Chapter 50

Long before 5.30 pm the Palace Square was crowded with Terekhov's supporters and burstling with activity and chants. Kestrel still could see the Voron team around the stage, but the enemy ops were nowhere to be seen, having disappeared in the crowd. He knew Charlie and Grim were keeping a tab on them, but he feared they would try and shoot the president from among the people. As Voron ops, they wouldn't be frisked for guns, that was a problem.

_ Sam? he called out softly.

_ Here, Kestrel, his boss answered immediately, tension growing in his voice.

_ The ops on the ground, maybe they're armed and will try their luck at shooting the president from the crowd. And I can't cover the whole square, some great portion is hidden from me.

_ Same for me, Briggs said.

_ We feared something like that, Sam confirmed. I was going to tell Kossiak and his team about it.

_ Another one from Voron on the square... no, two, Charlie announced. These two are unmarked. Kestrel, in the northwestern corner, right at the foot of that yellow building's columns...

_ The Admiralty, Kestrel told him. Yes, I see them. The one with the thick chapka is Arkadiy Pavlov and the other one is Avilov's usual bodyguard, Ivan Kraiev. I suppose these two will just watch things from afar, Pavlov is a coward.

_ Okay, I'll report to Kossiak, Sam said.

Kestrel heard silence for half a second as Charlie tuned into Voron's frequency, then Sam asked:

_ Kossiak?

_ Да?

_ I know you must speak Russian, don't worry I understand it enough. This is for you, and your team can hear it too. Pavlov and Kraiev are there, but far from you. But we fear Lebedeva, Dmitriev, Barychev and Beria will attack from the ground, among the crowd.

_ Как это их положение? (What are their position?)

_ Beria is right behind the stage, Grim said, Dmitriev is at the foot of the tall Alexander column, Barychev is under a porch of the building east of the square and Lebedeva is among a cluster of people twenty meters south of the front of the stage.

_ Спасибо. (Thank you)

Kestrel heard his old friend give orders, and four of his agents got ready to intercept their fellow but enemy ops as soon as the meeting would start. Kestrel heard Briggs suggest:

_ Can't we jam the enemies' comms? That would be easier to disturb their schemes.

_ No, Charlie said. Too much interference with all the media here for the meeting. And we would risk jamming our own, we don't want that.

_ You'll do the job old-fashioned style, Sam said, by sight but with a little help from us.

_ By sight, Briggs groaned. You realize this fucking wind carries swirling snowflakes? I don't see three meters before my nose!

_ The wind is slowing down, Kestrel said. In a few minutes it'll die down, but the snow will continue to fall.

_ You're a weather wizard, Kestrel, Grim said, sounding impressed. You're absolutely right.

_ Right, Sam said, concentrate, all of you. The meeting starts in fifteen minutes.

_ Still no sign of the snipers, Charlie said. I'd bet they're wearing shielding blankets like you. You'll have to find them on sight.

_ Blast! Briggs said.

Kestrel scanned the rooftops through the snow without a word, and only asked:

_ Briggs, can you see Voronkov?

_ No.

Kestrel focused on the Saint Isaac Cathedral one mile away from him, carefully searching for his target, then spotted him right underneath the great cupola. He smiled slightly and said:

_ Target acquired.

_ Ten minutes to the start, Sam said. That's a go, Kestrel. Neutralize him.

_ Copy.

Kestrel took careful aim and concentrated hard, waited one more minute for the wind to decrease, then pulled the trigger. The Cheytac emitted a soft thwump, and a mile away he saw Voronkov crashing on the floor, a bullet right in the middle of his forehead.

_ Target down, he said calmly.

_ Well done, Sam said. From now on, we'll stay patched up with the Voron team, so watch your words. Briggs, you're Red and Kestrel, Blue. Kossiak? Voronkov's dead.

_ Хорошо. (Good)

_ I see Asthakova, Briggs said. Admiralty's roof, she's ready to shoot.

_ Terekhov's coming, Kestrel said as the crowd cheered to greet the Russian president, smiling and waving, Kossiak right behind him.

_ Go, Red, Sam said.

Kestrel scanned the rooftops again while Briggs said:

_ Target down.

He could hear the crowd's applause and Terekhov's reverberated words echoing to his church, but he had to find the other two snipers quickly. Glazkov was clearly hiding well, and Avilov...

_ Where's Avilov? he asked Charlie.

_ He shut down his phone! the raging tech announced. I don't know where he is. Two minutes ago he was still in the Winter Palace. And all the enemy ops are switching off their phones too! Shit!

_ Stay focused, Sam said firmly, talking to his team but also to Kossiak's team. We roughly know where they are, just stay alert.

Kestrel concentrated hard, imagining himself in Glazkov's skin. If he were a Voron sniper, having to kill Terekhov, where would he position himself?

His eyes drifted onto the triumphal ark with the Roman quadriga on top, just in front of the stage where Terekhov was addressing a delighted crowd. And he saw the sniper, just a fraction of a hooded head behind a long barrel.

_ Red, he told Briggs, atop the triumphal ark, underneath the statues. Do you have him?

_ No, some horse thing is blocking my range.

