Kirill nodded, placing the tablet computer back into his bag and turning his back on the Chimera project suite. Turning his back on the place he had worked and virtually lived and called home for the last four years.
He patted his jacket pocket, saying out loud. “You will soon be released from your black hole to roam free through every computer on the planet. Soon, you will create a new world. A world where politicians, the military, and even bankers will have no choice than to answer to us.” Kirill’s top lip curled into a viscous condescending snarl.
He met the two Assassins outside. Only one small six-seater helicopter remained, that would be used to transport him and the Assassins. He looked around nervously; checking that every last thing was in place.
Soon.
Soon the sun would rise.
And with it, the top of the mountain.
“Any sign of her?”
“No. We think she is in the air-conditioning shafts. Should we go and search them?”
“One of you go — take another look. But we don’t have much time left. If you can’t locate her, we’ll have to let the explosion do the job for us.”
Kirill swore, scratching the side of his unshaven face. His gaze scanned the horizon and he calmed himself, slowed his heart-beat. That Dax woman, was now holding him up; he should have been gone by now, enjoying a glass of his favourite Champagne, served at just the right temperature as the helicopter powered him away from danger to Ramus’s stealth command ship.
The Assassin chosen to go and find Claudia Dax disappeared back into the facility.
The rotors began to spin above his head as the helicopter fired up. He climbed inside the cabin and nodded to the pilot.
“We will leave…” He checked his gold Rolex watch; “…in exactly seven minutes, unless that woman is found sooner.”
The pilot nodded, and then went back to carrying out his preflight checks.
Chapter 18
Dillon opened his eyes and lay staring at the canopy of vivid green above him. Even though he had only had a few hours of much needed sleep. He felt refreshed and rejuvenated.
Checking his watch, it was about half an hour to full sunrise. Tatiana, who was just stirring, opened her eyes and saw Dillon looking at her. “What?” “Time to leave. That’s what.”
They had been cruising on the quad-bike for fifteen minutes, heavy tyres thumping over rough tracks and twisting winding trails like the hardiest off-roader. They had passed small herds of deer and seen vistas of heather carpeting vast areas of land.
Dillon’s gaze, behind his goggles, fixed on the horizon ahead; they were approaching the location of Kirill’s facility as indicated on the map that the Priest had sent to him. He slowed his speed, the stealth engine dying to just above a whisper.
Dillon rubbed thoughtfully at the stubble on his chin. “What I want to find out is where the hell do the Assassins fit into this puzzle? Where did they come from originally? What is it, which makes them the way they are? And is it Kirill, or someone else, controlling them?”
Tatiana shrugged. “They are highly trained killers, that’s certain. And I have no doubt whatsoever, that the security services know far more than they’re letting on.”
“There’s something very wrong here. They just don’t fit into the picture, at all.”
Tatiana had taken off the black balaclava, was running her hands through her hair, she nodded and said. “Perhaps they were part of the plan; maybe the Assassins — and whoever gives the orders to them — were simply trying to manipulate, youonly. Not kill you, as we’ve been thinking. Perhaps they knew that by pushing the right buttons, you would respond and lead them to Ezra?”
“Perhaps,” said Dillon bitterly. Then he saw the tears in her eyes. He twisted round on the quad-bikes saddle and gently wiped away a tear from her cheek. “You know, Tats. He could still be alive you know. Nothing is for certain.”
“I think we’re just kidding ourselves, don’t you?”
Dillon shrugged, and then said. “Come on, we’re nearly there. We have to focus and I need you one hundred percent with me.”
“I wish we could have approached this place from the air,” she sighed, glancing up through a seemingly endless valley that stretched out in front of them.
“Well, it would have been a damn sight quicker to get here, that’s for sure,” grumbled Dillon, kicking the quad into gear and spinning all four tyres on the powerful machine away up the track.
Five minutes later and as they came to a halt on a high ridge, they had their first sight of Kirill’s facility, or what was exposed of it, from across the valley they had a clear view of the mountain opposite.
“It’s up there.” Dillon pointed.
The sun was starting its morning climb up into a foreboding sky, through clouds the colour of coal, heavy and turbulent, with the promise of much rain.
There was no hint of breeze at ground level, just the cold; but at least is was partly bearable during the day. Dillon ignored the tingling in his finger tips and concentrated on putting the sniper rifle together. The scope clicked into place and Dillon went through the relatively straightforward procedure of sighting it, making a few minor adjustments to the setting dials.
Tatiana squinted through the gloom. Behind them, hidden under an overhang of rock, sat the quad bike, engine clicking softly.
“What do you see, Dillon?”
“From here, I have a clear shot into the helicopter landing areas.” The AMSD OM 50 Nemesis 12.7mm sniper rifle was located on its steadying tripod. Dillon’s hands worked smoothly and efficiently, slotting the large caliber bullets into the magazine. “But, the facility is huge. That much is evident. There’s three Chinooks up there all with their rotors spinning, and I’d say that they were just about to leave. I’m just sweeping the area for any external guards.”
“You think we’ll be able to get up there?”
“What I’m thinking Tats, is that I very much doubt if the Chimera Programme is still up there. And, that fortress has been specifically designed to repel all marauders — without exception. That’s what I’m thinking!”
Dillon slotted the magazine into the weapon and returned his attention to the telescopic sight. Tatiana handed him a small square box that he attached to the side of the scope, which he then checked carefully with the practiced eye of someone who has been around weapons for a long time. “This little gizmo enhances the long range image by cleaning it up and sharpening before it reaches my eye. A bit like a photo-editing programme.”
“So, what are you hoping to see now?”
“In an ideal world, Kirill. But I’m not getting my hopes up. I’ll settle for a few of those Assassins; that will give us time and a window to get to the basket and up into the facility. After that… the hunt begins. We want answers to questions, like who are the Assassins and where did they all of a sudden spring from, and what was the reason for taking out Scorpion and a number of its crack squads?”
There was silence, except for the occasional movement of deer on the lower slopes. Dillon scanned the mountain side carefully, moving the scope backwards and forwards with extreme precision so that he did not miss anything. After a moment he flicked a switch, and the scope went to heat seeking mode.
“Well, look at this,” he said eventually.
“What is it?”
“Lots of movement going on inside that helicopter bay,” said Dillon quietly. “Listen, can you hear the Chinooks, their engine pitch has changed and they’re getting ready for take-off. Now, I wonder where they are heading to.” Dillon said, mostly to himself.