Up-close fighting was always messy. Lot more room to fuck something up, which is why she was surprised they completely steamrolled the patrol, four for four successes. Training and nutrition work wonders. The biggest of the bunch looked a few pounds lighter than the smallest one of the team. Looking over the pockets of the poor bastard she killed, he was indeed a [i]poor[/i] bastard. Nothing of note to his name except a Vz. 61 and a single 20 round magazine. Probably the FNG, at least it was light to carry. Catching the AK magazine Sean passed her with a “Thanks.” She checked the ammo inside it, finding the cheapest steel-cased Tula one could get. At least it was clean. What was it she heard one of the Tolyatti base’s armorers say? ‘If it can’t run the steel, it doesn’t deserve the brass.’ or some such nonsense?

Seeing the shotgun Hayden recovered, an idea popped into her mind. “Guess she liked to keep something handy for close encounters.” She grinned, borrowing it and ejecting one shell to see what it was loaded with. “00 buck. They’re no breaching rounds, but they’ll work in a pinch. Unless someone wants it more.” She reloaded the shell and held it out for any takers to grab, else she’d keep it for the time being, shoving the loose shells into one of the grenade pouches and hanging the Škorpion in the flare strap by its stock before stacking up behind Hayden again.

She was surprised by the lack of resistance from the locals. Every corner, she expected another patrol, or some alarm as the patrol they’d killed failed to check in or someone found the bodies, but nothing ever came of it and they pretty much walked into Melani’s compound unchallenged. Looked like their initial guess was accurate, and Melani had most of her goons out fighting with little in the way of rear-echelon security. Was she low on manpower, or was she that sure that nobody would or could try to go for her directly? Pride goeth before the fall?

And there was the queen bitch, in the flesh, looking like an idiot with that piece of rebar in her hand. Not that Yekaterina wanted that thing anywhere near her. “Sounds workable, but shouldn’t we prepare a way out beforehand? I’d hate to get lost in here or climb the wall with vengeful skinnies on our backs.” Yekaterina suggested a slight modification of an otherwise simple plan, “Otherwise I’m good to go, waiting on you Beth.” She shouldered her rifle, posted up behind a corner and took aim at two thugs sharing a cigarette a little bit off to the left side, the brick-and-mortar wall providing a good amount of reassuring bulk between her and them.