Eddie ran past Nina. Vanita hurriedly retreated, but he ignored her, instead pounding up the curved stairs to the upper platform. ‘Ay up,’ he said to Khoil. The billionaire’s plump face filled with fear. ‘Can I play?’
Nina jumped up, raising her fists as she charged at Vanita. While no expert at unarmed combat, she had still received enough training from her husband to throw a good punch - and this one would be particularly satisfying. Vanita turned and ran, Nina pursuing her round the walkway.
Tandon’s head briefly popped up into Zec’s view. He fired, but the Indian had already ducked out of sight with snake-like speed. The Bosnian shifted his aim, shooting at the floor. Four bullets punched holes through the metal plating with shrill spangs - but Tandon was too fast. A clank of something falling as he swept hand over hand along the scaffold, then in an acrobatic, almost gravity-defying move, he swung back up feet-first under the railing - and drove a crunching kick into Zec’s stomach. The mercenary flew backwards, crashing against the outer railing—
It gave way. Zec tumbled over the edge. His neck cracked horribly as he landed head-first, flopping limply to the floor. The broken length of railing clanged down beside him.
Khoil backed away as Eddie approached. He reached the edge of the platform and cowered, with nowhere to run. On the big screens, the view of Delhi tipped sharply, the drone swinging back round towards its standby orbit now that it was no longer receiving control signals. ‘You - you can’t stop—’
Eddie punched him hard in the face. Khoil spun off the platform, landing with a crash on the walkway below, smooth skin now marred by a smear of blood from his split lips.
Wiping his knuckles on his coat, Eddie moved to the centre of the platform and raised his hands. ‘Okay, let’s see how this works . . .’ He spread his fingers as he had seen Khoil do and tilted one hand experimentally. The horizon on the screen followed his movement. ‘Yes!’ He looked for somewhere amongst the city’s lights that would be safe enough to crash the drone.
A black line ran across both images. A river.
‘Let’s make a splash,’ he said, tipping his hand forwards as if pushing an imaginary joystick. The drone began to descend.
Tandon ran to help Khoil, but the billionaire shouted, ‘No! Up there, stop Chase!’
Nina was fast gaining on Vanita, who was trying to run on two-inch heels. ‘Get your ass back here!’ she shouted. They had completely circled the walkway, reaching the broken section of railing. Vanita jumped through the gap, landing beside Zec.
Nina leapt after her, aiming to knock her down - but Vanita scrambled clear, one of her shoes flying off. Rolling as she landed, Nina jumped up—
To see Vanita going for the dead guard’s MP5K.
She dived at her, tackling the sari-clad woman just before she reached it and slamming her to the floor.
The river grew steadily larger - but Eddie was forced to abandon the controls as Tandon rushed at him. The drone climbed steeply back to its failsafe altitude.
Eddie and Tandon circled each other. The Englishman raised his fists. Tandon brought up his own hands, fingers together like axe-heads - then a flash of triumph crossed his face as he remembered he had a gun. He reached for it—
Finding nothing but an empty pocket. It had fallen out when he was swinging from the walkway.
Eddie lunged, a powerful punch steaming at Tandon’s jaw.
The Indian whipped his head back, the blow only grazing his chin. He snapped up an arm to hook Eddie’s as it passed, then whirled, simultaneously slamming an elbow against the other man’s head and painfully twisting his shoulder.
Eddie staggered as Tandon released him, turning to face his enemy - and a roundhouse kick crunched into his sternum. He reeled backwards . . .
And fell off the platform.
Like Khoil, he landed with a bang on the metal walkway - but unlike the software mogul, his plunge didn’t end there as he slid under the railing and dropped another ten feet to the chamber’s floor. Pain coursing through his shoulder and chest, he lay on his back, winded.
Nina grappled with Vanita, thumping a punch into her kidneys. Vanita shrieked, lashing out with one hand - and slashing Nina across her left cheek with a ring. Face stinging from the cut, Nina flinched back as the red talons clawed at her eyes.
Her retreat gave the other woman the chance to twist and kick her in the stomach. Nina gasped, doubling over. ‘You think I’m weak?’ Vanita snarled, another strike catching the side of Nina’s head. ‘I know how to fight - I grew up in the slums!’ She scrabbled for the gun—
Nina grabbed her trailing sari and yanked her back, stamping down hard on her bare foot with a heavy boot. Vanita screamed as her little toe broke. Nina swung her round, drawing back her fist. ‘And I’m from New York, bitch!’
She slammed a punch into her face. Spitting blood, Vanita fell beside Zec. Shaking out her aching hand, Nina stood and turned to find the gun. It lay about ten feet away. She started towards it—
The broken length of railing cracked against her knee as Vanita swung it like a baseball bat. Nina stumbled, almost falling. The metal tube whooshed at her again as Vanita limped after her.
Khoil hurried up the steps, a hand to his bloodied mouth. Tandon moved to help him, but was waved back. ‘Kill him, kill him!’ the billionaire screeched. His bodyguard jumped down to the walkway as he took his position at the invisible controls once more.
Eddie was struggling upright when he heard a crash from above as Tandon landed. The Indian vaulted the railing - flying straight at him. With a yelp, Eddie rolled sideways. A heel slammed down where his head had just been.
More world leaders were on the stage, the smaller nations being introduced first. The president of South Korea shook hands with his hosts, flashing cameras recording the moment. The countdown had been affected by Eddie’s hijacking of the controls, but it was still ticking away as Khoil brought the drone back on course.
Three minutes, thirty-two seconds to impact.
The railing clanged dully against Nina’s forearm as she shielded her head from Vanita’s attack. She held in a cry of pain, retreating from another blow - and backing into the enormous video wall. Unlike the one in Bangalore, which was divided into segments to allow access, this infotarium formed an unbroken three hundred and sixty degree circle inside the dome. The aluminium framework rattled with the impact, one of the LCD screens flickering as it was jolted.
Teeth bared, Vanita swiped the makeshift club at her—
Nina dived sideways. The railing smashed one of the screens behind her, its backlight panel blowing out with a bang and a sputter of sparks. The broken display crashed to the floor, exposing the geodesic fibreglass panels of the radome behind it.
Tandon kicked Eddie hard in the side, bowling him across the floor to the stairs leading up to the walkway. Wheezing, Eddie used them to clamber to his feet - as his attacker thrust a killing blow at his chest.
Even battered and winded, he had enough strength to jerk aside. The blow missed the lethal pressure point, but still hit his ribcage agonisingly hard. He staggered backwards as Tandon struck again, and again, aiming for his throat, his heart. Each time, he was just barely able to parry the blows, but all that did was shift the pain to his arms. And Tandon wasn’t even breaking a sweat - the bastard was playing with him, wearing him down little by little until he was unable to defend himself.
Khoil glanced at the two fights playing out below, but remained fixated on the screens. The Japanese prime minister walked to the stage. Three minutes, ten seconds.
Vanita swung the railing again, knocking Nina against another screen. She raised the club high over her head, about to smash it down on Nina’s skull—