help.”

Dylan quickly took in his surroundings.  It appeared that he could climb on top of the roof of the bridge.  He immediately decided that this would be his course of action.  He took a deep breath than leaped up and grabbed the roof.  He pulled himself up onto the roof.  Once there, he slowly moved to the port side.  When he got near the edge he looked down and saw the situation.  A man was standing on the deck holding a woman and pointing a pistol at her head.  Alex and Mark stood closer to the stern pointing their weapons at him trying to draw a bead.  Dylan saw instantly that neither of them could get a clean shot with the pirate using the human shield.

Dylan knelt down and pointed his weapon.  He once again focused intently on each breath as he lined up his sights with the man’s head.  He had the shot, now he waited.  A moment passed with no definite time for Dylan.  Then, all of a sudden, the change happened that Dylan was waiting for.  The man took his aim off the woman and began to turn the pistol towards Alex.  At that moment, Dylan took the shot.

The silenced weapon spat out the lead in wicked streak.  Dylan saw the bullet enter the top of the man’s head.  Blood and brains sprayed the ship.  The body crumpled lifelessly as the woman screamed.  Alex ran forward and grabbed the woman.  Mark cleared the bridge and found no one else.  Dylan kept watch over the team as they moved the woman to the starboard side and loaded her onto the SDV.  When everyone else was onboard the SDV, Dylan left his post on top of the Santa Cristo and joined them.  The SDV sped off skipping along the surface of the waves to the cutter.  It was not until they were on board the cutter that emotion returned to Dylan and the reality of what he had done set in.

Once they returned to shore, Dylan sat with his team taking off his gear.  Dean then came over to him with the satellite phone.  “Mr. Bookkeeper wants to talk with you,” he said to Dylan.

Dylan took the phone.  “Hello Mr. Bookkeeper.”

“Hello Dylan,” said the dry raspy voice.  “You are being re-assigned to Bravo Team.”

“Yes Mr. Bookkeeper, I understand,” replied Dylan.

“And Dylan, Charlie Team is interested.

“Roger that Mr. Bookkeeper.”