Extinction Machine

Chapter One Hundred Eight

House of Jack Ledger

Near Robinwood, Maryland

Monday, October 21, three hours ago

“What do you think?” asked Aldo, handing the field glasses back to Tull.

They lay side by side on a grassy knoll overlooking the Ledger farmhouse. There were no vehicles parked in the turnaround in front of the house.

“Did we miss them?”

Tull studied the house with narrowed eyes. There were several lights on and in one downstairs room the blue-white flicker of a TV. Tull tapped the wire mike he wore.

“Snake, what are you seeing out back?”

The team sergeant, Snake, came on the line at once. “The Black Hawk is tied down. Engine’s cold.”

“You do a thermal scan on the house?” asked Tull.

“Copy that. We have four heat signatures in the house. Nothing in the barn or other buildings.”

“Roger that.”

Tull turned to Aldo. “I don’t like it. I don’t think Ledger or the girl are here.”

“Shit.”

Tull wormed his way back from the top of the knoll, then he rolled over and stood up. He tapped his mike again. “Snake, we think the birds have flown. Aldo and I are going to run the back trail. We’ll get an eye in the sky to find them. They might be heading to another safe house.”

“Yes, sir … What about the four inside?”

Tull didn’t even hesitate. “Kill them.”

He clicked off the channel and ran for his car with Aldo at his heels.