Phantom Prospect - Alex Archer [95]
Annja stepped out into the center of the corridor.
They reacted as she’d hoped they would. Both of them brought their guns up and opened fire while Annja tucked and dived for the side of the wall.
She heard two shallow grunts that told her both guards had hit what they had aimed at.
Each other.
Annja crawled out and saw they were both down.
She collapsed and took a moment to get her breathing back to normal. Sweat poured down her face and she was still bleeding steadily. She checked herself over and decided she would live.
But she needed some help. And soon.
Annja got to her feet. Henderson was the only one left to deal with.
She emerged on the lower level and kept her sword up in front of her. There was no telling what Henderson might try if he knew he was the only one left alive.
In the distance, Annja thought she heard some thing.
A motor? Was Cole finally on his way back in?
Annja hoped that he had brought the cavalry with him.
“That’s far enough, Annja.”
She turned and saw Henderson standing behind her. The gun he held was aimed right at her heart. He shook his head. “Don’t think about it. I’m quite the marksman and I assure you that I will shoot you if you even so much as blink.”
Annja heard the motor clearly now.
So did Henderson. He gestured with the gun. “Now, then, I’d imagine those are your friends come to rescue you. So let’s not be rude, shall we? Let’s go have ourselves a nice visit.”
37
Annja walked carefully back down to the dock area, aware as she did so that Henderson stayed just far enough behind her to be out of reach if she chose that moment to attack. And the fact that the hammer was cocked on his pistol meant that he was fully serious about shooting her if he needed to. But right at that moment, he wanted Annja alive.
“Just keep moving. I don’t want this to take any longer than is absolutely necessary,” he said as they started down the slope to the mooring.
Annja saw the mechanical shark idle up next to the dock and then Cole emerged followed by Jax, Holly and Tom. Annja frowned. Where were Hunter and Dave?
Cole’s face initially lit up when he saw Annja, but then he caught a glimpse of Henderson. “I see you weren’t entirely successful,” he said.
Annja frowned. “I got all the rest of them, for crying out loud. Give me some credit, why don’t you?”
Henderson cleared his throat. “If you two would stop the idle chatter, I’d very much appreciate it.” He gestured with his gun. “Just so you all know, I’ve got a dead bead on Annja’s heart from back here so please don’t do anything that would precipitate me pulling the trigger. I assure you that I am quite capable of doing so. Even if you manage to get to me, she will die before that happens.”
No one moved. Finally, Jax spoke up. “So, what would you like us to do now? Just stand here?”
Henderson spoke quietly to Annja. “She’s not very much on decorum, is she?”
“Depends on what you define that as,” Annja said. “She doesn’t take bullshit too lightly, though. Better just tell them what you want.”
Henderson grunted. “Very well. What I want is to get out of here intact. Seeing as I am currently outnumbered, that means a strategic retreat.”
“I didn’t think that word was in your vocabulary,” Annja said.
“It’s not normally,” Henderson said, “but I am a prudent fellow. And since you have the strength of numbers right now, I can see the writing on the wall and it is definitely time for me to leave.”
“Great. Feel free to get going,” Cole said. “No one here will stop you, you have my word.”
Henderson chuckled. “If only it was that easy. You see, I need something that I left here.”
“And what’s that?”
“My nuclear bomb.”
Cole glanced at Annja. Annja grimaced and hoped he read that as “Do not say a thing about the fake bomb.”
Luckily, Cole seemed to get the message and just nodded. “So, go ahead and get it. We won’t stop you.”
“Yes, well, I am a bit long in years and no longer possess the strength needed to move it. That said, I’d appreciate it if you and that fellow