*The following is an excerpt from Chapter Two of “Jungle Rescue”.
Captain Alvarez continued to steer the boat along a path which appeared less turbulent. He has been plying these waters for over three decades so he knew almost every bay, cove or inlet along the entire Santa Marta Coastline. He kept a firm grip on the handle of the outboard motor and started to steer the craft towards the inlet.
The Captain estimated that he needs to travel another one and a half nautical miles before he lands his passenger. Previously, to reduce the effects of the surging tides and ensure a more comfortable ride for the visitor seated on the rough cut plank across the middle of the craft; a diversionary course was taken by Captain Alvarez. While this tactic did reduce the rolling and swaying to some degree, it did increase the duration of the journey by another 20 minutes.
John appeared pretty much unperturbed by this anyway—he seemed so focused, intense and rather distant. And when old Captain Alvarez tried to engage him in conversation, the visitor gave him a good hard look before responding. “I’ve got so much on my mind buddy; no need to burden you with all that stuff.”
As they neared the stretch of water a bit closer to the inlet, John Bradley felt the boat rocking violently and he instinctively clutched the handle of his Duffle bag. He had good reason to hold on firmly to it; as a former Navy Seal he knows the importance of staying close to your supplies and equipment. No matter what happens, Bradley made a vow not to be separated from all his military paraphernalia. The success or failure of his mission on the South American Continent depended heavily on the gear he carried.
The American Special Forces man is a true professional, with a career in the military spanning well over twenty-five years. If you are going to war, this five foot eleven battle hardened soldier would certainly be your first choice. John, had quite an impressive resume: four tours of duty in Afghanistan, service in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm and the post 911 Iraq war. Bradley also saw action in several fire fights—including Mogadishu, Somalia and has two purple hearts and many citations for valor. He also served in in Bosnia Herzegovina, and as a tactical support advisor to the Chechen rebels during the war with the Russians.
After Bradley retired from the military, he became somewhat of a freelancer. His involvement with the Chechen rebels was initiated by Russian Oil Magnate Igor Romonov, a staunch anti- government activist. Romonov, arrested by KGB agents twice in 2007 escaped the usual long and harsh jail sentence due to the unrelenting pressure from human rights groups and international media publicity, particularly in the United States. He served only three and a half years. Ironically, after his release, Romonov vowed to use any means necessary to humiliate or embarrass the Russians for putting him in jail on fabricated corruption charges.
And what better way to do it than to help them get a bloody nose from neighboring Chechnya? This sparked the beginning of the relationship with the former American Soldier. Romonov had very strong ties with the Americans through the many business connections he had in the United States, so recruiting Bradley did not require any exceptional effort. He had connections with many US policy makers and other highly Influential people in Washington. Five years have gone by since John retired from active military service, and when the call came he certainly had no reservations.