Into Darkness (Eric Ritter Spy Thriller Book 2) by Richard Fox

Author:Richard Fox [Fox, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Triplane Press
Published: 2014-01-14T16:00:00+00:00

Ritter snatched a tan, plastic-bagged meal from the box outside the mess hall. He’d shared the last several minutes with Shelton as they explained the attempted car bombing to the brigade’s leadership. Lieutenant Colonel Reynolds suggested that the car bomb be hauled into the patrol base for safeguarding until the explosive ordnance team could tear it apart. Following that recommendation, Shelton’s palm hit his face so hard that Ritter thought it would leave a mark.

Shelton sidestepped the idea by pointing out that he didn’t have the tow capability to move a vehicle the size and weight of the car bomb. Ritter imagined a great deal of head nodding from the assembled field grade officers on the other end of the call. The field grades decided that the vehicle shouldn’t be moved, and the engineers would come out the next day to blow the device in place.

Ritter held the plastic bag up in the pale moonlight to read the label. Chicken fajitas. There were worse meals ready to eat out there.

Ritter saw a shadow sway against the ground beyond the converted farmhouse. His room was just ahead, and someone was waiting for him. Ritter pulled his Applegate-Fairbairn fighting knife from the sheath on his lower back and hid the blade against his inner arm. That someone would try to ambush him while flagging himself or herself around the corner like an amateur hurt his professional pride.

Ritter swung wide of the edge of the building and prepared to toss the MRE into the face of whoever was waiting for him. He sidestepped and cleared the wall.

“Hey, sir? You got a minute,” Kovalenko asked Ritter.

Ritter eased out of his combat readiness and chided himself; paranoia was unbecoming. He reversed the grip on his knife and slit open his dinner. Kovalenko seemed none the wiser that Ritter had his knife out for more lethal purposes.

“Sure. Step into my office,” Ritter said. He sheathed his blade and opened the door to his room.

Ritter sat on his mattress and motioned Kovalenko to the metal folding chair tucked under the desk. Kovalenko sat with his weapon across his lap. Ritter noted the lieutenant’s evident apprehension; his feet and rifle barrel pointed toward the door. Ritter was a veteran of enough interrogations to know Kovalenko didn’t really want a conversation.

“What’s on your mind, Lieutenant?” Ritter asked. He even added a smile.

“Sir…this was a bad idea. Never mind.” He stood up to leave.

“Sit down.”

Kovalenko complied instantly. Ritter put his MRE behind him so there’d be nothing between him and Kovalenko; physical barriers hurt rapport. That lemon pound cake would have to wait a bit longer.

“Lieutenant, a man tried to kill every single one of us with enough explosives to launch his tiny nuts to the moon. If anything, we must remember that our time on earth is precious. So let’s not waste that time with twenty questions. What do you want to talk about?”

Kovalenko sank back into his chair and placed his hands on top of his weapon. “Sir, I’m having some trouble.

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