Black Ice by Brad Thor

Author:Brad Thor [Thor, Brad]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Thriller
ISBN: 9781982104122
Google: 72Q0EAAAQBAJ
Amazon: B08LDWSKZT
Goodreads: 55711532
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Published: 2021-07-20T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 33

Wet-work teams were not easy to move from country to country. Much care had to be taken so as not to leave a trail.

In one of the most famous examples of carelessness, the Saudis had sent a team into Turkey to kill a dissident journalist and left clue after clue. It was exceedingly unprofessional. It should have also been humiliating, but Saudi Arabia was a coarse nation not known for introspection or a sense of shame.

China, on the other hand, was quite concerned with how it was perceived by the world. The concept of “face” mattered not just on a personal level but on a national one as well.

The operatives sent to watch Han’s back were both experienced and highly regarded. They would make sure he had all the support he needed. His success would be their success. By the same token, his failure would be their failure. And at no point would they embarrass themselves or their nation.

They had been launched from Finland, where Chinese people formed one of the largest immigrant groups. And because Norway and Finland were both part of Europe’s twenty-six-nation Schengen Area, they were able to take advantage of an open border.

The crossing at Neiden, just west of Kirkenes, was more a formality than anything else. The guards were so used to seeing Asian visitors that all the Chinese team had to do was hold up their Finnish passports and they were waved right through. There was no search of their vehicle and therefore no risk of the cleverly hidden weapons and equipment they were transporting being discovered.

Per their training, as they drove into town they conducted a slow sweep, familiarizing themselves with landmarks, critical infrastructure, and the locations of first-responder headquarters such as the police and fire departments.

They studied shops and storefronts, looking for CCTV cameras while noting businesses that went out of their way to attract Chinese customers. Based on jammed tour buses alone, it became apparent very quickly that they would have no problem blending in here.

After doing two drive-bys of the hotel, they pulled in at the far end of the parking lot and took their time selecting a spot. They wanted to check out as many of the parked cars as possible. This was the perfect place to watch the front door and all of the comings and goings. If there was a surveillance team outside, they needed to know that.

Convinced that the coast was clear, they chose a parking stall and shut down the engine.

Stepping out into the chilly air, the men stretched their backs and legs. They had been driving for hours, stopping only to refuel. Two of the men lit up cigarettes. Another walked to the water’s edge to look out over the fjord. The fourth and final man busied himself for several minutes in the backseat and then in the trunk. Once he was finished, he began unloading their luggage.

As soon as each man had been married up with his bags, the team headed into the hotel.

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