Coming Home (#Wattys 2017)

5; Plans

Harrison and Carrie exchanged glances. Was he serious? They'd finally found him?

"We've discovered bin Laden's whereabouts in Abbottabad, Pakistan."

"You've really found him?" Harrison asked.

The president nodded. Most of his and Carrie's time spent during tours overseas was focused on finding bin Laden, all of which turned out to be busts.

President Obama made his way around the large table in the Situation Room. Towards the end of the table lay a small remote. Then the two large screens in the room came to life. One screen showed an aerial satellite view of a white compound. The other screen showed pictures taken on the ground of the compound.

The white compound was three stories high, and surrounded by a seven foot concrete wall. There were no balconies on the building, and the windows were tightly boarded up.

"Whoever built this doesn't seem like they want to be seen," Carrie admitted beside her husband.

"Over the past few months our CIA intelligence has tracked couriers close to bin Laden back and forth from this compound. They've also studied aerial footage from our satellites to identify the figure that walks about these courtyards," he said pointing to the courtyards that surrounded the main building. "The physical description matches that of bin Laden. Information detained from the couriers also suggests bin Laden lives there with his youngest wife and family. We're certain we've found him."

The president gestured to the screen on the right which had ground level pictures of the compound. The one on the left side of the screen showed no compound, but instead the flat desert shadowed by mountains. To the right of that, was a picture of the fully constructed compound in the same place.

"The picture to the left was taken in 2001," President Obama explained, "before the attacks on the World Trade Center. However, the picture to the right was taken in 2005, after we had been searching for bin Laden for several years. Our CIA has concluded that the compound was custom built to hide someone such as bin Laden."

"When do we get him?"

"Myself and Congress as well as the United States military have authorized a commando raid of the compound. SEAL Team 6 will be sent via helicopter into bin Laden's compound where you will capture or kill him. If he surrenders, which we don't think he will, you take him alive. If he resists you kill him."

"Yes sir."

"Harrison and Carrie, I have named you two the commanders of this operation. You will be sent to Nevada for training where you will also meet with Admiral McRaven to work out the details. And remember, do not speak about this to anyone other than myself or Admiral McRaven. We haven't made any contact with the Pakistani government about this. No one is to know about this except those involved."

"Yes sir."

✎✎✎

A day later they got to the military base in Nevada where they could see a reconstruction of the Osama bin Laden compound under construction. A man with dark brown hair and beard came to meet them.

"Harrison. Carrie," he said, shaking both their hands.

"Admiral McRaven."

"Right this way please."

They were escorted into the base by Admiral McRaven and to a room similar to the Situation Room in the White House. There was a large table in the center of the room where two Air Force officers sat along with a Navy SEAL. Upon seeing the SEAL, Harrison and Carrie realized it was their friend Matt from their third and fourth tours to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Matt saved them several times in Iraq. When they were sent to clear buildings, he was on overwatch, looking for snipers and Iraqi insurgents that would pose a threat to the team on the ground. He'd made a few lethal kills to save the two of them from getting shot.

He stood up upon seeing his old friends. Shaking hands with Harrison, he asked, "back again?"

"Yes."

Carrie then gave him a hug. Going on this mission, she felt better with Matt watching her back as well. Admiral McRaven cleared his throat, bringing attention to the center of the table.

She didn't notice the large screen implanted in the table. What was displayed on the table was also displayed on the wall for everyone to see. It was a map of bin Laden's compound.

"Harrison, Carrie, Matt, this is General Klein of the United States Air Force and Sergeant Jones. They will be aiding us in the air. Now Harrison and Carrie, I believe you have an idea to present to us."

On the flight to Nevada, Harrison and Carrie had been discussing how they were going to pull this thing off along with Admiral McRaven.

Harrison cleared his throat. "President Obama had informed us he is absolutely certain bin Laden is hiding out at this compound. And he's hiding out with quite a few members of his family. Now we know the Pakistani government hasn't been informed of this, so we shouldn't meet insurgents when we first arrive. They won't be expecting us which means we have one shot to pull this off."

"Myself, Carrie, and Admiral McRaven have created a plan we think will work best to capture or kill bin Laden. An air strike was contemplating, but it seems we won't have confirmation if bin Laden was indeed killed. We have decided to send in ground teams."

There was a stylus laying on the table which Harrison used to indicate where the SEAL's would be flown in. "We intend to transport the SEAL's by two helicopters. The first helicopter would hold its position while the SEAL's jump off in front on the main building." He then marked an x over the top of the compound. "A second helicopter would land in the west courtyard of the compound. It would consist of four SEAL's, an interpreter, and a dog. Their job would be to secure the perimeter of the compound and make sure no one leaves or enters."

They then took a vote to approve the plan. Surprisingly nobody objected. "Let's do it," Matt said, getting up from the table.