Heading straight for it.
“There,” he said. “Shoot.”
“HIT THE GROUND,” MALONE YELLED, KNOWING WHAT WAS coming.
The beam had located Cassiopeia just as she’d made it to safety. He decided not to give anyone a free shot.
He took aim across the room and fired at the center of the three lights.
TANG HEARD THE BULLET SLAM INTO THE BROTHER. THE MAN was thrown back by the impact, his light zigzagging in the darkness, his body thudding to the bricks.
Tang immediately retreated behind the archway, as did Viktor on the other side. The mercury cloud was advancing toward them, now only meters away.
They had to leave.
But first.
CASSIOPEIA SAW ONE LIGHT FALL AND TWO OTHERS DISAPPEAR, most likely seeking cover. She sprang to her feet, found the break in the wall with her hand, and slipped inside, a thick slab of stone between her and any more bullets.
Malone, though, was still out there.
“Are you in?” she heard him ask.
“I’m here. Your turn.”
The lights were starting their search again, focused on the opening. But they were noticeably weaker from the fog, which she saw was thickening and advancing toward their end of the hall.
Another thirty seconds and it would be here.
The lights moved away and lowered.
Both locked on Malone.
“THERE HE IS,” TANG SAID TO VIKTOR. “SHOOT HIM NOW.”
Their guns banged.
MALONE SPOTTED THE DARK CLOUD, LESS THAN TEN FEET AWAY. He flattened himself to the floor just as guns fired from the other side of the hall.
He held his breath and the lights stayed just above him.
Standing, even crouching, would be fatal.
But he needed to go.
Now.
CASSIOPEIA AIMED AROUND THE STONE DOOR AND EMPTIED her magazine across the room, firing at the lights.
“Get your ass in here,” she yelled to Malone.
MALONE REALIZED THAT IT WASN’T QUITE THAT EASY. THE beams had retreated from sight with Cassiopeia’s barrage, which he assumed was the whole idea, but it also plunged the scene before him back into absolute darkness. He knew the opening was about eight feet to his right. Still, he had to feel his way across the wall, heading for the sound of her shots.
Repeated clicks indicated that her magazine was drained.
He found the opening, hopped inside, and exhaled.
“We need to get the hell out of here,” he said.
TANG REALIZED THAT COTTON MALONE AND CASSIOPEIA VITT were gone, escaped into the far exit. The fog was nearly upon them, so there was no way to pursue them through the chamber.
He dropped back, as did Viktor.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “I have two brothers waiting for them when they emerge from the ground.”
SIXTY
NI CLIMBED FROM THE WELL AND CHECKED HIS WATCH. NEARLY SIX PM. He sucked a few lungfuls of warm, moist air. The rain had stopped.
He replaced the iron plate in the well.
Tang would surely be exiting soon, so he needed to leave. His adversary had come prepared, but so had he.
He found his cell phone and hit a speed-dial key. The number dialed and the connection was made. “I want you here, on site, in the next fifteen minutes.”
He’d brought twelve of his investigators with him, transporting them in a separate helicopter that would have arrived about half an hour after his. They’d been instructed to wait a few kilometers away until contacted.
“We’re on the way.”
“Meet me at the security center, at the administrative buildings, east of the museum.”
He ended the call and headed off.
MALONE LED THE WAY AS HE AND CASSIOPEIA SCAMPERED through the tunnel, back toward where they’d entered. He knew that there were four right angles to traverse, two remaining as they’d already once turned left, then right. He avoided all the doorways leading out, careful to retrace the path they’d used to enter. He’d be damn glad when sky once again loomed overhead.
He still held his gun, which contained a few rounds. Cassiopeia’s was exhausted. They both toted flashlights.
“I appreciate what you did back there,” he said.
“Least I could do.”
“You realize Viktor was on the other side of one of those flashlights.”
“We also know that neither one of us was shot.”
He stopped. “You can’t be serious. You actually think he helped?”
“Cotton, I don’t know what to think. This whole thing seems one double cross after another. All I know is that a four-year-old boy is gone and I can’t get anywhere close to finding him.”
He saw the exasperation in her eyes, and awaited another verbal assault. Instead she drew close and kissed him.
Tender. Sweet. Not a question, more a statement.
“Viktor’s not you,” she said.
“You think I’m jealous?”
“I think you’re human.”
He was uncomfortable as hell. Feeling emotions was one thing, revealing them was quite another. “We need to get out of here.”
She nodded. “Okay. Let’s go.”
They negotiated the final two turns. He spotted a splash of light in the tunnel ahead. The gash in the library floor. They stopped beneath the hole and glanced up three feet.
“I’ll go first,” she said.
Before he could object, she leaped up, secured a grip, and leveraged herself through the hole.
Halfway, she was yanked upward.
A man dropped through the opening and landed on his feet.
He wore the uniform of museum security and carried a gun, pointed straight at Malone.
