Free V Plague (Book 11): Merciless by Dirk Patton Page A

the mountains they were climbing when he stopped.  The mile marker specified by the SEAL was right in front of them, and just past it was a narrow, snow covered track that led into the forest.  Shifting the UTV into four-wheel drive, Igor turned onto it and within thirty yards pulled to a stop in a small clearing.
    The area was completely screened from the freeway by dense forest, and after briefly looking around, Igor shut off the engine.  Silence descended.  Near perfect silence.  Other than the sound of the wind in the trees, there was nothing to be heard.  No morning bird song.  No squirrels chattering in the trees.  No small rodents moving through the undergrowth.  Nothing.
    Looking around carefully, Igor finally got out of the vehicle and called for Dog.  They were early, and he was hungry.  Gathering two armfuls of wood from piles of fallen branches, he built a small fire in the center of the clearing.  Once it was crackling away, he put two of the venison steaks at its edge to thaw.  When they were no longer frozen, he would put a spit through his and suspend it over the flames to cook.  Dog would get his raw, but would have to wait.
    In an hour they had finished their meal, Igor taking note when Dog lifted his head and looked to the west.  A few minutes later he heard the sound of approaching vehicles.  A faint rumble of engines and the hiss of tires, clear in the cold, mountain air.  Igor had let the fire burn down and now smothered it with dirt he’d scraped up from beneath the snow. 
    The sound steadily approached, and Igor and Dog moved down the track to the Interstate.  Staying hidden in the forest, they watched as three large American SUVs came to a stop near the mile marker post.  Dog was alert and Igor had his rifle up when one of the doors popped open.  He relaxed when Lieutenant Sam stepped out and looked at the fresh tire tracks in the snow.
    Dog growled softly, which surprised Igor as he should have remembered the SEAL.  Lowering his rifle, Igor stepped into view. 
    “Ready?”  Sam asked.
    “Gear,” Igor said, nodding towards the forest.
    He trotted down the trail, Dog following, and quickly gathered all of his belongings.  When he returned to the side of the freeway, Sam was waiting with the rear hatch of one of the vehicles open.
    Igor stepped behind and tossed his pack and bundle of steaks inside, surprised to see Dog remaining near the edge of the forest when he turned.  He called to him, but Dog wouldn’t approach the idling vehicle.  Moving to the passenger door, Igor opened it and whistled for Dog, gesturing for him to get in.  As he waved, he turned his head and saw the woman sitting in the rear seat.
    “Ty che, blyad?”  He blurted in Russian, meaning “what the fuck?”
    As he spoke, he leapt backwards and brought his rifle up, aiming at Nicole.
    “No!”  Sam shouted, leaping forward and placing himself between Nicole and the muzzle of Igor’s rifle.  “She’s OK!”
    He held his hands out towards Igor as he spoke.  Several other doors had popped open and four SEALs were now standing outside the vehicles, rifles pointed at Igor’s head.
    “Lower your weapon,” Sam said, gesturing towards the ground.
    “What fuck?  She infected!”  Igor said, not wavering.
    “No, she’s not,” Sam said, waving for his men to lower their weapons.
    After a long pause, they obeyed.  Igor cut his eyes around, then leaned to the side to see around Sam.  The fear on Nicole’s face convinced him more than anything the SEAL could have said.  Slowly, he lowered his rifle and moved to stand next to Dog.
    “We ride in other car,” he said, placing his hand on the back of Dog’s neck.
     

10
     
    I stumbled several times, but somehow managed to keep my feet underneath me.  The wind howled in my ears and I could no longer hear the helicopter.  I wasn’t about to assume that it had moved on.  That damn strobe needed to be shut off before they found me.
    As I