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Twenty…five yards。 He could see the boat clearly now； twenty feet or so； with a blunt bow； and another just like it perhaps twenty yards beyond。 There was definitely a man in the near boat； standing amidships on its port side； looking straight at the people approaching him。 Jack's right thumb pushed the Uzi's selector switch all the way forward； to full automatic fire； and he tightened his fist on the pistol grip。 He hadn't fired an Uzi since a brief familiarization at Quantico。 It was small but nicely balanced。 The black metal sights were nearly useless in the dark； though； and what he had to do 。 。 。
Twenty yards。 The first burst has to be right on； Jack； right the hell on 。 。 。
Ryan took half a step to his right and dropped to one knee。 He brought the weapon up； placing the front sight low and left of his target before he held the trigger down for a four…round burst。 The gun jerked up and to the right as the bullets left； tracing a diagonal line across the target's outline。 The man dropped instantly from sight； and Ryan was again dazzled； this time by his own muzzle flashes。 Shorty had dived to the ground at the sound。
〃e on！〃 Ryan yanked Cooley up and threw him forward； but Jack stumbled in the sand and recovered to see that the terrorist was indeed running for the boat where there was a gun to turn against them all！ He was yelling something Ryan couldn't understand。
Jack had nearly caught up when Shorty got there first
And died。 The man in the other boat fired a long； wild burst in their direction just as Cooley was leaping aboard。 Ryan saw his head snap over and Shorty fell into the boat like a sack of groceries。 Jack knelt at the gunnel and fired his own burst； and the other man went down。 Hit or not； Ryan couldn't tell。 It was just like the exercises at Quantico； he told himself； total chaos； and the side that makes the fewest mistakes wins。
〃Get aboard！〃 He stayed up； holding his gun on the other boat。 He didn't turn his head； but felt the others board。 Lightning flashed； and Ryan saw the man he'd shot； three red spots on his chest； his eyes and mouth agape in surprise。 Shorty was beside him； the side of his head horribly opened。 Between the two it seemed a gallon of blood had been poured onto the fiberglass deck。 Robby finally arrived and jumped aboard。 A head appeared in the other boat； and Ryan fired again； then clambered aboard。
〃Robby； get us the hell outa here！〃 Jack moved on hands and knees to the other side； making sure that everyone's head was down。
Jackson moved into the driver's seat and searched for the ignition。 It was set up just like a car； and the keys were in。 He turned them； and the engine coughed to life as yet another burst of fire came from the other boat。 Ryan heard the sound of bullets hitting the fiberglass。 Robby cringed but didn't move as his hand found the shift lever。 Jack brought the gun up and fired again。
〃Men on the cliff！〃 the Prince shouted。
O'Donnell gathered his men quickly and gave out new orders。 All the security men were dead； he was sure； but that helicopter had probably landed to the west。 He didn't think the missile had hit； though it was impossible to be sure。
〃Thanks for the help； Sean； they were better than I expected。 You have them in the house？〃
〃I left Dennis and two others。 I think we should leave。〃
〃You got that right！〃 Alex said。 He pointed west。 〃I think we have some more pany。〃
〃Very well。 Sean； you collect them and bring them to the cliff。〃
Miller got his two men and ran back to the house。 Alex and his man tagged along。 The front door was open； and all five raced inside； turned around the fireplace； and stopped cold。
Paulson； his spotter； and another agent were running too。 He led them along the woodline to where the driveway turned； and dropped again； setting his rifle up on the bipod。 There were sirens in the distance now； and he wondered what had taken so goddamned long as he tracked his night…sight in a search for targets。 He caught a glimpse of men running around the northern side of the house。
〃Something feels wrong about this；〃 the sniper said。
〃Yeah；〃 his spotter agreed。 〃They sure as hell didn't plan to leave by the road but what else is there？〃
〃Somebody better find out；〃 Paulson thought aloud； and got on his radio。
Werner struggled forward on the south side of the yard； trying his best to ignore his throbbing back as he led his group forward。 The radio squawked again； and he ordered his other team to advance with extreme caution。
〃Well； where are they； man？〃 Alex asked。
Miller looked around in stunned amazement。 Two of his men were dead on the floor； their guns were gone and so were 。 。 。
〃Where the hell are they！〃 Alex repeated。
〃Search the house！〃 Miller screamed。 He and Alex stayed in the room。 The black man looked at him with an unforgiving stare。
〃Did I go through all this to watch you fuck up again？〃
The three men returned a few seconds later and reported the house empty。 Miller had already determined that his men's guns were gone。 Something had gone wrong。 He took his people outside。
Paulson had a new spot and finally could see his targets again。 He counted twelve； then more joined from the house。 They seemed to be confused as he watched the images on his night…sight gesture at one another。 Some men were talking while others just milled around waiting for orders。 Several appeared to be hurt； but he couldn't tell for sure。
〃They're gone。〃 Alex said it before Miller had a chance。
O'Donnell couldn't believe it。 Sean explained in a rapid； halting voice while Dobbens looked on。
〃Your boy fucked up；〃 Dobbens said。
It was just too much。 Miller slipped his own Uzi behind his back and retrieved the one he'd taken from the Secret Service agent。 He brought it up in one smooth motion and fired into Alex's chest from a distance of three feet。 Louis looked at his fallen boss for a second； then tried to bring his pistol up； but Miller cut him down； too。
〃What the hell！〃 the spotter said。
Paulson flipped the rifle's safety off and centered his sight on the man who had just fired； killing two men but whom had he killed？ He could shoot only to save the lives of friendlies； and the dead men had almost certainly been bad guys。 There weren't any hostages to be saved； as far as he could tell。 Where the hell are they？ One of the men near the cliff's edge appeared to shout something； and the others ran to join him。 The marksman had his choice of targets； but without positive identification； he couldn't dare to fire a shot。
〃e on； baby；〃 Jackson said to the engine。 The motor was still cold and ran unevenly as he shifted to reverse。 The boat moved slowly backward； away from the beach。 Ryan had his Uzi trained on the other boat。 The man there appeared again； and Ryan fired three rounds before the gun stopped。 He cursed and switched magazines before firing a number of short bursts again to keep his head down。
〃Men on the cliff；〃 the Prince repeated。 He'd taken the shotgun and had it aimed； but didn't fire。 He didn't know who it was up there； and the range was too great in any case。 Then flashes appeared。 Whoever it was； they were firing at the boat。 Ryan turned when he heard bullets hitting the water； and two thudded into the boat itself。 Sissy Jackson screamed and grabbed at herself； while the Prince fired three rounds back。
Robby had the boat thirty yards from the beach now； and savagely brought the wheel around as he shifted the selector back into drive。 When he rammed the throttle forward； the engine coughed again for one long； terrible moment； but then it caught and the boat surged forward。
〃All right！〃 the aviator booted。 〃Jack where to？ How about Annapolis？〃
〃Do it！〃 Ryan agreed。 He looked aft。 There were men ing down the ladder。 Some were still shooting at them but missing wildly。 Next he saw that Sissy was holding her foot。
〃Cathy； see if you can find a first…aid kit；〃 His highness said。 He'd already inspected the wound； but was now in the stem； facing aft with the shotgun at the ready。 Jack saw a white plastic box under the driver's seat and slid it to