“As fine as she can be when they’re going to be chased up the damn mountain at any minute.” She nodded jerkily. “Yes, I’m as satisfied as I can be, considering. Though I was half afraid you’d tell her I was here.”

“Why would I do that? It would disturb the balance of the operation. You’re not doing too bad so far.”

“I’m doing exceptionally well,” she said dryly. “If I wasn’t, you would have gagged me and tied me up somewhere to get me out of your way.”

“True. But don’t let it go to your head.” He was focusing his binoculars on the casino. “You’ve only set the one charge so far, but you did well enough for me to trust you with the others. Just be ready to move fast when I tell you.”

“Of course. I want this over. When you tell me to jump, I’ll ask how high.” She grimaced. “Like a humble bozo should.”

“You didn’t like the ‘bozo’?”

“I would have liked it better if you hadn’t enjoyed it so much.”

“One has to take pleasure wherever it appears,” Rennell murmured. “I’ve been cheated of the joy of killing Volkov all evening, so I just had to make do…” He lowered the binoculars and turned to her. “Are you ready to go? If you’re too scared, then don’t do it. I don’t want you screwing it up.”

“I won’t screw it up. I’m not scared. It’s just a job to be done. You’re the one who would probably screw it up if you tried to plant those charges. I’m small and I can move fast and light. You’re huge and you’d probably stumble over those men.”

“I wouldn’t stumble, but I might be more visible.” He shrugged. “Then what are you waiting for? Grab the charges and get moving, bozo.”

Maria grabbed the backpack and slung it over her shoulder. “I’m out of here. As long as these blast charges don’t go off in my hands.”

“It’s not the charges I’m worried about.”

“Volkov’s men? They won’t see me. I’ll be in and out before you know it. You’d be surprised how living with an ass like Anton can give you the skill to fade into the woodwork whenever you choose.”

“Still, keep an eye out. There’s at least eight of them on the ridges surrounding the casino. There’s only two of us.”

“I’ve no choice but to take those odds, do I?”

Rennell smiled. “No. Forgive me for stating the obvious. Good luck.”

Those last words surprised her. He was usually so noncommittal. “You, too. See you back at the car.”

Maria crouched and ran into the brush. She kept low, looking out for Volkov’s men as she made her way across the ridge. She stopped, unzipped her knapsack, and pulled out the first of the radio-controlled blast charges. It was tiny, scarcely bigger than a bottle stopper. But she knew it wasn’t meant to cause major damage, like the monstrosity Rennell had planted in the box canyon down the road. Still, it would serve their purpose.