Page 38 of Storm Surge

“You got it,” James said. He and Ben eased toward the airfield.

The rest of the team moved silently through the woods toward the small cabin that appeared like any other, except that it might house the Legion’s leader inside.

Victor was grateful for the woods surrounding the cabin for the coverage it provided. Kaid and Sidney were with him. Kinsley along with her brother, Joe, and FBI Director, Nick Doyle, moved toward the back of the house.

Inside, nothing stirred. A white plume of smoke spiraled up from the chimney into the winter world around them. The team was going in using their comm system.

“On my command,” Victor whispered and pulled in several breaths. “Now.”

He and his team raced up onto the porch. “Go,” Victor ordered and Kaid slammed his foot against the door. It gave on the second kick. Victor became aware of the backdoor collapsing in sync with the front.

Strike Force members poured into the cabin from both sides. Instead of being met with gunfire and resistance, what they saw was alarming. Two men lay on the floor bleeding. They’d both been shot in the chest.

Victor recognized one right away. Ahmad Hassanzai.

Hannah Olivero, one of the team’s doctors, knelt beside him and went to work while her assistant helped the second man.

“Cabin’s empty,” Sidney confirmed what he believed with a shake of her head.

“Where is he?” Victor demanded of Hassanzai. Though the man was critically injured, finding out Collin’s location was paramount.

“I don’t know,” Hassanzai rasped. “He went crazy when he found out you were coming.”

“How did he find out?” Victor asked.

Hassanzai closed his eyes and swallowed several times. “I have no idea. Collins got a text, and he freaked. Then he shot me and my nephew, and he and the other man left.”

Victor’s gaze shot to Kinsley. “What other man?”

Hassanzai shrugged. “I have no idea. He arrived not long ago. Collins was so excited about him, but then he found out you were coming, and he went crazy. The other man pulled him aside and then he shot us.”

“How long have they been gone?”

Hassanzai winced as Hannah bandaged his injury. “Maybe ten, fifteen minutes,” Hassanzai forced the words out.

Victor looked to Kaid and Sidney. “Go get the side-by-side and see if you can find him.”

Hannah rose and pulled him aside. “They’re both in serious condition. We need air rescue here right away.”

Victor nodded. “Call it in.”

Hannah stepped away to make the call.

While she and her assistant attended to the injured men, Victor moved to where Kinsley had begun digging through the cabin’s contents. “Is there anything useful here?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. We should fan out across the property and see if we can locate the weapons, though.”

“Do it. I’ll stay here with Hannah in case she needs anything.”

She clasped his arm. “We’ll get him.”

He smiled, and she and her people left.

Victor contacted Ben at the airfield. “Is the plane still there?” he asked, but the noise of the plane's massive engines taking flight was a chilling answer.

“They left before we could reach them,” Ben confirmed. "I'm sorry, Victor."

The sinking feeling in the pit of Victor’s stomach warned him Collins had outsmarted them again.

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