Page 61 of Silent Target

Evie watches through the binoculars. “The case is still aboard.”

“I know.”

“You can’t let it leave.”

“It isn’t leaving.”

The helicopter is no longer heading out of the valley. It turns back toward the compound and begins descending.

I keyed my radio the moment I saw the aircraft change direction.

“Fathom, can you identify that case?”

“Working on it.”

“Fast.”

“Helpful.”

The helicopter lands inside the eastern perimeter.

Four operators rush forward and remove the case. Instead of carrying it toward a vehicle, they take it into the bunker.

Evie lowers the binoculars.

“They brought it back.”

“The pilot lost his air support.”

“Because you broke the gun.”

“Yes.”

“That pilot had an entire mountain to fly around.”

“He doesn’t know how many shooters are on it.”

Evie looks at me.

“There’s only one.”

“He doesn’t know that.”

Her mouth curves.

Then her expression hardens as she looks back at the compound. “What if the case contains the Black Banner archive?”

“It doesn’t.”

“How can you know?”

“Graves wouldn’t put the only copy of something that valuable aboard an exposed aircraft.”

“Then why let us see it?”

“Bait.”

Fathom’s voice cuts through the radio. “Sniper’s right. Thermal scan shows an active transmitter inside the case. They wanted us to track it.”