Page 120 of Tom Clancy Line of Sight

SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

His orders came from the Czech directly just five days ago, confirming Jack Ryan’s identity as well as his location in Sarajevo. The orders were explicit: Acquire the man’s head, and do it without being detected.

It was the most insane hit he’d ever been assigned, but the bonus offered was irresistible.

Failure to fully comply with instructions would void the bonus. Worse, it meant he would be put on someone else’s kill list.

It had been hell to actually locate Ryan because he was on the move, and harder still to track him, even when he was justin the city. He suspected Ryan was practicing SDRs, but if so, he did it so effortlessly that it was difficult to tell.

There had been only two prior opportunities to grab Ryan, and both would have resulted in collateral damage. But the assassin was infamously patient, and his patience paid off. Today presented an ideal opportunity. Probably the last one, too.

Ryan was his.

All he had to do was wait.

—

Aida pulled up in front of Jack’s apartment building twenty minutes later than they had planned. The traffic pouring into town was the worst she had ever seen.

She didn’t kill the engine.

“Good-byes are difficult, yes?”

“Yeah.” He had a hard time holding her gaze. “You’re not coming out in three weeks, are you?”

“I said I would try.”

“Then I’ll come back.”

She touched his face with her hand. “That’s not a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“I’ve been trying to tell you, but you won’t listen. Things are more complicated here than you can possibly realize.”

“Then help me understand.”

“Okay. Here is the most important fact. By being with me, you are endangering my work, and even my life.”

Jack’s eyes widened. “How?”

“You distract me, Jack. Others have noticed, including Kolak. The longer you are here, the harder they will work to use you, and to hurt me and the work I am doing, which is my life. The people that hate us will do anything, including kidnappingyou, or worse. You saw what happened the other day. I care for you too much. I can’t allow that to happen.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“I’m sure you can. But I’m not willing to risk it, or the work we’re doing for the refugees. Do you understand?”

“No, but I guess it doesn’t matter.”

She leaned over and kissed him softly on the mouth.

“Good-bye, my love.”

“Yeah. Bye,” was all Jack could manage.

He stood in the street and watched her pull away, knowing he would never see her again. It hurt like hell.

Worse, he knew she was in trouble, and that he wouldn’t be here to help her.