CHAPTER 15

THEY GOT SAMUEL!  

 

     The encrypted call to Mossad HQ was met with an immediate "Repeat!"

     The agent on the other end repeated in a calm but urgent voice, "Boko Haram - they got Samuel."

     Hadar Gabbai, the Mossad Chief of Operations, sensing something in the "Repeat" order, motioned for the headset of the operator.

     "Hadar here. Details, please."

     The Operative gave only the needed and most precise details, "Sir, Ambush by Boko Haram in NW operational sector Nigeria. Prisoner taken, Samuel, no others. Several non-serious Team wounds, still effective operational. No escorting party wounded. Mabior in charge and gathering local info on terrorist heading and possible aim point. Request special assist ground track team while enroute. Have special Nigerian track team with us."

     Hadar responded, "Track Team activated as we speak. Respond only as essential. Roger, out."

     As Hadar handed the headset back to the operator, he was asked about Samuel's welfare.

     Hadar turned and smiled, "I think this: I think Boko Haram has their hand's full. Put in a call to Leah. She may wish to be a part of the track team." He walked out of the room with a smile that had taken on a roguish shade. As he swung the door open, he turned back with a suggestion born of his experience concerning Samuel, "Tell you what. Don't look where Boko Haram might be taking Samuel. No - look where Samuel might be taking Boko Haram."

     The room erupted in laughter. One of the men remarked, "Now, we're using intelligent thinking."

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     Mabior and The Team were hot on Boko Haram's track.

     Alek, beside Mabior, whispered almost to himself, "It's almost as if Samuel wanted to be captured."

     Mabior, in an intense concentration, took time to comment on Alek's words, "I agree. It's a crazy tactic, but one that Samuel would come up with."

     The Team's scouts, Alier and Kuol, the twins, came up to Mabior dragging a Boko Haram member by his legs with his hands twist tied behind his back wearing a look of horror on his face.

     Kuol announced, "Mabior, I have the pleasure to present Mr. Boko Haram lookout for their main camp."

     Alek set about kicking the prisoner, but was interrupted by Mabior's leg.

     "Alek, calm, my brother. There will be time for that and much worse if he doesn't talk," then he turned and smiled at the man on the ground.

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     A man rushed breathlessly into the Mossad Intelligence room shouting, "We've picked up his signal! He's wearing a tracker. We know exactly where Samuel is!"

     In his office across the hall from the Intel room, Hadar heard the courier shouting his glad tidings. He rushed into the room, previously reserved, but now erupting into a maniacal scene. He took in the spectacle, saying, "I knew It! Oh, Samuel, you sweetheart of our Lord!"

     The man wearing the headset that was still attached while jumping up and down, yelled atypically at Hadar, "You called it, Sir! You said, 'Boko Haram has their hands full.'"

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     The Mossad operative made his way to Mabior and Alek with a deleted stoic expression that had changed to an ear to ear smile. "Mabior, Samuel's wearing a tracker!"

     Mabior stopped like a semi-truck applying the air brakes. Alek ran into him from behind as he overheard the news. The rest of The Team, sensing the gravity of something huge, all abandoned military protocol in a combat situation, and rushed to surround Mabior and the Mossad Agent.

     Info was dispensed as it came in from Israeli Intelligence. Two American Blackhawk helos landed in an pre-arranged cleared and safe area. It was the Sayeret Matkal Tracker-Recon Team. The Team had worked with them extensively in Iran recently. It was the additional personnel that surprised everyone.

     The familiar Recon Team members exited slowly with gear. The Team helped the Recon deploy satellite equipment.

     Amani stood up and began running to the second helo that had touched down. Mabior thought, "What is going on. Is there a Threat?"

     Amani soon let the cat out of the bag, "Leah!" Leah and Samuel had semi-adopted Amani after their marriage. He was the Godfather of Aliza Winston, Leah's daughter. Then, Amani yelled, "Natalya!"

     All The Team came running. The presence of Leah and Natalya Fedorov was special to these men. They might be female, but, like Mrs. Akech and Ruth Iverson, they were Team members, royalty.

