Page 35 of The 9th Man

“How fortunate for you. And here you are. Johnny-on-the-spot. In Luxembourg.”

Persik said nothing.

“Wait here,” he said.

And he walked back to the Peugeot, passing Jillian, who kept her eye on Persik and the cars behind him. He opened the cargo hatch and stuck his head inside.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“We’re making a trade.” He grabbed the empty box that had held the rucksack. “I give them a cardboard box full of nothing, and we do our best to rain down enough hell that we can get away.”

“You do realize you’re bluffing with not even a pair of twos. Sniper on the hill?”

“That’s why they called me Oscar. Where’s the other nine?”

“On the back seat.”

He stretched in, retrieved it, then stuffed the gun at the base of his spine.

“Your new friend’s lips are moving,” she said, referring to Persik.

“Bluetooth headset. Probably explaining to his buddies in the car, or elsewhere, what happens next.”

“Care to tell me?”

“My bluff bought us a little wiggle room, but there’s no two ways about it. They want to take what we have and kill us. And we are seriously outgunned.”

“I don’t like either one of those.”

“Then let’s change the outcome.”

“You’re annoyingly optimistic.”

“My former commanding officer said the same thing.”

He quickly told her what he had in mind.

“You’ll be in the open without cover,” she said when he finished.

“Hopefully for only a few seconds. Remember, pedal to the metal. Don’t slow down. We only get one chance at this.”

14

LUKE SET THE EMPTY CARDBOARD BOX ON THE GROUND, CLOSED THEhatch, then picked the box back up with his best this-is-really-heavy pantomime. He stepped out from behind the Peugeot and headed toward where Persik was standing, still feigning that the box had weight. No one had moved in his brief absence, which was promising. As was the fact there’d been no mention of the rifle or other boxes. Apparently, they hadn’t been under surveillance inside the fence line. Behind him, Jillian had surely switched seats, now behind the wheel. He stopped ten feet before Persik and set the box on the ground. Persik stepped forward. Luke placed his foot on the box lid and raised a halting hand. “Let’s talk ground rules.”

Persik stopped. “You’re testing my patience.”

He removed the phone and displayed it. “I’m going back to our vehicle. You’re going to stand perfectly still until we drive away. Once we’re gone, the box is yours. Agreed?”

Persik nodded.

“My backup on the ridge will have you in his sights until we’re gone. We understand each other?”

“You won’t see us again.”

Yeah, right.

He removed his boot from the box top, then placed it against the side, suddenly lift-kicking it toward Persik. At the same time he drew the 9mm. His timing was perfect, but so were Persik’s reflexes. He stopped the box midair then launched it back at Luke.

---