Page 354 of Broken Oath

“I remember.”

We reached the access stairs.

The mountain shook beneath another detonation.

Not Cobra’s.

A support charge.

Madow’s collapse sequence had begun.

We climbed.

At the top, Falcon opened the steel door.

Freezing wind struck us.

Snow swirled across a concealed landing pad carved into the mountainside.

A helicopter waited near the edge.

Rotors turning.

The pilot sat behind the controls.

Alan Madow sprinted toward it.

I raised my rifle.

“Stop!”

Madow turned and fired.

The round struck the doorframe beside Sarah.

I pulled her behind cover.

Falcon fired at the helicopter.

The pilot ducked.

Madow ran toward the aircraft.

Sarah leaned around the steel door and fired.

Her round hit Madow’s leg.

He collapsed in the snow.

The pistol flew from his hand.

The helicopter pilot lifted off without him.

Falcon fired again, but the aircraft disappeared into the storm.

Madow rolled onto his back.

His hand moved toward his coat.