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The combat knife, carefully sharpened and unused since put in its sheath before leaving Russia, was every bit as sharp as the one Carl had used to slice the neck of the young MS-13 her and more experienced than the new recruit, did not possess anything that could keep the blade froh cloth and flesh His skin opened as though the knife was a zipper, cutting a long streak across the front of his chest, up the side of his neck and froht side of his face up over his left eye

The sudden, vicious assault drove hi to escape from the room There was no escape froht his rifle up to his shoulder and tapped the trigger three ti a trio of full-auto bursts into the man’s stomach, back and upper torso

As the gang leader charged after Ostap, Carl had been in the h a side door in the rooroup in the hall He threw open a door and entered the corridor just as he heard the gunfire fro the last few of the gang members with swift, accurate shots to their centers of mass

Ostap stepped out into the hall,to him, then received a nod back Both men relaxed their stances and lowered their weapons before pulling down thetheirhard froht, and they checked thean walking back down the hall toward the front door He peeked out the front door, verifying that the co out his radio and pressing the button on the side

“You’re clear to head in Rendezvous at the car in the co the radio back on his vest and turned to head back inside the building, only to see Carl standing in the middle of the hallith his hands above his head At the far end of the hall, standing near the doorway to the stairwell, were figures shouldering rifles One of the figures gestured to Ostap with his rifle, shouting as he did so

“Get your hands up, too! Now!”

Ostap ground his teeth together in frustration, torn between obeying the unknown figure and taking his chances with pulling off three lucky shots in a roithout hi in the interim

“Now, daain and Ostap took a deep breath and shifted his weight, feeling the rifleto make his move

Chapter 7

The Waters’ Homestead

Outside Ellisville, VA

“There’s a rope on the end of the board, right there Just pick it up and drag it”

“What if she rigged it with so?”

“You’re scared of an IED now? What do you think this is, Afghanistan? It’s a board of nails, just get it out of the way so he can radio for backup to drive in!”

For the twoin the driveway in front of the Waters’ house, their night was going as well as could be expected given the circu was keeping theh friends and weapons that they believed theht come their way in the new, apocalyptic world