Dark Zone

38

Karr watched the two men approach the house. Both had military-style night-vision goggles strapped to their heads. They also wore dark clothes, and the bulk of one of the men in the shadows made Karr think he was wearing a bulletproof vest. One carried a submachine gun, probably an MP-5N; the other had a small backpack but no gun in his hand.

They came into the house through what had been the front door. Karr had a clean, easy shot on the first man in, the one with the gun; most likely he could get the second man as well. But that would leave whoever was in the other car, as well as seriously complicating the situation.

Then again, he might not get such a clean shot again.

Karr held off. The men passed through the house into the back.

“They’re looking over the kitchen,” said Rockman, watching the feed from the Crow. “Checking out the bomb crater. All right. Now they’re going into the office.”

Karr didn’t need the play-by-play; the house was so small that it was obvious where they were.

LaFoote stirred next to him. Karr tapped the old Frenchman on the shoulder and held his hand to his lips.

The Frenchman nodded — then sneezed.