Part 16 (1/2)
”Thanks. How many times is that now?”
Kane smiles and shrugs, ”Too many to count. I'm getting really sick of having to save your sorry-”
BOOM!.
He's interrupted by another explosion. As the concussive force subsides, we hear shouts coming from the cave entrance.
”What the h.e.l.l?” Kane asks. ”Who?”
I hear them and act.
”Go! Now!” I yell and shove Kane towards the left stair case. ”They're here, hurry!”
Kane stumbles and sways as I shove him harder. I draw my gun and aim it back towards the stone that was blocking our path.
”Get them out of here! Lead them to the pyramid. I'll cover our rears.”
”Not a chance, Hank! This is my job, get the others out of here, now!”
His look gets sterner and I can tell he's about to order me again, but Dad answers him for me.
”Do what he says Son, Go!”
Begrudgingly, I grab my bag and turn to Nicole, about to tell her to do the same. Her eyes ask the question for her.
”The voices, they're in Arabic. It's Zero. They've found us!” I say turning towards the left staircase.
We fly down the steps, two at a time, and into the stone forest and who-knows-what else.
Hopefully the visions in my dream were a figment of my subconscious and not anything that we will have to deal with head on because, if it is...well for our sake...let's just hope it isn't.
31.
”Where's Omar!” Dad yells running for his life.
We hit the stone steps at full speed and are lucky to reach the bottom without anyone tripping and breaking their necks. That would have slowed us down a little. Everyone runs with their weapons drawn, which again probably isn't a good idea, but hey...we're in a rus.h.!.+
We enter the stone jungle at a sprint and follow the trail of broken and splintered debris. It's a likely path to those who are following us, but we need to pour on the speed. If they get too close we can always hide and try to defend ourselves.
”No idea where he is,” Kane replies from thirty feet behind us, glancing back, watching our b.u.t.ts. ”He must have bolted when the first explosion went off. Probably p.i.s.sed himself too!”
We scramble up and over a fallen stone tree losing precious speed and seconds. I chance a look back just in time to see Kane leap over the stone obstruction blocking his path like an Olympic hurdler. I almost trip and fall seeing him execute the move so flawlessly. The rest of us aren't as big or as surprisingly agile as him, which proves the kind of shape he's in.
”Hank, hold up! Don't get too far ahead!” Kane yells.
I stop and turn, just as a bullet sizzles over my head. I fall to the ground and roll to the right, behind one of the bigger trees.
Geez, that's the second time that's happened since landing in Algiers, I think silently thanking myself for not being an inch taller.
More bullets fly, this time at Kane. He ducks and rolls just as he gets to another felled obstacle. Mid-roll, he does a fancy action star move, leaping to his feet. He continues his forward momentum over the downed tree and lands on his feet and keeps on running. It's like he rolled over the hood of a car in some cheesy cop movie.
”Never mind, Keep going!” He yells waving his hand, shooing us on. He's now twenty feet from us and about to beckon us forward again-when a bullet zips past his head and slams into my cover, right near mine.
s.h.i.+t.
”No can do, Kane!” I yell, firing my Glock back up towards the cavern entrance. ”Switch spots with me and lead them on! I'll hold them off!”
He shrugs off my suggestion and stops, taking cover beside me. We look back over our stone s.h.i.+eld and see men pouring out of the newly formed hole.
d.a.m.n.
I glance back to Kane.
He draws his second Desert Eagle and smiles.
”I got this.”
”Like h.e.l.l you do!” Interjects our female companion.
We both snap over to see Nicole hiding behind another tree, weapon at the ready.
”There must be a dozen of them and only one of you. We're staying!”
She shoots me a look saying, I know you're staying and so am I, so drop it!
I lean around and see Dad tucked in next to Nicole shaking like a cold, wet dog.
Great.
”Dad, you can't be here.”
”No, he can't,” Nicole continues. ”William, you need to run. We will cover you.”
He looks up at the three of us and nods.
Another barrage of lead a.s.sault our position, forcing us to duck back down.
”Dad,” I say firmly, peeking back over our bullet ridden cover. ”Find Omar and don't stop until we find you.”
He nods again and turns to flee, but stops, ”Kane? Nicole?” They look at him. ”Keep my son alive.”
It's not a question, it's a demand. He's not asking them to keep me alive, he's expecting it.
He then gives me a final look that could break anyone's heart. A look of fear and loss and...doubt. Doubt that'll we'll ever see each other again.
”I'm right behind you old man.”