“What do we do if they send men in after us?” Matt said as they dashed for the stairwell.
“I don’t know. Hide and pray, I guess.” It galled Tam to admit it, but she could think of no better plan.
“Is that Willis?” Dane looked at the boat that filled his screen as it churned through the debris-filled water, coming right at them. Sure enough, their friend stood at the wheel, jaw clenched. As he piloted the boat, he stole the occasional glance back over his shoulder. He appeared to be running from something. And he was alone. “Where are the others?”
“Maybe they’re in that other boat down the way?” Bones said.
In the distance, a second boat appeared. And then an odd thing happened. A desk came tumbling down from an upper story of a nearby building, and smashed into the corner of the boat. After a moment of shock, the passengers raised weapons and sent a barrage of bullets up at the building from which the desk had been dropped.
“I think we’ve got our answer,” Dane said. Up ahead, the gunfire ceased and the second boat roared off in pursuit of Willis. Two men took potshots at him as they pursued the glass-bottom boat. At their rate of speed, they’d catch up with Willis quickly.
Just then, Willis spotted their sub and slowed down.
Dane flipped on the two-way audio. “Need a lift?”
“I’m trying to draw them off of Tam and Matt!”
“You won’t last long. Here’s what we’re going to do.” Dane hastily outlined his plan, then took the sub down as far as he dared.
“Think it will work?” Bones asked.
“We’ll know soon enough.”
“You two, into the building and find whoever dropped that desk!” Karl shouted. The men obeyed immediately, and Karl gunned the engine as soon as they were clear of craft. Though the debris in the water slowed their progress, he felt confident he’d catch the glass-bottom boat quickly. Three of them, armed, against one man was fine odds. One fewer witness, and an undesirable for good measure. He smiled as the gap closed between him and his quarry. It was a fine day on the sea. Beside him, Abel and Henry fired off a few shots.
“Looks like he’s slowing down, sir.” Abel pointed at the boat ahead of them.
Sure enough, the glass bottom boat drifted to a stop. The pilot, a tall, black man, had apparently lost control, and the craft slowly rotated until it faced them broadside. The pilot spared them one panicked glance, then dropped down into the bottom of the boat.
“Broken down or out of fuel, I gather. It doesn’t matter. He is ours.” As they approached the foundering craft, Karl slowed their own boat and ordered his men to exercise caution. He assumed the man they pursued was unarmed, but there was no need to make a mistake.
“Where is he?” Abel leaned over the starboard rail and narrowed his eyes.
“Hiding, no doubt. You and Henry will board his boat and root him out. I’ll cover you.”
With a loud thump, their boat shuddered and a high-pitched grinding sound filled the air. “What the hell?” A whirring blade sliced through their hull. They gaped as it tore a ragged line across the bottom of the boat. What could do such a thing?
Panicked, Henry fired off two shots at the protruding blade, adding two holes to their already damaged craft.
“Stop it, you idiot!” Karl began working the controls, trying to break free of the blade before they sank. When they began to take on water, Abel and Henry grabbed buckets and bailed. Above the sound of the cutting blade, the engine roared and, with a jerk, they started moving in reverse. The blade disappeared, but the damage was done. They’d be lucky to get away before they sank. They needed to get to the church, and get there unseen at that.
As Karl turned the boat about, an alien-looking metal claw appeared over the port bow, clamped down on Abel’s head, and plucked him out of the boat. Abel screamed in terror and fired his AK-47 with wild abandon. Henry went down, clutching his stomach as a seeping flow of crimson spread across his midriff.
Karl let loose a stream of curses and gunned the engine, hoping extra speed would help keep the craft afloat until he could get away. He spared no more than a single glance at the building where he’d left his other two men, but didn’t slow down. There was no time. If he stopped for them, the boat might sink, or, worse, whoever… whatever had attacked them might catch up. Right now, the only thing he wanted was to get as far away from this disaster as possible.
“This had better work,” Matt grunted, the strain evident in his voice. “I don’t think I can hold myself in place up here much longer.”
“Shut up. I hear them coming.” Tam had little confidence in her plan, but, as improvised attack plans went, it wasn’t the worst. She stood just outside the door that led into the darkened stairwell and listened as the footsteps drew closer. Thinking they had nothing to fear, the men who pursued them weren’t making any effort to keep quiet. Tam didn’t care if they were arrogant or just plain stupid, either was a point in her favor.
The sounds grew louder until she was sure they were almost upon them. This was it. Whispering a quick prayer, she dropped to one knee as she heard a loud thud and a shout of surprise as Matt dropped down onto the man in the lead. By pressing his hands and feet against the stairwell walls, he’d managed to climb up to ceiling level and wait until he could take their pursuers by surprise.
Before either man could react, Tam squeezed the lever on the fire extinguisher she’d taken off the wall nearby. She heard another surprised shout as gas filled the stairwell. She emptied the canister and then flung it into the cloud, then rolled aside as bullets flew through the open doorway.
“Come after me,” she whispered to herself. “I dare you.” She clenched her fists, ready to spring. She’d have to get the drop on the gunman, and that was an iffy proposition since she and Matt had just sprung an ambush on them, but it was her only hope. Every nerve alive, every muscle tensed, she readied herself to spring.
Another burst of gunfire rang out.
And then silence.
She waited, not daring to breathe. Her heart pounded out a steady beat.
“I’m okay.”
She sagged with relief at the sound of Matt’s voice. “What took you so long?”
“You try wrestling a gun away from a guy and knocking him out before his buddy shoots you. Of course, I knocked him out after I shot the other guy. Now, help me haul this dude out of here.”
“Not bad,” Tam said as they dragged the unconscious man out of the stairwell and into the nearest room. “I don’t think your crew mates give you enough credit.”
“Please. I’m a Ranger. I eat SEALs with barbecue sauce.”
“If you say so.” Tam smirked. “I’m going to grab the other guy’s rifle and make sure he’s dead.”
“Oh, he’s done, but check if you like.” The semi-conscious man was already beginning to stir, and Matt took a step back and trained the procured rifle on him. By the time Tam returned, their captive was awake, if not fully alert. He gazed up at them with hate-filled eyes, but he didn’t move.
“Who are you?” she asked.
No reply.
“How hard did you hit him?” she asked Matt, who shrugged. “Okay, dummy. You don’t know your own name, so how about telling me why you’re out there shooting at people instead of saving them?”
“You can’t talk to me like that.”
“I believe I just did. What’s the problem? Mister murderer don’t like taking orders from a woman?”
“It’s not murder. It’s a cleansing.” As soon as the words left his mouth, the man blanched. Faster than Tam would have thought possible, he sprang to his feet and ran, not at her and Matt, but for the closest window.