The driver rolled down both his window and Blake’s. The guard moved toward them without a smile. “How can I help you?”

“I’m here to see Major Blayney.” Best to act as if the major was expecting him, he mused. Blake removed a business card and handed it to the soldier. “Governor Carter Billings arranged security clearance.”

“Wait here, sir.”

Blake sat back and watched the men. The soldier inside the booth picked up the phone and started talking. His eyes narrowed during his conversation and one of the other guards walked around the car while he wrote down the license number.

Blake drummed his fingers on the seat beside him.

The man from the booth stepped out and approached the car. The expression on his face unreadable.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Harrison. Major Blayney isn’t seeing anyone today.”

Blake’s jaw clenched. “It’s a matter of life and death. Can you call him back and tell him this is regarding Neil MacBain?” This was not happening. To be so close and not be let in the door was unacceptable.

The guards glanced at each other but their resolve didn’t change.

“I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do for you today. You might try setting an appointment with Major Blayney’s secretary.”

Blake considered pushing out of the car and decided that would appear as aggressive as he felt. He didn’t need to spend a night in jail and delay his quest even more.

Through clenched teeth he asked, “Is there a number I can call?”

The guard returned to the booth, came back with a number.

“One more thing…who is Major Blayney’s superior?”

“On base? No one.”

Great!

“You really think Annie will take you back?” Rick taunted Mickey as he weaved through the trees, closer to the edge of the cliff.

“Annie loved me.”

“Not gonna go over well if you kill her husband.”

Neil inched closer.

“She won’t know it’s me.” Mickey twisted around. Neil ducked out of sight.

“Blayney must be seriously twisted to sic you after him. What makes you think Blayney will keep you around after we’re gone?”

Mickey was turning around now, having lost visual on Neil.

“Where’d ya go, Mac? I’m telling you…one press of the button and Blayney takes her out right now.”

As much as it killed him, Neil said nothing and kept moving closer.

“Blayney doesn’t take orders from you, Mickey. You should know that by now.” Rick kept talking.

“I’ve been proving myself to Blayney for years. Worked plenty of ‘loose end missions.’”

And we’re the loose ends. The rain aided in Neil’s advance. Mickey was facing north and Neil had managed to get behind him on the south. Twenty yards away, Neil set off another smoke bomb, causing Mickey to fire his weapon to the north.

Rick spoke in his ear. “He’s nervous.”

Neil set off his last bomb in an attempt to fill the area with smoke.

He heard Mickey swear under his breath as he darted to the east, directly into Neil’s path.

Neil waited until the last possible moment and aimed his weapon. “Drop it.”

Mickey swung toward him, weapon raised.

Neil aimed for his shoulder, fired off a round. Two more sounded in the rain soaked forest.

Mickey jerked back, lost his grip on his gun. Adrenaline took over and Neil leapt onto the man and took him to the ground. His arm went back, connected with Mickey’s face once, twice. Blood gushed from Mickey’s arm, too much for a flesh wound.

Neil disarmed him and rolled him onto his back. Neil flexed his neck tasting his rage and wanting the man dead. “You took out Billy.”

Mickey’s mouth twisted into a sick smile. “Blew up his woman, too.”

Neil let his fist fly again.

“I should kill you right here.”

Mickey coughed. A gurgling sound filled his chest. Neil looked down, noticed Mickey’s field jacket pooling with blood.

What the f**k? Neil’s aim wasn’t that bad.

“You never had the balls,” Mickey managed between his cough. Blood escaped his lips.

Realizing his enemy was incapacitated, Neil tossed his gun aside and ripped open Mickey’s shirt. Blood was everywhere.

“Is he down?” Neil heard Rick in his ear.

“Yeah.” From the looks of the hole in his chest, Rick had taken aim from behind. Mickey was dying.

Mickey stared beyond Neil, his eyes glossed over. “She would have taken me back. My Annie.”

Neil didn’t have the heart to destroy Mickey’s last thoughts.

“Where’s Gwen?”

Mickey met his eyes, huffed out a breath, and stopped breathing.

Neil squeezed his eyes shut. “You stupid f**k.” He pushed away from Mickey’s body and peered through the rain to see where Rick was.

“Rick?”

“I’m here.” His friend’s voice didn’t sound normal.

“Where?”

“Base of the cliff. Our target down?”

Neil glanced at a man he once called his friend. He thought of the picture of all of them…in happier times. “Yeah. He’s down.”

“Good.”

“Where are you?” Neil didn’t see him anywhere.

“Caught a bullet. I’m OK.”

Neil ran through the brush, ignoring the branches as they slapped against his legs, his waist. He found Rick against a tree, his right thigh in his hand. “How bad is it?”

“Not my gut.”

“How bad, Rick?” Neil knew there were major arteries in the thigh that could end a man’s life just as easily as a shot to the chest.

Rick attempted his signature smile. His second set of dimples didn’t kick in. “Could be better.”

“Ah, hell.”

“I’m OK. You gotta go get your girl. Before Chuck realizes what happened here.”

Neil looked over at his car and then back to Rick. “I can’t leave you.”

“You better f**king leave me. I’m fine, Neil. Go. I have a phone, I’ll call for help when you leave. Besides, I think this hillside is set up to go off. Mickey was trying too hard to get us up there.”

Neil glanced at the cliff above him. Large boulders protruded from the sides of the rock. Large enough to crush those below. Getting Rick to safety, disarming bombs…police questions, all of this would take time. Precious time.

“Go,” Rick told him again. “I’ll avoid your name until I hear from you. Don’t want to tip Blayney off.”