That one had been very close. The bullet had put a hole in his sleeve. Franks dove and rolled behind the debris. He was clear. He hurled the tin aside and opened the case. He had a carbine, but something else was in the way. The AT-4 wasn’t so much on top, as it was just so damned big that he had to pack everything else around it. The 84mm weapon was designed to destroy armored vehicles, so it was overkill for an old industrial crane, but this asshole had just shot one of his only friends so Franks was in the mood for overkill. Franks tore the launcher free, sending other pieces of useful equipment bouncing into the weeds.

Putting the AT-4 over his shoulder, Franks stepped out into the open, and lined the iron sights up on the cargo crane. He didn’t know where exactly the shooter was hidden in that mass of rusting steel and cables, but he only needed to get close, so he picked the spot that looked like the best sniper hide. A mighty bloom of fire filled the space between the old buildings and broke the remaining windows. It took over a second for the high explosive warhead to reach the target, and during that time he was glad to get a visual confirmation of a man with a rifle trying to get away.

The explosion was rather satisfying. It was difficult to tell amidst the expanding cloud of destruction, but from the number of flying body parts, it had been a sniper and a spotter team. That’s what they deserved for putting a bullet into one of the only humans he knew who was actually worth a damn.

He dropped the spent tube. If there were two gunmen, there were more, and they’d be here quickly. “Agent Strayhorn, report.”

“It’s bad.” He was trying to keep direct pressure on his father’s wound. There was blood up to his elbows. “He’s really weak.”

Myers had to survive. Franks pulled a first aid kit from the case and tossed it at him. “Plug that.”

Strayhorn unzipped the pouch and ripped open a pack of clotting powder with his teeth. It was a potent experimental product that had never been made available to the public, but the MCB didn’t have to wait for things like FDA approvals. Strayhorn poured the powder into the wound and it immediately began to foam. Considering that the man who had raised him was bleeding to death in the weeds, the rookie was keeping it together rather well.

“Get out of here,” Myers ordered through clenched teeth. “Save yourselves.”

“Shut up,” Franks and Strayhorn said simultaneously.

STFU would be coming for them. Franks would be the primary target, so he would make sure that they worked so damned hard that they wouldn’t be able to pay any attention to their secondary targets. He rummaged through the case.