The truck had turned off the road and driven through a narrow path between the trees. Then Buddha had stopped and said, "We are here. Everyone out."

He led them farther into the adjoining forest, where they found two vehicles: late-model four-wheel-drive SUVs, both black and parked under camouflage netting.

"We ride up in crap for a good disguise. But we ride out fast and in style," said Buddha.

Mitchell grinned. "Good surprise."

Buddha winked. "We take no chances for our escape. Now check your map. The castle is right over the next hill. I will hide the truck and remain here, waiting for you, along with Boy Scout, after he drops off the other team. If you need us to come up, okay, but I would rather not. And I warn you, my partner is a rookie."

"So a good surprise comes with a bad one," Mitchell said with a groan. "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

"No, Captain. I am just a fat man with two cars." After a lopsided grin, Buddha trudged off.

"All right, let's go to our eye in the sky," Mitchell said as he waved them on and started back toward the road, reaching up to his earpiece. "Cross-Com activated."

Live streaming video from the castle revealed dozens of lights shining from the windows of all five buildings, and Mitchell zoomed in on each structure, noting the men posted outside. They were only silhouettes, and it was hard to positively distinguish between them and the several dozen civilians still milling about. Occasionally he would spot the end of a rifle barrel. The place was a cluster of anthills, with their targets hidden deep inside.

Once they reached the edge of the tree line, Mitchell led them up the hill, and near the crest, they tucked themselves deep into the underbrush and set their own eyes on the valley, a rolling, dark green mat speckled with a cluster of yellow diamonds.

"It looks a lot bigger in person," said Diaz.

"No kidding," Smith added. "And those buildings do look like missile silos from up here."

"Paul, get the drone ready for deployment," ordered Mitchell, cutting off the small talk.

"You got it, Boss."

Paul Smith dug into Mitchell's pack and withdrew the MAV4mp Cypher, a newly designed man-portable drone not much larger in diameter than a Frisbee and even quieter than the UAV3.

While Mitchell continued studying the satellite images, Smith activated the drone via its controller, then announced that it was ready for launch.

"Bravo Lead, this is Ghost Lead," Mitchell called over the radio. "Stand by to cut power."

"Roger that," answered Beasley, whose truck had just stopped to let off his team. "And we're inbound for the choppers and vehicles."