samandjack.net

Story Notes: Military Life 04: Season: None

Content Warnings: None

Spoilers: None, taken from current events

Status: This story complete

Sequel / Series: 4th story in "Military Life" Series

Copyright: (c) 2004 bonnie rose

Authors Notes: All feedback and suggestions welcome and will be answered. My muse has many more stories in store for us. Thank you to Su Freund, the best beta I could ask for, this story is so much better for her efforts and suggestions. All remaining errors are mine and mine alone. I wrote this as I followed current world events. The news story I was reading was quoting an un-named special ops Colonel, guess who I thought of?


Hidden Quarry



My team and I had been roaming through the Iraqi desert now for what seemed like forever. In reality it had been close to ten months of hunting down members of the President Bush "Top 10 most wanted". We had been able to get a few of them, but never the big man himself - Hussein. I truly believe that my team had been close a few times, but someone always tipped him off, helping him to escape capture by the coalition forces.

The morning dawned hot, but clear. We were just outside of Tikrit, searching yet again the surrounding area. It seemed likely to the US military intelligence agencies that Hussein would be in this area; he grew up here, and still had a loyal following.

I was hot and very, very dirty. Sand just seems to stick everywhere! I sat in the shade of a hummer, sipping lukewarm kool aide and dreaming of my wife - her blue eyes, blonde hair and killer smile. I pulled out my latest letter from her, which had included a picture of her sitting on our roof top, wearing little more than her smile. I sighed, wondering who'd taken the picture. Probably Cassie, our houseguest come surrogate daughter; at least I hoped it had been or we were going to be having a little "talk" when I got home! A commotion at the command tent brought me to my feet.

I entered the tent, returning the various salutes, and wandered over to where a prisoner had just been seated. "What's up?" I asked a nearby airman.

Airmen Shultz informed me that this prisoner, who had been arrested early yesterday, had some new information to offer on the whereabouts of the man himself - Saddam Hussein. My team was quickly gathered together and troops put into motion. The Intel said that Hussein was in the area, giving us two different locations. My team, part of Operation Red Dawn, quickly joined with other personnel from Task Force 121, a military Special operations unit which would cover the other location.

Under cover of approaching darkness we approached the farmhouse in Ad Dwar a village just outside of Tikrit. We entered the house, but found nothing. I immediately set up a secured perimeter around a two square mile area and began an intensive search.

I led my team forward into a walled compound. Gazing at each team member, I made direct eye contact, assuring myself that each of them was ready for the coming action. I had a good feeling about this, the Intel seemed solid and we had been able to move quickly into the area. Inside the compound were two small structures: a two room mud hut and a metal lean-to type building. The mud hut had a small bedroom and a very basic kitchen. Silently I signaled, using only my hands, for myself and White to search this building while Granger and Moore moved onto the lean-to.

Sgt. White and I advanced into the bedroom, finding it filled with t-shirts and socks; some were even unopened, leading me to think that our quarry was close by. I froze, listening intently to the sound of shifting footsteps. Someone was moving quietly about in the kitchen. White and I moved with the grace and stealth of seasoned warriors, along the wall leading to the small living area. We saw two figures clumsily making their way towards the front door. Signaling White to move ahead on my right, we trapped them between us and took them into custody with little resistance. To our great disappointment neither of them were Hussein.



We turned our prisoners over to the nearby American forces for interrogation. Close by flowed the Tigris River and I noted that several boats were tied up to the banks providing a way to bring in supplies or escape advancing forces.

The rest of my team met up with me in the compound and we began an intensive search of the "yard". During the search of the outside yard, Capt. Moore noticed an air vent sticking up out of the ground. All of my men gathered around the vent speculating on what it might lead to. Carefully, Capt. Moore began removing the dirt and debris, discovering a rug underneath. Security forces moved into position, and the rug was pulled back revealing a plastic foam trapdoor about the size of a man.

I lifted the trapdoor and peered into the hole, meeting the eyes of Saddam Hussein, the most wanted man in Iraq. Cautiously, Moore and I assisted Mr. Hussein from his hiding place. On his person we found a knife, a pistol and a suitcase full of American money.

He identified himself as Saddam Hussein, President of Iraq and stated that he wanted to negotiate. My response to him was "Regards from President Bush". With that my team and I loaded him onto a helicopter and we headed south towards Baghdad.

