Page 39 of The Lazarus Protocol

Kai said, “You didn’t order us an SUV?”

“We can stop by the car and split up.” Ash limped a couple of steps and pointed to the northwest. “It’s over that ridge. I think.”

The pickup sped toward them, turning in an arc. Ice leaned forward so they could see him through the open window. “One of you call for a⁠—”

“We know.” Dan hauled a crate into the back of the truck. “Just drive. And try not to kill us.”

Adam helped Ash into the back and wound up sitting wedged next to Jay’s boots. He hammered the palm of his hand on the window. “Let’s go.”

Ice hit the gas, and the pickup fishtailed for a second before he got control.

Adam caught the CIA asset looking at him through the window. He couldn’t make out her features in the shadowed cab of the truck but felt the heat of her attention on him. Presumably she’d used Ice’s phone to call her handler, or whoever she checked in with at the Agency. Had she learned they were the Division Zero team?

“We’re all gonna ignore the grinding sound of there being too much weight in the back of this truck, right?” Kai looked around, but no one responded. “Anyone?”

Adam lifted his chin. “You wanna walk?”

Instead of waiting for an answer, he checked the road behind them, and the sky for good measure, and didn’t see a tail. He shut his eyes and ignored the rest of them, and the sight of Dan putting a bandage around Ash’s leg.

Adam awoke on the other side of the border when Ice pulled over and he and Kai hotwired a car they found parked behind an abandoned building. Jay went with them, leaving Dan and Ash in the back of the pickup.

Adam switched to the driver’s seat, the asset beside him. “You good?”

“Sure. Peachy.” She glanced at the back window. “How’s your friend?”

“’Bout as good as you.” Adam headed for the airport, rolling the tension from his shoulders. Appreciating the normalcy of being behind the wheel—even if the danger wouldn’t be over until they were wheels-up and he could report in to Earthnet that they had retrieved the package. “You call your people? Check in that you’re good?”

“Yep.”

Adam waited for more, but she didn’t give him anything. “Great.”

Neither of them said more until he pulled into the private entrance of the airport and he keyed in the code for the gate. The car rolled through behind them, and Adam led the way to the hangar where Henry should’ve already instructed the pilot to be ready to go.

He hit the brakes and when it stopped put the truck in Park.

The cold barrel of a pistol touched the side of his head. “Don’t move.”

Adam splayed his fingers but didn’t lift his palms from the wheel. “Care to explain?”

“You’re going to give me the package you just took from that village, or I’ll kill you.”

Ash yelled, “Guys!” from the back, and all of them closed in, rushing over to see what was going on.

Adam didn’t move. “You think we’re just gonna let you walk away?”

“Unless you want your brains all over the driver’s door.”

The small panel window slid back.

“We aren’t giving you the package. We’re Division Zero.” He couldn’t believe she didn’t know that. “That means we’re on the same side.”

“You have your orders and I have mine.” She slid toward him and grabbed his arm with her free hand. “Open the door slowly and slide out.”

FOURTEEN

Somewhere in Syria

The woman gripped the steering wheel with both hands and hit the gas, spraying gravel as she turned into the compound and pulled up between two other vehicles. Heart still pounding. But it was only a physical reaction to the reality of having many foes.