The Uvalde Raider by Ben English (great books for teens TXT) 📕

“Come on, Humboldt,” Wadley rasped and started for the door. The obese man in the ill-fitting suit remained seated, confused by the sudden turn of events and unsure of what he should do next. Wadley reached the door and looked back over his shoulder.

“Humboldt!” repeated Wadley sharply, with some of the prior authority back in his voice. “I said, come on!” Humboldt sprang up quickly for such a heavy man and scurried for the doorway. Wadley then looked over at Eggers, still sitting comfortably to the rear of the office. “Well?” he demanded.

“Well, what?” responded Eggers in an easy, devil-may-care manner. “I don’t work for you, Wadley.”

Eggers shifted his attention and tone, respectfully addressing the man seated behind the large desk. “I would like to stay a few minutes more if it’s all right, sir.” The director looked at him carefully for a moment and nodded curtly in affirmation.

Wadley stared at each of the three men remaining in the room, wanting so badly to say something as he exited but deciding against it. He stepped out and closed the door behind him.

The colonel and Micah both looked at Eggers expectantly, who leaned further back in the chair, crossed his legs and folded his hands in his lap. He began to speak quietly.

“I felt that Wadley and Humboldt were going to screw this up, which was a good reason to tag along. Gentlemen, believe it or not, they were trying to do the right thing. However, they just don’t know how. One’s a bumbling career bureaucrat and the other a pompous, power loving, bully. Simply telling the truth and appealing to someone else’s better nature is beyond either of them.”

“Then what exactly is the truth, Mr. Eggers?” asked the colonel, “and what’s this all about?”

“It’s about American lives, sir,” responded Eggers earnestly. “It’s about fellow Americans being held as hostages a half world away.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

“You were right all along, Trooper,” Eggers continued. “So was your uncle. Right about the VX, about their operations plan and about those men being terrorists. They belonged to a fairly new Islamic extremist group calling themselves ‘Hezbollah.’ Literally, the word translates into ‘Party of Allah’ and they are about as fanatical and ruthless as they come.

“The man who called himself Yahla al-Qassam was a highly placed operative in this organization, among some others. That was not his real name, by the way. We believe he was actually an Iranian, who was also somewhat of a legend within the Ayatollah’s Revolutionary Guard. If they had succeeded in their plan, it would have done indescribable damage to our nation’s infrastructure, not to mention leaving us with around a hundred thousand civilian casualties.

“Hezbollah has become the driving force for Shi’a Muslim terrorist activities over the past few years. They have been responsible for numerous bombings and attacks on Israel and Lebanon as well as other places, including that truck bombing at the Marine Barracks in Beirut seven years ago.”

Eggers halted briefly in his monologue, gauging if the other two men were comprehending all that he was saying. Seeing they were, he moved on.

“They and their affiliated splinter groups have also conducted a massive wave of kidnappings in that region. Many of these hostages have been held for several years now, some of them our own people. Terry Anderson and Thomas Sutherland are both Americans, and have been held by Hezbollah since 1985. They also kidnapped two American military officers, Army Lieutenant Colonel Buckley in 1984 and Marine Lieutenant Colonel Higgins two years ago.

“There were others. Terry Waite was an Anglican Church envoy we worked with for a time, in an attempt to get a few of our people released. He had some success but was kidnapped himself in January of 1987. He is a subject of the British crown, but he was trying to help us so I count him as one of ours, too.

“Buckley and Higgins were tortured repeatedly by Hezbollah and later murdered.” Eggers paused, looking down at his intertwined fingers and speaking in a softer, more personal tone. “They were both good men. Buckley earned the Silver Star in Vietnam, and also received the Bronze Star with a combat ‘V’ and two Purple Hearts. Higgins had a Bronze Star with a combat ‘V’ and also a Purple Heart. They deserved a great deal more than what they got.”

Eggers raised his head again and gazed steadily at the two other men. “In fact, they all do and that is why I am here asking for your help. Recently one of the other hostages was released, an Irishman by the name of Brian Keenan. This was less than two months ago, and it gives us hope that we might be able to get our other people back alive.

“You see, Keenan was released within days of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Just about everybody in that part of the world is looking to Uncle Sam to kick Saddam Hussein out of there, and for the first time in decades we have some real leverage in the Middle East. There are several sitting governments and opposition groups who wouldn’t give us the time of day before this, but now are coming with their hats in their hands and wanting help with the Iraqis.

“Our plan is to put that leverage to good use, and get our hostages freed and out of Lebanon. We’re certain that if we can get enough of these different groups to put enough pressure on Hezbollah, it can be done. Even the Syrians are wanting to form an alliance with us against Saddam, and they are major players as far as sponsors for these terrorists.”

Eggers contemplated Micah with his hauntingly familiar eyes. “This is where you come in, Trooper, as well as your Department. As I said before, things are finally going our direction and it looks