Chapter 1943 - 1424: Suicide_2

He saw at least eight figures wearing desert camouflage and black masks slowly approaching from all directions.

Their movements were professional and coordinated, advancing with alternating cover, clearly at a Special Forces level.

"Crow, Mountain Eagle, prepare to break through!" Scarface decided to make a last effort, "I'll count to three; rush together towards the northwest. There are the fewest enemies there!"

"One, two—"

"Three!"

The three of them leaped out from behind cover simultaneously, firing as they ran toward their surroundings.

Mountain Eagle's HK416 spewed fire, the bullets hitting two of the approaching figures, but they only staggered slightly, evidently wearing heavy bulletproof vests.

What answered them was not gunfire, but a strange "whoosh" sound.

Scarface felt a sharp pain in his thigh and looked down to see a syringe-like object embedded in his leg. A tranquilizer dart?

His vision started to blur, and his limbs became weak.

Before collapsing, he saw Crow and Mountain Eagle also hit by the same tranquilizer darts, slumping to the ground.

The last thing in his vision was a pair of black combat boots, followed by endless darkness.

At 11:20 a.m., the ambush zone returned to calm, as if nothing had happened.

The CIA "Cleaners" worked like ghosts.

A few bodies were swiftly packed into body bags and transported to a helicopter waiting outside the valley.

Scarface, Crow, and Mountain Eagle, the three unconscious captives, were injected with a maintenance dose of sedatives, handcuffed, and shackled, and stuffed into an unmarked armored vehicle.

An explosives expert carefully dismantled the IEDs set by Vulture, packing them up along with all the weapons and ammunition left behind by the "Frost Raven" team.

The on-site processing team used special chemical sprays to eliminate bloodstains, covered footprints and tire tracks with sand, and even repaired the damaged vegetation with carried hay and shrubs.

"All cleaned up." Commander "Iron Hammer" reported to Grey Eagle, "No traces left. The explosive devices have been safely dismantled and taken away."

"Prisoners' situation?"

"All three are alive but have varying degrees of external injuries."

"Very well. Evacuate immediately and return to the safe house via the pre-planned route. I want the site restored within thirty minutes and everyone out of the area within an hour."

"Understood."

Grey Eagle turned to "Lens": "Notify the Mosul side that Song Heping's convoy can proceed as planned. The road has been 'swept' clean."

"Yes, sir."

The time on the watch ticked to 11:45 a.m.

The operation took less than twenty minutes from start to finish, clean and silent.

This is the style of the CIA's special operations group—efficient, precise, leaving no trace.

Grey Eagle dialed Simon's satellite phone.

"'Frost Raven' has been cleared. Six-man team, three dead, three captured. The site has been cleaned, with no evidence left behind."

A moment of silence from the other end, then Simon's voice came through: "Have the identities of the captives been confirmed?"

"Confirmed. Captain 'Scarface', former Delta Force Captain, retired in 2012. Sniper 'Falcon Eagle', real name Sara, former Marine Corps reconnaissance sniper, retired in 2014 due to disciplinary issues. The others were also former Special Forces members."

"Walker has really recruited a bunch of 'elites'." Simon said with a hint of sarcasm: "Escort the captives to Qatar, I want to interrogate them personally."

"Yes. Also, the communication devices found on them indicate that Walker confirmed the action time with them half an hour ago."

"So, Walker still doesn't know the operation failed." Simon pondered: "Good, let him continue to think everything is going as planned. When will Song Heping's convoy reach Eagle's Beak Rock?"

"Around 3 p.m. expected."

"Let our drones continue to monitor that area, ensuring no surprises. The mission is only complete once Song Heping has safely passed through."

"Understood."

The call ended.

"Sir." Bull approached to report: "The Iraq Military just released news, claiming that the Tenth Division intercepted a shipment of smuggled arms in the Amadiye Mountain Area, seizing a large amount of US-made equipment."

Simon's actions were faster than expected.

Grey Eagle thought.

The weapons intercepted from Walker's smuggling network are now "found" in 1515's hands and "seized" by the Iraq Military. A perfect chain of evidence, placing Walker and his umbrella in an unassailable position.

"How's the media reacting?"

"CNN and BBC have reported it, and Fox News is following up. A Pentagon spokesman expressed 'serious concern' and promised a thorough investigation into how US-made weapons ended up in terrorists' hands."

Grey Eagle smirked.

When public opinion starts to ferment, those high-ranking officials in the Pentagon will be eager to cut ties with Walker.

This is Director Simon's plan.

Not just a simple assassination of opponents, but using the system and rules themselves to destroy them.

Smarter and more deadly.

"Continue to monitor all relevant channels. Especially Walker's communications."

"He just attempted to contact three officials at the Pentagon again, but none answered." Lens reported, "He's starting to panic."

"Let him panic." Grey Eagle said calmly: "It's what he deserves."

The clock ticked to noon.

Three hours remain until Song Heping's convoy reaches Eagle's Beak Rock.

Baghdad, Green Zone, outside the hotel.

At noon, two black bulletproof SUVs departed the garage right on time.

Song Heping was seated on the right side of the back seat of the second vehicle.

Jiang Feng sat next to him, holding a tablet displaying real-time satellite images along the route.

"The first vehicle has departed, proceeding along the main route as planned," Jiang Feng said, "Our vehicle will depart in ten minutes, taking the same route. The Mosul receiving team has already left, expected to meet us on Highway 7 at 2:45 p.m."