Page 106 of Enemy of My Enemy

Jack whirled, staring at Ethan. Madigan’s voice rang in their ears, coming from the stolen earpieces taken from the dead Russian soldiers.

Scott cursed at Madigan’s words, and he motioned for everyone to hide back down on the riverbank.

Madigan chuckled. “Agent Collard’s dedication is admirable but irrelevant.”

Saucer eyes met Ethan’s. Jack’s lips thinned. He gripped his rifle so hard his hands shook, his knuckles ghostly white, even in the darkness.

“You didn’t expect to hear my voice during this coup. Surprise, surprise. We’re everywhere.”

Down the line, Sergey cursed.

“The time for men like you and your puppet President Puchkov has ended, Jack. There’s a new sheriff in town. A new dawn is coming. You thought you could stop us once before. How wrong you were.”

Jack reached for his earpiece, pressing the push to talk button before Ethan could stop him. “You sick son of a bitch,” he hissed. “Your new world involves slaughtering millions.”

“Sheep are often led to slaughter. It’s the wolves that own the world’s true nature. And just like them, humanity has a hierarchy, Jack. Has sheep and has wolves. Hunters and prey.”

“You’re mad. Absolutely mad.”

“Take a look at your lover, Jack. Take a good, hard look at Ethan Reichenbach.”

Jack stared into Ethan’s eyes.

“What do you see? Someone you love? Someone who loves you? Or do you see a killer? A hardened predator? A wolf, trying so hard to be a good little sheep for you.”

Ethan’s blood ran cold. He held Jack’s stare as silence stretched over the line.

“He’s not that different from me when you get down to it.”

“Fuck you. You don’t know anything about him.”

“Oh, on the contrary, Jack.” Madigan laughed again, slowly. “He’s the exact same as us. It must be you who’s keeping him sane. I wonder, what will happen to him when you’re gone?”

Ethan’s heart stopped.

“It’s not him I want to talk with you about, though. You see, I have something for you. It’s waiting, right here at Olympic Stadium. Yes, I know where you’re headed.”

Scott cursed. He spoke low into his mic, calling for backup and an update on the agents down the road.

“I have a gift for you. Something that’s no longer useful to me, but I think will be very useful to you.”

“Fuck you, Madigan.” Snarling, Ethan pushed on his mic. He turned it off and threw it into the water as soon as he was done. Jack did the same.

Sirens bellowed down the road, beyond Olympic Stadium. Overhead, the fighters roared, zipping away from the sea.

“We have to move,” Ethan grunted. “Now.”

“There’s a V-22 inbound. Headed for the stadium to pick us up.” Scott listened to his Secret Service earpiece and then managed an exhausted, wan grin. “Sochi police forces are firing on the military blockades around the stadium. They’re fighting back against the coup.”

“My people would not give up their country easily,” Sergey growled. “I must get to those men. I must help them.”

“Be on the lookout,” Ethan hefted his rifle up, propping it against his shoulder, his finger half clenched around the trigger. “Madigan is watching.” Beside him, Jack hovered close, close enough that the warmth from his body bled into Ethan and he could feel the expansion of Jack’s ribs as he breathed in and out.

Together they crept forward, moving fast on the riverbank and staying off the road. Mud slipped beneath their shoes, and river weeds caught on their soaked dress pants and the untucked ends of their button-downs. Dress shoes and business suits weren’t the tactical gear for the moment, but it was what they had.

In minutes, they met up with the other team of agents. Irwin had Agent Hawkins’s arm draped over his shoulder, helping him to walk. The others crept on either side of the road, guns at the ready.

Olympic Stadium loomed large, dark like a claw rising from the earth. Gunshots peppered the night, alongside flashing red and blue lights.