the alley.
Just as their own SUV was about to pull onto the street, the side mirror on the passenger side exploded into fragments and blew away.
Lourds held on to the safety strap as they careened through the maze of wrecked and stalled cars. Some of the drivers had gotten out of their vehicles, presumably to see if they could help. When they recognized the sound of gunfire and saw the black SUVs nimbly darting through the traffic jam, they headed back for the relative safety of their vehicles.
Anxious, Lourds looked out the back windshield and saw Fitrat doing the same thing.
“Do you think that’s it?”
Fitrat shook his head. “If it is, then we are up against a less determined force than I’d thought. If I had done this, I would have a backup plan in play, a pursuit team standing by to track anyone who got away.” He paused. “Of course, if I had done this thing, no one would have gotten out of that alley. But bad things happen even to the best of plans. I think, perhaps, we just got incredibly lucky.”
Lourds nodded in agreement.
“One thing I would like to know, Professor. I would very much like to know who is chasing you.”
Lourds shook his head. “I wish I knew. It might give me some insight on these scrolls.”
“Whoever it is wants those scrolls very badly.”
***
When he saw Lourds get back into the waiting SUV with the backpack in his hand, Linko calmed himself. There were five identical black SUVs in the alley. He had already tried shooting the tires, but they were equipped with run-flats, tires designed with support rings attached to the wheels that allowed them to keep driving even after the loss of air pressure.
If he could not stop the SUVs here, he needed a way to mark the vehicle Lourds was in. He put the rifle scope on the passenger side mirror, led it slightly because the SUV was already in motion, then squeezed the trigger until he saw the mirror blow to pieces.
Satisfied, Linko pushed up and ran to the fire escape at the rear of the building. He went down quickly, mentally reviewing the various ways out of Kandahar. If fortune favored him, he could catch the convoy before they escaped the neighborhood streets or could call for backup.
“Achmed.” Linko spoke over the headset receiver that connected him by cell phone to the chase team.
“Yes.”
“You see the SUVs?”
“Yes.”
Linko reached the ground and raced to the car he had parked across the street in the alley there. “Find the one with the missing passenger side mirror. That is the one that we want.”
“All right.”
“Which way are they headed?”
“South. They had to escape the traffic jam.”
“They will probably turn back toward the highway to Kabul. Stay with them.”
“I will.”
Linko flung himself into his vehicle and started the engine. As he roared out into the street, he ran over two young men passing by on bicycles, leaving them bleeding and broken on the pavement behind him.
39
Kandahar
Kandahar Province
Afghanistan
February 19, 2013
Lourds sat quiet and tense in his seat as the SUV sped through the crowded streets. The driver applied his horn liberally, causing slower traffic to pull over. Occasionally, when there was room enough and no one was in the oncoming lane, he wound through traffic, following the lead of the other two vehicles.
Calmly, as if carved from stone, Captain Fitrat sat in the other seat. He watched the traffic intensely. “Keep your eyes on the side streets as well. Look at the intersections. See if you notice any speeding cars matching our direction. We are moving very fast. They will have to reveal themselves if they are there. They cannot hide.”
“I suppose you do this kind of thing all the time.”
Fitrat ran his hands over his rifle without looking. He had already changed the partially spent magazine for a fresh one. “Many times.”
“No wonder you enjoy cooking.”
“Cooking is relaxing. This...not so much.” He turned briefly and looked at Lourds. “But it is exciting.”
“I’m not sure that’s the word I would use, Captain.”
Fitrat grinned. “I think it is, Professor. After all, you could end this at any time. Simply leave the scrolls and walk away, and your part in this would be over.”
“I couldn’t do that.”
“Exactly, Professor.”
“Whoever did this killed my friend. I can’t just walk away.” Lourds looked at Fitrat and nodded at the assault rifle in his lap. “You have your tools. I have mine. When I decipher this final scroll, everything these people have