Page 36 of The Lazarus Protocol

“Yup.”

They raced away to the south, turning a corner every few rows and heading south again on a new path parallel to the first. Zigzagging their way to the far edge of the “town” such as it was. This was where the drone had landed—but where was it?

They couldn’t check every building.

Nor could they go up against every bad guy in the vicinity.

Ash ran to a quiet pocket that seemed like someone’s back patio. The house looked dark and empty, but who knew if there was anyone hiding back here. He leaned against the wall, breathing hard, while Kai kicked a patio chair that wasn’t more than a frame and a few strips of plastic that remained.

“Keep watch.” Ash dug out the phone-sized device and refreshed it, hoping for a connection this time. “You think Earthnet can track us with this thing?”

Kai shrugged. “Long as these guys can’t, who cares?”

But the whole server farm job had been about the program learning from them. What if this was just another task given purely so it could see what they’d do? Playing with their lives like this was a game.

The phone chimed.

Connection established.

Ash’s brows rose. “I’ve got it.” He turned around, watching the screen rotate. Positioning him on a map and pointing the way to the drone. “It’s close.”

THIRTEEN

“Half the village is on fire.” Adam scanned the valley below with a pair of binoculars. “People scattering south. More on the main drag being hauled out of their houses.”

Beside him, Jay hissed out a breath. “Let me go down there. I can slip through a crowd easier than all of us as a group. I’ll find them.”

“I know you would, but we have another convoy coming in. We need a plan if we’re going to go up against this many guys.”

Jay watched the village, shifting like he was about to get up and go no matter that Adam had told him to wait. Jay’s skill set might lean heavily toward going in ahead of everyone else and reporting back on the situation. But that would’ve been helpful a day ago—before they got the assignment.

“They have to think it’s some kind of weapon they can use.”

“Maybe it is.” Adam sniffed. “Either way we have to get it, and Ash and Kai, out of this mess.”

A small engine buzzed to life, the sound like a thousand bees in a swarm.

“Ready.” Dan, on his other side, thumbed a joystick, and the drone lifted off the ground. He guided it toward the village, keeping it high. “You want me to connect with them first, or distract the bad guys by making them think there’s another drone in the air?”

“I want comms.”

“Copy that.” Dan’s resolve hardened.

Jay looked back toward where they left the truck. “You think Ice will play nice with the CIA asset?”

“I think they’re both injured, and neither needs to be traipsing around in this. But I’m not going to tell either of them they could be a liability here.” Adam paused. “She’ll make her call. They’ll both get some rest. And we’ll have a ride out of here if we need one.”

“Maybe he’ll let her drive,” Jay said. “That’d be better than Ice at the wheel.”

“Whoa.” Dan swerved, piloting the drone like he was riding on the thing and not holding the controller a mile away. “They’re taking potshots at my tech!”

Adam couldn’t see the drone in his binoculars. “Got any defensive capabilities on that thing?”

Dan shook his head. “You wanted comms. If you wanted crowd control, that’s a different drone. Both together would be far too heavy, and much easier to shoot down.”

“If you invent a lightweight one and sell the patent, you could make a mint.” Jay cleared his throat. “And we can all retire from eating sand for a living.”

Adam grinned. “You think we’d quit this? We’re living the good life.”