Peter stopped his musing and focused. The forest was quiet. The chirping crickets had stopped their endless chorus. His night vision gear was marginal with the dying batteries and he slipped out of the cumbersome gear. He needed all his senses at full alert. Minutes passed, and he heard a faint footfall, followed by more. He could now hear the faint sound of fabric brushing through the scrub pine trees. The sounds were coming from his right. Focusing on the faint game trail, Peter could make out the slowly moving form of a man, stepping and pausing. He let the first man pass. When the second man passed and he was sure there were only two, he shot the second man in the back of the head. He went face down on the trail.

As he swung his rifle to take the other searcher, he saw the man had spun and launched himself toward his hide. Before he could get a shot off, the man landed on his rifle, knocking the weapon out of his hands. Without a pause the man grabbed handfuls of Peter’s ghillie suit and pulled him face down in the tangle of the clump of mountain laurel.

Peter sensed his attacker was a professional and would soon have a knife in him. He feinted a roll to his right and when he felt his opponent resist, he rolled with all his speed and strength downslope to his left. The quick movement put the attacker under him. He knew by the power and size of the man that it was Yuri’s huge partner. The man’s arms closed around Peter’s chest and began to tighten. The pressure was incredible. Peter slammed his palms against the attacker’s ears. The man winced but kept tightening his hold.

Peter repeatedly struck the giant’s temples with vicious middle finger knuckle strikes. He felt the crushing grip loosen and then tighten more as the giant thrust his head under Peter’s chin, forcing his head back and arching his back. Peter felt his focus slipping and a darkness enveloping him. He tried to fight more but nothing would respond.

Suddenly, the terrible pressure lessened, and he heard the giant thrashing and sputtering. The weight on his chest was gone and a warmness spread over his neck and chest. As his full consciousness returned, he realized he was being gently cradled in Bernadette’s arms, who was wiping blood from his face.

She said, “Don’t try to talk yet. Have a drink of water. The fucking giant is dead. I rolled him over the edge.”

Peter sat up, taking another long drink from his canteen. He said, “That was too close. I’ve never been overpowered like that. What did you do?”

“I heard your shot and moved fast toward the sound. I nearly fell over the one you killed. You and your friend were making a lot of noise. He was so intent on breaking your back, he never heard me. I used my knives to cut both of his carotid arteries at the same time and pulled him off you. He had a knife in his belt, but I guess he wanted to kill you with his bare hands. If he had used his knife, you would be dead.”

“How is Terry?”

“Better than I expected. He’s very weak and lost a lot of blood. If he doesn’t get an infection he should live if we can get him proper care in the next 24 hours. I’m out of antibiotics. I’ve been saving a little morphine to use when we move him.”

“How big is the other man?”

“I only stumbled over him. I didn’t measure him. Why?”

“If I can wear his clothes, carry his weapon, and know his name, I can make a quick trip into the valley before the sun comes up and they find the giant’s body at the bottom of the cliff.”

“I still say why.”

“I want to find Yuri and kill him, and I want to see if any of the vehicles down there can be made to run. Getting Terry proper care means getting one of those RVs running or trekking back to our truck and bringing it into the valley. The only other way is to hope the authorities of some kind get here tomorrow, and we turn Terry over to them. I really don’t like that plan. Getting him back may be very hard with all the bodies lying around.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Like always, keep saving me. Stay up here with your radio. Protect Terry, but don’t give your life away. Terry is a warrior, he would understand. I’m going to repel to the valley from here and probably come back to this place. If I find a vehicle that can run, I’ll alert you to get Terry ready. We’ll lower him down right here, put him in whatever I got running, and get out of here. The Russian is probably gone by now. I may have to shoot any terrorists down there who can put up any resistance. Try to follow me using Terry’s rifle. The night vision gear is finished. Commercial stuff just isn’t up to military specs. I love you and you need to be very careful. Do not expose yourself. Move like you know someone is trying to find you. Give me three of your magazines.”