The Darkest Corner (Gravediggers #1)(81)

According to their intel, Yevorovich was fond of his vodka and nightly games of durak, a Russian card game. He was a man of comfort, and the last place he'd want to be was out in the cold, making sure the cargo was secure. In fact, from what they'd found out, he hadn't wanted to be on the tanker at all, but he'd been low man on the totem pole in their quartet and hadn't had a choice.

Deacon signaled to Axel, and they headed toward the communications room. Elias and Colin were tasked with heading belowdecks and planting their devices. They had seven minutes before the Zodiac would pick them up beneath where the life rafts hung from the side of the tanker.

Deacon smelled cigar smoke as he made his way up the stairs to the control room, and when he reached the top he heard voices. Axel squeezed his shoulder from right behind him, letting him know without words that he heard them as well.

Deacon crouched low and peered around the corner. What he knew about the game of durak was limited, but he did know there was a maximum of five players. He heard a second voice answer the first and then looked at his watch. Seconds mattered.

He signaled to Axel and they moved together-silent-and flanked the door. In theory they needed to ask Yevorovich some questions, but if there wasn't time it was understood that they'd kill him and hope for better luck with one of his remaining partners.

Deacon kicked the door in and opened fire, sweeping to the right as the four men sitting at the table scattered in all directions. He took down two in quick succession, and Axel made short work of the other two. Yevorovich hadn't moved from the table. He stared at Deacon out of cold blue eyes and clamped his teeth around his cigar.

"The Day of Destiny," Deacon said in Russian. "What are the targets?"

Yevorovich smiled and blew out a thick puff of smoke. But he stayed silent.

"Last chance," Deacon warned.

"I am prepared to die for my country. Are you prepared to die for yours?" Yevorovich asked.

Time's up. Deacon pulled the trigger and watched the man slump over. "I'm already dead."

They left the room and headed back down the stairs, moving swiftly toward the life rafts. Deacon caught sight of movement out of the corner of his eye, recognizing the way Elias moved. A SEAL's movements were distinct. Their training was so ingrained it was like breathing.

Deacon looked out and saw the Zodiac idle to a stop just as they reached the edge of the tanker.

"Where's Colin?" Deacon asked.

"We split off down below," Elias panted. "I took out two and started the charge for the explosives."

Deacon scanned the surface of the tanker, looking for any sign of Colin, but there was nothing but an eerily still calmness. Even the winds had stopped blowing. Dante tossed the rope from below and the weighted end made a slight clank as it hit the deck. Axel tied it off quickly and then hooked his foot around the rope and jumped over the edge, sliding down quickly into the waiting Zodiac.

Elias stared at Deacon and said, "We don't have time to look for him."

This was the job. To make the tough calls with logic when his emotions wanted something else. And logic said there was no purpose in risking the lives of several men for the life of one.

"I know," he said. "Go."

Elias nodded and hooked his foot around the rope before going over the edge and down to the Zodiac. Deacon ran his hands through his hair, his sense of panic mounting. He knew Tess was waiting for him in the submarine. She was probably terrified, watching from a distance, hoping he came back safe. Unless her feelings for him weren't what he thought they were. Hoped they were.



       
         
       
        

He had to make a decision. One of his brothers was missing, the other two were safe, and he was team leader.

"Shit," he said. "If I'm not back in two minutes get the hell out of here," he called down to Dante.

He got the affirmative and then he ran like hell back the way he had come. He didn't have to go far. Colin was heading toward him, his leg dragging behind him. There was a knife in his thigh, and Deacon was glad to see he'd left it in there in case his femoral artery had been severed. Smart man. Colin put his arm around Deacon's shoulder, and then Deacon took as much of his weight as he could and hauled ass back to the Zodiac.

The seconds were ticking down in his mind, and he knew they'd be cutting it close for their arrival back to the submarine. The sub was a safe distance away, and they didn't want to still be in the Zodiac when the blast went off. XTNC-50 could cover a fairly large radius under the right conditions. In an explosion that size, there was no way the Zodiac could outrun the chemical weapon if they were outside the protection of the submarine.