Markov was running fast by his side, his handgun held at waist level.
Will reached the bridge and turned onto it. He saw cars, heavy snowfall, more military boats cruising along the river beneath him, and a man walking at a steady pace with his back to him, no more than two hundred feet away. Will stopped and grabbed Markov’s arm to bring him to a halt. “Wait, wait.”
The man reached the target and stopped right next to him.
“They look like they’re communicating.” Will held his fingers against his throat mic. “No other pedestrians are on this bridge. But why the hell is he here without a vehicle and without an overcoat?”
Vitali said, “We’re at the other end of the bridge. We see them both. They’re definitely talking. Big man pulls out something… can’t see what it is.”
“Nor can I,” Laith added.
“Big man places a hand on target’s shoulder…” Vitali sounded totally focused. “… target tries to shrug him off… tries to move away… big man pulls him closer… something in big man’s hand…”
In an instant Will knew what was happening. “It’s an assassination! Takedown now! Now!”
He sprinted along the bridge, ignoring oncoming civilian vehicles sounding their horns. His feet slipped on the snow and ice beneath them, but he kept upright and ran faster. Markov was right by his side, his gun now at eye level.
Will raised his weapon to shoot. He was only 150 feet away. As he did so, the big man spun to face him, using the sailor as a shield.
It was Razin.
In a flash, the Russian raised a handgun, firing three bullets at Will. One of the bullets sliced alongside Will’s face just as he and Markov dived behind a passing car that had come skidding to a halt. Getting to his feet, he could see the sailor beyond the car, lying on the ground; blood-saturated snow surrounded him. Beyond the dead body, Razin was sprinting away, dodging between cars.
Will and Markov chased. Markov shouted, “Vitali, Laith: he’s coming right toward you!”
They could catch only glimpses of Razin, too brief to get a clear shot. They heard two more shots from the other end of the bridge, followed by Vitali saying “Fuck!”
Reaching the end of the bridge, they saw Vitali on his knees, his face screwed up in pain, a hand clutching his leg. Laith was running along the river; he fired four shots.
“What happened?”
Vitali answered between clenched teeth. “It’s just a flesh wound, but it put me on my ass.”
“Okay, get to Roger. Markov, with me.”
Laith shouted in a near-breathless voice, “I’m moving east along the river’s north-side road. Can’t see him.”
Roger spoke, “I’ve abandoned my car and am also going east, checking the south bank.”
Korina said, “I’m on the north bank, about five hundred feet from your position. Six military trucks have just raced past me, heading toward the bridge.”
“Stay with your vehicle, Korina.” Will still needed at least one of his team to remain mobile.
“GRU! GRU!”
Will glanced toward Roger’s location on the south bank. “What’s happening?”
Silence.
“What’s happening?”
More silence.
Then gunfire.
“I’m”-Roger was screaming over the sound of rapid shots-“under attack! Cops and soldiers.”
Will saw flashes of light on the south bank; the noise of gunfire in his earpiece was now constant.
Korina shouted, “I can get mobile, drive ahead to find a turning place, then try to pick you up.”
“No!”
Vitali said, “I’m with Roger, we’re being pushed east.”
Will urgently looked ahead. He was sprinting as fast as he could, but he’d no idea if he was still on Razin’s trail. “Laith. Anything? I have no visual. Repeat, no visual!”
“Nothing.”
They’d lost him.
Frustration surged through Will. “Fuck! Fuck!” He continued running. “Laith, Markov: get across the next bridge and extract Roger and Vitali.”
“You can’t go after him on your own.”
“Just do it!”
Markov moved away from Will’s side and took the next river crossing. Moments later, Laith appeared on the bridge running at full pace, his gun held in one hand.
Will kept moving along the road.
Ten seconds later, Markov shouted, “We’re heading southeast on Sadovnicheskaya Ulitsa!”
Laith spoke. “Vitali, Roger: we’re on the south side of the river now. We should be close to you.”
Roger spoke over the sound of rifle shots and bursts of submachine-gun fire. “We’ve got about a hundred soldiers on our tail.” His words were strained; clearly he was in pain.
More heavy gunfire.
Laith shouted, “We can see you! You’re coming right toward us!”
Will stopped at a crossroad, frantically looking in every direction. This was hopeless. Razin had vanished.
“William.” Korina’s voice was full of despair. “Should I go to the team?”
Laith said, “We’re all together now. There’s too many of them. William, we’re going to draw them away from you by taking them south on Novokuznetskaya Ulitsa.”
Will cursed and continued running, keeping the river by his side.
“Changing magazines.” Roger was clearly running. “Last clip in. I’ll cover you all. Run behind me for twenty, then cover me while I move back.”
A few seconds later, Vitali shouted, “In position and covering you. Move!”
“Two more hostiles down, now three.” Laith spoke over the sound of three shots from his handgun.
Markov cursed. “More sirens, reinforcements.”
“Low on ammunition… last clip.” This was from Vitali.
Will stopped, his stomach sick with failure. “I’ve lost him. I’m coming to you.”
Roger responded immediately, “Get to Korina. Get out of the city.”
Will repeated, “I’m coming to you.”
“No, you’re damn well not! We’re surrounded on all sides now. You’d make no difference.”
Will pulled out his handgun. “Tell me your location. I’m coming for you.”
“No.”
“Tell me your location!”
Roger made a sound like a sigh; more shots rang out. “We’re on Novokuznetskaya Ulitsa. It’s about half a mile south of the bridge where Taras killed the sailor. But for God’s sake, don’t come”-rapid bursts of fire interrupted him-“stay away.”
Will moved onto the next bridge, ran across it, and headed south toward the gunfight. He ran along residential streets, commercial routes, and roads containing administrative buildings. Compacted snow covered the roads and sidewalks, and pedestrians cowered in doorways, hiding from the gun battle that was taking place farther ahead. Some of them stared at Will as he ran past them, making no effort to hide his handgun. The civilians looked terrified.
Will did not need a detailed knowledge of the city to know where he was going. He just followed the noise of the battle. “I’m very close now. When I see the hostiles, I’ll open fire and try to draw some of them away from you.”
“There’s too many of them.” Laith sounded exasperated. “We’re pinned down on all sides.”
The sounds of gunfire were now very close. Will slowed down as he approached the turning into Novokuznetskaya Ulitsa. Reaching the entrance to the street, he stopped and crouched next to a building. The place was swarming with troops and police, most using the cover of doorways and vehicles to fire at his team. Halfway
