Kill Chain Read Online Free PDF Page B

hissed
open, several of the passengers leaping to their feet with the urge to escape
their prison.
    They wisely held their
places.
    “Will the security
detail please step outside with Herr Holst.”
    The German Chancellor’s
husband stood up partially, looking about, terror in his eyes. “Wh-why me?”
    “Please comply, or we
will detonate the explosive devices attached to the bus.”
    Holst shuffled out of his
seat, trembling, moving forward slowly, his hands gripping the headrests of
each seat as he passed, the women occupying them reaching out to touch him,
trying to give him comfort, and Nancy was certain, say goodbye, as she was sure
they realized what was happening.
    There were only three men
on the bus.
    And they were all about
to step off.
    “They’re going to kill
them,” she whispered to her Italian seatmate, her humming finally stopped,
replaced by a rapidly bouncing knee.
    “No, no, dear, they’ll be
okay. There’s nobody here to hurt them.”
    The woman did have a
point. There was no one here. Nancy stared outside again, there still
nothing but the truck and the drones that had followed them after the crash.
    Or are there more?
    She honestly couldn’t
say. Dozens were in evidence, more than she had noticed when they were driving,
though, for all she knew, they could have all been flying above the bus, out of
her line of sight.
    “Please, gentlemen, we
don’t have all day.”
    The first guard stepped
down to the ground, the entire bus letting out a collective sigh as nothing
happened. Herr Holst followed as Nancy racked her brain for his first name.
    You memorized this!
Come on!
    She had to remember, she
had to know, she had to have his full name before what was about to happen
actually happened.
    She had to know who to
pray for.
    Hermann!
    The second guard, the
final man, stepped to the ground.
    Gunfire erupted, a steady
barrage that lasted only seconds, multiple weapons firing, leaving three
bloodied bodies to crumple to the ground.
    There was stunned
silence.
    Then someone screamed.
    It was her.
    A blur rushed toward the
entrance. She wiped the tears away and recognized the Chinese translator, a
young, plain looking woman, trying to escape.
    Don’t do it!
    And she didn’t. She
grabbed the two discarded handguns and began firing at the drones, one after
the other dropping to the ground. Hope began to swell in Nancy’s stomach as she
realized this woman was no translator, the calm, determined look on her face
the look of a soldier, not a civilian. Everyone pressed against the glass,
those on the other side leaping to hers to get a view of their savior’s handiwork.
At least half a dozen drones were on the ground now, more falling with each
volley.
    She’s going to do it!
    Suddenly the remaining
drones turned toward their hero as if realizing they were under attack, and a
barrage of gunfire replied, coming from where, she couldn’t tell.
    And the Chinese woman
cried out, collapsing atop the body of Hermann Holst.
    Unmoving.
    The gunfire stopped,
leaving nothing but the whimpers of those still alive.
    With no one left to save
them.
     
     

13

    Operations
Center 1
CIA Headquarters,
Langley, Virginia
     
    “Have a good
evening, boss?”
    Leroux tossed a casual
wave at Randy Child, the euphoria of a forbidden quickie in the back of the car
a few minutes ago still flooding him with schoolboy giddiness. “Yup.”
    Child gave him a look, a
grin spreading on his face as if he knew exactly what had happened. He raised a
fist. “Hey! Hey!”
    Leroux left the fist unbumped.
“What have we got?”
    Child became all
business. “Just getting the feeds now. The Koreans are being extremely
cooperative since they know they effed up.”
    “ Do we know that?”
    Child shrugged. “Well, it
was their job to provide the security and an entire busload of dignitaries is
now missing, so yeah, I’d say they effed up.”
    Leroux ignored the
intelligence assessment from his underling. “Do we have footage of