Page 103 of Enemy of My Enemy

Daniels crowded next to Jack, and Sasha to Sergey, and then they all took off, jogging into the darkness. Welby ran at the rear.

Ethan and Scott wound their way up to Jack’s side, Ethan wiping his hands on his suit pants until they were just sticky, but not soaked. Crimson stained his skin.

Jack reached for him, though, when he fell in beside him; his hand gripped Ethan’s, a rock-solid hold.

Scott’s radio chirped and Ethan leaned in close, listening to the leading agent relay back to Scott as they all took a knee.

“We’re at the boathouse. Six soldiers are inside, two on the dock.”

“Friendlies?”

“Don’t think so. They look too comfortable to be on our side.”

Scott cursed. He glared at Ethan and then at Jack. “Stay thefuckhere,” he hissed. One more glare to Ethan, and then he slipped ahead, going to the front of the line of agents holding in the trees just outside the boathouse.

In the darkness, Ethan heard Jack’s heavy pants. He reached for Jack, wrapping his arms around him, and Jack pressed his face to Ethan’s neck. Dust clung to their skin, damp with sweat and the wet fog of the forest. “We’ll get through this,” he breathed into Jack’s ear. “I swear, Jack.”

Welby moved in close, bracketing Jack. “Get ready,” he whispered. “They’re about to go.”

Ahead, Ethan watched Scott slide forward from the tree line. Another agent followed him, ducking in the other direction. Sasha went last, crawling on his belly until he was in position.

I should be with them.Ethan’s heart leaped to his throat.I should be with Scott. I can’t leave Jack, not for anything, but damn it, I should be right there.

In the dim light, Ethan saw Sasha nod, a bare hint of movement. Shots rang out around the boathouse, six loud cracks. Heavy thumps hit the ground, men gurgling and gasping as they bled out. Another two shots, almost instantly, and a splash sounded. One of the soldiers on the dock.

“Clear,”Scott called softly through the radio.“That will have attracted attention. Let’s go, let’s go!”

Welby ran with Ethan and Jack, following behind the other agents into the boathouse. They kneeled around the entrance, covering every angle.

In the boathouse, Sasha fell into place beside Sergey, and Ethan saw Sergey reach for him.

“You all right?” Sergey murmured.

“Da.” Sasha shook, though, his whole body trembling.

Bodies lay on the boathouse deck, blood pooling beneath them. Sergey rolled one and cursed. “These are soldiers loyal to General Moroshkin. Under his direct command.”

“The one who has been challenging you, stirring up discontent?” Jack knelt next to Sergey and Ethan.

Sergey nodded. He dropped the soldier’s body back to the deck. “Ilya was worried about this possibility. I thought it could not happen. The days of coups are behind us, I thought. We live in a more civilized time.”

Splashes sounded from the dock. Scott and Welby, together, rolled the dead Russian soldiers into the water. Scott’s voice leaked from Daniels’s earpiece.“We’re clear here. Bring them to the boats.”

Agents started to file out, moving fast and covering each other as they headed down. Scott and Welby knelt dockside, aiming for the woods with rifles lifted from the dead Russian soldiers.

Ethan grabbed a rifle from the nearest fallen Russian and took the soldier’s earpiece and radio transmitter as well. A thin filament stretched from his ear, and a pressure switch activated the push to talk.

Jack watched him, and then reached for a rifle and radio earpiece on another Russian. Sergey did the same, as did Sasha and Daniels.

“Let’s go,” Daniels breathed. “Ethan, you take Vigilant. Sasha, you and President Puchkov. I’ve got the rear.”

Ethan crept alongside Jack, holding his rifle tight. Jack moved silently, the rifle not quite at home in his hands as it was in Ethan’s. Sasha stayed with Sergey, and Daniels moved behind them all.

“Haunted House, Ghost Six.” Scott spoke softly into his radio as Ethan neared, guiding Jack to crouch behind him and Scott. “We’re in position at the dock. Can’t move until the air is secure. What’s the status on those fighters?”

“Ghost Six, fighters on station in one mike. Hold tight. They’ll clear the skies for you.”

Gunfire raked over the dock, wood splintering as bullets hammered through the boathouse. Shots slammed into the back of Agent Hawkins. He fell forward, into one of the speedboats. His partner jumped in after him, and the others ducked low, firing back into the woods.