Authors: Alex Archer
Annja watched as the submarine motored into the mooring area. She couldn’t see anyone on the conning tower, but that would have been too much to hope for. Besides, she wanted to let them all get out of the submarine before she started firing. If she attacked too soon, they’d simply retreat in the submarine. Henderson would abandon the complex and live to destroy mankind another day.
Annja couldn’t let that happen.
She watched the submarine idle up to the dock. She heard a hatch open and watched as four men emerged, weapons at the ready. Two of them secured the submarine to the dock while the other two covered them.
Annja waited.
The four guards made their way to the gangway and then crossed over. One of them held a radio and Annja heard him mutter something into it.
A moment later, Annja saw Sheila’s head poke out of the conning tower. Henderson and three more guards followed her.
Annja frowned. Nine-to-one odds were definitely not in her favor. But she had to hold them off for as long as possible.
Henderson strode onto the gangway. “I want this area secured. Find the other guards and Annja Creed. Kill the woman on sight, but I want them all found. Drag their bodies here if you have to.”
The guards started up the slope while Henderson, Sheila and the other three guards remained behind.
Annja opened fire.
She took out one of the guards on the first volley, but the others returned fire a lot faster than she expected them to. She had to remind herself that they were primed for action and knew they were probably coming into a hostile situation.
The return fire obliterated her cover behind the crates. Annja fell back to her second position amid shouts from the guards and Henderson to flank her.
Annja took out another guard at the second retreat point, her bullets ripping him across the chest. He went down and started to get up again until Annja squeezed another double-tap that caught him in the middle of his forehead.
But the others were gaining on her. The two remaining guards of the first patrol split up and got positioned on either side of her in a pincer movement that would cut her apart if she let them.
She opened fire on her right flank and then charged the guard positioned there. She caught him flatfooted and, as he realized his mistake, she squeezed the trigger.
But nothing happened.
Annja didn’t waste time trying to get the gun to fire. She dropped the weapon and jumped on the guard, using her elbows and knees to pummel him. He fought back, scrambling to punch her and drive her away so he could use his gun, but Annja refused to be thrown. She got her hands around his throat, squeezing as if she was holding on to a rope for dear life.
The guard’s eyes bulged out and he gurgled, fighting desperately to get her off him. Annja held on until his body went limp.
A shot ricocheted off the wall close by. Annja rolled and grabbed the dead guard’s gun, bringing it up and squeezing off rounds as she rolled over.
She caught the approaching guard across his thighs as he bore down on her. His feet were blown out from under him and he went down hard, his own gun firing as he dropped. Annja winced as one of the bullets grazed her forehead and she felt the flow of warm blood down her face.
With no time to look after herself, Annja got to her feet and fell back to her last defense position. She dropped the magazine out of the gun and checked it. Seeing only a half dozen rounds, Annja picked up the last remaining magazine she had and slapped it home.
She heard movement and poked her head out. A single bullet exploded near her eyes and Annja jerked back, blinking away tears and the splinter that had lodged under her eyelid.
“Did I get you, Annja?”
Sheila was obviously back.
“No.”
“That’s a shame. I won’t miss again.”
“Maybe that broken wrist is slowing you down some. Maybe you should just walk out into the open and let me finish you off,” Annja called out.
“Keep dreaming, sweetheart.” Sheila laughed. “And I’m a crack shot with only one hand, anyway.”
“How nice for you.”
Annja took a deep breath and tried to figure out from which direction Sheila would come at her. Annja could see off to her left. A stack of crates there would give Sheila cover. But the pile of machinery on the right would also offer a good vantage point. Sheila wouldn’t be able to advance until she knew for certain where Annja was. And if she suspected that Annja might move, it would make things tougher on her.
But Annja didn’t have anywhere to retreat to. She’d built three fallback positions, thinking that she and the others would have had plenty of opportunity to destroy the attackers before it got to this point.
Annja on her own, however, was at a far greater disadvantage than if she’d had help.
Beggars can’t be choosers, she decided.
