Phantom Prospect - Alex Archer [99]
Henderson stopped and brought his pistol back up on Annja. “I warned you not to do that.”
Annja nodded. “Can’t blame a girl for trying to escape.”
“Indeed,” Henderson said. He brought the pistol up to Annja’s chest. “And now you must pay the price.”
The sub suddenly lurched as Tom struggled to get to his feet and reached for the steering wheel. Annja almost fell over. She grabbed at the nearest panel for support. How the hell was Tom on his feet? He was supposed to be dead.
Henderson fell back as the sub lolled to the right again. “Tom, for God’s sake, boy, get the sub level.”
Tom nodded dumbly, his chest still spouting blood as he jerked the steering column in the other direction. Henderson started to fall backward but managed to keep himself upright.
The bomb toppled over and fell, rolling part of the distance across the bridge before coming to a stop by the rail support.
Tom moved toward Henderson.
“Get away from me!” Henderson shouted. “I saw you die just a few moments ago.”
Tom mumbled something and reached out for Henderson. Henderson’s pistol exploded three times and Annja saw the impact of his bullets as they entered Tom’s body and threw the young man back across the bridge.
This time he slumped to the floor and lay still.
Henderson rushed over and placed the barrel of his pistol at the base of Tom’s neck and fired a final shot that penetrated Tom’s brain.
“There. Now he’s really dead.”
Annja got to her feet slowly. Henderson was breathing hard and sweat poured down his face. He seemed short of breath and clutched the pistol to his chest.
“Maybe that crucifix you’re wearing does indeed work,” Henderson said. “Take it off.”
“Make up your mind,” Annja said.
“Take it off and give it to me,” Henderson said. “I can just as easily remove it from your corpse if you’d prefer.”
Annja wasn’t sure what had happened to Tom but she lifted the crucifix over her head and handed it to Henderson. The old man looped it over his head and then tried to stand upright. “There. Now that’s settled.”
Annja looked at Tom’s corpse. Had the crucifix really caused him to rise from the dead and try to attack Henderson? It wasn’t possible. “It didn’t look like Tom appreciated being used as your guinea pig, huh?”
“I suppose we’ll never know,” Henderson said.
“Seemed pretty evident to me.”
“That’s because you don’t like me,” Henderson said. “Now do me a favor and get the bomb upright again. No sense having an explosive rolling about the bridge. Rather dangerous, if I do say so myself.”
Annja shrugged. “I don’t see why you’d be worried, seeing as how you’re supposedly immortal now.”
“You don’t believe it?”
“Maybe your bullet didn’t kill Tom. Maybe he found a little life in him still and his only thought was to get to you, the man who tried to kill him. Guess I wouldn’t blame the guy for trying.”
“I don’t know anyone who could withstand a point-blank shot through their heart, do you?” Henderson said.
“Well, not up until a few moments ago.”
“Just do as I asked and get the bomb righted, would you?”
Annja set the bomb upright and then reached for the lid. As she did, she caught a glimpse of the timer, which now read two minutes. Annja had just two minutes to get out of the submarine or she was going to die in it with Henderson.
Worse, she had even less time since the submarine was headed out through the tunnel toward open water. If Annja didn’t remain inside, she’d die from the pressure once they were out.
It was time to end this once and for all.
“You wanted to look at the bomb, remember?”
Henderson nodded. “I do indeed. Stand back and drop the lid, if you please.”
Annja stepped away, still holding the lid. Henderson came forward, the crucifix dangling in front of him as he peered inside. He looked back up at Annja. “Why is the timer counting down?”
Annja shrugged. “Looks like someone managed to put a little treat in there for you.”
She jerked the lid up and smacked him in the face with it.
The pistol went off and bounced a single round around the bridge. Annja heard the splang of the ricochet