Burning Angels

On Jaeger’s signal, they moved ahead into the darkness. Shortly, they spotted the lights of the target building glimmering through the trees. They crossed a patch of waste ground until they were directly opposite the rear of the villa. All that separated them from it was a narrow dirt track.

From the cover of the trees they studied the target. It was bathed in a halo of intense illumination from the security lighting. Right now, there was no point trying to use night vision equipment. The harsh light would overload any such kit, rendering their surroundings into a blinding whiteout.

In spite of the night-time chill, it was proving hot and sticky inside the suits and masks. Jaeger could feel drops of sweat trickling down his forehead. He thrust a gloved hand across the eyepiece of his respirator, in an effort to clear it.

Windows were lit up on the villa’s second floor, which was all that was visible above the high perimeter wall. Every now and then Jaeger spotted a silhouette passing back and forth. As expected, Vladimir’s men were keeping careful watch.

He noted a couple of 4x4s parked next to the perimeter wall. They would need immobilising, just in case anyone tried to give chase. He flicked his eyes up to the flat roof of the building. It was the obvious place to post sentries, but there was no movement that he could detect. It looked to be deserted. Yet if there was access on to it, the roof was the one point they would have problems keeping covered.

Jaeger spoke into his throat mic. ‘We’re a go. But be wary of the roof. Plus we immobilise those vehicles.’

There were replies in the affirmative.

Jaeger led them in a dash across the open track. They paused at the vehicles, using grenades rigged to motion-sensitive triggers to booby-trap them. If anyone tried to pull away in either vehicle, the movement alone would detonate the explosives.

Raff veered off alone now, heading for the main power line. He would use a compact sabotage device to send a powerful surge of current through the villa’s electrics, blowing the fuses and light fittings. Vladimir was sure to have an emergency generator, but it would be of little use, for the circuitry would have been fried.

Jaeger glanced at Narov. He placed the palm of his hand on the crown of his head — the signal for ‘on me’. Then he rose to his feet and hurried across to the villa’s front entrance, his pulse pounding in his ears as he went.

If there was a moment when they were most likely to be spotted, it was now, as they prepared to scale the high wall. Jaeger inched his way around the corner and took up position to one side of the front gate. A split second later, Narov was beside him.

‘In position,’ he breathed into his radio mic.

‘Affirmative,’ came Raff’s whispered reply. ‘Going dark.’

A split second later there was a fizzing and a popping from the villa’s interior.

In a shower of sparks the entire complex went suddenly very dark.

7

Jaeger hoisted Narov by her legs, and propelled her upwards. She reached for the top of the wall and hauled herself on to it. Then she leant down and helped him to scramble up. Seconds later they dropped on to the far side.

All was pitch darkness.

It had taken only seconds to scale the wall, but already Jaeger could hear muffled shouts coming from the building.

The front door swung open and a figure stumbled out, flashlight sweeping the darkened compound and glinting off the assault rifle gripped in his hand. Jaeger froze. He watched the figure make his way to a shed set in one corner — very likely the backup generator house.

As the figure disappeared inside, Jaeger dashed forward, Narov bang on his shoulder. He flattened himself to one side of the villa’s doorway, Narov doing the same on the other. Jaeger whipped out a canister from one of his pouches, unhooking a small hand-axe at the same time.

He glanced across at Narov.

She gave a thumbs up.

Eyes cool like ice.

Jaeger grabbed the pin holding the retainer clip. Once he pulled it, the grenade was primed to pump out its gas. They were on the point of no return now.

Gently he eased the pin free, his fingers holding the fly-off lever closed. If he relaxed his grip, the clip would spring free, and the grenade would start gushing.

‘In position,’ he breathed into his radio.

‘In position,’ Raff echoed. Having killed the villa’s power, the big Maori had made his way to the rear, the only other way in or out of the building.

Jaeger steeled himself. ‘Going in.’

He swung the axe through the window. The sound of breaking glass was drowned out by those inside crashing about in the darkness. He dragged the axe out again and heaved the canister in, letting the fly-off lever ping free.

Opposite him, Narov mirrored his movements, hurling her canister through the window that she’d just smashed.

Jaeger mouthed off the seconds. Three. Four. Five…