“Because it’s my job. I should have gotten him when I took down the general.” He was staring straight ahead. “And I won’t let anyone else be butchered by him when I’ve got a chance to stop it from happening. And you know he’ll never stop now that he’s zeroed in on us.”

Of course she knew it. Nothing could be plainer after what they’d gone through tonight. “That doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. I told you I wouldn’t let you do that again.”

Just then a helicopter roared overhead. Then another. On the road behind them another half a dozen military vehicles suddenly appeared. “More firepower,” Jane said. “Call them and let them go with you, dammit.”

“No time. He’s on the run. He’s slipped through MI6’s fingers half a dozen times before this. He’ll disappear as he’s done before,” Caleb said. “And he could do it. The bastard has contacts all over the world. Stop here, Rodland.”

“That’ll take a while,” Rodland said. “But I’ve slowed down enough for you to be able to jump off. Just give me another couple of minutes.”

“Good enough.” Caleb crouched, preparing for the leap.

“I’m coming with you,” Jane said desperately.

“No, you’re not. For every reason we’ve discussed. And we both know there’s no way you’re going to jump from a moving train right now.”

“Don’t you dare do this.”

“I can’t not do it. He’s hurt too many people. Not this time, Jane. It will be okay. I promise.” Caleb’s face was sober as he leaped from the train. He rolled as he hit the ground.

Jane’s hands clenched at her sides. “Caleb!”

*  *  *

Caleb ran back toward the forest trying to duplicate the path he’d seen Bohdan and his men taking.

Move fast.

Be silent.

But it was almost dawn. Careful. Darkness would have been his friend. But there were no friends in this forest. He had to worry about not only Bohdan but also any of the other mercenaries in Bohdan’s army trying desperately to get away from those marines.

Track swiftly, accurately, just as he’d always done.

If he’d seen correctly, Bohdan had run in a cluster with two of his men. They had scattered in panic as MacDuff’s marines had attacked. His men had likely been wearing the boots that all of his soldiers wore; Bohdan favored black athletic shoes. Easy enough to track.

Move faster.

Keep a sharp eye out.

It didn’t take long for him to find Bohdan’s footprints in the woods. The two other sets of prints had peeled away from their dear leader’s after only a few hundred yards, indicating a possible lack of physical conditioning on Bohdan’s part. His men obviously had no intention of giving Bohdan backup in this dire situation.