DAYS OF DARKNESS

Revenge is a confession of pain.

—LATIN PROVERB

But if there is any further injury,

then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life,

eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand,

foot for foot, burn for burn,

wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

—EXODUS 21:23—25

CHAPTER 15

PHOENIX HOUSE

OMFORI ISLAND, GREECE

Scott Wilson stood under a canopy outside the security office, watching the big helicopter land. It was a huge Boeing Ch-47 Chinook; nearly a hundred feet long, with twin propellers spun by a pair of powerful Lycoming turboshaft engines. It had come out of the dawn like some mythic beast but landed as softly as a butterfly on the tarmac behind Phoenix House.

The noise diminished, and the massive blades began to slow. The rear hatch eased down with a soft hydraulic whine, revealing a knot of shadowed figures within. Wilson walked out to meet Havoc Team as they descended from the bird. They all wore black trousers and tank tops. No other gear or weapons, except for Belle, who had a rifle case slung across her back. No one ever handled her guns but her.

Bunny, Andrea, and Belle walked past Wilson with barely a nod. Only Top paused to talk with the chief of operations. The soldier looked older by ten years than he had when he’d set out with Havoc Team for the mission. Top’s face was more deeply lined, his eyes red-rimmed, and his posture stooped with a weariness that ran miles deeper than mere physical exhaustion.

Wilson offered his hand, and Top looked at it for a moment before taking it.

“The medical teams are still triaging the prisoners you liberated,” Wilson said. “The Chinook is going to refuel and head back as soon as they’re ready for transport. Our doctor on the ground there says that all but one of them is likely to recover. Sad that we’ll lose any of them, but…”

Top took a toothpick from his pocket and put it between his teeth. He chewed on the pointy end for a few silent seconds, working it from one corner of his mouth to the other. His dark eyes were completely unreadable.

“You did good work tonight,” said Wilson.

Top shook his head. “Did we? Well, sorry, boss, but I’m not putting this one in the win column. No damned way.”

He started to walk away, but Wilson hurried to catch up.

“We will find Colonel Ledger.”

Top snorted. “You’ll find him exactly when and where he wants to be found.”

“We have considerable resources, or have you forgotten?”