Page 129 of Shadow of Doubt

He covered Palmer as he swept into the first room, firing two controlled pairs at the already injured and bloodied occupants. Without wasting a single moment, they moved to the second bedroom—the room from which the first shot had erupted.

It was Ashby’s turn and, gun up and at the ready, she swung into the room as Palmer covered her and Harvath, despite having Morrison, Gage, and Barton securing any necessary retreat from the living room, kept an eye on their six o’clock.

A half-dressed man with a large handgun lay dead on the floor. His colleague lay dead in his bed. Ashby placed a shot in each of their heads, just to make sure.

Backing out of the room, Ashby joined her teammates and the trio proceeded to the end of the hall. Based on the floor plan, this was where the master bedroom was located and where they expected Kapralov to be. It was now Harvath’s turn at bat.

With Ashby covering him, he swung into the room and drilled a bleary-eyed Russian fumbling with a Saiga automatic shotgun.

He traced the room with the front sight of his weapon, but there was no sign of Kapralov. Stepping fully inside, he checked the closet, under the bed, and then the bathroom, where the window was wide-open.

“Kapralov’s on the run,” he said, climbing out the window. “I’m going after him.”

“Right behind you,” Ashby announced, following him.

They spread out, each searching in a different direction.

Unable to pick up anything through his goggles, Harvath was about to flip them up and pull out the binoculars when Ashby radioed, “I’ve got him.”

“Where?”

“Twenty-five meters east of the cabin. He may have a limp, but he’s moving at a good clip. I’ll stay on him until you can catch up.”

It was the moment of truth. Harvath was finally going to scratch the last name off his list. His revenge would be complete, and he could allow Lara to rest in peace. But something inside him had shifted.

A leader who didn’t believe his team was every bit as good as he was wasn’t really a leader at all. Harvath’s team wasn’t just exceptional, they were even better than he was.

“Do you have the shot?” he asked.

“Affirmative.”

“Take it.”

“Are you sure?” Ashby replied.

Harvath had never been more certain about anything in his life. “Take the shot,” he stated. “That’s an order.”

CHAPTER 75

CIA STATION

U.S. EMBASSY, PARIS

ONE WEEK LATER

Karine Brunelle looked up as she heard a hiss, and the door of the sensitive compartmented information facility opened.

Poking her head out, Director General de Vasselot said, “You can come in now.”

Brunelle stood, adjusted the pleats in her skirt, and entered. She had never been to the American Embassy before, much less the highly secretive CIA offices within, and had changed her outfit four times that morning.

It was stupid, and she knew it. All that mattered was that she appear professional. Afterward, however, she had another meeting, and it was important to set the correct tone for that one as well.

The SCIF was similar to the ones at the DGSI. The only difference was that this one seemed to be a little more modern and up-to-date.

Once the door had closed, de Vasselot made the introductions. “Karine, I would like you to meet James Jansen. Jim is now acting station chief until the CIA decides who should succeed Ray Powell.”

Brunelle shook hands with Jansen, accepted a seat, and declined coffee.

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