Temple of the Gods - Andy McDermott [187]
Larry yanked her back as Sophia emerged from cover and opened fire with Eddie’s gun. Exposed, they seemed doomed – but the quake threw off Sophia’s aim. The aristocrat’s expression grew more furious with each missed shot. She started after her targets as they ducked back towards the alcove . . . only for the automatic’s slide to lock back as she exhausted its ammo.
The two women glared at each other – then Sophia fled for the ramp, throwing away the empty gun. Nina looked back at her husband as he smashed the metal shaft down like a baseball bat on to the prone Stikes with a clang that was audible even over the volcano’s rumble.
Eddie appeared to have the upper hand; she made a snap decision and ran after Sophia. The Englishwoman was already halfway up the pile of shattered stones; once she reached the top, the second lava tube would be just a short distance away. Nina pounded after her, Larry following.
Eddie swung at Stikes again, the shaft cracking off the other man’s elbow as he tried to shield his head. Stikes screamed. ‘Yeah, how’s it feel to be the one getting hurt for a change?’ Eddie yelled as he delivered another blow. ‘This is for everyone you killed in Afghanist—’
Another tremor made him lurch – and Stikes took advantage, sweeping his legs round to hook a foot behind Eddie’s knee, making his leg buckle. The Yorkshireman stumbled, the metal spear jolting from his hands. ‘You talk too much, Chase!’ Stikes shouted as he jumped up. ‘You always did!’
Eddie sprang to his feet as Stikes charged at him. The two men crashed together, clawing and punching and kicking. Stikes slammed a balled fist against his opponent’s bullet wound, making him roar in agony – only to cry out himself as Eddie gouged his thumb deep into the ripped flesh of his forearm. They backed apart, sizing each other up once more.
Sophia reached the top of the slope and looked down to see Nina still in pursuit. She snatched up a lump of debris and hurled it at her. Nina yelped and ducked aside, the missile barely missing Larry. Sophia picked up another stone . . .
Part of the meteorite, a ragged purple chunk from the heart of the disintegrated rock. She stared at it for a moment, expression calculating – then shoved it into a pocket and ran along the tier.
Nina swore. If Sophia escaped with the meteorite fragment, there was a danger that the Group’s plan could be still carried out – with the worst person imaginable now in charge.
She scrambled up to the top of the slope, about to follow her—
Another seismic shock made her reel as the broken stones shifted underfoot – then a section of the tier ahead fell away and crashed down on to the level below, cutting her off from the lava tube. On the far side, Sophia reached its entrance and looked back at her with a mocking smile, then disappeared into the darkness.
The gap was too large to jump across. ‘Son of a bitch!’ Nina snarled.
‘Over there,’ Larry gasped as he caught up, pointing in the other direction. ‘There are stairs at the far end – we can go up to the next level, then jump down by the tunnel.’
It appeared that he was right. They would have to scale a tilting pillar to reach the undamaged stairway, but it seemed negotiable. ‘Okay, you go first.’ She turned to look for her husband as Larry began to climb the column – and saw that he was in trouble.
Stikes had backed Eddie perilously close to the edge of their lava-lit arena. The gases rising from below were painfully hot, and parts of the shuddering ledge looked on the verge of plummeting towards their source. Eddie knew he had to make a move, and quickly. The safest manoeuvre would be to try to break past Stikes for less dangerous ground, getting clear of the edge before resuming the battle.
Instead, Eddie charged straight at him to attack head-on. The best way to end the fight was by doing the unexpected—
Stikes twisted aside.
He had predicted the move, expected the unexpected – and now Eddie paid for it as the other man’s elbow smashed against his temple. He staggered, senses sloshing glutinously inside his skull . . .
Stikes