She poked out and squeezed off a single round at the area where she hoped Sheila was hiding.
There was no return fire.
“Oh, I’m not over there,” Sheila said. Her voice floated around the cavern and Annja frowned. She couldn’t get a bead on where she might be.
In the next instant, gunfire raked the back of the crate Annja huddled near. She dived and rolled out from behind it, her body taking over so her slower conscious mind didn’t waste time trying to consider all its options.
How did Sheila get behind her?
Annja rolled and came up squeezing off two more rounds. Annja saw Sheila duck and run across the catwalk for cover.
There must have been another way to get up to the second level without being seen. And of course, Sheila knew all about it, Annja realized.
If she stayed up there, Sheila would be able to get the drop on Annja and this thing would be over far sooner than Annja anticipated.
A gunshot from behind her told her that the remaining guards were now advancing on her. Idiot, she thought. Sheila had distracted her while they got into a better position.
Annja caught movement out of the corner of her eye and instinctively fired at the retreating shadow. Her bullets scored a hit and the body of one of the guards went sprawling out all over the floor.
“Not bad, Annja.” Sheila seemed to be laughing at her. “You’re a better shot than I gave you credit for. I won’t make that mistake again.”
“Why don’t you come down and play? No guns, just the two of us,” Annja said.
Sheila laughed. “You forget that I’m handicapped. Only one good wrist. I can’t throw a punch right now. Besides, I like shooting at you better.”
Annja twisted as the rounds bit into the area just above her head. If she hadn’t already been moving, she would have died.
But she ran for the corridor that led to the prison cells. If Sheila was on the upper level, Annja planned to be there, too.
She scooted past the bodies of the guards she’d killed earlier. She gained the upper level and ran into Sheila coming down to meet her.
Sheila fired first, her bullets raking up from the floor and cutting across Annja’s body. But Annja was already diving for the wall and, as she did, the rounds struck her gun, splintering it into several pieces.
Annja tucked, rolled and came up with her sword in hand, already charging Sheila before the startled attacker could gather herself for another offensive strike.
Annja leaped high and brought her sword straight down.
Sheila did the only thing she could by bringing her own gun up and trying to deflect it. The blade bit into the submachine gun and Sheila got her back behind the block. Annja gritted her teeth and the two of them stood there, locked together.
“I won’t be easy to kill, Annja.” Sheila’s face broke into a sweat and she tried to push forward.
Annja grimaced. “I never expected you would be.” She put her own weight into her move and grunted as she tried to jerk her sword blade free of the gun barrel.
“You’re trapped. Give up the blade and we’ll go unarmed,” Sheila said.
Annja stepped and used her hands to throw the sword and the gun away. But as she did so, Sheila whipped out a Bowie knife and slashed across Annja’s abdomen. Annja clutched at her stomach, but knew the cut was very shallow.
It still hurt like hell.
“Did I say unarmed?” Sheila laughed. “I must have forgotten to tell you about my knife skills.”
Annja backed away from Sheila and scowled. “I never trusted you, anyway. Your word means nothing.”
“Unfortunately for you, it seems like you’re out of time.” Sheila stepped in and slashed high at Annja’s face before ducking low and stabbing right at Annja’s heart.
Annja brought her leg up to block the thrust and just barely managed to do so. Sheila spun away, bringing the knife back up in front of her.
“Enough of this,” Annja said. She had the sword manifest itself back in her hands.
This time, Sheila gasped. “How did you do that?”
But Annja was already attacking, cutting in and slashing upward at an angle to Sheila’s hip. To Sheila’s credit, she managed to use the Bowie blade to block the initial cut and parried it, but that just led Annja into her next attack and, this time, the blade bit deeply into Sheila’s hip.
Annja watched as her sword cut in and then streamed through Sheila’s upper torso, cleaving as it went.
The air exploded with the stench of blood and gore. Sheila started to scream but that was choked off by the upsurge of blood rushing from her mouth.
She died as she fell, staining the floor in front of Annja and her sword.
