Austin sized up the determined set of Kreisman's jaw and decided he would be wasting time arguing with the young navy man. “Okay, it's your show. Run for the beach and start swimming. A fishing boat will pick you up. We'll stay here and cover you as long as we can. I'd urge you to get going. Joe will ride shotgun part of the way.”

If the ensign wondered how Austin had arranged for an at-sea pickup, he didn't show it. He snapped his arm in a crisp salute and rounded up his comrades. Then they climbed out of the back of the warehouse through a window. While Zavala escorted the crew to the beach, Austin kept watch. The Cossacks still seemed disorganized. He got on his hand radio and called Captain Kemal.

“You are all right?” the captain said. “We heard guns shooting.”

“We're okay. Please listen carefully, Captain. In a few minutes, you will see men swimming out to sea. Go in as close to the beach as you safely can and pick them up.”

“What about you and Joe?”

“We'll come out the way we went in. Anchor offshore and watch for us.” He clicked off. Something had caught his eye.

Austin was outside the warehouse when Zavala returned a few minutes later. “I went as far as the dune. They should be in the water by now.”

“Kemal's been alerted for a pickup.” He pointed to the sky, where the sun glinted off metal. “What do you make of that?” The object grew from a pinpoint to the size of a flying insect, and they could hear the beat of rotors.

“You didn't tell me the Cossacks had an air force.”

Austin peered through his binoculars at the helicopter speeding their way. “Oh hell - ” Lombardo hung out of the open door holding a video camera. “That sawed-off little idiot.”

As Zavala took the glasses for his own look, the helicopter spun around so that the other side came into view. He studied the figure in the doorway, then lowered the glasses and gave Austin a strange look.

“You need your eyes examined, my friend.” He handed the binoculars back.

This time when Austin looked, he swore even more loudly. Kaela's dusky face, framed by windblown dark hair, was clearly visible. The helicopter was practically over the field. Chastened by their earlier encounter, the TV crew must have instructed the pilot to stay a prudent distance from the ground. They couldn't have known that the horsemen had substituted modern automatic weapons for their antique rifles. The Cossacks saw the helicopter and lost no time targeting the aircraft in a withering fire. Within seconds, the engine began to throw off oily dark smoke. The helicopter shuddered like a bird buffeted in a strong wind, then it dropped from the sky.