Xenonauts: Crimson Dagger Read Online Free PDF Page B

of the Americans’ entry plan. But nothing could have prepared Mikhail for actually witnessing the scene firsthand.
    The spacecraft was huge. Its wingspan looked easily half a kilometer long. Even with the vessel embedded in the ground as a result of the crash, the amount that was exposed was enough to make this the most titanic ship the Russian captain had ever seen. How this thing could rise off the ground at all—let alone dogfight with American fighter jets—was not only a mystery, but a testament to the level at which extraterrestrial technology dwarfed that of humanity.
    The convoy of jeeps had taken a path east of the spacecraft, around the rear of a series of hills between which they could see the vessel’s full breadth. Mud sloshing beneath the jeeps’ tires, Mikhail couldn’t help but feel a twinge of relief that the battle he was about to face was indoors. The rain had intensified to the point where long-range visibility was heavily obscured, if not completely impossible. Were they not as close to the spacecraft as they were—a frightening fact itself—it might not have been visible at all, despite its size. What once had been rumbling rolls of thunder were now ground-shaking explosions from heaven.
    Sitting next to Mikhail was Sevastian, his senior lieutenant, though rank hardly mattered in a mission as unorthodox as this. Shaking his head, Sevastian whispered what sounded like a prayer of some sort—or an exclamation of bad luck. Mikhail couldn’t quite tell. No one else from their team was present in that jeep, the convoy’s frontrunner.
    Facing his senior lieutenant, Mikhail spoke. “Keep your focus on the extraterrestrials, but pay attention to the Americans, too.” His voice remained intentionally low. He didn’t want the American driver overhearing. As Sevastian arched a brow, Mikhail went on. “There is concern among the higher ranks that the Americans will attempt to eliminate us inside the vessel. This would leave no one behind to hold them accountable for sharing its wealth.”
    Sevastian’s eyes shifted briefly to the driver, then returned to Mikhail. He stayed silent.
    “What did the United States do with nuclear technology after they developed it?” Mikhail asked under his breath.
    That got a reaction. Inhaling purposefully, Sevastian looked past Mikhail, to the hills behind him. Despite the break of eye contact, the senior lieutenant’s tone was unmistakably keyed in. “I understand, captain.”
    “It will be up to you to pass that message on to the rest of our comrades. All eyes will be on me once we are inside the ship.”
    Sevastian nodded.
    Mikhail looked forward. “Hungary was both complicated and brutal. Even still, I never lost a single man.” In truth, he’d lost seven. It was still an impressive number. But his comrades didn’t need to feel impressed. They needed to feel invincible.
    “We will take this vessel, captain,” Sevastian said. He looked at Mikhail dead on. “And if need be, we will take the Americans, too.”
    Mikhail nodded his head. There was no need to say anything else. Gazes forward, the two men watched the muddy trail wind on.
    The drive to their drop-off point lasted almost thirty minutes, due both to distance and terrain. The hills were muddy and wet, and on more than one occasion, progress had to be slowed to almost a crawl in order to proceed. Throughout the journey, Mikhail surveyed the surrounding area in the slim chance he’d catch sight of something—the spacecraft appearing between dips in the hills, stray shots of that strange energy weapon the aliens were using, anything. As they approached the drop-off point, he finally got his wish. Just not in the way he’d expected.
    Coming to a stop at the bottom of a low-lying hill, Mikhail caught sight of a solitary person standing roadside in the monsoon. Her figure, then her weapon, gave her away. Nina. Beauty may have been subjective, but size was not. This woman was tiny.
    She approached