False Horizon - Alex Archer [76]
“This already existed?”
“Sure.”
“Why is this the first anyone has known about it?”
Guge shrugged. “Isn’t it obvious? You found this place because we wanted you to find it. It’s all part of the plan, sweetheart.”
Annja kneed him in the back. “I’m not your sweetheart. Now keep moving before I do get tired of you and let you rot here.”
Guge stopped. “Wait—before we go any farther, I’ve got to tell you something.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
“When you meet our leader—because you will soon—you should know one thing about her.”
Annja sighed. “What?”
Guge licked his lips. “She—”
The sharp retort of gunfire exploded down the hallway and three rounds tore a line across Guge’s chest, stitching him from one side to the other. His body spasmed and jerked from the impact.
Annja spun even as Tuk started shouting for her to take cover. Automatic gunfire sounded and Annja bent forward, looking for any type of protection.
“Annja! You okay?”
Annja crawled and found a shallow depression by one of the torch brackets. She reached up and pulled the torch out of the bracket and then smashed it to the ground. Darkness enveloped the hallway.
“I’m all right. You got some cover?” she called to Tuk.
“By the nearest statue.”
Sporadic gunfire broke out and bullets zipped past in the air. Annja kept her head down.
She heard closer gunfire and saw that Tuk was firing back at the end of the hallway.
“Are they down there?”
“I think so. I caught a glimpse of movement right before the whole place exploded.”
“I need a gun. Slide one over to me,” she said.
Annja heard the skid of metal on stone and reached out as the assault rifle slid into her grasp. She picked it up and ratcheted the slide. Annja set the selector switch down past full auto to semi and brought the butt to her shoulder.
Along the hallway, she caught a muzzle flash and ducked back as a bullet plowed through the air near her head.
Tuk was firing back in two-round bursts. Annja caught a glimpse of him in the muzzle flash and then fired off a few rounds herself. She had to let them at least know they were armed.
She wasn’t going down without a fight.
Thoughts swam through her head as she looked for any target of opportunity. Just how much of what Guge had just told her was truth? He’d already admitted to lying. Would he still be lying to her up until the moment he died?
And if he wasn’t lying, then could this whole thing really be just one big plot to get Annja’s sword?
Who would go to those lengths?
“Reloading!” Tuk called out.
Annja brought her weapon up and squeezed off several rounds. She realized they would have to conserve ammunition. Once they ran out, that was it. They’d be defenseless.
“Tuk! We can’t stay here!” she shouted.
“I know. What do you want to do?”
Annja squeezed off two more rounds. “I’m coming to you. Cover me.”
“Go!” he said.
Tuk started firing and Annja crept out of her space, then ran toward the shadowy figure of the little man. Annja slid in next to him and felt the reassuring presence of the giant statue. It was more than enough to provide them with exceptional cover from the bullets coming at them.
Tuk paused. “You all right?”
Annja nodded. “Who taught you how to shoot?”
Tuk grinned. “Reruns of The A-Team. For a while that was the only American programming we got over here.”
Annja wanted to laugh. But they had problems to face. “We can’t stay here. They’ll wait us out and then come and kill us.”
“Agreed, but what do we do? If we try to go at them, they’ll simply mow us down.”
Annja chewed her lip. “I’m open to ideas.”
“I’m not sure I have any.” Tuk frowned. “Hold that thought.” He ducked back around the edge of the statue and let out a burst of gunfire. From somewhere down the hallway, Annja heard a scream and then silence. Tuk must have tagged one of them trying to sneak up.
“It got too quiet out there,” he said a moment later.
“Do you