The Maverick Experiment (8 page)

Shirina, of course, knew otherwise but held out hope that her long-term relationship with him might pan out and get her a bigger fish. Intelligence work was all about reporting and performance evaluations. If she could utilize Agha Jan to get to key figures in Pakistan and eliminate them, she would make quite the career for herself. Things were no different in American intelligence, except for the fact that the CIA would likely not allow an officer to run someone who was linked to the deaths of several Americans and Afghans alike.

“Tonight is my son's birthday, Shirina. I think you should be here for dinner.”

“I know it's his birthday, and I actually bought him a gift, but I have another engagement that I must attend. Can we perhaps do dinner later this week?”

He finished his sip of tea and responded, “But Jamil's birthday is today, Shirina. Please make an effort to attend.”

She smiled and stood, signaling that the meeting was over. “I will certainly try.”

Agha Jan had grown to love Shirina's British accent. Afghan men in general were quite fond of any type of Western woman. Shirina was even more intriguing because of her understanding of Islam.

Agha stood and escorted Shirina back to her security detail. Shirina looked at them. “Boys, are you potentially free for another movement tonight? After our other meeting, of course?”

The men shrugged and smiled. “Whatever you need, Shirina,” one of them said. “You just tell us and we'll make it work.”

“OK, my friend,” she said to Agha. “I will do everything I can to make it back in a few hours to at least poke my head in and say hello.”

“That would be most gracious. Thank you, Shirina.”

“In the event that I don't, here is something for Jamil.” Shirina reached into the back of her armored Toyota Prado and grabbed a wrapped gift. “Tell him happy birthday, and I will hopefully see you later tonight.”

Shirina gave Agha a hug as he smiled.

“
Khoda-hafez
, Shirina.”

The truck pulled away, and Agha Jan returned to his quarters.

Tuesday, January 26
Kabul, Afghanistan
Safe House
1912 Hrs

Derek knew the action against Agha Jan would have to be a quick strike, and the team had planned accordingly. They would wear their local garb and execute quickly. The concept was to be in and out by the time anyone in Agha Jan's residence or the neighboring compounds were aware something had happened.

Standard policy and protocol throughout many of the agencies and military, including the most sensitive units, was to do a callout prior to entering the home. This was essentially an opportunity for those inside to surrender without any violence or destruction to their home. The obvious problem was that
those inside, if hostile, could arm and prepare themselves as well as destroy any key intelligence before the raid team entered.

Derek's team would take a different approach.

“OK, boys, remember our discussion. Let's do this right and get back here soonest. The only loud noise should be the initial bangs that go in, then it's quick and quiet. Got it?”

“Got it,” they responded.

The men geared up and entered their vehicles. Randy and Miller would take Grimes and go in the Hilux while Shafi, Derek, and Carson would take a separate route in Shaf's Corolla.

The vehicles exited the gate and split in two directions before Randy's voice came in over the team's comms unit. “One, this is Two. Comms check.”

“Two, this is One. We got you Lima-Charlie,” Derek said, using the military term to indicate that the signal was loud and clear.

Derek redirected his attention to Shafi, who was now a passenger in his own car. “Remember how you used to joke about how cool it would be to have one of our guns since you didn't have one?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, your time has come, my friend.”

Derek reached back and passed Shafi a silenced Glock 19, the same type of weapon Derek carried when he and Shafi first met. The agency routinely provided its officers with the Glock because of its ease of use. It was a simple weapon with internal safeties, and the pressure required to fire was not unbearable for less-trained and less-experienced officers. If they knew the basic mechanics, it was simply point, aim, and shoot.

“It's all yours, buddy. Here are some extra magazines, too. Just don't use it unless you absolutely have to or I tell you to, OK?”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”

Tuesday, January 26
Kabul, Afghanistan
Kote Sangi
1933 Hrs

Traffic had subsided, and both teams were able to make it to the Kote Sangi area faster than expected. They had yet to lay eyes on each other since leaving the compound but drove through the area, awaiting a call from Shafi's source.

“Hey, bud, just give your guy a call and get an update. We got here quicker than expected,” Derek said.

Shafi dialed his friend and had a brief dialogue before hanging up and speaking to Derek. “He is there now, sir, and some other friends just arrived. Security is still out and about in front of his compound.”

“OK, thanks, buddy. Tell your friend to get some more distance between him and the compound, but stay close enough to know if he moves. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.”

Shafi dialed his friend one last time as Derek notified the other vehicle of the status. “Two, this is One. We have a green light. The target is at the location. Let's make this happen. Remember, this guy will have spotters on the streets a few blocks out, so keep a low profile.”

“One, this is Two. Roger. Will advise when we are in position.”

“Good copy. One out.”

The teams continued to move to their predetermined positions. Derek, Shafi, and Carson dimmed their lights and parked on a quiet alley adjacent to Agha Jan's compound. No spotters were visible, and the street was dark and quiet. Perfect, thought Derek.

Meanwhile, Randy and the others arrived on a similar street directly behind the compound. The alley was dark and narrow and void of cars and pedestrians until a pair of men strolled around the corner and toward the team's car.

