Cloud Invasion: R-D 2 (R-D #2)(62)

"Will I be able to use my nose?" Nick asked.

"Yes. We're invisible from the outside. You'll still get scents because we're not blocking the air."

"I'm not sure how you do that, but I trust you," Opal said.

"Cool."

"This says the launch site is in the Andes, west of Mendoza. That's more than seven hundred fifty miles," Richard studied Nick's tablet.

"They're testing their devices with propulsion and guidance," Maye offered. "Something that small and with that big a punch-that's genius."

"Matt's team may not find much if they've gotten away from those antique metal shells," Nick nodded.

"Let's go-at least we won't be climbing this time," I sighed.

*

Mount Aconcagua was easily accessible from the north, or by using my method. Landing at a spot more than twenty-thousand feet up, the snow remained undisturbed as we looked about the launch site. I was glad we didn't disturb anything-the snow told a grisly tale of its own.

Blood spatter and spray surrounded us; the body of the man responsible lay a few feet away from the launcher. Little more than a metal tube with a firing mechanism, the launcher remained anchored on the side of the mountain.

It wasn't difficult to determine that the person responsible for the launch had then used the gun lying near his body to commit suicide.

Yes, he was dressed as a local.

Ilya recognized him, however, even with a sizeable hole in his right temple. He wasn't happy with the knowledge, I could see that easily.

"Leonid Dubov," he muttered softly. I nodded-I'd seen the same thing. Leonid was in his fifties at least, although he looked to be fit enough to be where he was. I could see Ilya was troubled by the fact he'd taken his own life.

"He would never have done this," Ilya muttered.

"I've got pictures," Nick said. "Can you get us to the other side of the body so I can get that, too?"

"Sure." I moved us around. He recorded additional images. "Don't touch anything," I said. "It's all booby-trapped beneath the snow."

"Including the body?"

"Yeah. Once his body temperature dropped far enough, it enabled an explosive planted inside it," I said. "If you move the body now, it detonates."

"Clever," Richard said. "Is anyone watching?"

"I wouldn't be surprised. If we touch anything here, somebody will know."

"Then let's take these photographs back to Buenos Aires," Nick said.

"Sure." I transported us back to Maye and Richard's suite.

*

Notes-Colonel Hunter

Everything's booby-trapped, Corinne reported. I'll come for you in an hour so you can take a look at what we found.

True to her word, she arrived in my office in an hour and hauled me to Seattle. James knew to keep anyone else out of my office while I was gone.

"What the hell?" I gazed at the photographs Nick handed to me. "Who is this guy?" I asked.

"Funny you should ask," Rafe responded.

*

Corinne

"He was a thorn in the President's side in Russia. Leonid disagreed with most everything Baikov or President Zoran did. He would not do this for anything, yet there he was, on the side of that mountain," Ilya explained.

"Corinne, did he really do this?" Auggie turned to me.

"Yeah. I saw a fog in him like I've seen in others. Somebody else was behind that, and I believe Ilya when he says this guy wouldn't do that. Someone forced him to do it."

"So they take out an enemy and implicate him in a terrible crime at the same time," Auggie shook his head in confusion.

"And they want to take out anybody who finds the evidence, and destroy it at the same time."

"What are we going to do with it, then?" Auggie asked.

"I think I know," I said.

"What?"

"There's a pile of rock and snow higher up. All we need is an avalanche," I shrugged.

"How do we make one without alerting them," Auggie began. "Oh," he said.

"Already done. If they're recording the site, they'll see the snow begin to slide and watch it hit the site in seconds, detonating their devices. You should have a report in ten minutes. Maybe less," I said.

"Damn," Auggie rubbed his forehead.

"Ready to go back?" I asked.

"Yeah."

*

Notes-Colonel Hunter

"We just had a report of an explosion on Aconcagua," Matt said the minute I answered my cell phone.

"I see. Any other activity?"

"Should we be watching for it?"

"I think so."

"I'll put someone on it." Matt didn't bother saying good-bye-he was already barking orders at someone when the line went dead.

*

Corinne

"You knew him, didn't you?" I let my hand wander gently down Ilya's back.

"I did. He was the one that told me who murdered my son."

"A friend, then?"

"Of sorts-yes. I trusted him."

"Everything is so f*cked up." I sat beside Ilya on the glider by our heated pool.