The Source - Michael Cordy [98]
Father General Leonardo Torino looked different out of his robes but Ross knew him instantly. Dressed in thick boots, canvas trousers, a white cotton shirt and sleeveless jacket, he was flanked by four uniformed men, all armed and carrying large backpacks. They were clearly confident that their quarry couldn't escape.
When Zeb and Chantal reached Ross, they slumped down, panting, behind the next boulder. 'Give me the gun,' Ross said. Zeb was only too happy to hand it over. She looked scared but Sister Chantal's face was white with fury. Just as she had been about to fulfil her vow and surrender her responsibility for the garden, everything she had striven for, every sacrifice she had made, had come to nothing.
Hackett rushed in, cradling his rifle. He crouched beside Ross. 'Is our visitor your dodgy priest?'
'Father General Leonardo Torino.'
'What's he doing here?' Sister Chantal hissed. 'How did he find this place?'
'We must have led him,' Ross said.
'But how?' demanded Hackett. 'I thought we'd lost him when Osvaldo killed his pirates on the river.'
'I don't know,' said Ross. 'What happened out there? They just appeared?'
'Out of nowhere and began firing.'
'If they'd wanted to shoot you, you'd have been hit by now,' said Mendoza, from deeper within the cave. 'They wanted to contain us here.'
Hackett turned and glanced round the cave. 'Is there another way out?' He pointed to the tunnel. 'Where does that lead?'
'You don't want to go up there,' said Ross. He thought of the exit across the magma pool behind the antechamber. 'There's a possible way out at the back of the cave but it's not a route I'd recommend.'
'What do we do?' said Zeb. 'Fight them?'
Hackett grimaced. 'Those soldiers are well armed. And judging by their backpacks they've brought a mini arsenal with them.'
'We can't just let them take over this place,' said Sister Chantal.
Torino's voice boomed out across the lake. 'Dr Kelly, you and your party are trespassing.' He held up a leather attaché case. 'I have the required legal documentation to claim this land. We mean you no harm but these soldiers are here to enforce my rightful claim.' The priest approached the forbidden caves, flanked by the soldiers. 'Show yourself. You have nothing to fear from us.'
Yeah, right, thought Ross. As he looked at the men's hard faces and weapons, the exit across the magma pool seemed more appealing. As Torino neared them, Hackett raised his rifle and Ross fingered his Glock. It seemed so puny. This was madness. They couldn't win. They'd only be killed. They had to accept defeat. Behind him, he heard the metallic click of Mendoza's rifle bolt engaging and Ross remembered how he had dispatched the three bandits on the river.
'Put your guns down or I'll shoot,' Mendoza ordered.
'You're a bit hopeful,' said Hackett, peering out of the cave. 'And you'll have to speak a lot louder than that if you want them to hear you.'
'Not them. You.'
Ross turned. Mendoza's rifle was trained on his chest. 'What?'
'You can't be serious,' said Hackett.
'Drop your guns. Now.'
Hackett and Ross did as they were told. Mendoza stepped closer and kicked the guns behind him. 'I don't understand,' said Ross.
'You will.' Mendoza raised his voice. 'Father General, can you hear me?'
A pause. 'Is that you, Marco?'
'Yes. They're here, all accounted for. I'm sending them out.'
'Marco?' said a stunned Zeb. 'I thought your name was Osvaldo.'
He ignored her. 'Raise your hands and step out of the cave.'
'You made a vow,' said Sister Chantal, stunned.
After the initial shock, nausea swirled in Ross's gut. He couldn't believe what was happening. He had allowed this man, who had pretended to be his friend, to undermine his already impossible quest to save Lauren. Now, when against all the odds he had found what he sought, he was to be denied. All the anger,