As we arrived in a secured, undisclosed location we were met by a medical team. I helped Mr. Hussein from the helicopter and the doctor stepped forward, informing me that she would perform an initial exam of the prisoner. I almost laughed when I thought of Hussein's reaction to being examined by a female doctor! My heart leaped as I recognized that voice as my favorite doctor, Janet Fraiser.

I gave no outward signs of recognizing her, and she, in return, did not appear to know me. I knew it was all part of the act; never give the enemy an advantage. Privately I couldn't wait to speak with her, hoping she had more current information on our loved ones back home.

I watched as Dr. Fraiser began her examination. Checking into his mouth, ears and nose, looking for any small concealed capsules that could contain poisons. Finding nothing there she prepared for a further more intrusive exam of the man before her. To ensure her safety, and the security of our prisoner, my team and I remained in the room, blocking all exits, should Hussein make an unlikely break for it. The only nod to privacy that I allowed was a cloth screen that could be placed in front of the bed during the internal exam.

Hussein put up a token resistance to a female doctor and then a, much louder, angry protest to further examination. However, in the end he submitted; the sound of automatic weapons being prepared no doubt encouraged his change in behavior. At the conclusion of the exam, since nothing had been found, he was allowed to shower and was provided with clean clothes. Shortly after that, my team accompanied him to a cell, where Special Forces troops took over his security requirements.

I directed my team to find some food and get some rest. At this point we had been on the move for well over twenty-four hours and were tired, but in high spirits at our good fortune. I joined the Task force commander, medical personnel and intelligence agents for the initial planning session for the upcoming interrogation of Mr. Hussein. At the conclusion of this meeting, a news conference was called and the announcement to the world that we had "got him" was carried world wide.

I found my team, together in the mess, eating their first hot meal in a month. Helping myself to a plate of meatloaf with mashed potatoes and a cup of brewed (not instant) coffee I joined them in a meal. We laughed and talked, and I urged them to each find a phone or computer and get in touch with their families; nothing boosts moral faster than the ability to touch a little bit of home. Our mail would be days in reaching us, as we were no where close to where our support units were located, back outside of Tikrit. They assured me that they would follow my advice, right after they found some showers and clean uniforms. Having been out in the field for over a month, we were no doubt rather malodorous to the poor souls who were working with us at the moment.

Having finished my meal, I headed out in search of a shower, clean uniform and one Dr. Janet Fraiser. Searching for Janet proved easier than I expected. I started out at the small base hospital and found her in an office doing paperwork. I snuck up behind her, covering her eyes with my hands. "Guess who?" I implored her.

With a squeal she leapt up from her chair and into my arms, giving me a rib threatening hug! "Jack," she laughed "oh, god it's good to see you! Every time I talk to Cassie, she asks for you."

I laughed at her exuberance and joy; it made me feel lighthearted and energized. We walked out of the infirmary hand in hand, the physical contact helping to warm our hearts and souls. To find a trusted friend of almost six years was heartening for me. We got caught up on all the news. My family was fine, although they missed me. Jake couldn't understand why I didn't call as often as Janet did. He didn't understand that since Janet was in a base infirmary she had access to phones most of the time, while I was mostly in the field, with nothing more than what I could carry.

Janet had the best news of all, she was going home! She had less than ten days before she'd be setting foot in Colorado, god how I envied her. I know that she got here first so logically she'd be going home first, but I missed my life at home and after some eighteen months and counting, I was ready to go home too!

Finally, we took our leave from the each other, Janet heading back to the hospital and I in search of my team and a bed not made of sand and bugs. I stepped into the command tent, finding that the interrogation teams had already begun working on Saddam Hussein. Then, I wandered out into the many tents that were littering the compound looking for the personnel tent. A passing airman directed me to the small office located off from the mess tent. My team was assigned to one of the few barracks that were available as a kind of "thank you". The big draw of the barracks, of course, was the beds. An honest to goodness mattress, not what you'd have at home, but certainly better than a sleeping bag on the ground. I found an empty bunk near to my team and lay down to sleep, with a minimum of moaning and groaning. I was getting way to old for this kind of field work, much as I may love it.

We woke with the sun and headed out to find breakfast. After we finished our meal, I headed over to the Command Tent looking to find out what our next mission was to be. I was handed my mission orders in the usual plain sealed envelope. After reading them, I headed out to find my team. We had been assigned a new target and needed to get on the move.

While Janet may have been heading home, I was not.




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