Chapter 32
UNIT: Major Harvey and Sergeant Cowboy
SITUATION: Monitoring General Jagwi
LOCATON: Outside Heidi Park, Liechtenstein
TIME: 0900 hours
Major Harvey had picked up a local newspaper.
He had found it inside the Hotel Meier. Off his right shoulder he could see the Heidi rock. Off his left shoulder he could see the approach of General Jagwi’s vehicle. Harvey and Cowboy waited near where they hoped General Jagwi had chosen as his Heidi rock observation point. Harvey could keep his eye on General Jagwi’s approach without appearing obvious. Cowboy had found a wooden crate. He had carried it to a shade tree and was sitting on it approximately 20 meters in front of Major Harvey. He acted as though he were tying his shoes and looking at the Heidi rock.
A taxicab had pulled off to the side of the road approximately 50 meters from where Harvey stood. Jagwi climbed out of the taxi and was observing the area. The area near the Heidi rock was populated with persons who appeared to be observing the Heidi rock and talking excitedly about it and what the book about Heidi had said about the rock. Unknown to General Jagwi, more than half the people there who were observing the Heidi rock were Israeli personnel.
Major Harvey spoke into his earbud microphone, “Cowboy, don’t tense up, just hang out casually. General Jagwi is approaching now!”
Colonel Spence heard the admonishment over the headset and microphone that Pearly had handed him, and he glanced at commander Shamir, “They are getting ready to take down Jagwi!”
Shamir nodded and spoke into his microphone in Yiddish, “All personnel prepare for action!”
General Jagwi was being extremely cautious. He approached the Heidi rock at an angle putting Harvey and cowboy between himself and the rock as he sought to move to a location behind Major Harvey.
Major Harvey could not turn to watch him because he would give away the fact that he was observing the General. However, cowboy who was facing Harvey could watch the General. Cowboy leaned back against the tree trunk and watched as General Jagwi walked diagonally away from him and Harvey. He whispered into his microphone, “Major, he is moving to a point about 20 yards behind you and is standing behind a tree.”
Spence heard the SITREP coming from Harvey and Cowboy. He glanced at Shamir, “For my two men to move on Jagwi now would upset the timing of the takedown. Can you get four or five of your personnel to sort of wander in the general direction of Jagwi and by their presence sort of herd Jagwi back toward my two men?”
Shamir nodded, “Yes, I believe several of my men on site have eyes on the same target. They should be able to gently herd him back toward your people”
Spence murmured into his microphone, “Major, help is coming your way. Several of commander Shamir’s men are going to herd Jagwi toward you.”
Harvey replied, “Copy that Sir, I see them now beginning to move toward General Jagwi! Wait one, sir. We have a new development here.”
Spence reported Shamir, “Something is happening there with Harvey.”
Shamir asked him, “What is it?”
Harvey reported, “It looks like the terrorists have just arrived in their truck. A truck has just pulled up at the park pedestrian entrance.”
Cowboy reported, “I can see the truck we were following earlier this morning is also arriving at the park entrance.”
Spence queried through his microphone, “What is that truck doing? I have received reports from the other two teams Alpha and Bravo that the other two trucks are being taken down. As far as we can tell now at this point, General Jagwi is unaware that the other two trucks have been neutralized.”
Major Harvey blurted, “O hell, there’s a guy getting out of the truck we followed this morning. He looks like General Jagwi.”
Cowboy expelled a breath that could be heard through the microphone, “I also can see another General Jagwi getting out of one of the sedans that has just driven up to the parking area.”
Spence said, “How many body doubles does he have? That dirty little bastard is doing it again!”
He looked at Shamir and said, “The General has at least two of his body doubles on-site at the Heidi Park entrance. We need to get all three of them, and we need to stop the terrorists. We don’t need to alert them right now, but we need to prevent them from driving away. Okay, Commander Shamir, let’s have your people do as we practiced this yesterday. One, get the terrorists’ truck drivers out of the cabs and secure them. Two, please have your men latch onto the three Jagwis at about the same time and grab the terrorists at the same time also. Hang on while I check with my team there to find out if the terrorists are in the truck.”
He turned his face away from Shamir and spoke into his microphone, “Major Harvey, do you see any of the terrorists near the truck?”
“Affirmative, sir! I can see 10 of them standing in the back of their truck. The situation seems right for a take down of all of them. I can see Commander Shamir’s men herding one of the Jagwi’s toward us. Cowboy and I will take the real one now, and let’s have the Israelis grab all the others at the same time. With your permission sir?”
Spence replied, “Wait one while I check with Commander Shamir!” He turned to face Shamir and asked, “Commander Shamir can your personnel take down two body double Jagwis?”
Shamir nodded, “You bet your life, my friend, we are ready!”
Spence ordered into his microphone, “Major, make your move, now!” He nodded at Shamir.
Harvey and cowboy rose at the same time. Harvey spoke into his microphone boom on his earbud, “Cowboy, let’s take this casually. Let’s not spook him until we are close enough to do something.”
Harvey ambled in the general direction of General Jagwi. He continued to look over his shoulder at the Heidi rock and he walked. He was giving any onlooker the thought that he was watching the rock as he walked.
Cowboy walked with his head down, apparently leaving the Heidi rock with sadness. He was aimed at General Jagwi. He appeared to be walking toward General Jagwi’s right side. Harvey appeared to be walking toward the General’s left side.
The General’s eyes were always moving. They were moving now, watching and assessing, and planning. Upon his first glance he saw the two moving apparently with no purpose. The closer they got to him, the more he began to look at them. They were within 10 feet of him when the alarms went off in his head. Because of their haircuts and their upright bearing, Jagwi suspected them of being military.
The two saw him take notice of them. They continued their walk toward him. They saw the Korean flinch, and they saw his right hand move quickly to his right side where his weapon would have been if he had been in uniform. His hand stopped. In the split-second that his brain reminded him that his pistol was in the left inner pocket of his jacket. His hand began its arc toward his jacket pocket.
The two Americans saw the movement of his hand toward the inner pocket on his jacket. They both were within 3 feet of Jagwi. He had his hand on his pistol and was withdrawing it when the two grabbed his arms Harvey had already withdrawn his weapon. He placed the business end of his pistol under Jagwi’s jaw at his throat. Fiercely he whispered, “Gotcha!”
Jagwi continued to try and withdraw his pistol while Cowboy attempted to hold his arm in place. Cowboy forced Jagwi’s right arm against his chest as he reached for Jagwi’s pistol with his left hand. Both Cowboy and Harvey strained to hold Jagwi’s arm and take his pistol out of his hand. They knew if Jagwi pulled the trigger, their attempt to bring down Jagwi’s team and the terrorists would be blown.
They managed to pressed Jagwi’s hand against his chest. Quickly, Harvey reached in and pulled the pistol out. He put the pistol in his own inner pocket. they turned Jagwi toward the truck while keeping their pistols pressed hard against Jagwi.
Jagwi complained, “You can’t do this!”
Harvey whispered, “I can, and you are through!”