Sad Wind From the Sea - Jack Higgins [56]
As they stumbled through the thicket, arms raised to ward off the flailing bamboos, Hagen gasped, 'What do we do now?'
Mason answered briefly over his shoulder. 'I managed to refloat our canoe after they left me for dead. I've left her hidden in the reeds. We'll have to do some wading though.'
From then on all talk died. In the distance they could hear the sounds of pursuit and Hagen knew that he'd had his last chance with Kossoff. There would be no charity next time. Rose stumbled once and he caught her but she shook off his helping hand and staggered on. Suddenly they were through the bamboos and out in the open. They began to run over a wide expanse of open ground covered with coarse marsh-grass and then the ground became soft and they sank ankle deep into the waterlogged soil. As they progressed the going became tougher. They had not far to go now. The shelter of the reeds lay only forty or fifty yards ahead and still their pursuers had not come out into the open.
The evil, scum-covered waters of the marsh reached out to greet them and suddenly they were waist deep. 'We're going to do it,' Hagen thought. 'We're going to do it.' At that moment Rose stumbled and fell and as Mason turned to lift her there was a sudden shout of triumph. A bullet landed in the water beside them and Hagen turned and fired quickly at the group of soldiers who had appeared from the bamboos. Two of them cried out and fell down and the others ran back into the shelter of the thicket.
Hagan turned and followed Mason and Rose and the water lifted to his armpits and then the reeds were all around him and he knew that for the moment they were safe.
11
As they plunged deeper into the reeds the level of the water dropped until it was only waist deep. Progress was still made difficult by the thick, glutinous slime which the water covered and which was in some places knee deep. From behind came the calls of their pursuers and Hagen tightened his grip on his weapon. Whatever happened he was resolved that they would not fall into Kossoff's hands again.
Suddenly the water deepened and Rose stumbled and disappeared under the surface. They hauled her upright and she pushed dark tendrils of hair away from her eyes. 'Are you all right?' Hagen asked.
'I'm fine! Really I am. Let's keep moving.'
They started to move forward again and now the reeds began to thin a little and the cover was less adequate. After a while Mason held up his hand and stopped. He looked about him searchingly and there was an expression of doubt on his face. 'Where the hell did you leave the canoe?' Hagen demanded fiercely.
There was an edge of panic in Mason's voice. 'I'm not sure. I thought I'd find it easily but it wasn't as far away from the village as this.'
Hagen cursed and raised an arm to wipe the sweat from his face. What luck. What stinking, God-awful luck. From quite nearby there came a crashing sound as bodies forced their way through the reeds. 'Let's get out of here,' Mason hissed. 'Those bastards are getting too close for comfort.'
They plunged on, getting deeper and deeper into the marsh, and from behind them came the sound of relentless pursuit. They all fell several times, for the swampy water was treacherous and had a way of changing in depth without warning. Once Hagen stepped