Page 38 of The Lazarus Protocol

“The helicopter spit out its load. A whole new crew, new team, new chopper.”

“And our unnamed woman from Argentina?”

Dan said, “I don’t see her. These guys are Chinese military, no doubt.”

“Shoot,” Kai said. “Let’s do this fast.”

“Jay?” Adam waited for his acknowledgment, then said, “Dan, you know I love that drone, but I need a distraction.”

Dan was silent for a second, then finally said, “You owe me.”

“Yes, I do.” Truth resounded in Adam’s tone. “Give me something good.”

He couldn’t hear the buzz of the drone from this distance, but the men down the alley reacted immediately. The small aircraft flashed strobe lights, noise like an alarm blared from it, and it spun in the air, moving off to the east.

Several of the men followed it, away from the huddle. The rest geared up.

Adam found some cover behind a couple of barrels and took aim, squeezing off a series of shots that took them out. When he could be sure he wouldn’t get immediately shot in the head, he ran down the alley toward them.

Gunfire on the far side of the building started up and didn’t stop.

The next corner brought him face-to-face with Kai, who lowered his gun. Ash leaned against him, his face way too pale, clutching a slimline drone that looked like alien tech. The thing was a shimmering gray color and at least four feet long.

Adam handed it to Kai. “That’s it?” He grabbed Ash’s arm, and they were on their way out of the structure.

Jay said, “Back the way we came?”

Before Adam could answer, a pained cry filled the comms channel. Adam said, “Dan?”

“Ah, no. That’s mean. They’re destroying—” Dan moaned. “No, Barbara…no-o-o. You were one in a million. Now you’re in a million pieces.”

Kai snorted, ducked out the door, and fired two shots. “Clear.”

Adam walked Ash outside, Jay behind them. As a unit they made their way back to the edge of town. “You got a twenty on the Chinese?”

“Are they our new nemesis?” Ash asked, his voice pained.

Adam muttered, “I’m sure they just want the tech.” Which meant he and his team would be collateral damage.

“Too far away,” Dan said. “They’ll never catch up in time.”

“Tell our ride we’re ready to get picked up.”

They raced out of town, up the hill, moving at a fastwalk in deference to Ash’s injuries.

Adam glanced at Ash. “How bad is it?”

“Caught me square in the calf.”

“Stole Ice’s thunder,” Adam said. “He was so looking forward to being the only injured member of Division Zero.”

Ash grunted. “We are, aren’t we?”

“Plenty still left for us to prove. Which means we’ve got to live long enough for the next mission. The next assignment.”

Dan said, “More fun rescuing damsels in distress. Though, she sort of rescued herself first by blowing that house in half before we got there.”

Adam focused on hauling Ash—not on the asset they’d rescued. At the top of the hill, he spotted the little pickup truck speeding their direction.