Page 107 of Enemy Within

Something was wrong. He knew it, deep in his gut. Adam wouldn’t leave the station unsecured like this. Would never let Ethan drive Jack up to a location without a perimeter and a guard, a welcome party stationed at least a klick out.

He cocked his head, listening. Through the wind, he thought he heard a shout. Maybe—

The world came apart before he finished his thought, erupting in a fireball exploding outward from the center of the station, spreading up and out. Heat blazed, searing air slapping Ethan across the face. He squinted, covering his eyes, and ducked down. Shipping containers burst apart as the explosion engulfed them. Corrugated steel, debris from the station, and shattered glass flew through the air, slicing the fog like knives. Shards of metal embedded in the ice, slamming over a foot deep into the cap. Broken chain whizzed by Ethan’s head. The ice sizzled when it landed, hissing and turning to steam.

Fuck, he hated being right. Ethan dove, landing on his belly on the ice and moved fast, sliding away from the inferno that the station had become. He tried to find Sasha, but smoke and steam and flying debris blocked his sight.

Adam, were you in there?What had happened? Why had Adam called them to this station? An ambush after the call? Or…

Swallowing, Ethan crawled down the runway as a flaming shard of steel slammed into the ice behind him, swaying back and forth like a knife plunged into a cutting board. Almost like it had been aiming for his back.

ONE MOMENT, JACK AND Sergey were sitting side by side, straddling their snowmobiles and softly talking about their lovers, and their seemingly new quest for point position and strongman on the team.

The next, the station exploded, flames roaring through the arctic gloom.

“Ethan!” Jack revved his snowmobile and shot forward, gunning the engine hard.

“Jack, wait!” Scott followed a moment after Jack, jetting over the ice.

Sergey stared at the fireball, the rising inferno. Dread pitted his heart, made a bottomless pit in his chest. His hands slicked with sweat within his gloves, his body racing from too-cold to searing heat as the sounds of the Arctic, the whistling winds, the shifting ice, faded away. Time slowed, reality replaced by a honey-slow haze as he watched the black smoke plume curl and rise.

Sasha, no. Not now. Not like this.

Reality snapped back like a gunshot behind his head, and he leaped into gear. Sergey slammed down his accelerator and followed Jack and Scott into the inferno.

ETHAN HEARD THE ROAR and grind of snowmobiles approaching. He rolled over, leveled his weapon, and waited.

“Ethan!” Jack’s voice rang through the smoke and fog, shouting at the top of his lungs. “Ethan, where are you?”

“Here!”

The nearest snowmobile engine sputtered and choked off, and he heard the heavy machine lurch to a halt. Then, footsteps pounding over the ice. “Ethan!”

He rose and saw Jack’s shape through the gloom. He took off. Jack saw him, and he ran toward Ethan, reaching for him with both hands when they got close. “What happened?”

“I don’t know.” Behind Jack, two more snowmobiles arrived, Scott already half off his and chasing after Jack, and Sergey standing up, searching for Sasha. “We need to find Sasha. He was checking the plane.”

They ran together down the length of the runway, heads swiveling as they headed for the parked Beriev. Ice cracked and hissed, turning straight into steam around them, sizzling as the station burned. Black, heavy smoke rose into the steel-gray skies. The stench of burning diesel clung to his throat, the back of his tongue. Jack stayed next to Ethan, one hand on his back.

“I’m okay, Jack. I’m okay.”

“What happened?”

“It blew as we approached. If we hadn’t stopped, if we’d just gone straight in—”

“Did you see anything?”

Ethan shook his head. “I don’t know where Adam or his men are.”

Jack said nothing.

“There!” Sergey’s shout made Ethan look up. His heart clenched, and Jack let out a curse beside him. “Govno, Sasha…”

Sasha lay face-down on the ice, beneath the Beriev’s wing, not moving.

Sergey got to Sasha first. He rolled him carefully, cradling his head in his hands. “Sasha,” he said softly. “Zvezda moya.”My star.“Open your eyes.”

Sasha’s eyelids flickered. He rolled into Sergey’s hold, groaning.