PROJECT SPARTA

CHAPTER 1

Commence interception of target.

Xander immediately found the most distant man, sweeping the perimeter of the village. The cross hairs settled on his forehead and Xander fired. The silenced sniper bullet soared through the dry desert air. Its flight descended from the ridge and drove into the target. The man fell limp behind the Jeep. Two men had heard the noise, unsure of what it was, they investigated. As soon as they turned the corner to see their comrade's lifeless body two more pops put them down next to their friend. Everyone began scattering. An SUV pulled up and threw the elderly man inside, speeding off through the desert. Xander steadied his rifle on the SUV, but a cloud of sand billowed up from under the spinning tires blinding him. His scope turned from the vehicle and roved the village for another target.

From his vantage point he found a long-bearded man running to help. Xander tracked him through the scope and shot a round. The bullet caught the man in mid-stride through his knee. His knee bent sideways like the leg of a chair and the man collapsed under his own weight. The man's screams echoed through the valley to Xander's position, until he silenced them with another round into the man's chest.

Four down. Three to go.

Two of the remaining targets took cover behind a Jeep, but in different positions. They were shooting in every which direction. His probing eyes could not settle on a good line of sight. But a thought occurred that made Xander laugh to himself.

They have no idea where I am. Easy picking. What they don't know is that cars and trucks tend to make good grenades.

Xander aimed for the gas tank of the Jeep and fired three rounds with pinpoint accuracy. The Jeep shot up in an explosion and a fireball formed, enveloping the scene. At this, Xander dropped the rifle and sprinted at an incredible speed down the slope into the valley. He jumped down ledges and ridges rolling end over end to cushion each leap's landing. During his pursuit, he saw Vashad retreat into the complex. Each hut was connected so he could be in any one. Xander ran the 150 yards in under thirty seconds. When he reached the structure, he scaled its facade and ascended to the top of the complex in one fluid motion. He positioned his silencer Glock 9mm down the roof access hatch.

No sound. No movement.

Xander dropped down into the complex – rags and rusted pans hung about. Each unit was a depressed and impoverished shack where the families of poor farmers would live. Xander passed through what he guessed was a kitchen and met a family of six huddled in the corner. The kids quivered, terrified at the sight of the soldier. Xander brought a finger to his lips. He asked with a waving finger, Where is he? The mother, arms around all five children, understood and pointed down.

Xander in one quick swoop produced his candy bars and offered them to the trembling children huddled up to their mother. The children cracked a collective smile and Xander continued onward through the huts. He studied the infrastructure of the complex, noting where walls and supports would be located below. A stairwell led down to the second floor. Xander inspected the stairs with close focus and was careful to skip over the steps he thought would creak. He halted when the room before him came into view.

He saw the long greasy curls of Vashad's black hair shifting up and down from panicked breaths. Xander was right, Vashad was positioned behind a wall across from the entryway – he assumed Xander would be coming through the front door. Xander successfully flanked him and knew that now was the time to take him down.

He consulted his grenades strapped to his right leg, but decided upon the combat knife on his left ankle. He brandished the blade and started to sketch out a plan in his head.

I need Vashad's attention westward out of the complex. If I could hit Vashad's hand that's holding the gun I could disarm him and take him out manually afterward.