Annja spun as another volley of bullets exploded in front and behind her.
The other guards!
Annja was pinned down and had no options. Her own gun had been shattered and Sheila’s gun was damaged. Annja’s only option was the sword.
She could see the shadows of the advancing guards as they came at her from two opposing points—one from the upper level and one from the lower.
Annja stepped out into the center of the corridor.
They reacted as she’d hoped they would. Both of them brought their guns up and opened fire while Annja tucked and dived for the side of the wall.
She heard two shallow grunts that told her both guards had hit what they had aimed at.
Each other.
Annja crawled out and saw they were both down.
She collapsed and took a moment to get her breathing back to normal. Sweat poured down her face and she was still bleeding steadily. She checked herself over and decided she would live.
But she needed some help. And soon.
Annja got to her feet. Henderson was the only one left to deal with.
She emerged on the lower level and kept her sword up in front of her. There was no telling what Henderson might try if he knew he was the only one left alive.
In the distance, Annja thought she heard some thing.
A motor? Was Cole finally on his way back in?
Annja hoped that he had brought the cavalry with him.
“That’s far enough, Annja.”
She turned and saw Henderson standing behind her. The gun he held was aimed right at her heart. He shook his head. “Don’t think about it. I’m quite the marksman and I assure you that I will shoot you if you even so much as blink.”
Annja heard the motor clearly now.
So did Henderson. He gestured with the gun. “Now, then, I’d imagine those are your friends come to rescue you. So let’s not be rude, shall we? Let’s go have ourselves a nice visit.”
Annja walked carefully back down to the dock area, aware as she did so that Henderson stayed just far enough behind her to be out of reach if she chose that moment to attack. And the fact that the hammer was cocked on his pistol meant that he was fully serious about shooting her if he needed to. But right at that moment, he wanted Annja alive.
“Just keep moving. I don’t want this to take any longer than is absolutely necessary,” he said as they started down the slope to the mooring.
Annja saw the mechanical shark idle up next to the dock and then Cole emerged followed by Jax, Holly and Tom. Annja frowned. Where were Hunter and Dave?
Cole’s face initially lit up when he saw Annja, but then he caught a glimpse of Henderson. “I see you weren’t entirely successful,” he said.
Annja frowned. “I got all the rest of them, for crying out loud. Give me some credit, why don’t you?”
Henderson cleared his throat. “If you two would stop the idle chatter, I’d very much appreciate it.” He gestured with his gun. “Just so you all know, I’ve got a dead bead on Annja’s heart from back here so please don’t do anything that would precipitate me pulling the trigger. I assure you that I am quite capable of doing so. Even if you manage to get to me, she will die before that happens.”
No one moved. Finally, Jax spoke up. “So, what would you like us to do now? Just stand here?”
Henderson spoke quietly to Annja. “She’s not very much on decorum, is she?”
“Depends on what you define that as,” Annja said. “She doesn’t take bullshit too lightly, though. Better just tell them what you want.”
Henderson grunted. “Very well. What I want is to get out of here intact. Seeing as I am currently outnumbered, that means a strategic retreat.”
“I didn’t think that word was in your vocabulary,” Annja said.
“It’s not normally,” Henderson said, “but I am a prudent fellow. And since you have the strength of numbers right now, I can see the writing on the wall and it is definitely time for me to leave.”
“Great. Feel free to get going,” Cole said. “No one here will stop you, you have my word.”
Henderson chuckled. “If only it was that easy. You see, I need something that I left here.”
“And what’s that?”
“My nuclear bomb.”
Cole glanced at Annja. Annja grimaced and hoped he read that as “Do not say a thing about the fake bomb.”
Luckily, Cole seemed to get the message and just nodded. “So, go ahead and get it. We won’t stop you.”
“Yes, well, I am a bit long in years and no longer possess the strength needed to move it. That said, I’d appreciate it if you and that fellow there could help move it onto the submarine. Then I’ll be on my way.”
Cole glanced at Tom and shook his head. “My friend isn’t feeling too well. Choose someone else.”
