The Sacred Vault_ A Novel - Andy McDermott [181]
Eddie ran past Nina. Vanita hurriedly retreated, but he ignored her, instead pounding up the curved stairs to the upper platform. ‘Ay up,’ he said to Khoil. The billionaire’s plump face filled with fear. ‘Can I play?’
Nina jumped up, raising her fists as she charged at Vanita. While no expert at unarmed combat, she had still received enough training from her husband to throw a good punch - and this one would be particularly satisfying. Vanita turned and ran, Nina pursuing her round the walkway.
Tandon’s head briefly popped up into Zec’s view. He fired, but the Indian had already ducked out of sight with snake-like speed. The Bosnian shifted his aim, shooting at the floor. Four bullets punched holes through the metal plating with shrill spangs - but Tandon was too fast. A clank of something falling as he swept hand over hand along the scaffold, then in an acrobatic, almost gravity-defying move, he swung back up feet-first under the railing - and drove a crunching kick into Zec’s stomach. The mercenary flew backwards, crashing against the outer railing—
It gave way. Zec tumbled over the edge. His neck cracked horribly as he landed head-first, flopping limply to the floor. The broken length of railing clanged down beside him.
Khoil backed away as Eddie approached. He reached the edge of the platform and cowered, with nowhere to run. On the big screens, the view of Delhi tipped sharply, the drone swinging back round towards its standby orbit now that it was no longer receiving control signals. ‘You - you can’t stop—’
Eddie punched him hard in the face. Khoil spun off the platform, landing with a crash on the walkway below, smooth skin now marred by a smear of blood from his split lips.
Wiping his knuckles on his coat, Eddie moved to the centre of the platform and raised his hands. ‘Okay, let’s see how this works . . .’ He spread his fingers as he had seen Khoil do and tilted one hand experimentally. The horizon on the screen followed his movement. ‘Yes!’ He looked for somewhere amongst the city’s lights that would be safe enough to crash the drone.
A black line ran across both images. A river.
‘Let’s make a splash,’ he said, tipping his hand forwards as if pushing an imaginary joystick. The drone began to descend.
Tandon ran to help Khoil, but the billionaire shouted, ‘No! Up there, stop Chase!’
Nina was fast gaining on Vanita, who was trying to run on two-inch heels. ‘Get your ass back here!’ she shouted. They had completely circled the walkway, reaching the broken section of railing. Vanita jumped through the gap, landing beside Zec.
Nina leapt after her, aiming to knock her down - but Vanita scrambled clear, one of her shoes flying off. Rolling as she landed, Nina jumped up—
To see Vanita going for the dead guard’s MP5K.
She dived at her, tackling the sari-clad woman just before she reached it and slamming her to the floor.
The river grew steadily larger - but Eddie was forced to abandon the controls as Tandon rushed at him. The drone climbed steeply back to its failsafe altitude.
Eddie and Tandon circled each other. The Englishman raised his fists. Tandon brought up his own hands, fingers together like axe-heads - then a flash of triumph crossed his face as he remembered he had a gun. He reached for it—
Finding nothing but an empty pocket. It had fallen out when he was swinging from the walkway.
Eddie lunged, a powerful punch steaming at Tandon’s jaw.
The Indian whipped his head back, the blow only grazing his chin. He snapped up an arm to hook Eddie’s as it passed, then whirled, simultaneously slamming an elbow against the other man’s head and painfully