This new position was only slightly better than being drug, as the truck’s heavy bouncing smashed Clay’s knees against the hard metal. With another heave, he got a foot under himself and stood up straight, pulling himself in against the black metal door.
Less than twenty yards behind him, Caesare watched and rolled his one open eye before looking back into the scope. “What I wouldn’t give for a camera.”
Caesare kept the rifle trained on the truck as he watched Clay’s dark figure twist the heavy handle then quickly pull the door open. With that, he disappeared inside and the door closed behind him.
In the darkness, Clay pulled a small light from a leg pocket and put it between his teeth. He bit down on the rubber tip and the tiny LED light came on, casting a faint glow around the dark gray interior. The mysterious crates were larger than he expected. All were stacked in front of him, secured to the sides and floor with thick nylon straps.
Clay quickly grasped a strap and loosened one of the ratchets, providing enough slack to pull one of the crates free. The truck’s transmission groaned again and caused the vehicle to lurch, throwing Clay forward. He tumbled hard against the rest of the crates, then immediately stood back up and reached out for one. Clay was quite mindful that each second inside was carrying him further from Caesare’s protection.
Inside the cab, the driver looked across the seat to the other soldier. “Did you hear something?”
“Sounded like something fell over.”
The driver smashed his foot against the oversized pedal and the truck came to a grinding stop. He pressed the emergency brake down with his other foot and placed his hand on the ball of the gearshift. He motioned toward the back. “Check it out.”
Further up the hill, Caesare let his second eye open briefly when he saw the brake lights come on, lighting up the area behind the truck in an eerie red glow.
“Get out, John,” he quietly mumbled. A moment later, he heard the truck’s emergency brake engage. “As in now!”
Next, he saw the passenger door open.
The soldier dropped to the ground and slung his rifle over his shoulder. Having a crate come loose and fall over wasn’t that unusual. But they were given orders to investigate everything, no matter how small. Considering their cargo, they were to take absolutely no chances.
The soldier stood behind the truck, bathed in the red light. He pulled the rifle off his shoulder and tilted it toward the metal door. With a finger lightly against the trigger, he reached up high with his left hand and twisted the handle. In a burst of movement, he pulled the door open and leapt back, aiming his rifle inside.
30
It was on the floor.
The soldier kept his rifle pointed into the darkness of the truck while he examined the area around the crate. He then carefully climbed up through the door. Leaning his rifle against the metal wall and with a heave, the soldier grabbed and lifted the crate back up on top of the others. He calmly wrapped the end of the loose strap around his hand and pulled hard, ratcheting it back down firmly.
In the cab, the driver felt the door slam shut behind him. A moment later, the passenger door opened again. His comrade jumped back in next to him and pulled his door closed with a bang.
As the truck lurched forward and continued down the hill, Caesare dropped his trigger finger and exhaled. He pivoted his barrel and scope, searching. After a few minutes, he saw Clay’s black outline rise from some nearby bushes and look around.
Neither of them moved for a long time, until well after the truck was out of sight. Clay listened carefully before stepping back out onto the road, still under the watchful eye of Caesare’s scope.
It wasn’t until Clay made it back up the hill and sat down next to him that Caesare relaxed. “That was exciting.”
“And painful,” replied Clay. He examined his pants at the knees, fingering some tears in the material.
“You’re not going to go on about your bad knees again, are you?”
“Well, that sure as hell didn’t help!”
Caesare chuckled and pushed himself up onto his own knees. He slung the M4 over his right shoulder. “So, any luck?”
Clay nodded and stood up. He ripped the Velcro top of his jacket open, then reached inside and pulled something out.
Caesare merely stared at him. When Clay failed to reach into his jacket for anything else, Caesare squinted disappointedly. “Wait, that’s it? That’s what was inside?”
Clay nodded silently.
Caesare shook his head. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”
Lieutenant Chao stormed down the corvette’s gangway under the bright lights toward one of the Typhoon trucks. One of the men had found something on the last truck and called out to the others.
Several had gathered around the tailgate by the time Chao arrived, and he pushed his way through, yelling for them to get out of the way. He lifted himself up into the back where one of his men was examining a crate.
“What is it?”
“Sir, one of the crates is damaged.” The man stepped back allowing Chao a closer look. “The driver said they had one fall off the top just a few kilometers back.”
Chao could see the corner where some of the wood had been severely chipped.
“Sir,” the man replied. He silently fingered the edge and raised the top of the hinged crate for Chao.
Chao looked inside. He instantly whipped around and jumped back down, out of the truck. “We have a breach!” he yelled to the others. “Three kilometers! GO!”
Chao’s top men immediately scrambled for the truck, piled in around the crates, and unloaded them as fast as possible. Once empty, the rest climbed in and closed the metal door. The driver jammed the stick into first gear and watched Chao climb in next to him. He released the brake and the vehicle jerked forward.
The giant engine roared as it accelerated, forcing Chao to scream over the noise and into his radio.
Clay and Caesare stopped in their tracks. They were halfway down the mountain when they heard a sudden commotion. They ran to the top of a small hill and looked out over the clearing. The trucks were headed back uphill, and fast. They were coming for them.
Caesare turned to Clay. “What did you do, leave them a thank you note?”
Clay buckled his pack around his waist and cinched the straps down tight. “I guess that was a mistake.”
Together the two men broke into a run, zigzagging eastward through the dark trees.
They found the spot not far from where the truck had stopped earlier. The vegetation was matted down, indicating where someone had been lying in wait. Chao’s men quickly fanned out but couldn’t find any tracks. Not surprising in the dark. It would take several hours before there was enough light to discover Clay and Caesare’s tracks further down the road.
Chao examined the area with his flashlight. Nothing else was left behind. Just the matted flatness. He climbed back up the short embankment to the road and walked around the back of the truck. He shined his light over the door, then down lower and along the bumper.
Chao peered closer at something small stuck in the crevice between the bumper and the truck’s back panel. He reached down and wiggled it forcefully until it came free. He examined it carefully, rubbing it between his fingers before looking back at the truck. He was familiar with the fabric.
General Zhang Wei awoke, peering sleepily at the small stand next to his bed and his cellular phone lying on top of it. The phone rang a third time before he reached out and picked it up. The screen was painfully bright in the dark room, causing him to squint as he tried to make out the incoming number. It was Chao.