The Charm School

noticed that most of it now seemed to be directed toward the cabin. He could hear the thud of impacting rounds on the far side of the logs, and an occasional green tracer sailed through the shattered windows, hit the opposite wall, and glowed briefly before it burned out. Overhead, tracers ripped through the sheet metal roofing, and the rafters began to splinter. Brennan said to Alevy, “Maybe you want to hold off on that until you see the whites of their eyes.”
    Alevy reloaded another magazine. “Okay, Bill, you take Burov and get to the chopper.”
    Hollis said, “No, Dodson goes first. I’ll take Burov.”
    Alevy nodded to Brennan.
    Brennan gave his sniper rifle to Alevy. “You can track them through the night scope, and the muzzle makes no noise or flash. Use this until they get closer. Then use the AK’s and the stuff in the bag.” Brennan added, “Better yet, let’s all get the hell out of here.”
    Alevy raised the sniper rifle above the windowsill, aimed at a muzzle flash, and fired off a round. He said, “I have to wait a bit longer for Bert. See you later.”
    Brennan was kneeling beside Dodson now. “He’s got an okay pulse, but he’s really out.” He put Dodson over his shoulder and moved toward the door, which was not in the direct line of fire from the woods. “Okay, see you on board,” Brennan said with no conviction. He charged out the door, and Hollis watched him as he moved rapidly away from the cabin toward the clearing and disappeared in the darkness.
    Hollis dropped down on one knee beside Burov and checked his pulse and breathing. “He’s okay. Worth taking.”
    Burov stirred and tried to raise his head, but Hollis pushed him back. Burov mumbled through his swollen lips and broken teeth. He spit up blood and gum tissue, then said in Russian, “You…” He opened his eyes. “You… Hollis… I’ll kill you… I’ll fuck your woman.”
    Hollis said in Russian, “You’ll live, but you won’t feel much like fucking.”
    “
Yeb vas.
”
    Alevy moved beside Burov and said to him, “Do you know where you’re going, Colonel? To America. Lucky you.”
    “No… no…” Burov raised his tied hands and swung weakly at Alevy.
    Alevy removed a spring-loaded Syrette from his pocket and jabbed it into Burov’s neck, releasing a dose of sodium pentothal. He said to Burov, “You can send postcards to Natalia.”
    “You bastard.”
    “Look who’s talking.”
    Burov seemed to notice the sound of gunfire. “See… they are coming for you.”
    Alevy said to Hollis, “Well, Sam, it’s your turn. Take your prize home.”
    Hollis replied, “Why don’t you come along? Mills is dead.”
    “Doesn’t matter.”
    “Come on home, Seth. You deserve it. Lunch at the White House.”
    “I’ll give the orders, General Hollis. Get moving.”
    Hollis and Alevy looked at each other a moment, then Alevy said, “The sleeping gas will pop in a few minutes. I’ll be all right. You’d better go.”
    They heard the sound of running footsteps outside, and they both grabbed rifles as a voice called out, “I’m coming in!”
    Mills dove headfirst through the open door and rolled into Burov, who gave a grunt. Mills sat up on the floor and caught his breath. “They’re close. Less than a hundred meters.” He looked at his watch. “Jesus… time to go.”
    Hollis noticed blood on Mills’ hand and on his neck. He smelled of burnt gasoline, and his clothes were singed. “You hit?”
    “I’m all right. I got away from the car before it blew. Well, are we waiting for anything?”
    “Just you,” Alevy replied. “You take Burov. We’ll cover you with smoke.”
    “Right.”
    Hollis lifted the unconscious Burov onto Mills’s shoulders as Alevy tore open the black leather bag and removed a smoke canister. He stood to the side of the door and peered around the jamb. “They’re damned close.” He pulled the pin on the canister and flung it out the door. The black smoke billowed and began drifting southward with the wind toward the advancing Border Guards. Alevy took a CS gas canister from the bag and flung that out also. The CS riot gas hissed into the air and wafted along with the smokescreen. He said, “Okay, Bert, see you in a minute or so.”
    Mills stood in a crouch near the door with Burov on his back and watched the ground-blinding smoke roll away from the cabin into the tree line. The sound of a man gagging could be heard above the sporadic weapons’ fire. Mills said, “Good