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Good. He didn't need her to fall apart on him now. She was learning.
Expediency. The desert sun burned those who moved slowly. He shook his head.
"Let's finish up here."
She turned and stared across the base to the cloud of smoke from the
explosion. "It didn't work," she said dully.
He put down the tiny screwdriver. "What?"
She pointed, her arm leaden. "The column . . . Jason was tied to. It's still
intact."
He straightened up and stared. She was right. It seemed totally undamaged.
How was that possible?
He studied the drifting smoke. Something was wrong. The explosion had
occurred slightly west of the column. "The boy must have gotten free of the
ropes. Moved away from the column."
His words seemed to ignite a moment of hope in her bearing, but then she
sagged, seeming to realize that, free of the column or not, the explosion had
occurred.
"Let's go," Khalid ordered.
She didn't argue as she was led away.
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THIRTY-FIVE
BEN SAT ON THE LEATHER SOFA INBLAKELY'S OFFICE, nursing his aching shoulder.
He needed to keep moving. This sitting around was making his shoulder throb.
Harry had painfully yanked it back in place earlier.
Jason sat next to him now, kicking the sofa with his heel, still tense. The
boy had been through a hell of a lot. He had finally related the events that
led to Ben's discovery of him.
Sandy sat on a chair behind Blakely's desk, twirling a strand of hair between
her fingers. Dark circles were etched beneath her eyes. "Poor Dr. Blakely,"
she mumbled.
Ben nodded. He regretted all the foul thoughts he had harbored for the leader
of this bloody mission. He didn't deserve to die like that.
Harry finally reappeared at the office door. "I've got everything ready, Ben.
Let's get movin'."
It was about time. Mo'amba's message of danger still burned fiercely in Ben's
mind. This waiting was agonizing, but Harry had insisted that Ben rest for a
few minutes while he organized a quicker way for Ben to get back to Ashley.
Pushing off the sofa, Ben felt a twinge of protest from his shoulder. 'Show me
what you're talking about," Ben said, wincing.
"It's just outside the office. C'mon." Harry led the way.
After telling Jason to stay put, Ben followed Harry down the scorched hall.
The entrance was demolished, the door hanging askew on its hinges.
Harry waved to the twomimi'swee hunters who had led thecrak'an on a wild
goose chase. They had returned, not even looking tired from the hours of
cat-and-mousing. Harry patted his fellow hunters on the shoulders, then
proceeded outside.
"I'll leave with the boy just as soon as you take off," Harry said. "We'll
take the elevator to safety, but you need to hurry."
"I know. Watch your back, though, and protect that boy. There's still a
madman setting other bombs around here, and I don't want Jason falling within
his clutches again." Ben saw the shallow crater from the explosion for the
first time. Almost two yards in diameter. The surface rock looked burned. He
noticed there was no carcass of Tiny Tim. Ben smiled grimly. The beast had
probably been blown to tiny pieces. He turned to Harry. "Now what are you
hiding up your sleeve?"
Harry wore a shit-eating grin. "Come see." Harry led the way to the side of
the building. He pointed proudly. "My masterpiece."
Leaning on the wall was a black motorcycle, trimmed in chrome. Ben whistled
in appreciation.
"I retrieved it from my dormitory after reconnoitering the area. Figured it
would be a quick way back to the wormhole. This baby will outrace any
damnedcrak'an ."
"Bloody grand idea." Ben patted the seat. "Is it gassed and ready?"
"Yep."
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"Then let's get the show on the road. I don't know where that damned Khalid
is, or what he's planning next, but I don't think we should wait."
"What about the woman he's holding hostage? The biologist?" Harry asked.
"Should we look for her?"
Ben closed his eyes and clenched his fists. He pictured Linda's nervous
smile. He hated his next words. "No, he said, his voice strained, "it's too
risky. For all we know, she may be dead already. Just get that boy to the
elevator and out of here."
Harry nodded. "Then let's move."
Within minutes, Harry had everything ready. Ben straddled the bike, a
pilfered rifle strapped under his left thigh. His backpack was cleared of
everything but the paper-wrapped statue ofohna .
One of themimi'swee hunters Ben couldn't remember his name reluctantly
climbed behind him on the bike.
Sighing, Ben called to Harry and pointed to the tiny hunter. "I can return
the statue on my own."
"It's not safe to travel alone. There's sure to be other pods. Now go!"
Jason stood by the side of the bike, obviously nervous about seeing Ben
leave.
Ben winked at him. "I'll be back. And it'll be your mom on the back of this
hog the next time you see me."
This generated a small smile, but his eyes still had a worried look to them.
"Be careful, Ben."
"Always." Ben engaged the throttle, and the bike roared, raising an
involuntary smile to his lips. The smile turned to a grimace as the grip of
his passenger tightened to the point of cutting off circulation to his lower
half. Ben patted the squeezing arm. "Easy there, buddy." The grip loosened . .
. but only slightly.
With a final wave, Ben slipped the bike forward, proceeding at a moderate
pace. There was too much scattered debris to proceed faster than a man could
run. But after a few minutes, getting accustomed to the cycle's handling, he
increased his speed, a wide grin on his face. He flew past a field of
flattened tents, heading east to detour around the chasm since the bridge was
out. He tried his best to ignore some of the human debris on the path. Like
roadkill, he thought dourly. His smile faded to a grim line.
Thankfully, within a few minutes he had cleared the base and sped toward the
north wall. He breathed deeply the cleaner air, appreciating the abating
stench of smoke and rotting flesh.
As he raced toward the distant dwellings, following the rough man-made track,
he searched for any sign of thecrak'an ahead. Nothing. But he was well aware
that the darkness beyond his headlamp could hold herds of those monsters.
He held his breath as he sped along, his palms sweaty on the bike's handles.
He kept searching, straining to pierce the black curtain around the bike.
Something howled from a distance away, but otherwise no sign of the beasts
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ever appeared. Thankfully, he reached the north wall without encountering a
singlecrak'an . Almost too easy.
He cut the engine.
The small hunter was off the bike in a heartbeat, backing away as if from
some foul creature. Using his flash-light, Ben grabbed his rifle and followed
his agile partner up the levels of dwellings toohna 's chamber. The little
hunter was first to the chamber, practically flying into its security. Ben
followed close behind.
As he reached the entrance to the dwelling, the hunter, just steps ahead of
him, suddenly fell back into Ben's arms. What the hell? The hilt of a dagger
protruded from his small chest. The hunter stiffened in his arms, then jerked
into a violent convulsion. Ben couldn't hold him any longer and dropped him to
the ground.
Poison. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]