An independent novella in the highly popular The Winds of War universe by a master of military science fiction , William C. Dietz. Vice President Al Hayden is on his way to Panama when a laser facility located deep inside China establishes a satellite link and fires a 50-100kW laser at Air Force Two. The shot is dead-on, and the plane is damaged and forced to make a crash landing in El Salvador. Hayden survives but is badly injured and susceptible to capture in a country primarily run by gangs, corrupt cops, and vigilantes. Many of them would love to grab Hayden and sell him to Russia, Isis, or another group. Members of Joint Task Force-Bravo, located at nearby Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras, are notified and placed on high alert. That includes army Captain Jim Brody, who is being held in what the Americans call the “Slammer” for punching a Honduran soldier in the face. But Brody is just the right man to lead a rescue or recovery mission. Now, it’s up to Brody and Honduran Lieutenant Maria Perez to carry out a dangerous reconnaissance mission and attempt a rescue. They give the mission everything they have, but will that be enough?