Part 43 (1/2)

220.

”One/

”Oh, if you really think...” said Cousin Helga, torn between dismay and relief. ”I'll be ready.”

”Good.” Tira all but pushed her through the door, pressing it closed as soon as Cousin Helga pulled the last other lacy garment inside.

Two.”

”Better get ready,” said Chaney.

Tira threw him a loss before she slipped down behind the smaller settee and swung her Mein- hauser up, leveling it at the door.

”Three.”

”They'll probably just blow it up,” said Chaney. They don't want to cause too much damage. And they can get in more - ”

”Four.”

” - easily if there isn't too much damage.” He checked his ammunition for the third time, and for the third time swore at how inadequate his supply was.

”Five.”

Tira wanted to yell in defiance, to recite the numbers faster so that they would get the fight going. She was tired of waiting. She made sure her goggles were firmly in position.

”Six.”

”We're going to get out of this, Tira. We'll be fine,” said Chaney, not believing a word of it.

221.

Chelsea Quinn 'Yarbro

”Seven.”

Chaney had a sudden thought - would Admiral Sclerida actually order his death?

Would he let his men kill his son? At that moment he would not have liked to wager on it.

”Eight.”

”Get on with it,” muttered Tira, realizing that the Navy man wanted to irritate her; that recog- nition made her more irritated than before.

”Nine.”

Chaney's hands tightened on his weapon. He prepared to fight.

Ten was announced by a nerve-shattering explosion that shredded the door and sent sec- tions of it flying through the room, smas.h.i.+ng the mirrors and wrecking the bed. Chaney's settee was. .h.i.t by a huge chunk of metal that broke its frame and left one end sagging and shapeless.

No sooner had all the metal landed than a squad of Navy soldiers with Logistics flashes appeared in the doorway, spraying the room with high velocity bullets.