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Abandoned farmhouse

Ðakovo, Croatia

2 March

Friday, 3:07 am local time

Aidan’s adrenaline was pu

Mr S against the porch post, taking long, leisurely drags of his cigarette

One minute Two minutes

The kidnapper flicked an ash and shifted position so that his back was to them

“Now,” Aidan ordered between gritted teeth

They all moved at once

Philip raced to the front door, Aidan and Marc to the back

Before Mr Sarette back to his lips, Philip was on him, c

racking the butt of his MP5 over the guy’s head, fracturing his skull in one round Philip dealt a second blow to the already-dead man, then checked for vitals None

“One down,” he said into his microphone

Aidan and Marc had reached the back door Contrary to expectation, it was locked Marc put the heel of his boot alongside the doorknob and kicked it in Aidan pulled the pin out of the flashbang, turned his head away, and tossed the grenade inside the farmhouse on the floor