Ultimate Firepower
Chapter 295 - 281 The Big Wind

Chapter 295: Chapter 281 The Big Wind

Gao Yi was afraid that with military assistance, the CIA would get armed helicopters and tanks with heavy firepower. In that case, twenty people, let alone a hundred, wouldn’t be able to defend a carpet factory.

But without conflicts of interest, the US forces stationed there would definitely help the CIA.

Once there were conflicting interests and it wasn’t a matter of national importance, the Pentagon would definitely be willing to trip the CIA.

The CIA’s conflict with Sky Garden was none of the Pentagon’s business, especially since Sky Garden was one of the Pentagon’s networks. That made the situation different.

The Pentagon would surely help Sky Garden, and the CIA was sure to have its platform disassembled by the Pentagon.

So, he only regretted that the stationed forces in Libya were too small and not strong enough.

As the conversation came to this point, what was infuriating was that there were French forces stationed in Libya, and Gao Yi had heard this from Khalid, which Marina didn’t mention at all – obviously not considerate enough.

Gao Yi couldn’t even care that Khalid was present at this critical moment; shouldn’t they urgently mobilize all their contacts and prioritized saving lives?

Just a moment ago, Khalid displayed his determination and strength in front of Gao Yi by counting his soldiers, and now Gao Yi had to show his network to Khalid.

Gao Yi’s first call was to Grasse.

Grasse answered the phone, and Gao Yi hurriedly said, "Buddy, it’s me, urgent matter. Do we have our own people in the Libyan forces? I’m in Tripoli, the CIA is after me, and right now I’m worried about the local forces mobilizing heavy firepower. Now, can you check if they have received any news about this? I’ll wait for you."

Grasse, surprised, replied, "You’re in Tripoli? Got it, I’ll ask right away."

The call ended, and Gao Yi had not yet said anything when Khalid cautiously asked, "Who were you calling?"

"Don’t ask what you shouldn’t."

Without even mentioning Grasse’s name, how could Gao Yi tell Khalid about his contacts? After hesitating for a moment, he still called Marina.

Marina answered the call.

Gao Yi sounded helpless, "The CIA’s Freedom Wind has arrived and is coming straight for me, I... I’m afraid I can’t evade this time... No, it’s nothing. I just wanted to say I’m glad to have known you. Also, why didn’t you tell me there are French forces in Tripoli?"

"What’s happening!"

Gao Yi’s tone was slightly resentful, full of helplessness, and tinged with the thick emotion of farewell.

Marina was originally annoyed with Gao Yi’s firm attitude in leaving France, and even more upset that nothing happened between them, despite both implicit and explicit hints.

But now that Gao Yi mentioned the CIA’s Freedom Wind was coming for him, Marina’s dissatisfaction, and her wish for Gao Yi to learn a lesson instantly vanished, and she couldn’t help but worry about his safety.

Marina, utterly confused, asked, "What is Freedom Wind?"

Marina didn’t know about Freedom Wind?

Gao Yi patiently explained, "Freedom Wind is a very famous and strong action team within the CIA. They have high clearance. This time when the transport plane made an emergency landing in Tripoli, it was Freedom Wind that sabotaged it on board. So, there’s definitely a CIA mole within France that coordinated with them, that’s unquestionable. Um, I’m just informing you about this. I don’t have much time right now. As for the French forces... never mind, I know you can’t command them, so I won’t trouble you further."

A strategic withdrawal, Marina would surely understand.

But understanding is one thing, getting the hint is another. After all, Gao Yi’s value wasn’t that of a pretty face, but rather his death could jeopardize the orders from Saudi.

Marina said gravely, "Our forces in Libya are only symbolic, just a single platoon from the French Foreign Legion, and they certainly can’t mobilize to rescue you. But let me think, let me think of some other way to help."

At that moment another call came in. Gao Yi said quietly, "Think about it, I’ll take another call."

He hung up on Marina and picked up Grins’s call.

Grins spoke hastily, "There are people from the Secret Action Bureau in Tripoli. I’ve asked my superiors to check the situation there. No response yet. But I’ve also asked a friend at the Pentagon about the Libyan forces. Yes, they’ve received a support request from the CIA to use two transport helicopters, plus air cover from armed helicopters, along with real-time drone surveillance. The drones have already taken off, and the transport and armed helicopters are preparing."

Gao Yi inhaled sharply, "Are they really deploying armed helicopters?"

"We can delay the process. The Libyan forces can make the CIA send the request for support to the Pentagon and wait for approval before providing assistance. This can even be delayed for up to twenty-four hours."

Gao Yi thought for a bit and asked, "Can they verbally agree to cooperate but actually delay the action? That would benefit me more. And, for the drone surveillance, is there a way to call it back or at least, even if they see something, not report it to the CIA? I can’t afford to be monitored by drones in the sky; then I would have no way to escape."

