Back Game of Snipers Save as PDF
Chapters (74)
  1. Cover
  2. TITLES BY STEPHEN HUNTER
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. PART 1
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. PART 2
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. PART 3
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. PART 4
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. 49
  58. 50
  59. 51
  60. 52
  61. 53
  62. 54
  63. 55
  64. 56
  65. 57
  66. 58
  67. 59
  68. 60
  69. PART 5
  70. 61
  71. 62
  72. Acknowledgments
  73. About the Author
  74. What’s next onyour reading list?

Nick found it and focused, and there was the car, a long way away. Given the vibrations of the chopper, it was hard to hold it clearly for more than a few seconds.

“Yeah, I see. Looks empty to me.”

“Sure, they’re probably in the mall, getting a burger. But they could also be hiding on the floor, waiting for something, ready to roll when the time comes.”

Nick went to SEND mode.

“Hector, this is Fed One, you getting me?”

“Yes, I am,” came the voice, now clearly an older man’s, probably the State Police commanding officer, over from Columbus a few minutes ago.

“Sitrep, please,” said Nick. “What assets on the ground?”

“I’ve got my own SWAT in an armored vehicle, I’ve got twenty black-and-whites, we’re about a block away holding in the parking lot of First Methodist. All my people are armored up, cocked and locked. I’ve got an auxiliary SWAT unit from your office in Columbus, but they don’t have any armored assault car. I’ve got Greenville P.D. ready to take over traffic and isolate the mall from civilian ingress quick-time. And we’ve got the vehicle identified and are ready to launch.”

“Real good. Colonel, what’s your thought?”

“You don’t know if they’re in the car or the mall, is that right?”

“Yes, that’s it.”

“Okay, my call would be to move five black-and-whites in through the five entrances on two streets to the mall. I have my SWAT people in an armored vehicle, ready to hit the site and deploy. I will move Columbus and Dayton SWAT around the back of the mall as primary assaulters in phase two. On my go, the armored SWAT vehicle and the five squad cars hit the pedal and race to the car, establishing a perimeter and firebase if they’re there.”

“And the guys in the squad cars, all in body armor?”

“As per instructions.”

“Good. One call to surrender, then you can shoot,” said Nick.

“Got that. But if they’re not there, those officers fan to the east-side mall entrances and, once deployed, the SWAT mall assaulters hit from the two northernmost entrances and begin to sweep through. Your up-armored FBI team hits from the southern entrance, their job is the Walmart itself. Meanwhile, I’m blocking all mall exits with troopers, who, when signaled, will move in to coordinate with the mall teams. Encountering fire, all will rally to that point. How does that sound?”

Nick turned to Bob, putting his hand over the throat mic.

“You’re supposed to be a consultant. So consult.”