Total Blackout by Alex Shaw

Author:Alex Shaw [Shaw, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2020-08-31T17:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Camden Hills Park, Maine

Tate pulled the Mini over at the side of the road, next to a pair of hikers.

‘Good morning, folks.’ Donoghue addressed them with a smile. ‘You wouldn’t have happened to see a black Chevy SUV on your travels this morning?’

‘Yes, Officer,’ the husband said, ‘it was just inside the park back there.’

‘Was anyone with the vehicle?’

‘One guy, he sounded foreign.’

The wife glanced at her husband. ‘I told you he was up to no good.’

‘Thank you, folks, you’ve been very helpful.’

Donoghue nodded and Tate pulled away.

‘It makes sense,’ Tate said. ‘It has to be an ERV. He’ll wait for the rest of his team and then bug out.’

‘And go where?’

Tate had been thinking about that. What was the Russians’ exfil plan? ‘I’ll ask him.’

They passed a sign that read “Entrance to Camden Hills State Park 1,500 feet”, and half a minute later Donoghue instructed Tate to stop the car. ‘You stay here; I’m going in.’

‘No,’ Tate said. ‘You are the law – I get that – but if the Russians are there, you can’t just wander over, flash your badge, and ask them to come quietly.’

‘That’s exactly what I can do, Tate. You expect me to stay here? No way.’

‘This is what I’m trained for – covert ops. I’ll assess the situation. You need to stay with the car and keep the engine running. I don’t know if this little beauty will start again.’

Donoghue sighed heavily; he could see the logic. ‘OK, agreed.’

The two men got out of the car. Donoghue nodded at Tate as he headed off and then clambered into the driver’s seat. With Edger’s Glock held in a two-handed grip, Tate advanced towards the park’s entrance road. The empty highway added to the eeriness of his approach. The only sound was that of the Mini’s engine gently humming. He reached the entrance and stood stock-still behind a tree, the fat green leaves concealing him from anyone on the road. His black jeans and dark green shirt were not the same as tactical camouflage gear, but at least their colours were subdued.

He listened. The Mini’s engine was now much quieter and probably would not carry past the tree line. There was no other sound. Although there was a slight breeze, it was not enough to swish the leaves.

Tate crouched and edged forward, further into the park, expecting at any moment to come across the Russians; he’d made himself a smaller target and would appear around the trees at a lower level than any sentry expected. He darted his head forward and saw an empty tree-lined path. He advanced, weapon up; he felt exposed. There was a bend ahead and he threw caution to the wind and jogged to it. Five paces out, he stopped and listened, and then he heard someone sigh. Tate went back to a crouch and eased himself forward around the trees. He saw the unmistakable shape of the black SUV.

*

Oleg focused on the screen of the American-registered Iridium satellite phone. The network had only gone down five minutes before.

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