Kestrel shifted position a little and focused on Glazkov's head. He could see enough of it to kill him, but it would be a tough shot. He exhaled, stopped his breath and pulled the trigger. Again the Cheytac emitted a soft sound, and at the foot of the statue horses Glazkov's body slumped down, rifle under him.

_Target down. Three down, he added for himself. One left, and that one's mine.

He knew Avilov would have to find another place than the Winter Palace to shoot from. The stage had a roof sheltering Terekhov from the snow and from any attack from the Palace behind him. In the square, he caught a sudden movement near the column. Through his telescopic sight he saw that Dmitriev had drawn out a pistol and was aiming at Terekhov, in spite of the people yelling around him. Terekhov's stage wasn't far, and Kestrel saw Ieshevskiy running in front of him, shielding the president and taking out his gun. Dmitriev changed aim and was about to shoot Ieshevskiy when Kestrel shot. Dmitriev dropped his gun, blood pouring from his right ear, and fell on the cobblestones, at the feet of a very startled Ieshevskiy. Kestrel heard:

_ Спасибо. (Thank you)

_ Well done, Blue, Sam told him.

He stayed silent, concentrating on finding Avilov. The commotion had been unnoticed by Terekhov and his staff, and Dmitriev's body was being surreptitiously evacuated from the square by standing-by paramedics. He heard Stepankova say:

_ Beria and Lebedeva in custody. Dmitriev dead.

_ Three people in front of the Admiralty, Briggs said. Pavlov and two others.

_ Barychev and Kraiev, Marinov said. They're running away. What do we do?

_ Take them down, Kossiak murmured.

So Kestrel and Briggs shot the three unsuspecting men who crumpled to the ground like dislocated puppets.

_ Targets down, Briggs said as Kestrel was reloading his rifle.

_ Blue, Charlie said. Someone's coming to your place.

Kestrel watched at the foot of the church and saw a silhouette treading in knee-deep snow towards the entrance. He recognized the brisk pace and the stiff leg from a wound during a mission in Afghanistan ten years ago, his very first one with Voron. And the suitcase the man was holding. He felt a ruthless smile stretch his lips and said:

_ That's Avilov coming to greet me. How nice!

He heard a choke in his ear and Ieshevskiy's voice asked with disbelief:

_ Kestrel?

_ Hush, Kossiak muttered.

Kestrel, though annoyed at having been discovered by Voron's friendly team and especially Ieshevskiy, with whom he had an old grudge still running, pushed aside the thought for later consideration. He saw Avilov entering the church, no doubt wanting to use Kestrel's spot to shoot down the president Terekhov. So Kestrel silently rose, grabbed his blankets, rifle and backpack and hid them in a dark corner. Then he unsheathed his Ka-Bar and waited in the shadows.

A minute later he heard footsteps coming closer to him, and soon Avilov emerged from the spiral staircase. Kestrel was right behind him and waited for his old fellow comrade to settle down on the floor, rifle almost ready. Then he silently approached him and in swift movements stabbed through Avilov's wrists, kneeling hard on his back.

Avilov's scream was quickly muffled by Kestrel's strong hand, and the American ops said calmly:

_ Charlie, tune me off for those who don't want to hear this.

Then he bent to Avilov's right ear and said in Russian:

_ Hi, Leonid Aleksandrovitch. Long time no see, but I didn't miss you.

_ Mikhail Andreyevitch, Avilov groaned. I knew I should've had you killed long ago.

_ Yes, shame on you. But you're too late, I'm afraid.

_ This is not the end, bastard! Meggido will kill Terekhov sooner or later.

_ If I were you, Kestrel said calmly, I wouldn't rely too much on Fedorova's plans. You see, after tonight, she and her fiancé were planning to have you killed by a friend of theirs, Juan Esteban. Not that you need to worry about that now, as I am the one who's going to kill you.

_ You're lying! Avilov spat, but with a quivering voice, his body shaking with fear. My team...

_ What team? Kestrel asked ruthlessly. Dmitriev? Dead. Barychev? Dead. Kraiev? Dead. Beria and Lebedeva? In custody. Pavlov? Dead. Not many people left, I'm afraid, Leonid. And you're going to pay for Ivan's death.

_ I don't believe you! Avilov said pitifully. You're lying, Loskov!

_ You should know by now, Kestrel said, raising his knife. I never lie, Leonid.

And Kestrel stabbed, and stabbed again. He lost control, his mind went blank as his anger took the upper hand of his body and movements. Twenty years' worth of hardships and suffering, before and since Voron's betrayal poured out of him, cristallizing in him murdering Avilov. The Voron commander died a slow and excruciating death, but when he exhaled his last breath Kestrel wasn't done with him yet. And when Kestrel finally stopped stabbing his prey and was back in his right mind, he saw that Avilov's face was so crushed and bloody it was unrecognizable. He saw he had stabbed him at least a hundred times, and was kneeling in a pool of blood.

He rose to his feet, his hands and clothes soaked with blood, his knife still in hand. He stood there, his mind in disarray, unaware of anything except the spinning in his head that was blurring his vision fast. Then he noticed two people coming next to him and recognized Briggs and Stepankova. His teammate asked him something, looking concerned, but he didn't understand him. He felt his hand open and the knife falling out of it, and his knees gave way beneath him. Strong hands caught him before he could crumple to the ground, but he felt himself falling backwards and blacked out.