“What are you talking about?”
Before Kula could say more, Gretchen called out, “Juan! Come here quick!”
She was standing in front of the last door, her eyes wide as she stared through its portal.
Both Juan and Murph ran down the hall to Gretchen, whose face had drained of color. Juan looked into the room and his stomach twisted in fury when he saw its occupants.
A matronly woman in her fifties sat with her back against the far wall, a look of hopelessness on her face. Her gray hair was held back by a headband, but wisps of it coiled around her face. Her sweater was ragged and her pants had holes in the knees. She mumbled softly in Albanian as if she were praying.
Curled up next to her, dressed in soiled and torn clothing, were four children no older than ten.
—
Eddie heard the sound first. He’d been watching the castle, but the thrum of engines was coming from behind him.
He turned. “That sounds like a car.”
Linc nodded.
“More than one,” Trono said.
Headlights rose over a hill three miles distant. They were coming fast.
“They’re expecting company after midnight?” Linc said. “I don’t think so.”
“We’ve been made,” Trono said.
Eddie keyed his radio. “Welcome Wagon here. Is the Chairman on his way?”
“Not imminently,” Hali replied.
“Then we have a problem,” Eddie said. “Because in about three minutes, we’re going to have guests. And by the way they’re hightailing it here, I have a feeling that they won’t be happy to see us.”
—
Linda was about to relay the info to Juan when Eric gestured at the big screen.
“We’ve got movement,” he said.
The door on the main building opened and men poured out, fanning across the yard. Linda recognized Simaku’s long gray hair. He waved a pistol at the barracks where Juan and his team were. Men with assault rifles took up positions around the door.
“Chairman, do you read me?”
“I’m here.”
“Don’t go out the front door. Simaku’s got nine men aiming AK-47s at it. Is there another way out?”
“Not at the moment,” Juan said. “But we have another issue. It looks like we’re going to have too many to fit in the car, so we can’t make it to the RHIB.”
Linda was perplexed. “Who else do you have?”
“Long story . . . Is Max there?”
“He just returned with Nomad. He’s on his way up from the moon pool.”
“Good. Tell him we need our backup escape route. And cut the castle lights. You’re going to be our eyes.”
“Aye, Chairman.” She turned to Hali. “Tell Eddie to kill the power. Gomez, switch to night vision.”