GOLD FOR THE WOLVES

THE KGB officer was briefing his British visitors.

“The helicopter was loaded with the gold, Colonel O’Brien.  There were two KGB officers and a five man crew aboard when it took off.  It went off our radar screens during a blizzard, which lasted for a week.  It took another two weeks before our search teams found it.  The helicopter was undamaged and the crew were murdered.  Both the gold and our officers had disappeared.”

“So it landed safely, the crew murdered and the gold removed?” asked O’Brien, head of the Special Evaluation and Assault Section.  “Were the officers very experienced?”

“Yes!  They were both majors and had served in every branch of the KGB.  There were currently with the Border Guards in Armenia.”

“If they served there, they would probably know the Turkish Border well and possibly the smugglers.  They may have flown the helo into Turkey, off-loaded the gold then flew it back into Armenia to abandon it.  They would then re-cross the border on foot.”

“This is what we believe happened.  Major Lituvisk planned the operation once he received orders to command the detail bringing the gold from Yerevan to Moscow.  He quickly suborned Major Brusilow and they decided to hijack the helicopter.

“Now all we have to do is find them and the gold.  I already have people operating from Ankara.  It’s strange, Colonel Sverlow, I never expected ever to work with you.”

“Nor I with SEAS, though I have always admired your work.”

An aide entered the office with a radio message slip, which he handed to Sverlow.  He glanced at it and passed it to O’Brien.

“It’s a message from one of your men, a Captain Graham.”

“This could be our first big break.  Colin has gained some intell in Murgul.  Tell him to run with it and I will join him there.”

O’Brien and Sverlow with two Alpha Teams flew into Murgul, where they were met by Graham.

“Some shepherds found a couple of chests of gold in a cave along the River Coruth.  I have one of the ingots here.”