BooksBarbecue
Back The Asset
Chapters (86)
  1. Foreword
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. 50
  52. 51
  53. 52
  54. 53
  55. 54
  56. 55
  57. 56
  58. 57
  59. 58
  60. 59
  61. 60
  62. 61
  63. 62
  64. 63
  65. 64
  66. 65
  67. 66
  68. 67
  69. 68
  70. 69
  71. 70
  72. 71
  73. 72
  74. 73
  75. 74
  76. 75
  77. 76
  78. 77
  79. 78
  80. 79
  81. 80
  82. 81
  83. 82
  84. 83
  85. 84
  86. Afterword

He handed it to her. The moment it was back in her hand she felt safe.

“It’s good for both of us that you trust me, Roth,” she said.

He sat back down and poured their wine. “And why is that?”

“Because I know how to find your leak.”

62

Sofia and Olga crouched in the scrub and watched.

Lance was at the front of the building, and when no soldiers were looking, ran the distance to the closest truck. He took cover behind it, rounded it, and snuck up behind a soldier.

He rose up behind the soldier and grabbed him, jerking his head to the side. It looked to Sofia like he’d snapped the man’s neck in a single motion. She looked at Olga.

“Who is this guy?” Olga said.

“I don’t know,” Sofia said.

“Then why are we helping him?”

Sofia shook her head. “I have no choice, Olga. I created this thing. This is my only chance to make it right.”

They watched Lance slide under the transport truck. He was attaching plastic explosive to the undercarriage.

“That’s the administrative building,” Sofia said, pointing to a gray office building. There were a few lights on in the windows but most of them were dark. “It’s low security. You could go there. Wait until morning.”

“I’m not abandoning you, Sofia,” Olga said. “You were there for me when no one else was.”

Sofia looked at her friend. “That was different. My life wasn’t on the line.”

“But mine was,” Olga said.

Sofia was about to protest when Lance returned.

“All right,” he said. “The explosives are ready.”

The women looked at each other.

“Once this thing blows,” Lance said, “there are going to be soldiers everywhere.”

They nodded.

“Someone should go back to the vehicle now,” he said. “Make sure it’s ready for us to get away.”

“Olga will go,” Sofia said.

Lance looked at Olga. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the key.

“You need to keep the car ready,” he said.

Olga nodded. She still had the CZ 75 and suppressor and handed it back to Lance.

“You know the way back?” Sofia said.

“Yes,” Olga said, taking the key.

“Wait in the parking lot,” Lance said. “If anyone comes, run.”

“All right,” she said. She hugged Sofia before leaving.

They watched her go, then Lance looked at Sofia.

“You ready for this?”

She nodded.

The went back around to the east loading bay and found a good place to wait. He took the electronic detonator from his pack and held it out to her.

“You want to do the honors?”

She looked at him. Somehow, even now, he managed to make her feel like she might get out of this alive.

She pushed the button and a moment later, there was a massive explosion. They saw the glow of it from the front of the building, followed by a cloud of billowing, black smoke.