Temple of the Gods - Andy McDermott [46]
‘How about I give you one bullet right in the bollocks? For old times’ sake.’ But Eddie knew Stikes was right – he was rapidly running out of time before reinforcements arrived. He needed to break the deadlock . . .
A bright light suddenly filled the hallway.
From outside.
Eddie looked round in alarm as an approaching helicopter’s spotlight swept over the penthouse. He whipped back to face Stikes, but the mercenary was just as surprised as he was—
The windows shattered as gunfire raked the building.
Nina shrieked and ran to Eddie, who dived on top of her to shield her from the flying glass and bullets. Stikes also threw himself to the floor. Wood panels splintered, the drywall behind erupting with great sprays of fragmented plaster as more shots carved through the hallway.
The firing stopped. Eddie raised his head, seeing the helicopter hovering about fifty metres from the skyscraper. The glare from its light meant that he couldn’t identify the type, only that it was painted black – and had a machine gun protruding from an open hatch in its side.
But the aircraft was now turning to face the building head-on. The gun wasn’t its only weapon . . .
Eddie flattened himself over Nina again as a flash of orange fire streaked out from the chopper. A rocket hit the building above the hallway and exploded, the remaining windows shattering. Debris cascaded from the ceiling between the couple and Stikes.
Nina screamed as a second missile struck overhead, the floor pounding like a drumskin. ‘Holy shit! Who the hell are they?’
‘They’re shooting at us, so bad guys!’ Eddie shouted back. He shook off lumps of fallen plaster and lifted his head. They were dangerously exposed here; if they ran towards the elevator, the building’s central core might provide some protection. But that would mean covering almost the entire length of the hallway, making them an easy target for the gunner—
The floor shook again. Not from an explosion, but a deep, ominous creak of metal and concrete. The helicopter hurriedly retreated. The sound grew louder, joined by the groans and cracks of failing structural supports . . .
Nina realised the cause with horror. ‘Oh, crap! Eddie, move, move!’
One of the wind turbines outside toppled like a felled redwood, scything down through the ceiling and tearing a great gash out of the skyscraper as the enormous steel tower ripped through storey after storey before finally being dragged to a halt by the sheer mass of tangled wreckage.
But the danger wasn’t over. Nina and Eddie suddenly found themselves sliding towards the widening hole as the floor, its supports severed, sagged beneath them. They slithered helplessly down the polished wood—
Another loud crack – a floorboard springing up at one end as it buckled. Nina grabbed it, Eddie catching her legs and clinging on.
She was still holding the case in her other hand. ‘Get rid of that fucking box before we both fall!’ he ordered.
‘Not a chance!’ After what she had experienced earlier, there was no way Nina was going to give up the statues now. Instead she tossed the case back up the sloping floor to land in the corner near the doors. For a moment, it looked as though it was going to slide back down again . . . then it wedged against another warped board.
She clawed at the wood with her now free hand until her fingers found purchase. ‘Okay, just hang on,’ Eddie grunted as he stuffed the gun into his jacket and began to pull himself up her body.
‘Oh, ya think?’
He held back a sarcastic response of his own, concentrating on survival. Boots scraping against the floor, he brought himself high enough to reach the board. ‘Got it,’ he said, releasing Nina and edging sideways to support his foot against a cracked plank. As she squirmed up, he twisted to locate the other threats.
The helicopter was shining its light into