“I choose
him,
” Henderson said. “Now he either helps you or else I’ll put a bullet in your friend’s heart. Your decision.”
“Well, when you put it like that.” Cole looked at Tom. “You up for it?”
Tom shrugged. “What choice do I have?”
“That’s the spirit,” Henderson said. He nudged Annja. “If we could just move closer to the dock while the rest of your party comes up the slope and away from me, then I’ll know there’s no monkey business about to take place.”
Jax, Tom, Holly and Cole moved past them while Henderson kept Annja between them. Then Henderson backed down the slope and stood on the dock with Annja still in front of him.
“There, that wasn’t so difficult, was it?” He turned to Cole. “Now, you and the young man there go and fetch my bomb. Stow it aboard and I’ll be off.”
Cole and Tom headed to the lower level. Annja shifted a little bit.
Henderson poked her in the back. “Stand still, Annja. I don’t want to shoot you just yet.”
It took Cole and Tom just over twenty minutes to bring the yellow case back down the slope, grunting and heaving as they did so. Henderson chuckled as they struggled with it. “Be careful. I assure you that cost me a great sum of money to have built.”
“I hope you got your money’s worth,” Annja said.
“Actually,” Henderson said. “I didn’t. As you could obviously tell, it didn’t detonate. So now I’ll have to take it with me and have someone examine it to find out what went wrong. I’m assuming you didn’t tamper with it?”
Annja sniffed. “I’m a dirt digger, not an atomic-weapons specialist.”
“Indeed.” Henderson called out to Cole. “Can you and the young fellow get that on board?”
“We’ll have to come down there,” Cole replied.
“Do so, then.”
Cole looked at Tom and nodded. They hefted the bomb and carried it farther down the slope. At the dock they stepped onto the gangway and then eased the bomb up and through the conning tower hatch.
Annja watched them while Henderson kept her in front of his body as a shield. Cole and Tom emerged a few seconds later.
Cole looked at Henderson. “We left it on the bridge.”
“That’s fine. All the easier to get off when I reach my people again.”
Cole flexed his hands. “All right, we did as you asked. Now let Annja go and get the hell out of here.”
Henderson shook his head. “It’s not that easy.”
“Seems like it would be to me,” Cole said. He took a step and Henderson shot him in the thigh.
Cole screamed and went down to one knee. Annja started forward to help him but Henderson’s voice was sharp in her ear. “Not so fast, Annja. Stay where you are.”
Blood poured out of Cole’s leg. Annja wondered if the bullet had struck the femoral artery. If it had, then Cole needed immediate medical attention. Tom hadn’t moved.
Henderson turned to Jax. “You and the other girl can see to your friend. I expect he’ll need a great deal of pressure to stop that wound.”
Jax and Holly moved to Cole and got him off the deck of the submarine. He grunted as they laid him down on the dock. Jax examined the wound and her face looked pale. “You nicked his artery by the look of this.”
“Shame, isn’t it. You see what happens when you don’t do as I tell you? People get wounded.”
Jax put direct pressure on Cole’s inner thigh and glared at Henderson. “What do you want us to do now?”
“I’m leaving,” Henderson said.
“So go.”
“While I’m sure I’ve given you something to occupy yourselves in my absence, I can’t risk leaving anyone behind who might feel inclined to come after me. So I’m taking some insurance.”
Annja’s stomach ached. Great, she thought. I know where this is going.
Henderson spoke again. “Annja will come with me, as will that fellow there.” He pointed at Tom.
Jax shook her head. “We need Tom’s help to take care of Cole.”
“It wasn’t a request,” Henderson said. “He either comes with me or he dies here right now.”
Tom looked at Jax. “Forget about me, just take care of Cole.” He stepped forward and looked at Annja with a blank expression.
Annja frowned. “He’s not necessary. You’ve got me, Henderson. Leave him behind.”
“I need someone to drive the submarine while I keep you under guard,” Henderson said. “Besides, two is better than just one for insurance, anyway, don’t you think?”
