False Horizon - Alex Archer [90]
“I agree with you, Mike. It’s just that, in all my years of work, I was always beyond that type of work. And I never minded being there.”
“I’m afraid there’s no one else who can do what needs to happen. Two targets. Two of us. It’s the only way to make sure we’re successful,” Mike said.
“All right. I’m sorry.”
“Forget about it. Let’s just get this done.”
Tuk moved up and took his position. “I’m ready.”
Mike brought his gun up into his shoulder and sighted. “On three, okay?”
“Okay.”
“One…”
Tuk took a series of deep breaths. His heart pounded against the inside of his chest like a hammer going a thousand times a minute.
“Two…”
Tuk steeled himself. He let his trigger finger come to rest just outside the trigger guard. He brought the weapon up so he had a clear sight picture. He settled the sights on Vanya. Mike was right, he decided. Better to finish this and then get the hell out of here. No sense dying for no reason. And at least they’d be able to tell the world what happened so it didn’t occur again elsewhere.
Tuk heard Mike start to say “three” but the word died on his lips as they suddenly heard another voice from somewhere behind them.
“Stop.”
It wasn’t a shout. It just a simple command. Softly spoken. But most definitely a stern command.
Tuk frowned. Something about that voice reminded him of someone.
“Put your weapons down or we will shoot you where you stand.”
“Mike?” Tuk whispered.
“Better do it, Tuk. There’s a gun barrel aimed at the base of my skull right now and I don’t think these guys are fooling around.”
Tuk lowered his weapon.
“Very good. Now both of you turn around very slowly. If either of you moves too fast, we will shoot.”
Tuk gulped and then turned around slowly. Mike was in front of him but he heard the surprise in Mike’s voice. “You.”
“Move aside so I can see the man behind you, Mike.”
Mike moved and Tuk was startled. Three men stood there. He recognized the sneering smiles on the faces of Burton and Kurtz.
And in the middle, his eyes hidden behind a huge pair of sunglasses, stood Mr. Tsing. He held a silenced pistol in his hand and gestured with it. “Step away from the doorway. We wouldn’t want to interrupt the party out there too soon, now, would we?”
Mike kept his hands up. “What’s this all about Tsing?”
“It’s about me making sure my investment doesn’t run away from me.”
“I’m not running.”
Tsing smiled. “I must say you’ve done a fantastic job, Mike. I almost didn’t expect you to find it. But you have. And I’m ready to take it over for my very own paradise.”
Mike shook his head. “I don’t think you want to do that. This isn’t Shangri-La at all. It’s a nuclear waste treatment facility disguised by the Chinese as a palatial tropical paradise.”
Tsing laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I wish I was,” Mike said. “But the woman who created this entire mess is standing right outside. You can ask her if you want.”
Tsing eyed Mike but then frowned as he cast a glance at the doorway. “Perhaps I shall.”
34
“No one move, please.”
Annja looked up and gasped as she heard the voice and saw Mr. Tsing striding out into the open pavilion. He paused, looked up at the sky and seemed vaguely annoyed that the sun was out. But he merely adjusted his sunglasses and kept walking ahead.
Behind him came Tuk and—Mike! Annja was so happy she almost forgot to stay still. Then, behind Tuk and Mike came Tsing’s two thugs, Burton and Kurtz. The automatic rifles they held didn’t look the least bit friendly.
Tsing directed Tuk and Mike to one side with Kurtz covering them. He pointed at Burton. “Stand there and cover everyone else, but particularly that woman there.” This last statement was directed at Hsu Xiao. “If anyone moves, kill her first.”
Hsu Xiao glared at Tsing. “I should have killed you when I had the chance.”
“Well, it’s not as though you didn’t try, my dear. After all, that nasty little neurotoxin you put into my glass was something else. A rather spectacular little drug, isn’t it? Unfortunately,