Unfortunately, no one had gas masks. If they found the Underworld, they’d need them to safely access it if there was even anything to access. Krause had been adamant that the facility had been destroyed and infected.
Something to worry about later. First, they needed to find it.
Hammet offered to drive, which was fine by Zahra. She had mentioned her lack of experience navigating terrain like this, especially in a vehicle such as a Sno-Cat. Yana sat in the middle of the back bench, double-checking their weapons and cleaning them as she saw fit. She topped off mags and mumbled to herself as she worked, though, to Yana, this was probably more playtime than work.
“Which way?” Hammet asked, starting up the Sno-Cat.
“They headed south,” Yana said, not looking up from her task.
Hammet leaned forward and looked out over the sweeping landscape. “Perhaps we can try to narrow that down?” He glanced at Zahra. “There is a lot of south here.”
“It’s all we have to go on,” Zahra added, shrugging. She perked up. “Hang on. Let me check something.” He watched her unfold a traditional paper map. “What? Sometimes the simplest things are the best.”
He shrugged. “You won’t get an argument from me.”
Zahra refolded it so their current position was front and center. She then produced a red marker. “Okay, we are here.” Zahra checked their coordinates on her watch and drew an X atop their location. She traced a line to the south with her finger and found a small mountain range. “Let’s try this. Depending on the formation’s makeup, it could provide some cover. I doubt these guys are stupid enough to set up camp out in the open.”
Yana snorted a laugh but didn’t say anything. It sounded as if she disagreed.
“Have something to add?” Hammet asked.
Yana looked up. “No, I’ve just met some very dumb people in my life.”
“Haven’t we all… So, the mountains to the south?”
Zahra nodded, confirming their direction.
Hammet shifted into drive. “Good enough for me.”
Chapter 28
Grigoriy
Grigoriy’s men had failed.
Yuri and Anton were the only survivors and were expected back soon. Anton had suffered a flesh wound to the thigh but had reported that it wasn’t anything life-threatening.
The deaths of six members of his outfit enraged Grigoriy. It also concerned him. They had been paid to eliminate an exploration team. The ‘why’ wasn’t necessary. His people only cared about the incoming money, not the why.
He turned away from his command center as his satellite phone chirped. The simple folding table was covered in maps and photos. The latter depicted their targets, two of whom were unidentifiable Jane Does. He had searched the net very thoroughly the night before and had still come up with nothing. He even called in a favor from Saint Petersburg.
Still nothing.
Science team… These weren’t scientists. He pictured the faces of the two women. Those two are ghosts.
Even the big German man had been ID’d. He wasn’t a scientist, either. He was KSK and a very decorated soldier. Grigoriy and his team had been deceived.
He answered the call. “Yes?”
“Mr. Morozov, I am calling at the behest of your employer.”
The young female spoke English, and her voice was laced with a heavy German accent.
Grigoriy hated operating through a proxy, but sometimes, the job dictated it. His employer was a very influential man in this case, and he needed to protect himself. He didn’t prefer it, but he did understand it.
“What can I do for you, Miss…”
“My name is unimportant. The only thing you must know is that we are very unhappy with your team’s failure.”
Grigoriy’s spine tingled. No one in his camp had given their employer a status report.
The only explanation was that someone within the Palmer team was a spy. He spun and flipped through the pictures of the targets again, focusing on the others involved. He’d heard of the shadow work the Krause family was involved with, but until now, it had all sounded like a spooky bedtime story.
Especially their field commander, Grigoriy thought.
Henri Vogel, by all accounts, was a living phantom. People like him frightened even men in Grigoriy’s line of work. The Russian wasn’t even sure if that was his real name.
“How do you know the results of our operation?” he asked. “No one here has contacted you.” Grigoriy hoped that she would slip up and reveal something, however unlikely it was.
He turned as two engines approached outside. Yuri and Anton had arrived.
“Again, Mr. Morozov, that is unimportant. What is important is that, as of now, you and your remaining men are relieved of duty. Goodbye.”
Chapter 29
Yuri
Yuri killed the engine of his snowmobile, then he hurried over and helped Anton off his. The man’s leg wasn’t in bad shape, but the two-hour trek back to camp had locked up the muscles surrounding the wound. He could barely put any pressure on it now, like an excruciating Charlie horse.
“Here,” Yuri said, slipping up Anton’s left arm, “lean on me.”
Anton nodded, wincing as he attempted to put any weight on the appendage. A gust nearly forced both men to the earth. Anton whimpered as his foot touched the ground, but the man was proud, like Yuri. He was tough and could push aside the pain.
They inched their way toward Grigoriy’s command tent. They needed to reorganize with him and the others. Five men, including Grigoriy, had stayed behind as a reserve team. There had been too many unknowns with this mission, and Grigoriy had not wanted to risk everyone. Plus, if something happened to the strike team while en route, there would be a viable rescue attempt by those still present here.
“We were misled,” Anton muttered between clenched teeth. “They were not just a research team.”
“No, they weren’t.”
“So much death, Yuri. We lost—”
Anton’s head snapped forward, and Yuri was soon coated in a warm, viscous fluid. As the blood froze to the right side of his exposed face, Yuri turned and looked at his partner. Anton’s forehead now sported a two-inch wide, ragged hole. It was an exit wound from a rifle round.
They’d been followed.
Yuri dropped the lifeless Anton to the ground and swung his rifle up to meet his friend’s killer head-on. But the only thing he found was a pinching feeling… followed by a searing pain. Yuri dropped his weapon and stumbled back. His hand went to his neck.
He’d been shot in the throat.
His attacker was nowhere to be seen.
Yuri staggered back just as the command tent’s entrance opened. A surprised Grigoriy caught him as he fell and quickly dragged him inside as additional projectiles also entered.
“What happened?” Grigoriy asked, now slathered in his man’s gushing blood.
Yuri gripped Grigoriy’s shoulder and pulled himself closer to his team leader. More gunfire erupted outside. Grigoriy’s remaining men had leaped into battle against the unknown force.
“Yuri!” Grigoriy shouted. The dying mercenary blinked his eyes back open.
Unable to speak, he mouthed, “Betrayed.”
Yuri’s eyes glazed over, and his breathing ceased.
Chapter 30
Emil
“The Russian team has been neutralized,” Emil reported, holding his satellite phone close to his ear. “What should we do with the inbound three-man team?”