Circle of Death - Strike Back Series 05 (2020) by Ryan Chris

Author:Ryan, Chris [Ryan, Chris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

SEVENTEEN

They spent two hours on the range, zeroing their weapons, sorting out their equipment and putting down rounds on the targets. It had been more than a year since Bald had discharged a weapon. The old skills were still there, but the edges had been blunted by time and a lack of practice. It didn’t take him long to get back into the groove. He had spent years in the Regiment operating the M16 variant, putting down tens of thousands of rounds on the ranges in Hereford. The weapon was instantly familiar to him. Like catching up with an old friend. By the time they packed up their kit and headed back to the camp, he was feeling confident about his abilities again. He was ready to soldier.

They reported back to the meeting house at exactly six o’clock. Taylor gave them a brief lowdown on the Company-modified phones they would be taking with them. Which looked exactly like regular smartphones, but housed in protective black cases with stub-like antennae mounted on the top edge.

‘The devices you’re taking are military grade, battle ready and cutting edge,’ said Taylor. ‘Field-tested by our best people. They can operate on any network, in the most remote environment on the planet. That’s important, considering the current situation in Venezuela.’

‘How’s that?’ asked Porter.

‘The crisis there has led to a number of blackouts in recent months. That could cause you big problems in terms of retaining comms with us. If the mobile towers are down, these cases allow you to turn your devices into satellite phones. Just open the relevant app, and you can start communicating with us via satellite link. There’s also this . . .’

Taylor grabbed one of the phones, held it up in his sweaty paw and pointed to a weather app icon.

‘This looks like a standard weather app, but it actually turns your phone into an emergency personal locator beacon. If you’re compromised, tap it once and it will begin transmitting a signal back to Langley. The signal is continuous and accurate to within a couple of metres. It will keep on transmitting, even if your phone has been switched off or damaged.’

Hulk said, ‘Are these things clear comms?’

Taylor nodded. ‘End-to-end encryption for both voice and text. If you need to speak to us, you can do so in plain language.’

‘What if we run out of juice?’

‘You’ll take portable charging units with you. One for each team member. These phones have been optimised for longer battery life, so they should last longer than a civilian handset.’

McGee nudged Bald. ‘Don’t sweat it, Grandad. We’ll show you how to use these babies.’

‘We’re not fucking imbeciles,’ Bald said angrily. ‘Me and Porter have used these things before.’

Taylor clicked his fingers. ‘Speaking of. You’ll need to hand over any other electronic devices you’ve brought with you. Phones, tablets, laptops.’

Bald and Porter looked at one another.

‘What the fuck for?’ Bald demanded.

‘Operational security. Company protocol. No foreign devices are permitted across the border.’

‘The phones we’ve got are from Six. They’re secure.

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