"That’s exactly what I want to say. Your location’s been exposed, Mustafa Hotel. The drone is already on its way, and it’s already monitoring the surroundings of Mustafa Hotel. But drones can malfunction and be recalled. Taking off again and reaching the target area might take a long time."

Gao Yi hesitated for a moment, then said in astonishment, "Mustafa Hotel? Wait a moment."

He turned to Khalid and asked, "Is there a Mustafa Hotel nearby?"

"Mustafa Hotel? That’s on the other end of Tripoli, very far from us."

Gao Yi knew Grasse had heard Khalid’s words, so he immediately said, "What’s the matter, did the CIA get the location wrong?"

"Got it wrong? That doesn’t make sense. If the CIA provided such an explicit target and demanded low-altitude, high-precision surveillance, that means they are confident. The reconnaissance drones deployed by the military are not something those small unmanned drones can compare with. I get it now!"

Grasse suddenly shouted, then urgently said, "The CIA has factored us into their calculations. They think the Pentagon is helping you, damn it! Requesting military assistance, requesting drone surveillance, it’s all a smokescreen they’ve thrown up, considering the local forces as your helpers from the start."

Gao Yi understood as well.

Freedom Wind was indeed formidable, seeing the Pentagon as the enemy from the start, as an accomplice to Gao Yi. Thus, requesting helicopters was just a trick, meant to confuse Gao Yi.

As long as Gao Yi could pinpoint the helicopter movements, he could track Freedom Wind’s movements. Hence, knowing that the helicopters hadn’t taken off yet, he naturally felt that there was no threat.

The reality was Gao Yi had indeed contacted the Secret Action Bureau under the Pentagon, but he hadn’t done so from the start. It was only after learning of the US Army presence in Tripoli that he spontaneously asked Grasse.

Many things can only be understood in retrospect, but it was clear what Freedom Wind was doing this time. They were afraid the US Army might tip off Gao Yi or even offer him direct protection, so they provided false information on purpose, pretending to need military assistance to create a window of opportunity.

Actually, this window didn’t make a difference, and Freedom Wind’s defensive measures became meaningless. However, Freedom Wind’s actions showed their meticulous planning, guarding against Gao Yi leveraging military strength from the beginning.

If Gao Yi was fooled by the CIA’s smokescreen, all the better, but even if the smokescreen was ineffective, it would not hinder Freedom Wind’s operation.

At this thought, Gao Yi urgently said, "When did we receive the request for assistance, the exact time?"

Khalid couldn’t hear Grasse’s voice, but just listening to Gao Yi’s words, he felt a bit uneasy.

Both excited and fearful.

Excited that Gao Yi actually had contact with the US Army and could even collaborate with them against the CIA.

Afraid because Gao Yi had contacts with the US Army, so would he perhaps eliminate Khalid along with the rest?

For Khalid, the most direct enemy was not the CIA but the US Army.

At this moment, Khalid’s walkie-talkie suddenly rang.

Gao Yi didn’t understand, but Lucy did. So when the walkie-talkie started rattling, Lucy jumped ahead and told Gao Yi, "The enemy is coming!"

Khalid began giving orders over the walkie-talkie, while Gao Yi urgently said into the phone, "They’re here, can’t talk now."

A classic case of misdirection.

Just as Gao Yi had uncovered Freedom Wind’s maneuvers, the enemy already struck.

In a low voice, Khalid said, "Open fire!"

Gao Yi understood that command.

Almost as soon as Khalid gave the order, the muffled sound of gunfire was immediately heard. The shots were not distant, but they sounded muffled by the buildings, which indicated that the shooting was happening indoors.

Lucy urgently told Gao Yi, "There are two cars, coming straight down the street. The people in the cars got out at the corner and immediately dispersed in attack formation. They are all foreigners, wearing bullet-proof vests, not in uniform, a total of six people."

Lucy was relaying the content from the walkie-talkie conversation she had just heard.

And having heard Lucy explain to Gao Yi, Khalid no longer needed to explain himself. He shouted a few times, and then a person ran out of the adjacent surgery room, urgently responding to Khalid.

"He’s asking if the wounded can move? The other side says they can."

Just then, the crisp sound of gunfire began to be heard, very close by, on the same side where Gao Yi and his group were hiding, rather than the carpet factory that required passing through the tunnel.

So fast, too fast.

Suddenly, Gao Yi said, "Joelson mentioned that Hurricane and Tornado are coming?"

"Yes."

Hurricane and Tornado, the fastest winds, the most destructive forces.

Gao Yi sighed softly.

Had he made a mistake? Actually, there was no mistake, only that this time the enemy was different from the previous ones. The CIA simply deployed their truly capable troops, nothing more.

Gao Yi said with a sense of helplessness, "Now I just want to know, are Hurricane and Tornado two people or two groups? Why is it so chaotic?"