Part 33 (2/2)

'Useless!' exclaimed the Intelligence in Travers eagerly.

Typical unimaginative response, thought the Brigadier.

What about 'resistance is to be expected', or 'resistance will be crushed'?

Travers's head had turned to watch the progress of a helicopter that was swooping in over the campus.

Captain Bambera watched from the c.o.c.kpit of the Hind. A smell of tension. Behind her, in the belly of the helicopter, sat a dozen hand-picked soldiers, ready to storm the centre of the university.

The Swedish pilot, a veteran flier from Gothenburg, circled the helicopter round and approached the campus from the south. 'Don't think the blades will take much more of this web,' he said.

Winifred Bambera chewed at her lip, the way she'd done since she was a kid in Zambia playing tag with a lost leopard cub in Musi-O-Tunya National Park. When the cub's mother turned up, Winifred's older brother tried to rescue her with their father's rifle. He was so slow, he got badly mauled.

Winifred, aged eight, had to use the gun to rescue them both.

Her father thrashed her. Her brother called her Professor Chicken, because she had no business still being alive.

Ahead, Bambera saw the first explosion designed to draw all the Yeti defences to one point. Stoney-faced as ever, she snapped out her order to the pilot: 'No time to waste, Londqvist. Take us in.'

Londqvist's own glare was suddenly fixed and icy. The helicopter began to swoop down towards the campus.

Sarah pulled Kate back into hiding as someone came running along the walkway. Victoria Waterfield, New World's Vice Chancellor, was heading towards the university's maintenance service area. She looked desperately unhappy. The sound of guns echoed across the campus.

'Where's she off to?' hissed Sarah. She was about to go after Victoria, when Kate pulled a gun out of her jacket. She held it out between her fingers as if she couldn't bear to touch the thing.

'Sarah, take this. It's for my father.'

'You could have used that on the Yeti. You should have said.'

Kate cringed and stuttered. 'Sorry, but please just take it.'

Sarah folded Kate's fingers round the weapon and half grinned. 'No, you hang onto it. I'm a rotten shot.'

'I don't want a fight,' snapped Kate. 'I want my dad back!'

She gasped as Sarah pulled her back out of sight.

Christopher Rice, the Marketing Facilitator, was hurrying up the walkway. He had a gun in his hand too. Not far behind him lumbered a Yeti.

'Where's the back-up got to?' Sarah complained.

They heard the drone of engines. A helicopter was coming in low over the ca.n.a.l. As it flew, it angled wildly in the air.

'Londqvist, I said put us down over there!' yelled Bambera.

The pilot gave a growl of determination. He was squeezing the controls so hard that one of the hand grips cracked across.

The helicopter held its speed. Its course did not alter.

'Londqvist!' Bambera grabbed at his arm, but he thrust her away with his fist. Suddenly he was no longer the sober, bookish Swede whose twin pa.s.sions for rollmop herrings and yak b.u.t.ter tea were legendary. His mouth had pulled into a rictus grin.

The Hind swerved in towards one of the university blocks.

'My Great Plan at last,' snarled the mouth.

The helicopter buzzed the pyramid tower and headed on over the complex. Bambera pulled her gun.

'Back on course now.'

Londqvist ignored her. Strands of web glistened on his jacket.

'I said, now!'

As they cleared the complex, Bambera saw smoke and explosions. The line of Yeti was sweeping Crichton's troops before it. They were pulling back to the convoy.

The Hind bore straight down on the jeeps.

Collision course.

Bambera grabbed at the steering-column with a yell.

Londqvist's hand went in her face, but she pulled at the controls as three hulking squaddies locked onto the pilot. The helicopter tilted sideways and up. The convoy vanished under them.

She fell into Londqvist's seat as he was hoisted out. His boot hit the side of her head.

She swerved the Hind wildly, angling between two trees, clipping the top of a third.

Londqvist gave a cry of fury behind her.

The sky opened up in front. Bambera, her head ringing, steadied the helicopter into a broad turn, which would bring them back round again.

Londqvist was suddenly silent. Bambera angled a glance behind her and saw five squaddies sitting on him.

Ridiculously, she started to laugh.

The helicopter had come so close that Crichton could see the struggle in the c.o.c.kpit.

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