He was cut off by a huge blast, then another, and another.
Elle turned toward the exit as the salvo built into a deafening barrage. She recognized the source.
Grenades...
50
May 14, 5:56P.M. ANAT
East Siberian Sea
Tucker ignored the explosions. He was again on his stomach, hidden high in a second-story roost. His rifle was at his shoulder, his cheek at the weapon’s stock. Through his night-vision goggles, he stared down his sights.
Below and directly ahead of him, a narrow street ran between two homes.
C’mon, Kane, you can do it.
For the past half hour, the trio had led a game of cat and mouse across the city’s maze. With the dog’s cameras, Tucker’s vision expanded for blocks. It had allowed him to identify three hunters, whom he had led deep into this labyrinth, away from the others. More soldiers were probably heading into the city, using the cover of those grenades and rockets.
With those forces moving in, Tucker knew he had little time left. Still, the soldiers on his tail had proved challenging. He couldn’t shake them. Plus, there had been a few close calls. His side burned from where he had failed to roll out of the way fast enough.
The game was taking its toll.
And not just on me.
Finally, movement drew his eye. A dark shape rushed into view on the street, running low, but limping badly on one limb. It was the foreleg Kane had injured last year.
There’s my good boy. Knew you wouldn’t let me down.
Tucker flinched as a soldier appeared behind Kane. The Russian stayed hidden around a corner, surveying the street.
Move it, Kane.
Tucker reinforced this, subvocalizing a command. “KANE,SHELTER RIGHT.”
The dog hobbled into that turn, nearly losing his balance. But he rushed through the home’s door on that side. The soldier ran to follow, sticking close to a wall, intent to eliminate one of the stubborn targets.
Tucker swallowed and checked Kane’s video feed. The home was a single room, a blind alley, trapping the dog.
The soldier swept to the doorway, still cautious, sheltering to one side.
It was right where Tucker wanted him.
“MARCO,TAKEDOWN BRAVO ONE.”
From the door across the street, a huge sleek shadow burst forth. Marco leaped through the air and slammed into the man’s back.
“KANE,TAKEDOWN SAVAGE.”
The older Malinois lunged low out of the doorway. Kane hit the soldier in the legs, sending the Russian flipping through the air. When he landed, both dogs savaged him, ripping the soft flesh between armor. The man screamed, garbled, then gurgled.
Another two soldiers rushed in, coming from both flanks.
Clearly, as Tucker had used a dog with a fake limp to lure the first soldier into a trap, these two had sent their man as a forward decoy to flush the enemy.
Like I wasn’t expecting that.
All this time, Tucker had never moved his rifle’s sights, even when Kane had limped past and the first soldier closed in. He squeezed a three-round burst at the closest man. Before the soldier fell, Tucker shifted on his elbow and fired a second burst at the other target.
