Kill Chain by J Robert Kennedy

anything to prevent the evacuation. It might cause an international
incident that could escalate an already tense situation.
    “You’re coming up on them
now. Less than half a klick.”
    “Copy that.”
    Kane had been pleased to
discover that Control on this mission would be his old high school buddy, Chris
Leroux. The teenage über dork had been his tutor, helping him get his grades up
enough to get into college, and during the course of their long study sessions,
they had become good, if unlikely, friends, he the popular jock, Leroux the
nerdy loner. They had lost touch over the years, their friendship rekindled
after a chance encounter in the Langley cafeteria.
    It had been a welcome
surprise, friends who could know the truth few and far between in his line of
work.
    A Jaguar F-PACE SUV came
into view as it changed lanes ahead, the distinct white on blue diplomatic
plates matching what Dawson, a former comrade-in-arms, had reported. “Probable
course?”
    “They should be making a
right in three hundred meters. There’s much lighter traffic there.”
    “Copy that.”
    A signal light flashed
and they took an off-ramp as expected, he tucking in behind them, flicking a
switch on his right handlebar. He leaned forward, a Heads-Up Display projected
on the windshield showing his target.
    “Taking the shot.” He
pressed the trigger and a small device fired from his heavily customized CIA motorcycle,
embedding itself in the rear of the vehicle. “Sending pulse.” He pressed another
button and a surge of electrical power immediately fried the vehicle’s
electronics, it quickly losing speed and coasting to the side of the road, the
driver probably used to complete electrical failure in a Jag. “Vehicle
disabled.”
    He pulled up behind them
and dismounted, pulling his weapon as the passenger door opened. He strode
forward then fired a tranquilizer dart into the security agent, pushing him
back inside as he fired at the driver. A man in the rear shouted and Kane fired
again, silencing him. He looked at the terrified wife of the Chinese President,
the poor woman victimized all over again. He removed his helmet and smiled at
her, speaking in perfect Mandarin. “Mrs. Cheng, I’m not here to hurt you, but I
need to ask you some questions if we’re to save the other hostages.”
    A look of relief washed
over the woman’s face as her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “Oh, thank goodness
you’re here! The voice told me that I couldn’t leave the country, but these men
wouldn’t listen!”
    Kane nodded. If the
Chinese were in on the hostage taking, then leaving her in-country certainly
would put her at risk if there were a military response from North Korea. The
fact that she had been ordered to stay seemed to cast some doubt on whether
they were involved.
    Unless he hates his
wife.
    It wouldn’t be the first
time, though from the intel reports he had read on the couple, he doubted that
was the case. He smiled at her. “Ma’am, I have a few questions that must be
answered before it’s too late. Will you help me save the other women?”
    She snapped out a nod.
“Of course.”
    “Good. Then let’s begin
with this voice you spoke of.”
     
     

35

    Unknown
Location
Republic
of Korea
     
    It felt
like ten minutes though might have been only five—or twenty—before the drone
stopped at another ladder, two new drones blocking Nancy’s path. The original
drone that had led the way immediately whisked out of sight, in the direction
where she had come. She could hear footsteps echoing behind her, the others
making their way, the knowledge of that fact providing her with some comfort.
    She wouldn’t be alone for
long.
    She climbed the ladder
without prompting, anything that would free her from the confines of this dank,
dark environment welcome. Though it also signaled the end of any hope of being
traced. She had seen enough movies to know it would be almost impossible for
anyone to track them after they got into what