Page 142 of Tom Clancy Line of Sight

If he held on, the Tomahawk would take care of everything.

And it would cost him his life.

He knew what he had to do.

Jack tightened his grip, straining every muscle to hold the Chechen back, the man’s legs kicking furiously against Jack’s desperate grip.

Dust and air pummeled Jack as the black EC-635 Eurocopter touched down, its whining turbines hardly slowing.

Jack twisted around just enough to catch a glimpse of Kolak racing from the chopper toward him, a pistol in his hand.

A pistol pointed at Jack.

68

OLYMPIC SOCCER STADIUM, SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Ambassador Topal was given the honor of sitting on the raised dais next to the Catholic bishop of Sarajevo and other distinguished guests of the Orthodox Renewal liturgy.

The officiating senior clergy wore fantastical silken white robes hand-embroidered with silver thread, and large jewel-encrusted hats shaped like crowns. Their large crosses of silver and gold hung around their necks on thick chains, and they carried ecclesiastical instruments in their liver-spotted hands. The neatness of their finely gilded vestments was offset by the wild enormity of their scraggly gray beards.

The clean-shaven Roman Catholic bishop seated next to him, in contrast, wore a simple black cassock, with a bright red sash and a matching red skullcap. Not that the Catholics couldn’t be every bit as colorful in their garish robes and goldenaccoutrements, but today at the Renewal they avoided competing sartorially with their Eastern brethren.

The only real difference between senior Roman Catholic and Orthodox clergy that Topal had ever observed was that Catholics shaved their faces. As far as he was concerned, their doctrinal differences were irrelevant because their religions werekafir.

As one of just three Muslims in the distinguished guests’ box, Ambassador Topal felt a particular gratitude for his invitation. He knew quite a few of the local Orthodox clergy, and most of the Russian and Serbian politicians in attendance.

The mood so far was both festive and solemn. Crowds of faithful were still streaming into the stadium, waving nationalist flags and religious banners, packing in like sardines.

His security chief informed him the official count was now just above seventy thousand and rising, the largest stadium audience ever.

Topal nodded, satisfied.

He was proud to be part of this historic day.

A day to be remembered.

—

Jack felt the rapid-fire bullets brushing past the top of his skull.

The Chechen’s back ripped open in a hail of jacketed rounds and his heavy torso slumped.

Kolak grabbed Jack by the arms, lifting him to his feet.

“Jack! Let’s go!”

The two men sprinted for the chopper at full tilt.

“Fifteen seconds!” the President screamed in Jack’s ear.

The rotors sped up and the skids lifted as Kolak leaped first into the cabin.

Jack thundered up as the Eurocopter rose to four feet. He jumped with every ounce of his failing strength.

His upper body thudded into the deck as he reached for the seat struts bolted onto the floor, but his legs were still hanging out. The copter thrust straight up and around. The centrifugal force started dragging him out of the door, but Kolak grabbed Jack’s shirt and belt, helping Jack crawl inside as the chopper’s nose thrust upward, clawing for the sun.

“Everybody strap in!” the pilot shouted.