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Kurt glanced out behind theer car, but not for long Due to the way the train had stopped on the curve, there was more space on one side than the other

“We’re going to break in and surprise whosever in the lead engine Hopefully, without having to do any shooting”

Kurt eyed the foot patrol once more As they turned toward the tail end of the train, he clier car and sprinted forward in the dark He reached the lead engine and went up the ladder onto the catwalk, or sill, that ran the length of the engine like a running board on an old car

Joe came up behind him, and Hayley followed quickly as well

They eased their way toward the cab of the diesel The throbbing of twin sixteen-cylinder diesels masked their approach

Kurt reached the door, ed a quick peek inside, and saw exactly what he’d hoped to see: a single gunman with his back to the door and his pistol leveled at a burly man in the driver’s seat

He put his hand on the door, testing the resistance in the handle He felt pretty certain it wasn’t locked He opened it with a start and stepped inside

The hijacker didn’t react quickly He turned as if expecting to see one of his kind His eyes widened only when he saw the gun pointed at his head

“G’day, mate,” Kurt said

The hijacker hesitated and then handed the pistol over

TWENTY

Victor Kirov woke to darkness and a pounding, rainelike pain in his head It took a moment, but he soon rehts caroup of his men dashed into the compartment

“Where are they?” one asked

“How should I know?” Kirov replied “I was unconscious when they left”

One of the locals who’d taken a beating pointed forward “They went to the front”