Carter thought about that for a moment as he leaned against the likeness of a long-dead Chinese warrior.

“What if it’s not using active infrared to detect the movement?” he said.

Nic considered that. “Then we’re screwed and both of us will die trying to save those men.”

Carter shook his head and replied, “You could at least try to sugarcoat it for me.”

“Sorry, boss, it’s your call.”

Carter grinned, despite the circumstance. “I trust you, kid. Make me proud.”

Nic smiled back, a strange sense of warmth welling up inside him. He wasn’t sure how to describe the feeling. He wondered if this was what it was like to have a real father. He keyed his mic and said, “Commander, hold position. Don’t move.”

“Affirmative.”

Then Nic and Carter retreated back out the front glass doors. Nic wasted no time. He ran to his BearCat and threw open the backdoors of the cab.

“What’s going on in there?” Burke said.

“What blocks infrared rays, Dr. Burke?” Nic asked.

Burke, sitting in the driver seat of the BearCat, said, “Glass would be the most common item, but it depends on the type of infrared. Infrared radiation spans a wide region of wavelengths. The middle band of wavelengths, generally referred to as thermal infrared, is infrared light produced by matter around room temperature. That causes atoms in molecules to jiggle, and jiggling atoms generate heat. This radiation is strongly absorbed by matter and will not pass through glass.”

Nic understood none of what Burke had explained but said, “So glass will block active infrared sensors.”

“In theory.”

“That’s all I needed to hear.”

Nic grabbed two sets of glass cutters and two pairs of high-strength suction cups from the back of the BearCat. Then he ran to the front of the building where he had asked Carter to wait for him.

“We need to cut out pieces of these front glass windows,” he said. “Big squares, as big as you can.”

Handing the suction cups and glass cutters to Carter, he said, “We’re making an infrared shield.”

“Where the hell did you learn something like this?” Carter asked.

“MythBusters.”

Carter rolled his eyes. “Great. Because you can believe anything you see on TV.”

“Mr. Wizard back there confirmed the science.”

Carter laid a hand on Nic’s shoulder. “I’m just kidding, son. I trust you with my life. Now, let’s save those men.”

Nic felt the warm rush of emotion again from deep in his core, but he fought back any outward signs of pride or elation. He simply started cutting glass from the massive entry doors.

Within a few moments, Nic and Carter had cut out two glass squares, each seven feet tall and several feet wide. They used the suction cups to hold the massive panes of glass. Nic hefted his easily, but Carter grunted loudly as he lifted his.

“Don’t blow out an o-ring, old man,” Nic said.

“Smartass. You can take that old man crap and stick it up your muscular little ass.”