Chapter Thirty-Six
Klementinum Complex, Praha 1
Jay ducked under the blade.
Zakhar withdrew and struck again. With nothing to defend himself except half a pistol, Jay moved to avoid it, but then Zakhar whipped the blade back at a sharp angle, coming in for his neck.
Using the pistol frame, Jay deflected the blade; it scraped the top of the weapon and sliced the air above his head. Now he was in close. With Zakhar’s arm overhead, Jay drove the blunt end of the pistol frame under the operative’s ribs, then into his armpit—two sudden strikes that knocked the breath from the HAC operative.
Zakhar brought his knife back around, his elbow knocking the pistol frame from Jay’s hand. Jay closed his fist and hooked it back into the operative’s stomach, the sudden whip motion hard for Zakhar to