“Depends,” Annja said. “But it’s your boat, so tell me what you want us to do.”
“You’re going on board first, followed by Tom. When I come down, I want you both back against the far side of the bridge. Any trouble and I’ll shoot you.”
“You’re going to kill us, anyway,” Annja said.
“If I get to my destination intact with the bomb, then you might just live. No guarantees, of course.”
Annja frowned. “Fine.” She climbed up the conning tower and down onto the bridge of the submarine. Tom followed a few seconds later and stood with her while Henderson clambered down.
He kept the gun on them the entire time. As he entered the bridge, he shifted position and then pointed at Tom. “Lock the hatch.”
Tom went up the conning tower and secured the hatch. Then he dropped back down and Henderson nodded. “Get us out of here.”
Annja frowned. Something was wrong. What was going on?
Tom took his seat at the controls and started punching buttons. Instantly, the motors kicked in. After a second, he looked at Henderson. “Ready.”
Henderson smiled. “Excellent. Get us under way.”
Annja felt the submarine shift and pull away from the dock. Tom guided it.
Henderson noticed the look on Annja’s face. “I think Annja is a bit confused.”
Tom glanced up. “She hasn’t figured it out.”
Henderson laughed. “May as well tell her.”
Tom shrugged. “I work for Henderson.”
Annja shook her head. “That’s impossible. How would you even have known that we’d end up in Nova Scotia?”
Henderson laughed. “Haven’t you learned that I’m a man who likes to cover my bets? We’ve had our spies looking after Hunter for a while now. And that meant we needed someone positioned with Cole, as well. Tom here was the perfect candidate for keeping an eye on him, in case Hunter fulfilled his potential.”
Annja shook her head. “I’m still not getting this.”
Henderson sighed. “Perhaps I gave you too much credit for being an intelligent woman.”
“Go to hell.”
Tom steered the submarine around and throttled up the motors. “Two minutes until we clear the tunnel and the cavern.”
Henderson nodded. “Excellent.” He looked back at Annja. “Hunter’s treasure quest for the
Fantome
has been well known by us for several years.”
“I didn’t think he even knew about it until recently.”
“Not true,” Henderson said. “He’s actually been quite vocal about his belief that the
Fantome
held a good supply of booty from the War of 1812.”
“I thought you didn’t care about the treasure,” Annja said.
“Well, I don’t really. The material goods mean little to me. However, when we discovered the vein of oil located here, we needed a convenient patsy to use as cover while we moved our teams of workers in.”
“But I thought you wanted Hunter scared off the wreck—hence, the mechanical shark.”
Henderson nodded. “We wanted him scared enough to stay out of the water but not so terrified that he left. That would mean someone else might wander into our area and we’d have to deal with them.”
Annja frowned. “It’s too sloppy. You’re not telling me something.”
Henderson smiled. “Well, there’s one little thing we’re leaving out.”
“What?”
Henderson looked at Tom. “Did you get it?”
Tom nodded and reached around his neck, removing a chain.
Annja caught her breath. “The crucifix.”
“Tom here’s been diving each night while the rest of you slept. My mechanical sharks ensured that he was left unmolested while he searched the wreckage for this.”
Annja shook her head. “Cole trusted you, Tom.”
He shrugged. “So what?”
Annja looked at Henderson. “That’s why you didn’t care about the death and destruction. You’ve got the crucifix.”
“And now I’m immortal,” Henderson said.
“That’s just a legend,” Annja said.
“Like your sword?” Henderson asked. “We’ll soon find out, anyway.”
“How?”
Henderson pointed at Tom. “Put the crucifix back on.”
Tom put it on and then looked at Henderson. “We’ll clear the tunnel in one minute.”
“Excellent. Once we clear that tunnel, Annja, you’ll be glad we’re in this submarine. The pressure would kill you otherwise.”
Henderson turned and pointed the pistol at Tom’s back. “Time now to see if this crucifix really works.”
Then he fired the gun.