47 Echo by Shawn Kupfer Page B

write-off.”
    “We copy. Set it to demo, and we’ll detonate from the air. Status?”
    “Mission successful. One casualty. Some extra Chinese tech stolen for good measure,” Nick said. He couldn’t help smirking.
    “Roger. We’ll be touching down in one-four minutes.”
    “Copy that. We’ll see you in one-four.”
    Nick switched off the comm system, then joined his men outside. “All right, folks. We’re to set the Cougar to blow. Grab everything and strap it on your backs—we get to ride in the helicopter this time.”
    “Thank Christ,” Christopher said, loading his pack with cartons of Russian cigarettes.
    “What’d you trade for those?” Michael asked.
    “Just charm, pal. Just charm. Here, have a carton.” Christopher grinned, handing one of the long boxes to Michael. Michael smiled and wedged the carton into his overstuffed pack, moving aside some salvaged Chinese hard drives to make everything fit.
    Nick slung his new Chinese assault rifle over one shoulder then his M4 over the other. He hoped they’d let him keep the Chinese rifle—he’d tested out the computer-augmented sights and had managed to knock a bottle of water off the top of the Cougar from a half-mile away. The rifle had immediately stopped firing after, but still, Nick wanted to take a look at its tech.
    As he saw the Chinook approaching in the distance, Nick’s helmet radio clicked on.
    “Nick, my American friend,” Andrevich said.
    “Hey, Andrevich. We’re just about ready to get out of here.”
    “Excellent. I need you to deliver a message to Major Harrison for me. Can you do that?”
    “Sure. I owe you one.”
    “You owe me nothing, but the message is this: tell him that Post K-13R is seeing red. Can you say that back to me?”
    “Post K-13R is seeing red.”
    “Outstanding. I hope to see you again someday.”
    “You too, Andrevich. And thanks much for the help back there.”
    “Any time, my friend. Any time.”
    Nick couldn’t help but think that Andrevich, who had sounded cheerful every time he’d spoken to him, sounded just a little sad as he signed off from the radio. The Chinook landed a few minutes later, and Nick ushered his team into the chopper. Christopher was the last one to load up, and Nick walked with him.
    “So what did you think of our Russian friends?” Nick asked as the two of them walked up the Chinook’s ramp.
    “Good bunch of guys. They’ve been out here doing hit-and-runs on the Chinks for months now. Hope we get a chance to work with ‘em again, really.”
    Nick nodded—he agreed completely, but he couldn’t help but wonder what Andrevich’s cryptic message was supposed to mean.
    Nick caught a couple of hours of sleep on the flight back to camp. He woke up once convinced the helicopter had come under enemy fire, but when he opened his eyes all he saw was the bored, half-asleep faces of his team.
    “How you holding up, boss?” Christopher asked from his position next to Nick.
    “Doing all right, I think.”
    “I’m sure glad we had you at the wheel for this one. Last time I came across one of those CDMs, I had to hide out under ten bodies ‘til extraction.”
    “I think we can attribute that more to the Russians than to me.”
    “Nah. I saw your brain chugging away back there. You would have figured something out if they hadn’t come along.”
    “Tell that to Reggie.”
    “Reggie shoulda moved his ass. But you had a plan, didn’t you?”
    Nick shrugged. “I might have.”
    Christopher winked almost imperceptibly. “Yeah, you did. It’s a shame you’re not going to be running all of our missions—I feel better with you in charge than Neal any day.”
    Nick just shrugged again, closed his eyes, and went back to sleep.
    ***
    As soon as the chopper touched down outside of Justice, Neal was waiting next to the same Humvee that had carried them to Command and Control the day before. He waved Nick over as the rest of 47 Echo unloaded the chopper. Nick took the pack with the