Cole checks it out. It’s deep and bleeding, and he’ll need a few stitches, but all things considered, Mark’s okay. Cole makes fast work bandaging the wound, then hands Mark a few of the caffeine chocolates to help keep alert.
“John?” Cole asks, worried.
Mark shakes his head.
“Okay. Paul?”
“First floor hall closet was where I saw him last.”
Cole shakes his head bitterly. He doesn’t want to use the radio unless he has to. He’s not sure where John is or whether he’s been captured or killed. Either way, there’s a good chance they’d have found John’s radio by now and would be listening. Bad enough they possibly just gave out their own location.
“We need to move,” Cole says, looking out the window. “Have you seen The American?”
“No, but he’s here. The Hummer and Land Rover are still parked out front. No one has left.”
“Okay, I’ll head downstairs. I’ll signal for you to come when it’s clear.” Cole moves in front of Mark. “You wait, understand?”
Mark’s face is pale and drenched in sweat, but he nods.
“Remember our pact?” Cole grabs his brother’s face so he’ll look at him. “We joined together—”
“We retire together,” Mark huffs out.
“Right. Stay with me, ’cause if anything happens, I’ll tell Melanie you died skiing on the bunny hill.” Cole grins.
“You would too.”
“Right, so stay with me.”
“Yeah, I’m here with you.”
Cole gives him a nod and slips out the door into the darkness, moving down the staircase. A quick glance at his watch shows him they should all be checking in again in ten minutes. Where the fuck is John? His hand runs along the wall until he finds the handle to the closet door. “Check in Fox Two.”
The doorknob turns, and Cole sees Paul sitting on the floor, nursing a blood-soaked leg.Shit! He moves in to get a better look. He hastily unties the soaked bandage and feels how deep the wound is. He curses when he sees how much blood Paul’s lost. His face is growing paler by the minute.
They need to abort the mission. “Stay here. I’m sending Mark for you, then both of you get out.”
Paul starts to argue, but Cole shakes his head. “That’s an order, Agent.”
Cole peeks out the door and clicks his radio, signaling Mark to come down.
“Any sign of John?” Cole asks as he rewraps Paul’s leg.
“No, the last time I saw him was in the dining room,” he replies, huffing through the pain. “We got separated, and I got knifed and ended up here.”
“Okay, set your watch for ten minutes. Start the clock after I leave. If I don’t return with John, get out. That’s a direct order.”
“Yes, Colonel.” Paul nods and wipes the sweat from his forehead.
Cole helps him to his feet and props him up against the wall then slowly opens the door. Seeing Mark coming down the stairs, he moves across the hall and signals all clear, then covers Mark until he’s safely inside the room with Paul. Staying low, weapon raised, he moves carefully through the living room, then the dining room.
Something hits his shoulder. He turns and sees John crouched down between two lion sculptures.Thank fuck.
John points to his radio dangling in pieces around his chest.
Cole checks around and gives him the hand signal to get up and move to his position.
John nods and joins him at his side.