     After things settled a bit and equipment unloaded, Leah turned to Mabior and Alek, "We're bringing Samuel home. Mabior, you're his commanding officer, what got into his head that he could do something like this without approval?"

     Alek jumped in to defend Mabior, "Leah, this is typical Samuel Nathanael Winston! He has done things just like this since day one on the team. Mabior had no clue what he was about to do, just like the Chief never had any idea what he was about to pull off!"

     "Alek, Mabior, I'm so sorry. Before we were married, had a child, the dangers stayed hidden in the back of my mind. He tells me often that he is serving God, not man. If his life is ended, it is ended serving God, not a country, not a man, not an idol."

     The unit spent time planning then proceeded to get some rest before engagement with the enemy not so far away the following day.

     Next morning just before sunrise, The Team moved into position before the main hideout of the most notorious terrorist group in Africa, Boko Haram. Founded in 2002 by MohammedYusuf in northeastern Nigeria, the organization was hell-bent on overthrowing the Nigerian government and establishing an Islamic State of terrorists.

     Hosseini and Thon, the ambush specialists of The Team, were set up in an advantageous zone beside the trail into Samuel's indicated position. Thon, always the one to add a little lightheartedness to an intense situation, sent the signal by sat-phone that he and Hoss (as The Team nicknamed Hosseini) were ready to rescue Little Joe and retake the Ponderosa.

     Mabior took in a deep breath as he typed the go signal on his sat-phone, a laughing face that fit into what Thon had in mind.

     The Ambush Team pair stood up while near by in the pre-dawn darkness a group of men were scattered about in various forms of relieving oneself. they tossed  four flash bang grenades that actually aided any of the men suffering from constipation. After that action, the pair let loose with their Scars weapons fully auto.

     At those sounds, the entire force of The Team and Sayeret Matkal that had penetrated the camp from many directions opened up on the grass huts and anywhere men slept. The surprise and the fear from the action created total havoc and pandemonium among Boko Haram.

     Samuel, chained and bound in a hut with two guards ordered to immediately kill him should this expected event take place. Well, that would have been the situation had not two women put a 9 mm bullet through each one's foot while two of the fastest men alive cut through the back of the hut to kill anyone attempting to harm Samuel, Garang and Chol. By the time the shooting started, the two had entered the hut and cut Samuel loose while placing a Scars rifle in his hands.

     The two ladies outside had counseled the two guards after shooting them that if one hair has been mussed upon the man insides head, they would make any future baby making impossible for the two men.

     You may wonder, what was Natalya doing there? Natalya and Leah had become best friends through Alexi's association with The Team. She had been visiting when Leah got the call about Samuel's abduction. You see, before Natalya met Alexi and became a Christian through his influence, she was one of the most heartless and bloodthirsty liquidators in the KGB. She would tell people in her Christian speeches that Christ can soften the heart of even the most despicable of humans, like her, and turn them into kind and loving people. She personally gave aid to the two guards along with Leah. Shortly after, the two gave their lives to Jesus Christ.

     Today the two guards work in some of the most dangerous Jihadist areas of Africa bringing the life-giving message of the Good News.

     Few of the Boko Haram encountered in the hideout had to be killed or wounded thanks to the total surprise of the attack. However, there is much work to still be done. Violent Jihadism fueled many times by an abundance of drugs and ignorance of the general population plague Africa in the wilderness or back country areas. The Lord's work can be dangerous for merely spreading the message of love. We must continue our Lord's work for it is our commission.

     When people are confronted with a message of forgiveness by a loving and graceful God, they usually take time to contemplate upon this strange message. Give them the time they need, and reinforce it by being an example of our Lord Jesus Christ.

     This forgiveness and love by God, himself, is not offered in Islam nor any other religion. Spread this Good News with its special message that it alone offers. With simple faith you are forgiven of your sins and loved by the creator, himself, Lord of all. So, my brothers and sisters go and sin no more.

"We love because he first loved us."  1 John 4:19 (NIV)