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THE LAST THING KHANG remembered was dropping off the Russian and heading back to his apartment. Everything after that was a blur. He could parse bits and pieces together, but none of it made sense. One minute he was sleeping peacefully in his bed, and the next he was wherever this was.
He drifted in and out of consciousness. The floor seemed to sway beneath him as he groaned groggily. His hands and feet were bound to a metal chair and there was a hood over his head. It smelled like sweat and vomit, quite possibly his own.
Khang heard the power drill before he felt it. At first his brain couldn’t process the sensation, but as the drill plunged deep into his kneecap, the pain center in his brain was suddenly wide awake and every neuron was firing.
As he started to scream, the hood was violently ripped from his head and he was blinded by bright lights.
“Wake up, bub,” his tormenter growled as the drill suddenly stopped and the bit was ripped from his knee.
A gurgled scream was all he could muster. He had been through resistance and torture training before with the Chinese Ministry of State Security, but nothing could have prepared him for this. The pain was unlike anything he had ever felt. He was disoriented, scared, and in excruciating pain all at the same time.
“Let’s talk,” the voice said. “My name is Kruger. What’s yours?”
“Khang,” he managed as he grunted through the pain.
“Full name, bub,” Kruger ordered.
“Khang Zhou. I know who you are, Mr. Kruger.”
“Then you know what I’m capable of,” Kruger said menacingly as he leaned in close. “Now, tell me who you work for.”
“The Ministry of State Security. When they find out what you’ve done, they will come for me. Your country will be starting a war.”
“You said you know who I am, bub,” Kruger replied.
“Yes.”
“Then you know that none of that matters.”
Kruger held up the drill and squeezed the trigger. The blood that had been dripping from the bit sprayed onto Khang’s face.
“Please...I’m cooperating with you!”
“Tell me about the man you took from North Korea,” Kruger said as he pulled open a folding chair and sat next to Khang with the drill in his lap.
“The Brit?”
Kruger nodded.
“We learned that he was being held by North Korean resistance fighters. They contacted us to make a trade.”
“Trade for what?”
“Weapons. Money. Medicine.”
“How did they get him?”
“They said they rescued him from an old man during a North Korean Army raid. I don’t know how he got him. All I know is that he was British SAS.”
“How did you know this?”
“I had his file.”
“Why did you bring him to Shanghai?”
“It was our closest interrogation facility. I was charged with keeping him safe and secure. When we landed, I was told the Russians would be taking over.”
“The Russians?”
“I am told we had another operation with them in North Korea, but I do not have clearance for that, I swear.”
“Who were the Russians? What were their names?”
“I only knew codenames. The one that came to Shanghai was called Scorpion. They were only supposed to ask a few questions before we began our interrogation, but when I came back in the room, the Brit had been shot and I was ordered to bring Scorpion back to the airport.”
“Scorpion?” Kruger asked as his mind started to race. No fucking way. “Try again, bub.”
Khang nodded. “I don’t know! That’s the only name I was given. I have no reason to lie to you. Please!”
“Where did Scorpion go?” Kruger asked as he stood.
“Moscow. That’s all I know. I am telling you the truth.”
Kruger walked to the corner and picked up his suppressed Sig P320. He dispatched Khang with a headshot and then removed the suppressor and holstered it on his hip. “I believe you,” he said.
He opened the door of the shipping container and walked out into the misty air. The cargo ship had entered a dense fog as it steamed across the South Pacific. Kruger walked straight to the operations center where the team was waiting.
“Well?” Sierra asked. “What did he tell you?”
“The North Korean resistance fighters gave him up to the Chinese. Khang was there to interrogate Cowboy for Chinese intelligence.”
“Why did they kill him?” Sierra pressed.
“He wouldn’t tell them anything,” Kruger lied.
“They barely had him twenty-four hours. That doesn’t make sense!”
“Did he tell you who he brought to the airport, boss? Maybe we could find out that way,” Coolio interjected.
“No,” Kruger snapped. “It’s over.”
“What the bloody hell do you mean it’s over? My brother was killed and you’re just walking away now?” Sierra asked angrily.
“Khang is dead. I put a bullet in his head. That’s who’s responsible for Cowboy’s death. The rest doesn’t matter.”
“Doesn’t matter? Did you hit your head in there? Lost your bloody mind? Of course it matters!”
“Kruger, what’s going on here, man?” Tuna asked calmly. “This isn’t like you.”
Kruger ignored Tuna and turned to Coolio. “Get me a helicopter and have Jenny standing by. The rest of you are going home. The mission is over. You’ll be compensated as promised.”
“The weather is kind of sketchy for that, boss, I-”
“Then find a pilot that will land in it or turn this fucking ship around and find good weather!” Kruger barked.
“Got it, boss. Will do.”
Kruger stormed out as the rest of the team was left standing in shock. Tuna gave chase as Kruger headed toward the bow of the ship.
“Kruger!” Tuna yelled as he jogged to catch up. “Kruger, wait.”
“What?” Kruger asked angrily as Tuna grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.
“Dude, what’s going on with you? I get that you’re upset about Cowboy, but this isn’t like you. What the hell happened in there?”
“I already told you.”
“I’ve known you longer than that,” Tuna said. “We’ve fought and bled together. Don’t give me that bullshit. I’m asking as your friend.”
Kruger clenched his jaw and then finally answered. “Scorpion.”
“What about Scorpion?”
“That’s who the Russian was. That’s who betrayed us.”
“You’re fucking shitting me!”
“Khang wasn’t lying.”
“Scorpion is dead though.”
“I know. That’s why I have to do this alone.”
“Do what alone? Kruger, you’re not thinking clearly here.”
“I’m going to handle it. By myself.”
“Bullshit! You have a team – two of them, actually. Remember? Odin? Archangel?”
“If Scorpion betrayed us, then both Odin and Project Archangel are dead, bub. You know that as well as I do. That means the Russians know everything.”
“It doesn’t matter what you call us, you still need a team. You can’t go into Russia alone.”
“This is not your fight, bub.”
“Bullshit! Cowboy was one of ours! You are one of us! No one does this shit alone.”
“Cowboy is dead because of me!” Kruger yelled angrily. “I brought this on us. And I’m going to fucking finish it. Now get the fuck out of my way, bub!”