The moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale light that gave the snow-blanketed estate a ghostly glow.
Frost crunched under Sergei as he inched forward, his rifle resting across his back.
A thin puff of breath slipped from his lips, vanishing into the night.
Through his high-magnification thermal scope, he watched the guards pacing along the fence, their movements painted in ghostly whites and oranges.
With a light touch, his finger pressed the earpiece.
[Two at the southeast corner. One is pausing for a smoke — there's a blind spot behind the frozen ivy wall. You have six seconds.]
In the darkness below, Katya signaled Victor and Alexei with two quick finger taps.
Dropping into a low crouch, her breath came out in light clouds as she moved forward. Each step sank into the snow without making a sound.
She slipped through the ivy-covered break in the fence first, sliding her slim body sideways.
