MAC WALKER'S BENGHAZI: The Complete Collection by D. W. Ulsterman Page A

push against the entrance door.
    “C’mon, let’s go inside.”
    Mac’s phone rang, causing Benny and the others to pause and look back at Mac.
    “Yeah Tilley, go ahead.”
    “Are you at the assigned location?”
    Mac looked back at the large home’s entrance.
    “Yeah – that’s what I said in my message. We’re here. Nice place Tilley, so how about telling us what the hell we’re supposed to be doing?”
    “Go inside Mac. Check out the home’s interior, including the upstairs. Then call me back.”
    Tilley was keeping the call brief in case there were attempts to intercept their communications. He had already hung up.
    Mac saw Jack staring back at him, his face indicating he wanted to know what Tilley had said.
    “He didn’t say much – just that we should go inside and check it out and then I’m to call him back.”
    Minnick pointed up into the searing blue Benghazi sky.
    “Hey – check it out. That one of ours?”
    Mac’s eyes followed to where Minnick was pointing, spotting the single military drone that was slowly approaching the vicinity of their safe house, its gray metallic exterior flashing against the sun’s rays. The drone’s presence gave Mac a slight chill, leaving him with the distinct feeling he was somehow glimpsing a darker future, a time to come when the drone technology of today would be the nightmare of tomorrow.
    Minnick’s voice cut through Mac’s thoughts.
    “You ok Mac?”
    Mac shook himself from his prognostications, though his eyes still glanced back at the approaching drone.
    “Yeah, I’m fine. Something about those drones though…they just don’t seem right to me. The way they creep across the sky like that.”
    Benny was watching the drone intently as well before shrugging and waiving a dismissive hand at it.
    “Those drones have saved a lot of lives Mac. They go in so our boys don’t have to, and that’s all right by me.”
    Jack shook his head at Benny’s words.
    “I’d call that short term gain for what could be a whole lot of long-term pain Benny. I’m with Mac – those goddamn drones give me the creeps.”
    Mac pushed open the large, solid wood entrance door to the safe house.
    “C’mon, let’s get inside before that thing is on top of us.”
    The home’s interior, though large and expansive, was devoid of almost any furnishings. The lower floor was dominated by a massive great room that included the tiled entrance. The living area was a step down space that housed a massive red stone fireplace. The back half of the first floor had a large kitchen and eating area. Though the home was mostly unfurnished, the kitchen was thankfully well stocked with food and drink, and offered an impressive array of commercial grade stainless appliances. Large, double French doors opened from the back portion of the kitchen into an adjoining courtyard outside of the rear portion of the property. Mac was happy to note how the large back garden was fully fenced by an eight foot high and one foot thick stucco wall, giving the space a reasonable amount of security.
    Jack and Minnick were already making their way upstairs via the massive stone and dark stained wood staircase as Mac and Benny followed close behind. The top of the staircase brought them to a large hallway that ran along both sides of the upper floor, ending in simple, three by three square windows at either end of the hall.
    Minnick was the first to enter one of the four spacious, top floor bedrooms. Inside he found the only furnishings to be a single bed, small side table and a single lamp. The room had the entrance door and three other doors. One door led to an adjoining bathroom, another door led to a sizeable walk in closet, and the last door led to the outside balcony.
    “Hey Mac, check this out.”
    Just outside the room’s balcony, hanging from the wall, was a pair of military grade, night vision capable binoculars. Mac picked the binoculars up and looked them over carefully. They were newer technology