The three roaming guards were at the limits of their patrol routes when Col raised a flat hand above the wall.
The signal moved through the squads by touch in four seconds. Each group leader passed it to the shoulder of the nearest man in the next group.
Seven teams of three slipped out from the shadows around the supply area and started forward. The plan depended on time, and no one rushed.
The nearest roaming guard was on the return portion of his patrol, crossing the open center, when the assigned group intercepted him.
The lead soldier came up from behind and slightly left. One hand sealed over the guard's mouth and nose before he could react. The knife entered beneath the jaw on the left side of the neck, toward the windpipe and the major vessel above it. The soldier drew the blade forward through both targets in a single motion.
Blood spilled down the guard's chest in a dark sheet, soaking into his collar and running beneath his coat.
