Micah leaned against the wall where he could see through the open door and down the corridor about five paces. His brain kept trying to process what he’d seen climb up the stairs. Their HazMat suits had shimmered as though created of some new spectacular metamaterial. To Gembane, in the smoke and dust of Operation Mount of Olives, the Russians must have looked like Angels of Light.
When he’d fired, four had collapsed, sprawling across the floor. The two survivors responded with the reflexes of professional shock troops, dropping behind their fallen comrades, bracing rifles across the corpses, and returning fire.
Anna said, “Micah, look at me. How many were there? Look at me!”
He tore his gaze from the corridor. “Six. I got four.”
She forced calm into her voice. “General Garusovsky must have more soldiers on the way—”
“I’m expecting that.”
Anna gave him one of those I’m-with-you stares that only soldiers who’ve already given themselves up for dead can share. A familiar euphoria filled him. As the light-headed sensation swelled, his heart rate kicked up, and the scent of the blood in the hallway charged his muscles with adrenaline.
He nodded to Anna. “What’s the plan, Captain?”
“Let me do the talking. I know what he wants.”
“Affirmative.”
“I don’t care what happens to Garusovsky.” Her deep voice had a strange resonance. “But please try to protect Borodino. He’s Garusovsky’s black-haired lieutenant. I can’t explain—”
“Understood.”
Micah pressed his back against the wall, trying to peer as far down the corridor as he could. Still no sign of the enemy. Damn, he wished he had a mirror.
Boots thumped as heavy bodies scraped the floor, being dragged out of the way in preparation for the final assault.
And we’re trapped in here. For God’s sake.
A staccato of boot heels echoed in the stairwell. Twenty people? Thirty?
Anna exchanged a look with Micah. Burned into their brains were the sounds of American combat boots and Russian combat boots. He’d heard both out there. She must have, as well. Even worse, in the distance beyond the walls of the fort, the sound of more troops, troops on the move, rang out. He heard orders being shouted and equipment rolling across stone.
“Micah, keep in mind that the people outside will do anything to get the vaccine. So the code on Bibi’s computer must be protected at all costs. Martin, do you understand?”
Nadai nodded. His face had flushed bright red. He looked ill, like he might pass out at any second.
Micah blinked to clear the sweat from his eyes. To Anna, he said, “Ready?”