Contest

'We don't even know if he and Hawkins are still alive,' Swain said. 'There has to be another way.'

Selexin said, 'Maybe they have a vice around here that we could squeeze it in. Snap it open with the pressure.'

'In a library? Not likely.'

Frustrated, Selexin sat down next to the semi-opened door, staring at the escape he couldn't use. Swain was also gazing at the door, deep in thought. Holly held him tightly by the arm.

'Well, first of all,' Swain said, 'we have to get you guys out. After that, I'll just have to find a way to get this thing off and then meet you outside.' He snorted. 'Hmph. Maybe I should go and ask Bellos if he'd like to have a try. I'm sure he'd like that.'

'He'd definitely be strong enough,' Selexin said.

'But would he do it?' Swain scoffed.

'Gladly,' a deep baritone voice said from somewhere behind him.

----ooo0ooo------

Swain spun.

There, right in front of him, standing in one of the aisles perpendicular to the western wall, stood Bellos.

Swain felt a chill at the sight of the man. His body, his face, his long tapering horns, everything about him was black. Except for his breastplate, which Swain now clearly saw to be beautifully crafted in gold.

And he was tall, taller than he had seemed before. At least seven feet.

'Greetings, fellow competitor. Before you stands Bellos--'

'I know who you are,' Swain said softly.

Bellos cocked his head in astonishment.

'Where are your hoods?' Swain asked calmly, as Selexin and Holly slowly got to their feet beside him. 'You don't fight without them, do you?'

Bellos chuckled evilly. As he did so, Swain saw something jingle at his side -- something attached to his belt.

It was the Konda's breathing mask.

With a tinge of horror, Swain recalled Selexin's earlier description of Bellos: the trophy collector.

And then suddenly he caught sight of a second object clipped to Bellos' belt, something that glinted dull gold in the mouldy yellow light of the Stack. Swain's eyes widened when he saw what it was.

It was a New York Police Department badge.

Hawkins' partner...

Bellos spoke, releasing Swain from his thoughts. 'You attempt to show courage you do not possess, little man. There are no hoods here. Just you. And me.'

'Really,' Swain said. 'I don't believe you.'

Bellos stepped forward. 'You use strong words for a man who is moriturum esse.'

'Moriturum esse,' Swain repeated. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched for the hoods, expecting one of them to spring from one of the nearby aisles at any moment now. 'About to die, huh. If that's the case, why don't you just osci assinum meum then,' he said.

Bellos frowned, not understanding.

'Osci assinum meum?' he repeated, perplexed. 'You want me to kiss your mule, your ass?'

Swain surreptitiously kicked the book wedged in the doorway clear from the small red door. The spring- loaded door immediately began to close and he caught it in his hand -- behind his back.

'When they attack,' he whispered to Selexin and Holly, 'I want you two to run straight through the door. Don't worry about me.'

'But--'

'Just do it,' Swain said, never taking his eyes off Bellos.

Bellos sneered, 'Do you just stand there, little man, or do you fight?

Swain said nothing, just looked left. Then right. Waiting for the hoods.

They attacked.

Suddenly. Without warning. From the front. Not the sides. From behind Bellos' shoulder.

It was a single hood, springing forward, claws bared. Straight at Swain.

With his free hand Swain swiped at the creature backhanded, hitting it squarely in the head, sending it crashing to the floor with a squeal.

Swain immediately opened the door behind him. 'Go!' he yelled to Selexin and Holly. 'Go! Go!'

And then the second hood attacked.

This one came from the left, slamming into Swain's back, knocking him to the floor, making him let go of the door.

The spring-loaded door began to close.

The second hood leapt at Swain again as he rolled onto his back. Swain threw a desperate arm up at the approaching hood and caught its narrow throat in his hand. Its massive jaws clamped viciously open and shut, trying madly to reach his face, as Swain held it out at arm's length.

Its claws swatted wildly, lashing out at his chest -- but they weren't long enough. So it went for his arm instead -- slashing ferociously. Five bloody gashes appeared instantly across Swain's forearm.

It was then that Swain saw the door closing.

'The door! Get the door!' he yelled to Holly and Selexin.

But Holly and Selexin just stood there. Dead still. Staring off to the right, down the western wall.

Swain was looking desperately at the rapidly closing door. It was almost shut when, as a last resort, he thrust his leg out and wedged his foot between the door and its frame.

'Go!' he yelled, kicking the door open again as he wrestled with the hood.

But Selexin and Holly weren't moving.

They were watching the third and fourth hoods as they stalked ominously out into the aisle.

Swain got up on one knee, still holding the second hood at arm's length. The animal decided on a new tactic. Instead of writhing about maniacally in his grip, lashing out with its claws, it grabbed hold of Swain's forearm with both its claws, clinging to him, and started squeezing, hoping to break his grip on its neck.

'Jesus! Go! Get out!' Swain yelled, his foot holding the door wide open. 'I can't hold it open much longer!'

But Holly and Selexin didn't move, and when at last he saw what they were looking at, Swain had a fleeting thought that came a second too late.

Where did that first hood go?

The first hood slammed into Swain at a crunching speed -- hurling itself, Swain and the second hood into the open door. Swain bounced off the door and into the dark corridor beyond it, the two hoods with him.

'No!' he cried, as he saw the door behind him start closing again.

He still had the second hood's throat gripped tightly in his hand -- just as it still held his forearm. Ruthlessly, he banged its head twice against the hard concrete floor and the hood immediately released its grip and its body went limp and Swain threw it aside and dived for the closing door.

There was noise everywhere. The hoods squealing, a loud electronic beeping coming from his wristband, and then -- worst of all -- the sound of Holly screaming inside the library.

Still diving, Swain landed a few feet short of the door and slid the rest of the way on his chest, arms outstretched...

Too late.

The door shut.

The lock clicked.