Midnight Runner - Jack Higgins [90]
Dillon dropped onto the footplate and rammed his AK into Ali's side. "Stop the train," he said in Arabic. "Now."
Ali did as he was told and Dillon jumped to the ground, turned, and ran back.
B illy, dazed, was hauled to his feet by Abu and the two Bedu. There was blood on his face from a bad cut.
"You bastard," Kate said. "You little Cockney swine. I told you all that you were dead when I was ready. Well, your time has come. Go on, run for it." She said to Abu in Arabic, "Make him run."
Abu sent Billy staggering away, and she fired at him repeatedly, most of her bullets hitting the titanium waistcoat, but two struck the top of his right thigh and another passed through the left side of his neck.
Dillon dropped to one knee and fired, catching one of the Bedu, then swung as Rupert pulled Kate inside, and shot Abu in the back of the head as he tried to follow them. The other Bedu simply ran away, making for the sand dunes.
As Carver took the Scorpion up, Dillon ran to Billy and fell on his knees beside him, and it was at that moment that Tony Villiers and the Scouts arrived.
T hey laid Billy across the rear seats of one of the Land Rovers while Villiers checked him out, a combat medical kit open on the driver's seat. They'd taken off the titanium waistcoat, which had four bullets embedded in it.
"Has he had it?" Dillon demanded.
"Well, I'm no doctor, but I've treated plenty of gunshot wounds. Here, the bullet's gone straight through the neck. If it had damaged an artery, the blood would have been pumping out, and it isn't, so we can do a temporary job on that with wound packs. Pass me one."
He quickly bandaged Billy's neck, who moaned softly, eyes staring. "Thank God for titanium," Dillon said.
"Yes, but he's been shot twice at the top of his right thigh." Villiers took a scalpel from the kit and sliced open the material, exposing two bullet wounds. There was very little blood and he felt round to the other side. "They're still inside. God knows how much damage they've done. All I can do is bandage again and give him morphine. There are drips in the medical kits in all the Land Rovers. Someone can sit close and hold one for him."
"That's me," Dillon said.
He helped sit Billy up as Villiers used the wound pack, tying it securely round the waist. Finally, he covered the gash in the face with a large bandage and carefully inserted the needle from one of the drip bags into the left arm. The Bedu had watched impassively, and now Achmed came forward and held the plastic bag high.
"Four hours to Hazar and a hospital, on this road. Does he have a chance?" Dillon asked.
"I don't know, but I can improve his chances. I'll call Ferguson."
H e found him enjoying the comforts of the Excelsior, there no longer being any reason for them to maintain their presence in Hazar secret.
"Where are you?" Villiers asked.
"In the bar at the Excelsior, celebrating with Harry. I've spoken to Blake Johnson. He's over the moon."
"Well, hold the celebration. Billy's been badly wounded. Kate Rashid shot him several times in the back."
"Dear God."
"We need to get him to Hazar Hospital as soon as possible. The train's no good. It carries on north into the Empty Quarter, which leaves us with a four-hour trip by road."
"But can the boy survive that?"
"Well, his chances would improve if you arranged to have an ambulance come to meet us halfway. The head of surgery at the hospital is a man called Daz, an Indian. He's done a lot for me in the past. Get in touch with him and arrange it. They can't miss us. It's the only road."
"Leave it with me."
Villiers said, "Let's get out of here. You sit beside Billy, Dillon, I'll go in front with Achmed. My lads will have to sort themselves out." He turned to his men and said in Arabic, "Let's move out. We push for Hazar hard."
I n the Scorpion, Kate Rashid called Captain Black on his mobile and found him at the airport. "What can I do for you, Countess?"
"We'll be landing in about an hour. I want an immediately