The Source - Michael Cordy [127]
His only hope was that the priest wouldn't make it down the tunnel of blood alive.
76
Moments earlier
Torino had no intention of dying. God still had much for him to do. Immediately Ross had released the fragment, Torino had clutched it to his chest, thrown Fleischer's discarded machine-gun over his shoulder, picked his way through the falling rock and crystal, and run for the tunnel of blood.
Inside, he fought his way through hordes of panicked nymphs – many already dying or dead – squeezing himself against the walls. Above the shrieks he could hear the crack and tinkle of crystal, as its brittle structures broke away from the rock. He moved as fast as he could, trusting in God to protect him.
Halfway down the tunnel his backpack snagged on a projecting shard of crystal. As he tried to free himself, a worm uncoiled from an opening in the opposite wall and propelled itself towards him. He raised Fleischer's gun, pointed it and pulled the trigger. The weapon recoiled in his hand until the cartridge was empty, the storm of bullets shredding the creature, forcing it back into the wall. He dropped the gun, pulled hard and broke off the crystal snagging his backpack. Then he ran down the tunnel, holding the Source fragment close to him like a talisman – a shield against the pursuing demons.
Ahead, he saw Petersen crouching in a pool of blood. His machine-gun lay discarded beside him, surrounded by spent cartridges. The gory remains of slain rock worms formed a ring around him. His legs were badly mutilated but he was still alive. He held a pistol, waiting for his tormentors to return.
He saw Torino and tried to stand. 'Help me, Father General. Help me get down the tunnel.'
Torino stopped beside him. 'Is your pistol loaded?'
'I've got three bullets left.'
'Give it to me.'
Petersen's blood-caked face stared at him. Then he handed over the gun. 'Help me stand,' he said. 'If I lean on your shoulder I think I can walk.'
Torino turned away. Helping Petersen was futile, counterproductive. Not only would the soldier slow him down but Torino couldn't let him live and speak of the garden. This was God's will.
He could hear the worms returning.
'They're coming back, Father General!' Petersen screamed. 'In the name of God, help me!'
'In the name of God, I can't.'
'Then give me my gun. Or shoot me. Don't leave me like this.'
Torino didn't look back. Even when Petersen's pleas became screams, he only ran faster down the tunnel.
He had to get out.
He had to survive.
He had to complete God's work.
77
Covered with dust, Ross stumbled into the glare of the garden, holding Sister Chantal. Seconds later, the entrance to the forbidden caves collapsed behind him, damming the stream to the lake.
Not looking back, he carried her towards the mound of stones where she had buried Orlando Falcon's remains. He saw Bazin standing near the grave. The flame-thrower and the backpack of incendiaries that Ross and the others had taken from Gerber lay on the ground beside him. He held a pistol, pointing it at Zeb and Hackett. Zeb was arguing with him.
'Just tell me one thing,' she shouted. 'If this really is the Garden of God why do you hate it so much?'
'I don't hate it,' said Bazin. 'It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.'
'Then why destroy it?'
'I don't want to. I want to protect it for the Holy Mother Church.'
She pointed to the stack of yellow parcels a few yards away. 'You don't protect something by putting incendiaries everywhere.'
'They're to stop the garden falling into the wrong hands. To stop people using it against the Church.'
'What people? Us? What threat are we?'
As Bazin began to answer, he saw Ross, blanched and fell silent.
Ross took no evasive action, just kept walking to the mound. He was exhausted. 'You've already killed me once, Marco. If you want to do it again, then shoot. Otherwise, leave me alone.'
'Ross, what happened?' said Zeb. 'We felt the tremors out here.'
'Torino chipped a chunk off the Source and unleashed Hell.'
'What about Sister Chantal?'
'Fleischer shot