Read Online Ready to Kill by Andrew Peterson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Andrew Peterson
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dangerously steep section left over from an old landslide.
At the bottom of the canyon, they found a stream flowing to the northeast that would ultimately join the Rio Coco. The trickle of its water had a soothing sound, but neither of them felt especially relaxed. If there was going to be an ambush, it would likely occur up at alpha.
After slipping into their two-part ghillie suits, they looked each other over, making sure their coats weren’t snagged on their backpacks or waist packs. Their jacket hoods wouldn’t completely conceal their NV goggles without hampering their use, but only the last inch or so of their dual scopes would be visible. Using black elastic straps they’d sewn to the inside tops of their hoods, they secured the straps under their chins to keep their hoods from being pulled back by brambles and low-hanging branches.
“We’ll make the ascent in parallel formation,” Nathan said. “I’ll take the left. Thirty-yard separation. Harv, we aren’t being taken prisoner.”
“Understood.” His friend pulled his Sig and deployed out to the right.
Nathan mirrored the move to the left, envisioning himself as a wraith, slowly moving in for the kill. He used this mindset to keep his senses focused and sharp. In nature, most predators employed some form of stealth, and this situation was no different. They didn’t plan on killing anyone tonight, but they wouldn’t hesitate if the situation required it.
After fifteen minutes of climbing, it was impossible to determine how close to the ridgeline they were—the canopy prevented them from seeing its dark outline. The sound of the jungle was slightly less pronounced up here, but it didn’t concern Nathan. It was always noisier in basins and canyons near water.
Taking steps every three or four seconds, they climbed for another five minutes. It was a tediously slow pace, but it prevented a potential enemy from detecting their movement. Nathan kept looking up, hoping for a glimpse of the summit.
Then he stopped cold, frozen by the sudden sound of a helicopter.
CHAPTER 10
Nathan looked for Harv, but saw no sign of him.
The unmistakable thumping of a main rotor echoed in from the northeast. And it was definitely getting louder.
Nathan felt his entire body tighten, and he forced himself to think before moving. He looked through the treetops, hoping to catch the flashing beacon of a commercial bird but saw nothing.
Without warning, the noise tripled in intensity. The helo was flying low, and it must’ve just cleared the ridge they’d traversed.
Abandoning all stealth, Nathan hustled over to a massive tree and put its trunk between himself and the threat. He unslung his rifle, thumbed the safety, and steeled himself for a fight.
If the helicopter were merely passing through, he’d have his answer within the next fifteen seconds. He pressed his chest against the tree, hoping it wasn’t crawling with ants. Fighting two battles didn’t seem fair. Time seemed to stretch as the whooping slaps of the helo’s main rotor pulsed up the canyon.
Nathan breathed a sigh of relief when the noise quickly faded. From what he could surmise, the helo had been on a westerly course, and it had just ducked behind the ridge they were climbing.
If that had been a military bird, he knew they wouldn’t have been spotted by night vision, but a thermal imager might’ve nailed them. It was impossible to know why it had crossed the area, but the Honduran border wasn’t more than six or seven miles away, so it could’ve been a routine patrol. Their current location was only an hour’s flight from Managua. The Rescue Hawk had flown well under the radar, and even if it had been seen, a Nicaraguan patrol bird should’ve scoured the area hours ago.
He looked for Harv and saw his friend standing on the south side of a tree, also in an effort to visually screen himself from the helicopter’s line of sight. Nathan issued a closed fist and then spread his fingers. Harv
At the bottom of the canyon, they found a stream flowing to the northeast that would ultimately join the Rio Coco. The trickle of its water had a soothing sound, but neither of them felt especially relaxed. If there was going to be an ambush, it would likely occur up at alpha.
After slipping into their two-part ghillie suits, they looked each other over, making sure their coats weren’t snagged on their backpacks or waist packs. Their jacket hoods wouldn’t completely conceal their NV goggles without hampering their use, but only the last inch or so of their dual scopes would be visible. Using black elastic straps they’d sewn to the inside tops of their hoods, they secured the straps under their chins to keep their hoods from being pulled back by brambles and low-hanging branches.
“We’ll make the ascent in parallel formation,” Nathan said. “I’ll take the left. Thirty-yard separation. Harv, we aren’t being taken prisoner.”
“Understood.” His friend pulled his Sig and deployed out to the right.
Nathan mirrored the move to the left, envisioning himself as a wraith, slowly moving in for the kill. He used this mindset to keep his senses focused and sharp. In nature, most predators employed some form of stealth, and this situation was no different. They didn’t plan on killing anyone tonight, but they wouldn’t hesitate if the situation required it.
After fifteen minutes of climbing, it was impossible to determine how close to the ridgeline they were—the canopy prevented them from seeing its dark outline. The sound of the jungle was slightly less pronounced up here, but it didn’t concern Nathan. It was always noisier in basins and canyons near water.
Taking steps every three or four seconds, they climbed for another five minutes. It was a tediously slow pace, but it prevented a potential enemy from detecting their movement. Nathan kept looking up, hoping for a glimpse of the summit.
Then he stopped cold, frozen by the sudden sound of a helicopter.
CHAPTER 10
Nathan looked for Harv, but saw no sign of him.
The unmistakable thumping of a main rotor echoed in from the northeast. And it was definitely getting louder.
Nathan felt his entire body tighten, and he forced himself to think before moving. He looked through the treetops, hoping to catch the flashing beacon of a commercial bird but saw nothing.
Without warning, the noise tripled in intensity. The helo was flying low, and it must’ve just cleared the ridge they’d traversed.
Abandoning all stealth, Nathan hustled over to a massive tree and put its trunk between himself and the threat. He unslung his rifle, thumbed the safety, and steeled himself for a fight.
If the helicopter were merely passing through, he’d have his answer within the next fifteen seconds. He pressed his chest against the tree, hoping it wasn’t crawling with ants. Fighting two battles didn’t seem fair. Time seemed to stretch as the whooping slaps of the helo’s main rotor pulsed up the canyon.
Nathan breathed a sigh of relief when the noise quickly faded. From what he could surmise, the helo had been on a westerly course, and it had just ducked behind the ridge they were climbing.
If that had been a military bird, he knew they wouldn’t have been spotted by night vision, but a thermal imager might’ve nailed them. It was impossible to know why it had crossed the area, but the Honduran border wasn’t more than six or seven miles away, so it could’ve been a routine patrol. Their current location was only an hour’s flight from Managua. The Rescue Hawk had flown well under the radar, and even if it had been seen, a Nicaraguan patrol bird should’ve scoured the area hours ago.
He looked for Harv and saw his friend standing on the south side of a tree, also in an effort to visually screen himself from the helicopter’s line of sight. Nathan issued a closed fist and then spread his fingers. Harv
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