Killed in Action - A Spy School Story

Chapter 14: Counter-Narcotics

Northeastern Yucatan, Mexico

July 30th, 2018

0100S

Jawa POV

Task Unit Archangel had been split up temporarily. Alpha Platoon and Archangel's HQ stayed in western Mexico while Bravo—plus an EOD tech and USAF CCT—linked up with the Mexican Navy's Fuerzas Especiales Golfo (FESGO; Special Forces Gulf), whose area of responsibility encompasses the eastern coasts and Gulf of Mexico. We were in northeastern Yucatan, conducting reconnaissance and surveillance (R&S) alongside FESGO operators in preparation of an upcoming raid on a high-value target.

Our R&S involved three elements: the first was one of Bravo's fireteams—Bravo 4, led by the platoon leading petty officer, SO1 Mitchell—accompanied by the EOD tech and five FESGO operators, who dived in and conducted hydrographic recon on the beach infiltration point (approximately 5 klicks from the target). Once their job was completed, they signaled for the rest of us to land with our rigid-hulled inflatable boats, crewed by SWCCs from Special Boat Team 12—one of whom was my father, who coincidentally saved my ass on Father's Day during a hot extract.

The second element for the R&S was another fireteam—Bravo 3, led by SOC Lassard—accompanied by nine FESGO operators, who patrolled in to get eyes on the enemy compound from elevated terrain to the south. They also helped Bravo 4 reach their next objectives: cutting off the main egress routes from the compound, which consisted of two roads through the brush towards the west and south.

Finally, there was the remainder of Bravo—1st Squad (Bravo 1 & 2) led by myself—accompanied by the USAF CCT, FESGO element commander, and his radioman. LT Koenig, as the ground force commander, was also with us. Our mission was to get eyes on the enemy compound from elevated terrain to the west.

Our fighting positions and Bravo 3's would set up an L-shaped formation, discouraging any squirters (personnel running away from the target) from trying to use the roads to escape. Moreover, with Bravo 4 setting up traps, explosives, and more fighting positions along the roads, anyone that tried to use them would get cut down quickly.

This should be interesting.

After an arduous and silent hump (er, march) that took nearly two hours due to necessary detours, we finally made it to the hill where our snipers and machine gunners had to establish overwatch. We were at the top of a hill overlooking a shallow bowl—no more than three klicks south of the coast—inside which a small collection of buildings sat.

This compound was owned by a cartel cell, who used it as a supply depot. Intel indicated that the facility contained a great deal of cash used for bribing local government officials, along with drugs, arms, and several dozen gangsters—including sicarios (cartels' assassins). If bribes didn't work, then blackmail and killing were used, rendering the government corrupt and absolutely inert against the cartel.

Moreover, this particular cartel was none other than the dreaded Los Zetas, who were infamous for their ruthless shock-and-awe tactics, including beheadings, torture, and indiscriminate murder—kind of like the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Islamic State, and some other terrorist organizations you know. Oh, and get this: the cartel was founded by deserters from the Mexican Army's Grupo Aeromóvil de Fuerzas Especiales... who were trained by US Army Special Forces in commando tactics.

Yeah... not a good look on us, I know.

But now it was time to take out the trash. We hid in the shrub-covered hill, establishing our observation post (OP) with our snipers and machine gunners. LT Koenig, the CCT, and our tag-along FESGO operators got together to my left and began communicating with the other elements while I used hand signals to ensure that our OP was secure.