Randy squinted to see what they were doing and piped in over the team's comms unit, “One, this is Two. We have two strollers out for a walk.”

“Do what you have to do,” responded Derek. “We are approaching the target's street now.”

As one of the men in the alley reached into his jacket, Miller quickly exited the vehicle and placed two rounds in the man's chest and one in his head. Nearly simultaneously, Randy followed suit and eliminated the other with two rounds from his suppressed MS AR-15 assault rifle.

“One, this is Two. Tangos down. We are approaching the back door.”

The men knew the stroller could have been innocently reaching for his phone, but they also knew they couldn't take the chance. These were the types of split-second decisions that operators had to make and live with.

The team was to blast through the double green doors Derek had seen before in front, while Randy and his crew breached the rear guest door.

Derek, however, still had to reach the front without signaling those inside that they were there. That would entail quietly removing all the security from the front door.

“Two, this is One. Hold your position and prepare for breach.”

Derek and Carson sneaked around some parked cars as they approached Agha Jan's street, Shafi creeping closely behind. As they did, the sound of children laughing echoed down the road. Derek paused and peered around the cars to determine the children's exact location but was unable to cut through the darkness. He hoped they weren't making their way toward his and the men's position. Being compromised was one thing, but having to unnecessarily eliminate bystanders, especially children, was not something he wanted to do.

Derek signaled to continue as the children's voices softened and seemed to be moving away. The entrance to Jan's compound would be far better illuminated than the alley that he and Carson currently were calling home. They would have to time their approach with a lull in traffic and remove some of the ambient lighting from neighboring compounds and storefronts.

Derek looked to Carson and whispered, “OK, watch my right. I'm going to turn out the lights.”

Carson nodded as Derek whipped around the corner and fired a round from his silenced Glock into a streetlight across the way, followed by a second shot into a storefront sign not more than three meters from his position. The area went dark.

The men crept closer and were now able to see the entrance to Agha Jan's compound. Two guards stood out front, conversing with their AK-47s slung over their shoulders.

“This ought to be easy,” whispered Carson.

“Hold up, Carson, which one do you—”

Before Derek could finish, Carson stood from behind the vehicle and capped both guards, sending them lifeless to the ground without a peep.

“Nice work.”

They rushed to the entrance and placed a small breaching charge on the door.

“Shafi, stay right here. Two, prepare to bang and breach.”

“Roger.”

“Three, two, one … go.”

Derek heaved a flash-bang over the wall into the open courtyard as both doors were blown and the team entered the compound.

Carson rushed in first and fired on two men kneeling and disoriented from the flash-bang near what appeared to be a rose garden. Carson and Derek then dashed into the nearby guesthouse as sounds of suppressed fire continued. They exited seconds later and made their way to the back living quarters, where Randy and Miller were already doing their handiwork.

When Derek and Carson arrived, they had to step over the body of a younger Afghan in the door. Inside the main room, three men lay lifeless on the floor, as well as an Afghan woman, likely Jan's wife.

Randy lowered his weapon and approached Derek. “Let's get Shafi in here and ID this guy so we can get out of here.”

“Yeah. Carson, grab Shafi and cover the door. Grimes, you watch the back. We move in thirty seconds.”

Carson sprinted to the door and sent Shafi in as he covered the main entrance.

“Did we get him, Shafi? Show me the body.”

Shafi took only a few steps before stopping. Agha Jan had been one of the two men sitting in the courtyard that Derek and Carson had killed as they first entered. “This one, sir.”

Agha Jan was an overweight man dressed in traditional garb with a
shawwal khamis
, and had a long, flowing beard.

“Do we want to search these guys?” asked Miller.

Derek shook his head. “Not our job. Our mission is over. Let's get out of here.”

Typically a raid team would search individuals for pocket litter, such as phones, receipts, pictures, notes, and other materials that might help lead to additional targets or assist in the prosecution of the target. This mission, however, was different. The team was to get in, get the job done, and get out, plain and simple.

The men retreated to their vehicles and exited the area.

As Shafi's Corolla rounded the corner and approached Double Circle, an intersection with two traffic circles, Shirina's Toyota Prado passed them, traveling in the opposite direction.

Shirina and her security escort pulled up to Agha Jan's compound moments after the team had fled, only to find Jan and his family members killed in their own home; Jan's guests had shared their unfortunate fate.

“What the fuck!” screamed Shirina. “Fucking Americans. They had to have done this. Years of work down the fucking drain! Let's get out of here.”

Tuesday, January 26
Kabul, Afghanistan
Safe House
2112 Hrs

After a long surveillance detection route, Derek's vehicle arrived at their own compound. He flashed his vehicle's lights to gain entry, and the guards opened the gates. Inside, Randy and the other men had just arrived and were waiting.

Derek exited the vehicle and carried his gear to a nearby table. “Good job, guys. We did what we were supposed to, and the best part is we don't even have to write it up. No reports happening here.”

“There's going to be some blowback from that shit,” said Carson. “We took out almost ten people there. Station is going to shit a brick.”

“That's their problem. Don't worry about it.”

“Are you gonna call Carlisle and let him know it's done?”