Peter squeezed Bernadette’s hand and disappeared over the edge. She heard a few sounds from his descent and then quiet. Peter stayed in the shadows from the flickering dying light from the still burning building and a few RVs. He carried his rifle openly. Everyone still conscious would be wary of anyone moving. They probably believe a force of at least ten people attacked them. They had been professional enough to send out patrols, probably of the most fit. No way to know how many are still patrolling.

He saw one RV parked near the undamaged tent area. Checking it, he found it had the keys in it. He took the keys, checked the tires and moved toward the ambush site. He keyed his radio. When Bernadette responded, he said, “I’ve found a vehicle at the tent area that looks okay. I’m not going to try and start it until I get back from the ambush site.”

“Good! We need to get Terry better care than I can give him.”

Peter crossed the small valley just outside the light cast from the smoldering building. He wanted to retrace the route they used to get to the vehicle track entering the valley after setting the fire. He moved slowly, conserving energy and being careful to pause and listen every 40 or 50 feet. It had been more than 36 hours since he had any sleep. Munching on candy bars and staying hydrated with water kept him moving.

Creeping through the mountain laurel and scrub pine, Peter heard voices and froze his position. The next time he heard the voices he was able to get a direction and began to move slowly toward the voices. He was now close enough to distinguish three voices, all male. Carefully, he crept closer.

Now he could make out words.

“Never mind looking around. I say let’s get out of here now.”

A more modulated voice said, “There may be wounded here and back in the valley. We need to find them. If we can’t help them, we kill them. If any of them are captured, it will be the end of us. Our Soviet friend has already left. Horace is out patrolling somewhere. Did you ever see such a big man move so quietly?”

The third voice said, “No and I hope I never see him again. I think if he comes back he’ll kill all of us. He’s very close to that big-shot Soviet. We’ve all seen the Soviet guy and know the target.

“Funny, he had just briefed us a few hours before the whole place went to hell. Must have been 20 or 30 people in the assault group. Maybe they left because they think we’re all dead.”

“Bullshit! Those people were professionals. They left because they were done. They weren’t the cops. No attempt to arrest anyone. Just destroy the bomb factory and pour heavy automatic weapons fire on us as we tried to get out of this rotten valley. They won’t be back but the State Police will get here and lock us all up. That’s why I say let’s go now.”

The first voice said, “If we leave now, where will we meet?”

“Meet? Are you crazy?” The third voice said. “I never want to see any of you again. Period.”

“We have to meet again. We’ve got all the casing of the target done. All we have to do is build another bomb and we’re back on track.”

The modulated voice said, “I’m certain we are the only ones alive. No more patrols are out. The Soviet big shot is gone, and Horace is still out there roaming around. If we’re still here when he comes back and we tell him we’re through, what do you think he will do? I’ll tell you. He won’t hesitate one damn second. He’ll kill all of us. We know all about driving the RV bomb close to the Old Executive Building in Washington and that the KGB and IRA are working together. No one who knows what we know can walk away. It’s run and hide now or go on with the plan. Me, I vote for making tracks right now. Who’s coming with me?”