Deep Black

43

Karr didn’t have time to figure out how he’d missed the guards outside when he’d checked the UAV image before they started down the hallway. He ran back to the stairs, Dean’s gun in his left hand and his in his right. He got down to the first floor, slung the second rifle over his shoulder, then pushed out. He ran into the computer room they’d examined earlier, jumping over the security system’s detection beams. He just barely kept his balance.

There were no windows, but there was a door that led to another room. It was locked. Karr threw his shoulder against it, but it stayed put. With no time for finesse, he took out the pistol and bored out the lock mechanism.

This room had two windows. He pushed the door shut behind him, then ran to them quickly. Dean was saying something in English over the com system; it went dead before Karr could figure out what it was.

The windows were alarmed, but it was a simple wire system, easily defeated with a clip and wire set. He pushed the window open, then paused, checking the Bagel scan carefully. He saw now why he’d missed the sentries — there was a ladder up the side of the roof, hidden by an overhang. They were making for it now.

It was on the opposite side of the building, away from Building Two.

Karr pulled up the cursor and clicked it on Dean’s IR profile, prompting the computer to memorize it. It could now locate him at will.

Assuming they didn’t kill him first, of course.

Building Two had a set of steps that led to a steel door in the basement. Karr ran to them, once more using his.22 to blow out the lock. But this door had a dead bolt or something else securing it: it jammed when he tried to get in.

There came a time in every show when you had to play the luck card. Tommy Karr hated to play it this early, but there was no other choice. He ran up the steps, glancing at the feed from the Bagel — the sentries were coming around the side of Building One. He bashed the nearest window with his gun and then dived inside the building, rolling in the darkness on a surprisingly thick and relatively soft rug.

Like a pig in shit, he thought to himself, jumping up.