Phantom Prospect - Alex Archer [92]
She ran around the complex collecting guns and ammunition. She’d need it for the rest of her crew when Cole brought them.
But how long would it take Cole to get back? She had to imagine that once he got out of the cavern complex, he would be able to find his way to the surface and then locate the Seeker.
But how would they take to seeing him again? They might even have pulled up anchor and gone back ashore.
Annja tried not to focus on that possibility. If she was going to be the only one facing Henderson and his gang, she wanted to make sure she had the maximum advantage possible.
To that end, Annja positioned guns and ammunition at each of the choke points. She created a series of fallback options. She could stage closest to the dock and take out a few of the guards before giving that up and falling back to the next control point. By staggering her attack that way, she hoped to whittle their numbers down until she would eventually have to close in and do close-quarters battle with them using her sword.
The ammunition wouldn’t last forever.
And they might get a lucky shot off.
Annja would need all of her skill and cunning if she was going to make it out of there alive.
She thought about Cole. That had been some kiss. But had there been any real feeling behind it, or had it just been a function of almost dying together? They’d never really had much of a relationship before and to think that a simple kiss would change that seemed a bit naive to her.
But then again, she’d enjoyed the kiss.
And, in retrospect, she supposed there might be some potential. If she wanted there to be.
Annja frowned. First things first, she decided. There’d be plenty of time to ruminate on whether she and Cole had a future once Henderson and his gang of thugs had been dispatched.
Until then, Annja had to keep her head on straight.
She fully expected Henderson to show up at any time. More than an hour had passed since Cole had taken the mechanical shark and traveled back to the Seeker.
Annja wasn’t convinced there was enough time for Cole to get reinforcements down there before Henderson returned.
This was going to be up to her.
Again.
She heard a noise down by the dock. A motor sound was coming from the interior part of the cavern.
Someone was coming down the tunnel.
Annja moved to the first position, picked up a submachine gun and yanked the charging handle to put a round in the chamber.
Showtime.
36
Annja watched as the submarine motored into the mooring area. She couldn’t see anyone on the conning tower, but that would have been too much to hope for. Besides, she wanted to let them all get out of the submarine before she started firing. If she attacked too soon, they’d simply retreat in the submarine. Henderson would abandon the complex and live to destroy mankind another day.
Annja couldn’t let that happen.
She watched the submarine idle up to the dock. She heard a hatch open and watched as four men emerged, weapons at the ready. Two of them secured the submarine to the dock while the other two covered them.
Annja waited.
The four guards made their way to the gangway and then crossed over. One of them held a radio and Annja heard him mutter something into it.
A moment later, Annja saw Sheila’s head poke out of the conning tower. Henderson and three more guards followed her.
Annja frowned. Nine-to-one odds were definitely not in her favor. But she had to hold them off for as long as possible.
Henderson strode onto the gangway. “I want this area secured. Find the other guards and Annja Creed. Kill the woman on sight, but I want them all found. Drag their bodies here if you have to.”
The guards started up the slope while Henderson, Sheila and the other three guards remained behind.
Annja opened fire.
She took out one of the guards on the first volley, but the others returned fire a lot faster than she expected them to. She had to remind