34 Looking it over
Two hours later, Pru and Maeve were crouched behind a rise not far from the camouflaged hostage camp. Ten experienced OSG scouts gathered around them.
Pru briefed them. “We’ve all looked at the pictures from the scanner that’s up there. You know where the targets are that we think are guards or lookouts. I need to know several things. One, how many guards, and where? Two, how often are they changed and what is the exact routine for changing the guard? Three, how do the guards get in and out of the field?
“Let me explain a little further. We’re going to need to open a very small portal in the field that will allow us to stun everyone in there in one go. I’m sure the field is set with sensors that will set off alarms if we try to do it from anywhere on the perimeter. So, I need to know as much as possible about what’s going on there, and any ideas you may have about how things work. Understood?” Everyone understood. “Okay. Spread out and get the job done.”
The two women watched as the scouts moved off across the bleak desert land. There was little cover and progress was slow. Maeve had com contact with the group, and Pru had her wrist com in place. She called Luther Mies at his Case Operator office.
“Luther, are you recording this operation?”
“Of course Pru. Anything I can do?”
“Just keep an eye out and, if you notice anything, let me know right away. What’s your opinion of what we’re doing?”
“I think you’re going in the right direction, Pru, but there are a lot of questions. What’s the point of all this? Why is this guy holding Han hostages, especially if he hates Uighurs and Muslims?”
“I don’t know, Luther. The only thing I can think of is, if he gets a bunch of Han killed because we won’t meet demands that are supposed to be Uighur demands, it will make the Han majority angry.”
“And then, perhaps, take steps against the Uighur?”
“I suppose. It doesn’t make much sense, but I’m sure this guy’s nuts.”
Maeve’s voice cut into the discussion. “We’ve got three thermal targets covered, now. Scouts report there are two men at each target. They appear to be low-order lookouts, and they’re not very professional.”
“Are they armed?” Pru asked.
“Yes and no. They seem to have stunners and com units, but no slug-throwers. Each target is in a wash where they can move back almost to the camp without exposing themselves. Oh, and we’re not getting IDs from them.”
Pru nodded and said, “It’s almost noon. Let’s see if they change the guard.”
It wasn’t until almost 1300 that the guard was changed. The guards at one target simply left their post, and walked back to a place not far from the camouflage field. The scouts watched as one member spoke into his com. Almost immediately, a small portal – about one man high – opened in the field; they hurried inside and the portal snapped closed. A moment later, the portal opened again and another pair of guards emerged quickly and scurried up the wash. The other two targets changed personnel at about 15-minute intervals and at different points on the perimeter.
“I think they need to move the portal generator for each change,” Pru said. “They don’t seem to want the guards to walk around the perimeter to a stationary portal.”
Maeve said, “Well, now we just need to leave some people here and find out what the watch intervals are.” She started to move back toward the hidden lifter.
“Wait, Maeve,” Pru said. “See if someone can scare up a rabbit or whatever there is around here in the form of a small mammal.”
It took almost an hour to find a small marmot-like rodent that they stunned and brought to where Pru and Maeve were hidden.
Pru instructed one of the scouts, “Take this critter down as close to the field as you can get without being seen. Be very careful, because I think they do random peeks out of the field. Leave it where it will wake up. I want it to run toward the field, so we can see if there are any defenses.”
The scout did as he was told. He laid the stunned animal about five meters from the field, returning behind a pile of rocks that hid him from sight. In due course, the critter woke, and staggered about, regaining its senses. The scout picked up a pebble and tossed it behind the animal, causing it to scamper away. About two meters from the field, it paused, appearing to be confused by the fact that it saw ground ahead, but not sure it was safe. Another pebble sent it running toward the edge of the field, where a sudden blast of energy incinerated it.
“Right.” Pru said. “That’s why the guards don’t go up and knock on the door.” She turned to Maeve. “What was that?”
“High-energy taser. It would probably kill anything smaller than an elephant. Standard military issue.”
“Automatic?”
“I think so in this case. And, that one was sited a few meters to the side of where your critter was, so they’re probably spaced at intervals to give enfilading fire.”
“So, we can’t go knock on the door. Have you noticed the birds?”
“Not especially; why? Oh,” Maeve said nodding her head and shading her eyes as she looked over the field, “you mean you’ve seen them land on the field and walk about with no ill effects. Yeah. I see ‘em. So, the tasers are only on the perimeter near the ground.”
“That what it looks like. Let’s get back. We have to keep talking with what’s-his-name.”
At the command post, Sgt Major Xing came forward with some flimsies. “Pru, Sgt Major O’Leary, we’ve got full PIDs for all of the hostage CIDs. We’ve checked on their whereabouts, and they are all definitely missing. They are all Han, though some of them are Muslim.”
Maeve took the flimsies. “Sergeant Major, you might as well call me Maeve. I’ve had enough of ‘sergeant major this’ and ‘sergeant major that’.”
Xing extended his hand, which Maeve took and shook. He bowed slightly. “Lo-Tan.” He smiled broadly.
“Okay. Now, we need to go through these and see what there is that they have in common.” She turned to Pru. “Can you put up with Elik for a while? I’ll spell you as soon as I can.”
“Right. Do it.” Pru headed off to the com booth to string the erstwhile general along for another couple of hours.