Street Game

with the scent of blood. Mack stepped into the cramped, hollowed-out space. She could barely make out the two hostages, tied together at the far end of the room.

Mack pulled the dart from Armstice’s neck. He held up his hand for silence as the girl began weeping. Tell them to be quiet, Jaimie.

Jaimie moved up where the young man could see her. His swollen face was a mask of defiance and bruises. He was fighting for breath with the terrorist’s weight crushing his chest. She was fairly certain he had broken ribs. There were streaks of blood all over his face from the thin cuts Armstice had made in the boy’s skin. His face. His chest. His arms. She let her breath out slowly, her teeth chattering. Her skull felt as if it was exploding, and her stomach lurched. She wouldn’t give in to it, not with two tortured children and Kane nearly blind.

“We’ve come to take you home,” she whispered softly in Korean. “You’re father is waiting, Dae-sub. And your parents, Mi-cha. But you must be very quiet. Not a sound. We’re not out of danger. Can you stay very quiet for me, Mi-cha?”

Mack dragged Armstice’s body from the boy, who winced and grunted in pain, but refused to cry out.

Dae-sub studied her face and then Mack’s. It took a moment for him to believe.

“You cannot move us. There is a bomb.” He nodded toward Armstice. “He has one too.”

Mack nodded his understanding. “We’ll take care of it,” he answered in perfect Korean.

Jacob, you finished there?

I’m not a bleeding miracle worker, Top. Jacob shuffled forward, making it impossible for Jaimie to stay in the confined space.

“Tell him to take it off Mi-cha,” the boy insisted when Jacob knelt beside him.

“He wants you to get rid of the bomb on Mi-cha,” she translated. Jacob had to step over the boy. “Hold the light up, Mack,” he said. Jaimie made her way back to Kane. “Jacob has to clear them and then we’re out of here. Are your eyes clearing?”

She knew little about the effects of using his enhanced vision. It wasn’t the same as using “eagle eyes,” as they all called seeing great distances. Kane could see through objects, but only for a short period of time, and then he’d get a blinding flash that nearly knocked his vision out. He couldn’t take light. The tunnels were lit with old- fashioned kerosene lamps and not quite as destructive on his eyes.

“Let’s start moving back toward Javier,” she suggested. “Jacob and Mack will have to bring out the kids.”

“You’ll have to protect them, Jaimie,” Kane said. “I can’t do it.”

Her mouth went dry, but she nodded. “I will. Can you keep the dogs away while we bring them out?” And she knew she would. Maybe it was that she had a tranq gun instead of a loaded weapon, but she thought it was because they were doing something she believed in. And the men had made her feel as if they believed in her.

“Yes,” he replied, his voice grim.

She slipped her arm around him and helped him up. He glanced down at her without really opening his eyes. “I can feel you shaking, Jaimie. How bad is it?”

“Armstice is a pretty sick man, Kane,” she admitted. She glanced back. Jacob was handing the little girl to Mack.

She cried out in terror. Dae-sub spoke to her and she went quiet, clinging to Mack’s shoulder, but keeping her eyes on Dae-sub.

Fall back now, Jaimie. Get Kane out of here. We’re right behind you. Jaimie urged Kane down the corridor at almost a dead run. He stayed right with her, running blind. She guided him, slowing when they were nearing the bends. He never made a sound and her admiration for him rose even more.

Coming up on you, Javier, she warned. Don’t shoot us. Kane’s blind. Not entirely, Kane denied. It’s nighttime and it’s not quite as bad. Hell of a shot, though, Mack said.

Jaimie glanced over her shoulder and her heart nearly stopped. Jacob had the little girl and Mack was carrying Dae-sub out in a fireman’s carry. The boy was slippery with blood and his face was twisted in a mask of pain. Mack would not only have to carry him through the patrolling Marines, but get him over the fence. Javier crouched at the entrance to the tunnel. He moved forward to give them room, his eyes moving restlessly, ceaselessly, trying to pierce the heavy blackness and fog. His ears strained to read the night sounds. He crawled forward to get into a better position to defend the party. Jaimie, do your thing.

Her pulse pounded in her throat. Her energy was tattered and her skull pounded. She could taste blood in her mouth, knew it leaked from her nose. She kept her face averted to prevent Mack from seeing her. Once again she sent her energy out. Two Marines with dogs approaching. They’re coming directly toward us. They’ll come through that small maple garden any moment.

Javier put his eye to his night scope while Jacob and Mack both put fingers to their lips to keep the children quiet. Right on cue, two Marines with German Shepherds on leashes walked toward them.

Kane reached for the dogs just as they began to show signs of agitation. One of the handlers stopped and looked around.

Jacob, Mack hissed. A clear order.

Jacob concentrated on the man. Go the other way.

Sometimes suggestion worked and sometimes it back-fired. Jacob practiced often, but there was no telling how someone would react. There were a few resistant, but most reacted as if hypnotized, and strangely, the higher the IQ, the easier it was for Jacob to give them a “push.” The Marine and his partner walked off and disappeared into the drizzling rain and fog.

Jacob went first with the girl. He whispered soft assurances to her when she clutched at him, scared of the dark, scared of leaving Dae-sub. Once he was in the garden, Mack moved after him, running lightly with Dae-sub, weaving in and out of the shadows and shrubbery.

You ready, Kane? We’ve got two more soldiers close, but if we hurry, we can slip through to the fence.

Javier? Kane asked.

Right behind you, Gunny, Javier said. Once we’re near the fence, Gideon will have us and he never misses.

She guided Kane through the dark grounds, running from shrub to shadow until the fence was looming ahead. Jacob, still holding the little girl, cleared it with ease, dropping to the other side and running to the van with his burden.

Mack shifted his burden and crouched low. He propelled himself up and over, using only his leg muscles. Dae- sub cried out softly when they landed, but Mack clapped a hand over his mouth to muffle the sound. They lay almost in plain sight. Jaimie dragged Kane down as the guard’s radio crackled and running footsteps could be heard.

I’ve got him, boss, Gideon said. Give me the go-ahead. The guard reported all was fine. It was the longest minute of Jaimie’s life with every second lasting an eternity.

The footsteps stopped and faded away.

Go, go, she urged Kane and they ran for the fence as Mack leapt up, dragging the boy with him and sprinting for the van.

Kane and Jaimie went over the fence together. Javier stood beside the guard, showed him his watch, and whispered, “You have thirty-seven minutes left to do your job. Get them the hell out of our country.” He leapt the fence and made his way back to the van.

Javier yanked Gideon inside, the doors slammed shut, and the van was hurtling down the street toward safety where General Chun waited for his son and the kidnapped girl. Jaimie could actually breathe again. The little girl began to cry softly and the young man pulled her into his arms protectively. Jaimie knew none of them looked reassuring in their masks and night combat gear, but it was essential to protect their identities. She touched the young man gently to try to give him confidence in them.

Paul immediately began to work on Dae-sub and she kept her face averted, waiting her turn, her head pounding, but elation sweeping through her. They’d rescued the children and there was no evidence of their participation in the rescue and no evidence of the hostages on the embassy’s grounds. She looked up and smiled at Mack through the trickling blood.