Alone and Unafraid (American Praetorians Book 3) Read Online Free Page B

coup.  You should publicize it.”
    I just raised an eyebrow.
    “Or not.”  He sighed.  “ I’m not saying publicize that it was you guys who did it.  But if you’re going to be running an insurgency against an insurgency, at least Al Hakim’s people need to be putting out the word about what they’re accomplishing, even if it’s you guys who do the real killing.  It’s IO, man.  You should know this.”
    “And Information Operations worked oh so well here the last time around,” I retorted.  “And in Afghanistan.  And in Libya.”
    “Just saying,” he said.  “It did wonders for Ahrar al Sham, and then the Islamic Front after it, in Syria.  It’s a tool, that’s all I’m saying.”
    I didn’t say anything more as he perused the rest of the pictures.  Finally, he dropped them on the cot and shook his head.  “Nobody else of consequence, at least that I know of or have crossed paths with.  This one”—he tapped one of the last photos—“is Abu Tariq’s cousin, the guy who owns the house.  I’m guessing the rest are family members and security goons.”
    I gathered the photos up and started for the door.  We’d definitely run them past some of our allies/clients, to see if anyone recognized them.  As helpful as he was trying to be, even without his baggage Black was a single source, and we’d learned a long time ago not to rely on single-source reporting.  A single-source based raid in Kismayo , Somalia had killed three of us because the source turned out to be playing for the other team.
    “Stone,” Black called just before I closed the door, “think about what I said.  I can get you close to these motherfuckers.”
    “I’ll think about it,” I said, and shut the door.
     
    I was poring over what meager intel we had on both ISIS and Iranian presence in the city, getting ready for my next meeting with Daoud al Zubayri, one of the militia leaders-turned-PPF commanders, when the sat phone buzzed.
    It was Alek, operational head of the company, presently running the Kurdish side of the Praetorian show from Sulaymaniyah.  He launched right in without preamble.  “Got some news, brother, and you’re not going to like it.”
    I rubbed my eyes.  “What else is new?  What’s up?”
    “General Qasim Saleh just announced he’s consolidated about seventy-five percent of what’s left of the Iraqi Army.”
    “Fuck.”  I knew the name; we all did.  Saleh had been a pretty major player in the anti-Western, Shi’a, pro-Iranian camp in the new Iraqi Army.  There were those who tried to say, repeatedly, that he was too much of an Iraqi nationalist to side with the Iranians.  I supposed it was possible, but being Shi’a, and after the decapitation of the Iraqi government at the hands of Sunni extremists, I’d believe it when I saw it.  “Has he declared himself President yet?” I asked.
    “Not yet,” he said.  “If you can get an internet connection, we can send you the video of his speech.  It was…interesting.  Short version: he focused on rebuilding Iraq, taking Fallujah, Mosul, and Ramadi back from the Salafists, and welcomed ‘assistance where it can be found.’”
    I grunted.  “Three guesses where that assistance comes from, and the first two don’t count.”
    “Exactly,” he said.  “We’ve got video of him meeting with several IRGC officers.”
    “ That doesn’t bode well,” I said.  “Hopefully he focuses on Fallujah and Ramadi and leaves Basra alone for the time being.”
    There was a pause.  I didn’t like the sound of that.  “Jeff, I hope you’ve got a good E&E plan in place.”
    “He’s not going to let Basra be.”  It wasn’t a question.
    “What we’re hearing is that he is going to make al Hakim an offer he can’t refuse,” Alek said grimly, “and soon.”
    “Where are you hearing this from?” I asked.  “I’m getting the impression that there’s something more going on in the background.”
    “We might have a new