The Sacred Vault_ A Novel - Andy McDermott [24]
The bikes were also off-roaders, Eddie saw. The attackers had a getaway plan that would take them somewhere no police car could follow.
The Nemesis backed further into the hall, people on the floor scrambling out of its way. Some of the bikers dismounted, guns covering the crowd, while three rode towards Eddie and Nina’s position.
Nina’s gaze went to the Atlantean crown. Priceless, she had called it less than thirty minutes earlier - but now someone intended to find exactly what that translated to in the real world.
The bikers stopped and climbed off their machines, guns raised. No shouted orders, no demands, no threats. They had made their intentions perfectly clear - and another burst of fire from an MP5K as a prone security guard tried to draw his weapon hammered the point home.
‘What do we do?’ Nina hissed. ‘We can’t let them steal the crown!’
‘Y-yes, we can!’ Boyce said, voice quavering. He raised his head as the faceless trio approached. ‘I’m the mayor of San Francisco. Please, take what you came for and leave. Nobody else has to get hurt.’ Nina scowled at him, but knew there was nothing else they could do.
The Nemesis kept reversing. Its rear bullbar clipped another display case, which toppled over and smashed. The golden trident clanged across the floor as the big 4x4 stopped behind the three men.
They regarded the crown impassively . . . then at a gesture from the tallest of the trio, apparently the leader, moved to the next case.
The one containing the Talonor Codex. Through her fear, Nina felt a moment of shock. That was their objective?
Rowan’s reaction was a more exaggerated version of her own. ‘No, you can’t take it!’ he cried, springing up—
The leader shot him.
A bullet hit Rowan’s upper chest, slamming him back down with a spurt of blood. His head cracked against the floor.
‘Rowan!’ Nina screamed. Eddie forced her down as she tried to crawl to him. Her friend was still alive, feebly writhing, but blood was running down his shirt.
The leader fired a single shot at the case. The toughened glass splintered, crooked cracks radiating out from the bullet hole, but didn’t entirely break - until a blow from the butt of his MP5K finished the job. He lifted out the Codex, cradling the heavy book in his arms as another man went to the Nemesis and raised its hatchback. There was a large metal box inside, lined with foam rubber. He lowered the ancient artefact into it, then closed the case and slammed the hatchback shut. The off-roader’s engine revved.
The bikers closest to the broken windows rode out into the fog. The Nemesis bulled its way through the scattered debris and terrified guests after them.
The trio who had taken the Codex mounted up. Two of them set off without a pause; the leader glanced back at Nina’s group before moving—
Eddie dived, landing by the golden trident. He snatched it up and leapt to his feet, flipping it round so the three spearheads were pointing backwards.
Nina rushed to Rowan. ‘Somebody help me!’ she cried, pressing her palm against the wound to try to staunch the bleeding. He groaned.
The Nemesis and the first two bikers reached the windows, crunching over the glass. The leader followed—
Eddie hurled the trident. It flew across the hall like a gleaming javelin, spearing down at its target . . .
Not the rider, but his bike.
The shaft shot between the rear wheel’s spokes to be slammed against the forks, instantly locking the wheel. The rider was thrown off as the bike crashed to the floor.
Eddie ran at him. Catch the leader, and this would be over—
The raider rolled, cat-like, back on his feet in a moment - and drew his gun.
Eddie hurled himself behind