The Covenant of Genesis

‘What are you going for?’

Despite the rockier terrain, Chase kept the pedal down, building up speed as they approached the top of the rise. ‘You remember The Dukes of Hazzard ?’

Nina blanched. ‘You’re going to jump the ravine?’

‘If we go the long way round, we’ll never make it!’

‘And we’ll never make it if we jump! We’re not in an action movie, and this thing must weigh five tons!’

They reached the top, the western side of the Garden of Eden opening out before them. Verdant jungle lit by shafts of sunlight to the right, the dark crack of the ravine slashing across the landscape ahead—

‘There he is!’ Chase yelled, catching a flash of reflected light on the far side of the ravine. Callum’s Humvee was bounding along the edge of the cliff, squeezed between the trees and the near-vertical drop. He pushed the pedal to the floor, the engine surging. ‘How long?’

‘Three minutes!’

The log bridge was off to the right; almost directly ahead was the large, slanted rock Chase had noticed earlier, protruding over the side of the chasm. Callum was still short of the log, but would reach it in seconds. ‘Soon as we stop on the other side, no matter what happens, you run for the tunnel!’ he told Nina.

‘And if we don’t reach the other side?’

The Humvee picked up speed as it descended the rise, flattening everything in its path. Chase aimed for the rock, then looked at Nina. ‘Then this is your last chance to say I love you!’

‘I love you,’ Nina said, grimacing. ‘But I hate the way you driiiiiive!’

The Humvee hit the rock at over fifty miles an hour and shot up the impromptu ramp—

And flew across the ravine.

40

Callum glimpsed movement to his left as he passed the log. He looked round - and froze at the sight of the black colossus arcing across the gap at the head of a trail of dust and dirt from its still-spinning wheels.

Fear snapped him back to life as he realised that the other Humvee was not only going to make it over the ravine, but would collide with him if he didn’t stop—

He slammed on the brakes. His Humvee slewed on the damp ground as the other vehicle smashed down in front of him.

Even with the soft earth absorbing the impact, its suspension collapsed, one wheel ripping away. Amidst a whirlwind of churned soil and shredded creepers, the Humvee tore through the tangled net of vines hanging from the trees before slamming sidelong into the trunks and bouncing back towards the cliff . . .

Smashing into Callum’s skidding vehicle.

Glass shattered and metal tore with a banshee screech. The colliding 4x4s swept over the edge, teetering on the brink before starting to fall—

And abruptly jerking to a stop.

The wrecked suspension of Nina and Chase’s Humvee was entangled in vines and creepers. It hung sideways over the edge of the cliff at a forty-degree angle - as Chase discovered when he opened his eyes to find that the steep tilt of the world around him wasn’t solely down to his dizziness.

He saw blood on the steering wheel where he had banged his head against it. Below him, Nina was crumpled in the footwell.

Pulling himself upright, Chase forced open his door, immediately seeing how perilous their position was. Even as he watched, the vines holding them vibrated like plucked guitar strings, the weaker creepers twisting . . . and snapping. The little pops and cracks sounded like someone stepping on bubblewrap - but each break put more strain on the others. It was only a matter of moments before the Humvee fell.

‘Nina, get up,’ he said, reaching down to take hold of her arm.

She raised her head, looking dazedly at him. ‘Did we make it?’ she asked absently. He nodded. ‘Oh, good.’

‘We’re not safe yet. We’ve got - shit, two and a half minutes.’

‘Until what again?’

He pulled at her. ‘You know? The bomb?’

‘What bomb?’ Her eyes finally focused on him. ‘The bomb! Oh, shit, the bomb!’ She tried to stand, only to gasp in pain. ‘Oh, God, my leg still hurts!’

‘Think you can walk?’

‘I’m gonna have to! No, wait,’ she added as she forced herself up, ‘I’m gonna have to run!’

A much louder snap from outside was accompanied by a jolt. One of the thicker vines had just given way. ‘This thing’s going to fall! Come on!’ Chase put both feet against the high transmission tunnel between the seats and straightened his legs, lifting Nina up. ‘Climb over me!’

‘But—’

‘Quick!’ He shoved her through the door. More snaps. The Humvee lurched.

Nina scrambled clear. Chase gripped the door frame and pulled himself upwards, using the steering column for a step as he dived out—

Several vines snapped at once. The battered Humvee swung round, tipping over the edge - and plummeted into the ravine, bouncing off the rockface and cartwheeling into the darkness below.

Nina hobbled to Chase, who lay at the lip of the chasm, both legs hanging out over nothingness. Despite the pain, she pulled him clear. ‘Jesus! Are you okay?’

Chase could hardly speak, his heart slamming in his chest. He managed a thumbs-up, before seeing they were not alone.

Callum’s Humvee hung almost vertically over the cliff edge, nose down at what seemed like an impossible angle until Chase saw it was suspended from a pointed rock, its tip wedged under the 4x4’s rear axle. The engine was still running, and its front doors were both open, extended like stubby wings - revealing Callum slumped over the wheel inside.

Unconscious.

‘Get to the tunnel,’ Chase said, standing.

‘Not without you,’ Nina said. ‘What are you doing?’

‘I can use his radio to delay the strike - I remember the code. Look, go!’ he said, seeing that she was about to object. ‘There’s only two minutes left!’ He waited until she reluctantly turned and began a limping run towards the exit, then bunched together several creepers and used them to climb down the cliff.

Not sure how much weight the passenger-side door could take, he kept hold of the creepers as he gingerly put his feet on it. The hinges creaked. Wincing, he eased himself into the cabin. The armoured windscreen was cracked, loose gear strewn across it. Not sure if it would support his weight, Chase instead stood on the dashboard and looked more closely at Callum.

The white-haired agent still seemed out cold, a deep cut across his cheek. His jacket hung open. There was no sign of a radio in the equipment on the windscreen, so it was probably still in his pocket.

Chase edged closer, alert for any noises or movements warning that the Humvee was about to fall. It swayed as he crossed the cabin, but the rock supporting it seemed solid - for now.

He reached Callum. The American was still breathing. Chase hunched lower, carefully slipping his arm through the steering wheel to reach Callum’s inside pocket. His fingers touched the fabric; something hard and heavy inside. He edged his hand up, feeling plastic, switches . . .

Callum’s eyes opened.

He grabbed Chase’s outstretched arm and slammed it against the wheel, sweeping his other hand across to deliver a crunching backhand blow to the Englishman’s face. Chase tried to pull back, but Callum bent his wrist backwards over the wheel’s rim until the joints crackled, pinning him as he swung at Chase’s head again, catching his jaw.

Chase retaliated with a punch of his own, then gouged Callum’s eye with his thumb. Callum jerked away, releasing his grip on Chase’s arm.

Chase stumbled back, one foot slipping off the dash on to the windscreen. Fractured glass squealed, cracks