Chapter 3 – Chapter 3
"What is it that these bastards want?" the BG vice president yelled into the computer link with John Singleberry, the gas field security chief who the masked Arabs had freed to pass on their demands.
"They have all of the staff locked into the conference room," Singleberry babbled breathlessly. "They say they've set explosives to go off if anyone tries to rescue them—and explosives out at the equipment heads too."
"Steady there, John," Wyatt said. "Let's take it slow. Are all of the staffers OK?"
"I . . . I don't know, Sir Wyatt. They didn't let me into the conference room. They seemed to know who I was. I don't know how they found out. There were bodies on the grounds, but I think they were local guards. I just don't—"
"Shut up and listen to me Singleberry," Wyatt yelled. Christ almighty, he thought. I should have replaced this man months ago. "They must have let you go for a reason. Who are you with now? Did the attackers say what they wanted?"
"I'm with a military officer. His people are making plans to storm—"
"Absolutely not, John. Put the officer on and then calm yourself and come back after I've talked with the officer and tell me what these bastards want."
It didn't take Wyatt long to convince the military officer that the gas field could easily be turned into an inferno and that storming it shouldn't be something that should be done rashly.
When John Singleberry came back on, he was calmer. "They said they were holding the staff and the field hostage. They said they were something called the Mask of the People and were revolutionaries. They say they will release one hostage for each million dollars BG puts in an off-shore account, and for ten million more they won't fire the field. And they say that Al-Jazeera TV will have to broadcast any video they send them."
"OK. That gives us something to work with, John. They must have given you some way to contact them to agree to their terms and coordinate the releases."
"Yes. They gave me some commo equipment dialed to their frequency. And it's pretty good stuff, not the crap that—"
"Listen to me, John. Tell them we agree to their terms but must have the hostages released five at a time so that we know they'll hold up their end of the bargain. That will give the military officer there time to get a possible rescue operation planned and poised. And, John, this is important. Tell them we'll supply the names of the hostages to be released. That we have records of who has a medical problem or should be released first on humanitarian grounds. And we want Drake Ellinger released in the first set."
"Drake?"
"Yes, tell them he has a condition that requires periodic medication. That he might die if he doesn't get it."
"I didn't know that. As far as I know Drake is as healthy as a—"
"Shut up, John. Just do it. Don't think; just do as I tell you." This was at the top of Wyatt's mind. Drake held the mostly closely guarded secrets of the gas field operation—not the least the name of the host government official protecting them. They needed Drake out of that situation as soon as possible. "Now, put the officer back on, John. We have some planning to do."