“Longinus,” Hutchinson called in Latin. The Roman turned towards the American as Hutchinson said, “Let us help you.”
Longinus held the spear in his hands as the blue sparks danced over his fingers.
Dennis spoke in a low voice.
“Nat. get ready to open the ramp when I say.”
Von Werner placed his hand on the spear head. He smiled at Longinus.
“This truly is the work of God,” he said.
Longinus’ eyes travelled up to look at the German Count before him. Then his face contorted into rage and his eyes turned red again and his face white. He lashed out and backhanded Von Werner which sent the man flying.
“Now!” Dennis shouted.
Natalie went for the button that opened the ramp. The creature saw her move and blocked her. She shrank back. Von Werner wiping blood from his face suddenly threw himself forward and hit the button. The ramp began to open quickly and the wind rushed in. Dennis had picked up Tosh’s handgun and fired again and again hitting Longinus time and time again. The creature stumbled backwards and fell getting tangled in the netting of the ammo crate. The spear fell from its grasp and rolled towards the end of the ramp. Von Werner lunged after it and managed to wrap his fingers around it just as the netting ripped free. The pallet of weapons began sliding backwards towards the rear.
“Von Werner that crate!” Dennis yelled.
Von Werner managed to move out of its way as it slid past and fell out of the back of the Hercules. It’s parachutes opening the moment it cleared the plane. It ripped the netting as it went and now this hung outside the aircraft in shreds dragging Von Werner and Longinus with it. Dennis ran and dived for the rear of the plane when he saw Von Werner hanging on for dear life. He reached out his hand and then his eyes widened as he saw Longinus right himself and lunge at Von Werner. The creature roared and dived on Von Werner’s back clawing and slashing at him. Then it reached the spear and snatched it out of the German’s grasp.
“Hey asshole!” Dennis shouted.
Longinus looked up and Dennis pulled the trigger on the handgun and shot the creature right between the eyes. The contorted face took on a peaceful look for a moment then Longinus fell backwards and out of the Hercules. The netting suddenly ripped and Von Werner was dragged outside the plane now and hung on desperately as the powerful wind twisted and turned and bumped him against the turbulence. His eyes were wide with fear. Dennis wrapped his foot around some of the netting and reached as far out as he could with his hands. Von Werner was still desperately holding on to the spear. Dennis strained his muscles as far as he could and Von werner’s outstretched hand was only inches away.
“Try to reach my hand!” Dennis yelled above the howling wind.
Von Werner tried to move up the netting but the power of the wind was too great and was pulling him back.
“Let go of the spear.”
Two Israeli fighter jets whooshed past. Dennis saw them out of the corner of his eye. Time was running out.
“Let go of the spear.”
“No. I cannot,” Von Werner shouted back, he felt his strength starting to fade against the buffeting, then he looked Dennis in the eyes, “Thank you for saving my daughter.”
Then his grip slipped and he was gone. Dennis watched his body as it spun faster and faster gaining speed uncontrollably as it fell. Dennis closed his eyes and punched the floor of the plane.
Hutchinson grabbed Dennis and pulled him back away from the edge.
“Pete. Those Israeli jets have a missile lock on us.”
Dennis jumped to his feet.
“Quick! Get in the Mercedes.”
Natalie, Hutchinson and Dennis climbed in the open topped 4x4. Then with a last look at Tosh who was slumped against the side of the plane in a pool of his own blood, dead, Dennis pulled the release and the Mercedes slid backwards out of the cargo hold as the parachutes deployed and they were pulled out into the open air. The car snatched as it swung down underneath its chutes and they were descending slowly now. The Hercules was leaving them behind and they ducked as missiles struck it and it exploded in mid air and the blast shattered the windscreen of the Mercedes. Burning debris rained down and Dennis looked up nervously to see if their parachutes were on fire. To his relief they weren’t.
The Mercedes bumped the earth and Dennis turned the ignition key to start the engine and drove from the skis onto the sand of the desert.
“Where do you think we are Pete?” Hutchinson asked.
“I’ll drive up to the top of that dune to get our bearings. There must be a road around here somewhere.”
He stopped the Mercedes at the top of a dune and the three of them scanned the surrounding desert. Behind them was the backdrop of the Hebron mountains. In the far distance they could see a road snaking through the yellow sand. Natalie saw something glinting in the sand.
“What is that?” she pointed in the distance.
“I think I know,” Dennis said. He turned the steering wheel on the Mercedes and drove down the side of the dune towards what was sparkling in the sun.
Halfway there they came across the body of Longinus still in his red toga. Dennis stopped the 4x4 by the side of the body. The face had returned to its human form and the eyes were open and normal. The bullet hole evident in the forehead.
“I’m sorry I had to do that,” Dennis said.
“It’s a real pity that we weren’t able to save him. Imagine if we could have done. To bring home someone who lived two thousand years ago during the time of the Caesar’s,” Natalie said.
“What a find that would have been,” Hutchinson added.
“He was just pure evil,” Dennis said, “Over the two millenia his body and soul were transformed into that creature we saw. I only hope he finds peace now.”
He took one more look and then put his foot down and drove the Mercedes on towards the glint in the sand. He pulled up near a road just a few metres from Von Werner and stepped slowly from the vehicle, Hutchinson following.
“Is he dead this time?” the American asked.
Dennis looked down at the broken body. Blood was dripping from every opening. The spear was still clutched in the dead hand. Dennis reached down and plucked the spear from the fingers.
“He is this time.”
Dennis passed the spear to Hutchinson. The sparks had gone now, the metal ordinary.
“We’d better get this to its home,” Hutchinson said, “If we go that way it will take us to Jordan. Don’t fancy Israel now do you?”
“No.”
They got back into the Mercedes. Dennis put his hand on the ignition key then paused. He looked down at the Count’s broken body.
“You know even after everything he has done I was going to save him.”
Dennis started the engine. Natalie leaned forward from the back seat and put her arms around his neck.
“You’re a good man Peter Dennis,” she said.
Hutchinson in the front passenger seat looked at his friend.
“You did save his daughter.”
“Yes,” Dennis said, selecting first gear and turning onto the tarmac road for Jordan, “And I’ve no doubt we’ll be seeing her again.”
EPILOGUE
Dennis, Natalie and Hutchinson walked out of the building at Shaheed Mwaffaq Military airport in Jordan and onto the tarmac. The C130 Lockheed Hercules that would take them to the british military base in Cyprus for a flight back to England was just a short distance ahead. Jordanian soldiers stood at intervals around the buildings and plane on guard.