He got to the loading bay ahead of Sofia and Vasily and used his assault rifle to take out three more soldiers standing outside.

“Come on,” he yelled back at Sofia and Vasily.

They ran from the building, but as they crossed the grass toward the brush, two more soldiers appeared behind them.

Lance and Vasily sprayed them with bullets and kept running.

The institute was in such a state of chaos that no one followed them.

They made their way for the fence and heard dogs barking as they approached.

They stopped before the fence and scanned it for guards or dogs.

“All clear,” Vasily said.

Lance nodded and they ran to the first fence and scrambled through the opening.

As soon as they were through, Lance saw a guard in the distance. He was patrolling the space between the two fences and had two dogs with him.

“Get down,” he said to Vasily and Sofia.

They crouched and saw the soldier.

He was about four hundred yards away. The gap to the other fence was only twenty feet, but he was coming their way and would see them as soon as they moved.

“I really hope I don’t have to shoot those dogs,” Lance said.

“What do we do?” Sofia whispered.

“We’ve got to go,” Lance said. “We can’t go back.”

“He’ll see us,” she said.

“Just run for the gap. It’s right across from us.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be right behind you.”

Sofia went first. The instant she moved, the guard saw her and released the dogs. Vasily and Lance were right on her tail. She reached the fence and slid through to the brush on the other side. Vasily went next. Lance watched as the dogs approached rapidly. He still had the pistol in his hand.

“Come on, Vasily,” he said.

“I’m stuck.”

Vasily’s shirt was snagged on the fence and Lance ripped it free. Vasily got through and began running for the car behind Sofia. Lance looked at the dogs one last time before slipping through the fence and sprinting after the others.

Olga had the car waiting for them, engine running, right by the curb. Sofia rounded the car to get in front. Vasily got in the back and held the door for Lance.

More guards were running down the street toward the car and Olga started moving, very slowly.

Lance ran for all he was worth.

“You, there,” the soldiers called out. “Stop or we’ll shoot.”

Then they saw the two dogs on Lance’s heels. Lance could feel them nipping at him. They were about to pounce and pull him down, but he reached the car and leapt in. Vasily slammed the door as the dogs smacked up against it.

The soldiers were running for them but the presence of the dogs stopped them from opening fire.

“Gun it,” Lance yelled.