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shoulder, protecting Kurtz, who carried the girl in his arms. Once they reached the battered old Mercedes, he checked the door. Unlocked. Kurtz laid the girl on the backseat and hopped in next to her. In the front Aleks used a knife to lever off the dash. He was about to rip out the wiring when he thought better of it. He flipped down the sun visor and the keys dropped onto his lap. He turned to see if Kurtz was watching but he was busy with the girl.
    The diesel sedan started up with a clatter and Aleks drove it down the gravel driveway toward the front gates. Using his goggles to guide him in the darkness, he gunned the engine and hit the front gates at speed. They sprang open as the bumper smashed into them, and he spun the wheel sideways, sending the car sliding onto the asphalt road.
    Within minutes they were back to where they had hidden their Audi. Quickly, Kurtz transferred the wounded girl from the Mercedes. Aleks rigged an IV bag to the back of the passenger seat and pulled a sleeping bag from the trunk. Kurtz had already laid out the medical kit and quickly rebandaged her wounds. They hooked her up to the IV drip, made her as comfortable as they could in the backseat, and started off on the road toward Budapest.
    They drove in silence, the rescue of the girl doing nothing to dampen the sense of failure that both men felt. Aurelia was dead and no amount of criminal blood would change that.
    Kurtz had been driving for half an hour when his phone rang through on the hands-free. It was PRIMAL headquarters.
    “Kurtz, it’s Vance. How’re you guys tracking?”
    Kurtz gave Aleks a sidelong look. “We had a slight holdup but we are on the move now.” His voice was flat, emotionless.
    “Holdup?”
    “ Ja, a problem with the car. We ran over some nails. This scheisse Audi doesn’t even have a spare.”
    There was a pause. “But everything’s OK now?”
    “ Ja , ja , Aleks fixed it. We’re almost in Budapest. We’ll go straight to the safe house.”
    “All right. I just wanted to give you a heads-up on movements from this end. Chua’s Blade has come through. He’s hooked Bishop and Saneh into the network. They’re airborne as we speak and heading for the Ukraine. They’ll hang there till they get the invite and then run a covert op in Hungary to find out who’s in charge of these sex-trafficking scumbags.”
    “What about us?”
    “You guys are backup for Saneh and Bishop. Once they confirm the target we’ll push you forward. I’ll give you a full brief when you hit the safe house.”
    “Understood.”
    “Safe driving, and try to stay away from the ‘nails’ this time.” Vance terminated the call.
    “I think he knows.” Aleks looked concerned.
    “Without a doubt.”
    “You think we’re going to be in trouble?”
    “ Nein , but we would be if one of us got killed. Vance isn’t stupid. He knows we joined PRIMAL to help people, and if he has a problem with it, then he’s not the man I thought he was.”
    Aleks nodded and they drove in silence for a minute before he spoke again. “I am sorry you lost her.”
    Kurtz stared at the road, then glanced at the girl on the backseat. She was asleep. “I just hope this hasn’t ruined any chance to rescue the others.”

CHAPTER 8

    UKRAINIAN AIRSPACE, EASTERN EUROPE
    “Lady and gentleman, we’re about thirty minutes from wheels down.” The pilot’s British accent filled the aircraft’s luxurious cabin.
    Bishop keyed the intercom built into his armrest. “No worries, Mitch. We’re going to check in with the Bunker. Let us know when we’re five out.”
    “Wilco, mate.”
    Bishop and his companion were the only passengers on the business jet. The pair of covert operatives made quite the couple. Bishop was medium height with an athletic build. The former Australian Army officer looked like the type of rugged, mischievous, good-looking man that women often fell for but seldom dated.
    Saneh, a former Iranian intelligence officer, was as deadly as